Where to put good youth players?

Since FM12, players in the youth team can only be put on youth training schedules. So I thought about putting them in my reserve team but that team doesn't play in a simulated league, hence they won't get playing time. Is there any way to make the players get the benefit of senior training and match experience under this constellation?

PS: I don't want to loan them out, they need to be tutored first.

PPS: I would also like to win the youth league^^

I'm not sure that you can have the best of both worlds - having your youth players on senior training schedules, but still playing for the youth team. Why isn't your reserve team playing in a reserve competition? If I think that one of my youth players should be on a senior training schedule, I put him in the reserve team and make sure that they have regular games (padding out their fixture list with friendlies as required).

Even if there is no reserve competition, you can manually arrange friendlies for your reserves to give them game time-

I really hate how players in the youth sides can't be on a full-time schedule. Surely if you sign a player full-time, they should train full-time, regardless of whether they play in the U18s or not.

@ FrazT: Thanks. I will have a go at a season in the reserve squad with only friendlies played. Let's see how that goes.

@fleet620: My reserve team will never be in a playable league because I messed it up when I edited the database^^

I really hate how players in the youth sides can't be on a full-time schedule. Surely if you sign a player full-time, they should train full-time, regardless of whether they play in the U18s or not.

FrazT - I play in Germany that also have reserves that don't play. I do arrange friendlies - but is it fair to say these would be less effective than proper reserve games in helping players improve? The fact that they aren't competitive I thought reduces their benefit?

FrazT - I play in Germany that also have reserves that don't play. I do arrange friendlies - but is it fair to say these would be less effective than proper reserve games in helping players improve? The fact that they aren't competitive I thought reduces their benefit?

I would say that this depends on the quality of the opposition. I try to arrange 4 games a month for my reserves and pick at least one difficult game each month to try and keep the competitive edge going- who knows if it works or not?

Personally I don't buy players at all, so mine go straight into the first team But yeah, you should just arrange as many friendlies as you think they need, taking into account there's usually cup games too.

As far as I was aware the team that a player is in has no bearing on what training schedules they can be on.

I thought it was simply a case of any players on a youth contract must be on youth training but as soon as they are on a full time (or part-time) contract they can move up to full or part-time training.

This is the way it should be, but unfortunately it's not.

:)Irl,teenagers/youths are not on full time shcedules because their bodies are not fully developed properly till around 17yrs,i read it in a book or it was on a TV program,you risk doing them damage,cant remember wot!,,,might be to do with bone structure,total burn out!,,i think its the same in Athletics?

:)Irl,teenagers/youths are not on full time shcedules because their bodies are not fully developed properly till around 17yrs,i read it in a book or it was on a TV program,you risk doing them damage,cant remember wot!,,,might be to do with bone structure,total burn out!,,i think its the same in Athletics?

Brisbane Roar's first team and youth all train together and they have won the past two A-Leagues.

Okay, so I have done an experiment and let my prospects play in my reserve squad with arranged friendly matches for two seasons. They seem to progress faster than if they were playing in the youth team, of course it would be perfect if they had official matches.

I guess the question is whether the apparent increase in progress is down to the full-time vs. youth training schedule difference?

If you are thusly inclined, you could always control the youth team yourself and simply play any eligible reserves in those matches. The best of both worlds, with a bit more time invested. It does help you get more attached to your youths as well =)