Ugh! Players complaining about first team football...

What the hell should I be doing here? I have 2 great keepers, but now the understudy, who in honesty has been patient for the past few years, but he's finally decided he wants the gloves! I have tried to keep him happy by playing both keepers equally, not really working by the looks of this:

So he's decided that he can't be on level terms with the technically better (and older) Takahashi, and so I basically have to choose one to go and bring back my 22 year old off in Scotland.

How does everyone else deal with this kind of situation (any position)?

Let the b*tch weep.

That's my normal approach... But this guy is relatively important for once.

Ignore him. He's not real. If the typical FM pattern is followed it'll happen like this:

1. He'll soon ask for a transfer.

2. You say "ok" and give him a big transfer value.

3. When no one shows any interest he'll ask to come off the transfer list.

4. You say "ok" and offer him a new ever-so slightly improved contract on backup terms.

5. He'll shut up for a few months -- probably longer if you continue rotating them.

When I have this dilemma, I usually let my best keeper play the bigger teams (in England, the ManUs, Arsenals etc) and also the "almost-there" teams (Everton, Aston Villa, etc) while the second keeper plays the less good teams, the 8-or-so hovering around relegation and struggling to get out of the bottom half (Derby, Wigan, Birmingham). Sounds similar to your own policy, but they usually stop whinging after a new contract.

He can't be that important if he isn't getting first team football. Sell him and get a replacement.

can i ask what skin your using? its fab!

tell him he's a back up for the 1st team and should be patient. he may well apologize for his comments, and go back to being reasonably happy. if thishappens, then try and involve him in some of the less important/easier games so he's at least getting some matches under his belt. if not, he'll request a transfer, and you can get rid of him!

Ignore him. He's not real. If the typical FM pattern is followed it'll happen like this:

1. He'll soon ask for a transfer.

2. You say "ok" and give him a big transfer value.

3. When no one shows any interest he'll ask to come off the transfer list.

4. You say "ok" and offer him a new ever-so slightly improved contract on backup terms.

5. He'll shut up for a few months -- probably longer if you continue rotating them.

When I have this dilemma, I usually let my best keeper play the bigger teams (in England, the ManUs, Arsenals etc) and also the "almost-there" teams (Everton, Aston Villa, etc) while the second keeper plays the less good teams, the 8-or-so hovering around relegation and struggling to get out of the bottom half (Derby, Wigan, Birmingham). Sounds similar to your own policy, but they usually stop whinging after a new contract.

That's a fantastic routine I use particularly when I’m a small club trying to keep of my best players. Although when it’s required they sign a new contract you run into problems. So keep an eye on when that's expiring.

Sell him and get another player (on his contract put him as back-up). Your 1st choice looks class btw.

do any of you guys know what the skin this guy is using at the top?? sorry to bug you all with a double poster!!

The flex skin. can be found in the Graphics forum.

can i ask what skin your using? its fab!

do any of you guys know what the skin this guy is using at the top?? sorry to bug you all with a double poster!!

Flex I think it's called, the only one I can actually stand.

Sell him and get another player (on his contract put him as back-up). Your 1st choice looks class btw.

I've been looking into that, but he is on a contract as a backup player, but he's getting a tad too big for his boots. I do have another young keeper (about 21) coming through the ranks, but still, this guy is decent now.

tell him he's a back up for the 1st team and should be patient. he may well apologize for his comments, and go back to being reasonably happy. if thishappens, then try and involve him in some of the less important/easier games so he's at least getting some matches under his belt. if not, he'll request a transfer, and you can get rid of him!

Look at the bottom, he's getting as many games as Takahashi...

Probably a whiner then. Normally if they complain i sell them. Whiners disrupt your team chemistry.

Flex I think it's called, the only one I can actually stand.

I just wanted to say thankyou this skin is awsome i cant wait til i get home from football know just to play it!! were playing against our first team so will need a pickme up when i get home lol, thanks again mate!!!

Flex I think it's called, the only one I can actually stand.

I just wanted to say thankyou this skin is awsome i cant wait til i get home from football know just to play it!! were playing against our first team so will need a pickme up when i get home lol, thanks again mate!!!

I remember a match I played a year back, it was our 3rd side (which I was a... uh... Key member of) against another clubs first side (I don't remember why) and I was playing as a centerhalf. For some reason all but me, the other centerhalf and one of the fullbacks decided that they were better suited as strikers... Guess how that one ended! I thought to myself, well at least the Rams (my favorite team in case I didn't say it) couldn't do this bad next season...

I remember a match I played a year back, it was our 3rd side (which I was a... uh... Key member of) against another clubs first side (I don't remember why) and I was playing as a centerhalf. For some reason all but me, the other centerhalf and one of the fullbacks decided that they were better suited as strikers... Guess how that one ended! I thought to myself, well at least the Rams (my favorite team in case I didn't say it) couldn't do this bad next season...

HaHa good one! i hope derby do well i have to say i think you should come out of the championship, i feel it was a bit too early last time round i just hope you keep hold of barnes, as an arsenal fan myself i admire a clubs ambition to keep hold of the young ones and filter them through to the first team.

BTW i thought i should say we lost 8-3 im going to carry on with my coventry city save in league 1 and pray for a better result than earlier!!

HaHa good one! i hope derby do well i have to say i think you should come out of the championship, i feel it was a bit too early last time round i just hope you keep hold of barnes, as an arsenal fan myself i admire a clubs ambition to keep hold of the young ones and filter them through to the first team.

BTW i thought i should say we lost 8-3 im going to carry on with my coventry city save in league 1 and pray for a better result than earlier!!

I might just mention 7-1... A 14 year old scored a goal for us before he had to leave at half time to play for his U-15 side! Our goalkeeper was great though, I should have been sent off for kicking someone between the legs whilst staring into the sun, I think the ref had pitty on us...

Good luck to ya!

Tell him to lump it, hes not as good as the Jap, that Japs a reet gem, transfer list the bastard, see what he thinks about that

I just have visions of selling him and Takahashi suddenly being hit by his age (I know, he's a keeper, but sometimes FM is a whore!)...

I've shut him up now though/ stopped listening to him after he didn't accept 5 straight matches between the sticks as good enough. Though I must admit, they were 5 clean sheets!

I've been looking into that, but he is on a contract as a backup player, but he's getting a tad too big for his boots. I do have another young keeper (about 21) coming through the ranks, but still, this guy is decent now.

Is your young keeper good enough for a back-up? Could you post a screenshot with his profile? If he's good enough to play the less important league games or the cup games then you should sell your current back-up and give the younger one some games in the first team. It will help him develop too.

He may still become a good player in the future, but yeah I don't think he's quite good enough yet, but I have far more confidence in just keeping Al-Qahtani... Then again Takahashi could himself together until he's 35 odd, so I'm not sure if it's worth keeping Al-Qahtani... I got a £9.25 million pound bid for Al-Qahtani, but he's worth more than that to me! I would settle for £12 mil in truth with him complaining, and with Milan still sniffing about I might just get it.

I win!

So yeah, to put it all in perspective. Originally I said I'll give him a chance, as he was performing as well as Takahashi. After a few howlers though (3 in the same match, that's all the reason I needed), Takahashi was back between the sticks after only 4 games. Though I was still playing him in cup matches... But then he chose to tell me to play him or lose him again, so I said: "I pick the team bitch!" (or at least that's what I wanted to say), and he then went off to have a wobbly and wanted to leave. Come the transfer window there is a decent amount of interest in him, I negotiated some bids and he had another couple of wobblies about that, and then finally he came out with this again (see below)... As I said, I won! Now I just have to decide whether he's worth more than the money, though now he's settled down again, I think I might just keep him!

Depends. This is one of those situations that might bite you in the bum. If he plays against you, he might have a stunner.

But for 11.5 million, i say sell.

I say a new 5 year contract (as backup... again) on peanuts!

I think I won this time around. I don't really need the £11.5 mil anyhow. He's far more useful as backup.

Go ahead. it's your Al Qahtani(did i spell that right?)

Well I already did a while back, he's now very content playing for the reserves...

I had a similar problem with a midfielder, but he did seriously impress me when I gave him the chance, he's got himself a new 4 year contract and is now more or less replacing another midfielder who's about to turn 33 (and his £95k per week contract runs out at the end of the season), so I think I got a good deal there.

i think its simple - if a player is good enough he will make it anyway, if he isnt your first choice then he has to accept his position or leave - no point having an unhappy player