How to keep young stars?

I started a game as manager of Sunderland because I wanted a challenge. I bought the best scouts and coaches that I could. It took quite a bit of work sifting through those that would accept jobs, etc. I started the game in January (with Portugal's schedule I think) instead of June, which gave my new scouts time to find some decent prospects. I sold off all the players that I could get decent offers for. This freed me up some 40Mil in tansfers. It again took a lot of work sorting through which players would be willing to sign with Sunderland, making bids and negotiating offers, etc... Most of these newly hired players were youngsters, but all had great potential ratings and good current ability.

Played first half of season and were miserable. I attribute that to unrest due to the major upheaval the team went through, because according to the coaches and scouts we had good players. I think we only got 2 wins in first half.

Then in the second half, we started winning. I think the players gelled and we did particularly well, wining or drawing almost all the games. We ended up 9th in the Premier League. I was particularly pleased with the result and was looking forward to the next season (with a team that was in good form). We even received a loan for 10million to bring in some additional talent.

But then at the start of the new season, the big teams (big four and AC Milan, etc) started making bids and showing interest in all of these good players I had found and hired. The players were all saying that they needed to consider moving to the bigger teams and were mad if I didn't accept the offers.

Now I was really frustrated! If I could just hold onto these players for one more season, I was sure we would end up near the top of the Premier League (based on our second half form from last season). But I just couldn't hold onto them. What's worse, for what I was offered for the players, I couldn't get reasonable replacements for them. For example AML Vukcevic was offered about 30Mil from AcMilan,Arsenal, and someone else. But any left wingers that I could find with about the same quality were requiring offers of 60Mil to 90Mil.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can keep the big teams from raiding my good players? Is there some player interaction or something I can use to persuade them?

I usually set my players values to zero. Then I set 'reject offers of £0 or lower' or 'reject all offers'. When you turn offers of zero down they do not get upset.

You're kidding. It's that simple? Great I'll try it. Thanks!

I usually set my players values to zero. Then I set 'reject offers of £0 or lower' or 'reject all offers'. When you turn offers of zero down they do not get upset.

Genius idea!

They can get upset about other things of course. You get used to the answers you give and which work.

Sometimes they ask for a transfer if you answer wrong (such as him telling the media he wishes to go to a bigger club and you say No). The best way to avoid this is to put them on the transfer list before you answer. If they get upset they usually calm down after a while and you take them off the list. Not always though. This way they cannot force their way onto the transfer list and usually back down if you answer sensibly as opposed to aggressively.

Remember to take them back off the list if they calm down.

If you miss the message you usually get a Resolve Issue choice when you click on them.

What about feeder clubs. My team is a feeder club to a much larger club in Scotland. Do they have any power to take players as they wish?

What about feeder clubs. My team is a feeder club to a much larger club in Scotland. Do they have any power to take players as they wish?

I always play as Rangers so I've never been a feeder club. However when you accept a bid for a player then the player is automaically offered to the Parent Club for the same price. They as the parent club will send players to you to include in your squad. If you don't want them send them back. It is good for you as the feeder club to try to loan one of their top young players. it is usually accepted unless he is important to the first team.

I had the same problem with west ham. Had a fullback (my best player) get praised by a few powers. I set to 0 at first waited till 10 teams applied then plopped down a 49 million offer to all clubs. Benefice offered a non-negotiable 49 mil next day. So it doesn't hurt that bad if you can get a big turnaround price tag for a player.

I tried at first to hold on to him but he had the "wants to move to bigger club" tag and became just a average player with no real enthusiasm to play to his potential. So it may be best to let him walk if he really wants out. may not be your case though.

i do think the reject 0 offer was a really good idea though for keeping a player. the one thing i've run into with westham is they dont wanna expand the stadium past 40,000 even though every game's a sell out, so i will probably leave if i get any offers. the training areas are now maxed but way behind the big boys in seating.

Yes, that kind of thing seems dissapointing. Seems like the board should want to increase the stadium to increase the income. Sunderland's board increased their stadium by 7000 seats after my first season (without me even asking). I noticed in the database editor that there is a maximum size for stadiums. Maybe West Ham has their stadium maxed out.

One thing I was worried about, is that I read in another thread, that it takes a long time to increase a club's reputation. I would think if you made it into the top 4 slots of Premier League that your reputation should get some kind of boost. But I have to wait and see for myself how Sunderland will fare if that happens.