The problem of the premiership

Just got promotion to the premiership after 7 long seasons. Only problem is, now I'm there, I don't have enough financial clout to get players in. For example one player is in the reserves at Sunderland, didn't play a single first team game for them this season and as far as I can tell I'm the only club interested. He wants wages of £71,000 a week initially, which I negotiated down to 58k. Even at that wage he would bankrupt my small club. A lot of my other targets have similarly ridiculous wage demands. Are they wanting high wages because I'm a low reputation club or are they all just greedy ****?

Both...

You might have to sign youth players and work with them. Use the scouts to see if players are interrested and what wages they will want.

Pull an Ian Holloway and make the most out of your rag tag group of fighters

Try searching for bargains. I'm in my 3rd season in the Premier League with Southampton and I don't have anyone making more than £63K a week (Shawcross).

Make sure you have a good scout and get a report before offering a contract. I always start negotiations near the low end of what my scout thinks they'll take.

I'd go with the youth approach while you are in the top division with a higher rep but its risky. Though if you find the right talent and train them well and they become good players you will be able to sell them on in the future for a big amount of money.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have quite a young squad so I could do with a bit of experience and mental toughness to blend with so I'll spend some time having a look around. Maybe I'll see what I can get on loan or if there are any youth players I can pick up.

Tbf, an unused reserve at most clubs wanting £71,000/week is plain silly

Though, out of curiosity before I completely dismiss it as ridiculous, what is he current wage at Sunderland? (Also, how old is he?)

I find players will often want a payrise regardless, where in reality 90% of players would keep the same wage or go slightly lower if it meant first-team football

And if he is really that concerned of you being relegated, he should opt for wanting a very low relegation release clause

i don't know about 7 seasons in, but even after the 1st and second seasons there are free trsfrs galore to be had in this game

Tbf, an unused reserve at most clubs wanting £71,000/week is plain silly

Though, out of curiosity before I completely dismiss it as ridiculous, what is he current wage at Sunderland? (Also, how old is he?)

I find players will often want a payrise regardless, where in reality 90% of players would keep the same wage or go slightly lower if it meant first-team football

And if he is really that concerned of you being relegated, he should opt for wanting a very low relegation release clause

He's 32 (but a GK). Not sure what he was on, he's been released now so I can't check and now he won't talk to me because of the previous breakdown...

Regardless of what he was on, I call ridiculous on that

hardly any 32-year GK relegated to reserves would demand that type of money if it meant getting first team football

Pull an Ian Holloway and make the most out of your rag tag group of fighters

This. This is exactly what Holloway and his chairman Oyston found in real life when they got promotion. They've refused to play the greed game yet are playing entertaining football. That's why everyone should be supporting Blackpool and their second favourite team. Do the same in FM and be a hero!

I managed to sign an ageing ronald zubar on a free, but that's pretty much it for my summer transfer activity apart from a potential move for assoumeyni cisse who is on trial. Hopefully my 'rag tag group of fighters' can do it for me!

I have build a strong squad from youngsters on long term contracts. Supplemented these with free transfers - I try to keep a cool head and let my prospects leave their previous club before trying to sign them. This way their wage demands are much lower.

My best paid wonderkid gets 30.500 due to his 'match highest earner' clause I wrongfully gave him.

Now I have a squad with very good potential, but it will probably take a few seasons before this potential is followed through.

sign freebies and loans in season 1.

if you stay up, there will be plenty of money in season 2.

I've found wage demands to be a bit too high as well but I think it's just a case of scouting and finding the right targets. You will find some bargains but you do really need to look.

Managed to find a couple of bargains like you suggested Neji. Got Nemanja Matic for half a million and quite low wages and a winger called Oduamadi for tuppence in addition to a couple of freebies. My assistant is compiling loan reports and I'm going to have a look around to see if I can find some cover at GK and CB, but I'm quite confident about this season, just need my striker to get off to a good start!

I am managing Sheff Weds in the Premier League in 2012/13 having just got promoted from the Championship, and my highest earner is Jack Rodwell at 48.5k Euros (and I made a big financial effort to buy him). I am comfortably mid-table in March.

At the beginning of the season I tried to buy Bentley, O'Hara, Adam Johnson etc who were sitting in the reserves of their respective clubs and transfer listed, and I also got these crazy salary demands from them, so I realised that the way to go was sticking with the players that performed so well in the division below, buy a big name (Rodwell) with the TV money, a couple of good free transfers (e.g. Kirkland) and good youngsters (from my scout mainly but my biggest young star is a Dutch regen that was offered to me by an agent - paid 1 million for him and he has brilliant stats, 3,5 stars according to my assman, potential ability 5), and then go for it.

So yeah, don't go crazy in the first season, try to survive and after that you should be able to attract better players as your bank and your reputation improve.