Player wants playing first team playing time

[andqui]

I'm currently managing FC Utrecht. One player, Zullo, started the season out as a backup- he did not perform in the preseason or the first few games, so he didn't play much. Around late september, he told me he was concerned about not getting first team playing time, so I gave him a chance. He was just recovering from injury at the time, so I first played him in a reserve game to get fitness up. After that, there was a week-long international break, and in the middle of it he came to complain that I wasn't following my word, even though there had been no first team matches for him to play in! After that, my starting left back has been hurt, so Zullo has been starting there for the past four games, and actually doing pretty well..... but he still has the Concerned (Wants First Team Playing Time) message in his information screen. Why!?!?! He has been starting plenty! The only thing I can think of is that his preferred position is DM, and I've been playing him at fullback, but if that makes a difference that's preposterous. He does seem to lack professionalism, and is unhappy with training and the like, so that probably has something to do with it, but complaining about not starting when there haven't been any games for him to start in, and still complain after 4 starts, is ridiculous. Any ideas?

[Ollep7]

Try talking to him and see what his concern is maybe.

[Giggsidan]

In my experience it takes more than just 4 games to get him to be happy again. It's usually a couple of months.

[Xavessi]

I always avoid promising players first team football. The chances are he is not in your long term plans, right? so why commit yourself to playing him?

You should just ignore his concerns, or if he become a pest then move him on.

[BiggusD]

Since he is a backup player, obviously with high ambition and controvercy but low professionalism, you cannot ever hope to make him happy. Get rid asap.

When that is said, I have managed to remove that message by starting him and using him more for a couple of months, but that was a very promising young player (with 20 ambition) who I wanted to keep in the long term - so it was worth the effort.

[andqui]

Yes but he has the potential to become a key player on the team. Are people saying that his lack of professionalism will hinder his development, so I should sell him ASAP anyways, and then use the funds to get someone comparable? If so then I'll try to do that in January.

[bolulu]

I always avoid promising players first team football. The chances are he is not in your long term plans, right? so why commit yourself to playing him?

You should just ignore his concerns, or if he become a pest then move him on.

This advice is spot on!
Avoid the conversation at all costs; it's a poisoned chalice and nothing good can come from it. If you want the player to stay then you have to play him fairly regular in the 1st. team. Otherwise he'll have to go.

[BiggusD]

Yes but he has the potential to become a key player on the team. Are people saying that his lack of professionalism will hinder his development, so I should sell him ASAP anyways, and then use the funds to get someone comparable? If so then I'll try to do that in January.

Yes if his professionalism is so low that he can't accept the training regime and will complain again after just 14 days, his development will suffer.

[underwater sunlight]

offer him out on loan

[Nobby_McDonald]

I had one player come to me recently complaining he wasn't playing first team football. So I gave him a chance. In his first match since the chat he got sent off for a cynical foul. Given our chat I sacked him.