When a youngster is ready

I just want to know when you do decide when a youngster is ready for the first team and to stop loaning him, I have a few talented youngster with Villa but I don't want their potential to be halted due to lack of game time but at the same time I don't want to keep loaning them out without giving them much of a chance.

When do you decide a player is ready ?

I start playing them before they are ready. This way they get ready sooner.

When I'm a top club with a big squad, I try and loan them out to a club with equally good facilities (I assume I already have the best tier facilities). I'll do it until they're 23, at which point they don't want to be loaned out. Then it's the final choice on whether they're good enough to be promoted to the first team squad or whether it's time to be sold.

If a player is doing well in a top league, then they'll get their chance sooner. I'm not going to ignore scoring 20 goals in the Premier League. But often they'll join a Premier League or top European club but have an average rating just below 7, so they're not ready. I also tend to avoid playing (as regulars) players below 23 anyway because I've found their form is erratic.

Other than that though, if you're lower down, it just depends on if they're good enough at any age. In League 2 and onward, I had to play the best players regardless of age, and my best players were 18, 19, 20.

cup games, usualy loan them out, coach report usualy gives a clue, I have one that is a good player for the league for example, then they will get the odd game.

I always keep 2-3 in the first team squad. They'll start a few cup games. I'll also put some or all of them on the bench against opponents where I should(!) have an easy game and then let them come off the bench to get game time.

If you mostly play the same formation, you'll have a good clue of what kind of average rating you should be able to expect from all positions. If the youngster can keep up with the current starting player in that position or is close (in both rating and attributes) then I feel the time might be right for him to compete on a serious level.

I currently have a young DL who's looking really promising and I definitely have a plan for him to become a man for my starting eleven for the next decade. He's 18 now, getting there in attributes compared to my regular starter. I tried him for a few games just recently but he only scrambled together a 6.80~ average rating. That tells me he's not ready yet and will have to wait some more.

I find it rare if youre a top club that players below 19 yrs old can realistically be gunning for a starting spot. For me they usually start producing at around 21, depending on position. Sometimes a bit earlier but 21 seems to be a common cut-off for my boys at least.

I like to have 3-4 in my 25 man squad

I am playing a youth/regen only game and i got a player (AMC) who was amazing at just 16, played him right away at the end of the season (Scottish first division) and he scored 6, assisted 5 in only 7 appearances. Not quite as electric in the premier this season, but is playing around 7.5 and still finding the space and creating goals at just 17. But he is the exception. I like to train my players with my coaches til about 18 then get them loaned out to a club where they will be first team regulars. Usually ready if they are ever going to be able to make that step up around 21, but no two players are the same. Sometimes one season on loan does it. Use tutoring to help with the mental aspect, it will get the "ready" quicker. Nothing like a run in the first team to expedite development. This is just my experience of course, and doesn't always create quality players.

If they have really good attributes as a youngster, I start them in my First team as soon as possible. No matter who they are replacing.

My basic method is this:

1/2 years in the youth team after the youth intake

3rd year, coming off the bench in league cups, starting in cup games

4th year send them on loan to a team 1 (max 2) tiers below, or even better same tier abroad, with equal/similar standard of training facilities and they're guaranteed to get 1st team football in the position I want them to play in

5th year, back in my first team

That's the ideal situation for me. Obviously different players/teams call for different situations and some players develop quicker/slower but this is the basic rule of thumb for me

If a young player has decent attributes, just throw them in the deep end. If they swim, play them. If not, play them anyway.

If they look ok, but need work in specific areas, leave them in youth team (whilst tutoring, specific training, etc) except for cup/easy games until they're 18/19 then try the above step.

If they are top youngsters with a lot of potential I put them in first team squad straight away and give them the games I should be easily winning.

Two methods:

Divide them into sections;

A = World class, very high potential players (this is down to your judgement and scout reports.)

B = Average, possible decent players who might play a backup or fringe role.

Anyone else, cut them.

When they sign provisionally as youth, you look to their personality, identify positional weaknesses. Give them individual attribute training, or if they're ok in terms of balance then role training. Tutor their personality to professional or better, tutor them any PPM's that you want to use, don't bother giving them PPM training until they're on the way to greatness.

Keep tabs on them at all times. Any 'duff' games or cup games you don't need to win, play them either as a starter or as a sub. Lower league games, give them a go against easy opposition when you've gone 3-0 up and you're comfortable.

Once they hit 18 they should be making gains towards being something of a reliable backup. When they're 19-20 they should definitely be on the backups list, maybe even a starter if they're that good. By this point you really should know if they are Cat A or Cat B or just 'crap'.

By 21 they should be rotating and by 23 they're nearly finished.

So basically:

Cat A: Stays at the club no matter what, they'll never go on loan, they'll play as much as possible.

Cat B: Stays at the club until the ages of 19-21. At this point if you suss that they're crap or just 'decent' then I loan them and let them learn their trade elsewhere with a view to moving them on once they hit 23/24.

Every 6 months to 1 year both categories need to be reviewed. Check attribute gains, check scout update reports, check their performance in the U18/U21 whichever. Actually make sure they're playing! Player can move between categories an unlimited amount of times. It'll teach you to spot the talent and cut the crap. As with all things related to judgement however, you must expect that you'll be wrong occasionally. Don't get too attached and pay too much faith in some youngsters, if they can't develop or progress even though you've done what you can, then offload them.

Does loaning a player out have any effect on their 'home grown' status as they won't be at your club?

For me its depends really, based on theirs quality.

But i have policy to not loan out youngster under 18 yo. So every 14-17 yo youngster should be on my u18s team on coached by my young coach set-up. No matter how good or how ready he is for a first team action he should stay on junior team.

And when he is 18 I'm trying to loan them out, for give them experiences on first team actions, also to make my u18 teams has a thin squad ( so every youngster have a chance to play games ). And I'm not loan him to any clubs he wants, I'm the one who decide

For example when I'm manage in Sampdoria then i prefered to loan them to lower Italy clubs ( to give him more chance to play).

And the team's training facilities is also important, and the last thing is the team's manager, I tend to loan them to a good manager who i know well in real life or have high Working with Youngster ( i don't know if this helps though )

If they're good enough I chuck them straight in. In some clubs you have no choice but to chuck kids into the mixer, which I suppose could either work or go badly!!

Im playing in the 8th tier of English football at the moment, and many of my youth intake players are the best players I have on their day. They are just a little inconsistent thats all!