Laughable AI bids

Seriously, what is wrong with these "people"? For years now they've made laughably low bids for my players, and this summer it seems to have taken on a new low, quite literally.

DL, key player, with no proper backup. Worth 3.3M. They offer 1.5M

DMC, key player, no proper backup. Worth 4.4M. They offer 3.2M.

If they were serious about it, I may consider selling and taking a chance on the youths instead, but this is just beyond laughable. I reckon their value is a great deal higher than what FM quotes too, so to then offer in some cases offer less than half (he has 4 years left on his contract btw), is just taking the pi**.

Wonder what I would have had to pay for these players. 15M?

It's stupid Shelvey is a key member for my Swansea side and is worth 7.5mil yet Stoke bid 2.2mil

It's an opening bid.

99% of all bids like this are caused by the AI not really having much money and trying on the hope you don't really want him.

You can usually negotiate up to something acceptable, assuming they have any more money left. Payments over time mean they can afford to offer you more, when you're negotiating.

It's an opening bid.

Whilst this is true, you must acknowledge the fact that some bids (low, and then the ones where teams refuse £200m) are ridiculous.

There not bad opening bids given the players' values.

So have you set an asking price of approx double what you are willing to sell for?

Have you negotiated the offer?

What's ridiculous about a team rejecting a 200m bid is that your board allowed you to make that bid in the first place.

Whilst this is true, you must acknowledge the fact that some bids (low, and then the ones where teams refuse £200m) are ridiculous.

No they are far from ridiculous, they are very reasonable in the real world.

If I wanted to buy a player valued at £3.3m then £1.5m is about the level I would make my first offer.

What's ridiculous about a team rejecting a 200m bid is that your board allowed you to make that bid in the first place.

Yeah I agree. However, some boards will allow you to do so will they not? It's a game.

If I wanted to buy a player valued at £3.3m then £1.5m is about the level I would make my first offer.

Tbf, I wouldn't bid that low. I'd open with £2.5m or maybe £3m. Still, it's an opening bid, reject it or negotiate.

No they are far from ridiculous, they are very reasonable in the real world.

If I wanted to buy a player valued at £3.3m then £1.5m is about the level I would make my first offer.

And sometimes you have a player valued at £20m when you are offered £4m.

Can already see this turning into one of those arguments where a few extremes are tossed about, so I'm out.

I'm in lower tier teams but I see the same thing. Even worse, they ask for a free transfer for a starter on my club worth maybe $60k. I make any counter offer and they withdraw their bid.

Yeah I agree. However, some boards will allow you to do so will they not? It's a game.

Some boards will reject offers of £200m will they not? It's a game.

It applies both ways, and I'd much rather see the chairman/board improved first as it's way too simple as it currently is. The transfer system, while not ideal, does at least work when treated realistically, yet you can join Barcelona, transfer list Messi, Xavi, Puyol etc and no-one bats an eyelid.

Some boards will reject offers of £200m will they not? It's a game.

It applies both ways, and I'd much rather see the chairman/board improved first as it's way too simple as it currently is. The transfer system, while not ideal, does at least work when treated realistically, yet you can join Barcelona, transfer list Messi, Xavi, Puyol etc and no-one bats an eyelid.

Not entirely true, the fans complain, even though the reaction is minuscule.

Not entirely true, the fans complain, even though the reaction is minuscule.

That's nothing. If you did that IRL, you'd be sacked on the spot and the board will book you into a mental institute.

And sometimes you have a player valued at £20m when you are offered £4m.

Can already see this turning into one of those arguments where a few extremes are tossed about, so I'm out.

and where is the problem??

I can only presume you have never purchased anything of a significant variable value in your life.

These are offers, nothing more. Buyers always start low, sellers always start high and then you try to negotiate to a price in the middle that you are both happy with.

If you are selling a player and asking the price you want you are making a very basic mistake, if you are buying and offering what the seller wants you are making a very basic mistake. I really don't get how people can't understand this :confused:

and where is the problem??

I can only presume you have never purchased anything of a significant variable value in your life.

These are offers, nothing more. Buyers always start low, sellers always start high and then you try to negotiate to a price in the middle that you are both happy with.

If you are selling a player and asking the price you want you are making a very basic mistake, if you are buying and offering what the seller wants you are making a very basic mistake. I really don't get how people can't understand this :confused:

I can only assume you've got no real argument without trying to be funny.

I can only assume you've got no real argument without trying to be funny.

I'm not trying to be funny.

The way FM works is identical to buying houses, cars, antiques, paintings, trading at a market stall and any number of other things in the real world.

The people that don't get it I can only conclude have never had experience with any of these things. Even then its not rocket science to understand the basics.

I'm not trying to be funny.

The way FM works is identical to buying houses, cars, antiques, paintings, trading at a market stall and any number of other things in the real world.

The people that don't get it I can only conclude have never had experience with any of these things. Even then its not rocket science to understand the basics.

Yeah, I agree, when I bought my car it was exactly like football.

And before a decentish thread is derailed by the likes of you with jibes/a patronising demeanour, I'll definitely leave.

I've started forcing myself to behave more realistically when dealing with bids.

When I'm looking to buy someone, I scout a load of people in the position I'm looking for. Anyone that comes back with a "-" for sale value in the scout report either gets discarded or placed on my shortlist if they're especially good. I'll then go through the rest and find the one that represents the best value for money while still being of good enough quality for what I'm after.

I accept that's it's very unlikely that I'm going to get my first choice, so my first choice is scouted every couple of months to see if their transfer situation has changed. As an example, after a year of scouting, I got Jordan Rhodes for £2.8m instead of the £10m+ they were originally demanding because Blackburn failed to get promoted and it all went tits up for them.

If you apply this thinking to your transfers, your whole experience becomes a lot more realistic. There's a couple of clubs that will just throw money at a problem til they get who they want, but even then they never get their man without a good reason.

The other side of the coin is I will accept any really good bid for a player, or even any reasonable bid if the player isn't important to me. If there are situations, like a player wanting a new contract that I don't want to give, I'll consider lower bids again.

Ooooh, they bid 1.9M now. Woopidoooh

They dont have enough money. Keep rejecting it or set an asking price.

Ooooh, they bid 1.9M now. Woopidoooh

Who are you managing and who's bidding? What's the difference in league/status/rep between your club and theirs? Will he crack their starting line-up?

I'm in lower tier teams but I see the same thing. Even worse, they ask for a free transfer for a starter on my club worth maybe $60k. I make any counter offer and they withdraw their bid.

That's exactly it. They make a bid that is laughably low, no club in their right mind would sell for anything so low. But negotiate for something reasonable, and they're out instantly.

That's exactly it. They make a bid that is laughably low, no club in their right mind would sell for anything so low. But negotiate for something reasonable, and they're out instantly.

So set an asking price, letting the other clubs know that that's the price you're looking for!

Who are you managing and who's bidding? What's the difference in league/status/rep between your club and theirs?

I'm managing Heidenheim, who has worldwide reputation. The bid came from Nürnberg, who have continental reputation.

Not that I see how that would make much of a difference. AI clubs should make reasonable offers too. No wonder people get frustrated with the transfer module when you typically get squeezed to hell and back when buying players, and then they make offers that are so low it's not even worth considering for half a second.

So set an asking price, letting the other clubs know that that's the price you're looking for!

I have for other players, but that didn't exactly stop them making bad offers.

I'm sure it's somehow my fault though. That's usually the argument made in all these threads. The game can do no wrong, after all.

I'm managing Heidenheim, who has worldwide reputation. The bid came from Nürnberg, who have continental reputation.

Not that I see how that would make much of a difference. AI clubs should make reasonable offers too. No wonder people get frustrated with the transfer module when you typically get squeezed to hell and back when buying players, and then they make offers that are so low it's not even worth considering for half a second.

People get frustrated because they don't think. I'd go with Ackter on this on then. They don't have the money. My original thinking was that it's a bigger club and they're only looking at this guy as a backup, so don't want to waste much money. That's obviously not it.

you typically get squeezed to hell and back when buying players,.

Not true when you approach the game realistically.

Real life teams don't scout for the player on the day they want him, like the majority of FM managers do. They'll have been watching players for months, monitoring the situation, waiting for it to become ideal for them before making a move.

I'm not trying to be funny.

The way FM works is identical to buying houses, cars, antiques, paintings, trading at a market stall and any number of other things in the real world.

The people that don't get it I can only conclude have never had experience with any of these things. Even then its not rocket science to understand the basics.

Really? I gotta try that. A house is listed for, say, £150,000. I offer them £70,000.

WHAT?? You reject it? Well, that's a shock, isn't it? Well, I'll try some other house then. Okay, how about £80,000 then? Still throwing those chairs at me, eh? Well, I'm not interested unless you practically give it away. Bye.

Not true when you approach the game realistically.

Real life teams don't scout for the player on the day they want him, like the majority of FM managers do. They'll have been watching players for months, monitoring the situation, waiting for it to become ideal for them before making a move.

Oh, believe me, I do. I'm not one of those that make as laughable bids as the AI routinely do, and expect to get the player. Besides, I mostly build my teams with youth anyway, and buy players when I see a good deal. That's what scouts are for.

The game can do no wrong, after all.

I do wish that an OP at any point posting this auto-locked the thread it was in. It basically translates to "I'm not interested in hearing any explanations nor reasons, I just want to bitch".

It would save so much time and so many arguments.

Ah, so I just want to bitch now? Thankfully the mods are so understanding in here. Sigh.

Oh, believe me, I do. I'm not one of those that make as laughable bids as the AI routinely do, and expect to get the player. Besides, I mostly build my teams with youth anyway, and buy players when I see a good deal. That's what scouts are for.

The AI shouldn't be making the bids when they don't have enough money, which is what's going on here. It's easily ignored and avoided, even though it can be annoying. It becomes less of a problem, in my experience, the further into the game you get.

Ah, so I just want to bitch now? Thankfully the mods are so understanding in here. Sigh.

Really? I gotta try that. A house is listed for, say, £150,000. I offer them £70,000.

WHAT?? You reject it? Well, that's a shock, isn't it? Well, I'll try some other house then. Okay, how about £80,000 then? Still throwing those chairs at me, eh? Well, I'm not interested unless you practically give it away. Bye.

Clearly.

Ah, so I just want to bitch now? Thankfully the mods are so understanding in here. Sigh.

It's just a phrase that really annoys me and never leads to anything good, just like throwing the term fanboy around. Anything that phases out those kinds of comments is a good thing.

The annoying part is that the AI clubs come back again and again with totally inadequate bids, even though you've told them: not for sale. A no! should at least give a message that if they're going to bid again, they'd better come back with a much improved offer, or else don't bother. Sometimes you do not want to set a asking price because that will tell all clubs that this player is for sale, if the price is right - when he really is not for sale, period. Same with repeated loan bids. Why on earth would a club ask again and again to loan a player, when you have told them no! once? Setting "unavailable for loan" does not allways work as a repellant, and you may not want to set a "not for loan" sign on the player either, because you might just loan him out if the right club and the right offer comes along. Yes, you can set "reject all offers" for your DoF or ass.man, but the point is; these bids should not be returning time after time.

Really? I gotta try that. A house is listed for, say, £150,000. I offer them £70,000.

WHAT?? You reject it? Well, that's a shock, isn't it? Well, I'll try some other house then. Okay, how about £80,000 then? Still throwing those chairs at me, eh? Well, I'm not interested unless you practically give it away. Bye.

I'm looking at a house now listed at £225k, My first offer will be £190k.

The annoying part is that the AI clubs come back again and again with totally inadequate bids, even though you've told them: not for sale. A no! should at least give a message that if they're going to bid again, they'd better come back with a much improved offer, or else don't bother. Sometimes you do not want to set a asking price because that will tell all clubs that this player is for sale, if the price is right - when he really is not for sale, period. Same with repeated loan bids. Why on earth would a club ask again and again to loan a player, when you have told them no! once? Setting "unavailable for loan" does not allways work as a repellant, and you may not want to set a "not for loan" sign on the player either, because you might just loan him out if the right club and the right offer comes along. Yes, you can set "reject all offers" for your DoF or ass.man, but the point is; these bids should not be returning time after time.

Do what they do, negotiate for £200m

There's many things you can do, mainly just keep rejecting. However, the point is that these returning bids should not come. At all. Real clubs would not be that daft. They should not be that daft in FM either.

Not a very important flaw, but still, a flaw. And therefore worth mentioning.

The repeat bids at the same price need to stop. They're annoying and add nothing to the game experience. But, if it is a player you want to sell, don't be insulted by a low initial offer. Tell the AI what you want and walk away if they won't give it to you. Sometimes, they do come back with a better offer.

Happened to me not too long ago. In January, a Brazilian team came in with an out of the blue offer of £10 million for a backup mid-fielder of mine. I told them I wanted £15 million. They countered with a bunch of clauses to a price of around £13 million. I changed it back to £15 million cash and they walked away. Two weeks later, they came back with an offer of the £15 million cash I wanted. Boom. Done. Doesn't always work out like that, of course.

Really? I gotta try that. A house is listed for, say, £150,000. I offer them £70,000.

WHAT?? You reject it? Well, that's a shock, isn't it? Well, I'll try some other house then. Okay, how about £80,000 then? Still throwing those chairs at me, eh? Well, I'm not interested unless you practically give it away. Bye.

You should try it, asking prices on homes have been known to come down depending on circumstances. If you do it one time for one home then you're not likely to get the bargain price, but if you watch several houses over a period of time your odds of finding a motivated seller increase quite a bit. Buying and selling players works the same way.

I'm looking at a house now listed at £225k, My first offer will be £190k.

That's a little different to the AI starting the bidding on a £7m player at £1.2m, and then coming back with £1.4m when you reject it..

Not true when you approach the game realistically.

Real life teams don't scout for the player on the day they want him, like the majority of FM managers do. They'll have been watching players for months, monitoring the situation, waiting for it to become ideal for them before making a move.

It would be nice if you could tell your scouts to auto-update the reports on certain players every once in a while and report if anything changes. Like the manager saying to the scout 'Alright, keep an eye on him and let me know if you reckon they might sell'. It can be a bit of a pain to manually re-scout each time.

Make it so you can add players to a 'monitoring' list (Newcastle fans will appreciate that one ) where a delegated scout will keep checking them without the manager needing to do it manually.

I like it. If they negotiate my suggestion I know I', close to making a deal. My CM Omar Hernandez they bid 4m I valued him at at least 15m I settled with 14m in the end.

Oliveora my superstar RB all the top clubs are bidding for I can easily get 30-40m for him but he's worth keeping a little longer I think.

The AI shouldn't be making the bids when they don't have enough money, which is what's going on here. It's easily ignored and avoided, even though it can be annoying. It becomes less of a problem, in my experience, the further into the game you get.

I'm really not sure that is the case here either, as I'm in the 7th season and the clubs probably have a fair bit of money, especially clubs playing in Europe.

As others mention, though, it's just annoying when they make idiotic bids like this, and when they keep coming back with the same lowball offers that are instantly rejected every time. Do they think I'm a goldfish? I've now gotten four identical bids from the same club for one of my players, which is well below the asking price I've set for him. I probably wouldn't even sell him for that, as he's basically irreplaceable, but when they offer half the asking price, in poorly structured deals, then I certainly have no inclination to sell. Either bid what I've set for asking price, or at least be in the ballpark, or don't bother at all. Same with estimated value.

I could of course set the players to auto-reject offers below asking price, but that's so black and white, and there can be cases where I will sell if they do offer roughly what I want.

Anyway, the point here is that the AI shouldn't act this way, as it's essentially unrealistic. On top of that it's annoying to see the AI make the same bids over and over again. And then you get the agent knocking down your door, giving you more grief.

I like it. If they negotiate my suggestion I know I', close to making a deal. My CM Omar Hernandez they bid 4m I valued him at at least 15m I settled with 14m in the end.

Oliveora my superstar RB all the top clubs are bidding for I can easily get 30-40m for him but he's worth keeping a little longer I think.

I've tried to negotiate too, but that only seems to work if they are serious to begin with. If they are making stupidly low offers and you negotiate to a reasonable sum, they will just come back with roughly the same low-ball offers again. I then get tired of that little stupid game, so set what I want and make it non-negotiable. Then they run off. I'm sorry, but I'm simply not going to sell key players for well below their market value.

I'm looking at a house now listed at £225k, My first offer will be £190k.

That's rather different than the example I quoted, which is similar to what happened in my game. I can imagine the looks you would get if you offered 100,000 for that particular house.

Even your offer would most likely to get very far here, as houses tend to go for well over the estimated value due to a heated housing market. It's been like this for years, oddly enough, and never seems to get back to somewhat normal. 20+% over listed value is not uncommon, houses/apartments tend to go even before there is a proper "viewing", and newly built ones are typically sold before they are finished. It's quite bonkers really.

That's rather different than the example I quoted, which is similar to what happened in my game. I can imagine the looks you would get if you offered 100,000 for that particular house.

Even your offer would most likely to get very far here, as houses tend to go for well over the estimated value due to a heated housing market. It's been like this for years, oddly enough, and never seems to get back to somewhat normal. 20+% over listed value is not uncommon, houses/apartments tend to go even before there is a proper "viewing", and newly built ones are typically sold before they are finished. It's quite bonkers really.

So? It's a binary response, they can either accept it or reject it. It's negotiation.

Anyway, I've just sold my current flat for 5k under value, and I'm buying a new house at 20k under value. It's not like buying a packet of crisps.

Well I'm going to repeat myself over this.

When I sign a player with no suggested minimum asking price, I usually start low too. Let's say the player's base value is 5m. I offer 2.5 and it is rejected. I then try 5m and it is rejected. 7.5 rejected, 10 rejected, 15 and they negotiate to 35m. I now know that the actual asking price is in the region of 25m. If that is still acceptable there's some back-and-forth and he's mine for a price neither of us is truly happy with.

The AI doesn't do this.

Until it does, any defense of the current system is irrelevant.