Youth camps idea - good or bad?

I dont know if its been discussed but i couldnt find any threads labled youth camps so heres the idea.

What if the clubs can create youth camps via the board room screen, like adding a feeder club. Then the board will reply with possible countries and you have to pick one.

Then throughout the season you can get a message:

'(your assistant) has found a prospect in your (country) youth camp. Do you wish to sign him?'

Then you have the options of view scout report, offer trial and offer contract.

Feedback welcome!

I dont know if its been discussed but i couldnt find any threads labled youth camps so heres the idea.

What if the clubs can create youth camps via the board room screen, like adding a feeder club. Then the board will reply with possible countries and you have to pick one.

Then throughout the season you can get a message:

'(your assistant) has found a prospect in your (country) youth camp. Do you wish to sign him?'

Then you have the options of view scout report, offer trial and offer contract.

Feedback welcome!

I think its a great idea. It would bring more sense of realism.

I would like to see something like this, but the expenses of running one would have to be very high, so that only the richest clubs could afford to run one.

We should also be able to hire staff to help coach the youth players at the academy, or leave this to a manager (running the risk that they won't be as good as our own choices), and obviously, we would have first choice of the players available.

Why don't you go and play Total Club Manager then?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tommy 'the red' Howard:

Why don't you go and play Total Club Manager then? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

well appologies for trying to increase the realism.

Not the sure the point of that jibe.

Given the current football climate, it makes a lot of sense for clubs to have the option of actively seeking out talent this way.

I like the idea anyway.

I like the idea. It would also add a level of interactivity regarding the youth system.

Good Idea

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bongo-Bongo:

I would like to see something like this, but the expenses of running one would have to be very high, so that only the richest clubs could afford to run one.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That is very important. The monthly expenses would have to be very very high. If they weren't, every club in the world would have tons of youth camps in every country.

Great idea ...agree with Bongo that only rich clubs should be able to afford it...however not keen on hiring staff..instead we should have a choice of offer youth contracts to players that we want...

And why should he play total club manager???if i am not mistaken, then a number of features such as manager contracts, board expectations and feeder clubs (i think ) were first introduced in TCM and then in FM...no one had complained then

Good idea, hopefully will be put in '09.

Maybe smaller clubs (e.g League one clubs) could set up mini camps across their own country and only the richer clubs could branch out across europe and the world.

Great Idea. There should be a feature where you can see how players develop, the current training system is imo too basic.

Why would it only be the large clubs that would have this? That would create a huge imbalance in the game whereby only the top sides will get the best youngsters.

I know up here that coaches from Caley used to go along to schools to help teach the kids a few more things about football and take them for training sessions.

If they spotted someone good then they might recommend them to the club.

Then it could be a case of getting a news item like "Your coach John Smith recommends taking a closer look at David Aragon and maybe sign him up to the youth team".

I think its a really good idea, its my favorite part of the game bringing youngster through the youth system.

ajax has a youth camp in cape town, south africa and ajax isn't a very rich club

great idea though

Several danish clubs have had youth camps in Nigeria and South Africa.. so not only the richest clubs should be able to have one..

Great idea. Make it so SI

Just for the ignorant and clueless souls (read: me): what's the difference between a feeder team and a youth camp?

brilliant idea. Maybe the starting age for the kids could be 10 onwards giving you chance to groom some little gems!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Giziar:

Just for the ignorant and clueless souls (read: me): what's the difference between a feeder team and a youth camp? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

A feeder club is generally a team who a bigger club will send players to in order to gain match experience.

A youth camp/academy is a facility that a club will set up in another country in order to try and develop youngsters. Any they deem good enough will then be signed for the club.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tommy 'the red' Howard:

Why don't you go and play Total Club Manager then? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Some of the ideas in FIFA Manager (Total Club Manager) are actually really good, just poorly implemented.

Galatasaray is not a rich club by any means and yet they have such camps throughout Turkey, Germany, other parts of Europe almost every year so its expanses are not as high as some people are making it out to be.

I decided to ask about the idea after i noticed Sheff U had a link with a polish Youth camp and asked the sheff U writer if it could be made but he said as it wasnt a club it couldnt be added.

I like the idea.

I think the first thing would be that the any prospect would join on trial with the possibility of signing. Trials are something that I don't think are used enough in the game and something that in real life happens all the time, particularly with the big teams but apply for every team.

As a basis for finding players and how I would see it working, obviously the main one would be your scout finding a player (who may be recently released or in the case of minor nations attached to a local club) and reccommending he have a 10 day trial with the club which is automatically OK'd by the club the player play for (if he has one).

This doesn't mean though that the player will always be good, in fact I would say the percentage for a top club finding a gem would be very slim. Of course you can always send him back if he is from a club as well. I think it would be a great way though of finding obscure players from countries like Guatemala or Uganda rather than the current system.

Another dimension may be if you go on a pre-season tour and a player is spotted by your coaches. That may be another catalyst for a trial.

Of course a third option may be an agent who reccommends his client for you to have a look at.

I would also like to see a possible reccommendation to your feeder team / teams if a player is not up to your standard but you feel may add something to that team.

In terms of the finances, it could be a mix of you paying but also the player / agent paying if you are a smaller team. That way both the large teams and the smaller teams get the benefit.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Not the sure the point of that jibe. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Because a game made by EA couldn't possibly have a good idea in it!

Its a great idea. Something I would have like to seen a long time ago.

good idea.

I suggested something very similar on the scouting thread to get around the now-pointless speedily decreasing knowledge bars.

I think it's a much better idea then "You finished scouting Mongolia two weeks before regen day, so here you go: A sixteen year old Mongolian who also has an English passport and was born in London!"

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Grec0:

ajax has a youth camp in cape town, south africa and ajax isn't a very rich club

great idea though </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

And another in Orlando, Florida in the USA.

I like this idea, but take out this:

'(your assistant) has found a prospect in your (country) youth camp. Do you wish to sign him?'

That's directly ripped from Total Club Manager, and just silly. You should get youth players from the country of your camp at the same time you get all your other regen youth players, just like you would based on your scouting network.

Sorry, i should mention that even CRYSTAL PALACE have an academy in the United States. CP Baltimore play in the USL Second Division, three leagues below MLS (roughly).

I don't like this idea, but I'm not saying that's a bad one. In Fm2008, best academies have good players around the world. Just have a brazilian person in your staff, and more brazilian youngers will be in your academy.

But if this is implemented, academy management should be deeper.

^ Yes, because the more Brazilians you have scouting Brazil, the more Brazilian kids with UK passports will show up in your youth team.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Caleyjag:

Why would it only be the large clubs that would have this? That would create a huge imbalance in the game whereby only the top sides will get the best youngsters.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

that is the case the majority of the time anyway, larger clubs tend to have the better youth players

it shouldnt be based on the club reputation though (eg. only prem clubs)...it should be based on club finances, so if, for example, a club in the conference got a new billionaire owner (i know its extremely unlikely) then they would be able to fund the academies, whereas if man utd went bankrupt, then they would not be able to open new academies due to lack of funding

cheers for feedback - would like to hear what one of the game developers thinks.

I think its a good idea aswell. (sneakily bumping thread so devs notice it lol )

what about setting up individual clubs in other continents like Ajax who have one of the best youth teams in the world

I think this is a great idea for FM '09. I love discovering new talented teenagers and making them world beaters!

Sheffield Wednesday have them in Toronto, Argentina and Australia and you cant call us rich

^^^^^ yer but you have still get a better anager than bryan robson!

sorry 'manager'

Also how about being able to upgrade youth camps.

E.g. As a league on club you establish a tiny camp but as you grow yo can upgrade your camp with increased costs.

so Man U will have an established camp with high costs.

feedback?

I think upgrading the youth camps may be a stage to far, it would probably be best controlled by the chairman anyway.

I'd be for it if the idea was implemented with affiliated clubs. So often I've had feeders in Trinidad and Tobago and Algeria producing nothing season after season. For example in real life beveren has a youth camp in the ivory coast, which has produced players like yaya (I think), ebout and marco ne. about 8 seasons into my FM game the quality of regens, and my ivory coast squad in general was awful.

So yes, youth camps are a good idea if implemented with affiliates.

I think this idea is a brilliant one.

I like nothing better than to see a youth come through the ranks to secure a first team spot.

My idea was to have them seperate to affiliates but when you pick one its like picking an affiliate. eg you get the location and monthy cost.

that sounds good as clubs like arsenal and milan have done that locally near i live. potentially you could also make money from these camps

where do you live?^^

Also the ability to close camps if they are costing too much or not churning out players

I don't know how accurate it is but let me tell you that france do have a training camp for catching potential african players. The main training camp is based in france and their offside is scattered in many african countries to get the best players.

The name of the camp is Clairefontaine. Many nowadays big name comes from the camp, such as Thierry Henry, Louis Saha, Abou Diaby, Jérémie Aliadière, William Gallas, Hatem Ben Arfa etc.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> where do you live?^^

Also the ability to close camps if they are costing too much or not churning out players </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

DEfinitely. There should be no guarantee that the camp would produce ANY decent player.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Also how about being able to upgrade youth camps. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think it could work. Same feature as training facilities. New camps always start off as basic level and you'd have to beg your chairmen to upgrade them.

cheers for feedback so far