Developing New Positions in Youth Players

[Fyr]

Whats the best way to develop new positions for a player?

I can set them to retrain for the new position, but from what I understand the best way to speed up the change is to actually PLAY them in that position.

But if they aren't in the first team then how do I make that happen?

My AssMan runs youth/reserve games for me and I imagine he is going to choose the natural position for the player.

e.g. I have a 17 year old AMR/MR/DR that a natural in MR and poor in the other positions. I play 4-2-3-1 though and I'd like to use him as a WBR so I have him set to retrain to WBR.

But I imagine that my AssMan, who runs the youth matches for me is just going to play him as his natural MR. In fact because he [my AssMan] favours 4-4-2 instead he would probably use him as a DR over a WBR even if those were his only 2 choices!

So how do I get him played as WBR?

I'm really hoping you don't tell me I have to control all the youth matches too!

For bonus points: I'd love to loan him out but that will just make the problem worse. Any ideas?

Double Bonus points: Does the 10% positional retraining time mean I need to adjust from the 8-14-20 click/position training theory?

[Nottingham Forest]

if you go to team settings you can get you ass man to play the same tactics as the first team and ok theres still no guarentee that he will play wing back he may if you dont have any other wing backs or right backs in the youth team.

[Robioto]

I tend to play them as much as I can in thier new position in the first team. If they are no where near good enough to turn out for the first team, TBH they aren't worth bothering with.

[heathxxx]

I've moved this to Tactics & Training Tips. You'll get a few of the training "experts" help you out there.

Playing is always the best way to develop players, though specific training regimes are also valuable. As suggested already, setting your reserves and youth teams to play exactly the same core tactic you use in the first team not only helps this player, but all your younger players. Chances are he's more likely to develop how you want, by playing the tactics and position you want to develop him into.

If he begins to show a circle for the WB position, get him tutored with a senior player who plays that role, as an added bonus.

[StormenDK]

Yeah would definitely be nice if it was possible to ask the AssMan/Coach in charge of the reserves to play specific players in specific positions during the games. I hate when I bring in trialists after season starts, and dump them in the reserves squad, that my AssMan sometimes just doesn't use them.

usually I take over the team for a bit, just to make sure that the players I want to get game time, actually gets that.

[Fyr]

I've set the use first team tactics now, thanks.

I've actually also taken over the youth squad for a bit which isn't really what I'd wanted but does give a bit of insight I never had about my youth team. Like how poor their position coverage is - there are a lot of red dots on the field! I think kids must only come in 3 flavours, ST, MC and GK