3rd rate team bidding for all my players

[sherrymirza]

Got promoted with Norwich in 2043/44, and in my first season the team finished 8th (with a GD of -4, go figure!). I had holidayed a major part of the season because the team was quite settled and my ass-man was doing great. I only returned to kick a few moaners out in the January window.

 

As expected, my entire backroom is getting raided by $ity/Arsenal (Not Liverpool, they are elite level). But what I don't understand is Swansea in 17th place  bidding for my Fullbacks when they don't play with them. They've bid for 4 of my players already. Their WBs are better than my players anyway.

 

Are they trying to destabilize my team or something?

[Freakiie]

The AI aren't complete strangers to retraining player positions, not to mention a lot of fullbacks tend to be somewhat accomplished in the WB position as well. As to why they're bidding for your players? You're a newly promoted side, so your reputation will generally be relatively low, at the same time you're performing really well so your players are probably getting good ratings. So, from the AIs perspective they see some strong performances from players at a club with (probably) lower reputation, so they hope they can attract said players being the bigger club.

From your perspective it might be weird because their players have better attributes, but the AI is heavily influenced by actual performance, so if your players, despite worse attributes, are performing well the AI will be interested.

[du Garbandier]

A club I joined recently claimed to play 4-4-2, but in fact had no wide midfielders and was retraining their AML/AMRs both in senior and junior squads.

[Draakon]

Well, I've understood that club reputation and status works similarly in FM as it works in real life. Finishing in relatively high 8th position doesn't make you better team in that regard. "Better" - meaning combination of "more reputable", "bigger club" or "bigger organisation" (often heard in real life). In FM players would like to join bigger team even if that bigger team is below you in the table. It generally reflects team potential - probability of future success, bigger wages and/or ability to support the players better (generally indicates more backroom staff and more office staff, from physios, groundsmen, equipment managers etc. to marketing and people who help players to settle in etc.).

Perfect example (with a touch of tycoon influence) is Newcastle this season - battling against relegation in January, but still attracting players, because they'd be confident to turn the tide and want to be part of the (hopefully upcoming) rise of the new force in Premier League.

So, it's quite realistic that Swansea management staff could see your 8th place as an overachievement in short term, but at the same time try to spot a few players who could help them out of the relegation battle.

 

To add to the previous posts: AI managers are not 100% tied to their preferred formation. I've seen cases when team uses one formation at home and the other in away games.

[du Garbandier]

3 hours ago, Draakon said:

AI managers are not 100% tied to their preferred formation

...or their club. In the example I gave, I can imagine that the previous manager was trying to implement a tactic that the squad wasn't built for. Meanwhile, I saw one manager get sacked, then get employed, and then get poached, and then get sacked, all in a single season.