Player Game Time Gripes

[Chooxen]

I've been having some real issues appeasing players with regards to game time in this version of the game.

I always like to keep a big squad and rotate most positions most games for players. When you play twice a week and have two players in one position, it just makes sense to do this.

However, I'm having real problems keeping the squad happy. They are constantly whinging about game time and will go to the press about it almost immediately. I have two players threatening to leave at the end of their contract and this is something I very rarely experienced in previous iterations of the game.

Is there something I'm doing wrong here? It's not just my top guys, I've got players marked down as 'fringe' and 'squad' players that seem to want to start every game.

[SOULjah]

I admit there does seem to be a lot fringe players whining quite early on.

However, an early indication of a player having a gripe with play time is in 'Dynamics' >> 'Happiness' and it is an early indication of when a player is likely to have an issue at some point and is the way I usually counteract before the player comes to me by either reducing said play time (could also cause conflict) or playing the player.

Edited February 13, 2023 by SOULjah

[HUNT3R]

You have to be careful about playing time promises/expectations, firstly. Know that a squad player, for example, will be expecting to start roughly every 2nd match. If you're going to rotate that much every other game, it's going to be difficult managing Important and Star Players. What helps a lot is keeping tabs on their happiness. I do it like this:

 

If I see someone is "Concerned", I know I should look to play him a little more, especially in the immediate future.

[phnompenhandy]

Long term thinking is key here.  When you first give a player a contract,  you should make his playing time status as low as you can get away with.  It's often possible to change it immediately after he arrives at the club without upsetting him.

Note also that in addition to the visible player status,  there is a hidden quality  - perceived player status that you should keep an eye on via the coach reports. 

[SOULjah]

Although I have no general issues with playing time, just BEFORE a match this procced in my players happiness - doesn't seem right.

He was absolutely fine every other day prior to the match that week, I was constantly checking because I WAS THINKING of dropping him for a match to let someone else play in a different system.

 

[Chooxen]

Thanks for the advice on this one, I'll look to play more attention to agreed vs actual playing time.

 

I feel like some players are just always irritated regardless of this though. Are there hidden personality traits that might impact this? I have one fringe player in particular that plays all the time and flips the lid if he misses 2 games.

[Baodan]

Ambition, professionalism and controversy probably all influence the likelihood of players acting out.  

[Blünderbossu]

Vast majority of the time those players complaining in my save, when I check the game's judgement of their "actual playing time" vs. "agreed playing time" they are getting the same or even one tier above what was agreed.

Players complaining when it's not reasonable to do so is for sure something that real life managers have to deal with so I don't have any problem with it from a realism point of view.

The game could handle it a *lot* better in terms of the fit with the player interaction/conversation module though. If in such cases there was a conversation option to say "actually you're getting as much time as we agreed" and then he either accepts or says "I need more game time to develop/for the benefit of my career" then this would feel a lot better for me as a player of the game than only having options to choose from which sound like they're me accepting I haven't been sticking to what's agreed.

It's not about the end result - I wouldn't expect them to back down any more than they already do - but if the dialogue tree I go down made sense with what the game is reporting for his game time elsewhere then it would stop the conversation being jarring and feeling like a bug even if the mechanics underneath maybe reflect how players are unreasonable sometimes.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Blünderbossu

[WillyBroadband]

On 13/02/2023 at 16:28, HUNT3R said:

You have to be careful about playing time promises/expectations, firstly. Know that a squad player, for example, will be expecting to start roughly every 2nd match. If you're going to rotate that much every other game, it's going to be difficult managing Important and Star Players. What helps a lot is keeping tabs on their happiness. I do it like this:

 

If I see someone is "Concerned", I know I should look to play him a little more, especially in the immediate future.

That is exactly what I do and 90% of the time, it works. 

[SOULjah]

Concerning my issue which I posted above.

Said player actually wanted a new contract soon after to reflect his status in the squad, these things need to be watched  

Edited February 15, 2023 by SOULjah

[EvilWolf1980]

I posted the same problem back in December there was a player who demanded regular playing time and I kept my promise and THE DAY AFTER the promise was kept he kicked off at not enough playing time so actually made the promises list twice. check this out. I have been playing FM since I discovered championship manager back in 2002 and this is the first time I have ever had this problem. 

 

 

[timothyburger]

Going into player overview > happiness and lower their playing time expectations.  There is a limit on how low they will accept and if they have recently signed a contract with a specific playing time, or just have enough status they won't let you lower them below maybe regular starter.  Important player and especially Star Player are so tough to hit if you are playing in multiple competitions.

Having a guy who is playing at least one game a week complaining about playing time is annoying, especially when they can't get back to 100% health.  Sorry I rested you against the worst team in the league so you could play in the Champions League, what a bad manager I am.

[Chooxen]

I'm glad it's not only me experiencing it then. I've had it as well where I fulfil my promise to start my squad player more often and 2 weeks later he's bitching me out again. I just feel that players who are clearly second or third string ought to accept better that they are being rotated. Even if they're not happy, is it realistic that they're constantly banging on their manager's door making threats? I have like maxed out mental attributes, can't imagine what it must be like for coach managers.

[thehig2]

For this reason I often have smaller squads than I should, and sometimes it's cost me

[tropicsafc]

1 hour ago, thehig2 said:

For this reason I often have smaller squads than I should, and sometimes it's cost me

Me too. I get that it's difficult to keep everyone happy in real life too but it's a bit much on this edition. I always have players on as low a squad status as possible. It becomes difficult after a few contract extensions though.

[thehig2]

26 minutes ago, tropicsafc said:

Me too. I get that it's difficult to keep everyone happy in real life too but it's a bit much on this edition. I always have players on as low a squad status as possible. It becomes difficult after a few contract extensions though.

I've literally had a 16 man squad in one save got an injury crisis and went on a loosing streak hahah 

[HUNT3R]

My squad has 27 players. They're all happy this season. In fact, way more than just happy. This is in March, so close to the end of the season.

 

[Sunstrikuuu]

 

Both of these bug reports are live; please add more saves and screenshots.

[SOULjah]

Don't see the problem...

 

 

 

... 26 man squad and all at least 'satisfied'.