Players in FM can play up to 40 years of age.

[lawsie]

This is because the AI teams just never go out and replace their aging stars. It is quite bad actually.

[FM06Matt]

aww yes Tugay what a legend he is still plugging away for Rovers at his age bless him

its weird seeing as on FM those screen shots there stats are still mega good and havent decreased..

[bleventozturk]

I think there are two slight issues here. Mike's summed up the first; i.e. the rate that players decline has been tweaked a little too much from 08 (where it was a lot worse imo as anyone over 32 was simply useless). SI need to find the balance so that some determined players can play onto their later 30's, but not a massive amount of them.

The second issue has already been touched upon. AI managers seem quite poor at building squads for the future. Young talents are overlooked or sold on in favour of continuing to field older players. This gives the older players less insentive to eaither retire, or move to a lower rep club if they still want first team action.

Agree, but a third important issue is that the physical attributes not playing a role maybe? I understand that the mental and technical attributes should not decline like the physical attributes, but if a player has 1-5 speed and stamina at the age of 35+, he should not be able to play first team soccer any more. SI should implement the effect of physical condition more realisticaly. I notice the very problem also when I see no difference between my 2 strikers when they run after a through ball, one with 18 speed and acceleration, and the other one with 10 speed and 8 acceleration.

Yet another thing for SI to tweak...

But I most certainly agree that compared to players becoming useless at 31-32 in FM08, I prefer it this way. FM08 was completely unplayable for me. I have hope for FM09. 1 more month and we will all see if SI will let us down again, or something good will happen.

[Deltaroad]

This is because the AI teams just never go out and replace their aging stars. It is quite bad actually.

This is true.

[santy001]

I'm only in 2015 so far, but on my game heres average player stats and what-not:

Team | average age | oldest player

Arsenal | 22 | 33 (Toure) | Arsenal have bought a total of 7 players under the age of 25 at time of purchase.

Liverpool | 26 | 37 (Carragher) | 7 players under 25, replaced a few older players with players in the 26 - 30 bracket

Man Utd | 24 | 36 (Ferdinand) | 9 under 25, again a few older players bought

Barca | 28 | 36 (Puyol) | 10 under 25, a few older bought

Real | 27 | 33 (M. Diarra) | 14 under 25, once more some older players bought

That's 5 of the biggest on my game, a few of them do have players 30/31 which isn't bad considering players are actually in their peak then, and apart from forwards the peak time continues until about 33. They have at most one or two players who are over 33 in these teams, some not even that, so at my point in the game I can't see a problem.

[stokes_83]

This is because the AI teams just never go out and replace their aging stars. It is quite bad actually.

This is exactly the point. It is one thing for aging stars to stay in the game and play occasionally or with lower side clubs, but for them to maintain their starting spot on the biggest clubs in the world until they are 38 or over is just not right.

I am in 2013 and just played Liverpool in a match, and they have the nearly exact same starting lineup as they do right now! They continue to roll out their aging players that are 35+ and don't seem to have any interest in acquiring new young talent. The question becomes are they doing this because the transfer module is screwed and they need to use these older players, or are they not getting any players in because the old players are remaining too good while they become old.

Either way it makes for a mega boring game when 5 years in and I am still playing the exact same teams.

[santy001]

How many players in the first team are actually 35 plus in most peoples experiences? As I put up in my above posts, I'm not having this issue, Gerrard, Lampard & co are becoming 20 appearances a season type players and clubs are replacing them with either players who are 27 - 31 for 5 - 10m or buying highly talented youngsters for 15m+.

[el sid]

Off topic : LOL at Buffon's pace :D

[stokes_83]

How many players in the first team are actually 35 plus in most peoples experiences? As I put up in my above posts, I'm not having this issue, Gerrard, Lampard & co are becoming 20 appearances a season type players and clubs are replacing them with either players who are 27 - 31 for 5 - 10m or buying highly talented youngsters for 15m+.

What year are you in?

[santy001]

2015, Arsenal's oldest player is 33 and thats Toure and he doesn't play every game. Chelsea have Lampard at 36, he has 18 league starts and 8 sub appearances. Cole, Essien etc are all down to about 20 league games each and I'm at the end of the 2014/15 season. Liverpool have Carragher at 37 who has 7 starts, 12 sub appearances in the league. Gerrard has managed 26 league games and hasn't been injured and he's still a pretty decent player at 34. Man utd have Ferdinand at 36 and he has 14 league appearances. Cambiasso and Burdisso are 34 at Inter, and both have about 20 league apps each. Last season they replaced a 32 year old Maicon with a 25m wing back. AC milan don't have a single outfield player over 33, even Kaka at 33 hasn't played all that regularly. He's only had one 3 day injury. Real Madrid's oldest outfield player is 33, Carlos Cuellar he has 4 league appearances, Diarra is 33 he has 3 league appearances. Barca have Xavi at 35, he made 1 appearance, Hleb at 34 has made none. Milito at 34 has made 27 league appearances.

[DAK]

i dont mind players playing into there 40's if they are still getting games. that is fair enough. but the likes of jamie carragher who at 38 is just making the revserse's for past 2 seasons's should retire. would that happen in real life dont think so. even when they get thaat old you could put them on the staff.

[arsenal_2111]

Buffon is on £135k p/w at 42, he must've been on about that for about 8 years.

I wonder how many millions he has now:D

[kopitelewis]

Point being how many 40 year olds play for top teams?

last season gary speed was playing for bolton at the age of 38. teddy sheringham did the same. so did dean windass.

[R-dizzle]

Dean Windass played for my Rushdan team, correction, is still playing in the reserves at the ripe old age of 44. He just wont retire...

He's awful but i dont have the heart to let him go lol.

[Deltaroad]

last season gary speed was playing for bolton at the age of 38. teddy sheringham did the same. so did dean windass.

My point is there is only a handful of players reaching 36+ playing. If you play 20 years into the game you will see that number seems to be fairly high. Not only that top teams seems to have alot of 30+ players as their first teamers, playing for another 7 years.

[Nomis07]

last season gary speed was playing for bolton at the age of 38. teddy sheringham did the same. so did dean windass.

These are exceptional examples and there is considerable difference between 38 and 42.

[santy001]

Until someone has a player continue playing beyond 63 (Stanley Matthews last played a game for a team at this age, he retired from top flight English football at 50) I won't think there's too much of a problem lol. Yea there's a lot of people in some games, but in my game for example there's not so many. Its luck of the draw, if teams aren't replacing players that's a different problem entirely. Odds are even if these older players had gone, they still wouldn't be replacing them, but playing sub-standard regens.

My game is playing nicely for the moment, top clubs buying the top players, older players making up the numbers and providing some useful contribution from the bench. Maybe by 2020 as the OP put up it will be different, if it is I'll add my proof to this point then lol.

[numbas2]

I bet players will play for longer in the future, and the quality of the top three leagues will get better and better. Not sure about the level of performance of these players though - surely they won't perform to a standard like their peak.

Saying that Maldini has been awesome throughout his years.

First post on her for many of my own years haha

[jkae]

cassilas 185 caps!!!!

anyway, its a different generation now, the players will play longer because they are alot fitter than the last ten years.

[Nomis07]

anyway, its a different generation now, the players will play longer because they are alot fitter than the last ten years.

Not at the top level, the increased emphasis on fitness will mean that younger players will get fitter and fitter, the senior players will become past it even if they are still a class act.

[santy001]

Not at the top level, the increased emphasis on fitness will mean that younger players will get fitter and fitter, the senior players will become past it even if they are still a class act.

Not really, there is almost an upper limit on fitness, no matter how much training you do there is still that ceiling that most can't get through without performance enhancing drugs. However, it is easier to be fitter when your getting older by taking care of yourself when your younger. Maldini and Cafu stood up to some of the worlds best wingers into their late 30's, without all the knowledge we have today about prolonging their careers and played before there was all regimented diets and things to that effect. In 10 years time I don't see 25 year olds being much fitter than today, I do see 45 year olds being notably fitter than they are now.

[Äktsjon Männ]

Until someone has a player continue playing beyond 63 (Stanley Matthews last played a game for a team at this age, he retired from top flight English football at 50) I won't think there's too much of a problem lol. Yea there's a lot of people in some games, but in my game for example there's not so many. Its luck of the draw, if teams aren't replacing players that's a different problem entirely. Odds are even if these older players had gone, they still wouldn't be replacing them, but playing sub-standard regens.

My game is playing nicely for the moment, top clubs buying the top players, older players making up the numbers and providing some useful contribution from the bench. Maybe by 2020 as the OP put up it will be different, if it is I'll add my proof to this point then lol.

It is, exactly as you put it, because you're still in 2015. Most of those players you listed in your example will most likely still be playing in 2019 - at which point it will be more of an anomaly.

The examples of players of that high age playing top division football are very few and most have been mentioned here. But would anyone name me the last outfield player to regularly play for a top 4 team in any top league at the age of 37+? Except for some legendary defenders in the Italian league (Cafu and Maldini) I can't really recall many myself. The competition IRL is so fierce that there are always young players up and coming pushing the aging stars for their places. It should work like that in FM as well but sadly the young talents hardly get a chance.

Another aspect that's also mentioned in this thread is physical ability. People mention Giggs as an example but what they fail to add is that Giggs at the age of 35 is not physically capable of playing more than once in a week and he simply can't be a regular starter anymore even though his actual ability would warrant that without a doubt. His physique can't handle the pressure so he's a squad player albeit with a very important role in the team.

To clarify, I was one of those complaining about the way players over 31 became useless in FM08 and to be honest, most of the people at that point were arguing it was fine back then as well. It's a hard thing to balance for sure because in an ideal world it must allow the exceptional cases to happen but also has to keep the balance overall. Right now it really needs to be tweaked though.

[NepentheZ]

There was someone with a 60+ player on here a few days back. Mental.

[santy001]

Well there are some old players around now, as I put in another post, they are only getting a game roughly every other week, some less, and quite a few being sub appearances. When I get to 2020 I will look again and put up the stuff again, but it would be shocking if the clubs ditched their young talented stars they're buying now for the aging ones.

[Deltaroad]

^ Clubs are ditching their young players!

This is what you guys don't see. How is Palo and Torres playing 40+ games a season? They are playing 90% of their matches. It's just not possible.

The trouble is AI managers cannot judge PA very well so do not but players with high PA. They buy players with high CA instead.

That my friends is the problem!

[Svenc]

And yet they dont look a day older than 29 in their pictures

Too bad that FM08 does this worse, apparently. At the start of the game all is well, obviously - players in their mid to end thirties performing top level in real-life football are put into the game like that. But soon after it's rather unlikely for anyone to survive his 33th, 34th birthday.

[Nomis07]

Not really, there is almost an upper limit on fitness, no matter how much training you do there is still that ceiling that most can't get through without performance enhancing drugs. However, it is easier to be fitter when your getting older by taking care of yourself when your younger. Maldini and Cafu stood up to some of the worlds best wingers into their late 30's, without all the knowledge we have today about prolonging their careers and played before there was all regimented diets and things to that effect. In 10 years time I don't see 25 year olds being much fitter than today, I do see 45 year olds being notably fitter than they are now.

That's taking it from the point of view of today's training scheduels etc. I dare say that people would have been saying the same thing about ceilings etc, ten years ago and look at the difference. Teams and sports men will always have new ways to push themselves to the limit and I don't the limit has been reached yet.

[CaptainPlanet]

http://img19.picoodle.com/img/img19/3/1/12/f_tacconi2m_b79894c.jpg

[JumbledSausage]

I have no problem with players playing longer but the problem is that the bigger teams are just not bringing through the younger players...

I'm both the Hull and England manager in 2016 and I'm still playing the likes of Gerrard for England at 38 because there is simply no one up to the task of replacing him - though there are plenty of excellent youngsters that just do not get enough top level football. I am attempting to remedy the situation through Hull by buying young English talent but with a fairly limited budget it is taking time.

However, for me it is not a "game breaker"...I'm still enjoying it.

[Nomis07]

http://img19.picoodle.com/img/img19/3/1/12/f_tacconi2m_b79894c.jpg

That is in 2010, so either someones been editing, the player is 51 IRL or it's a database issue.

[CaptainPlanet]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/stoni90/tacconi.jpg

Other people seem to have him in their database, just did a quick forum search.

[Deltaroad]

I have no problem with players playing longer but the problem is that the bigger teams are just not bringing through the younger players...

I'm both the Hull and England manager in 2016 and I'm still playing the likes of Gerrard for England at 38 because there is simply no one up to the task of replacing him - though there are plenty of excellent youngsters that just do not get enough top level football. I am attempting to remedy the situation through Hull by buying young English talent but with a fairly limited budget it is taking time.

However, for me it is not a "game breaker"...I'm still enjoying it.

It is!

It's a bug of AI managers picking good CA as suppose good PA and developing them.

[Nomis07]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefano_Tacconi

Looks like he is a real 52 year old footballer

[Jamesf1985]

I am just starting the 2018 season with Liverpool and Gerrard still plays 15/20 of the less important games a year for me, and he is still the best central midfielder in my England team which just won the 2018 world cup. He is 38 and will be 39 soon and still going strong!

[Mr.Grandpa]

Heh Tacconi is 63 in my game and he's still going on strong. (I hope he wont break his hip in a game while going for a diving save )

Plus there is still alot of 40+ players in my save game the likes of Sander Westerveld (46), Mario Yepes (45), Freddie Ljungberg (44 ), Sun Jihai (43), Gabriel Heinze (43), Upson (42), Carvalho (42) etc. etc. etc. I just named few of them. It's a bit annoying that there is (in my savegame) 14 50+ years old players still playing and a whooping 396 players with the age 40+. I hope the next patch will fix this to some degree becasue 50+ players still playing is unrealistic.

[Ozzy38]

Heh Tacconi is 63 in my game and he's still going on strong.

I wouldn't say conceding in every game bar one and having a rating of 4.78 is "going strong".

[deejay10]

I think in 07 top players didnt decline enough, even after 35-36 i had the likes of Gerrard and Barry as key players in the premiership. In 08 players declined too quickly after 30, making club stars practically unusable after 32. Now in 09 things seem to have shifted back, but i think this is a step in the right direction. Experienced players over a 30 are vital to clubs in real life, even at the highest level, and physical attributes decline reasonably i feel in FM. However, players just dont want to retire. SI need to realise that for every Sheringham, Dwight Yorke, Dean Windass etc theres a Cantona, Shearer Zidane. Too many players are not retiring early enough in FM, even when they are not playing, and without a contract. On my Juve game, Nedved refuses to retire, even though he's on a rolling contract, at 38, and hasnt played a 1st team game in 2 years. I don't want to release him, because i want to hire him as a coach! retire already!

So in conclusion, i think the problem is players not retiring early enough, not so much the decline in player attributes.

[Deltaroad]

Heh Tacconi is 63 in my game and he's still going on strong. (I hope he wont break his hip in a game while going for a diving save )

Plus there is still alot of 40+ players in my save game the likes of Sander Westerveld (46), Mario Yepes (45), Freddie Ljungberg (44 ), Sun Jihai (43), Gabriel Heinze (43), Upson (42), Carvalho (42) etc. etc. etc. I just named few of them. It's a bit annoying that there is (in my savegame) 14 50+ years old players still playing and a whooping 396 players with the age 40+. I hope the next patch will fix this to some degree becasue 50+ players still playing is unrealistic.

This must be a bug. Players reaching 35 should decline dramatically

[Deltaroad]

No SI comment? Why do SI decline to comment on these issues? Like the dodgy 7 star training which doesn't exists.

[daveduerson]

This should be put in the bugs forum I reckon. Might then ellicit a response from SI, as it clearly looks like a bug.

[Twogoldfish]

Why would they decline mentally? Maybe a bit of technical stats a tiny bit, and more probably physical stats.

[JD nawrat]

Heh Tacconi is 63 in my game and he's still going on strong. (I hope he wont break his hip in a game while going for a diving save )

http://www.shrani.si/f/2z/qa/3wbk4dOn/deadmanwalking.jpg

Plus there is still alot of 40+ players in my save game the likes of Sander Westerveld (46), Mario Yepes (45), Freddie Ljungberg (44 ), Sun Jihai (43), Gabriel Heinze (43), Upson (42), Carvalho (42) etc. etc. etc. I just named few of them. It's a bit annoying that there is (in my savegame) 14 50+ years old players still playing and a whooping 396 players with the age 40+. I hope the next patch will fix this to some degree becasue 50+ players still playing is unrealistic.

Oh, what quality stats he has! =D

I can't believe his last 5 games have an avg. of under 4.

Please don't tell me that it's you who uses these players? LOL

[Deltaroad]

This should be put in the bugs forum I reckon. Might then ellicit a response from SI, as it clearly looks like a bug.

I've posted a few bugs that people here has discussed in the bugs forum. I never get a reply from SI. But I know they've looked at the thread but they don't give me a reply.

[nymanr]

Doesn't injuries lessen a players playing years in the game.

If you have a ex. knee injury earlier in your career you will feel the effects of that later on in your life no matter how good of an operation you recived.

Just feel that when a player decides to continue his career it should also take in to account how injury prone he has been over the years.

[Deltaroad]

Yeah that is true, more injury prove more chance of not playing over the age of 34/35. The fact that there is an increase of injuries in FM09 suggests this fact is not taken into account.

[muqeet]

check this 46 years old lol its 16

[Mr.Grandpa]

Oh, what quality stats he has! =D

I can't believe his last 5 games have an avg. of under 4.

Please don't tell me that it's you who uses these players? LOL

Nope i dont. The oldest guy in my team is Aleksander Kolarov at the age of 35 and I have him in the team simply due to sentimental value. My first team's average age is only 21 so i have a very young squad. And those boys managed to won UEFA cup for the second time in the row now .