[Improve Staff Who Sign Players]

I don't really understand if there is any logic involved with staff who are assigned to sign players, is it literally random?

I have a Head of Youth Development, the idea is I assign him to make bids on promising young players. This hasn't worked properly for the last the two releases, but it does seem to be working for me this time round.

The issue I have is the dude continuously bids for the same player position..... Every few weeks he bids for 16 year old striker, some of which are completely useless. They get D- rating if I sign them sometimes, I assume the idea is he supposed ot be scouting them, thats why when they sign the club gives them a rating. Is he knowingly bidding for terrible talents who the club know aren't going to make it?

Surely the way this should work is the HoYD bids for players how will fit the managers system, so players who are at least reasonable at the roles in your starting formation.

Surely he should then bid for the players that particular squad needs, not the same role over and over again. So buy a ST, then a MC etc. etc. When you have a team he can start buying reserves for these postiions. When he has a full squad he stops buying players.

To me it just feels like he makes a random bid every few weeks. If it doesn't work like this then more should be done as this is how it feels, it seems to be a completely redundant feature and really takes away from the immersion. Is there even a point hiring higher skilled staff for these roles etc.?

[Staff still not signing players despite being delegated to do so, same problem I raised last release]

On 12/01/2021 at 18:11, teknotel said:

Just an update, my assistant manager has just made an offer for a player.... It is the first time, I am just starting my 4th season. He is assigned to initiate offers for U23 players, my head of youth development is still yet to offer for a player for the U18s.

So he made an offer for 2 or 3 players in a row, all awful, then he never bothered again. New AM now  and he hasn't made offer. On to my 3rd or 4th Head of Youth Development and not a single one has tried to bring in any young players. I have had players as poached as well, are they supposed to do that for me because if so that hasn't happened either.

[Staff still not signing players despite being delegated to do so, same problem I raised last release]

On 04/01/2021 at 13:18, Viktor Ilivanov said:

Cheers for the save, this issue is now under investigation with the dev team 

Just an update, my assistant manager has just made an offer for a player.... It is the first time, I am just starting my 4th season. He is assigned to initiate offers for U23 players, my head of youth development is still yet to offer for a player for the U18s.

[Staff still not signing players despite being delegated to do so, same problem I raised last release]

On 23/12/2020 at 12:59, Viktor Ilivanov said:

Hello @teknotel and thanks for the feedback. 

 

This isn't something I've experienced while playing FM21, so best to test this with a save before a transfer window opens -  if you have such, please upload it to us, so we can investigate further. Here's how you can: 

 

Kind regards, 

Vik

Just done it, will message you save name.

[Staff still not signing players despite being delegated to do so, same problem I raised last release]

On 27/12/2020 at 03:45, nully29 said:

The problem could be that you have no transfer budget. Few years ago I had the same issue with DoF not signing anyone, until I have increased the budget. Your case might be different though.

In FM20 it just didn't seem to work full stop, in fact when I first took the club (barnet) over he did actually try to sign some youth players but it then just completely stopped and never worked even in the prem. Pretty sure we have enough transfer budget to bid on a player.

I am hoping its just something simple like this tbh.

 

[Staff still not signing players despite being delegated to do so, same problem I raised last release]

Here is what I want to do. I want to sign a Head of Youth Development. I want him to then find good youth prospects (that fit our style of play, or even his if possible) and sign them. I want to then make the final decision on whether the signing is completed.

Staff responsibilities seem to account for all of this. Yet it literally never works. Not FM20 and now not in FM21. The idea of appointing a talented Head of Youth Development and delegating him the responsibility to find new young players for the u18s is cool. The better the staff the better the results will be etc.

Is there anything I am doing wrong that I can't achieve this? I raised this in technical support last year and it was never followed up on though it was acknowledged.

Thanks.

[Is The Game Too Easy?]

On 21/08/2020 at 11:52, henryzz said:

This thread seems to be full of people overachieving partly due to the opposition underestimating them. It is often far easier to do well in the first season or 2 after being promoted because you are being underestimated continuously. Attacking tactics will suffer at times due to quality difference but will also often find a lot of space.

This is 100% the issue for the most part and tbh is my only really major criticism with the core gameplay loop in the recent versions of the game.

I stated earlier I wont he UCL in 9 seasons with Barnet and it is probably 50% down to this and 50% down to my tactics and management, This weighting feels really off. It is a major factor in why you have it pretty easy taking a team up from the bottom because you are always a low rep club on your way up and this really helps you grind out results as every team is essentially a bigger team than you. Therefore if you have good players and a good tactic your virtually invincible.

Also once you become a big club, as I did after winning the UCL you instantly overnight notice the difference. In my tenth season we really struggled against the worst teams in the league. We could go and spank Man City and Liverpool 4 or 5 nil, then fail to score against bottom of the league stoke and have them score their second shot of the entire game in the 85th minute to lose 1-0. This was a consistent theme, we still finished third in the end but the games against bottom 4 or 5 clubs was virtually a write off and I honestly tried everything. Building the opposition club up in the press, playing youth or reserve players hungry for a shot and even going so far as to play different tactics where we sit back and try to let them have possession and counter. Nothing worked for me in this season. I watch the games in comprehensive highlights and you could literally see the difference in your players in these games. They are falling over the ball, missing penalties, passing it straight into the opposition players and of course missing open goals.

For me this is the one major criticism I have in the game. I like the mechanic itself, but it just seems far too heavily weighted for me and needs tuning up a ever so slightly so its not every game etc.

I am now in my 11th season and actually we are top of the league and have done much better, I made a huge name signing and kind of worked out who doesn't show up for these game and rotated them out and have started demanding we win against the **** teams and our results have been much better.

But yes this is 100% a huge part in why the game can appear easy until you make it to the very top.

[Is The Game Too Easy?]

8 hours ago, Spanner said:

I have to agree with Preveza here ...Bravo to you @teknotel 

...the way you won the final sounds 100% fair. But it still amazes me that you did it.

Its crazy, i used to live near their home stadium and my mates worked in the burger bar selling and making the burgers/drinks for supporters!!

What Barnet? I grew up very nearby, they were always my local team so I always play as them in FM.

Yeah it amazed me too before. I never set out to win the UCL just get to Prem as fast as I could. 5 Seasons is my PB only stalling for one season in the champ. Even that is very unrealistic.

[Is The Game Too Easy?]

13 hours ago, nully29 said:

Tactics :

 

Higher defensive and engagement lines

Far post crosses 

4231 (4321 would do too) 

 

Man management:

Praise conduct

Praise / criticize training 

Play those that are concerned with playing time

Don't break promises 

Release unhappy players

 

Team talk:

Have faith 

 

Shouts:

Demand more 

 

That's what works and that's how you win. There may be other ways to win, but this one guarantees. 

This. This is word for word exactly what I do and how to be successful with all clubs.

I also feel that the big club / small club reputation mechanics are exploitable. Playing as a conference level club like I always do really gives you an edge in a few ways. Bigger teams suffer against you a lot if you do all the things the nully29 listed here. You are virtually never favoured as you rise up the leagues and teams may suffer from 'complacency' mechanics against you a hell of a lot. Similarly your players are a lot happier more of the time because you are always over achieving and when you do actually lose they react it to it a lot better and its much easier to bounce back with them. The man management is much easier and even more so if you set yourself to have very high experience levels in manager creation, for example past international footballer and your players will be in awe of you virtually up to premiership which from I can see adds a lot more weight to your team talks and interactions with them.

 

[Is The Game Too Easy?]

4 hours ago, Spanner said:

i agree .....Barnet !!??!! in 9 seasons ....that is pushing the limit....hahhahaha

To take the them to the premiership in 9 seasons ...yes, ok.

To win the UCL ....wow!!!.....that is mind-blowing!!

The UCL final game was epic. Barcelona at Old Trafford. They dominate me for the first half but we go in only 1-0 down. Give my team the hair dryer treatment at half time, they are fired up and come out much sharper. We are making chances etc. and  equalise to make it 1-1 at 80 mins. Extra time my DM gives away a pen and gets sent off at 111. My BPD is actually a former Barcelona squad or reserve player and he pops up at 117 to head in the equaliser against his old club. We hold out with ten men for pens and  my keeper saves their first two penalties and we win the UCL!

Thought I was going to lose 100% if I am being honest.

[Is The Game Too Easy?]

4 hours ago, Preveza said:

This annoys me. If FM is meant to be a football SIM, winning the UCL with such a lowly club in just 9 seasons ruins all immersion for me. 20 seasons maybe, but 9? The UCL is one of the hardest things to win, even for skilled managers on a decent squad. But Barnet after 9? Yeah nah. I dont believe you unfortunuately mate. You either used FM genie scout or a knap tactic.

I swear to you 100% I would never dream of using genie scout. There is honestly no need for me to do that and it ruins any fun left in the game for me.

My tactic is my own tactic I have used and tweaked each year since 2016. I am not sure what a knap tactic is, but I have linked to it as it is listed on sortitoutsi and your welcome to check it out and let me know.

If there is anyway I could prove it to you I would be happy to do so, like I legitimately have owned every copy of FM since 1991 and have tens of thousands of hours on it across all the games. There is absolutely no way I would cheat in anyway.
 

[Is The Game Too Easy?]

6 hours ago, _mxrky said:

Your tactic doesn’t make much sense in terms of roles and duties. Tbh your success just seems that you’ve managed to find your own exploit tactic.

In all honesty I have tweaked it a lot in that regard. Not sure what you mean by exploit tactic?

[Is The Game Too Easy?]

For me personally yes the game is waaay too easy. Once you understand the formula you can win anything with any club.

I just won Champions league with Barnet in 9 seasons from conference. I feel like I could do this with any team, though I only usually play English league so maybe its a lot harder in a poorer league etc.. 

It's pretty easy to tell how good a player is based on their stats and personality. I scout thoroughly and use search filters to find players suitable for my tactic and man manage the players well to get the best out of them.

I have been thinking a lot I would like a mode where stats are not visible, so its more like real life where you just have to watch people play to get an idea of how good they are. You will have to depend on you scouts and analysts a lot more etc. I think it would be fun for people like me who love the game but literally have no challenge at all in it any more.

[My Wishlist - Improvements Mainly]

I have been playing FM since 1991. I have owned every single release and have tens of thousands of hours across all games. I am really enjoying FM2020 but have noticed a few areas I think could be improved to make the game perfect and have been keeping notes on things I come across in game I feel could be improved.

- Better visuals for regens. A lot of similar looking and in some cases bugged regens with transparent skin etc. Another example is the manager creation where you scan your photo, its amazing, yet its then kind of ruined with a choice of an awful looking poor quality graphic hairstyle. I think this would really add to the immersion if it was revamped so players just look more realistic and individual.

- Media interactions have been rough for a while. I totally understand the part they play in the game, but is there no way we can have this developed a bit with a much larger variety of options that are available, even if they have the same effect, just some rotation so its not tedious pressing the same buttons all the time. This area could really shine it wasn't so basic imo and honestly it doesn't seem like its that complicated.

- Youth intake and development. I have players poached, yet I dont even know they exist... maybe I am doing something wrong but even if so its not obvious at all. How can I poach players? Why are my golden generations likely to never even make the first team squad? Just seems a bit scuffed to me and inaccurate, but again a great premise.

- Ability for better control of delegation. Delegation doesn't work very well right now, I see several posts which have the same issue as me where delegated staff do not attempt to sign players. The main thing for me is training, I want staff to run general training AND individual focus training. As in the drop down where you pick passing, final third, corners etc. This is tedious to manage. Constantly needs changing and updating and offers little reward unlike position training and move development. If I have individual training assigned to my assistant manager for example for my U23s, then try to change one of their positions, it asks me if I want to lose control for this one player, in reality I want to control all of the positional training and not the individual extra focus.

- Team shouts need development. I just choose demand more 80-90% of the time and it works just fine. Could really do with better development here, more reasons for other shouts more often etc. 

- Better credit for players who make good runs then miss shots. Players dribble through all the time and immediately lose .1 or even .2 if they miss especially in the first half. Seems to not count the great run or play beforehand.

- Improved social media. I think this could be so cool if it made sense. Just so bizarre when the teams star striker scores a brace and then the social media comments are intentionally divided with some nonsense comment about 'I've seen better' even tho-ugh he got a 9.5, 2 goals and an assist. Again I think this whole area could be really cool with a bit more variety and uniqueness about it, rather then the same simple formula and comments.

- Redundant scouting suggestions for players and competitions. It is so tedious to click through 40 or 50 recommended leagues and competitions to scout especially if you want to add some parameters to them. Just give me a way to make overarching decisions that refine scouting. Like maybe delegating scouting to my chief scout but with some conditions, for example players who fit my style to x% degree, players under 30 etc. 75% of the players recommended are never getting anywhere near my squad so some way to refine this a bit as well maybe.

- Too many OP South American regens. I am in 2027 and the premier league might as well be called the South American wonderkid league as literally every team from Brentford to Arsenal are just filled with South American wonderkids (probably thanks to the Brexit I got tbf). They are just too OP and too many compared to everything else from what I can see. Maybe just tone it down a little.

- I absolutely love VAR in this game its so cool, but again could really do with a little more development to make it far better. Every VAR decision is going to be a penalty or if its on the edge a freekick. In its current format its redundant. Make it so VAR can occur for close decisions not just for definite breaches, add some mystery to it! I know everytime its VAR whats going to happen before the decision, again could be so much more realistic fun and interesting.

- Onus on reputation across everything is a little too strong. This formula is clearly everywhere in this game, the one thing I can say as an example is as Barnet I got to the prem in five seasons, so obviously we have a low reputation right as a club sure. But then in my second season we qualified for Europa, end of season team meeting and everyone is very unhappy cause I dare suggest we should aim for a top half finish.... It just doesn't make sense. Or like when you qualify for champions league and a bottom half team come in for your star striker and hes unhappy you rejected the move because he wanted to move to a bigger club etc. Again just needs some tweaking to be more realistic or at least some variation in players so some may be more mercenary like whereas others will want to play for success and stick with the smaller team who are in the champs league etc.

- Constant nonsense training suggestions. Suggesting my CB should knock the ball past opponents and stuff is just silly, make the recommendations more position based and make better staff make better suggestions. Like if I am clearly training people positionally to fit into my system then maybe suggestions that support this.

- Silly one, but I have noticed since making the prem my last four seasons have all resulted in playing the same team twice in december in the middle of the season schedule. This season for example we play Man City in the prem on the 26th and the 28th as the 18th and 19th games of the season. Again kind of spoils the immersion a little as its not realistic.

- Game on the whole is too easy. I have a lot of fun, but I cant help think there could be a mode where it takes a lot longer to see peoples attributes and mentalities etc. would make the game a lot tougher and more realistic for veterans like myself. The game is really fun, I love it, but there really is no challenge anymore at all for me, I imagine this is the same for a lot of people. Would like to see a tougher game mode added as I described where attributes are less visible.

Probably a lot more I will think of but these are the ones to me that seem pretty simple to action and will really improve the realism and the immersion.

[Staff not doing delegated jobs? Anyone got any clues?]

My head of youth development is set to acquire youth players for the u18s, he just doesn't bother.... Have sacked him and got someone else in and he is doing the exact same so far. I have control of the finalisation but as you can see the youth development head is set to initiate and negotiate signings.

I remember when I first set this about 7 seasons prior he did start off signing players, but they were absolutely abysmal. I think I turned it off because he was signing players who cant even fit in my system etc. Then when I got a youth development head with good stats a couple of seasons later I turned it back, yet he has never even tried to sign anyone.

Just signed Per Metersacker to replace him, can anyone think of any reason why this isn't working? Thanks.

[Golden Generation... literally all rubbish... any explanation?]

So I am actually in the premiership when this happened, its my first season in the prem. It is weird because up until this point I have actually had 3 players in total come through who were good enough to make my team, all three are right now in my premier league squad.

Just no idea why the golden generation text came up, then I get absolute duds lol.

[Golden Generation... literally all rubbish... any explanation?]

So when I got the youth prospects forecast that you get a few months before they join, it looked amazing. The last sentence in the positive green section was something like " This is a really terrific group of players coming through, could be a golden generation" or something like this.

I was really excited for it, then when the squad came through it was absolutely awful.

https://i.imgur.com/dg7u1Na.jpg

That was the best player and the only one I signed. Everyone else was useless.

Is there a reason this could have happened?