scooterSB

The thing about potential is....... IT'S POTENTIAL! No one is a time traveling fortune tell who can say for sure if a player is going to work out or not, or if you train them into a new positions or whatever. Sometimes players rated 4-5* on potential never break through. Sometimes players rated 2-3* break out and end up being class. It's a 'best guess' type situation. What your suggesting seems to be that back in 2006 some coach in southampton should have said "wait if doing ok at left back, but if turn him into an attacking midfield he'll be worldclass and we can sell him for 77mil"

Recent game, only a few months in.

Can anyone give me a reason why Jussi Jaaskelainen (West Ham and former Bolton Goalkeeper) is rated 13 on taking penalty's? That's higher than most strikers. As far as I am wear he has never taken a penalty in in professional career IRL. His kicking is only average for a prem keeper (15) so what is this based on? The only thing I can think is that as an experienced keeper he would know what makes a good penalty, but then the same should be said of any quality keeper. Casillas is rated at 3 and Valdes 2. Where does this come from?

I have been trying to create a new bunch of young players by creating duplicates of the worlds best players and setting their ages to 18. I always make sure to delete their playing history in the editor, but then when I start the game their history is there, so it looks like I have 18year olds who played for Real Madrid aged 9. Anyone give me some tips and help on this, I don't often use the editor.

As someone else has pointed out, the difference is very clear when you put the two teams against each other. I'm currently playing as TNS in the welsh prem, bossing it, winning most league games with easy. The team look like a premier league team, neat passes, long range goals, cutting corsses, the lot. Managed to sneak them into the group stages of the champions league, facing Porto, Man City and Athletic Madrid. I wasnt expecting much but maybe scrap a couple of points, maybe even a win at home. NOPE we got destroyed, lost every game, did score once, and lost 6-0 3 times. If the game is a joke, and there are so many 'visible laws' then don't play. No one is forcing you, if it's so bad turn the game off and do something else.

Good tips so far guys, Ill request to the board to improve youth facilities/training. You never know their might be a a young Gareth Bale knocking about somewhere. This is defiantly a long game, my hope is within 5 years to have a team that is easily winning trophies in Wales but also can start to complete and attract semi-decent players. Internationals from smaller nations would be perfect, as would a couple of veterans who can still turn it on for a European game. Interestingly David James as a 41yo player/ass. manager has been a great little buy so far. Any other advice?

It is much more about UKs rules on immigration than football rules. Basically any non-EU national wanting to work in the UK needs a work permit. To get one it has to be proven that they are not doing a job that a British person could do. For example: If their was an accountant from China who wanted to work in the his application would be denied if he was you average accountant, because the UK has plenty of accountants and hiring this Chinese is actually stopping a British person getting a job. However if he had a proven track record as one of the best accountants in China, working of one of the biggest banks in the world, then he would be granted a work permit, due to his exceptional talent and that having him in the country would benefit the UK. Unfortunately this is judged on current ability not potential, so the accountant cant be brought into the UK because he might become the greatest accountant ever, because he also might not. The same goes for footballers. If they are of exceptional talent then they will pass a work permit, this usually means they have played a number of senior internationals in the last 2-3 years. Potential talent counts for little. I can't say for sure about Fabio and Rafial or Man Utd, but individuals who have family members who live and work in the EU often find it a lot easier to get work permits. Fabio and Rafials elder brother is also a footballer in Spain. It may also be the case that they have a parent who holds dual citizenship in Brazil and the EU in which case they wouldnt need a work permit as far as I am aware. I think there is a way around this, if you are in the EPL you can easily get a feeder club. If you get one in the EU with more lax rules on immigration, such as Belgium, I am sure there is a way you can sign players and send them to the feeder on loan. They may come good and get into the national side enough so they can pass a work permit, or if you wait 5 years they become citizens and don't need one.

I've started a new save as TNS in the welsh premier league. As defending champions I started with a team in the champions league qualifiers. With a combination of luck of the draw, good use of the transfer system, reasonable tactics, and a 93rd minute winner, I managed to get tiny TNS into the group stages of the champions league. This brought with it a 7mil prize fun which will see the club financially stable for years to come, and will basically mean we will always be the richest, and should be the best, team in the league. However in the group stage, we were drawn against Porto, Man City and Athletico Madrid. So You won't need to think to hard to work out what happened. Yup, played 6, lost 6. Didn't score a goal, and lost 3 games by 6-0. Bad times. Anyone got any advice on managing in a tiny league like this yet still being able to raise your clubs profile enough to attract half decent players so that we arn't always destined to be European whipping boys. I'm not expecting to turn them into Barcelona, but at least put up a fight in CL and who knows maybe scrap a way into third place of the group and into Europa league.

this has happened to me too, needs to be in the game

I've seen a couple of missed pens, wide or hitting the woodwork on shootouts. Must less likley in a match penalty, can't recall many missing the target in a game, but had a few saves. I feel sorry for SI, they can't win. I remember about 18 months ago long before fm14 came out people complaining on these boards they miss too many penalties, now people are complaining they score too many.

In FM as with real life, British/English players are far more expensive than those from other nations. When you are starting out in the prem a well scouted foreign player can cost upto a 10th in transfer and wage costs as an English player, so what would the incentive to buy the English player be? Personally I really don't care what country a player comes from. I want to the best players at my club in the most cost effective way.

Really, this is down to you and your judgement. It's not going to hurt and if it isn't going to take too much out of the budget then sure why not. I've gone this before, and signed a few players who were past there best. Sometimes they can be more reliable than young kids if you are in a pinch due to injuries. Plus if they are close to retirement you can get them to stay on as coach or player/coach. I say go for it if a) it's not going to cost you very much and b) your first team is set and strong.

As we are towards the end of the RL season, pick a team that has done well in real life, and is either getting promoted or in play-offs ie Championship: Leicester, Burnley, Derby League One: Wolves, Brentford, Preston League two: Scunthorp, Chesterfield, Rochdale.

In seriousness, there is always 'classic' mode, which wont be stress free, but it is a stripped back version for quicker seasons and fewer variables, so that might b worth a go.

I am sure I have seen somewhere that in FM Strikers & Midfielders peak mid-late 20s, defenders peak late 20s/early 30s and Goalkeeprs peak around 32. Even past their 'peak' they can improve in different areas, and the may play better if they play with tactics that suit them more.