[FM24 - Athletic Club (Bilbao) - Loyalty and Long Term Saves!]

Hi, has anyone had a problem where the C team players suddenly become ineligible with a message saying that they cannot play for an affiliate when registered for the main club?   The 9 players are definitely not registered for Athletic so I am not sure what is happening.  Is it a bug? 

[FM24 - Athletic Club (Bilbao) - Loyalty and Long Term Saves!]

55 minutes ago, bowieinspace said:

You can find my save file here: https://filetransfer.io/data-package/KsTiiifp#link

The only odd thing I've done in this save is due to the insane lack of goalkeepers who came through, I was beginning to wonder if there was legimately a bug - from the game start through until 31/32 season when Alberto Etxabe came through my youth intake in late March, there wasn't a single newgen Basque goalkeeper who had the ability OR potential to be a decent La Liga keeper. At that point Simon was rapidly declining and other options who start the game such as Remiro etc were all too old also. My only option as a stop gap was Julen Agirrezabala who I resigned for a ludicrous fee just to give me a couple more years of having a playable keeper, he came back in summer 2032. Outside of Agirrezabala there were 1-2 2* CA options and the rest were absolutely miles off. I'd kept an eye on another keeper Jesus Valencia, who had been at Gernika and Lugo and was considered a top Liga 2 keeper, but he moved to a Saudi club the year before in 2031 and was miles off it according to my scouts, I've just re-scouted him and he's a 1.5* player despite looking half decent on the limited knowledge view on this save file). Agirrezabala was by far the better option despite the crazy fee, and Valencia was someone I could think about later if I was desperate. 

In January 2032 a couple months before Etxabe appeared and I bought Agirrezabala back, I decided to sign a spanish keeper who was 16 who looked decent enough to be first team capable in the future, just as a fall back option in case the situation with keepers continued to decline, with the view I'd only use him if there were no viable other options. Worth noting at this time also Agirrezabala was a key player at Bournemouth and they wouldn't consider selling him under any circumstances. He played in the B team a bit and I gave him a few first team appearances in dead rubber games/off the bench/due to injuries while Julen Agirrezabala was my number 1 to allow him to develop a bit (he was very young and a big step down from Agirrezabala at the time). I didn't want to use him at all but the situation was dire so I wanted to at least give myself an option I could consider down the track. I was basically down to the prospect of 1.5/2* goalkeeper options within a year or so who had hit their peak already. Fortunately Etxabe did appear so now in summer 2035, although Etxabe is my best keeper at 2* CA, I at least have a bit of potential there and a couple options who will be decent longer term.

In the end I couldn't stick the idea of breaking my own rules for the sake of having a decent keeper, and Etxabe (although a way off first team level) looked like he would be decent enough in the future, so I sold the keeper for near enough what I paid in summer 2034, committed to my rules and throwing Etxabe in at number 1 despite his 1.5* CA - his name is Jose Angel Blanco and he's at Spurs now not getting any game time, I don't consider him as someone I would ever repurchase so I just ignore him on player search. If you search for Basque keepers now, you have him, Jesus Valencia (previously mentioned above) and then the rest is utter garbage. 

My situation now at keeper is still pretty bad, Etxabe is number 1, he is 2* current ability, but I also have Carlos Etxeberria who is 2* and consistent with a nice attribute spread (he's improved well but always had low potential), and then Iker Zubillaga is my other back up - he's just had a really positive loan spell and looks set to be a long term squad member. I had a decent looking keeper in my last intake also.

Thanks for the earlier feedback on youth development.  For people starting their save, there is a goalkeeper in Barca B in 23/24 that is worth a look at. In my save he is 4 star potential. He is miles better than the Athletic goalies in the b team and could come good. His name is Andre Astralaga. I have had him for 6 months and he is developing nicely. Born in Berango - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berango. He cost me a million euros but given the goalie issues you were having I thought it might be worth it. 

[FM24 - Athletic Club (Bilbao) - Loyalty and Long Term Saves!]

Hi, I have a question about youth development.
 

 In season 2 when the U19s have two matches per week (European and Spanish U19s) ,  is it better to put a couple of the best prospects in the C team so that they a) benefit from a higher standard of football and b) can spend more time training and working on their attributes?   Most of the training categories of the C team are 4 star as they share trainers from the other Athletic teams so I think the quality of the training should be the same as the U19s.   I think for U19s more training is better than 2 matches per week 
 

I want to build a pathway of the C team in the 4th or 3rd tier, B team in the 2nd tier,  loans at 1st division clubs and then the first team. 
 

My b team were promoted last year to the 3rd division and the C team are now in the 4th. Both are top of their leagues 

[3-4-2-1 Mid Block: Control and Attack Space]

@kr10 just seen your tactic which comes at a perfect time as I am looking to manage Torino in FM24. Their squad is built for this formation but is a bit light on SVs.  However they have two very good DLP type players in ilic and Ricci. Did you experiment with a DLP (s) instead of a Sv maybe turning the AP into a AM (s) with added hold position and take more risks? Do you think it would work?  

[Regista & False 9]

I would go for a regista/dm combination. Thinking of combinations such as Kante/Jorginho, Modric/Casemiro, Ericsson/Casemiro and Pirlo/Vidal at Juventus.  I would then have a CM (a) with a IW, IF and complete forward 

[Engineering The Modern 4-4-2 in FM23: The Rise of Los Interiores]

I am managing Genoa this year. After two seasons of defensive counter attacking football which got us into Europe, it was time for a change. As a spurs supporter I see enough negative football in real life. 

This tactic is similar to Marcelino’s tactics at Athletic and Valencia which I tried to reproduce in Fm22  with good results. Thanks @crusadertsar for convincing me to take on the Athletic challenge. 

The tactic plays well in Italian football. I have tried inverted wingers rather than wide playmakers as someone suggested but they are too static. 

Having cutting in from the flank player trait really makes the difference. I bought Ikone and he has completed changed the way the right flank works. 

Making your forwards go wide, pushes the wide players inwards and gives space to the full backs. 

The tactic creates some nice football. 

As per Pellegrinis tactic, I have added pressing to the flanks with some added opposition instructions which works well

https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com/2013/6/19/4445692/pellegrinis-villarreal