For FM13 - Pre-match training feedback (linked to team selection and press conferences)

[Dave C]

This'll probably get lost in amongst the FM12 feedback, but hey-ho.

I was reading a pre-match interview with York manager Gary Mills. He was asked who would replace a suspended player, and he basically hedged his bets and said it was down to who impressed him in training. This got me thinking, we get this question a lot in FM press conferences, but we can only name a player, or say "none of the below". We can't say "I haven't decided yet". So that needs sorting.

But that led me to a broader thought, namely the real-life influence of training performance on match selection. Managers often talk about players earning their place on the training ground, about how players maybe do well in training but don't convert that to match-day performance, etc. But we don't really have this link. That should change. We should be able to see how our players have been doing. Not a measure of improvement, but a measure of attitude. So, on the Team Selection screen, I'd like a little visual indicator of how players have done in training over the past week. Doesn't have to be flashy, just a little green plus/red minus, or nothing if there's no real notable effort.

But I'd also have AM feedback messages in specific scenarios. This could then draw training, team selection, and press conferences together. I'll illustrate.

Scenario 1

David McGurk is suspended for York. So, you get the PC question, will you be using Daniel Parslow or Chris Smith to replace him?

You say, haven't decided, it's for them to impress me in training.

The Friday before the match, maybe you get a message from your AM saying Parslow has looked particularly sharp and motivated in training this week.

So, now you have a decision to make. And if you still choose Smith over Parslow, maybe Parslow gets unhappy at your favouritism (depending on his professionalism etc).

Scenario 2

After a poor performance, you are asked the PC question about whether you'll make changes for the next match.

Now, in addition to the "rash to make decisions" and "one or two changes..." options we have currently, we also get a "We'll see how the players respond in training" option.

Again, Friday comes round, you get a message from your AM. These players have looked really motivated. These players haven't.

Again, you have choices to make. And choices have consequences.

Scenario 3

Week-in, week-out, one of your younger players is getting a little green plus for his training performances. But, you haven't picked him. You think he's still too young perhaps. This would potentially have consequences. The player gets upset. Wonders why you are ignoring him. Thinks he needs to leave. So you have something to manage, a decision to make.

Let me know what you think.

[Sheffield Sunday]

Sounds good.

I also think we should get the option to praise a players training performance rather than just criticise them for under training or not training hard enough.

Imagine - "You've really impressed me in training keep it up." OR "If you improve a little more you'll be knocking on the first team door for a place."

[rich10]

I like the way Shnrub thinks.

I've often wondered why I was being told how my players had performed the last month in training, it's too large a time-frame to garner anything useful from it; week-to-week would be much more useful and prove the difference between some selections.

I like it, well presented too.

[dirtyscarab]

Some great ideas here. As Sheffield Sunday said, I've often found myself wanting to praise a good training performance but you can't.

Players in real life have to compete for starting places and to do this, they try to impress the manager in training. So Dave's suggestions are top draw.

[rich10]

Again, agreed.

Within a squad of players on roughly the same ability levels it should be all about who has done what in training that week as to who plays or not.

Lobanovsky famously used to employ some ahead-of-its-time bio-science geekery to determine which players natural energy levels were peaking around matchday, whilst managing Dynamo Kiev back in the early 90s. Although this might be a step too far for FM

Although there are real-life examples of players not taking training seriously at all (Litmanen) but performing on the pitch, and there are also those who are amazing in training yet cannot transfer this to the pitch (Smicer). So this might need to be a combination of his ambition, professionalism, determination etc...and I suppose this is for the manager to discover.

[metisse]

If this will be another reason for players to whine and be unhappy, than no. They might have some reduced morale (just a little bit), but nothing serious like 'has concerns'.

Other than that, great idea.

[auberius]

Excellent idea, would mean another element where having the right Assistant Manager is a benefit (because the game would have to decide how good he was at identifying which players were sharp in training!) Would need to compute quite a few factors though; the random modifier on the consistency hidden attribute, morale, the training performance measure (something I've never understood how it's calculated!)...

[Dave C]

If this will be another reason for players to whine and be unhappy, than no. They might have some reduced morale (just a little bit), but nothing serious like 'has concerns'.

Other than that, great idea.

I think that stuff should be down to player personality, and time. Let's face it, there are players who'll throw their toys out the pram at the first hint of trouble. But most will be professional. But, if they are ignored again and again despite putting the effort in and meeting your calls for improvement, then you should see significant morale drops. And then, yes, concerns.

[metisse]

I think that stuff should be down to player personality, and time. Let's face it, there are players who'll throw their toys out the pram at the first hint of trouble. But most will be professional. But, if they are ignored again and again despite putting the effort in and meeting your calls for improvement, then you should see significant morale drops. And then, yes, concerns.

I've never heard of anything like that in RL. "Carlos Tevez request transfer due to his manager dosn't appreciates his training commitment."

It might be just a mini-game. A mini-game that, like all those little details, will help you win [big] games. It can't be a serious aspect of the game because it's not in RL.

[VonBlade]

I also think we should get the option to praise a players training performance rather than just criticise them for under training or not training hard enough.

Imagine - "You've really impressed me in training keep it up." OR "If you improve a little more you'll be knocking on the first team door for a place."

If you've recently criticised a player for their poor training, you can then get the option to praise them, should they improve.

[rich10]

I've never heard of anything like that in RL. "Carlos Tevez request transfer due to his manager dosn't appreciates his training commitment."

It might be just a mini-game. A mini-game that, like all those little details, will help you win [big] games. It can't be a serious aspect of the game because it's not in RL.

There have been many examples of players criticising manager's training methods and then being left out or moved on, or managers praising players and then getting a quality performance from them on the pitch (Fergusno, Redknapp, Mourinho etc..), or "clashes of personality" between players on the training ground (Barton, Balotelli, Bellamy, Hartson, Keown etc...).

It would provide another outlet for personalities to develop under your management.

[Dave C]

I've never heard of anything like that in RL. "Carlos Tevez request transfer due to his manager dosn't appreciates his training commitment."

It might be just a mini-game. A mini-game that, like all those little details, will help you win [big] games. It can't be a serious aspect of the game because it's not in RL.

Okay, you've fixated on one little aspect of this, which is fine. But, you've completely misunderstood it. You also, apparently, don't know what you are talking about.

For starters, I'm talking about a broader feature that feeds into how youy make your team selections, and how you manage and interact with your squad. Not just players getting upset. That's just an extreme scenario that could result.

As for players IRL not getting p***ed off because managers don't appreciate them, where have you been? Nobody requests a transfer because their manager doesn't appreciate their efforts on the training ground (and nobody said otherwise). But a manager overlooking them when they feel they are working hard and doing everything asked of them? Diofferent matter.

And yes, of course it would just be part of it. A serious aspect, yes. Like everything. The whole of FM should be about lots of little facets that you bring together and manage. Like, you know, a manager.

[Ackter]

Nice to have you back Mr. C.

[markyosullivan]

Sounds like a good idea more frequent training updates would be nice

[Dave C]

Nice to have you back Mr. C.

Probably a one-off Marc, unless FM12 really gets the old synapses firing.

[SCIAG]

Great idea Dave, I've tagged it for SI's attention in case this isn't in their ideas bank already.

[Dean Gripton]

Probably a one-off Marc, unless FM12 really gets the old synapses firing.

Just when I thought I'd take it easy this evening, along returns Dave with a great idea, than an equally great word that I didn't know. Now I've hurt my little brain reading up on synapses on wikipedia.

I'll get you Penelope Pitstop!

[Dave C]

Just when I thought I'd take it easy this evening, along returns Dave with a great idea, than an equally great word that I didn't know. Now I've hurt my little brain reading up on synapses on wikipedia.

It is of course incredibly ironic that you hurt your brain looking up "synapse". As you'll now know.