Youth Development + B Teams.

[tajj 7]

I have recently in my online game moved from Spurs to Real Madrid.

One my self set targets I have decided on for Real, is to 'de-hollywood' them a bit, get some 'soul' back into the team. This came about as I noticed they seem to have barely any Spanish players in the team let alone any homegrown players. Presumably this is the ever churning demand for success (My objectives being win the league, get to the final of the champions league). So this is going to be tough to avoid getting sacked whilst getting a 'home grown' element back into the team.

I wondered if anyone has used the 'Castilla' B team to help develop their youth? It's been a while since I've had a B team so have a few queries:-

1. What sort of control can I have over them? i.e. tactics, training, coaches etc.

2. From a development point of view how valuable are B team games? In England I tend to have a small reserve squad, moving my most promising youngsters to the first team squad and supplementing the gaps in the first team appearances with 'available for the reserves for x mins'. Is 20-30 Castilla games better than 10-11 first team games?

3. Do they use the same excellent facilities that the first team use?

4. I notice squad wise they 'move to affiliate', how many times can I move them back and forth? i.e. could I for example bring some players into the main squad to play a Copa Del Rey match, and then move them back to Castilla, then back again for the next round?

5. Can I tutor someone who's in the Castilla, with someone who is in the main squad?

[Oblivion]

1. I believe you can have some control over their staff, but nothing more - they are an independent club.

2. Since it's an independent club, playing in Segunda Division at the start of the game if I'm not mistaken, it's like the players would play in any other second tier club. So it's more beneficial if they play 30 Castilla games than 10 in R.Madrid, at least as far as match experience goes.

3. Don't know about that, but I guess they do. Just check their information tab.

4. You don't need to move the players constantly. You can keep them in Castilla and still play them in 1st team. Remember that there are restrictions for B/C teams players' in Primera Division.

5. Don't know that, but most probably no.

[TwinsFan86]

In reference to #5, having played games with both Real Madrid and Barca, you can tutor someone who is on the B squad with a first teamer.

[jakem016]

I almost always play in Spain and I find that the b team system in FM is in dire need of an upgrade. With the exception of selling players and offering contracts, you do not have any control over the day-to-day operation of the b team. You can move players under the age of 25 or 26 (I think it's 25) to the 1st team, but if they play 10 games with the 1st team during the 1st half of the season, then they will be unable to be registered to the b team during the winter registration. In terms of development, your players will develop at about the same rate as if they were on loan at another club with similar facilities/quality of coaches. I do find that a lot of b teams have good facilities (if their 1st team does), but they also generally have very few coaches and thus struggle to provide specialized training (you can't hire coaches). Also, you can tutor players in the b team. One VERY annoying aspect of the b team is that you do not receive updates on their development (i.e., a green arrow indicating improvement) even though you can track their development when on loan.

My personal strategy with my b team is to get them into Liga Adelante and then add a coach in order to hire backroom staff. Once I hire as many coaches/physios as possible (usually I ask to increase the number) and try to get the board to upgrade their facilities, I quit that job and let someone else take over. It also bears mentioning that the players wages will be "paid" by the b team and I often find that adding young players with wages that would be high for Liga Adelante results in a deterioration of the b team's finances. Nothing usually happens as a result (my Sevilla b team just built a new stadium despite ), except that many of the players are listed as not needed by the club (even though I don't allow the coach to sell them). I assume this impacts their general happiness and thus development, but I'm not sure. I have used genie scout to track b team player development in the past and I have found that as long as the player is playing, then he will develop at a decent rate. Unfortunately, you can't control their training schedule. Also, if you ask a player to learn a ppm with the 1st team, then they will continue working on it on the b team (it doesn't show that they are, but you will eventually get an update saying whether or not he learned the ppm).

[tajj 7]

Thanks people, sounds not as useful as I would hope it would be. I think my 'second tier' of young prospects will go to the castilla but I will keep the highly rated talents around the first team so I can track and shape their development.

I was really hoping this would combine the benefits of a loan spell (i.e more valuable game time) with good coaching and facilities but if you can't control the coaches then its just a loan spell.

[tomtuck01]

The way FM deals with German Under 23 teams, which are essentially 'B' Teams, is much better. The Spanish version is far from helpful when it comes to developing young players and just general control of your club.

[tajj 7]

The way FM deals with German Under 23 teams, which are essentially 'B' Teams, is much better. The Spanish version is far from helpful when it comes to developing young players and just general control of your club.

It's disappointing, coming in as manager you'd expect to be able to have a big say in what is effectively your reserve team and it;s manager's coaches would be part of your staff. There are countless examples of managers coming into clubs and re-shaping them from top to bottom, including appointing new coaches etc. for youth teams and determining their styles.

I suppose the only option would be to take over as manager? recruit new coaches, set training, tactics etc. Then appoint a decent ass-man and go on holiday.