AI scouting Africa

[Montanaro]

For all those who have a season or two under your belts already. Can you tell me if the AI clubs scout and sign more sub-saharan African players than in FM11?

It always bugged me that French and Belgium (and to an extent, the rest of Europe) never bothered to look into African regens until they signed for Tunisian or Moroccan clubs (North African clubs) who have pretty high reputations.

Sub-Saharan Africa produces one or two 18-19 year old wonderkids per year. Yet no club will even appear on their "interest" list for almost a year.

Basically, this allows me to sign any African I want with NO competition.

I was hoping this has been improved in FM12, otherwise I'm going to tweak the database to make europe look harder into africa.

 

[thunderblood]

I can't speak for the bigger clubs,but the AI does buy players from african clubs...
I found a nice right back that an AI team in my league bought from a nigerian club.
So yes,I think it's more competitive now

 

[MAZ8888]

wait, from african clubs I only found 2 good players in 8 seasons, 1 from a moroccan club. I always send scouts to Africa and they have high knowledge of African countries, and I hire african scouts (like ralph nklomo), but I never can find good players, how do you?

 

[thunderblood]

There's loads of great clubs in Ghana and The Ivory Coast....found several good prospects there

 

[Robbooo]

The problem with finding players in African clubs is that on the scout screen their potential ability star rating is affected by the clubs facilities and staff. As these are normally lower at african clubs someone that would scout as a 4 star at a big club may only appear as 2 and a half star in african club.

As for AI buying more african players i have found they are being bought but normally to mid table teams in countries like Holland, Belgium and France, then after a season or two if they develop big clubs start to come in for them but no big clubs seem to buy them from their original clubs.

 

[Linie]

wait, what? i started this year to set my scouts to find players with at least 3.5 stars(potential). So, i would miss out on those potantial gems???

 

[Danyul]

I'm in my 5th season now managing in france and the other teams buy alot of african prospects. I always thought they did on past games though.

wait, what? i started this year to set my scouts to find players with at least 3.5 stars(potential). So, i would miss out on those potantial gems???

You probably will yes. All of my scouts are set to find players of 3 stars or higher. I have 2 african scouts, 1 scouting west africa the other central africa, and after about a season and a half they found nothing. I changed them to look for 2.5+ stars, and have since found these:

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Auxerre bought this guy for 170k and I bought him off them a year later for 2.5m.

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Got this guy for 100k from Aduana Stars. Should be my long term replacement for M'Vila in a few years.

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Cost me 600k. I bought Saibi & Kwarteng early enough to be homegrown at my club.

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Montpellier Herault signed him for 130k and I signed him a year later for 700k. He probably won't make my first team but i'm looking to sell him next season for a nice profit.

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And lastly signed these 2 on free transfers to make a profit on within a few years.

 

[paetoja]

i don't think so
i holidayed 2 saves into the 2020s to see some player develop, and also regens
its mostly a lower reputation clubs sign africans where they play 1 or 2 good seasons and then get transfered to higher reputation ones
like this one Ivorian AMC who Sunderland bought for 800k then sold to Valencia next year for 10mil

 

[Linie]

thanks for the info Danyul. Will adjust my scout settings. Used to scout african newgens manually, but don't have the time nowadays, so this information was very helpfull for me and my scout team.