Anyone else tired of signing the 'obvious' players?

[yaniv297]

So I'm playing as Hull City, and in my save and scouting I've became aware of some very familiar FM names: Lucas Romero, Alvarez Balanta, Tielemenes, Carlos Fierro.
All available at cheap prices, all guaranteed stars. However I didn't sign any of them.
Instead I ended up signing more expensive, and probably not as good players.

Why? I don't know. No logic to it. I'm just tired of these players - the thing is, Fierro aside I never even had any of them at any save, in any FM.
Maybe because I've read about them so much, I know their names, I know they will be stars and available at cheap, it feels a bit like cheating. Like an easy solution for getting world class players for hull. I preferred signing my 'own' discoveries, who I'm not sure of their PA, but it just feels a lot more realistic.

Anyone else doing this?

 

[seacow]

yeah, a couple of years ago i had a few saves that ended up with 60% the same squad because of just this, so have since avoided the 'easy' signing. i often start in more obscure leagues so by the time i have enough reputation or am at a good enough club to get them they are already at big clubs

 

[MillerJA9]

This is part of the reason I prefer lower league management. I am thus placing emphasis on finding bargains/gems for these divisions and by the time I make it to a higher league I am more focused on regens or picking up a known star for the club. I think it's boring how some people manage the likes of United etc where it's pretty obvious what the formula for success is short-term. I don't see the fun in that sort of challenge but that's me.

 

[louiscfc]

Would FM not be better if it wasn't so linear with its player development? Now I know it is varied in each save, but not by a lot. If I could have one feature in a new game it would be for more (not random) but varied player growth. If you buy a 16 year old and train him and play him well then he should grow, not be hampered by a pre-determined PA.

Look at Charlie Austin. I bet in FM10 or whatever they didn't expect him to be a star in the PL. He got his chance, took it and now look at him. That is what I want FM to be like. I want every save to feel different. Every player that I develop, I want to feel part of that. If I give a young 15 year old from the academy a chance to train and play with the first team, and he has the right attitude and luck to take his chance then there should be no reason for him not to succeed.

Like you, I try and not take the 'easy' options of signing the well-known players to try and make my save feel different and personal.

EDIT: Also, this could work both ways where a "high potential" player like Lucas Romero could completely disappear if circumstances allow it. Injury/attitude/falling out with manager/club etc. ATM it kinda feels like these players, no matter what happens, will always grow into stars.

 

[LeedsUnitedAndProud]

I usually avoid but I signed Balanta on my current one due to a late night and couldn't be bothered scouting around for cheap players. I never usually sign well known FM wonderkids. I sign them if I feel I found them without looking around forums for example, I don't consider myself "cheating" when I signed Balanta last FM as I was looking through defenders and he popped up on my search for defenders and this was before I knew he was already a popular player.

 

[CDXtreme]

Me and 2 of my mates play as Derby we have similar enough teams and Iv been trying to avoid signing players they have... Almost unavoidable funny thing is some players I know nothing about... I didnt know of Lucas Romero abut I managed to sign him then my mate tells me he is one of the players in the game... I was trying to get Fierro because I couldnt find a decent CF for a reasonable price I had him in FM13...
Its annoying that one of them tells me about all these players because I try to find my own I havent looked at any wonderkid lists but my mate tells me so I end knowing loads of names... Only a few good guys Iv got to before he tells me they are good... Its frustrating as soon as he tells me I have to avoid them but there have been two cases where I failed and ended up signing them...

 

[matranti]

Don't play with real names and start in the lower leagues

 

[Shteffyyy]

This is becoming so annoying and repetitive...when I enter this forum, in every ******* squad I see Tielemans, Balanta and Depay...

 

[TonyVilliers]

This is becoming so annoying and repetitive...when I enter this forum, in every ******* squad I see Tielemans, Balanta and Depay...

Because they are some of the best young players. What's the problem?

 

[Ronarch]

Don't play with real names and start in the lower leagues

Definitely, even you want them, they won't join you.
No need to be the really low leagues, just the second top league and you have a much challenging game.

 

[yaniv297]

Because they are some of the best young players. What's the problem?

Because A. it's boring, and B. it's a bit cheating.
If this game is about management simulation, than it's not fair/realistic that you as a 'manager' knows that this player will 99% become a future star. Particularly when he's so cheap, willing to come almost anywhere and nobody else in the game usually buys him.

Would FM not be better if it wasn't so linear with its player development? Now I know it is varied in each save, but not by a lot. If I could have one feature in a new game it would be for more (not random) but varied player growth. If you buy a 16 year old and train him and play him well then he should grow, not be hampered by a pre-determined PA.

Look at Charlie Austin. I bet in FM10 or whatever they didn't expect him to be a star in the PL. He got his chance, took it and now look at him. That is what I want FM to be like. I want every save to feel different. Every player that I develop, I want to feel part of that. If I give a young 15 year old from the academy a chance to train and play with the first team, and he has the right attitude and luck to take his chance then there should be no reason for him not to succeed.

Like you, I try and not take the 'easy' options of signing the well-known players to try and make my save feel different and personal.

EDIT: Also, this could work both ways where a "high potential" player like Lucas Romero could completely disappear if circumstances allow it. Injury/attitude/falling out with manager/club etc. ATM it kinda feels like these players, no matter what happens, will always grow into stars.

Well, I wouldn't want it to be COMPLETELY random - because let's face it, some players are just not talented enough, and some players are mega talented and will 90% become stars. I don't want to start a random game and suddenly Januzaj sucks and some bad player is a world star. Part of the fun is the scouting and realism aspect.


However, I think a LOT more needs to be random. First of all, I'm not sure a PA should EVER be fixed. Why does Balanta, Romero, Meyer, Berardi has fixed PAs? they're all young and unproven. How do SI know for sure how good they can be? So I say, no fixed PA unless someone is REALLY proven on top levels like Neymar maybe. Other than those, every young player PA should be somewhat randomized.

I like the current system but I think it should be wider. Right now, pretty much every player with -9 PA is a guaranteed star (or at least a very good player). So maybe have a bigger random range, like where in one game the likes of Fierro can be, say a 120.

 

[CDXtreme]

However, I think a LOT more needs to be random. First of all, I'm not sure a PA should EVER be fixed. Why does Balanta, Romero, Meyer, Berardi has fixed PAs? they're all young and unproven. How do SI know for sure how good they can be? So I say, no fixed PA unless someone is REALLY proven on top levels like Neymar maybe. Other than those, every young player PA should be somewhat randomized.

Id like a little bit more randomness to it, like there should be something where you can drastically improve someone who otherwise would have been ****... Like if you hit upon the right training something clicks and improves their potential... Right now I dont feel like thats what happens... It only happens within a certain window...
Regens are great and all but with the amount of young players in the game there should be more that make it so I dont have loads of regens...

 

[lxl Ra lxl]

Just don't forget how well a player is playing also depends on your tactics and how the attributes are distributed.

If you have a player with mediocre points (CA) but perfect for TM (and great hidden attributes) he'll still be worth alot more than some random kid with higher CA but most of his stats put in penalties.

So I wouldn't say at the start that a player with low PA can't get at the top level. It's alot more unlikely, unless he developed really well and is used in a good tactic for him.