Does player EVER agree with criticizing form?

Danbo

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"I don't think that's fair, I've played pretty well".

I've probably criticized a player's recent form 1000 times, and no matter how they are playing, even if their rating is in the 5's over the past few games, they disagree and say they're playing well. I'd assume this is a bug but it seems to be surviving through the patches.
 
Yes he says (I can't remember atm, but this is what I think it is) "I'm sorry for my poor performances, and I will try to improve them in upcoming matches." That is probably not what it is, but similar.
 
I get that kind of message if I criticize the guy's last game......"I'm sorry I wasn't great, but things will improve".
 
always accepts it for me..
only do it if he played 6.0 or below though.
 
they agree for me too. Once it goes below 6.9, I start to tell them to buck their ideas up, and they agree
 
they agree for me too. Once it goes below 6.9, I start to tell them to buck their ideas up, and they agree

Spot on!! And if they drop below 6 i just fine them.
I´m not there to massage frail egos!!XD
 
No kidding. I'm even a bit more lenient than you guys, I rarely criticize unless they're under 6.7 or so for last five games, and I still get nothing but arguments.
 
probably because they're volitial or confrontational. or worse, both
 
yeah they do. they also whinge if you praise them and they think their performance hasn't meritted it
 
No kidding. I'm even a bit more lenient than you guys, I rarely criticize unless they're under 6.7 or so for last five games, and I still get nothing but arguments.

And that's your problem. You pay them to play well. Players getting scores of 6.7 can be easily replaced with planted shrubs.
Tell them that they've played poorly and if they snap back, be firm! "I think you should take my criticism on board as I am the one who picks the team" and if that doesn't work, hit them with the "I am the manager and I don't appreciate being spoken to like that".
The "I am the boss...appreciate...bla" response puts them back in their place, but the issue is likely not resolved with this. You will, however, probably get a PR icon next to his name - and this is the player's way of saying he gets along with you really well.
Monitor the situation in the following match(es). If he plays poorly in the next match let him know - I find 6.8 to warrant an "you played poorly, pick yourself up" rating for key and first team players, 6.7 for everyone else. Anything under 6.7 gets an "unacceptable". 6.2-6.0 get "unacceptable" warnings, official warnings for poor performance, and 1 week fine for repeat offenders considered first team and key players. Remember, however, to always warn players for poor performance first. Never fine them straight out of the box. That never goes down well.
In the case that they complain abaout being fined, tell them that you're "sticking to your decision". In the majority of cases the player will "see it from your point of view".

In general, criticism doesn't go down too well with primadonnas or players having diffuclty adapting or players with low professional attributes. They're always proper powder kegs and should be handled as such. But always, always always remain firm. After all, you are the boss.

Also, be careful to not be an *** - players have feelings, too, and losing your temper with them when they've not warranted harsh treatment will result in an unhappy player and - depending on how popular they are in the squad - unrest in the dressing room.
 
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yeah i had to kick lukaku's *** for bein pants an he was cool :)
 
OK, my most recent example, from after I posted this......Fernando Torres is having a very great season, then hits a patch of bad form. Has a few obviously subpar games (6.6 - 6.8) which can be expected after being so hot, can be tricky to keep him motivated and he's gotten complacent, I leave the criticism to press conferences ("Torres didn't have much luck in front of goal...." type stuff). Then has a 6.0 game, so I interact and say "last performance was unacceptable" and he's OK with that. Give him a day off. Then he keeps going and has a few more poor games, and now his rating is 6.5 over last 5 games. I tell him "recent form is unacceptable, try to pick yourself up", he responds with "I think I've player pretty well", I say "I'm the manager and you should listen to my criticism", he gives me "I stand by what I said" and now he's angry. Ridiculous.

And don't get me wrong.....I'm pretty good at maintaining morale. All the other tools work for me, from warnings to praise and all that. Its this one function that doesn't seem to add up properly. With most things the expected response from the player can be pretty rational and predictable unless they're "volatile and confrontational", but criticizing recent bad form is the one interaction that doesn't seem to work right IMO.
 
I think it might depend on the player. Someone like Balotelli will probably whine like a baby if you criticise him while more professional players will accept it.
 
I think it might depend on the player. Someone like Balotelli will probably whine like a baby if you criticise him while more professional players will accept it.

Actually, in my experience with City, Balotelli takes justified criticism quite well.
Coentrao on the other hand...
 
I think it depends on your managerial approach, how you commit team talks or if you give too much praise to one person in particular.
 
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