Welcome!

FM Base has been serving the Football Manager community for nearly two decades and we're keen to ensure that we are here for two decades more.

Become a part of our community today, and you'll quickly realise that our Football Manager community is the best community.

Register

The Manchester United Thread

Premium
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
10,486
Reaction score
1,432
Points
113
The part you're missing is that 90% of those kids will never make it in top flight football. So imagine the feeling when great big club axes you and you're 18 with no clear future. Happens all the time.

Heck, my hometown club sold a 19-year old defender a while back. Makes a debut, plays half a season, goes to Italy for $5m. Yearly budget of the club is $10m, so you know what, fair enough, I can live with that. When they're poaching 15-year olds on junior contracts, what do clubs get? Bag of donuts and a handshake?

Plus if it doesn't work out, he at least made a professional debut here and proven himself, so he can always come back and still make a enough to become indepently wealthy.

It's not good for the kids and it isn't good for football anywhere apart from the leagues in 3 countries.
Lets say you are a parent in a not-so-wealthy country where you have been working hard for 20-30 years for a 1000euros per month. You work hard for your kid so he wouldn't have to break his back like you do. Then there comes this opportunity, for your kid to attend better schools, live in prosperous country and generally have better options when making life choices. Heck, I would take it 10/10 times. And then you count in the football aspect. He might be in those 10% that make it. But even if he doesn't, chances are he'll still have better life then in some poor, Eastern country.

Sure, for football it sucks. For those who are looking for a better life, its ******* amazing.
 
Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Messages
7,463
Reaction score
660
Points
113
Lets say you are a parent in a not-so-wealthy country where you have been working hard for 20-30 years for a 1000euros per month. You work hard for your kid so he wouldn't have to break his back like you do. Then there comes this opportunity, for your kid to attend better schools, live in prosperous country and generally have better options when making life choices. Heck, I would take it 10/10 times. And then you count in the football aspect. He might be in those 10% that make it. But even if he doesn't, chances are he'll still have better life then in some poor, Eastern country.

Sure, for football it sucks. For those who are looking for a better life, its ******* amazing.
Star player in Ekstraklasa can pull half a million euros a year. Star player in 2nd division can pull maybe 70-80 thousand euro a year, which I'm pretty sure is a good money even in the UK. We're by no means a poor country and none of those guys are escaping poverty. It's literally just chasing millions.

And fair enough, chase millions, I would do that myself. But at least let the kid grow up.

I walk by a football academy sometimes with my dog. The language parents are using on the sidelines would shock a party of drunk sailors. They put huge pressure on the kids to succeed because all they see is $$$. It's madness.
 
Premium
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
10,486
Reaction score
1,432
Points
113
Star player in Ekstraklasa can pull half a million euros a year. Star player in 2nd division can pull maybe 70-80 thousand euro a year, which I'm pretty sure is a good money even in the UK. We're by no means a poor country and none of those guys are escaping poverty. It's literally just chasing millions.

And fair enough, chase millions, I would do that myself. But at least let the kid grow up.

I walk by a football academy sometimes with my dog. The language parents are using on the sidelines would shock a party of drunk sailors. They put huge pressure on the kids to succeed because all they see is $$$. It's madness.
You are poor compared to Germany, France, UK etc. They are chasing better life.
Sure there are parents who are scumbags, but most of them have their kids best interests in mind. How many talented kids turn pro? Chances are they dont. Why not maximize their chances in better systems?

That last point is good. But you are drawing a difficult question in what exactly is parenting. You SHOULD talk to your child about that kind of decision, tell them prons and cons of it. But when it stops being parents decision and becomes kids?

People will always look for better life, simple as that. We are always striving for something better. You shouldn't do that through your kids, and by that I mean dont chance your personal interests through them. You have to do what you think its best for them, not for you.
 
Joined
May 1, 2015
Messages
21,153
Reaction score
4,500
Points
113
The rules on signing youngsters from abroad could all be dramatically changing thanks to the Brexit carnage. (Obligatory 'F the Tories!').

This piece in 'The Times' a week back that FIFA rules, which we'll be bound by if no other agreement can be worked out (equally messy as it's being reported the FA would only agree to global free movement of any player under contract if the home-grown quota is raised from 8 to 12 in PL squads) would deny players under the age of 18 to join the English top-flight from clubs inside of the EU, as well as both Scotland and Northern Ireland.

*C and P'ed as it's, albeit 'free', a subscription you need to sign up for.


Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter

Friday January 31 2020, 12.01am, The Times

FOOTBALL

Brexit could stop clubs signing Scottish prospects

English football clubs face being blocked from signing Scottish and Northern Irish youngsters until they turn 18 after Brexit, it can be revealed.

Premier League and Football League clubs will be bound by Fifa rules from the end of this year, meaning they will no longer be able to sign 16 and 17-year-olds from European Union countries. That will already put English clubs at a disadvantage to European rivals, but now they also face being unable to sign promising young players from other parts of the UK.

Fifa insiders say that transfers from Scotland and Northern Ireland are viewed as international deals between different associations, and under Fifa’s Article 19, all non-EU international transfers are permitted only once a player has reached 18.

That would prevent deals such as Chelsea’s signing of the Scottish midfielder Billy Gilmour from Rangers three years ago, a couple of months after he turned 16. The Premier League said it was “seeking advice” over the issue, which has been caused by the separate status of the four British associations in world football, but believes it is a grey area that could be challenged legally.

The situation with young Welsh players is even less clear, because Cardiff City and Swansea City play in the English League system.

The Premier League and the FA both accept that Fifa’s under-18 rule will come into force. Premier League clubs have invested large amounts of time, money and energy in developing scouting systems to identify the most promising young players from across Europe. Cesc Fàbregas, Paul Pogba and Héctor Bellerín all joined English clubs when they were 16.
 
Last edited:
Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Messages
7,463
Reaction score
660
Points
113
You are poor compared to Germany, France, UK etc. They are chasing better life.
Sure there are parents who are scumbags, but most of them have their kids best interests in mind. How many talented kids turn pro? Chances are they dont. Why not maximize their chances in better systems?

That last point is good. But you are drawing a difficult question in what exactly is parenting. You SHOULD talk to your child about that kind of decision, tell them prons and cons of it. But when it stops being parents decision and becomes kids?

People will always look for better life, simple as that. We are always striving for something better. You shouldn't do that through your kids, and by that I mean dont chance your personal interests through them. You have to do what you think its best for them, not for you.
Like I said, I have no problem at all with people transfering abroad very young. Like you said, better opportunities, better coaching, better money, of course they should leave. But not as literally kids.

And we were definitely dirt poor country when I was growing up. You had to wipe your *** with a magazine because they were toilet paper shortages. Some towns were still rebuilding from WW2 destruction in the 1980s.

But in 30 years we went from that to families on average wage owning 2 cars. Hardly a poor country anymore, we're just less rich.
 
Premium
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
10,486
Reaction score
1,432
Points
113
Like I said, I have no problem at all with people transfering abroad very young. Like you said, better opportunities, better coaching, better money, of course they should leave. But not as literally kids.

And we were definitely dirt poor country when I was growing up. You had to wipe your *** with a magazine because they were toilet paper shortages. Some towns were still rebuilding from WW2 destruction in the 1980s.

But in 30 years we went from that to families on average wage owning 2 cars. Hardly a poor country anymore, we're just less rich.
I know that oh so well. My country is still in deep sh*t. Thats why I left it 3 years ago and I'm not planning to return any time soon.
For a contrast, it took me 3 years to gather enough money to buy a car for 3000e in my home country. Here, it took me 6 months for a car that costs 5000euros. I wish my parents left the country when they had the opportunity. Imagine having a 350e monthly wage and being considered lucky.
 
Premium
Joined
Oct 27, 2017
Messages
2,957
Reaction score
1,111
Points
113
I know that oh so well. My country is still in deep sh*t. Thats why I left it 3 years ago and I'm not planning to return any time soon.
Where you from?

East Europe for the win...
Crazy how much we have grown in small time, but smaller country so easier to grow and not be very corrupt.
 
Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Messages
7,463
Reaction score
660
Points
113
I know that oh so well. My country is still in deep sh*t. Thats why I left it 3 years ago and I'm not planning to return any time soon.
For a contrast, it took me 3 years to gather enough money to buy a car for 3000e in my home country. Here, it took me 6 months for a car that costs 5000euros. I wish my parents left the country when they had the opportunity. Imagine having a 350e monthly wage and being considered lucky.
Yeah, I I know exactly what you mean. I was relatively lucky, things were already becoming a bit better around the time I was starting to work. It's the generations that have to rebuild that are screwed. You either have to leave or accept that everything will suck, but if you work hard it might be better for your kids.

First we get this

Then, instead of reparations, we get 50 years of communism.

But hey, this is how things are now.


So you know, it gets better. But it doesn't get better quick.
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2017
Messages
25,755
Reaction score
2,215
Points
113
Peter Bolton ??
@PeterBolton3
Tonight, a #Mufc young team (selection of u18s, u17s & u16s) are playing a friendly v Leicester City.
7pm ko at The Cliff.


We won 3-1. Mejia, Denham & Sotona penalty
 
Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Messages
12,736
Reaction score
466
Points
83
Some articles saying Ole will keep his job this summer unless we fall out the top 6. Honestly wouldn't surprise me.. ****** joke though considering we held LVG accountable for not getting top 4. Have an opportunity to get Pochettino as well.
 
Joined
May 1, 2015
Messages
21,153
Reaction score
4,500
Points
113
Some articles saying Ole will keep his job this summer unless we fall out the top 6. Honestly wouldn't surprise me.. ****** joke though considering we held LVG accountable for not getting top 4. Have an opportunity to get Pochettino as well.
So there's a good chance he won't be there next season?

That's good news for you surely?
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2017
Messages
25,755
Reaction score
2,215
Points
113
So there's a good chance he won't be there next season?

That's good news for you surely?
The Article he referring to in the Mirror. Doesn’t even say he’s guaranteed his job even if we don’t fall out the top 6. Also mentions the board are getting very twitchy and there is a strong possibility that Poch will take over and the club are in constant contact with him while he’s been spending most of his time in Argentina since leaving spurs.
 
Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Messages
12,736
Reaction score
466
Points
83
Fred's comments in a recent interview were pretty damning about this squad and the problems we have. What makes me laugh are the fans who criticise him for being honest, on one hand they want more transparency and on the other moan when a player gives them it.
 
Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Messages
7,463
Reaction score
660
Points
113
So apparently The Sun reporter was present during the incident at Woodward's house. I'm sure it's all a complete coincidence, sheer stroke of chance that he just happened to be passing by.

This is a definitely entirely plausible.
 
Top