Excellent young players retiring way too early

[tjb2376]

I remember this being a problem in past versions of FM.

Current best example is Matt Briggs from Fulham, who despite being good, 24, and on a free has, in my game, decided to retire.

Not very likely, and a shame to lose a good, real player like this from the game for no good reason.

Can anything be done about this in a future patch?

[tjb2376]

In fact, in my game there are 102 decent under 30 year old players who have decided that it's time to hang up their boots.

Disappointing when, like me, you're managing a lower league side and would have loved to have picked a few of these lads up.

Definitely needs tweaking, IMO.

[tjb2376]

Actually, I wonder if anyone can answer this question for me.

I've never used the FM In-Game Editor.

Could I use that to "un-retire" some of the most obvious examples?

[Cougar2010]

Players retire if they haven't been offered an acceptable contract for a period of time.

This is no different to real life where players move on to other jobs when they can't get a contract.

[tjb2376]

Someone like Matt Briggs retiring isn't realistic, though.

A professional footballer at that level won't retire at 24 unless he's got injury problems.

In this example, he'd drop from Fulham to a Champ or League 1 club, not disappear from football altogether.

[Cougar2010]

Someone like Matt Briggs retiring isn't realistic, though.

A professional footballer at that level won't retire at 24 unless he's got injury problems.

In this example, he'd drop from Fulham to a Champ or League 1 club, not disappear from football altogether.

What leagues do you have loaded? What size database are you using?

Plenty of pro footballers leave the game every year IRL and go part time while following another career path.

At the end of the day in your save/universe he hasn't been offered a contract and has therefore retired. If he was that good why didn't you sign him?

EDIT

I was reading an article a few years ago that quoted something like 75% of pro footballers retire before they are 25yo.

[tjb2376]

Couldn't afford him. I'm managing Grimsby, and was in League Two when he became available.

His wage demands were too much, but it would be highly unlikely that he'd leave the game entirely in real life.

He should've been snapped up by a team of the stature of Leeds, Birmingham, Forest, etc..

When the game gets flooded by ropey looking regens, it's surely beneficial from a realism perspective to keep as many real young players in the game.

[tjb2376]

EDIT

I was reading an article a few years ago that quoted something like 75% of pro footballers retire before they are 25yo.

Aye, I accept that, but not a player of that calibre from a Prem club like Fulham.

Might get a bunch of under 25's from League 1 and below going off to do something else with their lives, but not an England U21 international.

99.9% he would go to a Champ club.

[tjb2376]

What leagues do you have loaded? What size database are you using?

Sorry - didn't answer: Skrill N/S up to Prem, England Only. Large Database.

[Richard76]

Jack Rodwell retired at 28 in my game after 2 years without a club. Way too good a player for this to happen.

[Cougar2010]

Sorry - didn't answer: Skrill N/S up to Prem, England Only. Large Database.

There is a large part of your problem

You are only running one country which gives you around 150/160 playable teams but you are running a large database. This means you have far more players than are needed by the teams, this leads to a lot of players being unemployed and eventually leaving the game.

For a better save experience you should be running a small database which will give you a better balance of quantity of players vs teams to sign them. This will also mean you will find it easier to sell players as there will be less players at every level available on frees.

[tjb2376]

Jack Rodwell retired at 28 in my game after 2 years without a club. Way too good a player for this to happen.

Exactly the type of example I'm referring to, Richard!

There is no way in hell that would happen in real life without there being a serious injury involved, e.g. Dean Ashton.

[tjb2376]

There is a large part of your problem

You are only running one country which gives you around 150/160 playable teams but you are running a large database. This means you have far more players than are needed by the teams, this leads to a lot of players being unemployed and eventually leaving the game.

For a better save experience you should be running a small database which will give you a better balance of quantity of players vs teams to sign them. This will also mean you will find it easier to sell players as there will be less players at every level available on frees.

Hmmm. Interesting.

I'd not considered that the way I've set my game up would have that kind of impact.

Good call! Thanks for the advice.

[thethe]

Victor Valdés retired after the first season here because he couldn't find a new club. Definitely needs some tweaking.

[Guest El Payaso]

This has been a problem for several versions. I've seen many of my players being wanted by many clubs when nearing the end of their contracts and when they've been released, suddenly no-one is interested anymore. That also makes the game so much easier in terms of building teams as you are often able to get the free agents that you want, AI teams are just letting them be there to be signed by human user.

[Richard76]

This has been a problem for several versions. I've seen many of my players being wanted by many clubs when nearing the end of their contracts and when they've been released, suddenly no-one is interested anymore. That also makes the game so much easier in terms of building teams as you are often able to get the free agents that you want, AI teams are just letting them be there to be signed by human user.

It does seem very easy to sign real quality players on a free transfer completely unopposed from the AI teams.

[alfieham]

I'm playing 6 nations with a medium database does this sound about right?

Just I want as realistic career game as possible and I notice this also happens in my game.

[Reanoe]

There is a large part of your problem

You are only running one country which gives you around 150/160 playable teams but you are running a large database. This means you have far more players than are needed by the teams, this leads to a lot of players being unemployed and eventually leaving the game.

For a better save experience you should be running a small database which will give you a better balance of quantity of players vs teams to sign them. This will also mean you will find it easier to sell players as there will be less players at every level available on frees.

If you choose a nation/leagues to "view only" are they considered to be active "market" for transfers or not ?

I'm currently running full England (all leagues) with all other leagues around world selected as "view only" and large database....

[Cougar2010]

If you choose a nation/leagues to "view only" are they considered to be active "market" for transfers or not ?

I'm currently running full England (all leagues) with all other leagues around world selected as "view only" and large database....

Not sure, have a look at a few squads from teams in those leagues, do they seem to have a full squads?

[Reanoe]

They do have full squads with subs, but all players are grayed out and all are of the same nation (except for big clubs like Barcelona and so...).

[Cougar2010]

They do have full squads with subs, but all players are grayed out and all are of the same nation (except for big clubs like Barcelona and so...).

Yes so all grey players, so it implies they only have limited transfer activity.

Again I suspect you'll be suffering similar issues then, transfer market flooded with players, lots of free transfers available, lots of good/decent players retiring, struggling to sell players etc.

[Reanoe]

Thanks for info !

[Neil Brock]

Problem is that for some players their wage demands are too high given the amount of interest they're likely to get. Valdes for example - he would be on high wages and there would probably be around a dozen clubs he'd be interested in playing for. If all these clubs have no extra finances available within their wage budget or already have one or even two top keepers they'd be unlikely to make an approach. I'd suggest if you have a save game after they're released raise the issue on our Transfers forum so we can look into it and see why they're not being picked up - http://community.sigames.com/forumdisplay.php/367-Transfers-Contracts-and-Responsibilities

Thanks.

[StretfordEnd]

If this is a known issue with players retiring because of wage demands, why hasn't anything been done about it? I understand its probably a hard thing to sort out but its not exactly a new problem.

In my game Micah Richards was a free agent after being released by City. I was in the Championship with Hull and tried to sign him but didn't have enough. I was only about 4k away from his asking wage but he wouldn't come down any more and wouldn't sign (He wanted around 48k). So instead of taking a 4k paycut to play he stays a free agent all season.

When I then get promoted to the Premier League, I look for Richards to find he's retired at 29. WHY?

More importantly, wen he was released, why didn't any of the newly promoted teams, or even any of around 15 of the teams in the premier league not want to snap him up on a free transfer? His wages wouldn't have been an issue. As I say, I was only about 4k away from signing him for Hull in the CHAMPIONSHIP. Things like this really do spoil the game for me.

[whilewolf2]

Problem is that for some players their wage demands are too high given the amount of interest they're likely to get. Valdes for example - he would be on high wages and there would probably be around a dozen clubs he'd be interested in playing for. If all these clubs have no extra finances available within their wage budget or already have one or even two top keepers they'd be unlikely to make an approach. I'd suggest if you have a save game after they're released raise the issue on our Transfers forum so we can look into it and see why they're not being picked up - http://community.sigames.com/forumdisplay.php/367-Transfers-Contracts-and-Responsibilities

Thanks.

Why not just drop their wage demands a percentage at the end of every month they are with out a club?

It's ridicules that guys are retiring in their twenties and walking away from millions of pounds of potential earnings.

[cruyff14]

Victor Valdés retired after the first season here because he couldn't find a new club. Definitely needs some tweaking.

I was suprised on my save nobody tried to sign him up but his wage demands are very high. I eventually landed him for Milan but took a few contract attempts that was for sure.

[Things Could Get Messi]

This has been an issue on pretty much every FM game. Players don't seem to drop their wage demands or make themselves available to lower clubs even after a period of time. Obviously I don't expect an established PL player to drop down a league or 2 and take a pay cut straight away after being released but surely by the New Year they should be a lot more open to offers?

Goalkeepers is always a different issue. Most top clubs tend to stick with their 1st choice keeper until they are wrinkly with a pipe and some slippers. As a result, they don't need to sign another keeper on high wages as a first choice and it is pretty easy to pick up a quality shot stopper on a free. Think I have only bought 1 keeper for a transfer fee in about the last 6 years!

[Soninho]

Jack Rodwell retired at 28 in my game after 2 years without a club. Way too good a player for this to happen.

Definately not realistic but.. Since he has played with Man C with very high wages for his abillities, he has high wage demands.. Since this is a game and it's probably programed somehow that players that's not offered contracts within some time will retire, so there will not be too many players in game. He wouldn't irl but it's a game so..

The problem is like many others say, he refuses to drop his wage demands..! This should be fixed! Something like players would lose reputation more and more after how long they're out of contract, and their wage demands should follow those lines..!

In previous FM's it's been too easy getting players on free.. Got Guidetti from Man C to Swedish first division team in FM 13, also not realistic. But this is extreme

[varadi]

Can anything be done about this in a future patch?

This is the echo of my wishful request in an identical thread some six-seven years ago. There have been many patches (and identical threads) since then...!

Don't mind the cantankerous ones. Your observation is correct and your point valid. The myriads of stranded players in the game far outnumbers the real number doing so. Sufficient evidence has been provided in vintage threads and is obvious to anyone who has a look.

What is new in this thread, however, is the official acknowledgement of SI as to why such a thing would happen. We should now concur that such may be the cause and put mild pressure on them saying that the extension of this phenomenon is rather large and mars every game.

[Ranquelme]

I was suprised on my save nobody tried to sign him up but his wage demands are very high. I eventually landed him for Milan but took a few contract attempts that was for sure.

Offer him a trial, when they agree they accept half what they previously wanted.

[StretfordEnd]

Looks like the same is going to happen with Tom Cleverley now that happened with Micah Richards. Released by Man Utd. Tried to sign him for my newly promoted Hull team. He will negotiate a contract but still way too much for me to afford. Im now in November and he's still on a free. I can't afford him now after using all of my wage budget so god knows what will happen to him. Things like this really do kill the game. I think Cleverley is around 27/28 in my game now, and Micah Richards was 29 when I tried to sign him. Could have turned 30 by the time he retired. If IRL these players became free at the end of a season they would be snapped up straight away. Both in their prime. Both England internationals, and unless I am a very poor judge of character, both players seem like all they want to do is play football regardless of the money. They might have an expected wage but im sure when push come to shove (deadline day), they would accept a deal somewhere for a reasonable offer.

[Ranquelme]

Remy Cabella retired on one of my saves at 24 I think when released by his club. No one went in for him which was surprising. I've had to resort to using the IGE to move these players to realistic clubs so they don't retire. There's always seems to be a lot of high profile free agents every summer who no one seems to be interested in.

[yugo23]

Just stumbled upon this thread after noticing enormous amount of quality players without a contract at the end of November.

[conshaldo_bonaldo]

Could it be something to do with the fact you now have to pay for agent fees in the transfer? Making even free transfers not 'free'.....

Also, in reference to sign Valdes, at the end of the first season as West Ham, i got to confirmation stage with him, then i reconsidered and thought i would just get Khune instead because of the financial difference between their contracts.

[goblinshark]

Becuz the game relies on the reputation, even though the player is a FA lower repuation clubs cant sign him due to wages or him being not interested while top clubs wouldn't sign him becuz his rep is not high enough for them to be interested. As many people complain for many versions, this reputation thingy is destroying the game

[rp1966]

The game needs to have some sense of earnings in normal jobs, the player's career earnings to date and their potential outside football from their mental stats. For a big career earner like Valdes you might get a message that says he has retired to start a business or because of his profile in the game 'retired to become a pundit' may be an option.

For young players they should be prepared to drop their wage demands until 10 years of football earnings stops being much better than 20-25 years of earnings from a normal job. Occasionally a younger player should retire to pursue business interests, but only those with high determination and leadership qualities and supporting personality type.

The exception to that might be young players who lack determination or have an unambitious personality type - for them getting dropped could lead to them walking away from the game.

If, as others have suggested, reputation is helping prevent players being taken on by clubs even when their wage demands have fallen then this needs to be revisited for players who are without a club for a significant period of time.