Getting players to play for reserves

[Cookie Boy]

Every week I get the option to make players available for my under 23 sides across the various teams I manage, and every week I try to make them available through the drop down box. When the game is played however most of the players don't play, or none, or in some cases all - it seems to be very random (most of the time about 20% of the players I make available actually play depending on the league)

Am I doing something wrong?

[Cougar2010]

You have to look at the rules for the reserves/U23 games.

Depending what league you are managing in players could be restricted.  Age is often the primary cause with only a limited number of over 21/over 23 players allowed but there are other rules.  In Holland where I'm managing a player can't play for both the main side & the reserve side in the same week.

[puffascruffowitz]

To follow up with this question, how much is down to the selection of the reserve team manager? I don't always check to see which first teamers were played in the youth games. If you make a player available for the game will the manager always follow that barring any age/eligibility issue?

Another question with reserve teams, am I right to try to whittle down the amount of players at one given position? If I have say 5 central defenders in my U-18 team but I want to make sure that my best talent is playing all or most of the games I will release or sell lesser potential players. Or if I have several players at a position can I trust the manager to start the best players?

[Cookie Boy]

15 hours ago, Cougar2010 said:

You have to look at the rules for the reserves/U23 games.

Depending what league you are managing in players could be restricted.  Age is often the primary cause with only a limited number of over 21/over 23 players allowed but there are other rules.  In Holland where I'm managing a player can't play for both the main side & the reserve side in the same week.

Thanks - it seems really random and I manage in England, Italy and Germany. Here is what I tend to find:

England: Totally random. Some players of all ages play, some don't. In the Championship I tend to get most of my players that I make available play, whereas in the Prem next to none (and most of them would not play any first team games)

Italy: 35 yr old back up keeper always plays. Other first teamers made available rarely play

Germany: Have to make my own fixtures every week for my II side and then make the players available for that two side. Last season however my II side had its own fixtures. The season before again it didn't (all seasons have been Regionalliga)

Very frustrating to manage a squad this way