Factors influencing Youth Intake

[VoidVector]

December of 2026 has arrived, and it's time for Santa to bring me my presents. Obviously, I don't mean Christmas presents. No, no. I mean a much better gift that you can receive in Football Manager. The Youth Intake Preview
And what has Santa brought to me this year? Well. A lump of coal


For the sixth year in a row

Now, you may the see the badge of the team I'm currently managing. Obvioulsy, it means top... everything. Best Training Facilities in the world. Best Youth Facilities. Best Junior Coaching, as well as Youth Recruitment

And all this is paired with a top, top Head of Youth Development


With all this, plus a database that gives all countries on the planet a youth ranking of 160, I should be getting something better than a lump of coal

So, what more can I do? Is there something I'm overlooking? Maybe some detail I've forgotten that makes our youth intake be filled with Anichebes and Titus Brambles? Or am I just the unluckiest person in the world?

[XaW]

This is what influences youth intakes:

Newgens & Youth Intake

Youth Recruitment
The Club’s recruiting of Juniors, those of home and foreign origin.

Youth Facilities
The training facilities available for Juniors (only).
Does NOT apply to visible players already at the club. All visible players currently at the club use Training Facilities regardless of age.

Junior Coaching
The quality and quantity of Junior Coaches at the Club.

Nation Youth Rating
The potential maximum quality and quantity of Juniors produced in that Nation.

Game Importance
How important football is considered to be in that Nation.

Producing Newgens
The Clubs with the best Youth Recruitment will generally pick up the best Junior talent from that Nation first, the scale of that talent being determined by the Nation Youth Rating and Game Importance. The lower the Youth Recruitment the further down the pecking order a club will find itself. Two clubs with identical Youth Recruitment will be sorted by Club Reputation. Being lower down this pecking order does not mean quality Newgens cannot be produced, it simply lowers the chances.
Youth Facilities and Junior Coaching then simulate and determine how that Junior progresses in the Club’s Junior system until a Newgen is produced and appears in game. It is at this point that the Current Ability (CA) and Potential Ability (PA) of the newgens are decided. The above factors all contribute to both CA and PA equally.

Head of Youth Development (HoYD)
The club’s HoYD is responsible for bringing Newgens into the club. He will influence what “type” of players are selected and can partially or fully pass on his personality to some of these Newgens. The “type” of players selected refers to a player’s position and style, for instance a HoYD with a preferred 4-5-1 formation and a Technical Coaching Style may produce more technically styled midfielders than another HoYD.
The HoYD will also influence the rare “freak” or exceptional Newgens that come through, modifying their ability and style.
This role is filled by the HoYD by default, however if none is employed whichever staff member is set to be responsible for youth development will fill this role.

Youth Intake Preview

In FM20 the Development Centre will provide a preview of the upcoming youth intake ahead of the day itself.
This preview will provide some information on the general quality of the intake, positions that are either blessed with or lacking in quality and any other notable highlights.

Junior Player Poaching

In FM20 it is possible for Juniors to be poached from another club's youth system. This will most commonly occur from smaller reputation club > larger reputation club.
When this occurs a inbox item is received, offering a few details (similar to that of the Youth Intake Preview) on the player that has been poached. Poached players will appear in the next appropriate youth intake.

[Spurs08]

2 hours ago, VoidVector said:

With all this, plus a database that gives all countries on the planet a youth ranking of 160,
 

That might be precisely the problem (on top of poor luck and overly high expectations). From what I've seen, such databases don't result in every country getting Brazil-quality regens. The game instead tries to keep the balance of the overall world, meaning that while top regens from Jamaica, Burundi etc will be much more common, you'll get far fewer from England, Brazil, Spain etc. Overall the quality of regen is better, but the opposite is true if you're managing a team like Arsenal.

[VoidVector]

hace 2 horas, Spurs08 dijo:

That might be precisely the problem (on top of poor luck and overly high expectations). From what I've seen, such databases don't result in every country getting Brazil-quality regens. The game instead tries to keep the balance of the overall world, meaning that while top regens from Jamaica, Burundi etc will be much more common, you'll get far fewer from England, Brazil, Spain etc. Overall the quality of regen is better, but the opposite is true if you're managing a team like Arsenal.

Huh, I had never seen this being mentioned. And now that you say it, it makes sense

 

I'd have to check in my save if that's happening. What I understand from Youth Ranking is that this 'attribute' affects the quality of the regens produced, but I didn't know it also means that it all gets balanced

Thanks for the explanation although I still feel I've been quite unlucky lol 

Oh well, I'll have to wait more for some quality to come through the academy

[Baodan]

@VoidVector You may also want to take into account that the three highlighted stats on your HoYD picture doesn't influence the quality of youth players coming through the ranks.

 

Edited April 8, 2020 by Baodan

[GianniM]

16 minutes ago, Baodan said:

@VoidVector You may also want to take into account that the three highlighted stats on your HoYD picture doesn't influence the quality of youth players coming through the ranks.

 

Does his scouting knowledge influence this though? I see a German in the UK here, whereas I hired an Italian one in Spain last season, with only knowledge about Italy. I figured with good adaptability he would gain knowledge of Spain over time. But he doesn't. 

[Spurs08]

3 hours ago, VoidVector said:

Huh, I had never seen this being mentioned. And now that you say it, it makes sense

 

I'd have to check in my save if that's happening. What I understand from Youth Ranking is that this 'attribute' affects the quality of the regens produced, but I didn't know it also means that it all gets balanced

Thanks for the explanation although I still feel I've been quite unlucky lol 

Oh well, I'll have to wait more for some quality to come through the academy

Yeah, it's definitely worth into as I could be wrong. But I thought of using a similar file at one stage, ran a test save, and that's what I saw when I looked at the PAs using the in-game editor. Do also bear in mind that because the number of players in the world good enough to reach your first XI (3* potential if judged accurate) is so small as a top club, you're not that likely to get many through your youth setup. One 3* player a year on average, one or two 2.5*s, one every few years who's better than that, and then mostly crap you'll just be releasing or selling to the lower leagues is about right.

[hh123]

Im playing a save where I am 5 or 6 years in (despite the match engine issues) in Portugal where I had improved the youth rating in both Portugal and Brazil. I have the perfect Head of Youth Development. 

I found the first few years that Portugal produced a load of quality young players (both my own academy and external ones from small and big clubs) but from the 3rd year on the quality of the years intake (both my club and the other clubs)  has significantly reduced. I dont know if maybe it calculates how many quality younger players or players of that nationality are in circulation?  I have also seen something similar in Brazil where I scout every youth prospect from 1st and 2nd division clubs. 

[Tom 99]

Why is this myth in so many FM guides?

 

Quote

Head of Youth Development:

Juding potential player ability: A higher rating will ensure your youth intake has a higher potential ability.

 

Edited November 23, 2020 by Tom 99

[HUNT3R]

4 minutes ago, Tom 99 said:

Why is this myth in so many FM guides?

 

 

You are better off asking whoever wrote them, Tom. 

[Chewy82*]

Have heard the HOYD star rating has an influence, basically his reputation will attract better players to the youth setup.

[HUNT3R]

1 minute ago, Chewy82* said:

Have heard the HOYD star rating has an influence, basically his reputation will attract better players to the youth setup.

That's also false.

https://community.sigames.com/topic/22870-quickfire-questions-and-answers-thread-tactic-and-training-questions-only/?do=findComment&comment=12539228

[breum]

Wait so just to clarify the only things we need to look at for our HOYD with regards to youth intake is his preferred style of play and coaching?  If his Judg PA and rep don't play into it, do any of the ratings?

[HUNT3R]

6 minutes ago, breum said:

Wait so just to clarify the only things we need to look at for our HOYD with regards to youth intake is his preferred style of play and coaching?  If his Judg PA and rep don't play into it, do any of the ratings?

JPP and WWY are still important for a HoYD, but JPP just doesn't specifically affect the PA of your intake. Rep has no influence.

This is on the older side, so maybe @Seb Wassell could confirm if he has a chance, but this is a post I have bookmarked:

This was specifically talking about the rare 'freak' newgens, not an entire youth intake.

[breum]

Ahh well thats a bit reassuring to see I haven't been doing things totally wrong for like a decade now.  Thanks for the response!  

[HUNT3R]

6 minutes ago, Renyy said:

 

So can I set a random staff with the right personality, coaching style and preferred formation to bring in youth and just keep my HoYD as a scout for coaching reports, and my random staff will influence the newgens?

Yes. In this case, while we're referring to the HoYD, it's whichever staff member you're assigning to bring in the youth. It would be strange to have a HoYD and not use him as one though, but yeah, that's correct.

[XaW]

8 minutes ago, Renyy said:

So can I set a random staff with the right personality, coaching style and preferred formation to bring in youth and just keep my HoYD as a scout for coaching reports, and my random staff will influence the newgens?

I think the HoYD is the key person here... don't know if that is just whoever is set to handle youth intakes or the role itself....

[HUNT3R]

Just now, Renyy said:

Can you even do this anymore?

It's still under staff responsibilities.