FM21 - Non-League Tier 10 Scouting Help?

[steve.battisti]

Hi all!

Looking for some non-league advice. I'm using a mod from Dan somebody that has English leagues down to tier 20, although I'm only playing down to tier 10. Doing the usual attempt to get a tiny little team up the ranks. I'm having a blast, but at this level, although my board has approved it, there is not a single scout in the game who will sign with me. I did manage to get an absolutely horrific GM, but that took me a good three weeks. So, the season was already well underway once I had anyone at all on staff.

To get new bodies in, I've been just trialing everyone I can find, of course, but I feel like I'm not doing a good enough job of it. Some of the things I've been doing include:

1. Trialing anyone that gets recommended to me via scouting centre.

2. Going into World > Nations > England and searching for anyone who has been released and offering them trials.

3. Asking GM for recommendations.

I haven't been able to get an affiliate club, and I haven't managed to get anyone on loan yet. Luckily, for my level, my board has given me a decent player payroll budget.

One big mistake I made is that my manager profile (me) is US. Which means I have zero knowledge of England. That has bit me a bit, but not worth going back.

Overall, I'm still struggling to find players who are upgrades on what I have that would be interested in signing with me. (For example, I've been utterly unable to come up with any central defenders.) Any suggestions for other things I could try? Is there anything I can do with non-contract players already on other teams to entice them away during the season, or do I just have to wait for another six months or something?

Thanks all!

[FrazT]

Probably the best advice would be to set your sights low.  There is no point in trying to entice players who are 2 or 3 levels above your level to come to you. Try and identify the best players that are available at your own level and maybe they can be nurtured to improve if there is some potential in their PA

[phnompenhandy]

I start out with amateur clubs at that level and below. To get a scout, advertise for one - it may take many months, but one will apply eventually. In the meantime (and afterwards) do what you're doing - bring in tons of randoms on trials. At this level, you have to accept a constant churn of bodies. Even when you do get some decent players and develop them by playing them week in, week out, a bigger club will come and poach them anyway.

So you can't depend on your players. What you need to focus on is a system - work out a winning tactic for amateur level and get in players that fit the system, for however long they stay. That conventionally means keep and play the players with some pace, strength and maybe  height. I've recently hit on focusing on attributes like workrate, teamwork, determination and a bit of stamina - i.e make up for the lack of technical ability by working harder than the opposition. By having a clear philosophy, I don't depend on any scouts who will have JPA/JPP attributes of 2 anyway.

I see you're part-time with a wage budget - luxury! Presumably the players are all on non-contract terms, so you're not paying anyone to not play and can release them without cost. It also means if you find non-contract players at other sides, you can poach them - eventually.

If it seems like a chore, just remember, your league opponents are in the same boat. The teams at the top can expect to have their best players be poached too, and if you've kept your head you might make a late-season surge to the top.

[steve.battisti]

Thanks all. 

I think might be rewinding a bit back to the beginning. I've been signing staff and players, and now two months in I'm in dire straits financially, wage budget or no. We are 8000 in the red  with no money in the bank, and even with some friendlies sprinkled in I'm spending way too much money. So, that 60,000 player budget they gave me is just going to bankrupt the team.

I have been offering players 1-year contracts, but I think to stay afloat financially I will need to start over with no staff, and only offer fee-for-appearance contracts.  

I've also noticed that without at least a Director of Football, no stars display for any players, even my own. Any ideas about that?

Thanks!

Edited January 19, 2022 by steve.battisti

[warlock]

41 minutes ago, steve.battisti said:

I've also noticed that without at least a Director of Football, no stars display for any players, even my own

Yeah, you need at least one member of staff. I'd usually go for an Assistant Manager (a DoF is a luxury you can't afford - I don't normally recruit one until I'm in L2). Also, get one physio and one scout - they won't be very expensive at that level.

As for players, I wouldn't be offering contracts until you're in the Vanarama leagues, and even then only to top players.

Good luck!

Edit to add: You need at least one member of staff in order to activate the "interested in joining" info in the staff search screens.

Edited January 19, 2022 by warlock

[steve.battisti]

7 hours ago, warlock said:

Yeah, you need at least one member of staff. I'd usually go for an Assistant Manager (a DoF is a luxury you can't afford - I don't normally recruit one until I'm in L2). Also, get one physio and one scout - they won't be very expensive at that level.

As for players, I wouldn't be offering contracts until you're in the Vanarama leagues, and even then only to top players.

Good luck!

Edit to add: You need at least one member of staff in order to activate the "interested in joining" info in the staff search screens.

Thank you very much! I probably hired too many staff for this level. I have:

• DoF
• Ass't Mgr
• GK Goach
• Head Perf Analyst
• Fitness Coach
• Head Physio
• Physio

Of course, I can't fire them now. Well, think of this as a practice year. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get even the lowliest of scouts to sign on with me. 

I'm doing great in terms of the league table. Sitting 9 points clear in first. But hemorrhaging cash.

Where is the "interested in joining" info? I can't find that.

[warlock]

1 hour ago, steve.battisti said:

Where is the "interested in joining" info? I can't find that.

On the staff search screen, click on the down-arrow on the 'Include' button. It should be 'on' by default, but if you have no staff it will be missing or disabled.

But don't worry if you can't find a scout; just keep bringing in potential players on trials. Any scouts who would sign for you are likely to be rubbish anyway 

[phnompenhandy]

Bear in mind the finances are the board's responsibility, not yours. So long as you keep within their wage budget, you're unlikely to get fired over it.

I've just had a situation where my board decided to turn the club from amateur status to semi-pro. We have attendances under 100, at one pound per ticket, and no way to make any money from friendlies. We can't not lose '000s every month. It's a senseless decision - but it's not my responsibility!

[steve.battisti]

4 hours ago, phnompenhandy said:

Bear in mind the finances are the board's responsibility, not yours. So long as you keep within their wage budget, you're unlikely to get fired over it.

I've just had a situation where my board decided to turn the club from amateur status to semi-pro. We have attendances under 100, at one pound per ticket, and no way to make any money from friendlies. We can't not lose '000s every month. It's a senseless decision - but it's not my responsibility!

Oh, good point. Given that, then, is there any reason I shouldn't try to fill the rest of my open staff positions?

[phnompenhandy]

3 minutes ago, steve.battisti said:

Oh, good point. Given that, then, is there any reason I shouldn't try to fill the rest of my open staff positions?

If the board allows and meets the wage bill, fill away!

[LowestLeagueHero]

A month later ...

 

I simply have to necro this thread, though, since I'd like to add the following:

 

If you are semipro it's crucial to keep staff expenses as low as possible, so try to give your assistent manager a second job, as DOF or HOY for example. Okay one, get one for free.

 

Also, if no scout wants to work for you, try hiring ANY staff as scout, like a coach or data analyst.

Down below in the 10th tier (or below) you won't find experts anyway but have to rely on parttimers - which are often willing to work in a different job (and are halfdecent enough in several jobs, anyway ... judge player potential 5 is probably the best you get anyway, for example)

 

(In my Luxemburg save, 5th tier, I have hired 4 assistant coaches for the positions of ass man/HOY, scout, head scout/DOF and head physio.

If I hadn't done this, most positions were still vacant due to lack of available people. It's January, by the way... )

 

 

Edited February 23, 2022 by LowestLeagueHero

[Speedyol]

I did start in tier 10 once with the same database. I just looked/clicked on the squads of teams in my own division and my own level. I offered contracts to the players who had lots of matches played, goals scored or sometimes it simply say that they are considered Important/regular starters. I did not trial them, I just offered them a contract without scouting or anything. They where very often 3-5 stars when they arrived. But with no contract length, worst case is you just terminate their contract.

[Internomad]

I am having a problem too in trying to sign players for my Tier 10 team.  The problem I have is that every player I try to sign wants an appearance fee that my Board will not agree to.  I offer them every thing I can, but they won't change their stance on the Appearance Fee amount, and neither will the board.  How do I get around this?

Edited March 22, 2023 by Internomad
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