Growing a Caribbean League and National Team (Need Help)

[AlexRomy]

Hello managers!

I've started a career managing Montserrat national team in the Caribbean and I also took one national club to have more control on youth growth and everything else. Most of the players of the national team play in English low leagues.

My plan is to grow the best youngsters of the island in my club, hoping to export them to England to see them growing even more. The problem is that even though I already got a couple of young players (Ball and Trodd in the screenshot) at the level of Vanarama or League Two players, they never get any interest.

Is there any way I can "boost" the process or do I only have to hope for some miracles to happen? 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by AlexRomy

[phnompenhandy]

If Vanarama is too high for them, you could load a lower league English database.

[themodelcitizen]

Won't help the existing saved game, but in the pre-game editor you could adjust England's transfer preferences to favour Montserratian players

[rristola]

What about taking them into the Netherlands, or some else country/league with good reputation (with youngsters) and with better possibility to get playing minutes?

[Freakiie]

A Dutch club would have to pay them at least €500k/year as they are non-EU players, which a Vanarama quality player is obviously not worth. Pretty sure most other European countries will have minimum wages for players outside of their economic regions as well. UK is pretty much your only option as they are considered non foreign players there.

On the other hand, a Vanarama club will never have the funds to scout players playing on some Caribbean island, so the odds of those clubs showing interest are incredibly low. I also don't think you can arrange friendlies against English clubs, as it is probably way too far to travel for either side, otherwise you could perhaps cheese some scout interest that way.

In the end you will have to get your reputation up, get your team into the main stages of whatever international competition it is part of and hope that through playing in those games your players will actually get scouted. However, it'll still only be the bigger clubs in Europe that can send their scouts over, so you will want to make sure that all somewhat high reputation domestic leagues around you are active as well, in the hope that perhaps your players can first move to Mexico or the US and then catch the attention of European clubs. You can also try to get international friendlies against big countries and hope that you can attract some scouts to watch your players that way. Honestly this challenge sounds incredible hard, as you're stuck in a much worse football region compared to doing this with countries like Gibraltar or San Marino.

[AlexRomy]

Il 31/12/2023 in 17:57 , Freakiie ha scritto:

On the other hand, a Vanarama club will never have the funds to scout players playing on some Caribbean island, so the odds of those clubs showing interest are incredibly low. I also don't think you can arrange friendlies against English clubs, as it is probably way too far to travel for either side, otherwise you could perhaps cheese some scout interest that way.

Yeah you are right and my brain did not even consider that. Already tried with friendlies but they cost me a lot even against small teams (and board disagrees)

Thing is: I'm getting around 20/30k every season. I might soon ask to have my team upgraded to semi-pro, but I fear it might just destroy my team since I'll need to have money for contracts and everything. I feel like I'm really stuck where no one in the world can see me (which is real tho). Clubs international competition seems to ignore Caribbeans, so I fear my only chance is to get the National team to qualify for the Gold Cup (not an easy task huh). I'm also trying to raise the league reputation by signing some Asian/Oceanian national team players, I think it's the only way to do so... if you have any other tip I'll listen!

However I have to admit that this challenge keeps me excited even without transfers!

[Freakiie]

1 hour ago, AlexRomy said:

Yeah you are right and my brain did not even consider that. Already tried with friendlies but they cost me a lot even against small teams (and board disagrees)

Thing is: I'm getting around 20/30k every season. I might soon ask to have my team upgraded to semi-pro, but I fear it might just destroy my team since I'll need to have money for contracts and everything. I feel like I'm really stuck where no one in the world can see me (which is real tho). Clubs international competition seems to ignore Caribbeans, so I fear my only chance is to get the National team to qualify for the Gold Cup (not an easy task huh). I'm also trying to raise the league reputation by signing some Asian/Oceanian national team players, I think it's the only way to do so... if you have any other tip I'll listen!

However I have to admit that this challenge keeps me excited even without transfers!

I guess getting into the top division of the NA Nations League would be your best bet.

Your club and league reputation will be incredibly difficult to increase if you're not international entering club competitions. Looking at the system, there is a Caribbean Cup which is a pathway into the CONCACAF Champions League, but Montserrat doesn't have an entry. Looking at the rules, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominique Republic, Haiti and Jamaica have 2 spots and the final 2 spots are wild cards that in real life are picked through the Caribbean Shield, but that does not seem to exist in FM. I have no clue how they are assigned in FM though. Just that in 2050 I've never seen a club from Montserrat show up there. Smallest country I've seen to get a wild card spot was Bonaire.

Honestly, without any access to an international club competition I'm not sure if your challenge can ever go anywhere. I don't know what pool the Caribbean Cup wild cards are drawn from and whether Montserrat would ever have a chance if you increase your reputation. I think it's going to be really hard for this save to go anywhere, but if you're having fun, might as well keep trying.

Alternatively, there is a Caribbean megapack on the forum that would add the Caribbean Shield, which would then give your Montserrat team a chance to climb their way towards the NACL. That would require restarting the save though, so not sure if you want to do that.

 

[AlexRomy]

12 minuti fa, Freakiie ha scritto:

I guess getting into the top division of the NA Nations League would be your best bet.

Your club and league reputation will be incredibly difficult to increase if you're not international entering club competitions. Looking at the system, there is a Caribbean Cup which is a pathway into the CONCACAF Champions League, but Montserrat doesn't have an entry. Looking at the rules, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominique Republic, Haiti and Jamaica have 2 spots and the final 2 spots are wild cards that in real life are picked through the Caribbean Shield, but that does not seem to exist in FM. I have no clue how they are assigned in FM though. Just that in 2050 I've never seen a club from Montserrat show up there. Smallest country I've seen to get a wild card spot was Bonaire.

Honestly, without any access to an international club competition I'm not sure if your challenge can ever go anywhere. I don't know what pool the Caribbean Cup wild cards are drawn from and whether Montserrat would ever have a chance if you increase your reputation. I think it's going to be really hard for this save to go anywhere, but if you're having fun, might as well keep trying.

Alternatively, there is a Caribbean megapack on the forum that would add the Caribbean Shield, which would then give your Montserrat team a chance to climb their way towards the NACL. That would require restarting the save though, so not sure if you want to do that.

I guess I'll just go on with what I have. I've never been so invested in such a tough challenge and I'm curious to see if I'll ever be able to achieve anything.

Thanks for your answers, I don't know why but this discussion just gave me even more motivation!

[V50]

29 minutes ago, AlexRomy said:

I guess I'll just go on with what I have. I've never been so invested in such a tough challenge and I'm curious to see if I'll ever be able to achieve anything.

Thanks for your answers, I don't know why but this discussion just gave me even more motivation!

I can help answer here.

The main problem is the players - internal logic suggests why move if its not worth my while? Your best domestic montserrat players wouldn't play for Vanorama North or South, as they will be below standard. For players to move abroad they often require a premium, which no club would pay for in England. Foreign clubs won't be interested for a long time - you'd need to significantly improve the youth coaching.

My files solve this by setting up transfer preferences, and I have seen montserrat players head to local islands using my data files, as a step to Europe.

Without my Caribbean Shield competition you will find it nigh-on impossible due to the random nature of qualification for you - if you load my files and make it to the group stages you can get good (realistic) cash - about what you are earning a year in revenue!

[AlexRomy]

1 ora fa, V50 ha scritto:

I can help answer here.

The main problem is the players - internal logic suggests why move if its not worth my while? Your best domestic montserrat players wouldn't play for Vanorama North or South, as they will be below standard. For players to move abroad they often require a premium, which no club would pay for in England. Foreign clubs won't be interested for a long time - you'd need to significantly improve the youth coaching.

My files solve this by setting up transfer preferences, and I have seen montserrat players head to local islands using my data files, as a step to Europe.

Without my Caribbean Shield competition you will find it nigh-on impossible due to the random nature of qualification for you - if you load my files and make it to the group stages you can get good (realistic) cash - about what you are earning a year in revenue!

Yeah I completely understand that, but as I said before, since I'm playing the 6th season, I don't feel like starting a new game even though that pack would make it "less impossible". Thank you!

[rristola]

Could one solution be that you try to get a job from an European team? (And the national team...)

As a manager there you could be able to get your young ones into your 'own' team. And if they are good enough, they will be noticed around.

Which country, which division level,...?

[AlexRomy]

20 ore fa, rristola ha scritto:

Could one solution be that you try to get a job from an European team? (And the national team...)

As a manager there you could be able to get your young ones into your 'own' team. And if they are good enough, they will be noticed around.

Well this actually makes sense, I'm not sure tho if I am that willing to change. I'll keep that in mind, it would mean going to a Vanarama side I guess