Redslo

I would think that FM ratings of players are about as valuable as a source of information about a player as the opinions of a single competent scout. There might be some slight bit of additional value due to the fact that the game publisher gets feedback from fans and does sometimes make changes on that basis. On the other hand, they do rate players based upon the teams they play for too. Rickie Lambert, for example went from CA 117 PA 125 in the first FM 2012 database to CA 142 PA 145 in the most recent database. (CA is current ability on a scale that tops out at 200. PA is potential ability on that same scale. Messi is CA 196 PA 199. Ronaldo is CA 192 PA 193.) I don't have easy access to an editor for the earlier versions of the game I own, but I am sure League One Rickie Lambert is significantly lower rated that Championship Rickie Lambert. In other words, he went from a good league 1 player to a average premier league player. I would expect his ratings to be higher as a Liverpool player. Up until this year I always found Lambert useless in the premier league. In FM 2013 Sharp and Lee were my starting strikers during the first premier league season. More importantly, however, when playing the game I have no choice but to rate players based upon their in game ratings (although not the CA and PA which are hidden statistics that I do not look up when playing.)

As of the final FM 2014 updated data file: CA 128 PA 150 Positioning 15 Jumping 16 Acceleration 10 Pace 12 Marking 14 Tackling 14 Determination 10 Does this help?

I would think that the club believes it only needs 1 CB because you don't make a big production out of your new on field captain when you are intended to make him a squad player.

from the 2013-2014 BPL Handbook: A.1.81. “Home Grown Player” means a Player who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any Club (or club) affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three Seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the Season during which he turns 21) and for the purposes of this definition of “Home Grown Player” a Season will be deemed to commence on the date on which the first Transfer Window closes and expire on the date of the final League Match of the Season;

Of course, he made his own money. But he started out with a huge inheritance from his own father. Not blowing the fortune on wine, women, and song is something of a talent, but it is a lot easier to become a billionaire if you start as a hundred millionaire. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markus_Liebherr

It is also worth pointing out that Markus inherited his fortune from his father. Of course, that doesn't make him a bad business person any more than it does his daughter.

Everything you say may be true, but aside from the injury issues, it doesn't make it rational. Why wouldn't a world class player, knowing he can get a 30 million pound transfer fee, simply become a free agent and tell the club that his price is the fair salary plus a 30 million signing bonus?

As an American, it has been my experience that all of the team's wins are televised.

Not for me. I watch on TV and pause the DVR as necessary.

Obviously, everyone in Southampton should be carrying a mobile device that is always recording so we can get the most reliable information.

You missed your chance when you didn't respond to Ancelotti's tweet. Should have been following him too.

Normally I would agree except the only thing really revealed is that Rojo was a no go. If true it is probably harmless to reveal and if not it might be tactically advantageous to leek word of this. Or he could have been frustrated and blowing off steam in a way that wouldn't matter because who would believe or care about the statement in that context.

It was probably a 50% of profit clause so no. Oh wait. It was a joke.

Moreover, there is a right way and a wrong way to go. Look at Forster and what he said and did on his way out of Celtic. He, in effect, forced the move to Southampton but he had stayed there for 4 years and, as far as we can determine, treated everyone with respect. He certainly didn't try to force Celtic to accept an excessively low fee from us.

I have posted another blog entry entitled Southampton Salary Cap and Financial Fair Play Update. http://redsloscf.blogspot.co.uk/ http://redsloscf.blogspot.com/

As a side note, does anyone have any problem with the fact that he was taken on loan rather than purchased outright?

We have had a tremendous amount of continuity. Prior to this past summer, in the past five years we have only sold one player we didn't want to sell, Oxlade-Chamberlin. I doubt any premier league team could say that. Now we have sold, at most, 5 more players we didn't want to sell so that is 6 in five years. Not that bad. Plus, I think that we may actually have wanted to sell Luke Shaw, even though many of us would disagree with that decision.

That's why American sports are superior. Our games are always starting and stopping so there is plenty of time to eat.

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/08/09/aston-villa-manager-paul-lambert-furious-with-his-southampton-counterpart/ He's right. You are supposed to leak your interest in other team's players through your friends in the media and through your players during international breaks. We need to get this right or we will lose the valuable moral high ground.

I've never understood why more football players don't play out their contracts and then sign on free transfers where they can get more money because their new club didn't need to pay a transfer fee.

What happened to Southampton this year may well force FM to reprogram the out-of-match AI for players. Certainly, Lallana's Loyalty score will drop.

Could you post a link supporting this please? Thank you for your assistance.

That's not how the salary cap works.

Me eat lunch when night time in England. Yum.

But that is only because you are treating non BPL goals and assists as meaningless. why not add in the goals and assists from our new players and declare that we are well ahead?