Career Mode Feedback & Suggestions

1. Realistic Transfers and Contract Negotiations

The current transfer system is often unrealistic.

• Clubs frequently sell players at or below market value, even when those players are considered top prospects.
• Wonderkids should often cost significantly more than their listed market value due to their potential and demand.
• Selling clubs should consider the buying club's financial strength. A Premier League club or a European giant should often be charged higher fees than smaller clubs.
• Transfer negotiations should take squad needs into account. If a club urgently needs a player in a specific position, selling clubs should recognize that and negotiate accordingly.
• Player wages should also be adjusted to reflect modern football economics more accurately.

2. Dynamic Club and League Prestige System

A dynamic prestige system would greatly improve realism.

Formula example:

League Prestige + Club Prestige = Total Prestige

This prestige should change over time based on:

• Domestic success
• International success
• League performance in continental competitions

Player transfers should depend on prestige.

Examples:

• Top talents should refuse transfers to clubs below a certain prestige threshold.
• Some players may only join lower-prestige clubs if offered significantly better financial terms.
• Loan moves should become more common for talented players moving to lower divisions.

It should not be possible for a third-division English club to easily sign top talents from first divisions in Europe.

3. Improved Match Simulation

Simulation results have become too predictable.

Common results are:

• 0-0
• 1-0
• 1-1
• 2-0
• 2-1

Higher-scoring matches are too rare.

Previous titles felt more influenced by tactics and squad composition. Team strengths, tactical setups, and player attributes should have a much stronger impact on simulated matches.

4. Historical Statistics and Career Records

Career Mode needs long-term statistical tracking.

For players:

• Clubs played for
• Goals
• Assists
• Appearances
• Trophies won

For clubs and leagues:

• League winners by season
• Domestic cup winners
• International achievements
• Historical records

A long career should create a living football world with its own history.

5. Leadership, Team Hierarchy and Morale

Leadership should become a measurable attribute.

Features could include:

• Leadership ratings
• Team hierarchy system
• Captain suitability indicators
• Team chemistry effects
• Morale management through conversations and decisions

Experienced players should provide leadership benefits to younger squads.

Teams made entirely of young talents should be less effective than balanced squads containing experienced leaders.

6. UEFA Coefficient and Dynamic European Qualification

A dynamic 5-year coefficient system should return.

League performances in European competitions should influence:

• Number of Champions League spots
• Europa League spots
• Conference League spots

This would make long-term saves much more dynamic and rewarding.

7. Sponsorship and Club Management

Additional management depth could include:

• Shirt sponsors
• Stadium sponsors
• Advertising board sponsors
• Commercial partnerships

These systems existed in older football management games and would add meaningful financial decision-making.

8. Player Development and PlayStyles

Player development should be more flexible.

Current role-based training creates limitations.

Examples:

• Penalties and free kicks often require specific development plans.
• Leadership should improve through experience and training.
• PlayStyles should be learnable through training and career progression.

Currently, a youth player without PlayStyles can become world-class but still remain permanently disadvantaged.

9. Youth Academy and Scouting Balance

Youth scouting currently produces too many elite prospects.

Problems:

• Top scouts can find multiple future superstars every season.
• AI clubs generate excessive numbers of elite prospects as well.

Suggested solution:

• Reduce superstar generation frequency.
• Make elite prospects genuinely rare.
• Increase uncertainty in scouting reports.
• Make youth development more challenging and rewarding.

Finding a future world-class player should feel special rather than routine.