From The Pavilion

Might I suggest a bit of a protective measure for teams having players poached for international tournaments, particularly at youth level where squad sizes are usually quite low. I have just lost 3 players to an international tournament, out of a squad of 14. So I can field a team for my next league game -- just!! -- but it won't be a competitive one and my league form is going to suffer massively. The squad for the international tournament in question has 32 players in it - why so many? Most of them surely will only be making up the numbers. Can't this be reduced to a more realistic number so league managers are not so drastically affected? Now I know a compensation payment will be made but frankly 20 grand does not cut it. I suggest that an international manager should not be allowed to take any players out of a squad where less than 13 players remain.

Regards,
Outlaw Pete, manager of Hudson Bay Traders in Canada

touring squads are currently only 20 that go at any one time

Every time I see this I have to ask: Did the person making the complaint try to work it out with the NT manager first? Did they explain their situation? Was it confirmed that the manager rejected the request?

The trouble is that the people most likely to have issues like this are those who have no interest in the NAT side of the game so are naturally unlikely to be in communication with NAT managers. As someone who focuses on my club, I've sometimes had my players called up to tour when I hadn't even known they were in contention in the first place. Of course, that's partly on me for not noticing the red star, but it illustrates that some people really don't pay attention to NAT stuff unless/until it affects them, which is something I think many people who are involved in NATs don't understand.

I've suggested before (and even put up a poll semi-recently) that the fairest way to deal with this would be for international players to be able to play for NAT teams and club teams simultaneously, with no adverse impact on fatigue (for example, by having separate fatigue for clubs and NATs). But that's consistently been an unpopular idea - I believe the main argument against is that many people consider management of NAT players' availability an integral part of managing your side in FTP, and removing that management decision would make the game less fun or interesting. As long as that remains the majority view, I don't think anything's changing; managers with NAT standard players are going to have to just deal with them being unavailable from time to time.

People also want the money compensation even though they aren't losing their players for league games.

It's fine as it is, if managers don't want to lose players to Internationals then don't buy players good enough to tour, or if they are homegrown then train them so that international managers won't want them.

I'm a bit surprised that he was totally unaware of players getting selected for 3 tours a season after having played 10 seasons as a paid up member. Maybe something is a bit amiss somewhere in the guide?
Having 3 yth go on a tour normally means you have 3 yth about to promote out of the squad. If your going to try to be a homegrown side (as this side is) then its a good idea to have some trainees already in the making. I think the majority of managers have more than 14 youth in their squads.

wolfberries wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 18, 2026 5:20 pm

It's fine as it is, if managers don't want to lose players to Internationals then don't buy players good enough to tour, or if they are homegrown then train them so that international managers won't want them.

So ruin their player just so they cant be used..

I dont know what the answer to the issue is but this isnt it.

RonnieG wrote: ↑

Fri May 01, 2026 3:16 pm

wolfberries wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 18, 2026 5:20 pm

It's fine as it is, if managers don't want to lose players to Internationals then don't buy players good enough to tour, or if they are homegrown then train them so that international managers won't want them.

So ruin their player just so they cant be used..

I dont know what the answer to the issue is but this isnt it.

It doesn't mean ruining the player, it just means training a player a different way to what's considered the norm.

There is no issue that needs resolving, managers know the risk when they buy/train these players so they've made their choice.

wolfberries wrote: ↑

Fri May 01, 2026 4:06 pm

RonnieG wrote: ↑

Fri May 01, 2026 3:16 pm

wolfberries wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 18, 2026 5:20 pm

It's fine as it is, if managers don't want to lose players to Internationals then don't buy players good enough to tour, or if they are homegrown then train them so that international managers won't want them.

So ruin their player just so they cant be used..

I dont know what the answer to the issue is but this isnt it.

It doesn't mean ruining the player, it just means training a player a different way to what's considered the norm.

There is no issue that needs resolving, managers know the risk when they buy/train these players so they've made their choice.

Players all get trained the same way now though.

Rel fielding for example is considered the norm in U20s Nats.

As for the seniors they all end up as bloody clones by the time they get to 28.

RonnieG wrote: ↑

Fri May 01, 2026 4:19 pm

wolfberries wrote: ↑

Fri May 01, 2026 4:06 pm

RonnieG wrote: ↑

Fri May 01, 2026 3:16 pm

So ruin their player just so they cant be used..

I dont know what the answer to the issue is but this isnt it.

It doesn't mean ruining the player, it just means training a player a different way to what's considered the norm.

There is no issue that needs resolving, managers know the risk when they buy/train these players so they've made their choice.

Players all get trained the same way now though.

Rel fielding for example is considered the norm in U20s Nats.

As for the seniors they all end up as bloody clones by the time they get to 28.

I agree, which a shame really.

While the game penalises primary gaps, and the benefit of a pop lessons the higher the skill, then I can't see this changing.

Unfortunately.