How to Rebuild Successfully in FM23

April 24, 2023 FM Bhikkhu Comments 0 Comment

In my last post for Dictate the Game, I outlined my approach to analyzing a squad and determining a tactical style to suit their strengths. That post was about working with what you’ve got, without needlessly signing new players. This time, in an almost one-hundred-and-eighty degree twist, I’ll be discussing how to rebuild a squad.

Table of Contents

Introduction

The inspiration for this post came from my personal save, where I’ve taken SD Compostela from the fourth to the second division in Spain in two seasons. In that save, I faced a precarious situation at the end of the first season. Recently promoted, facing a higher level of opposition, and expiring contracts leaving us with three first team players to pick from.

I was left with only my first-choice centre-back partnership and one midfielder. To fix this issue, I brought in a total of 17 players to fill out the squad. That team was good enough to exceed expectations and earn another promotion to La Liga 2. My process of doing this is outlined here.

This is, perhaps, an extreme example. But there are plenty of situations where a squad rebuild might be necessary. A recent promotion, an aging squad or a push for continental qualification can all require the rebuilding of a squad from top to bottom. It can be a daunting prospect. Not having a squad (or having one below the required standard) can lead to bad decision-making and poor recruitment. This post highlights some tips on how to approach a squad overhaul, drawing from my personal experience and the collective brilliance of the Dictate the Game team.

Don’t Panic!

You can be forgiven for feeling worried about the prospect of having to rebuild a squad. Player recruitment can make or break your season and the progress you’ve made at the club. It’s important to remember not to panic. Kneejerk decisions and unresearched signings are not the solutions here. Instead, stop hitting the space bar and take some time. Read through the rest of this guide and go from there.

Use the Squad Planner

The Squad Planner is a new addition in FM23. I will be the first to admit that I barely used it at first. However, since I took the time to explore it, I’ve found it’s a useful tool for planning your squad and recruitment. At a glance, it allows you to see where your squad needs depth. In detail, you can meticulously plan which players you intend to keep and add in potential replacements for those you don’t from your shortlist. It can be used as an early warning system that a rebuild is on the horizon. It can also be useful when planning your rebuild, slotting in players as they join.

Start Early

Anybody who was a member of a scout group in their youth will recall their motto – “Be Prepared”. As the saying goes, fail to prepare, prepare to fail. This rings true for much of life, but is applicable to squad building in Football Manager also. In fact, spotting a squad rebuild on the horizon is half the battle. The last thing you want is to find yourself realizing your team isn’t good enough after deadline day has passed.

Refer to my previous post on assessing your squad, and use the squad planner to determine which positions are weak. An example of early preparation in my Compostela rebuild would be the signing of Breno Bidon before the end of the season. I already knew the squad would need rebuilding, and I jumped at the opportunity to sign such a good player for our level. My entire rebuild was based on building the squad around him, which I had started even before it became necessary.

But Don’t Act Hastily

Wise men say, only fools rush in…
Elvis Presley

The antithesis to the last tip is to not rush into making decisions out of panic. Depending on what league your club is in, the transfer window will be around two and a half months long. That is more than enough time to sign the required players.

Those who have played the game for some time will know the gut-wrenching feeling of signing somebody with ‘Key Player’ status on high wages, only to find a better, cheaper alternative a few weeks down the line. This is a tough thing to quantify, as experience and gut-feeling play a large part. For me, I knew Breno Bidon was excellent as I’d had him on trial for a few months before he signed, so I was comfortable making the decision to sign him as a starter. He also didn’t want much in wages, making the decision even easier. My advice here would be to use your best judgment, spend time looking at each player’s pros and cons in the scouting report, and proceed with caution.

For example, my highest paid signing for Compostela was my final one of the season, when José Lara joined as the club’s top earner. Far from a deadline day panic signing, I also had José on loan for several weeks before signing him. In that time I had weighed up alternative options, made a shortlist of potential players for my CAM slot, and ultimately chose José in full confidence he would be a good signing. That methodical research ultimately paid off, as recorded 26 goals and 8 assists the following season. That was two star signings brought in both at the very start and very end of the rebuild, and perhaps if I had rushed into an early decision I might not have seen the same returns.

Nail Down a System

This is your opportunity to build a squad in your vision. You have to have an idea of how you want to play, and then you can recruit players accordingly. This is almost in direct contradiction to my previous post in this series, where I espoused the benefits of working with what resources you have available. There are a multitude of systems, tactics and playing styles available. My personal method for the Compostela rebuild was to devise a tactic around using Breno Bidon as a Segundo Volante, then recruiting players to fill the roles I needed them to within that system. Either way, this is your opportunity to stamp a cohesive vision on what kind of team you want to be.

Implement a Wage Structure –

If you haven’t introduced a wage structure yet, this is the perfect opportunity. It’s easier to pay over the odds for players if you have most of your wage budget left. You don’t want to be stuck with a few players on massive wages and no room left to recruit depth players. ThrowingCopper made an excellent post on how to do this here on Dictate The Game. Also, if you’re looking at which players to get rid of, a wage structure allows you to highlight those who are potentially earning over the odds for their squad status.

Devise a Recruitment Strategy

This is the bread & butter of rebuilding your squad. Once you’ve done the reviewing, planning, and preparation, its time to figure out how you’re going to work the market. It will take into account your resources and what you want to achieve, varying from club to club. Brentford, for example, have followed a moneyball approach in recent years. Chelsea on the other hand have spent £539m in the 22/23 season alone, mostly on young, talented players. There is no right answer for what the correct recruitment strategy should be, and it can even be decided for you by the board. That said, I do have some tips, especially for sides outside of the sport’s elite.

Frees, Frees, Frees

I can confidently say that no team outside of first and second flight leagues should be spending money on transfers. At that level, there is a wealth of talent available for absolutely nothing, and your funds would be better spent on wages. With my Compostela team, for example, I earned two promotions without spending a penny until we reached La Liga 2. Then, it made sense in some cases to spend a small fee in exchange for lower player wages that would ultimately cost the club less in the long run. Working the free transfer market is a topic for another article, but I would certainly suggest being frugal when it comes to signing players.

Loans, Loans, Loans

Another tip, specifically for lower-level teams looking for a low or no cost talent boost. Plenty of higher division sides boast a wealth of talented youngsters dying for some first-team experience. Some might shun the idea of developing another teams youngsters, but let’s face it – most of yours probably aren’t ever going to be any good.

In my opinion, if you aren’t shopping on the loan market, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage. If you’re canny, it can even work in your favour. I had highly-talented youngster David De La Vibora on loan at Compostela for a season. I didn’t have a buy clause in the contract, but after his loan spell he was a key member of the squad and Madrid were happy to let him leave for £180k. His value now after half a season is £4.1m. I’m certain that enjoying his time at the club and feeling settled in Compostela was the main factor in him joining us over other, more reputable clubs.

Plan for the Future – Avoid Another Rebuild!

Signing hoards of wonderkids might not be your style. You might prefer older, higher reputation players who you know you can depend on. However, your recruitment strategy has to contain an element of future-proofing. This could be wheeling and dealing or spending big on a team of superstars that will win trophies. Either way, you want to avoid the process of a complete rebuild if possible. The thinking behind your rebuild should be creating a squad that can be improved incrementally as you go along. This is particularly pertinent if you’re rising through the leagues. Proper long-term planning is the key to setting your team up for future success.

Conclusion

Whether through choice or necessity, a rebuild can be a difficult proposition. Squad building is just as easy to get wrong as it is to get right. Taking some time to work out a plan will help prevent any catastrophic failures. The advice presented here is intended to be catch-all and suitable for as many clubs as possible. Whether you’re climbing through the leagues or pushing for champions league qualification, there will be a solution. The specific strategy will be decided by the club. The fine details are down to you, the manager.

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