Hi,

Question:
Coach Reports Next Step did get a change in the past year. “Must win a Man of the Match Award” was dropped due to the inability of managers to make this happen.

I just received this Next Step report:

“This player needs to play for his national squad. Recommended coach level: 1”

How can I have the ability to make this happen? Just like getting a MotM award, how do I get my Class B player into a National Squad?

National team managers are under immense pressure to perform well, and win, from the entire population of the country they represent. How can they be reasonably expected to put in a sub-par player?

I know I do, I try to find a couple younger players and give them some International Friendlies. But I also lose a lot.

Solutions:
Some possible Next Step Coach Report options to consider:

These assume managers have a way to set up a formation and tactics to give an individual player more chance to achieve:
- Must score 5 goals in next 15 games
- Must score 30 goals in the season
- Must score 5 Penalty Kick Goals
- Must provide 10 Assists
- Must average 5 tackles over the season
- Keeper to maintain Avg Rating above 7.5 for the season in their division
- Player must play in 5 FA Cup games
- Player must play in 45 games in the new season
- Player must not receive a red card in the next 30 games
- Player must receive 5 Team of the Round in the next 38 games

And no, I literally have no idea how to help an individual player achieve most of these things. Any advice is appreciated.

The “play for national squad” step was also dropped along with the “man of the match” step, however that is only true for players that were created after the change was put in place.
I like your suggestions regarding next steps, however I may look at them in a different angle either as part of something contractual with the player or maybe a goal for managers to achieve.

Thanks Gabriel.

The National Squad manager has just messaged me and advised that: my player does not appear as a possible replacement option. Thus he will not ever be selected, and thus will not ever improve.

He messaged me a list of the players he sees in alphabetical order – my guy was not there.

As for my suggestions, yes my main focus was to try and find something that a manager can influence.

Not sure if this is any comfort, but usually the most a player will improve with national squad or man of the match steps is 3 points…it can be just 1 as well, so not a big loss.

Ok, cool.

So the coaching report is irrelevant? My Next Step is to play for the National Squad, but he is not even good enough to appear in the list of selectable players.

I did loan him out, he has 4 Man of the Match awards this season. Is still only a Class B player.

No, not irrelevant…in this case it just means the player did not become good enough to be eligible to fulfil his last(s) step(s) of playing for national squad. This is a known issue that will disappear once all old players that had this step retire.