Mata starts for United. Interesting.

If we were to do a cup competition, I'd say you should allow us to include an U23 squad for the cup. That would obviously mean signing more players which will take time, but people can use some players from their current academy.

For a U23 cup competition, I'd say these rules personally:

- Must have at least 3 players from a manager's respective clubs academy/current U23 squad in the match day squad
- Players must be 23 years of age or younger (obviously)
- A max U23 squad of 20, only 1/2 injuries to apply.

Play the cup fixtures every alternate week to the current league fixtures to extend the season, make it 2 groups of 4, semi final and then the final will be the week after the end of the league fixtures.

Prize bonuses:

- Group stage win - £500k
- Group stage draw - £250k
- Group stage defeat - Nothing

- Win your group - £1.5m
- 2nd in your group - £1m
- Knocked out - Nothing

- Semi final win (per game) - £1m
- Semi final draw (per game) - £500k
- Semi final defeat - (per game) - £250k
- £2m if you go through to the final

- Final runners up (i.e. losers) - £2.5m
- Final winners and overall winners - £5m

Adds plenty of incentive to build a good U23 squad as you can win a maximum of £13.5m (if there are 6 group fixtures) which in this league right now, can get you another good player in your squad or even team as well.

Just an idea.

This is too complex. I don't want a separate squad of 20 to maintain.

Chances are you'll have 5 players in your current squad who are U23's anyway at least I'd bet. Or just increase the squad size from 25.

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And me

We'd probably have to build an entirely different U23 squad though just for the purposes of a cup competition.

Not necessarily. Have an academy of, say, 10 players, that can only be used for the cup. Have that set as U21, so that when players get past that then they have to be sold on or someone in the squad has to be moved on to accomodate them.

Then say that, for the cup, three over 23s are allowed to start the game, but can't then be involved in the next league game, which encourages people to use the whole of their squads.

So would people be in support of a transfer window opening, everyone given a separate budget of say, £50m, to buy 11 U23 players of their choice? Of course, those with decent U23 players already may have an advantage, which is good for them.

Or just ignore everything I just said!

How did I ignore it? I like the rule about 3 over 23s. You would still have to buy the academy of 10 players.

comment by Hodgey (U1271)
posted 26 minutes ago
So would people be in support of a transfer window opening, everyone given a separate budget of say, £50m, to buy 11 U23 players of their choice? Of course, those with decent U23 players already may have an advantage, which is good for them.
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I could get on board with that....or extend the squad limit to 30 then people can bring in 5 youth players, most squads I'd imagine would have some young uns already

I think an extra 50m would be excessive. As then that would be giving 3 players to improve league team as well surely?

If we're giving extra money for youth I'd say it should be low like 10m as otherwise it takes the advantage away from folk that have already bought youth

11m would work gives people £1m per player, and those that already have a squad with a lot of U21's or U23's aren't gonna massively benefit either

I think I have 7 u21's already

Donna - 18
Luka - 19
Hysaj 23
Palencia - 21
Caldara - 23
Ferrari - 22
Rabiot - 22
Locatelli - 19
Odegaard - 18
Kessie - 20
Belotti - 23
Kelechi - 20
Bernardeschi - 23

sugar, my squads younger than I thought

£50m was just a random figure. The budget could not be used to buy players that could play in the league.

comment by Hodgey (U1271)
posted 2 minutes ago
£50m was just a random figure. The budget could not be used to buy players that could play in the league.
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so give a smaller budget, increase squad cap to say 30 so people can add 5 more players....surely we all have 6 U23's already

I don't.

unluggy

I think I have seven, although Ward-Prowse and Pickford would have been eligible for an u21 team, I think.

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Monk resigns. Lubo has gone mad.

oh dear