Growing your own vs. using the market

I'm a fan of the "conveyor" style of team building, i.e. having players spread over a range of ages, with younger players developing to replace older ones when they retire. Part of the process of the conveyor is bringing in younger players to train up, but there are times when it may be more beneficial to just skip the process and just buy a ready made player that meets your requirements.

Goalkeepers and free kick takers

These two players are often touted as the most important in any side - they are the players that can win you matches on their own. While you can develop these players by yourself, there is definitely an incentive to buy them from the off, notably with 'keepers. A young goalie can cost you results while they develop so you could skip that step and buy an older, better keeper one straight away, while you can have a young FK specialist training up, you'll want a decent one taking free kicks in the meantime. If you're looking to maintain a side at the very top (as the likes of Imperium Sine Fine have done remarkably well) then you may find that just buying goalkeepers at their peak will be the way forward.

Starting out

I tend to start new teams (although I effectively overhauled FC Ballbreakers) and, while I'm developing a smaller number of youngsters in the opening seasons, I will bring in older mentors to assist their development (and make sure I don't get drubbed too badly each week). It's unlikely with most new teams that the older players will be of the quality you require to maximise experience for the youths, so picking up a couple of cheap veterans will often be helpful.

Strengthening the first XI

Another time I'd look at buying in a player is if I was looking to bolster the starting lineup, primarily for a promotion / title push. One downside to the conveyor is that, while a selection of the players will be fully developed, some will not yet be at their peak, and having to field these will weaken your side. Bringing in quality players could be needed to really compete in the higher divisions.

Pros and cons

• If you're training your players from scratch, you're in control of their development and compatibility should be excellent by the time the player reaches their peak, but it will take time (especially in longer leagues), and there's a risk that one or two bad seasons development may scupper your plans.
• If you're buying players from the market, you don't have to worry about those seasons of developing a player where they're not much use to you, but you're at the mercy of the market. This means you can't guarantee a ready supply when you need it, or you might not find a good level of compatibility, or you may have to pay a premium for a player.

You may find that in leagues with long seasons, you're best using your younger players to generate cash and buying most of the players you want to compete on the market. In leagues with short seasons, you may find that developing players quickly can be the more cost effective approach.