I can't give you a statistical answer (because I've never spent the time doing a study) but the experience level matters a great deal. There are some FC Dynasty coaches who assemble entire teams with nothing but 30-something players with five exp. levels. I notice a big performance difference between level two and three...less between three and four/four and five. I also see a difference by position. For me, goalie and defender are more dependent on exp. level than mid/forward. I've had 20 year olds score 40 goals but running out a 20 year old goalie/defenders is asking for trouble.

I wanted someone else to answer first. Obviously gomiami is one of the best FCD owners around and he believes experience bars matter. I know a lot of other owners do, too.
I personally have never paid any attention to them. I recruit my players for their skills alone. Maybe I’m the outlier.

Well, I was given too much credit...but thank you, damag. I'm very good at this game (now) but not one of the best. There is merit to what damag is stating. I won a title in a very active German league with a level two, 21 year old goalie and, now at the ripe age of 23 (and still only a level two experience) I am in a position to win the title again. The only explanation I have for it is that his key goalie ratings are outstanding. When he's fully matured and gets to a level four or five, he'll be a shut-down goalie.

If you fill your roster with key quality at every position, which damag is probably doing based on his own positional formula, experience levels are not as important as I originally suggested. I try to balance quality with cost (because two of my IDs are in extraordinarily active worlds) and, where I save money by playing a non-ideal player, experience levels, IMHO, make a big difference.

Very good point, it can be dependent on your situation. The world I play in used to be very active but no longer is. Players I bring in are usually younger ones who I plan on giving specific playing time to and grooming up. When the world was more competitive I also had to find efficiencies. Yep, when you're bringing in the overlooked-thus-cheaper veterans you can definitely use the experience as tiebreakers or advantages over the younger ones.

So then you would think a 70 OA GK with experience level of 5 would outperform a 77 OA with only 3 experience?

I would rephrase that to say that the 70 OA GK with 5 experience could perform just as well as the 77 OA with 3 experience, while costing a significant amount less. (Can't remember exactly how much.) IMO keeper performance is more a function of team defensive strength. A very mediocre or young goalie facing four shots per game and giving up one goal can win a lot of games. On the other hand, a poor team with a very expensive GK will not have that GK stealing game after game for them.

That sounds about right. A dominant team in one of my leagues used to play a non-goalie in goal a few times a season (against SIMs) when his #1 goalie needed a day off. He could get away with it because his defensemen, especially his central defensemen, were incredible.

Three seasons ago I won my league with an 80 OA GK. (The league has only five real owners and 15 SIM teams, FWIW.) But I was going over budget and I wanted to keep the team together, so I let the GK walk. Replaced him with an 18 yo, 43 overall and a 19 yo, 48 overall. 50k contracts each. The 19 yo became my starter, finished second in the league his first season, won it his second season. Now in his third season, age 21, he's 63 overall.

When the younger one's contract is up I'll replace him with a fresh 18 yo just to play against the SIMs.

I just joined and am on the wait list for an English league. When I go to countries on the home page it shows on the countries and I am the only one on the wait list and no country has more than 2 on a wait list.How long do you all expect it to take for me to get on a team?

Posted by Robertooo on 6/7/2018 3:23:00 PM (view original):
I just joined and am on the wait list for an English league. When I go to countries on the home page it shows on the countries and I am the only one on the wait list and no country has more than 2 on a wait list.How long do you all expect it to take for me to get on a team?

Right under Countries look at Worlds. It shows which week of the schedule each world is in. Right now it looks like the next world with England in it is World 74, which is in Week 49. So I think you get into World 74 in about six or seven days.

What level players should I be going after in my first year? Overall rating, experience, etc.

Of the 20 players you inherited in your 1st year how many should you be renewing contracts for?

What level of player should I be going after in year two?

Should all or most of the players im going after in year one and two be FAs?

Any help is appreciated by this first year player.

Posted by Robertooo on 6/13/2018 11:06:00 PM (view original):
What level players should I be going after in my first year? Overall rating, experience, etc.

Of the 20 players you inherited in your 1st year how many should you be renewing contracts for?

What level of player should I be going after in year two?

Should all or most of the players im going after in year one and two be FAs?

Any help is appreciated by this first year player.

All of these answers will depend on who else is in your league: how many real owners, how many AI teams (no listed owner). And also, how well established the real owners' teams are.
AI teams do not compete for free agents. At the beginning of Day 11, they fill out their rosters with whatever unsigned players are available. They don't sign a few of the very best left, leaving them for whichever real teams may need a filler or two during the season.
Well established teams usually have the best rosters available and are relatively set; they'll only pick and choose a few free agents each season. Either the top rated ones, or the best 18 year olds.
So let's say you have 12 or 15 AI teams in your league. The best AI team will be essentially replacement level. The more players available, the higher that replacement level goes up. They'll be able to beat a real team on a good day.

The 20 players you started with are well below that. You have six spots open. But your first priority is to build your stadium. The faster you build your stadium, the faster you pour money back into it, the faster you make more money. My rule of thumb is that after each game in your first season, put all your money into building your stadium till you get to the 2/3 (second transfer period). Then keep your money after that for going after real players at the start of your second season.

1/ First season you aren't competing with the real teams in your league. Use your six spots on six 18 year olds, sign them cheaply for five seasons, play the snot out of them so they can grow.

2/ Don't renew any of your original players till close to Week 38 (end of second transfer period.) See if you have any with real potential. There are maybe only one or two. You can use that money better in your second season.

3/ In year two you should have a small roster and lots of money. Now you can really look at competing for the players other teams want; otherwise filling out your roster with the best of the replacement level players. Then keep building your stadium with any excess money. You want to get to 40 thousand or 50 thousand seats; attendance usually maxes out somewhere between. Second season you should be looking to have long-term future cornerstone players on your team, and being able to beat the AI teams.

Great stuff. Thanks damag.

Damag you are correct. My first season coming from the beta season. I resigned every player from my beta team(I didn't know better) in my first season. It put me almost 8 seasons behind before I started competing..... I'm almost at 2000 wins
Now I usually turn over 2-3 players a season to keep my team fresh. I'm not afraid to resign a 40 year old as long as his salary not to high.

Posted by oabs2 on 12/12/2018 5:27:00 PM (view original):
Damag you are correct. My first season coming from the beta season. I resigned every player from my beta team(I didn't know better) in my first season. It put me almost 8 seasons behind before I started competing..... I'm almost at 2000 wins
Now I usually turn over 2-3 players a season to keep my team fresh. I'm not afraid to resign a 40 year old as long as his salary not to high.

1942 wins and 67 seasons. That's pretty awesome for FC Dynasty.