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So a new season begins and with it the traditional trading of aged players to transform into BRBs for somewhere around the 200k mark each.
There are 5 types of BRB and 6 can be active at one time, meaning a full complement is worth around 1200k to a team. That's a lot of cash which could easily secure a star player in the auction (or three if you're Alon). So what are people's views on whether BRBs are worth it? And if you're strapped for cash what BRBs would you prioritise?
For me, I think there are 3 BRBs no team should be without, 1 that is a toss up and 2 that are just a nice to have:
1 - 2 on my personal list are the two Youth Coaches. Not having to play a SB in a session, or maybe only having to play an App GK or SW once, is probably worth 5 or more levels per game. Utilising both could be a 10 level advantage against an opponent, which might easily turn a L into a W - delivering both points and CPs. Youth Coaches also give you added flexibility should your wunderkind be injured or suspended and still need some experience to fulfil their potential.
No. 3 on my list is the Physio. Just take a look at the injured Northampton player in the photo - and all because Compo didn't pony up a miserly 200k for a decent medic last season (that's why he's looking daggers at the bench as the team chef enquires whether he likes hospital food). The physio reduces the impact of injuries, which can be worth CPs given you don't get any for anyone who's fitness drops below -2. He also can be the difference between a player going off in the first place - which can be super important in a match context. Fun fact, when I played Tranmere at home in the league last year it ended up being a comfortable win for the Robins and, given that Alon only finished one point below me, crucial in securing the title. But if you watched the match you'd have seen that my star SW (who blocked almost all of Tranmere's 40+ shots) picked up an injury and, were it not for the physio, would have had to leave the field taking my hopes and dreams with him.
No. 4 might be controversial. but I don't think the Coach is an automatic pick if you're short of cash. On average I reckon I coach three players a session, so a Coach is worth 3CP per session or 30 over the whole season. That's the equivalent of 3 wins. Not too shabby for 200k and I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at it. But is an individual CP worth as much as 6.66k? Probably (and I know there's a lot of you for whom 6.66 is a special number...) but really depends on what other deals are available.
In penultimate place, and I'm really not sure why I always have one is the Groundsman. Sure the grass looks beautifully manicured but is an additional 2 levels at 9 home league matches really worth £200k? I know it's better value if you also get some home draws in the relevant knockout competitions but still, 2 levels?
In sixth place is the laziest BRB on the list - the Youth Director. You get one in during preseason, he identifies 4 SBs to have an additional QNL and then...he basically settles down with a nice cup of cocoa and does nothing for the rest of the season. Now that's a job I'd like! I guess now we can trade BRBs you could theoretically sell him on so he could work his 'magic' elsewhere (I'd love to see one BRB Youth Director forced to do some real work and be traded around all 30 clubs - that'd teach the lazy sod) but I think Al would quickly clarify that once a Youth Director has discovered SBs at one club the poor dear desperately needs a lie down and would not be able to do the same at another club in the same season.
So that's my two penneth worth. What do others think?
Readers Comments
It´s an interesting topic and generally I tend to always fill out all 6. My least favorite is the groundsman so I normally leave him to last if I am short of one, expecially if you have an ealy away FA Cup tie. Given your penchant for youth coaches we notice that with so few youngsters in your squad they are basically giving your youth one to one training. Maybe you need to employ that Youth Director after all? It has basically been ingrained in me since I started MSWL all those seasons ago that you always need 4 apps and 4 sby´s on the go at any one time, so I am watching your experiment with some interest. You may have hit on something novel. I guess time will tell.
I pretty much agree with you both. Youth Coaches are a must and I'd pick Groundsman last as well.
I think Youth Director is probably my 3rd choice. It means your 4 SBYs and APPs the season after gain an SL one game earlier. I think the SBYs gain for the 1st and 4th round of the Youth Cup and the APPs the 2nd.and 4th (I'd need to check). 8SL for the semi final.might not seem a lot but how much CP does it cost to coach the other 3 outfield players 8 times.
I rate the Youth Director highly as well as it basically functions as a Youth Coach, but for all of your SBYs twice over two seasons.
I rate the Groundsman as useful for the money but if I only get five and not six I'd happily jettison him.
I love this topic. A couple seasons ago when Al put together the little committee to review different aspects of the game, one of the things we looked at was the BRBs, their impact, and whether or not any new ones could be introduced.I would still love for us to introduce some new BRBs at some point to add some variety and force coaches to make some decisions.
As it stands right now, teams can all conceivably set their teams up to never need to purchase a BRB... ever. With 6 BRB slots, in theory, you only need 3 new BRBs each season, which you should be able to get through normal attrition of your players (SBY --> APP --> I/10 - 1/15 --> 2/13 --> 3/10 --> 4/6 - 4/7). With a Coach, that comes out to 81 CP over the life of the player, with 75 of them coming in the Age I year when you're turning him into a star. After Age IV, he becomes a V/2, and you turn him into a BRB.
In that timespan, he's also generated 40 CP, making the total cost 41 CP.
What I see often are coaches selling a lot of their players for cash before they get a chance to become BRBs, and thus getting into a position of needing to purchase the BRBs at the beginning of the season.
There have a been a couple of timets where I've had to purchase a BRB, and when that's happened, I've gone back and asked, 'what did I do wrong to get here?'
Back to my original comment, I would LOVE for there to be more variety because right now, every coach has the resources to have every BRB, every season. I want there to be variety, choices, consequences, rewards. If you set yourself up with 8 BRBs... You don't have a Home match this week? Deactivate your Groundskeeper and instead activate your Marketing Manager who organizes fans for away matches and get yourself a gate boost... or something like that. (We came up with a bunch of ideas, I don't remember them atm). At the time, we wanted to focus on the changes that were most needed, and most impactful, which was the change to using GPP on GKs (the reduction from 5 to 3). Perhaps, if Al agrees, maybe it's time to revisit the BRBs?
Definitely agree with you Rob that it's worth exploring BRBs further. I'm sure there must be a number of ways to enable teams to create points of tactical and strategic difference with their choice of staff without unbalancing the game. Happy to help work some options up.
Additional options that allow managers to choose different strategies for BRBs would be great, imho! If Al's amenable, I'd be happy to resume that conversation.
Great thread. Yes, let's talk more. Can one of you guys remind me in two weeks on Feb 10 and let me get something setup again. We can use the site/format we did before to discuss the topic and try to bring a proposal to the league.
