How to handle with media?

[Sam]

When I interact with the media, I always build up praise or defend the player, to keep team morale up. But does anyone know the effects of playing down praise, or criticising players? Does it have a negative effect on a players' stats, or improve them?

[themanknownas]

Depends on how they have been playing. If a player keeps playing 5's you shouldn't be defending them. Though i once criticised beckham for playing crap for a bit and he ended up throwing a transfer request in.

[Fabbs]

Sometimes the media (TV, website, radio etc.) put some comments on my team managing, or about a player? What does my answers really do? Sometimes a player gets mad after me "playing the praise down", but actually plays better, sometimes after ""praise up" his performance is lowering. Any rules here?

[eoinspencer]

Sometimes the media (TV, website, radio etc.) put some comments on my team managing, or about a player? What does my answers really do? Sometimes a player gets mad after me "playing the praise down", but actually plays better, sometimes after ""praise up" his performance is lowering. Any rules here?

Generally criticising a player makes him play better but only do it if necessary. Check the form of the player before answering the media

[Fabbs]

Generally criticising a player makes him play better but only do it if necessary. Check the form of the player before answering the media

I understand "necessary" is when the form of a player is poor. But what when he plays really well? Say nothing? Than I'll get him upset with feeling of "no suport from his manager". Of course I don't give a fuck about what he "thinks" but still want him to reach best.

[eoinspencer]

I understand "necessary" is when the form of a player is poor. But what when he plays really well? Say nothing? Than I'll get him upset with feeling of "no suport from his manager". Of course I don't give a fuck about what he "thinks" but still want him to reach best.

If he's playing well the best bet is to build up his praise.

[Fabbs]

All clear now. Thanks a lot!

[eoinspencer]

All clear now. Thanks a lot!

Not a problem hope you get the best out of your players

[Tinsuz]

I always do build up his praise, I think he´ll go play better then

[ilovesanmarino]

back your players 100% all the time, for everything, like in real life, if they are good they are BRILLIANT, if they are bad, they are still BRILLIANT
critizising a player I think is far more likely to result in him hating your guts (which is pretty much irreversible) than putting the effort in. Indeed I think they are just as likely to put extra effort in to recognise your support
the only exception is if the player slags off the team, they you need better players or they are just not trying hard enough. Here you basically have to choose between the one player, and everyone else. You need to realise no-one is bigger than the team and criticise (and punish him). His outburst will usually make everyone else hate him, so it's going to be the end of that guy's stay at your club.
The fans and manager will often back your praise, they can back your criticism but just dont risk it
somewhere (I think in the screenshots page) is a message along the lines of "the board are ok with you backing the underperforming player as it presents a good face to the press, but really you should have slagged him off cos he is crap"
also as I learnt when deliberately trying to fail at Barcelona, slagging off a player the board likes is instant step down on the appreciation ladder. I managed to get myself "very insecure" purely from repeatedly slagging off Villa.

[Fabbs]

Ok, Ilovesanmarino, now it's getting really clear indeed. Cheers!

[zoiks]

No comment seems to be as bad as a criticism. My star striker was getting linked to bigger clubs so I no commented (having built up praise previously without him batting an eyelid or saying thanks). He then got upset and put in eight transfer requests in the following months. I keep saying no, he'll come round eventually.

He's French, if that has anything to do with it...

[andrewguk]

I was managing Hearts FC many, many years ago and all was well until I accidentally played down a certain Scott Severin.

Well, all the team took it personally and went on a personal vendetta against me. I was then promptly sacked

[Toty10]

Long answer:

Spoiler!

Generally, I don't build up praise on my players unless they are playing extremely well. I kind of learned from the better managers in game: sometimes you get a news message about a world-renowned player getting praised in the media, but it's rare that the manager agrees with the praise. What I've noticed is that the AI managers won't agree to the praise unless the player's aggregate form over the last five matches is greater than 43.

For example: 9-9-10-8-9 for a total of 45; this player should be praised.
8-7-9-9-9 for a total of 42; this player should not be praised.

I have noticed a STEEP drop off in player form if you praise the player when his aggregate form is lower than 43. The game engine is tricky though; it's far more likely that the media will praise a player when he isn't at the top of his form.

Playing down praise can be useful in motivating the player to play even better. You'll often see something in the match commentary like "<player> hits back at his manager!" He's likely on his way to a fine match. Most players will get over the transgression in a few weeks.

However, some players (probably depending on their mental attributes) will take a lack of praise as an abject, irreparable affront that chiefly results in the players handing in transfer requests. What can also happen is the player will become unhappy and have "Unhappy with his manager" in the Transfers tab. This does not go away, and the player will refuse to sign a new contract.

Short answer:

Praise players that are playing exceptionally well, with form like 10-9-8-8-9, but refrain from praising players who aren't at the top of their form. Praising players whose play has been adequate usually causes them to get complacent and suffer a dip in form. I haven't run into too much trouble in choosing not to comment at all. I think the player in question would have to have pretty low professionalism to be offended by that.

[316'sRegen]

I've noticed that this is not as true for Goalkeepers, managers always seem to have faith in their goalkeeper (publicly anyway ) even when the form is pretty bad.

[ilovesanmarino]

as with everything else in the game there is almost certainly a positive, neutral and negative reaction option for each.
If you praise the player, nothing may happpen of course or you could get the positive reaction (he adds you to his favoured staff and personally thanks you) or negative (board says he is big headed, he gets lazy)
If you slag off the player, again nothing may happen or you could get the good reaction (player accepts criticsim and doubles efforts in training) or bad (board question your judgement and player hates you)
the above goes for either the press praising or criticising a player.

reacting to transfer gossip seems to have almost no effect, but I only seem to get gossip about players I have already transfer listed, I never get the more interesting ones that appear in the feeds (player worried about losing his place to a potential new signing etc)

in any case I find the risks of upsetting a player outweigh the risks of praising him, (because if a player dislikes you, he doesnt seem to ever stop - even if you repeatedly praise him later, and an unhappy player will not only not sign new contracts but your assistant can advise you he is having a 'negative influence') so I do the Alex Ferguson technique and always praise my players.