Is this a return to inflation?

Not long ago, I lauded the gameworld as coming to life due to the influx of new managers and, most importantly, new cash. Put simply, I was wrong. In the last week, a number of high profile auctions have taken place, including the incredibly talented Beaulieu FC acquisition Jorge Martinez, world class defenders Kolo Toure and Nicholas Burdiso, and German goal machine Mario Gomez. So, what’s the thing that links every one of these players? In a free market, they’ve gone for under their acquisition fees, every one of them. Given the title of this post, you may think I’m having a laugh, with market value toppling in many cases to the same value as acquisition fee – ridiculous given the amount of money you pay for signing on fees now. But even with this, inflation is most definitely present in one form in the gameworld. I always use the off-season to replenish my youth teams. This season it’s been supremely difficult due to the huge inflation that has been apparent in the wages being paid for youth superstars. This has been heightened by former managers returning to the gameworld, offering up huge wages for youngsters as they turn to a complete youth policy, but it’s a cascading effect. As more managers pay more for wages, other managers must pay way above the odds to secure young potential superstars. The most recent example was moderator and fellow AEFA manager JMP of Loftus Road AFC bidding 15,000 to take one of Neil Baldwin’s young protégés. You may say this isn’t excessive – the youngster already has an AF of £275,000 and is most probably a 5 star potential player. But when you consider he’s had almost no progression since he was 17 and is about to turn 20, it underlines how desperate normally prudent managers are to secure any youngster with that 5-star millstone around their neck.

In other news…

The youth team for next season is slowly taking shape. Although still lacking in a few key areas, it’s looking good, with the defence particularly strong at the moment. I’ve still got cash to spend, especially with a large chunk of the Dessena transfer fee due to be paid, so I’m working on bringing in one or two more before the start of the season. I’m looking to try and field an U19, U20 and U21 team for the second season in a row. Former youth team stalwart Julien Kipre has gone out on loan to further his development. Although very high potential, he’s got bogged down over the last season or so and hasn’t really kicked on. However, signs are promising with plenty of games and plenty of goals for his new side and the glimmering hope offered by the appearance of a scattering of new green arrows. Similarly, Miljan Stamenkovic has joined his reserve team comrade in going out on loan to Terry Bennets’ Birmingham Southside, where he’ll hopefully get enough games to further his own progression.