you maybe could be able to build up contacts as you progress through the game, the need to talk to staff and players about possible signings could be made more important then it already is and the player search function could be a little more integrated with the scouting network.

The game is progressing this way and each year is taking a step forward towards this way of playing. I still think the current system still gives away too many secrets.

In addition to that, the player search and filter doesn’t let you view all the players in the database. It carefully mirrors the aggregate knowledge of the club you are managing, of its scouts and other personell, of its affiliated clubs, and your own knowledge as the clubs manager. The size and nationality of your club, as well as your own nationality and experience, have a considerable impact on which players you can view through the search function.

So, in a way, the possibility to search only among your scouted players (or rather, among the players that you would realistically know about) is already built into the game.

I’ll max out the amount of scouts I can have, preferably gaining as much scouting knowledge as possible by employing several nationalities and sending them home for a scouting trip. I’ve also started heavily relying on my assistant manager and backroom staff in the backroom advice and team report sections and also using the loan report more often as well to get an idea of players available.

It adds a new dimension to the game instead of just filtering out what you need in a list that contains the majority of the players on the game, scouting can unearth some new gems as well which gets rid of the repetitiveness.