this is true. yet, (I didn't check for this year though) last 2 seasons I had many 5 star players in my scouting info (12 two seasons ago and 7 last season), and my first pick was my number 3 to 5.
2 seasons ago I had 2 fivestarplayers, yet none where any good... (both less then 4k salary as well)
So I am confident I can get a player I rank in my top 10. But of the 10 to 12 you mention, I would probably get info about max 5 or 6 when I spend 20k/week, so I'd need a pick of my own top 5.... Which actually happened every time, and still I didn't get any decent player. When I see posts from other Div I teams here in Belgium, they are all complaint.
When going over every draft player last season, there was 1 to 3 players with wages over 4k. (I think 1 realy decent player with a 5k wage, but not sure)
And I think for Div I only these are worth keeping. It takes too long to train a player with less then 4k up to the standards he needs to be able to fit in the team AND there are no scrimmages to do this in, since as a div I team you need to perform well in the cup to keep your fans happy...
There are games enough for division I teams to train their players, yet none are trow away games in which they can put young average players and train them to good ones.
So if the draftee is just average, he won't get any minutes, and can't stay in the team...
I occasionally see good draftees, typically in the lower divisions. I have no clue however how many are in those poules.
I think it is bad luck as well that our Belgian DivI gets so few 4k+ draftees.
But all together: the need of luck of enough 4k+ draftees when you have a 12th+ pick in the row and the fact it is hard for performance oriented teams to train lesser players and the luck that you get info on a very good players while others don't, I think it might be more interesting to buy 19 or 20 year olds which got some training already and can immediatly perform well in your team and continue development from there on, rather then put a lot of money in scouting and hope to get lucky.
Ofcourse this only goes for the highest division teams who happen to end up in the top of their league most of the time...
Lesser divisions will sooner be able to use an average player in their games and have him train that way. And 18 yr olds are very expensive, so yes, they probably are good investing in scouting.
After last years' draft I lowered my investment to 10k (comming from a whole season of 20k) and even though I didn't have any decent info this season, at least I have 1 I can sell for some money.
I now turned it down to 5k, and will have a look at it later on, but I sooner expect to drop it entirely, then raising it again. At least until I start dropping in our league.
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