I am a fan of Sunderland but live nearer to Crewe to i watch them play every home game. I started a game as Crewe but thought it would be fun to add myself as a player although some people may call this cheating i added myself as a striker to Sunderland. I put myself with a dislike of all the big clubs i could think off i gave myself a CA of 160 and PA of 200.

About to start the 4th season i am in the championship with Crewe. My player made his debut season scoring 28 goals in 34 games and averaging 7.7, 2nd season he scored 38 goals in 38 game averaging 7.9 and leading Sunderland to 4th in the league, 3rd season after 38 goals in 41 games he wins World Player of the year and player of the year. But he still has no full England Caps i mean if England had a striker like this in real life he would be straight into the full squad and the media would be creaming themselves about him. But instead he is stuck in the U-21s with 10 in 10 for them.

So my point is do players not get called up to the national side until they are too old for the U-21s or is it just Steve Maclaren being true to life a crap manager?

There's been plenty of players over the years that haven't had the international recognition that they should have in real life. It's no different on FM.

i added myself as a striker started at age 16 no caps CA of 150 PA 180 scored a lot of goals in career i think about average per match was 0.9 goals and 7.7 ratings played at low league team kidderminster moved to chelsea at the age of 22 retired at 35 with Cheltenham and had no caps at all not even under 21 or 19 level its ridiculous.

the game appears not to update the reputations of younger players properly, making it harder for them to get international call ups

i've got a belgian regen who's top scorer in the bundersliga, but struggles to get a game for the under 21s

I have never seen a player in real life that wins world footballer of the year, but never played for there national side

Theres noway a English player who wins world player of the year and player of the year in England would not be called up to the full national side. I agree there are players who don't recieve the international recognition but this would never happen. I am sure my day will come though lol.

This post interests me because on previous versions of FM, I have added myself as a player on a couple of occasions, though not with FM08 yet.

In previous games, although I made my CA & PA high, I often set my reputation as zero, obviously to avoid the attention of big clubs, as I was playing as a lower league player. Now in fairness, because of the low reputation, my "clone" would not get selected for England, but later in the game, following a move to a Premiership club, did eventually get selected for England, as his reputation had grown.

In FM08, I've seen posts regarding the lack of regen players making the international squads. Part of the problem may have something to do with the fact that the PA is a variable. This meaning that the player's CA may not neccessarily actually reach his PA. Therefore I think that it's a combination of CA and reputation that influences international selection more than PA.

Try testing this with a CA of say 180, PA of 200 and reputation above 8000. I would "expect" this player to make the international team. If he does'nt, then there may in fact be an issue.

Perhaps someone with more experience or someone from SI could confirm if what I've said is correct or not.

The International module is broken, simple as that.

The AI ignores players it would have in every game, and instead plays existing DB players even if they are 36 years old and can't run anymore.

If you want something done about it, refuse (not just say that you won't buy it, then 2 weeks after release buy it anyway) to buy 09 and FML until they fix the game in 2010, and make it known you are not buying it until the game is fixed.

i think the point you have made is a valid one, but surely a player who wins world footballer of the year in the game should have his reputation increase a fair bit, even if he was still in a lower league.

I just checked on the scout thing and my players reputation is 8912 and he has a CA of 184 and is valued at £24.5 million. At 20 years old this guy should be in the full England team no question about it.