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Visdom mot potential – matchen i matchen

Tamim, Annis LU (2025) NEKH02 20251
Department of Economics
Abstract (Swedish)
This study examines how different age compositions within a football squad affect a club’s sporting performance and financial development over time. Five squad versions with systematically varied proportions of young and older players were simulated in the game Football Manager 2024™. Each version was followed over ten seasons, resulting in a total of 25 simulations (five repetitions per version). The results indicate that young players tend to generate higher transfer revenues but contribute less to short-term sporting stability, whereas older players offer immediate performance impact but little financial return. The most favorable balance between performance and economy was found in squads with a mixed age structure, particularly those... (More)
This study examines how different age compositions within a football squad affect a club’s sporting performance and financial development over time. Five squad versions with systematically varied proportions of young and older players were simulated in the game Football Manager 2024™. Each version was followed over ten seasons, resulting in a total of 25 simulations (five repetitions per version). The results indicate that young players tend to generate higher transfer revenues but contribute less to short-term sporting stability, whereas older players offer immediate performance impact but little financial return. The most favorable balance between performance and economy was found in squads with a mixed age structure, particularly those composed of 75 percent young players and 25 percent experienced players, or an even split. The 75/25 version was more volatile, producing stronger results at times but also experiencing more significant drops, while the 50/50 version was more stable but lacked the same potential for extreme outcomes. This suggests that the optimal strategy may depend on a club’s goals and risk tolerance. The study is especially relevant for clubs with limited resources and demonstrates that simulation-based methods can provide valuable insights into strategic squad building over time. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Tamim, Annis LU
supervisor
organization
course
NEKH02 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
football, simulation, transfer strategy, sports economics, optimization, age
language
Swedish
id
9193089
date added to LUP
2025-09-12 09:17:25
date last changed
2025-09-12 09:17:25
@misc{9193089,
  abstract     = {{This study examines how different age compositions within a football squad affect a club’s sporting performance and financial development over time. Five squad versions with systematically varied proportions of young and older players were simulated in the game Football Manager 2024™. Each version was followed over ten seasons, resulting in a total of 25 simulations (five repetitions per version). The results indicate that young players tend to generate higher transfer revenues but contribute less to short-term sporting stability, whereas older players offer immediate performance impact but little financial return. The most favorable balance between performance and economy was found in squads with a mixed age structure, particularly those composed of 75 percent young players and 25 percent experienced players, or an even split. The 75/25 version was more volatile, producing stronger results at times but also experiencing more significant drops, while the 50/50 version was more stable but lacked the same potential for extreme outcomes. This suggests that the optimal strategy may depend on a club’s goals and risk tolerance. The study is especially relevant for clubs with limited resources and demonstrates that simulation-based methods can provide valuable insights into strategic squad building over time.}},
  author       = {{Tamim, Annis}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Visdom mot potential – matchen i matchen}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}