Football Manager 23 Best Head of Youth Devlopment
A list of some of the best HOYDs you can sign on your FM23 saves
We cover youth football and we love Football Manager. On this page, we’ve compiled some of the best Heads of Youth Development to sign in Football Manager 23 that are relatively attainable at the start of the game. If you want top academy players, you need a good Head of Youth Development.
Scroll down to see our recommendations. If you want more FM23 pages, click here.
Our lists of the best FM23 staff
What does a Head of Youth Development do in Football Manager 23?
Bringing through youngsters is obviously one of the most satisfying aspects of playing FM, and your Head of Youth Development will be an important cog in setting these talents on a path to success; from recruitment until their introduction into the first team.
Through this process, they will bring you reports on the ongoing development of your youth players, ensuring you know which prospects are approaching first team level, including updates on their current ability and potential ability.
Your head of youth development will also let you know which players are struggling and ‘need attention’ as well as which players are ‘ones to watch’ even if they aren’t yet ready for senior football.
What attributes are important for a Head of Youth Development in Football Manager 23?
The head of youth development is one of the most complex staff roles in the game. Some of the key attributes are, but are not limited to:
• Judging player ability
• Judging player potential
• Working with youngsters
• Personality
• Tactical style
• Preferred formation
• Playing style
• Mental attributes (motivating, level of discipline, determination)
The first three items are the most important, allowing them to accurately assess as well as work alongside your wonderkids. However, the other aspects are crucial as well.
The HOYD’s personality (model citizen is the best, followed by perfectionist) has a tendency to impact the personality of newgens your club recruits. Likewise, the preferred formation will effect what positions your newgens are likely to play. The tactical style and playing style will determine how the academy moulds these regens.
And lastly, the world knowledge of your head of youth development will impact on what country your regens are likely to be recruited from – it is ideal for your HOYD to have knowledge of countries with strong development ratings, like Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, Spain, England, etc.
What impacts the quality of youth intakes in Football Manager 2023?
One of the most important things that determines the quality of your youth intakes in FM23 is pure luck. But in terms of things you can control, here is the list:
• Youth recruitment rating
• Youth facilities
• Junior coaching
• Club reputation
All of those should be fairly self-explanatory, better training facilities and coaching equals better development, etc. Your club’s reputation being higher will help you attract higher reputation newgens to your youth squad. Without further ado, here is our list of the best heads of youth development in FM23.
Maurizio Costanzi
- Club: Atalanta BC (ITA)
- Qualifications: Continental A
- Personality: Perfectionist
- Tactical style: Catenaccio
- Preferred formation: 4-3-3 DM Wide
- Expected wages: €8,000 p/w
- Reputation: 3 stars
Maurizio Costanzi has been Atalanta’s head of youth development for seven years now, and if you play defensive football, he might be your man. While his tactical preference for Catenaccio is not ideal, his perfectionist personality, preferred formation, and overall attributes are strong. The hefty compensation fee to poach him from Atalanta is a bit of a turnoff though.
Sebastián Pait
- Club: River Plate (ARG)
- Qualifications: Continental Pro
- Personality: Perfectionist
- Tactical style: Tiki-Taka
- Preferred formation: 4-2-3-1 DM AM Wide
- Expected wages: €2,800 p/w
- Reputation: 2.5 stars
Alongside Ariel Paolorossi, who is coming up next, Sebastián Pait is the best budget option for a head of youth development. If you can afford his €210,000 buy-out fee from River, he comes with a tiki-taka tactical style in a 4-2-3-1, with the added bonus of a perfectionist personality and solid knowledge of some key South American countries: Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Colombia.
Ariel Paolorossi
- Club: Colo Colo (CHI)
- Qualifications: Continental Pro
- Personality: Fairly Determined
- Tactical style: Tiki-Taka
- Preferred formation: 4-3-3 DM Wide
- Expected wages: €2,300 p/w
- Reputation: 2.5 stars
It would not be Football Manager without including a solid South American option. Ariel Paolorossi has full world knowledge of Argentina, which is a massive bonus. Then add to that his strong fundamental attributes, tiki-taka style coaching style, fairly determined personality, and there’s a top HoYD waiting to be signed at an affordable cost if you can convince him to leave South America for Europe (unless you are doing a South American save of course).
OUR LISTS OF THE BEST YOUNG TALENTS
Dirk Mack
- Club: Unemployed
- Qualifications: Continental Pro
- Personality: Professional
- Tactical style: Gegenpress
- Preferred formation: 4-2-3-1 DM AM Wide
- Expected wages: €15,000 p/w
- Reputation: 3 stars
Gegenpress tactical style, 4-2-3-1 preferred formation, extensive knowledge of Germany: Dirk Mack comes with a strong head of youth development package. After his time with Germany’s under-20s, Hoffenheim’s academy, and a brief stint with Shandong in China, he is unemployed at the start of the game and comes with a great collection of stats to pair with his aforementioned auxiliary attributes.
Helmut Jungheim
- Club: Unemployed
- Qualifications: Continental Pro
- Personality: Professional
- Tactical style: Fluid Counter-Attack
- Preferred formation: 4-4-2
- Expected wages: €20,000 p/w
- Reputation: 3 stars
He doesn’t come cheap, but Helmut Jungheim has the total package. Fluid counter-attack tactical style, professional personality, extensive knowledge of Germany and solid coaching and judging ability attributes. If you can afford him, the former Bayer Leverkusen head of youth development is a super choice to lead your academy – if you don’t need him as a coach or assistant manager – two additional roles that he can also fulfill.
Jochen Sauer
- Club: FC Bayern München (GER)
- Qualifications: Continental Pro
- Personality: Model Professional
- Tactical style: Gegenpress
- Preferred formation: 4-3-3- DM Wide
- Expected wages: €9,500 p/w
- Reputation: 2.5 stars
Tempting Jochen Sauer to leave Bayern is probably not going to be possible unless you are starting with a big club, but he might be someone to work towards later in your save. But with a reasonable wage and elite level attributes and a good personality type, as well as strong knowledge of Austria and Germany from his time at Bayern, Red Bull Salzburg, Wolfsburg and Hertha BSC, he is a worthwhile target as you progress.
Jochen Sauer at Bayern München is one, Maurizio Costanzi at Atalanta is another. As always, the very best will already be employed by big clubs – but there are a few gems that are unemployed as well.
Make the most of the staff search tool, where you can specify your searches to suits your specific needs. Set the minimum Working with Youngsters and Juding Player Potential to 17 tio find some of the best heads of Youth Development in the game.
