Successful managers, what is your buying tactics?

[LeManiaque]

I buy players age U-21 so they can be efficiently trained to whatever Q I want, if I decide they have good potential. I try to get most players for 1 token, from transfers, Nordgen only. I keep players multiple seasons, up until retirement if they continue to rate effectively in matches. I don't really bother looking at the skull balance when they are on the market, because I haven't found what is and is not effective. I favor buying players who look "unappealing" to others - I don't buy players at the top of the Q bracket, happier getting a player at 77 for 1T rather than fight for a 93%, this also allows a bit more training/value-increasing time with a better TEF than someone about to hit 100. I haven't, since about season 3, bought a player meant for my starting 11 directly; rather if I've bought a player for a position he might play one day (as opposed to GK number 4, for example), I will try him as a sub in a few match situations, or in a number of friendly matches using a second string lineup and an opponent matching the lower testing team quality. If he can rate 8-10s, I'll consider adding a SA in the next season, when his star Q drops and Training Efficiency Factor increases. He'll sub until needed as a full time starter, or until age 21, when I'll raise his Q to whatever point (for me, that's 120 if he's very good, or less if he's not a vital player, just based off my resources strategies). If he doesn't rate over 7 often, he's just there to grind out teamwork bonuses and gain value, waiting to be sold at the end of season age 21 (or 20 if contract is expiring)


Edit: I will buy basically anytime, at least during the first 3 weeks, because i hold players over seasons, have excess cash, and simply require them to be a fast trainer. Once a high TEF player, always a high TEF player.