The biggest thing I'm looking for in what I mentioned is something that resembles the acclimation period that a player needs before he can just go out and perform at his normal potential. And since confidence is ratings based and is the only real way to achieve something similar that's what I was getting at. I liken it to signing a baseball player off the street or a player coming back from injury. Once a guys healthy or if you sign a free agent off the streets, they don't just go straight to the Majors, they play some games in the minors before they make it back. Sure you could throw him to the fire but his ratings should take a hit IMO.
His "confidence" would start at 0 and then maybe bump up 10 or so points a week until he gets to the neutral 50. Veterans, or guys that you've had in your organization, could go up more quickly while guys who you've never had may take a bit longer.
The more I think about this confidence rating though the more questions I have about it.
Are all players affected equally by events that take place?
After a big loss does the whole team lose 20 confidence or do some guys lose 20 and some lose less and more?
Is there much of a difference in the numbers between 0 and 100? Does 66 differ at all from 67?
Do injuries to star players affect confidence?
It will be intriguing to see how this system works and how it plays out year to year.