However I think I miss something because it seems you are asking for other ways to compete then just training, yet your suggestion is about training...
with this point about other ways I can imagine a one more real thing right now
If you will buy a pretty good player, which is in fact many levels higher than other your players, he can teach something to a young ones (experiences, better training, aditional other pops?)
should players teach each other if there is any mentor on a similar position, any star? You have him on C, tremendous universal and there is on PF young boy
that means you can invest into a 1 big star, sacrifice results slightly, because you could buy 4 others instead and sacrifice in fact even wage line, because this new one demands a huge wage.. everything is ballanced I think