"Never change a winning team" is an adage that is clearly not popular with Magdalene Buchanan. After the Trawadea Knights coach's remarks about the team's status halfway through the Ounaian National League, she announced a few changes to the Knights' roster. This should mean good news for Maynard AFC fans, who've suffered long enough. "Never change a winning team" is also ignored for the Ko-orenite Top League side and as such the team has had five coaches in six years and four captains in that time span - all while there have been surprisingly few players bought or sold. Equestrian States' Meynard was a good addition, but one can't help but feel she was bought just for the sake of her name. Buchanan's reign over the Knights is far more stable, which is great news for Trawadea fans. Buchanan has taken the team to great heights on paper, especially as far as the check books go - the Knights are by far the most profitable team and the team with the highest value with no real comparison. On the field, things have taken a slight turn for the worse, now that the Karusha Dynamos have taken first place and refuse to give it up. Every single time the Dynamos spill points to the Aces, Magic, Warriors, or Lions, the Knights can't seem to win themselves. The gap between the two teams remains two points. It's been anywhere from 0 to 3, but never have the Knights taken over first place again. The difference between finishing first or second is monumental, with the first placed team going to the Champions' Cup, so it looks like the Knights will go to the Globe Cup instead. Chances that the Knights drop even further down the table are near-zero, with a 16-point lead over the Aces with five matches to go. Only if the team breaks the rules financially or on the field, and points are deducted, things can go south. There's, again, a near-zero chance of that happening, either.
In the upcoming transfer window, Maynard AFC is set to lose very little talent: two starters will move, but they have been rumoured to go to the second division otherwise, anyway. This seems to make room for two acquisitions from the Knights: one at centreback, one as a central midfielder.
For now, back to focusing on Trawadea. The stadium deal has made the club a very popular landmark actually, so Buchanan better not mess with the club too much. The support is numerous, though still a little volatile, and with three clubs added to the league for next season, competition for undecided fans is massive. If the Knights want to cement a status as one of Ouna's biggest clubs, she will have to focus on the Ounaian market for a few more years. Overall, the ONL is a huge success so it's already a great move to buy a club there in the first place.
Anyhow, these are the changes, effective as soon as possible:
- Upgrade Training to 3 ($5000)
- Upgrade Youth to 2 ($2500)
- Sell the following players (if unsold, simply do not extend contracts): Maza, Rudo, Mthokozisi, Siphelele.
- Move the following players to Maynard AFC: Chipo, Simba.
- Move the following players from Maynard AFC to Trawadea Knights: Wouter Wouters (striker, age 28), Warren Potter (left midfielder, age 21)
- Attract from youth system: GK, CF, Winger
- Extend all other contracts.