neckus

Please dont close this (yet).

I just want someone to tell me something that I just noticed.

I played with Banat is Serbia and finished 4th and then lost every single match in the playoffs. Then I had it and resigned. But then a new manager took over and I noticed he reduced the squad from 25 to 18 players and set all different squad status to the players. There were no longer Key Members but only 7 First Team players and the rest was Squad Rotation. The reserves team was entirely Backup and some Not Needed.

Does that change the fortune of a team seeing he won the very first match he managed.

kolobok

The fact that he won the first game does not mean much, but the fact he had significantly changed squad status of your players indicates that your definition was not entirely correct. Personaly I tend not to have key players and only a few first team players at least in the first couple seasons. Once I decide who is really indispensable, I may change squad status. It does not mean though that I change squad status immediately after I start new game. The middle of the first season is more appropriate time. By that point you know you team better and if you have performed according or above expectations, changing squad status won't affect team too much.

Notice, it has nothing to do with your real life preferences as game characters are different from real life.

Assenuma

I have noticed that poor managers often miss good players and do not play them but have some shmucks as first team regulars, so do not worry so much about the new manager...

Also, players status often depends on the formation. I took over a team whose ex-manager played 352 with no wingers, so his AMR was a backup striker despite being a great player. I played 442 just because of that guy (I had to buy some wingers cause there were none other than him) and this guy played great.

The squad status is not something you should play with often. For instance you should not tell a backup player he is key player just to boost his morale before a game... It will backfire. Use squad status only to give an honest idea to the player how often he will play...