TL;DR
- Fnatic terminates YoungBuck’s coaching contract following disappointing 2019 Worlds performance
- Internal team conflicts documented in Legends in Action series revealed communication breakdowns
- Multiple player transfers rumored including Broxah to NA and Rekkles to Cloud9
- YoungBuck potentially joining LCS while Fnatic rebuilds entire roster structure
- All official announcements expected after November 18 free agency period opens
European esports organization Fnatic has officially terminated their partnership with head coach Joey “YoungBuck” Steltenpool, who had been leading the team’s strategic direction since 2018.
Fnatic aims to rebuild their competitive infrastructure for the 2020 season with completely new coaching personnel. The decision to release YoungBuck comes despite his impressive achievement of guiding the squad to the World Championship finals in 2018. This organizational shift follows a particularly disappointing performance at the most recent World Championship tournament, where Fnatic suffered an unexpected quarterfinals elimination despite entering the competition with championship aspirations.
YoungBuck leaves Fnatic
“Throughout this competitive year, we continue to experience the profound disappointment of falling significantly short across both LEC splits before our defeat against FunPlus Phoenix at Worlds. Our clear objective was to replicate our 2018 championship-caliber performance in 2019, but we encountered overwhelming internal challenges during the Spring split that proved insurmountable for both players and coaching staff by season’s end,” expressed YoungBuck in an official release distributed by Fnatic management.
Fnatic leadership has maintained transparency regarding team internal struggles. During the second installment of their documentary series Legends in Action, both YoungBuck and roster members openly discussed the pervasive dissatisfaction. The footage revealed that players consistently attributed mistakes to teammates during matches while avoiding accountability for individual performance gaps.
The toxic team environment appears to be the primary catalyst for YoungBuck’s departure from the organization. Industry insiders suggest the head coach represents just one component of broader structural changes. According to multiple sources, Fnatic management plans comprehensive roster reconstruction and will enable transfers for several current players. Jungler Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen emerges as one potential transfer candidate during the current off-season period.
Transfer speculation positions him within the North American competitive region where organizations such as Team SoloMid are actively pursuing jungle position reinforcements. North America has historically provided fertile ground for European jungle and mid lane talent development, exemplified by the successful Danish trio of Dennis “Svenskeren” Johnsen, Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen, and Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg who have established dominant careers in the LCS.
Star AD carry Martin “Rekkles” Larsson has also emerged in transfer discussions, with Cloud9 representing a plausible destination as the North American organization evaluates their own roster configuration for the upcoming competitive season.
YoungBuck himself is reportedly considering opportunities within the LCS framework, though specific team destinations remain unconfirmed currently. All roster modifications and coaching appointments will receive official confirmation following November 18, when the free agency negotiation window officially commences.
More roster changes coming to Fnatic?
The departure of YoungBuck signals a fundamental organizational reset for Fnatic’s League of Legends division. This represents one of the most significant structural changes since the organization’s dominant 2018 international performance. Teams undergoing coaching changes typically experience 2-3 month adjustment periods before stabilizing performance metrics, suggesting Fnatic may face early-season challenges in 2020.
European talent migrating to North American organizations has demonstrated mixed results historically. While some players like Jensen have maintained elite performance levels, others have struggled to adapt to different competitive environments and practice cultures. Organizations must carefully evaluate whether player performance issues stem from individual capability limitations or systemic team dynamic problems when considering roster modifications.
The November 18 free agency opening establishes a critical timeline for Fnatic’s rebuilding process. Teams typically announce major roster changes within 7-10 days of the free agency period commencing, providing fans with clarity before holiday seasons disrupt communication cycles.
Successful roster reconstruction requires balancing established veteran leadership with emerging talent development. Organizations that prioritize short-term competitive results over long-term roster cohesion often encounter recurring team dynamic issues across multiple competitive splits.
Action Checklist
- Monitor official Fnatic announcements after November 18 free agency opens
- Track social media activity of Fnatic players for transfer hints
- Analyze potential roster configurations using competitive history data
- Compare Fnatic’s rebuild strategy with other successful organizational resets
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