Training Camp Begins
-- The players return from their vacation and there are no fitness concerns whatsoever from my assistant manager and no injuries. Cool!
-- In our team meeting, my coaches give me the low-down on where we stand in relation to other teams in the league. Boy, have things flipped quickly after our huge season last year:
Concentration - Highest in the League (High last year)
Flair - High (was only average last year)
Dribbling - Poor (Same as last year)
First Touch - Good (was only average last year)
Height - Good, among the tallest squads in the league (Same as last year)
Speed - Highest in the league (High last year)
Passing - Good (was only average last year)
Fitness - Best in the League (FOURTH year in a row)
Technique - Good (was only average last year)
Age - Youngest team in the League (We've been the youngest squad all seven years in the Premier League)
Transfers IN
-- We sign another youngster for our U18 team in ST
Neil Evans. Nothing to see here.
Transfer IN
-- We continue to add to our embarrassment of riches at central midfield, signing 22 year old Italian
Paolo Secchi on a free after he wasn’t given a contract extension by Barcelona.
Secchi was signed by Barca for £6.75 million from Olympique Lyonnais in 2021 but played only one senior level game for the club, getting an assist in the contest. He played three full seasons for Barcelona’s “B” team, FC Barcelona Atletic and he was incredibly prolific - last year alone, in 35 appearances, he scored 13 goals and added 17 assists! He was equally as productive the two other years and this was a no-brainer for me, picking him up on a free. I’m in the midst of trying to sell
Rafael Ramirez but Secchi won’t see much playing time with our senior team this year. I’d like to send him away on loan but I’m guessing he’ll resist.
Loan OUT
-- 20 year old Austrian right midfielder
Marcel Quade, one of our former U18 players, is sent to Colchester on a season-long loan. I pick up a bit of up front money and they will pay his modest wages for the whole year. He’s not in our long-term plans.
Transfer OUT
-- ST
Orlando Scolari accepts a contract with Udinese in Italian Serie A and that completes a £3.6 million transfer that includes some bonus clauses. We signed the young striker in July 2022 on a free and he went on two, season-long loans. He battled injuries in 2022/23 with Leverkusen and only played 11 games, scoring twice but he blossomed last year with Girondins Bordeaux in French Ligue 1, scoring 22 goals in 36 games. He could have been a depth forward for us but we have some irons in the fire, so to speak, on a couple of potential stars so Scolari was expendable.
Pitch Perfect
-- As usual, we have our pitch relayed before the start of the season and the playing surface is now in perfect condition.