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Training Camp Begins
-- The players return from their vacation and there are two players who come back woefully out of shape. ST Neil Evans is a graduate of our U18 program and will, at best, stick around on our reserves team. No big deal there. However, also showing up “not ready for the big kick off” and “needing to continue training hard and get some matches under his belt” is Jose, one of our top midfielders. Inexcusable! I have chats with both players to indicate that their lack of professionalism isn’t acceptable.
-- In our team meeting, my coaches give me the low-down on where we stand in relation to other teams in the league. We continue to make major strides everywhere:
Aggression - Low
Concentration - Highest in the League (same as last year)
Flair - Highest in the League (High last year)
First Touch - Good (same as last year)
Height - Good, among the tallest squads in the league (Same as last year)
Speed - Highest in the league (same as last year)
Passing - Good (same as last year)
Strength - Good
Fitness - Best in the League (FIFTH year in a row)
Technique - Good (same as last year)
Age - Youngest team in the League (We've been the youngest squad all eight years in the Premier League)
Player Released
-- We release 22 year old fullback Carlos Guzman on a free. Guzman came to Dover back in 2021 on a £2.1 million deal with Lanus and spent a year with our U18 squad before getting promoted to the senior team the next year. He was always a second or third choice player, mostly behind Renato Gaucho but he always played well when called upon. In four years with our club, he suited up in 25 games, starting 12 of them, scoring one goal and adding one assist. I wanted to keep him here as depth but we couldn’t get a work permit arranged and in the end, despite wanting to stay, I wouldn’t have been able to get him into a match so it’s best to let him move on. We wish him the best and now I’ll be on the lookout for a cheap left fullback for our reserves.
U18 Transfer IN
-- We continue to add to our U18 roster, bringing in fullback Lorenzo Raimondi (0.5/1.5), ML Cheikh Gueye (0.5/1.5), MR Giuseppe Forti (0.5/2.0) and GK Jordan Tandy (0.5/2.0).
Transfer Offer
-- Unsolicited, we get two competing offers for 20 year old third string goalkeeper Steven Potter, a 1.0/2.5 talent. He’s playing for England’s U21 club but will never make an impact with our first team so I negotiate the offers to build in some clause money. We also get offers on marginal talents Steve Reed, a fullback and Marcel Quade a midfielder. Both were sent out on loan last year and won’t be a part of my plans going forward so hopefully, they accept a move!
Pitch Perfect
-- As usual, we have our pitch relayed before the start of the season and the playing surface is now in perfect condition.
Clause Money IN
-- We’ve been given multiple chances to accept a buyout on a sell-on clause for former midfielder Rafael Ramirez but I’ve resisted, as Ramirez has great talent and I thought he’d be worth more than what was offered. In the end, I was right, as he is sold for almost £10 million and we pick up a full 20% of that over the course of the next 24 months. Easy money!
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