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Thu. July 6, 2023
-- We play our annual intrasquad game between our reserves/backups and our U18 team.
Preseason Friendly
Dover 3 - 0 Dover U18
Dover Goals - Orlando Scolari (7.6), Helder Cruz (7.9), Rogelio Garcia (8.3)
Dover Assists - Steve Reed (7.2), Rogelio Garcia, Johnny Mardenborough (6.9)
Man of the Match - Rogelio Garcia
Other Notables: Mwemere Mutesa (7.1), Mohamed Lamine Yilmaz (7.0)
U18 Goals -
U18 Assists -
Other U18 Notables - Takfarinas Madani (5.6), Adam Betts (5.8), Shane Holmes (5.8), James Campbell (5.7), Jim Ryan (5.7)
-- We got a bit of a scare when new signing Rafinha got hurt and needed to come off but he’s no worse for wear after the game. As usual, this was poor football to watch, as I just played our backups in this game against our U18 club. Garcia played well and will likely open the season as our fifth striker, playing the “Wayne Rooney” role. 19 year old Mwemere Mutesa will get every chance to make our squad this year as a depth DC.
Transfer OUT
-- We get an offer we can't refuse on right midfielder Kostas Kalfas, who leaves in a £7.5 million deal with Genoa in Italy. Kalfas was picked up in 2021 from Tottenham for £5.75 million and played 20 games with our club that year, scoring 2 goals and adding an assist. Kalfas spent all of last season on loan with Sheffield Wednesday, where he scored 6 goals in 20 appearances. Kalfas didn’t have the speed I look for in a wide midfielder and despite having great mental characteristics, there simply wasn’t going to be a spot available on our team with Gianluca Bolis and Graham Allan around. We do pretty well here and now I can use this money to add to our depth elsewhere.
-- I also release eight scrubs from our weak 2023 U18 recruitment class. As usual, I cut any kids without potential and I lose close to £50,000 in severance fees.
Loans OUT
-- Striker Giorgos Gesios is heading out on season-long loan for a second consecutive year, this time heading to Hoffenheim in the German Bundesliga. I collect £2.9 million from Hoffenheim up front - I preferred selling Gesios but only Birmingham (in our league) offered to buy him outright - Gesios picked Hoffenheim over Birmingham so here we are. I still have the explosive Gesios under contract until 2025 so he will be back in Dover on July 1, 2024. The German club is picking up his entire £49,000/week salary for the duration of the loan.
-- We also send 19 year old fullback Hans Briers away to Coventry on a season-long loan spell. Briers is a 2.0 star prospect that played with our U18 squad last year and hopefully he gets some decent playing time in the Championship.
Ancelotti Retires
-- Wow! Perhaps the greatest manager in this gaming world calls it a day, as Manchester City head honcho Carlo Ancelotti retires, effective immediately. City are coming off a disastrous season where they finished outside the top four and missed Champions League qualification after winning the title four years straight. Still, Ancelotti’s record is unmatched in this gaming world and now I have the top reputation of any manager in the game. I won’t be surprised if City come calling for me now…
Contract Extension
-- We agree to a contract extension with young midfielder Emmerson Harvey. The 19 year old sees his salary increase to £12,750 per week and we have him under contract for three more years. I expect the youngster to get quite a few opportunities with the senior team this year after spending the majority of the last two seasons on our U18 club.
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