[NoSkillz]

Training Camp Begins

-- The players return from holiday and my assistant reports that there are no fitness concerns whatsoever, a good sign that everyone has shown up in decent condition.

-- Our backroom staff get together and go over some comparisons with other teams in our division. As usual, we don't match up very well on paper versus the majority of teams just yet:

Aggression - Lowest in league
Concentration - Poor
Flair - Low
Dribbling - Poor
First Touch - Poor
Height - Shortest Team in the league
Speed - High (!!)
Passing - Poor
Strength - Weakest Team in the league
Technique - Poor

-- It will take a bit longer before we start improving in these areas. I've always looked for speed over everything else so I'm not surprised about the good marks there. I'm consciously trying to get bigger too, especially down the middle of the field. We are also the youngest team in the league



Transfers OUT

-- We sell DR Rachid Diallo to Litex for £1.4 million. Diallo was signed on a free from Pau FC in 2018 and was sent on loan to Dag & Red that year and then to Rayo in LIGA BBVA last year. He never suited up for Dover in his two years at the club and was surplus to requirements.

-- I also sell DC/MC Shaun Halsall to Swindon for £100,000. Halsall has been with us for four seasons, joining us in 2016 after being let go from Blackburn. He played on our U18 team for a season then spent time on loan at Brentford, Colchester and West Ham. He didn't see any league action with Dover during his time with the club.



-- An offer comes in once again for our fine young MC prospect Frantisek Kroulik, this time for £7 million. I decide to stall on this - Kroulik is a huge part of my plans going forward and I felt I was in great shape at midfield with Kroulik and Andrea Rocca but one of my scouts just recently brought another young midfielder to my attention that's worth exploring. He's been labeled as a "Wonderkid" and one that may be interested in moving to Dover (that's very rare for a player of his calibre) so I'm working on that right now.



-- Renato Gaucho is interviewed by Goal.com and states that he was flattered by the interest shown from Juventus and would consider any offer they make him. I've already issued a hands off warning to all teams but this won't help matters.



Rooney to Dover?

One of my scouts points out that Manchester United released Wayne Rooney this week and that he is potentially interested in a move to Dover. Rooney is 34 years old at this point and while his trademark pace has become average, he still has plenty of skill and mental capabilities to contribute for another year or two. I offer him a contract that his agent accepts and I think I may have him but a couple days later, Rooney calls me to say he's over-ruling his agent, as he wants more money, a sell-on clause AND wants assurance he'll always be our highest paid player. I'm not willing to go as far as I need to and I walk away from a legend of the game.



-- New DC Thomas Andersen is called up to play for Denmark's U19 squad

-- Our preseason friendly against Turkish side Galatasaray will be televised

-- Our pitch gets relaid, as usual at this time of year. It is now in perfect condition.



Transfer IN

-- We may have paid more for striker Giorgos Gesios but this may qualify as our biggest signing to date. I wasn't even in the market for a central midfielder but one of my scouts pointed out that there was a "Wonderkid" that he felt was attainable if we were willing to spend the money. I started talks with Manchester City manager Carlo Ancelotti, who guided City to the treble last year and after some back and forth, I was able to come to an agreement with him. It took some doing and a lot of money but in the end, I was able to come to a contract agreement with the player as well…

Welcome 20 year old Neil Cairney to Dover! I paid £12,750,000 for the rights to this incredible prospect and will be paying him a salary of £39,000 per week as well, easily the highest on the club but now matched by Giorgos Gesios, who I stupidly gave the "match highest earner clause". Anyway, back to Cairney!

He is Scottish and started with Celtic in 2017-18, actually playing 11 games in the Scotish Premier League that season. He was scooped up by Man City for £3.3 million the next season and played on loan at Middlesbrough in the Premier League in 2018-19 (29apps 4g 5a 7.04 avg) and at Stuttgart in Germany (30apps 2g 4a 7.30 avg). He looks to be a brilliant prospect - I'll soon put up a screen shot of his attributes, along with everyone else on our senior team, in an upcoming post.

As a result of this signing, I go ahead and accept a couple of deals for Frantisek Kroulik, as he'll now longer really have a spot here and it's hard to turn down £7 million pounds for someone that won't be playing much.