Pre-Season
A short & quite frankly disappointing pre season as we struggled to compete with sides at least a rung below what we'll be facing in the Premier Division.
There were glimpses of what we can do though & with the majority of our new arrivals coming in only days before being thrown into the fray, there is cause for hope. Maybe.
Transfers
As I eluded to earlier, our attempts to strengthen the side ahead of the new campaign proved incredibly frustrating.
The first division wage cap was the first obstacle with a number of potential targets being snapped up before the club was afforded the opportunity to offer them a reasonable wage. A problem that was later compounded by our remaining targets refusal to enter negotiations or outrageous demands that at times resembled extorsion.
These factors, combined with the clubs reputation still resembling that of mid table first division club, meant we were unable to attract the quality of player that I had previously hoped too.
Still, we did what we could to improve the side with 6 players departing as their contacts ran out (including club stalwarts such as Alexei Yuschuk & Dimitri Kortava) & a total of 8 players arriving prior to the start of the season. Lets meet them shall we?
First up is former Reading fire cracker, & Latvian international, Deniss Rakels. Deniss joins for a fee of 170K in the hope of reviving a career that stagnated a little at the championship club.
With a high work rate & a solid enough all round game, I'm hopeful he will bag us some goals from the left side of midfield.
Nice looking defender who arrives from first division club, Shinnik for a fee of 120K. Hopefully he can compliment Lebedev on the right & help out with a few assists when going forward.
Potentially our best signing of the window, 18 year old Gabon international, Mario Mandrault, looks to have a very promising future. Still quite young, he already possesses all the tools to do plenty of damage in the league & plenty of time to improve even more. A very exciting addition!
Experienced, journeyman type striker who has played in a number of European top divisions, including a stint with Lokomotiv Moscow. Only in on a short term deal to provide competition for Mandrault & perhaps even teach the kid a thing or two.
Former Middlesborough keeper, who arrives in search of more first team football. He'll be my number 1 pick between the sticks & hopefully win us a point or 2 with some big saves.
Solid looking young defender stuck in the Manchester City reserve squad. Another arriving in search of regular first team football, which hopefully will help the highly rated youngster reach his full potential. Potentially a very nice pick up on a free.
One for the future, my scouts inform me this kid could have a very bright career. Shouldn't get near the first team too often this year & may even be sent out on loan.
Very talented Lyon prospect who, quite frankly, will walk into a starting midfield role here. Extremely composed & makes great decisions for someone so young.
I don't generally like to develop talent for other sides but I'll make an exception for Christopher, a star in the making!
Odds & Expectations
Not much expected of me, attempting to avoid relegation will be enough, like I'd intentionally aim for relegation?
Good thing too. The bookies rate us as 2000 to 1 outsiders, I've upset the odds before though so who's to say we cant do it again!? Anything is possible, right???
July Preview
An incredibly tough opening to our first ever Premier Division campaign with trips to CSKA Moscow & Kuban, either side of our home opener against the side that could well have been my employers, Spartak Moscow.
To be honest, I think snatching a point from somewhere & not getting blown out everywhere else would be a decent start. Sounds reasonable enough doesn't it?