| S3 e02 Transfers part 2, League Two
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As mentioned in the previous meeting, I am still looking to reinforce the squad, particularly in the goalkeeper position.
Liverpool requested confirmation of the loan for Kornel Mościur on 2 August. As I have not been able to find a suitable first-choice goalkeeper at this time, I have decided to confirm the signing. While he is not the ideal option, he was the only goalkeeper willing to join the team. Due to his below-average positioning, he will be used strictly as a backup goalkeeper.
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On the same day, we finalized the deal for 26-year-old Spanish midfielder Ramón Enríquez.
He spent most of his career at Málaga and was released by them last season due to recurring injury issues.
On paper, he looks like a solid option, and if we can keep him healthy, he can serve as a reliable backup.
He has signed a one-year contract, making this a low-risk transaction.
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Finally, on 10 August, I received confirmation from Gabriel Breeze’s agent that he agreed to sign for Dover.
He is a 23-year-old English goalkeeper who spent his entire professional career at Carlisle. He joined us as a free agent and will become our first-choice goalkeeper.
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On 12 August, we received an offer for our defender Elias Benkara.
I initially rejected the offer, but the player became unhappy and asked his agent to reopen discussions. Portsmouth returned with an improved bid of £450k, and at that point we had no real choice but to accept.
Interestingly, they also decided to send the player back to us on loan. This solution works well for the club, as we retain the player’s availability without carrying his wage cost.
On 26 August, we received an unexpected offer from Monza for Krys Foleu Tene.
They offered £145k. I am not sure why, but this was one of those deals you accept immediately. He was not going to be a regular player for us this season, so the decision was simple.
The player was sold quickly and without hesitation.
On the final day of the transfer window, we added Owen Dodgson to the squad. He has experience across several English lower-league clubs.
We needed better quality at left wing-back, and he fits the profile perfectly.
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On the same day, I decided to loan out Federico Colombo to Dog & Red.
He has not developed enough to be a regular right full-back at this level. The loan is an opportunity for him to make progress; if that does not happen, we will look to release or sell him.
He was a regular last season, so I am quite surprised that he has not shown the expected improvement.
The transfer window is now closed, so we are limited to making only one additional deal.
I will update you once there is progress with the player I am interested in. At the moment, his expectations are above our financial capacity. However, with fewer clubs now able to sign him, it is likely that those expectations will reduce.
All I will say for now is that the player is Italian Forward.
Italy has been my preferred market for recruitment this season, and for good reason.
On 31 July, we played our first match at League Two level against Barrow.
At this stage, it is still difficult to fully explain my tactical approach, as the team is undergoing an overhaul and is continuing to build cohesion. I will provide a more detailed explanation at the next meeting.
For now, the key point is that we are still using the RAF 303 formation, although I have adjusted a few positions to better suit the current players. For example, the AML is used as a Winger rather than an Inside Forward. When Kamara plays on the left side, this distinction is less important, as he has the “Cuts Inside From Both Wings” trait.
One of the two central midfielders will always play as a Defensive Midfielder, while the right-sided role will alternate between a Box-to-Box Midfielder and a Ball-Playing Playmaker, depending on the situation. This will make more sense once I explain my overall tactical approach, as I am trying to use a formation with relatively low individual player instructions, allowing me to influence the playing style mainly through the main Team Instructions Panel.
I am also using a Deep-Lying Forward instead of a Complete Forward, as Filippo Di Stefano has poor jumping reach and heading ability, so I want him to drop deeper rather than compete aerially. I currently don’t have better option for that position.
When it comes to the match itself, we won our first League Two game 3–0.
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goal highlights https://youtu.be/ecEmsH7QTR4
After the match, I was invited to a press conference.
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Reporter: Good afternoon.
Me: Good afternoon.
Reporter: Congratulations. You won your first match at this level. It seems your tactics are still working well, and teams don’t yet know how to play against you.
Me: Thank you. Yes, we are still using a similar system. We added new players to the squad, so we will need to give them time to settle and become familiar with the system.
Reporter: You have overhauled the squad again, and that usually doesn’t make much sense.
Me: Firstly, it wasn’t really up to me. Last season we had a good number of loan players who returned to their clubs, and we couldn’t afford to make permanent signings due to financial difficulties. Some of the players I signed last season performed so well that they earned transfers to bigger teams. Selling Harrison opened a lot of doors for us.
Reporter: Yes, he was a very good deal for you. You bought young players again, and it seems you managed to make it work last season. We are quite surprised that you convinced Alex Campos and London Emenalo to join your team.
Me: Yes, me too. Alex was at Barcelona and London at Chelsea, but they never really got a chance there. I assume my reputation for not being afraid to use young players could be one of the reasons.
Reporter: Your squad seems complete now.
Me: No, I'm still planning to make signing. We need a taller striker who can compete with the tall defenders in this league.
Reporter: What is going to happen with Filippo Di Stefano? He scored against Barrow and won’t be happy to hear this.
Me: This is not a problem. He is aware that he will only play there occasionally. His main position will be as an inside forward on the left wing. It’s just a tactical switch I was forced to make due to the lack of a true number nine.
Reporter: Your team won 3–0, but it’s too early to draw conclusions. We’ve heard the board expects a top-half finish this season. Can you deliver again?
Me: We’ve never played at this level before. There are many good teams with quality players. As a manager, you don’t have many choices—if there are expectations to meet, you either meet them or you have to say goodbye. I will work as hard as possible to meet them, as I’m very happy here in Dover. The fans are incredible, and I have a good relationship with the board.
Reporter: We hope you reach that level. You are a bit of fresh air in the lower leagues. Congratulations on your first win, and we’ll be watching your team closely this season as you’re making a lot of “noise.”
Me: Thanks. Have a good day to you all.
As mentioned in the previous meeting, I am still looking to reinforce the squad, particularly in the goalkeeper position.
Liverpool requested confirmation of the loan for Kornel Mościur on 2 August. As I have not been able to find a suitable first-choice goalkeeper at this time, I have decided to confirm the signing. While he is not the ideal option, he was the only goalkeeper willing to join the team. Due to his below-average positioning, he will be used strictly as a backup goalkeeper.
On the same day, we finalized the deal for 26-year-old Spanish midfielder Ramón Enríquez.
He spent most of his career at Málaga and was released by them last season due to recurring injury issues.
On paper, he looks like a solid option, and if we can keep him healthy, he can serve as a reliable backup.
He has signed a one-year contract, making this a low-risk transaction.
Finally, on 10 August, I received confirmation from Gabriel Breeze’s agent that he agreed to sign for Dover.
He is a 23-year-old English goalkeeper who spent his entire professional career at Carlisle. He joined us as a free agent and will become our first-choice goalkeeper.
On 12 August, we received an offer for our defender Elias Benkara.
I initially rejected the offer, but the player became unhappy and asked his agent to reopen discussions. Portsmouth returned with an improved bid of £450k, and at that point we had no real choice but to accept.
Interestingly, they also decided to send the player back to us on loan. This solution works well for the club, as we retain the player’s availability without carrying his wage cost.
On 26 August, we received an unexpected offer from Monza for Krys Foleu Tene.
They offered £145k. I am not sure why, but this was one of those deals you accept immediately. He was not going to be a regular player for us this season, so the decision was simple.
The player was sold quickly and without hesitation.
On the final day of the transfer window, we added Owen Dodgson to the squad. He has experience across several English lower-league clubs.
We needed better quality at left wing-back, and he fits the profile perfectly.
On the same day, I decided to loan out Federico Colombo to Dog & Red.
He has not developed enough to be a regular right full-back at this level. The loan is an opportunity for him to make progress; if that does not happen, we will look to release or sell him.
He was a regular last season, so I am quite surprised that he has not shown the expected improvement.
The transfer window is now closed, so we are limited to making only one additional deal.
I will update you once there is progress with the player I am interested in. At the moment, his expectations are above our financial capacity. However, with fewer clubs now able to sign him, it is likely that those expectations will reduce.
All I will say for now is that the player is Italian Forward.
Italy has been my preferred market for recruitment this season, and for good reason.
On 31 July, we played our first match at League Two level against Barrow.
At this stage, it is still difficult to fully explain my tactical approach, as the team is undergoing an overhaul and is continuing to build cohesion. I will provide a more detailed explanation at the next meeting.
For now, the key point is that we are still using the RAF 303 formation, although I have adjusted a few positions to better suit the current players. For example, the AML is used as a Winger rather than an Inside Forward. When Kamara plays on the left side, this distinction is less important, as he has the “Cuts Inside From Both Wings” trait.
One of the two central midfielders will always play as a Defensive Midfielder, while the right-sided role will alternate between a Box-to-Box Midfielder and a Ball-Playing Playmaker, depending on the situation. This will make more sense once I explain my overall tactical approach, as I am trying to use a formation with relatively low individual player instructions, allowing me to influence the playing style mainly through the main Team Instructions Panel.
I am also using a Deep-Lying Forward instead of a Complete Forward, as Filippo Di Stefano has poor jumping reach and heading ability, so I want him to drop deeper rather than compete aerially. I currently don’t have better option for that position.
When it comes to the match itself, we won our first League Two game 3–0.
goal highlights https://youtu.be/ecEmsH7QTR4
After the match, I was invited to a press conference.
Reporter: Good afternoon.
Me: Good afternoon.
Reporter: Congratulations. You won your first match at this level. It seems your tactics are still working well, and teams don’t yet know how to play against you.
Me: Thank you. Yes, we are still using a similar system. We added new players to the squad, so we will need to give them time to settle and become familiar with the system.
Reporter: You have overhauled the squad again, and that usually doesn’t make much sense.
Me: Firstly, it wasn’t really up to me. Last season we had a good number of loan players who returned to their clubs, and we couldn’t afford to make permanent signings due to financial difficulties. Some of the players I signed last season performed so well that they earned transfers to bigger teams. Selling Harrison opened a lot of doors for us.
Reporter: Yes, he was a very good deal for you. You bought young players again, and it seems you managed to make it work last season. We are quite surprised that you convinced Alex Campos and London Emenalo to join your team.
Me: Yes, me too. Alex was at Barcelona and London at Chelsea, but they never really got a chance there. I assume my reputation for not being afraid to use young players could be one of the reasons.
Reporter: Your squad seems complete now.
Me: No, I'm still planning to make signing. We need a taller striker who can compete with the tall defenders in this league.
Reporter: What is going to happen with Filippo Di Stefano? He scored against Barrow and won’t be happy to hear this.
Me: This is not a problem. He is aware that he will only play there occasionally. His main position will be as an inside forward on the left wing. It’s just a tactical switch I was forced to make due to the lack of a true number nine.
Reporter: Your team won 3–0, but it’s too early to draw conclusions. We’ve heard the board expects a top-half finish this season. Can you deliver again?
Me: We’ve never played at this level before. There are many good teams with quality players. As a manager, you don’t have many choices—if there are expectations to meet, you either meet them or you have to say goodbye. I will work as hard as possible to meet them, as I’m very happy here in Dover. The fans are incredible, and I have a good relationship with the board.
Reporter: We hope you reach that level. You are a bit of fresh air in the lower leagues. Congratulations on your first win, and we’ll be watching your team closely this season as you’re making a lot of “noise.”
Me: Thanks. Have a good day to you all.
