samd577

Loyalty. Thats all you can call it. sheer loyalty.

While the rest of Romania was on winter break, there was one team still turning out for training four days a week. Prefabricate '05 Modelu. Sam's side braved the weather and realatively poor facilities in order to keep on top form coming into the second half of the season.

Prefab are 14th, one place above relegation. It sounds pretty dismal, but Draisey's side have been consistantly in that spot since he took over. only difference is, now there is only a two point gap between them and the team above. thats not bad for a team predicted to finish bottom of the pile.

Sam Draisey moves to his office after training. The small room looks a lot like the office of Bob Hoskin's character in 'Who framed Roger Rabbit'. Its messy, dark and everything is made of wood! And now its time to contemplate the impossible. How do you attract players to a club fighting against relegation in the second tier of Romanian football. He calls in his assistant....

The conversation that ensued resulted in the following. The assisstant manager would create a constantly updated list of players he felt would be interested in joining the club. After a few days, Draisey announced his first two signings. Veteran full back/midfielder Damian Galeja, a thirty year old Pole signed to take the pressure off the two current full backs, who are 16 and 17 respectively, and Robert Ilyes, a 33 year old creative centre or right midfielder. When commenting on the signings to the local newspaper, Draisey said the following.

'I have no doubt that if we keep this current squad, with the talent we have in the ranks, in four or five seasons this club will be a force in this division. But untill then, i have made some signings of more experienced players i hope will help ease the youngsters pressure both on and off the pitch.'

Draisey later unveiled the signing of 21 year old Slovenian forward Rok Grkinic on a free transfer. This signing was said to underpin Draisey's optimism for the future of Prefab.

And so, with the first game in more than four months dawning next week, how will Draisey's team fare? Will the new signings gel quick enough to help them escape relegation? Will some of his youngsters blossom into the talents they could become? and if they do, will he be able to keep them? only time will tell.