Well its been a topsy-turvy first week in Holland.I've been at the club for 4 days, and I've already caused more controversy than this club has ever seen. After my shock appointment, I've been settling in to the Dutch Lifestyle. I'm even going to Night School to learn Dutch and keep up with all my other studies. But now, back to the club. The first day I came, I saw that the coaching system is pretty crap. Im gonna be open about it, some of the players are crap too. So is my assistant. This is the AP ERA of Cambuur, and I was going to make changes.
First, I fired a lot of the coaching staff. Silly as it might sound, but when they're not helping, whats the point of keeping them. Out went Alfons Arts my Assistant Manager and along with him two coaches - Roelof Pol and Jelle van Zurk. Then I noticed we had
3 physios. WTF? Bye-Bye to the two crap ones. I got a new assistant, Harry van der Laan, from Dordrecht and a couple of coaches on frees - Michel Paauwe and Rick Butcher. Unfortunately, the Board wont let me get any more coaches - so we've got 3 of them, as well as a GK coach, and no fitness coach. Oh well, we'll survive...
And now on to the players. My first signing, though I already regret it, is Seyfo Soley on a free. Here's a bit from the press conference.
Seyfo Soley - SC Cambuur's new Defensive Midfielder Reporter: What do you see in Seyfo that makes him a good player for Cambuur? Ap: He's strong, his defending is amazing too, he'll make a great defensive midfielder and give us cover in central defence as well R: And Seyfo, why did you join Cambuur? SS: Its a club on the rise, I can see that, and I want to be part of it. R: What do you think of the competition between yourself and Jelmer [Mullender]? SS: Well you can never have a team without competition and I think its only going to make me a better player. Hopefully we can learn from each other and make Cambuur a better team R: And Mr. Rao, what about the talk about you signing Nenogmashe? Another defensive midfielder is surely too much? Ap: Of course not, he is a top player just like Seyfo and Jelmer and all three players can play in different positions. And as he jsut said, competition only brings out the best in people. R: Thank you
Fresh with this new signing, I went into a match against Selaing, a Belgian lower division team. Touted as comfortable favourites, we played terribly. Even though we passed the ball well we defended badly and all we could muster was a 2-2 draw. Soley was okay, but he could get better. Jurrick Juliana (goalscorer) and Dijkhuizen played well enough, and Henk van Steeg got a goal, but the defending was crap. After the game I talked to the boys in the changing room, asserting all the authority a 14-year-old could do to a bunch of pros, and told them that they have to pick it up. I made sure my new assistant told them the same thing. Dunno if it worked though... But I knew some things had to get fixed, and we had to do it now.
And things were changed. We made a double signing yesterday. The defending was mended, atleast partially, by Alo Barengrub, a Norwegian Centre-Back from Bodo/Glimt who I signed for 28k. I also signed another defensive midfielder, one who could pass the ball and keep it, not to mention make sure nobody takes it from him. This was Nengomashe, a Zimbabwean DM who played for the Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa. We spent 75k for him, but he seemed a good guy to buy.
Nengomashe and Alo Barengrub
But now I have to go, its the unveiling of our two new stars. And just as a hint, the buying isnt done yet...
