Season 81 - Are you ready?

[talisman]

Day 1 - Palace Casuals pre-season summary and Cup report.

Palace Casuals start their 37th season at Level 33, fresh from their unexpected League Championship last season.

The Transfer Market at higher levels can be either a desert or a teeming metropolis, no suitable players, or some and lots of competition for them. Thus the playing squad (below, with Casuals career record) at the start of this season bears a striking resemblance to that of last season, with four additions and three departures.



The Casuals Management immediately set about improving the Squad, as suitable players became available in the market, but the first new recruit was picked straight from the Scout list, being the well-rated DMC (plus DML/DMR) that a true proponent of 4-5-1V needs.



The next purchase came from the TM (4T).



As a result, Cristian Urtazun and Samuel Guidiala departed for clubs anew.

Casuals played their Cup Preliminary Round 1st Leg at home against a Level 32 team, and the new signings were given a debut, both performing satisfactorily. The opposition put up a stiff resistance to Casuals forward thrusts, and the home side defended likewise, so it no surprise that a goal-less draw ensued.



After the match, the Management went shopping again in response to a good Negotiation offer for Mihai Campean, who was on the release list anyway. Another 9T went, and a bid was made for a similarly-rated MC, but the Management was relieved they ducked out early on that one as it went to Round 39...



With a suitable uprated replacement secured, the offer for Campean was accepted.

Having qualified for the Champions League for the first time in three seasons, the Management has had a look at the Group opposition and potential further opposition and is dismayed again to find that he is in a higher-level competition. One saving grace is that one of the Group opponents is an abandoned team.