Part 89: Chapter the First: Old faces, new circumstances.

Chapter the First: Old faces, new circumstances.
July 1, 2019-August 16, 2019

Now that we're in the Premier League, we've got a lot fewer matches to play. The Premiership only has 20 teams as opposed to the lower leagues' 24, and thus we have 38 league games a year instead of 46. It means that we'll have more time between matches, and that our first match won't be until mid-August. Moreover, we'll also avoid the first round of the Capital One Cup. All that means that we'll have a full month and a half before we play a competitive match. Which is good, because the team is going to see some big changes in that time.



I'm pretty sure that Walsh was paralyzed when he fell down the stairs leaving the training facilities for the last time.



You're expensive, but I haven't seen many good fullback options on the market.



How injury prone?



Are you by any chance related to Anthony Walsh? The last thing I can afford is an expensive left back that can't stay on the field. Pass.



Since we have more time than I expected before our first match I fill out our schedule with a couple overseas excursions to test the team.




Would have liked to see more leadership from the Captain and Vice Captain here, but everyone seems on the same page.



These aren't all the contracts that end after this season. Simpson, Holland, and Peters should also be on the list.



I have to get around to giving Eden a professional deal at some point.



Jersey sales have doubled. I can't wait to renumber everyone before the start of the season to make the people who just got jerseys feel obsolete.



Peters was another youth product that would have been overwhelmed in the Premier League. We did well to get £475k for him.




He still has 2 years left on his contract, and I need every last penny to bring in new players. Djurovic is just going to have to pound sand.



If we get Vlad here it's because he decided he didn't want to play in Germany.



This here is a perfectly serviceable central midfielder that Chelsea didn't have space for because they only use the finest players and have no need of merely decent ones.

Richard Petts
Central Midfielder


Petts will be handling corner kicks whenever he's on the field. He'll be in rotation with Bailey, Shirra, and Djurovic as our non-defensive midfielders, and essentially takes over the role that Tedesco had last year. Hopefully he develops a whole bunch and Chelsea is made to regret releasing him a la Daniel Sturridge.

At Garden Village, July 2, 2019
Friendly


Time to trounce the locals in a spot of footy. We're very short on fullbacks at the moment, having sold off Garuti, Siegrist, and Peters without yet getting any of my current three targets to sign. Luckily, we have youth players who are more than capable of filling in against the likes of Garden Village.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack.
Starting 11: Higgs, Vaillant, Todd, Lewis, Mejasic, Simpson (c), Petts, Bailey, Gorman, Mujkic, Harrison.
Subs: Love, Kemp, Rush, Chapman, O'Hanlon, Troelsen, Shirra, Djurovic, Bastable, Rouissi, Pym.

There is zero to say other than that we properly crushed the locals. Mujkic led the way with four goals, and it was a good opportunity to give everyone minutes in order to get fit.

Man of the Match: Meteor Mujkic




Garden Village 0-8 Wrexham



Durand finally makes his decision after nearly a month of contemplation, and joins us. He comes at a low salary, just £3,000 a week. These days that seems like a paupers sum when two years ago it would have made him one of our highest paid players.

Mathias Durand
Left Back


Durand is ambitious. When Guingamp got relegated from Ligue 1 he forced an exit. We were the beneficiaries of his ambition, he's an adequate defender with the potential to get somewhat better. He'll be playing when I want a more defensive option than Mejasic at left back.



This guy would have made a great right winger. Sadly, he has no interest in coming to Wales.



Nor does this fullback. Don't worry, Parra, I would rather spend a year in Buenos Aires too.



Here we see a rare example of a higher division club loaning out a lower division player.

Wayne Hurst
Right Back


You might recall that I tried to buy Hurst last summer, only to have my offer of £1m rebuffed. Well, this time I realized we didn't have enough cash to buy him, but that he'd probably want to come to us on a loan over just about anywhere else. Now we have him for the next season, and while he's not quite up to Premier League level at the moment he's young enough that calibrated playing time could result in massive improvements. Then, next summer I'll have money I buy him. Or if he doesn't develop I just send him back to Huddersfield. Either way, he's a very economical right back.



I've missed you.

Stuart Mair
Defensive Midfielder


Mair was the first diamond in the rough I found, all the way back at Tackleford. They were idiots and sold him for a mere £1.3m to West Brom instead of developing him into a star themselves. Luckily, West Brom did right by Mair and he's become a very good anchor man at the age of 21. Since neither Troelsen nor Simpson are long term solutions at defensive midfield, I cracked open the transfer kitty and brought Mair back to me. You might remember that he was a weakling when he first came to Tackleford, with a Strength of 1. Check out how much he's gotten his swole on.



Holland ends his successful tenure with the club, bringing back a goodly ransom.



As Holland walks out the door, a second Dane strolls in with his luggage.

Lasse Johansen
Centerback


Johansen is our third choice centerback, replacing the departed Poole. He's got strong technical skills, with 15 in Marking, Tackling, and Positioning, but he's let down by his poor Jumping Reach and spotty attention to the game. If he can improve mentally and learn how to jump, he could be a solid starter. If he can't, he'll be forever a backup.



Vlad goes elsewhere. Probably just as well, while it would be nice to have a centerback to push Johansen down the depth chart, we still need another right back and right winger and money is starting to run short.

At Tackleford City, July 9, 2019
Scott Brown Rivalry, Friendly




Poor Tackleford. I feel so bad for them, stalling out and almost getting relegated from League One. It must be so sad for their fans and insane Cadbury heir owner.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Higgs, Hurst, Todd, Lewis, Mejasic, Mair, Petts, Shirra, Gorman, Mujkic (c), Bastable.
Subs: Love, Vaillant, Durand, Johansen, Chapman, Troelsen, Djurovic, Bailey, Rouissi, Argenti, Pym, Harrison.

Tackleford parks the bus, but not even a brick wall in front of the net could save them. Richard Petts puts us up with a wonderful long range shot after thirty minutes, and William Harrison adds one of his own in the second half. Tackleford never even look a threat, with only two shots the entire afternoon. The last three years have seen a seismic change in relative fortune between the clubs, and the Tackleford fans know exactly which end of the stick they got when they ditched me.

Man of the Match: Richard Petts




Tackleford 0-2 Wrexham



Three cheers for not having to play in a mudhole.



PSV clearly didn't check their calendar before agreeing to the friendly with us. There's no way I'll find a quality opponent at this late date for us to play.



I'm pretty sure that Wigan is going to get relegated. This sort of tumult just before the season starts is deadly for a team coming into the Premier League.



: (Incredulously) Let me get this straight. You want me to leave the club I've raised to prominence, where I'm beloved as an icon of the franchise, for another newly promoted team which just completed a very poorly timed takeover during the most important part of the close season? And you're not even offering me the job, I have to interview for it?



“Extremely capable of avoiding relegation”- well when you put it that way, what can possibly go wrong?



We're actually picked to get relegated, but I like our chances more than the oddsmakers. Everyone is expecting Crystal Palace to go down, though. 2000-1 are the worst odds in a league I can recall seeing.

At The New Saints, July 14, 2019
Friendly


Another creampuff. I feel like a SEC team in September.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Higgs, Vaillant, Johansen, Lewis, Durand, Mair, Petts, Djurovic, Gorman, Mujkic, Harrison (c).
Subs: Love, Mejasic, Hurst, Todd, Chapman, Simpson, Troelsen, Bailey, Walley, Rouissi, Pym, Bastable.

TNS put up some fight, which gives me concerns about our defense. After we nab two goals in the opening minutes they're able to halve our advantage just before the break. Harrison restores the two goal lead, but TNS still isn't done, pulling back to 3-2. We don't have any trouble winning, but the team is feeling overconfident judging by their performance on the pitch and their reaction to my blandishment that they were sloppy and would need to be better against more impressive opposition.

Man of the Match: Billy the Kid




TNS 2-4 Wrexham



With this signing I'm left with £10k a week in wages and £1.5m transfer budget to find a right wing.

Nadjim Youssouf
Right Back


He's no spring chicken, but good fullbacks are harder to find in this game than a cold American double IPA in a British pub. I had to sign him for more years than I would have liked, and he has a 15% sell on clause that'll take a chunk out of any transfer fee we get for him, but he should be able to handle the position while Hurst develops into the world class fullback that he's capable of being. Youssouf is now our first player over thirty years of age since I sold Luke Reid two summers ago.



That's... (punching in numbers on the calculator) .1% of our income from TV rights. Beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.



There were a lot of suitors for Novotny this summer, and when I originally turned down Arsenal's offer he complained. He continued being a prat even when I pointed out he wouldn't get playing time at Arsenal and should go on loan elsewhere. While I'd usually impose my will on a recalcitrant player and refuse to let them get their way, Arsenal has better facilities and coaches than we do, and Novotny will likely improve more spending the season with them than he would anywhere else. So he gets what he wants. I might be turning soft in my old age.



I'm sure no one will notice.



Confound it. I improve my offer, I don't want to get snaked by some club playing in a Mediterranean paradise.



The downside of new players and new tactics is making itself known. We're not going to be tactically proficient for a couple months.



Gorman is in the final season of his contract, and my Ass Man doesn't think he'll get any better. Nevertheless, I don't want to sell because we're already shallow at winger.



As per usual, the megabastards top the bookies list.



If we're to avoid relegation we're going to need every last bit of inspiration we can lay hands on. If the promise of filthy lucre helps the players perform better, we'll give them lots of it.



With Pym gone we've moved all the players I had marked for sale. Once we sign a right wing our business should be complete.

vs Swansea, July 20, 2019
Friendly


Swansea will provide an actual challenge, and a chance to use our defensive tactics for the first time. They're predicted to finish 7th this year, so a good performance on our part would be a sign that we can keep afloat when the season begins.

Starting Formation: 4-4-1-1 Counter
Starting 11: Higgs, Youssouf, Lewis, Todd, Durand, Djurovic, Mair, Petts, Mujkic (c), Gorman, Bastable.
Subs: Love, Mejasic, Hurst, Johansen, Vaillant, Troelsen, Simpson, Shirra, Rouissi, Bailey, Harley, Harrison.

We should have gotten a result. Richard Petts put us on top early, but we surrendered two goals on both sides of the break and went down to defeat despite playing our Welsh rivals dead even. It's a disappointment, especially given our inability to get our shots on target despite plenty of shots from inside the area.




Wrexham 1-2 Swansea



More takeover turmoil for other Premier League teams is all to the good for us.



Gorman is still desired by other clubs, but I'm going to need convincing before I sell. I'm also looking around to see who we could get to replace him.



He chose us! Yay! Sucks to be you, Mallorca, with your pristine seascapes and warm, sunny weather.



He doesn't speak English yet, so I expect he'll be hanging around Dinko Mejasic until he learns the basics.

Daniel Matko
Right Winger


Matko, like so many of my signings, is a young player who's middling in present ability but contains a world of unrealized potential. These signings are not due merely to my fetish for youth, though that's certainly a part of it. But an equally large part can be attributed to the fact that we simply cannot afford players who are older and more developed. Matko comes in for £10,500 a week and could grow to be an excellent player for us. To sign a comparable player at the same position who was a decade older would cost twice as much per week. It makes the choice to go with youth very easy, especially since those players that we outgrow will still fetch handsome transfer fees since they're still young.



Now that the team is assembled, I go through and modify everyone's squad status. We had something like a dozen “Key Players” after contract signings, which would have led to players griping about a lack of playing time. This creates a queue of griping players outside my office.




Some players respond professionally.



Some players get upset and obdurate.



And some just want to vent for a bit before accepting the change in expected playing time.

At Chester, July 26, 2019
Cross-Border Derby, Friendly


Send Chester to the Old Vaults! Rough em up good, lads!

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Love, Youssouf, Johansen, Vaillant, Hurst, Simpson (c), Petts, Bailey, Gorman, Rouissi, Harrison.
Subs: Higgs, Durand, Mejasic, Lewis, Todd, Mair, Troelsen, Djurovic, Shirra, Mujkic, Matko, Bastable.

Kais Rouissi scores, he's so good that it's hard to believe he's still only 14 years old. Lasse Johansen also scores off of a corner, and we win handily. Even so, I'd have liked to see our chances turn into more goals. I was concerned when Wayne Hurst took a bad fall and had to be removed from the match, but the physio reported no lasting injury after the game. All in all another stomping, sure to please the Wrexham faithful.

Man of the Match: Lasse Johansen




Chester 0-3 Wrexham




England can skip half their games and still make it to the World Cup. Wales, though, is going to have to be very good to qualify from that group.

At Stuttgart, July 31, 2019
Friendly


Stuttgart are a midtable Bundesliga team, yet we're favored by the sportbooks. I'm still using this as a chance to get game time with the 5-4-1 formation, and hoping we can get a result from the second good team we play during preseason.

Starting Formation: 5-4-1 Defend
Starting 11: Higgs, Youssouf, Johansen, Todd, Lewis, Durand, Matko, Petts, Shirra, Mujkic (c), Bastable.
Subs: Love, Hurst, Mejasic, Vaillant, O'Hanlon, Mair, Simpson, Bailey, Djurovic, Rouissi, Harley, Harrison.

Youssouf gets banged up twice in first half hour, and after the second time he has to come off. Our defense was good, but allowed a late goal, while we squandered four clear cut chances. On most days this would be a win or a draw, and it's frustrating to have lost both our matches this preseason against top division teams.




Stuttgart 1-0 Wrexham



Wigan made me an offer I couldn't refuse for Gorman. I found someone to fill his role on the team for much less, and his contract was up at the end of the season.



Meet the new Gorman. He's a natural on both wings, unlike Gorman, and while he earns more in wages we pocketed £1.3m in the swap.

Lewis Thompson
Winger


Thompson isn't brilliant by any means, but he possesses the speed and technical skills to be a threat on the wing. He'll see time on both sides of the field, rotating with Matko and spelling Mujkic when needed. The Ass Man says he's slightly better than Gorman, which means that we upgraded the position.



That's not a nice thing to say about an icon of Wrexham FC. Even if it's probably true at this point.



See? Renumbering all the players worked. Everyone ran out to buy new jerseys so that they'd have one with the right number.



As I mentioned in the prior update, this season we have to register our players in order for them to be eligible for Premier League matches. The maximum is 25 players, but we are well under that amount.



In fact, we barely reach the minimum 15 needed without having to register players under-21 players. We've got 6 homegrown players, meaning that our maximum squad size for over-21 players is effectively 23 (as we would have to keep two spots open for homegrown players). This will get more complicated as we develop an increasingly international squad and our players age, but for now we've got no problem fitting under the cap.



Derby's getting relegated. Shahed Parr is one of the best young wingers in the game, on par with Mujkic. He was by far and away Derby's best player, and I don't see how Derby can replace him even with £21m in new money. I had been tracking him in the hope that one day I could afford him, but that will never happen now. Man United can afford to pay him more than we'll be able to for the next half decade.

At Castell Alun, August 5, 2019
Friendly


This was intended to be our last creampuff before the season started, but since PSV canceled it won't be. The starters today are all of those senior team members who most need match fitness, with our first game in just under two weeks we need to finish knocking the rust off.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Love, Youssouf, Lewis, Vaillant, Hurst, Troelsen, Simpson, Bailey, Thompson, Rouissi, Harrison (c).
Subs: Higgs, Durand, Mejasic, Johansen, Todd, Mair, Petts, Djurovic, Shirra, Matko, Mujkic, Bastable.

We concede within the first five minutes on a shock goal by Castell Alun. It's the last good news they get all day. Harrison scores four, while brand new signing Thompson adds a brace of his own. A Castell Alun own goal is the period on a game that we thoroughly controlled after an opening stumble.

Man of the Match: Billy the Kid.




Castell Alun 1-7 Wrexham



I'll admit, after the first dozen teams were drawn I started getting antsy about who we'd be matched up against. I decided to save you the suspense and myself the time a 45 frame .gif would take to create. Crawley should be an easy win, they somehow won promotion to the Championship despite being flat out awful even for a League One team.



Our balance is over a million, so it's time to implement the final board request for the summer.



Sky Shadowing is making the most of his final term by overseeing construction personally. That's the sort of dedication to the club I hope our next chairman shares.



I'm done making changes to a team that's already full of new faces. And I'm certainly not selling my best player from last year.

At Llansantffraid, August 10, 2019
Friendly


This was supposed to be PSV Eindhoven, which would have given us a decent tune-up before the start of our season. By the time they canceled the friendly, everyone was full up for the pre-season and I was stuck having us go beat on poor little Llansantffraid to keep our match fitness up.

Starting Formation: 4-5-1 Attack
Starting 11: Love, Hurst, Todd, Vaillant, Mejasic, Troelsen, Simpson (c), Bailey, Matko, Thompson, Bastable.
Subs: Higgs, Youssouf, Durand, Johansen, Lewis, Mair, Petts, Djurovic, Shirra, Mujkic, Argenti, Harrison.

Llansantffraid briefly drew back to only a goal down, but by halftime we were up 4-1. Bastable finally had a performance worth his quality, scoring twice and adding an assist. Our players are now fully fit, and we're ready for the season to start.

Man of the Match: Rocky Bastable




Llansantffraid 1-5 Wrexham



I wish I could follow your advice, Boulding, but we're still tactically inept.



The one thing we didn't add this season was leadership. Simpson and Harrison are still by a long ways our most inspiring voices. Rather than risk discomfiting the team on the eve of the new season, they'll stay captain and vice captain, even as they both see reduced playing time.



I wish that PSV hadn't pulled out of that friendly. It would have been a nice reality check before the start of the season. The schedule isn't too painful to start, other than our first trip to Old Trafford since my first season at Wrexham we don't have any matches where we are massive underdogs. But we've had a lot of player turnover, with fully 40% of the first team new to the club. We're shallow at winger, if Mujkic gets hurt we could be in for a world of pain as we have just two other senior team players who are well suited to playing on the wings. Still, I'm pretty happy with the team makeover. We didn't bust the budget and we brought in players who are clear upgrades over the ones they're replacing. I think we're easily the most improved of the three newly promoted clubs, and I think we're probably about the 16th or 17th best club in the league on talent alone. That should mean that we avoid relegation, and if we improve over the course of the season we'll have a shot at mid-table.

ENTRIES ARE CLOSED