Journey

CROYFORD FC

 

 

The English football league system is very competitive. Premier League, British Championship, League One, and League Two are the competition for professional teams. The National League, Nasional League South and North, and then Isthmian League. This is where most amateurs teams compete where Croydon FC currently is.

Croydon has not been established for a long time. It is only a recent team with a few decades old. As they are competing in the eighth tier of EFL, the Isthmian League, most players in the division mainly have part-time contracts. Not all players in a team are contracted but mostly the resident around the area are the players who can spend their time with their local friends. Therefore, it is hard to organize players who are not contracted to the club to train during weekdays.

Daniel’s idea is to change the current situation like Croydon FC. The team strength should be improved. It is not possible to rely on market transfer as a team such as Croydon FC has no money to spend. The only way to improve the squad is through training. And with it, the team strength could be enhanced. This becomes a dilemma for Daniel.

Daniel is quite familiar with Croydon FC. This is his hometown team and he often comes to watch their game. His uncle also works for the club and not to mention his father was originally played as a left-back on the team. The management of the club also knows him as do the players on the team.

After simply having breakfast, Daniel heard a car horn outside of his house. It was his uncle Wayne along with his cousin, Joey, coming to pick him up.

« Hai Danny, Good morning Bro ! ». Joey is a tall man, towering 1.9 m at 18 years old. He has just graduated from high school this year. He was also a graduate of the Croydon FC youth echelon. He currently plays for Croydon as a part-time player. Daniel has a close relationship with his cousin because they both love football.

« Hai Joey! Have you heard the news? You should call me Boss from now on! » He said after doing a fake-punched at Joey’s shoulder. The head coach in England was called Boss by their player but in Croydon FC, as some of the players are sometimes neighbors, it is quite awkward when they do this.

Wayne laughed hearing the pair throwing banters at each other. « Haha, Danny, you will get into the rôle very quickly »

« Uncle! H..How are you today? The w…we..weather is very nice, isn’t it? » Daniel tried to stir the conversation awkwardly.

They go to the club together by car. As the club is not too far from his place, they arrive just in ten minutes.

« I thought you’d refuse this job, Danny ! ». Wayne asked trying to prob the reason why his nephew change his mind.

« Why would I refuse this job? » Daniel asked back.

« Didn’t you apply for a job at Crystal Palace? Have you got any reply from them ? »? Joey asked him.

Daniel just shook his head. The application was sent by the previous Daniel and he knows about this but it seems it’s not as easy as he imagine to get a job in a professional team. Daniel’s previous job as a coach was in an amateur team. His other experience was coaching in the youth camp therefore he has no strong resume to back him.

«It’s a good choice to join Croydon,» Wayne said, attempting to cheer up Daniel.

« I think so too Uncle! Have you told Mr. Smith I accept your proposition ? » he told him directly.

« Are you serious ?  You agreed ?». Both Wayne and Joey exclaimed.

« Why not ?! But I need a little salary Uncle! » Daniel said in a joking manner.

«  Ha, then I guess Robert won’t agree with it! Just forget about it! » Wayne laughed. Robert Smith is the current chairman of Croydon FC. Croydon FC’s income mainly comes from donations and sponsorship, which is not much.

« Then I accept it even if I don’t get any salary ! ». Daniel’s parents left him some fortune. He is not quite short of money so he concedes.

« You serious about this, are you ?! ». Only at this moment does Wayne believe that his nephew is indeed serious about his offer.

« Of course I’m serious ! But the team must be built in my way because the current squad is too loose ! Even if we are an amateur team we could still do better ! ». Daniel said convincingly.

« You are still young ! You should broaden your view, Daniel ! Don’t you understand that the team is in a stable position right now ? ». Wayne asks him while shaking his head. Looking through the rearview mirror, he could see the bewildered expression of Daniel and his son.

« Danny, we are a community team, we are not chasing the pleasure bought by the result, but most of us want the happiness football can bring us! Also, don’t you know that once we upgrade to the next league, our operating expenditure will also increase? It won’t be a small amount! Where will we get the money ?! We should stay in our current position and maintain it! »

Daniel and Joey did not know much about the team’s operation and Wayne’s statements is an eye-opener for him. He finally understood why the players did not pay much attention to their performances. They mainly want to have fun with their friend. It seems he needs to broaden his view.

They finally arrived at the club and Daniel also figured out a lot of things but since he agreed to become an interim head coach he might as well help to lead the team in their pre-season. He needs to do his best to make the pre-season as perfect it can be, after all, if the team had a perfect pre-season they can at least perform well in the league and not get relegated, right ?.

The office building of Croydon FC is connected to their home ground and there is also a youth training academy next to it, as well as a middle school, training ground, etc.

Wayne parked his car and Joey went to the training ground with his training gear.

Robert Smith is an old man in his 60s, short and chubby at his age. He knows Daniel as he often watched him training with other youth at Croydon youth academy.

« Daniel ! It’s nice to see you again son ! ». Robert said while patting Daniel’s shoulder affectionally. « Your father was one of our best players back then ! Now that you are willing to fill the head coach position even as an interim helped us a lot ! ». Robert said fearing that not getting a head coach quickly may bring the team to relegation. When that time comes, they will be a laughing stock! He indeed prefers maintaining the team standing in the league as a priority as promotion is not favorable in his eyes. But it does not mean that other teams have the same view as him. They would aim at the promotion spot and if the team doesn’t perform well they would be relegated!

«  Hello, sir! Although I’m just an interim head coach, I will give my best so that we can escape relegation ! ». Daniel said with strong determination. Although the current him has an A-level coaching badge if he does not have any experience how could he become a good coach ?! Even if he insisted to manage a team quickly, the team result would be atrocious. At present, it is a good choice to gain experience acting as a head coach on an amateur team.