Cantona makes shock return to football

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Manchester United legend and former France captain Eric Cantona has made a surprise return to European football after being unveiled as the new manager of 2013/14 Eredivisie runners-up Feyenoord Rotterdam, in what marks his first managerial appointment.

Cantona said he was "very excited" to be back in the game and promised to continue the Feyenoord tradition of attacking football while introducing young players into the first team. He briefly set out his ambitions for the coming season which included winning the Eredivisie title and reaching the group stages of the Champions League.

Cantona takes over from previous manager Ronald Koeman who recently accepted an offer to manage English side Southampton. Since retiring as a player in 1997, Cantona has mainly focused on a career in screen acting alongside managing the French national beach football team, and also had a brief spell at the New York Cosmos as a director.


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Club outline

The core of the first team is made up of Dutch international players past and present, with a total of 8 representatives of The Oranje.

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Regista Jordie Clasie (23) is quickly identified as the linchpin of the team, possessing superb mental and technical attributes, although the club captaincy is transferred to the vastly experienced defender Joris Mathijsen for his superior leadership.

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Playmaker Jens Toornstra (25) will surely be another automatic choice in midfield with his high teamwork and professionalism.

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Sweeper keeper Kenneth Vermeer (28) stands out as one of the league's top goalkeepers.



The youth team contains several outstanding prospects, most notably ball-playing centre back Stef Gronsveld (18) and skilful centre midfielders Jari Schuurman (17) and Shurendo Janga (16).


After much persuasion, the board have agreed to further upgrade the excellent training and youth facilities by October 2015 and have also arranged to buy the 51,177-seater De Kuip which will save the club £3m per year in stadium rent.

 

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Transfer News

A big deal currently being negotiated means the transfer budget cannot be touched, so for now the Feyenoord squad is boosted mainly by free transfers and young foreign players arriving on loan.


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Playmaker Nick Powell (20) joins from Man Utd alongside Tottenham's Irish winger Kenneth McEvoy (19) and the versatile Hamid Reza Ali Asgari (24) from Persepolis, all on temporary deals. Asgari can be signed permanently for £250k if he suitably impresses Cantona.



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In a standout deal, the 27 year old free agent Marcel de Jong signs up and immediately becomes first choice left-back. Meanwhile a £600k loan-to-buy deal is arranged with Internacional for the pacy and talented forward Eduardo Sasha (22).


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The only departures are a few youngsters on loan so transfer revenue is low, but a sell-on clause for Erasmus is cashed in, and the contract of aging goalkeeper Ronald Graafland is cancelled by mutual consent.

 

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Pre-Season Fixtures

The players initially fail to master the three new formations introduced, and some poor performances are given. Results are disappointing but the team grows more comfortable in my tactics with match experience.

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The 4-1-5 is too attacking and does not get the best from the midfield players, who make up the strongest area of the squad. This tactic is put aside after the first 4 friendly games.

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Tactic#2: A 4-4-2 Diamond brings 2 quick victories and allows for more team fluidity and a greater share of possession. The wing-backs are willing to switch to regular full-backs depending on match circumstances.

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Another boost for the club: skilful Brazilian inside forward Dentinho (25) joins from Shakhtar for £2.4m.

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