Ex players want to return, but that window has already closed
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We are getting to the point where we don't need to sell anyone, yet as you can see we sold 6 people. Don't forget Tokic decided not to sign with us and left us on a free. Our striker that was suppose to replace him (Poroarson) was sold as well. That was after we sold Johannesson, at the start of the off-season, which a lot of people had pegged to replace Tokic if he couldn't comeback strong from his injury. Also lost our good midfielder cause of a weak (500K) transfer clause.
Now with our limit amount of players newspaper and twitter are coming up with articles of what players Sterling is going to be bringing in to strength the team. Sadly 3 of the 4 players are people who were on our team who left the club already. And two of them said they didn't want to play for our team since they wanted to play at a bigger club. So now not just am I losing all my good young people but they want me to pay millions of dollars to bring them back. Sterling just smiled at that notion.
So for starting the pre-season, which is not starting to be a tradition it seems like, is that we are selling off more people. Apparently our roster isn't short enough. Both sales are devastating, but one is probably worst than the other.
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Apparently I deleted the wrong picture (took two of the picture that is posted and decided to delete the other player and not the double of the first). So in the picture you see our best centerback on our team. He just signed a new deal last year, and there was talks of a newer contract this year, but again the stupid release clause was in and we were struck by it again. He could of signed a new deal with us for a raise of about 3K a week, but the release clause was 30K less than what we had in our previous deal. Guess that was his way of telling Sterling that Stjarnan wasn't good enough for him as we had to just sit and wait until a team would swoop in and steal him away. While it would have been nice at the end of the year it happens in pre-season. Fans were shocked about losing another young star from this team.
The second we knew would happen, but I don't think that anyone thought it would happen in pre-season. Especially when coach Sterling allowed it to happen, since there was no release clause, but Jajalo was dealt and a shy less of 100K for him. Still we got a promising young goalkeeper talent last year who is suppose to be better than Jajalo in the long run. While it would have been nice to ease him in he will have to be the man now, and how do you replace Jajalo who leads our team in shutouts for the team.
With all the people we lost for the past year and pre-season Sterling still have enough to just fill the starting XI and bench. This year is worst since we only sport two center backs (our youth team isn't very good at that position) but if someone does go down with an injury don't think Sterling wouldn't hesitate for a second to call up one of them. Still right now that is what we have. Despite our center backs and lack of players we do have depth at every other position this year. So not all is lost. Lets just hope none of our center backs get injured this year.
With those two big changes lets take alook at who will be the starters for the up-coming season:
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A name like that seems to be destine to be great at this club. At the tender age of 16 after signing a contract with our team he did appear in 9 games. Still just thrown in the fire (from Jajalo broken hand injury) he did a decent job. However he did give up 9 goals in those 9 games. More time as the starter should see that drop but we might be a couple years from that. It took Jajalo a season and a half to start posting shutouts and he was already a proven keeper, then again our track record with youth players being amazing might mean it could be the first full year (this year) that he plays.
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Last year it was Nokkvason who got the nod as an 18 year old. This year we are good with an older player in AEgisson. He does have experience in the league with 56 appearances in the last six years. He didn't get much playing time early under coach Sterling, but now will play a bigger role. While Nokkvason will still see a lot of time here since Aegisson can actually is a jack of all trades who can play MC and AMC for our team.
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So our jack of all trades player off the bench is now our other starting center back. We will live and die with our center backs since we only have two on the roster. Since Sterling is standing by his “I will not bring anyone new since they just want to use our club as a stepping stone.” this might be a very bad year if he gets injured. If he ins't very good, but your youth players are way worst than him.
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Now being our stud center back and we will need every ounce from his this year. He does have 40 league games under his belt for only be 19 years old. I hope he can last very minute cause he probably will never be pulled from a game this year.
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Sterling goes into his pool of youth players to pull him up to not only be on the senior squad but will throw him into the fire as he gets to be the starter for our squad. He has the stats and the role of defensive full back that Sterling loves for his player. Again just the second new player on the senior squad so he will have to grow up quick.
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Last year this was our weakest spots. Now it turns out in one year to be our strongest. Valgeirsson got 10 league games last year at this spot (16 total in his career), and again his stamina will depend on how many games he will play. Still we have a couple of people to play this spot, but the games he played last year was amazing to help push our attack players up higher since he stays back more and is a force against our league opponents.
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Got the most starts in his career last year with 12. He does have a glaring weakness (stamina) so when there is two games in a week he usually sits out one. Still he has grown into our best midfielder (last year it was hands down Hauksson) on paper and hopefully that will continue with all the playing time he is going to get.
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50 league games (34 at DM) with all 16 games at midfielder coming last year. Was very good for us and looks to be a staple now at midfield. Still is one of the last people to carry a release clause, but his is 2.5M and his value is only 110K so I don't see a lot of people grabbing him up. He has been consistently getting offers but the max is 1 million. Again can play DM, but did so well last year he looks to stay up more often.
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Played in 19 games last season and set our assist mark for the season. Still not a true AMC, but he is very good. Teams are finally getting wind of just how good he is especially with all the games he plays in without fatigue so now the race is on to keep him. Still we have a couple people now to cover who are actually AMC's but hands down he is the best of the bunch.
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After the news that Tokic was being sold he did get the call to suit up to ease his way in to see how he played with the senior squad in 10 league games. Number was mostly inflated due to the end of the year to keep Tokic fresh for Champions League. In those ten games he did score 7 times, so he gets the nod over the older players who been on the senior squad longer than he has.
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Before last year only had 13 league goals. Now up to 31 after setting records. He isn't an outstanding player on paper (at least potential ability) but with all the time and goals last season he is entrenched in the starting XI. Still only 19 he is young and plays very well. Now has played in 53 league games in four years.
BENCH
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A 20 year old striker who during the first two years on the squad found time in 18 games in league play and scored nine goals. While he didn't get a single game last year for the senior squad was cause he was out on loan to IBV and scored 3 goals in 18 league games. So he has senior games under his belt (36 in 3 years) so if we do have an injury to our striker he will be looked upon. And it seems our strikers always like to get injury.
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Oldest striker on the team at 24 (youth of this team amazes me) he has seen 47 league games although 18 came last year when he was on loan to FH while scoring 3 goals. In 2016 he was on loan to Fjaroabyggo where he had 20 appearances. For just our team he has played in 9 league games and scored 5 goals. So he can score for our team, just isn't used much. Most of the time, as with Svansson, will be in cup games and games during midweek.
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Seemed to be a stud and has played well as he has logged 35 league games in 3 years. Seen time at three different positions, and probably will see that role agin this year as well. Sadly he doesn't play centerback for us.
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What looked to be the replacement to Jajalo now becomes a backup to a youngster. Is decent, but now looks to be a life long backup. That is unless someone wants to purchase him, but with the lack of time on the pitch it might not come.
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Very efficicent as a defensive Fullback. Might be one of those players though who will have to play out of position to play center back for our team. We will have to do something with only having two true center backs on our team. Still if AEgisson falters or needs to be used at a different position we are solid at left back.
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Was a starter last year, but now experience trumps youth. He didn't progress as much as the rest of the team so right now it looks like his ceiling is here, but even if it is he is still very good for our league. He does have 32 league games so that's not to shabby for being only 19 years old.
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With injuries and flurry of matches got to play in 14 league games last year. Is a very solid MC for our team. Another 24 year old player (where did all these old timers show up from?!), but maybe we need him to play more this year with some of these DM players to cover as DC if we need it.
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The Group Stage has been drawn for the Deildabikar and right now it looks to be very favorable draws for us.We face off against only one of the top 5 teams last year in the league (Fylkir), and the only other team to stay up was Keflavik (sixth) who we didn't have trouble with when using our reserves last year. This should again be a good time to get match fitness and the youth players adjusted to our tactics.
However we will have to adjust to the new changes for Deildabikar. Normally it's just 10 matches, mostly straight wins and then move on to the league. This year changes it up since we have to play the Knockout Round of Champs League. Good thing is that our squad will be fully fit for the matches, but that means with extra games comes more pressure from our bench. Lack of centerbacks we will have to see something happen before and after those two Champ League games.