The Heroes of the Story So Far - Part 2
So, part 2 of this recap sees me address the midfield five that feature in the all time best XI.
Joel Vallei
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For all my credit in this file, this one belongs to Jurgen Klopp. On replacing me, his first signing was to bring in Vallei. I scoffed at the move, suggesting that he didn't need more midfielders. Boy, was I wrong. He was consistent for the club while I travelled Europe, and even more so when I returned.
Having started at Ajax, Joel joined Lincoln for 28.5m. This turned out to be cheap, as Vallei asserted himself as one of the best CM's in the league. When paired with Baack on my return, the two were unstoppable. The emergence of Morrison as a central midfielder along with the arrivals of Schmitt and Dietel saw Vallei drop back into the pack as he got older. His years of service saw him allowed to join Liverpool, where he currently captains the side.
Mark Morrison
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Morrison was the first real prospect to come out of the Lincoln academy in my tenure. Having spent plenty of money to fund the next stars, and having brought in Speakmann as my new Head of Youth Development, you can guess at how delighted I was that it worked.
Loan spells with Oldham, Luton, Harrogate, Portsmouth and Middlesborough followed as Mark tried to find his feet at the club. Plenty of sub appearances followed, before I suggested he try exert his influence from the centre of the pitch rather than from behind the striker. It worked on both a club and national level for him as he finally became a first eleven fixture. With vice captain roles for club and country, Morrison is now one of the most popular names in the country.
Luis Felipe
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Luis Felipe originally came to my attention in the Club World Championship. The right winger played well against us in the final for Corinthians, and after the match I sat down with the manager and thrashed out the workings of a deal. He joined that January.
Having joined, he immediately established himself as a pacy winger who could pick a pass. It wasn't til I rejoined the club that he really hit the ground running though, and his season of 15 goals and 23 assists was the highlight of his Lincoln spell. The back end of that season saw him finish runner up for the Golden Ball as well. Opportunities became slightly more limited as new players came through, and a move to Lyon followed in the January of 2039. A key part of the French team now, the Lincoln legend is thought of as one of the best South American players to grace the club.
Gerardo Rivero
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Continuing the theme, the CAM position is also filled by a South American. Rivero wasone of my bigger signings in my early Premiership days, as we tried to fight to establish ourselves. The 8.5m signing was crucial for us. He allowed us to create goals, and would chip in from set pieces as well. A key part of our first ever major trophy win in the COC in 2024, Rivero left having just being part of our first successful Champions League campaign. The tycooned Maritimo beckoned, and he would link up with the future Imps striker Eduardo Contreras. He may not have been part of the generation of Imps to win multiple major trophies, but he was just as vital to our success.
Massimo De Rosa
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From South America to the other side of the world for our last midfield entry, as the Australian De Rosa features at LW. Massimo's career started in France at PSG, but we recognised his significant talent and eventually bought him for just shy of 30m. Having left the club shortly after, De Rosa struggled under Klopp, and joined me in Marseille a year later.
The loan spell was the kickstarter for his career. I rejoined him at Lincoln the year after, and watched him flourish. Capable of playing anywhere across the midfield, he started at LW battling with Sakanoko, then Davies. However, a shift to the centre of the park often saw his best work, and before his departure to Celtic, he dominated with Vallei. LW he might be here, but CM was where he truly belonged.
And that's the midfield. Next time out, we meet the striker that fills the last spot on this team.