I Am Jose

For José, setting even a short-term goal for the team is incredibly beneficial. With a significant number of veteran players on the squad, there are clear advantages such as stability and experience. However, these same players can sometimes develop a tendency to coast along and be content with maintaining their position—it's an inevitable side effect of veteran players. To counter this, José believes it's necessary to always keep the team focused on a goal. Previously, the goal had been survival in the league, but now, having only the League Cup final as a goal is insufficient—there's a risk that players might slack off in the league matches just to secure a place in the final. This is something José cannot tolerate. He has sacrificed certain matches before, but never has he allowed his players to not give their best during a game. Strategic sacrifices and not giving effort in matches are two completely different things!

Moreover, motivating players to stay focused on matches serves a tactical purpose. Long breaks can certainly help players recover physically, but they don't help their overall form. Only by playing in matches and adapting to the rhythm of competition can players perform at their best. Even the best players, if they don't play regular matches, will struggle on the field, no matter how well they train. Take Eto'o, for example—when he was loaned to Mallorca, José gradually increased his playtime, and only then did his form improve.

So, no matter what, José needs to set a short-term goal to ensure the players maintain their form and drive. Given the difficulty of securing both survival and a place in European competition, a realistic and achievable goal would be to finish in the upper half of the table, specifically the top ten. This is a goal that requires full effort but is still within reach.

Achieving a top-ten finish would also enhance the image of Mallorca, showing that the team is ambitious and won't throw in the towel when things are tough. After all, why did Atlético Madrid's golden boy, Torres, become disillusioned and leave the club where he started? Wasn't it because Atlético, with no real pressure, practically threw the game against Barcelona, losing 6-0 just to prevent Real Madrid from winning the title? That match made Torres lose hope, and he eventually moved to Liverpool. Ambitious players can tolerate long periods without titles as long as they feel loved by the club, but when they see their team lacking ambition and playing negatively just to spite rivals, they can't stand it anymore.

Building an image of ambition doesn't happen overnight, but with consistent displays of determination, the effect will eventually be noticeable.

In the coming period, José's schedule will be relatively light—one match per week, with daily training mostly focused on recovery, and tactical training won't be as demanding. This gives José some breathing room, so aside from focusing on the first team's training, he'll often visit the B team training ground to check on two players he hasn't observed in a while...

Since becoming the interim head coach of the first team, José has rarely visited the B team's training ground. The main reason for this is simply a lack of time. While it might seem like his job is just managing the first team's matches and overseeing training, the reality is that, given the state of the first team, José has to dedicate a lot of time to it—getting to know the players, arranging lineups, dealing with Eto'o's loan situation, analyzing opponents, and setting tactics. He's often on the pitch guiding the players during training, so there's no time to watch the B team.

After José took over the first team, João Mesquida became the head coach of the B team. Both Mota and Luke understood that José wouldn't be able to pay much attention to the B team, and although they were disappointed, they knew they had to wait for an opportunity. Mota, however, was confident that José wouldn't forget about him, especially since José had given him extra training before, which made Mota feel valued.

In José's mind, Mota is no ordinary B team player—and Mota believes this too.