I Am Jose

After securing a home victory against Real Madrid, José didn't grant his players any time off. This season's schedule was extremely tight due to the upcoming World Cup. La Liga had to conclude by mid-May, and with the Champions League fixtures added, Mallorca could forget about the luxury of playing just one match per week like in previous seasons.

For José, this was a welcome challenge—more games meant more revenue. It also emphasized the need to build up stamina before the season kicked off. Although Mallorca had a young squad, endurance training was just as crucial for them.

The next match was set for a week later at Camp Nou against Real Madrid. Another week after that, on August 26th, La Liga would officially begin.

As for the Champions League, the qualification rounds were still underway, leaving Mallorca's group-stage placement uncertain. However, thanks to their solid performances in the Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Cup over the past seasons, they had accumulated a fair number of UEFA ranking points. While securing a top-seed status was out of the question, Mallorca was likely to land in either the second or third pot. They certainly wouldn't drop to the dreaded fourth-tier teams.

José wasn't particularly concerned about group-stage opponents. As a first-time Champions League contender, Mallorca had no reason to fear any matchup. The only thing to do was take each game as it came.

For now, training focused heavily on fitness and tactical drills. Against Real Madrid, José had originally intended to test a "muscle midfield" approach combined with fast counterattacks. However, what unfolded was more of a physical midfield battle with chaotic scrambles in the attacking third. This posed some issues—while Mallorca's counterattacks were sharp, they didn't yet resemble the classic fast-transition style where the ball was quickly moved through midfield, wingers exploited space, and central players received chances inside the box. Instead, their approach relied on direct balls to the forwards and short-passing combinations up front. Transitioning to a more structured counterattacking style would take time.

Beyond team-wide training, José also provided specialized guidance to several young players. Drogba worked on his finishing, Van Buyten on his footwork, and Klasnić on his positioning and off-the-ball movement—skills that could be refined through repetition. Meanwhile, Rufete had already matured in his technical attributes, while Pablo García needed to improve his ability to initiate attacks immediately after winning possession—something that could only be developed through real matches.

Fortunately, this season promised plenty of competitive fixtures, ensuring ample opportunities for growth.

José had a decent amount of cash on hand, but he was well aware that it wasn't enough to make major moves. At best, it could sustain the club's operations for a few years. Until Mallorca's local economy flourished and the club established additional revenue streams, player trading would remain essential for both strengthening the squad and ensuring financial stability—just like this summer's transfer market dealings.