Chapter 146: The Drillmaster José

While construction on the southern part of Mallorca Island was in full swing, Mallorca's preseason training camp also kicked off.

Squad List

Goalkeepers:

#1 Leo Franco (Argentina, 23 years old)

#12 Miki (Spain, 25 years old)

Defenders:

#13 Finidi George (Nigeria, 30 years old )

#2 Alejandro Campano (Spain, 22 years old)

#20 Miguel Nadal (Spain, 35 years old)

#5 Fernando Niño (Spain, 27 years old)

#4 Carlos Gamarra (Paraguay, Non-EU, 30 years old)

#22 Daniel Van Buyten (Belgium, 23 years old)

#3 Joan Capdevila (Spain, 23 years old)

#14 Javier Olaizola (Spain, 31 years old)Midfielders:

#6 Vicente Engonga (Spain, 36 years old)

#21 Martín Márquez (Spain, 32 years old)

#16 Pablo García (Uruguay, 24 years old)

#8 Thiago Motta (Brazil, 19 years old)

#25 Francisco Soler (Spain, 31 years old)

#15 Álvaro Novo (Spain, 23 years old)

#7 Francisco Rufete (Spain, 24 years old)

#17 Kakha Kaladze (Georgia, Non-EU, 23 years old)

#10 Ronaldinho (Brazil, Non-EU, 21 years old)

Forwards:

#9 Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Non-EU, 20 years old)

#11 Albert Luque (Spain, 23 years old)

#18 Ivan Klasnić (Croatia, 21 years old)

#19 Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, 23 years old)

(Note: The 2001-2002 Mallorca first-team squad consists of 23 players—2 goalkeepers, 8 defenders, 9 midfielders, and 4 forwards. The four non-EU players are Gamarra, Kaladze, Ronaldinho, and Eto'o. However, Franco holds Italian nationality, George has a Dutch passport, García has Spanish nationality, Motta holds an Italian passport, and Drogba has French nationality, so they are not affected by the non-EU player restrictions.)

A Balanced Squad

Mallorca saw three players over 25 leave during the transfer window, while all five new signings were 25 or younger. Though the squad still contained seven players over 30, the overall age balance had improved significantly.

With La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey ahead, game time wouldn't be an issue for anyone in the squad.

The arrivals of Rufete and Van Buyten, both internationals for Spain and Belgium, excited the fans. Mallorca had never been a club known for having many internationals, but now they boasted an impressive list—Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Rufete, Van Buyten, Gamarra, and Kaladze.

Rufete was brought in as a direct replacement for Ibagaza. While he lacked Ibagaza's dribbling ability, he was a better passer and crosser. Van Buyten, meanwhile, was expected to partner Nadal in central defense. He was taller, more athletic, and just as reactive as Niño. Once he built chemistry with Nadal, his spot in the starting XI would be secure.

Among the other three signings, Pablo García was signed as a backup defensive midfielder. Though his stint in Serie A had been underwhelming, he remained a tough and capable ball-winner in La Liga. Thiago Motta had stayed fit last season, thanks in part to José carefully managing his physical development, but his history of injuries worried José. Mallorca typically played with a single defensive midfielder, but José stockpiled four dedicated players for that role—not just for tactical flexibility, but also as insurance against Motta's injury-prone nature.

Motta was the only deep-lying playmaker in the squad, but that didn't mean José was rigid with his tactics. If Motta was unavailable, he could deploy multiple hard-tackling midfielders to disrupt the opposition while relying on Ronaldinho and the attackers to create chances. His job during preseason was to ensure the squad understood and executed his tactical ideas.

A Full Season at the Helm

For the past two seasons, José had taken over midseason. Now, for the first time, he had an entire season ahead of him, and he was brimming with confidence.

Besides fitness drills, Mallorca spent most of preseason working on tactical formations. One advantage of the club's location was its favorable climate, making home-based training camps viable in the long run. Without commercial considerations, Mallorca could conduct their entire preseason at home, saving costs while allowing players to grow more accustomed to their home ground.

With great weather, the training camp progressed smoothly. The new signings, all young, integrated quickly with no issues. Drogba, despite his fiery personality, never felt out of place in a team with plenty of African and South American players. Mallorca had a history of Black players—Lauren, captain Engonga, and now Eto'o and Ronaldinho—so he had no reason to worry about discrimination.

Tactical Training

The team primarily trained in the diamond 4-4-2 formation that had become stable in the latter half of last season. However, this was no ordinary 4-4-2. Unlike traditional versions, José's system featured Motta as a deep-lying playmaker and Kaladze as a defensive enforcer—an adaptation inspired by AC Milan's future midfield setup. Motta played the Pirlo role, Kaladze took on Gattuso's dirty work, while Ronaldinho provided the attacking thrust like Kaká. The only missing piece was a Seedorf-like player.

A proven tactical system always has its merits. José's choice reflected Mallorca's squad strengths.

In addition to this primary tactic, the team also practiced a second system—Mourinho's Chelsea-style "muscle midfield." With enforcers like Kaladze, Pablo García, and Márquez, Mallorca could deploy a bruising midfield trio to disrupt opponents when Motta was unavailable. Kaladze played aggressively, García had been a notorious card magnet before moving to Serie A, and Márquez was a hardworking defensive midfielder. If organization was lacking, José would unleash relentless pressing, forcing mistakes and relying on the forwards to capitalize.

Although Mallorca lacked Chelsea's world-class wingers, they had Ronaldinho on the left, Rufete on the right, and a forward trio with unique attributes—Eto'o's speed, Drogba's power, and Klasnić's technical ability. Even the Brazilian national team's legendary 3R frontline inspired José to experiment with a similar approach. Ronaldinho, Eto'o, and Luque could form an interchangeable attacking trident.

Mentoring the Future Stars

Beyond tactics, José took great pleasure in guiding young players. Among the new signings, García, Van Buyten, and Rufete were largely finished products, but Klasnić and Drogba had significant growth potential—especially Drogba. Many believed the 23-year-old Ivorian was already at his peak, but José knew better.

Klasnić was straightforward—his strengths lay in technical ability and pace. Developing his chemistry with teammates was all he needed to become a solid striker. His trajectory was predictable.

Drogba, however, was different. He was a raw, untapped talent with limitless potential.

Handled poorly, he could fade into obscurity. Coached properly, he could become unstoppable.

"Didier, if you want to be a top striker, you need to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Maximize your strengths, minimize your weaknesses. Once you do that, no one will be able to stop you. Now, tell me—what are your strengths and weaknesses?"

Drogba blinked, then thought carefully.

"My strengths? Too many to count—my height, my good looks, my broad chest…"

José spat out his water.

"Cut the jokes, Didier." José's face darkened. Maybe it was his own youth, but Drogba didn't seem to take him very seriously.

Seeing the coach getting annoyed, Drogba quickly put on a serious face. After some thought, he answered, "I guess my biggest strength is my physicality."

"Correct. Your physique is your greatest asset—it's your weapon on the pitch. You can bulldoze defenders. But now, tell me, what's your biggest weakness?"

José studied Drogba, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

No one knew these future stars better than him. He could shape them, help them avoid pitfalls, accelerate their development. He had already refined Ronaldinho's role, improved Eto'o's finishing, made Luque more versatile, and reduced Motta's injury risks.

Now, it was Drogba's turn. José knew exactly what to do to make him even better—so good that his peak would arrive even sooner.

And this was what José loved the most—the thrill of molding future superstars.