Chapter 166: Mallorca’s Future Direction

After their home victory over Zaragoza, Mallorca climbed back to second place in the league with five wins and two losses, accumulating 15 points. Ahead of them was Real Betis with five wins, one draw, and one loss. Barcelona, having lost to Deportivo La Coruña in the last round, found themselves tied with Deportivo at 14 points (four wins, two draws, and one loss), ranking third and fourth. Valencia and Celta Vigo were tied for fifth with 13 points, while Real Madrid showed some signs of recovery, defeating Athletic Bilbao at home by two goals and climbing to 13th place with eight points.

It was clear that the early start to this season, combined with the late finish of the previous one, had significantly impacted the performance of La Liga's top clubs. Additionally, their commitments in the Champions League drained much of their energy, creating a peculiar cycle—Spanish clubs performed well in Europe but struggled to maintain consistency in domestic competition.

Following this match, José decided to give his players a day off. Over the past month, they had played nine matches with almost no rest. If he didn't allow them to recover, their form might deteriorate further.

José also planned to use this day to review the previous matches, identify any mistakes he had made, and assess areas where the team could improve.

This wasn't an easy task to do alone, but he had the perfect assistant for the job.

Unlike at Real Madrid, where his role was more limited, José had fully utilized Pirri's abilities, making him a true "technical director" who complemented the head coach's work. Pirri had a keen eye for talent, so José never hesitated to involve him in training sessions. His professional judgment helped cover some of José's blind spots in the finer details, and José always valued his input.

"I've assessed the five new signings pretty thoroughly," Pirri said, seemingly prepared for José's visit.

"Van Buyten is already a well-rounded player. His aerial ability is excellent, and his movement on the ground isn't slow. However, he struggles against quick and agile forwards. Given his size, it's not easy for him to react to sudden bursts of speed. Coupled with Nadal's lack of pace, our defense will suffer against such opponents."

"I'm aware of that," José replied with a sigh. "And there's not much room for Van Buyten to improve—he can only gain more experience. It was obvious against Barcelona when Saviola got past him and scored. The only solution is to provide more protection in front of the box to prevent direct one-on-one situations. We have to make do with what we have. Fast and defensively solid center-backs aren't easy to find."

It was a frustrating situation. Sometimes, José paired Gamarra with Van Buyten since Gamarra had more speed, but that came with its own risks—he was vulnerable to balls played behind him. Unfortunately, defenders who were both quick and defensively reliable were either extremely rare or extremely expensive. Stam, Nesta—players of that caliber were far beyond Mallorca's budget.

Pirri nodded. He simply wanted to remind José of the issue, but he never interfered in tactical matters. That was the coach's responsibility, and no manager liked others meddling with their tactical setup. Even during his time at Real Madrid, Pirri never overstepped that boundary, and he wasn't about to do so at Mallorca either.

"Rufete is in a similar situation to Van Buyten—his skills are already well-developed and stable. He isn't particularly fast on the wing, but his passing and ball control are solid, making him a valuable addition to the midfield. He won't deliver any surprises, but in the right system, he can be very effective."

José nodded in agreement. His assessment of Rufete aligned with Pirri's. In fact, Rufete's role overlapped somewhat with Novo's—they were both classic Spanish midfielders. However, Rufete was more experienced, making him the clear starter, while Novo remained a substitute. The only concern was whether Novo would become discontent with his limited playing time. Unlike Campano, who had come up through the ranks with him but was content with a supporting role, Novo was far more ambitious.

There wasn't much to say about the regular starters—they had played enough games for their abilities to be well understood. But José was particularly interested in Pirri's thoughts on the three new substitutes, as he wanted to compare them with his own evaluations.

Pirri didn't disappoint him.

"Pablo García—an aggressive defensive midfielder with a strong work rate and tough tackling. He has a tendency to collect too many cards, but since we're using him as a backup, that's not a major issue. His style doesn't perfectly align with our midfield's current approach, but there are situations where using him makes sense."

"He's not like Makelele," Pirri continued. "Makelele is a pure defensive midfielder, but his technique is solid enough that he can distribute the ball well after winning possession. García, on the other hand, lacks that ability."

Then, Pirri smirked at José. "You know, I'm starting to think I'll lose that bet. Makelele really is crucial to Real Madrid."

José laughed. He was pleased to see that Pirri had moved on from his past with Real Madrid. When he first left, he had refused to watch their matches, a clear sign that he hadn't emotionally detached. But now, he was analyzing their squad objectively, which meant he had been watching them again. This was proof that he had finally let go of his old burdens.

He might still be a die-hard Madridista, but working for Mallorca—and even competing against Madrid—would no longer trouble him. That was a huge relief for José.

"As for Klasnić, he's not as fast as Eto'o, nor as technically skilled as Luque, but he's more well-rounded than both. He's an ideal impact substitute who can change the game when needed. His skill set is already established, but he has room to improve. Given the right opportunities, he will only get better."

Pirri took a deep breath and then looked at José.

José grinned—he knew it was time to discuss Drogba.

"Drogba…" Pirri sighed and then chuckled at José's smug expression. "Alright, I admit I underestimated him. His finishing is still raw, but his improvement over the past month has been incredible. If he continues at this rate, he could surpass Luque. His physical attributes are already superior, and if he can refine his finishing, he might even reach Eto'o's level."

This change in opinion was significant. When Pirri first watched Drogba's game footage, he had his doubts. But after observing him closely in training, he realized he had underestimated both Drogba's athleticism and his rate of improvement.

"Still," Pirri added, "he's not ready yet. His finishing has improved, but it's still mediocre. This is a fundamental skill—he needs time to develop it properly through training rather than being thrown into matches prematurely. If he keeps missing chances, it could hurt his confidence. Using him as a target man just for his physicality would be a waste."

José nodded. "Exactly. That's why I haven't given him playing time yet. Fortunately, he seems to understand my reasoning and hasn't shown any frustration. I plan to have him train more with Roa—this will also help Roa gradually adjust to the training intensity."

Pirri smiled. "That's your call."

José shrugged. "Drogba's real impact will come in the second half of the season. By then, he'll be a major boost to our squad. And even if he's still not fully ready, that's fine—he's a long-term investment, just like Eto'o."

Pirri's expression turned serious. "Mallorca has a lot of talented players right now. My real concern is whether we can keep them."

José chuckled. "That's out of our hands. We can try to keep them, but if a big club offers a massive transfer fee, we won't stand in their way. As long as we keep bringing in fresh talent, Mallorca can sustain itself."

Pirri nodded. "In that case, José, I have a request."

José paused, then immediately responded, "Whatever it is, you've got it."

"I want control over youth signings. I plan to scout nationwide and bring in promising young players to strengthen our academy."