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May 17, 2005

Deportivo La Camena CF Season 5 Review

Double Cup Glory For Young Camena Squad While Domestic League Championship Continues to Elude; Changes Expected

As he surveyed the remains of a half-empty training room at the Sorry Perhaps(tm) 153 Center the day after the final game of Deportivo La Camena CF's fifth season, a 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund that clinched a second-place finish for Camena in the League D Championship, veteran midfielder Park Ji "Parkie" Sung, 27, had a look on his face that -- if not quite smug -- was certainly very satisfied. "If you had asked anyone before the season if they thought we had a chance to win two trophies this year, playing on Level 6, they would have laughed at you," he explained, shaking his head, "I guess we surprised some people."

Indeed, given the vast investments in younger players made by club technical director Rob Freewer in last summer's close season -- over 30,000 points -- many expected this to be something of a rebuilding year for Camena. And although the club began the year with a mostly veteran lineup, highlighted by high-profile signings like Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho, by mid-season a cadre of younger players had infiltrated the starting lineup and proved very difficult for Camena's erstwhile starters to displace.

"It is remarkable the contribution that the younger players have made. We expected some production from Franco [Zola] and maybe Youri [Djorkaeff], but to see a Eusebio blossom so quickly was a shock," said Park.

To observe that Zola, Djorkaeff, and Eusebio (ages 19, 20, and 18, respectively) were effective during Camena's run to victories in the Division 1 Cup and WEFA Championships is something of an understatement. As the season wore on and some of the older legs on the team began to wear down, it was these young players, along with Les Ferdinand, George Besti, Paolo Maldini, and Hristo "California" Stoichlov who were able to deliver results in an increasingly crowded fixture schedule. That these young players scored five of the six goals (two each for Eusebio and Ferdinand, and one for Zola) in the 6-0 WEFA Championship final drubbing of Real Madrid is a testament to their emergence as the nucleus of a team that should be strong for seasons to come. Remarkably, the play of these youngsters has rendered 22-year-old Wayne Rooney -- arguably the club's best player over the final third of the season -- something of an Old Man on the team, and has left Freewer with some tough personnel decisions for this close season.

Though Freewer has been reluctant to make any public statements about his off-season plans, sources close to the team expect some major changes. Given the club's current wage bill (a whopping 25,782), and the size of the roster, it seems extremely unlikely that the club will hold on to a number of veteran players. Among those almost certain to go are strikers Kuranyi and Charisteas and midfielders Lee Chun Soo and Cha Du Ri. Yet there have also been rumors that the team is looking to sell highly valued stars like Thierry Henry, 30, and Adriano (the leader scorer and assist man in the D1 Cup), 26, as well as prized goalkeeper Peter Cech, 24.

That the club can even consider selling off such proven veteran producers is a testament to the development efforts of the club's ace Head Coach Jon LaPadua. LaPadua's offseason program undeniably accelerated the development of the younger players -- and paid huge dividends for the club as the season progressed. LaPadua, along with assistant coaches Calbert A. Quickvipa and Rich Supla, built a team that was able to use its athleticism and technical skill to more than make up for its gaps in experience.

Though the team played mostly in a 4-4-2 alignment, it was willing to change formations and tactics as necessary. In an interview last week, LaPadua hinted that the team might look to experiment even more in the coming season. "Yes, it is true we have had success with the 4-4-2, but with the personnel we now have and our goals for the coming season, we might have to rethink some of our plans," said LaPadua. "This team thrives on scoring goals, and we need to be flexible."

Camena will now be able to enjoy a reputation as Cup specialists, after this season's Cup double and a victory in the previous season's WEFA Masters Cup. Unfortunately, their success in the Cup competitions has perhaps overshadowed their continued frustration in the League. The team finished a best-ever second in the table this season with 59 points (18-5-7), but were a full 13 points behind League Champions Bayer Leverkusen (72 points, 23-3-4). Leverkusen, behind infuriating young striker Landon "Landycakes" Donovan, seem to be the team to beat, and there is no doubt that the Camena - Leverkusen fixtures this coming season will be charged affairs.

Deportivo La Camena also failed to secure any of the individual player honors in the League, but many close to the club have tipped young Gianfranco Zola as perhaps the team's best candidate for Player of the Year honors. "Certainly Rooney was outstanding for Camena this past season, and Eusebio showed flashes of potential, like that chip [Eusebio chipped the keeper against AC Milan in the WEFA semis to clinch a spot in the WEFA Championships final], but clearly the engine that makes this team run is Zola," explained an unnamed source. "The other players respect him, his fitness is strong, and he's not even close to the prime of his career yet."

Given the club's recent success, few have been shocked by the club's ambitions off the field. With 82,583 sitting in the club's coffers, the club's supporters are keen for the team to be active in the transfer market. But more than that, Camena are eager to establish the club as a leading global sports brand. On the recommendation of head coach LaPadua, the team will embark on a pre-season tour of Australia and the Pacific Rim. Camena have secured a new equipment sponsor and will debut redesigned kits for the coming season, though Sorry Perhaps plc is expected to continue as official team sponsor. Club Marketing Director Abigail Q. Cleveruba is committed to maintaining the club's traditions while embracing a new generation of marketing and sponsorship opportunities -- opportunities that could power the club for years to come.

In the meantime, Deportivo La Camena CF are settling into their off-season training regimen and focusing on the season ahead. "We have had success, yes, but there is much left to accomplish," said coach LaPadua, "We still have some tricks up our sleeve, and we look forward to taking another run at the domestic title."

If you'd like to know more about Deportivo La Camena CF, be sure to check out The Official Winning Eleven Nation or just stop by the apartment. If you'd like to learn more about actual FC Camena, you'll need to talk to these guys.

Posted by thatkid at May 17, 2005 5:49 PM under ThatKid

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