We can be satisfied with the first part of the season. During the summer, the club lost several highly skilled players, whom we had to replace while also improving the team from last spring to meet our goals. Considering that for a long time we didn’t know which league we would be playing in, we were somewhat behind the competition in terms of recruitment. We were building the team throughout the summer; some players joined us only at the end of the preseason, and others even during the championship. Many of them were not in optimal physical condition, which was evident during certain periods of the season. Additionally, we faced injuries, which left us weakened for some important matches.
It’s also important to understand that it takes time for players to connect and develop team cohesion. We are very pleased with the form the team showed at the end of the autumn part of the season. For us, it would have been ideal if there were no winter break at all. At the beginning of the season, we set the goal of staying close to the top of the standings by winter. Besides aiming for results, we also focused on player development, and I believe we were successful in this regard as well. We have the second-youngest squad in the league, and the players have been improving from match to match. This progress has allowed us to finish the first part of the season so successfully.
The upcoming winter preparations and transfer window should be somewhat easier, as the core of the team is already in place. Nevertheless, we recognize the need to add more quality and experience to the squad because the competition is not standing still either. I believe it’s been a long time since the circle of teams competing for the top spots in the 2nd SNL has been so wide and of such high quality. In March, we face very important matches, so we need to be well-prepared from the start. Being at or near the top brings a different kind of pressure regarding results, and opponents are even more motivated. All these will be challenges in the second part of the championship that we must be ready to face.
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