Chapter 14: Southampton U-23

On 1 January 2012, the English Premier League winter transfer window officially opened. The Premier League is always the first league to open the winter transfer window than any other league.

The winter transfer window is always quieter than the summer transfer window. However, most clubs didn't want to let their players go mid-season. Because it can destabilize the club, especially if the player who leaves in the winter window is an important player.

Belliand's transfer to Everton was the result of a series of transfers made by big clubs. This started because Chelsea striker Oliver Gerrard refused to extend his contract with Chelsea after he confirmed his desire to move to Real Madrid. Gerrard's contract with Chelsea expires in the summer transfer window.

Chelsea, who do not want Gerrard to leave on a free transfer, were forced to sell Gerrard in the transfer window this winter after Gerrard refused a contract extension proposed by Chelsea.

The departure of Gerrard made a big hole in the front line. Moreover, Gerrard's replacement is Samuel Ridge, who is often injured. For that, Chelsea needs a new striker. Then, their eyes fell on Everton striker Dusan Removic, the Croatian striker who scored 21 goals last season. This season, the Croatian striker also managed to collect 11 goals.

In the summer, Everton could still keep Dusan from being chased by giant clubs but Chelsea, who desperately needed Dusan, immediately offered the Croatian striker 80 million euros. In front of that much money, Everton could not refuse. Moreover, Dusan also really wanted to move because his salary at Everton was very low compared to the salary offered by Chelsea.

After losing Dusan, Everton bought Belliand from Southampton, who has played well this season.

Dusan Removic became the king of player transfers in the transfer window of the season with 80 million euros. Followed by Oliver Gerrard who left Real Madrid with 60 million euros.

This transfer situation is normal in football. When big clubs (Chelsea) buy players, the club that releases players (Everton) will also buy more players from smaller clubs (Southampton).

At first glance, this transfer might not have anything to do with Kazuki, but think about it, if Southampton didn't lose Belliand, Southampton wouldn't be too interested in Kazuki. Kazuki felt he should thank Real Madrid for chasing Oliver Gerrard from Chelsea.

***

On 10 January 2012, Kazuki went to Hampshire where Southampton's base is located. He went there accompanied by his new driver brought by Furochi. This car was also lent by Furochi for Kazuki's daily needs.

Kazuki would not immediately join the Southampton first team. He must first prove himself in the Southampton reserve team or Southampton u-23. Kazuki was confident in his abilities. He believed it wouldn't take him too long to be called up by the first team.

Premier League 2 or also known as the U-23 Premier League, is a competition between reserve teams or B teams that is held to train young players to adapt to senior-level competitions. You could say this league is a place of transition between academy players and professional players. With this league, academy graduates will be easier to adapt to senior competitions.

Another thing that distinguishes Premier League 2 from Premier League Academy is that in Premier League 2 clubs are allowed to play 3 players over the age of 23 and a goalkeeper over the age of 23 in a match.

In fact, it is not uncommon for star players to be relegated to premier league 2 for violating club rules or creating chaos. Of course, some old players play in premier league 2 because they can't compete in the first team.

Even though the level of the reserve league competition wasn't as strong as the premier league but Kazuki still couldn't underestimate it.

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***

The Southampton U-23 coach is a former player who is quite famous. He is the legendary player Elen Sharen. Elen is better known as a Newcastle United legend even though he made his debut at Southampton. He is now 38 years old and has coached Southampton U-23s for 1 year.

Before starting his first training at Southampton u-23, Elen introduced Kazuki to the rest of the reserve team.

The players in the backline and midfield had no problems with Kazuki's arrival, but the front line players felt the pressure as the competition would get tougher. The player who hated Kazuki the most was Theodor.

Theodor Odyssey, a 21-year-old player who is a core striker for Southampton under-23s, was initially happy with Belliand's departure, thinking that he would have the opportunity to go to the first team to strengthen the bench, but from his agent, Theodor knew Southampton had signed Kazuki over. Instead of appointing him to be a member of the main team.

That's why Theodor wanted to prove to Elen that he was greater than the Japanese teenager. The first training at the beginning of the new year is always fitness training to return to changing the body condition of the players who have just vacationed back into being competitive.

Theodor looks very excited at every training session. Every time he glanced at Kazuki and showed an arrogant face. Initially, Kazuki chose to ignore Theodor but Theodor's attitude that constantly provoked him irritated Kazuki.

In the running session around the field, Theodor was at the forefront. Kazuki accelerated his running to keep up with Theodor.

"You're challenging me, Japanese boy?" with those words Theodor quickened his pace. However, Kazuki also did the same. Eventually, the round-the-field session turned into a running race between Kazuki and Theodor.

Elen's assistant whispered, "Should we stop them? They didn't carry out the orders you gave properly."

Elen smiled lightly, "Leave it alone, of course, if they run out of steam and can't continue training, then we will punish them."

Elen who is a former player is quite loose in matters of punishing players.

Finally after several fitness training sessions. Southampton U-23s undergo sparring match. This sparring match was the first time for Elen to see Kazuki's game directly.

Theodor still wanted to compete with Kazuki. To help the rivalry between the two, Elen divided the Southampton team into two fairly balanced teams with Kazuki and Theodor as captains of their respective teams.

The advantage should have belonged to Theodor because after all the Southampton under-23 players were more familiar with Theodor's style of play than Kazuki who had just joined the team.

But in reality, Kazuki's team won with a score of 3-0. Kazuki not only scored 2 goals he also provided an assist to his friend. If it wasn't for Kazuki's friends not being able to catch the chance that Kazuki created maybe the score would have been more than 3-0.

In terms of defending, Kazuki had also repeatedly cut off the opponent's attacks.. Most importantly, of course, this was because team defender Theodor didn't guard Kazuki so tightly that Kazuki was able to exploit the spaces and gaps created in the opponent's defense.

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