Nearly seven months on from his unceremonious exit from Manchester United , David Moyes has found gainful employment once again...
Exclusive: How Real Sociedad Convinced David Moyes to Become Their New Manager
Nov 10, 2014
As we all now know, David Moyes is the new Real Sociedad manager. Having broken the story on my Twitter feed, here are the details on how the deal unfolded.
Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay and Moyes have been in negotiations for 10 days about the position. Moyes favoured a short-term deal, but Real Sociedad were initially pushing for three or four years.
Real Sociedad then used the tactic of mentioning other names—Pepe Mel and Quique Sanchez Flores in particular—in the hope it would push Moyes into making a decision.
Mel has been waiting and waiting for an answer from Real Sociedad, but he realised Monday night that Moyes was the chosen one.
The delay in confirming Moyes was not about money. It wasn't about the workings of the team either. It was simply about ironing out little details.
Moyes was trying to make sure everything was in place. My sense is he was weighing up whether he should move from Manchester United to Real Sociedad. He made the decision that it was a good move.
He has nothing to lose. Moyes should be targeting a top-10 finish in La Liga, which is certainly achievable based on the squad at his disposal.
Last season Real Sociedad were talking about having their best squad ever, but then they sold Antoine Griezmann to Atletico Madrid.
There is still a lot of quality at the club, and Moyes fits the mould as Real Sociedad manager. He likes intensity, playing direct football with width and bringing youngsters through. That's the Real Sociedad way.
Moyes is now looking for a Spanish coach to work alongside him—somebody who can speak English, however.
There is a Britishness to Real Sociedad. John Aldridge played there, while Chris Coleman was the club's manager for a short period. And now we have Moyes.
After Real Sociedad sacked Jagoba Arrasate—a young coach without answers sometimes—they were looking for a proven manager with experience. There weren't many to choose from, and Moyes fitted the bill.
Moyes was the first choice from the outset, and he's got the job.
David Moyes Memes Dominate Twitter After He Takes Real Sociedad Job
Nov 10, 2014
MUNICH, GERMANY - APRIL 09: David Moyes, manager of Manchester United looks on during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between FC Bayern Muenchen and Manchester United at Allianz Arena on April 9, 2014 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
David Moyes' long-rumoured move to Real Sociedad finally materialised on Monday night after the Spanish club announced the Scot's arrival in San Sebastian.
Moyes' tenure was hardly a success with Manchester United. As the club experienced some unprecedented lows under the former Everton and Preston North End manager, he became a popular target for Internet pranksters.
When he was announced at Sociedad late Monday, the Internet reacted as such, bringing back some of the classics that dominated his United tenure.
The move doesn't come as much of a surprise after reports out of Spain last week revealed that Moyes had a meeting with club president Jokin Aperribay. Moyes was mulling a three-year contract offer, per The Guardian.
While not the most glamorous job, given Real Sociedad's place in the bottom half of La Liga, Moyes has a wonderful chance to rebuild his reputation. Writing for ESPN FC, Spanish football journalist Sid Lowe argued that the 51-year-old couldn't ask for a better opportunity to remove the cloud surrounding his ability after his disastrous spell at Old Trafford.
Although Real Sociedad sit very close to the relegation zone, Lowe believes that Moyes will have no problem quickly moving the club up in the table with the players at his disposal. The club's youth system also ensures that he'll have a steady flow of talent coming through the ranks.
Perhaps most importantly, Moyes won't be burdened with the kind of expectations that sunk him at Manchester United, according to Lowe:
Expectations are greater than their current position, but they have been lowered too, the pressure lessened. The margin to improve this team is gigantic; recovering some players should not be impossible. Fans' criticisms of Arrasate have been based on that: their expectations were high but not unrealistic. Now it is hard to avoid the temptation that a lot can be done with relatively little; recognition and satisfaction is within rapid reach, while sustained progression is also a realistic aim.
Back in June, Moyes spoke about his career aims as he weighed potential job offers.
"I got my real first taste of the Champions League this year and I thought I showed I can manage at that level," he said, per Daniel Taylor of The Guardian. "I would like somewhere that would give me a chance of being in the Champions League or a club that has ambitions of being in the Champions League."
While Real Sociedad don't have an illustrious European history of late, former manager Philippe Montanier did help the club qualify for the Champions League play-off following a fourth-place finish in the 2012/13 season.
However, Montanier left for Rennes, and midfielder Asier Illarramendi headed to Real Madrid. Then, after finishing seventh in 2013/14, Sociedad sold Antoine Griezmann and Claudio Bravo—two of the club's key players—during the summer. That sums up in a nutshell where La Real sit in the Spanish pecking order.
Despite Atletico Madrid helping to break the glass ceiling for clubs not named Real Madrid or Barcelona, nobody expects Real Sociedad to win a league title anytime soon. The club simply lacks the money necessary to splurge on the kind of players Atleti needed to win La Liga.
But the success La Real enjoyed under Montanier shows that European football is well within reach. As Lowe wrote, Real Sociedad are far too good to be flirting with relegation, but cracking the top four could take a few years.
Luckily for them, Moyes has plenty of experience working on a shoestring budget and elevating young players.
Real Sociedad Job Ideal Chance for David Moyes to Relaunch Career
Nov 3, 2014
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: David Moyes manager of Manchester United looks on during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park on April 20, 2014 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
A high-profile managerial casualty in La Liga is never too far away, and the latest boss to lose his job is Real Sociedad's Jagoba Arrasate.
According to Marca, La Real's woeful start to the season means that last season's seventh-placed side are looking for a new head coach, with Pepe Mel, Alejandro Sabella and David Moyes among those listed by the Spanish paper as candidates.
Outside of his comfort zone though it might be, the job at Anoeta would be a great choice for former Everton and Manchester United manager Moyes to take over, giving him an opportunity to re-establish his credentials and find a platform on which to build a successful team once more.
La Real, 14-15
Real Sociedad have been nothing short of appalling so far: just one win domestically in 10 matches, ridiculously against Real Madrid after having been 2-0 down at one point.
Since then, it has been five defeats in eight games, leaving them 19th in the table above only newly promoted Cordoba by a single point.
The summer sale of Antoine Griezmann brought in funds which were partly spent on Icelandic striker Alfred Finnbogason and midfielder Esteban Granero, but little else. An injury to the former over the summer means he is barely up to speed yet, while Granero's decline is clearly terminal.
He lacks pace, energy and any kind of impact on games at all.
EIBAR, SPAIN - AUGUST 24: Estaban Granero of Real Sociedad controls the ball during the La Liga match between SD Eibar and Real Sociedad at Ipurua Municipal Stadium on August 24, 2014 in Eibar, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was not replaced by a new signing, rather by second in command Enaut Zubikarai, a good shot-stopper but not a commanding figure. He is prone to errors of judgement.
Elsewhere, last year's stars included Carlos Vela, but the Mexican has been in rotten form this season, barely mustering up a look on his face which implies he wants to try—let alone showing the technique he is capable of.
Moyes' Traits
There are problems aplenty for the incoming manager to work on, but as Moyes showed in his time with Everton, his big strength is giving teams a structure, a way of playing—making them difficult to beat.
Organisation and defensive solidity aren't words which have been associated with Real Sociedad often this season.
They've not kept a single clean sheet during 2014-15 other than a Europa League qualifier against Krasnodar, and although they're not disastrously leaky defensively, they do look weak, disjointed and unprotected at times—especially down the flanks.
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN - JULY 31: Willo Flood of Aberdeen CF duels for the ball with Xabi Prieto of Real Sociedad during the UEFA Europa League third round qualifying first leg match between Real Sociedad and Aberdeen FC at Estadio Anoeta on July 31, 2014 i
A hard worker who expects others to give him the same, Moyes would find himself surrounded by plenty of players at Anoeta whose natural instincts are to put everything into their performances.
David Zurutuza, Xabi Prieto, Imanol Agirretxe and others are all reliable and consistent with their efforts, even if collectively they have been largely unable to procure positive results.
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN - AUGUST 31: Carlos Vela Garrido of Real Sociedad looks on during the La Liga match between Real Sociedad de Futbol and Real Madrid CF at Estadio Anoeta on August 31, 2014 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Formation-wise, La Real are 4-2-3-1 to the core over recent seasons. Whether Moyes would opt to change this would perhaps depend on how quickly he was instructed to change things around. Where could he accommodate the technical, creative qualities of Sergio Canales and Vela, or can only one play at a time?
There are problems, but there is a clutch of good players to work with, too. This squad has lost some of its top players, but that doesn't make it ready for the drop straight away.
Inigo Martinez, Carlos Martinez and even Alberto de la Bella give a base for the defence to work with, and Moyes could build from there—especially if some of the roughly €30 million they made over summer was reinvested in January.
Abroad
The last at least reasonably high-profile British coach who moved to Spain to work was probably Chris Coleman, the now-Wales manager who, back in 2007, took over briefly at...Real Sociedad.
It didn't last particularly long, but since then there have been precious few managers from the UK who have tried their luck abroad.
CARDIFF, WALES - OCTOBER 10: Wales coach Chris Coleman looks on before the EURO 2016 Qualifier match between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Cardiff City Stadium on October 10, 2014 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Moyes would have to overcome the language, of course—in the Basque speech quite possibly, at least for day-to-day wellbeing, as well as the Spanish castellano language—while the adaptation to a new league would place unfamiliar demands and stresses on him.
Crucially, though, he would be outside of the Premier League, where intense scrutiny would be on him simply because his last job was at Manchester United.
Every defeat would be proof that his career is over, every win would be a sign that United kicked him too quickly—especially while Louis van Gaal has a worse record.
At Real Sociedad, he would have room to rethink his approach, learn a new way of coaching if he so chose and hone his coaching beliefs with a talented, though vastly underperforming, group of players.
It's a big decision for a British coach to move away from the hype and coverage of the Premier League, but it might be exactly what Moyes needs next to kick-start his coaching career and show that he is still capable of sustaining some kind of success.
Scouting Report: Can Real Sociedad's Jose Angel Hurt Barcelona's Title Chances?
Feb 21, 2014
BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 05: Alexis Sanchez of FC Barcelona duels for the ball with Jose Angel Valdes of Real Sociedad during the Copa del Rey Semi-Final first leg match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at Camp Nou on February 5, 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Roma's Real Sociedad loanee, Jose Angel, could make a name for himself should he contribute to a win over Barcelona, as the Catalan club are tied with Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid on top of the La Liga standings with 60 points. Here is a scouting report on Angel, a 24-year-old Spaniard, who could have been a Barca player.
Pithy Player Profile
Since breaking out for Sporting Gijon, Angel has tenaciously battled setback after setback.
Several years ago, pre-Jordi Alba, Angel was targeted by Barcelona, though, the move never eventuated.
"There was contact with Barcelona," Angel said, per Com Radio (h/t Football Italia). "But no agreement was ever reached."
Angel signed with Roma, citing the influence of manager Luis Enrique, a former Real Madrid and Barca player.
Angel was proficient in winning back possession for Roma: 54 tackles and 55 interceptions while only conceding 19 free-kicks during the 2011-12 season.
However, he never got going from an attacking perspective: He missed 86.9 percent of his crosses.
Following the dismissal of Enrique, Angel was offloaded to Sociedad on loan and he spent his first season mainly watching Alberto De la Bella play.
This season, De la Bella started as the primary left-back, but a toe injury has enabled Angel an extended run in the first team.
Angel's Strengths
Angel possesses stamina and runs up and down the left flank until the final whistle.
In a 5-0 win over Osasuna, he surprised right-back Oier with a surging run in the 87th minute.
Oier did not cover Angel, and he provided an incisive pass to centre-forward Haris Seferovic, who scored a tap-in.
Angel is technically skilled, good on the ball and he plays a cavalier brand of football.
In a 3-0 win over Almeria, Angel turned right-back Rafita inside out before firing the ball past goalkeeper Esteban.
Five minutes earlier, Angel had raided Rafita's flank and provided a perfect cross for teammate Antoine Griezmann to head home.
When Angel is in form, he is a lethal attacking outlet from left-back and can rival Real Madrid's Marcelo in offensive potency.
League Only
Assists/Games Played
Key Passes Per Game
Dribbles Per Game
Adriano*
1/14
1.2
1.1
Filipe Luis
2/19
1.1
0.8
Jordi Alba
1/10
1.1
0.3
Jose Angel
4/14
0.9
1.6
Marcelo
6/18
1.6
1.1
* has scored 3 goals
Angel's Weaknesses
Angel is a solid ball-winner, but he often disregards the "back" in full-back, which comes from the "Dani Alves school of defending," as Michael Cox at Zonal Marking noted in 2011.
It is one thing for Angel to be playing as a quasi-wide forward against Almeria knowing he can beat right-back Rafita at will; it will be dangerous to play in such a reckless manner against Barca.
One positive for Barca is Angel has flopped big-time in important games.
He received Marca ratings ranging from a "3/10" in a 5-1 defeat to Real Madrid, a "4/10" in a 4-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid and a "4/10" in a 5-1 defeat to Villarreal:
In the 1-1 Copa del Rey draw against Barca, it was Angel's turnover, which led to Lionel Messi scoring a solo goal.
Can Angel Hurt Barca?
Griezmann, Sociedad's left attacking midfielder, has scored 14 league goals this season.
So you presume Barca manager Gerardo Martino is warning his players ad nauseam about Griezmann's tendency to score headers (35.7 percent of his league goals have come from headers) and his shooting ability (he scored against Barca in the Copa del Rey).
But who plays on the same flank as Griezmann?
Angel will throw caution to the wind and bomb forward as he looks to hurt Barca, a club he nearly signed for.
6 Most Effective Wingers in La Liga: Brilliant Bale, Dazzling Dos Santos
Jan 17, 2014
Real Madrid's Gareth Bale celebrates his goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
There's nothing quite like a wide man sprinting down the wing and taking on his full-back. In La Liga, we are fortunate to have some of the world's best, a number of which have gone on to influence their teams further by occupying a more central role.
We are all aware of the abilities of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, so both have been classed as forwards here. In order to qualify for this article, the player has to have featured in over half of their matches as an attacking wide player or winger, rather than just on the right or left of midfield. Players such as Atletico Madrid's Koke have played in a number of positions and haven't been classed as out-and-out wingers.
Antoine Griezmann, Real Sociedad
The Frenchman put his team into the Champions League group stages with a sublime acrobatic volley against boyhood club Lyon. It was a defining moment that illustrated it was going to be his season. The 22-year-old currently sits third in the Pichichi with 12 goals, including four headers.
Predominately left-footed and positioned out on the left, he prefers to cut inside to offer a goal threat rather than get to the byline and supply a cross. La Real will need to return to Europe's premier competition if they want to keep him beyond the summer.
Alexis Sanchez, Barcelona
It's been his finest season in a Barça shirt, showing the supporters why their club paid €26 million to Udinese for his services. A hat-trick against Elche and the winner in the Clasico have been the stand out occasions of the campaign for the Chilean.
His brace at Wembley gave English fans a glimpse of his potential, whilst he will be his national sides key player in Brazil. Using his pace, he roams infield and plays off the shoulder of the last defender as Lionel Messi drops into the midfield area.
He may have cost a world-record fee, but the Welsh wing wizard is already showing his worth. Despite not having a pre-season and picking up a number of ailments throughout his opening few months in the Spanish capital, he is still making his mark.
In just nine La Liga starts, he has scored seven goals and provided seven assists. As he adjusts to his new team and more importantly his team adjust to him, he will know doubt have a devastating effect.
When Dos Santos was at Tottenham, his then manager Harry Redknapp remarked: "If he could pass a nightclub as well as he can pass a ball he would be alright," via The Daily Mail. Now at 24 years old, the Mexican is keeping his dancing moves strictly for the pitch.
He was the star player in a struggling Real Mallorca last term, and his performances were rewarded with a move to Villarreal. The forward certainly has the talent to climb the football ladder once more. In 13 starts, the former Barcelona youth teamer has directly contributed to 13 goals.
Pedro, Barcelona
His breakthrough season was outstanding under Pep Guardiola, but unsurprisingly, he struggled to maintain that level. With Gerardo Martino at the helm, the Tenerife-born forward has found his shooting boots once again.
When you win the treble and the World Cup in your first full season as a professional, it's bound to be hard to find motivation. He's the clubs joint top scorer this year, and with Neymar out with an ankle injury, he will be crucial to Barcelona in the coming weeks.
Carlos Vela, Real Sociedad
The former Arsenal forward has made 2.4 key passes per game, via Who Scored. Another Mexican on the list, Vela's direct attributes make him the perfect cog in Real Sociedad's counter-attacking unit.
He has 12 goals in all competitions, just two short of a career best. Vela will be imperative to his team's push to make the top four, as he combines his clever dribbling skills with subtle assists.
Real Sociedad's Haris Seferovic Taking the Carlos Vela Career Route
Aug 7, 2013
Real Sociedad's Haris Seferovic was a bigger star than Mario Götze, Neymar, Isco and Coutinho during the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, but almost four years later, Seferovic's career is in a state of flux.
He spearheaded Switzerland's attack with five goals as they won the U-17 World Cup in what wasdescribedas "one of the biggest surprises in the history of FIFA competitions" by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
All five Swiss players nominated as an "outstanding player" by FIFA's technical study group have yet to reach the heights of Götze or Neymar—the latter didn't even receive an outstanding player nomination during the tournament.
Goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist won the Golden Glove.
Three years into his Aston Villa career, he's yet to play a Premier League game.
Left winger GranitXhaka was assured in possession, a set-piece specialist and combined brilliantly with overlapping left-back Ricardo Rodríguez.
Xhaka transitioned into a centre midfielder at senior level.
His upside prompted Borussia Mönchengladbach to invest €8.5 million, though he'sconsidering leaving the clubafter a tumultuous first season.
Central midfielder PajtimKasami had a magical left foot and was a commanding player.
Bounced around Lazio, Bellinzona and Palermo—currently on the books of Fulham.
"Kasami has got away with repetitive pressing of the self-destruct button since he was a kid, but it looks like it’s finally caught up with him," said Jeff Livingstone at In Bed With Maradona.
Deep-lying forward Nassim Ben Khalifa, a goal-scoring and creative threat, was the Silver Ball recipient.
Moved to Wolfsburg fromGrasshopper Club Zürich, where he's spent the large majority of the last three years on loan to various clubs.
The U-17 World Cup culminated with a Seferovic winner against Nigeria and two months later, he became aFiorentina player.
This was the same player who went goalless in 277 minutes of play at the 2009 Euro U-17s and wasn't a first-team starter at Grasshopper.
Seferovic represents the dangers of scouts putting too much stock into a youth tournament held over 22 days.
When he scored six times in 23 games for Fiorentina primavera, Viola management knew he wasn't going to turn into a modern day Josef Hügi.
This is why the club signed Amauri, Mounir El Hamdaoui, Santiago Silva, Luca Toni after his Emiratisojourn and aninjured Giuseppe Rossi.
Five days before Fiorentina paraded Mario Gómez in front of their fans, the club sold Seferovic to Real Sociedad for €3 million, as he hopes to salvage his career just like Carlos Vela did.
The Mexican's claim to fame was via the 2005 U-17 World Cup like Seferovic four years later.
Vela, Giovani dos Santos, Ever Guzmán and César Villaluz lit up the tournament with panache attacking play.
Vela left Guadalajara for Arsenal, a decision which hindered his career.
His loan spell to CeltaVigo was over before it started.
He had two loan stints with Salamanca and Osasuna before being finally granted an English work permit.
Injuries disrupted his 2009-10 season, limiting him to only six percent of the Gunners' Premier League campaign, meaning his chances of breaking into the first XI for the 2010-11 season were limited.
He spent the latter half of that season on loan at West Bromwich Albion as a bit-part player which shattered his dreams of making it in the Premier League.
Chris Brunt, a mainstay on the right, led the club in assists. Jerome Thomas had the left side to himself. Peter Odemwingie scored 15 times and created seven goals up front.
Sociedad only made two notable signings in preparation for the 2011-12 season, McDonald Mariga and Vela, both on loans.
Vela scored the most goals and registered the most assists leading Txuri-urdin management to turn the loan into a permanent signing.
He again led the club in La Liga goals and assists last season in a free-roaming role on the right.
Keep an eye on several of his teammates as their profiles will expand should the club make it to the Champions League group stages.
Carlos Martínez is a world-class right-back with his rumbustious ball-winning and overlapping runs.
Centre-back Iñigo Martínez, a classy defender with goal-scoring instincts, might be the next Sociedad player to garner a substantial transfer fee.
Rubén Pardo, who can spray the ball around like Óliver Torres, stands to gain the most from AsierIllarramendi joining Real Madrid.
Vela formed a lethal triumvirate alongside Xabi Prieto and Antoine Griezmann—players who'll be key toSeferovic's fight to be relevant again.
There's an opening at centre forward because Imanol Agirretxe is serviceable but not elite whilst Diego Ifrán's 19.5 shots per league goal average was disastrous.
Seferovic's hat trick against Livorno, a brace against Crotone and a Man of the Match display versus Spezia on loan at Novara last season have givenSociedad belief that he can be their No. 9—they would have signed him loan if they thought otherwise.
Will Champions League Football Be Good or Bad for Real Sociedad?
Jul 15, 2013
When Imanol Agirretxe raced through against Valencia at the end of April with Real Sociedad leading 3-2 at Anoeta, many expected him to head to the corner. That wouldn't have been in keeping with the La Real way last season, though, and instead, Agirretxe produced a sumptuous chip over Diego Alves, described by The Guardian's Sid Lowe as dropping "so slowly, so smoothly, so softly, it was like he was playing in slippers."
It didn't just seal three points. It practically assured Sociedad of their place in the coming season's Champions League—even if they did have to wait until the last day for confirmation. The nature of that win over Los Che—fast, exciting goals—has been a common occurrence for the side from San Sebastian. When they'd previously visited Valencia they won 5-2, Barcelona were beaten 3-2, Malaga 4-2 and Rayo Vallecano were smashed 4-0.
There was a lot to admire about the Basque side last year, but, presuming they make it through the Champions League qualifiers—if not they'll have the Europa League anyway—how are they likely to juggle European and domestic football?
Things haven't got off to the best start. Manager Philippe Montanier has already returned to France with Rennes—David Cartlidge details how he was never really shown any great faith by Sociedad on football-espana—to be replaced by his assistant, Jagoba Arrasate. Arrasate knows the club well, having worked in Zubieta, the club's academy, before his first-team role, but it's never easy to judge a change of management.
Asier Illarramendi's departure to Real Madrid is obviously unwanted too—despite the hefty sum received. The 23-year-old was a pivotal part of the club's style last season, shielding the back four and excelling at the fast transitions so often demonstrated between defense and attack.
What La Real do benefit from is a young squad. Ion Ansotegi, at 31, is their oldest player, followed by goalkeepers Claudio Bravo and Enaut Zubikarai, who are 30 and 29 respectively. Xabi Prieto, their captain, is 29, while Inigo Martinez and Antoine Griezmann, both 22, and Carlos Vela, 24, have all shown glimpses of star potential.
Another positive is that they don't rely on one man to score their goals. Vela top scored with 14 in the league last season, but Agirretxe (13), Griezmann (10), Prieto (nine) and Gonzalo Castro (seven) all contributed to the cause. Even defenders Martinez (four) and Alberto De la Bella (three) helped too.
Question marks will be raised over the club's ability to compete midweek in Europe, and then return to La Liga in top form the following weekend. To add depth, promising Swiss striker Haris Seferovic has already been signed, and left-back Jose Angel will spend another season on loan from Roma. Elsewhere, Barcelona's Jonathan Dos Santos is likely to link up with the club for the coming season, via football-espana.net.
Despite these signings, the quality of their depth, particularly in central defense, could potentially lead to problems if the amount of matches begins to take its toll. However, in Ruben Pardo, who is just 20 years old, they have an exciting Illarra replacement, and in Vela, Griezmann, Prieto, Castro and Agirretxe they have match-winners in abundance.
To repeat their feat of finishing in the top four will be tough, but it would have been tough whether they were in Europe or not. The riches the competition will provide their young players will be valuable for seasons to come, Sociedad will just hope that they are the ones who feel the benefit of it.
The football world is still taking in the unbelievable season of Real Sociedad , which will see the Basque club play in the Champions League next season. But now the real fight begins...
