João Freitas & Companhia resume work at the end of the month

The Men's Senior Team resumes work on September 20. The group guided by João Freitas will start the season with 10 days of intensive physical work, followed by a week of technical-tactical preparation of participation in the António Pratas Cup, which will mark the official return of Friends to the competition in the 2013-2014 season. At the moment, the CAB team is not yet defined. Over the past few months, the technical team and the management of the SAD have studied several possibilities for the formation of the team, but, to date, no hires or continuities of players have yet been announced beyond the renovations of the Madeiran players already transiting from the last season. The lack of definition around the squad is related to the guidelines that the administration outlined for the 2013-2014 squad. Specifically, President Francisco Gomes imposed a 50% reduction in the salary mass of the squad, as well as a cut in the number of non-madeirense athletes. These measures, which are governing team formation, are seen as part of a strategy to restore the financial balance of the SAD and the Club after two years of great instability caused by publicly known factors. The strategy also affects the Women's Team, where there has been a more modest budget reduction, but it is much more incisive in the management of the male squad, where the budgetary values and the amount of the public subsidy are more significant. Despite all these constraints, the management of the SAD and the male technical team are confident that it is possible to organize a squad that guarantees stability and competitiveness in the League's participation. The official announcement of its constitution is awaited for the coming days as negotiations with some players and their representatives are concluded.