Squad Update: New faces, two comebacks and a farewell
New Signings
Krakow Dragoons have been busy strengthening the squad during the pre-season break. Seven new players have joined the club and one player departed. The new signings are:
Joaquin Serrano 🇪🇸
Joaquin found out about the Dragoons via social media and comes with an extremely strong footballing pedigree.
The wing-wizard excelled at youth level with Real Avilés and Real Oviedo SAD. He represented his region of Asturias at national level before joining Sporting de Gijón at the age of 15.
Whilst at Sporting, Serrano had the honour of being selected by the Spanish National team at U16 level. A move to Deportivo de La Coruña followed, however, after one season with Los Herculinos, Serrano was offered the chance of a scholarship in the United States.
Joaquin played two seasons at college level for William Carey University in Mississippi. In 2012, Serrano was named Rookie of the Year and signed for Carolina Dynamo in USL League One.
A move to Albuquerque Sol followed in 2014 before transferring university to WVU Tech, based in West Virginia. Serrano helped the side win the National Championship and was selected in the All-Tournament team in his first year.
Following this success, Serrano attracted the attention of MLS side Seattle Sounders and played for the U-23 side. After the commencement of his studies. Joaquin returned to Spain to re-join Real Avilés in Segunda B.
Due to work obligations Serrano’s time at Avilés ended prematurely and since 2017 the Spaniard had been playing for his hometown side Soto del Barco.
Joaquin had been in Poland less than a week when he turned up for training for the Dragoons. Serrano debuted for the Expats in the Puchar Polski, picking up an assist in the 4-2 victory against Iskra Kręcin.
Jacek Fąfara 🇵🇱
Jacek Fąfara is also a new signing with the Dragoons. Fąfara is a Polish native and counts Manchester United as his favourite team.
Fąfara saw an advertisement for the Dragoons on social media and recently appeared in a trial match. The coaches liked what they saw from the towering centre back and signed him up for the season ahead.
Jacek brings plenty of experience to the side having played at A Klasa level for the likes of Gajowianka Gaj, Strażak Rączna and Libertów. He has also played plenty of football in the FLS, which is a local 6 a side league.
Fąfara recently made his competitive debut for the Dragoons in the Puchar Polski. Sadly, the team suffered penalty shoot-out heart-break in the defeat against Tramwaj Kraków.
Marco Scifoni 🇮🇹
A further defensive reinforcement comes in the way of Italian national Marco Scifoni. The signing of Marco means that the club has six players from Italy, therefore being the most represented country in the team.
The Rome native has been playing regularly at the Dragoons affiliated training on Thursdays. He attended the recent trial match and impressed the coaches with his calmness in possession.
Marco is equally comfortable at centre-back and in the holding midfield role. Prior to signing with the Dragoons, he played in Liga B in the Krakow Biznesliga with fellow Dragoon, Enrico Forabosco.
Being a proud Roman, Marco is a keen fan of A.S Roma and club legend Francesco Totti is his footballing hero.
Martin Voženílek 🇨🇿
The recent trial game produced a third new signing for the club in the shape of Martin Voženílek. He is a speedy and direct winger, who will add competition and depth to the forward line.
Voženílek adds to the growing list of nations to represent the club, being the first Czech national to sign for the Dragoons.
Martin is a supporter of FC Barcelona and current Czech Fortuna Liga champions Slavia Prague, whilst Argentina and now PSG forward Lionel Messi is his favourite player of all time.
At 21 years old, Martin is one of the youngest players in the side and started his career at academy level in the Czech Republic for Fortuna Liga side FC Hradec Králové. After leaving the club at 15, Martin continued his football career at regional level for Slavia Hradec Králové and since moving to Kraków will be representing the Dragoons.
Emre Çolakoğlu 🇹🇷
Emre is another player to attend the Thursday football training sessions. Following the recent trial match, Emre stood out with his performance in midfield. He looked comfortable with the ball at his feet at all times and scored a couple of goals to cap off his display.
A fan of Galatasaray, Emre counts Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho as his footballing idols. He likes to base his game on their style of play and also cited Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba as an inspiration.
Back home in Turkey, Emre played amateur football at regional level for Yalovaspor Club for most of his career. He enjoyed a successful period with the club at youth level in the 2nd Division and also represented Uludağ University during his studies.
The Dragoons will be the first club that Emre has represented in Poland and we look forward to seeing what he can do in the blue jersey.
Gonçalo Rodrigues 🇵🇹
Another “new” face needs no introduction at all, as Gonçalo Rodrigues has re-joined the Dragoons. Gonçalo briefly departed the club mid-way through the 20/21 season but announced his return in the recent trip to Warsaw.
Rodrigues had been the mainstay of the Dragoons side since the club’s entry into the Polish football league system in 2019.
Gonçalo is a popular member of the squad and a no-nonsense, tough tackling midfielder. Rodrigues’ game is not just about hard-hitting tackles, as he is equally as skilled with the ball at his feet, playmaking from the apex of the midfield.
The Benfica fan played 11-a-side as well as futsal at a semi-professional level in Portugal. Gonçalo counts Ad Penamacorense and ACD Ladoeiro as his former clubs in futsal, with the latter recently gaining promotion to the Portuguese Futsal First Division. In the 11-a-side game, Gonçalo spent most of his career at CDRC Vila Velha de Ródão before moving to Kraków.
In Kraków, Gonçalo has tasted footballing success in the FLS with CF Vila Nova, who recently won the B League. A feat no foreign team has ever achieved in the history of the FLS!
Jacob Biddlecombe 🏴
Another original Dragoon has also returned and this time in his natural position! Englishman Jacob Biddlecombe previously represented the side at full-back in the Kraków Sunday League. On this occasion however, Biddlecombe is to compete for the goalkeeper’s jersey.
A keen fan of West Ham United, Jacob has been playing football in goal since childhood. Whilst playing football locally for Churchdown Panthers in Gloucester, he attracted the attention of current EFL League One side, Cheltenham Town. Biddlecombe played for the Robins’ academy side until the age of 15 and also represented the county of Gloucestershire at schoolboy level.
After moving to Kraków in 2015, Biddlecombe tried his arm outfield for the Dragoons and also played regularly in the Biznesliga.
Departure News
There is one departure to announce in the squad. Belarussian utility man Vladimir Chumakov will not be continuing his footballing journey with the Dragoons after leaving Kraków for pastures new.
Chumakov scored 2 goals during his brief stint at the club, the last of those being the Dragoons only goal in the recent Puchar Polski defeat against Tramwaj. The club would like to thank Vałdzis for his efforts and wish him the best in his future footballing career.
