📅 8: Settling into Serie B — September & October

The honeymoon is over. After the excitement of the opening games, Palermo entered the grind of Serie B with away trips, midweek fixtures, and the reality of a long season. For Jacques Huber and his staff, this was the first true test of consistency.

 

📝 Match Reports

Coppa Italia — Como 0–1 Palermo (A)
Another unbelievable afternoon for Huber in the Coppa Italia. Palermo put together a commanding display in which they defended deeper than usual in a mid-block and exposed Como on the counterattack. The only goal of the game came in the 70th minute, when Filippo Ranocchia combined well with Brunori before smashing one home.

 

Matchday 5 — Cesena 0–2 Palermo (A)
Huber’s fairy tale continued at Cesena. A Tzimas brace (30’, 43’) in the first half preceded a rather turgid second-half performance. It wasn’t pretty, but the travelling fans roared when Palermo-born striker Salvatore Di Mitri made his debut in the closing minutes.

 

Matchday 6 — Palermo 0–0 Venezia (H)
This top-of-the-table clash proved a cagey affair. In the end, it finished 0–0 despite Palermo having the better of the chances. It was the first dropped points for Huber and perhaps a sign of Palermo’s early-season fatigue following three games in seven days.

 

Matchday 7 — Spezia 1–2 Palermo (A)
Tense and tactical. Palermo responded well to the draw midweek to edge out an in-form Spezia side. An early own goal (20’) and a great header from Tzimas (32’) eventually decided the contest.

 

Matchday 8 — Palermo 2–0 Modena (H)
Another controlled display from Palermo. Modena were seven games unbeaten prior to this match, but a Yeremay curler (29’) and a late Segre screamer (89’) secured all three points. By the end, the fans of the Rosanero were singing Huber’s name.

 

Matchday 9 — Catanzaro 1–3 Palermo (A)
Under torrential rain in Catanzaro, a rival promotion candidate was easily brushed aside. Palermo took the lead early through Tzimas (25’), as he slotted home an improvised panenka cross from Yeremay. Another goal from Tzimas (52’), and then one by Yeremay (54’) in the second half, sealed a deserved away win as Palermo maintained their momentum heading into October’s final fixture.

 

Matchday 10 — Palermo 2–0 Monza (H)
Another resounding victory over a promotion rival. Segre opened the scoring in the 14th minute before Jesse Joronen was called upon to save a penalty in the second half, after substitute Davide Veroli dragged a player down in the area. Eventually, Gyasi added the finishing touches to the victory with a wonderful solo goal in the 90th minute. Ten league games, ten unbeaten.

 

📊 League Table Snapshot

After ten games, Palermo still sit top of Serie B. Their early-season momentum has already given them real daylight between them and their nearest rivals. Venezia sit five points behind, with Monza and Catanzaro a further four points back. Huber’s side are showing the killer consistency that wins titles, but there is still lots of work ahead.

 

🔎 Notable Themes

• Huber’s style is settling: the inverted full-back system is beginning to click, allowing Palermo to dominate possession.
• Key players emerging: Yeremay (7.13) is fast becoming the creative spark in attack, while Jesse Joronen (7.14) has begun to provide a calm authority at the back.
• Defensive solidity: after a hectic start, the back four and goalkeeper have begun grinding out crucial clean sheets away from home.
• Fitness tests: rotation is starting to matter, with Sullivan’s fitness work becoming crucial. Fortuitously, Palermo have, so far, avoided any major injury problems.
• Added Staff: following an extensive interview process, Palermo appointed Habeeb Nwankwo, a young Nigerian and English set piece coach.

Next Up: Late Dinner at Seidita Steakhouse, not every battle is fought on the pitch. Join Huber and his staff as they step out of the bunker and into Palermo’s nightlife. A late dinner where football mixes with family, language lessons, and the bonds that hold the Sicilian project together.

⚽ 7: Season Kick-Off — A New Era in Serie B

The waiting is over. After a summer of introductions, press conferences, transfers, and late-night debates, Jacques Huber finally took charge of his first competitive matches as Palermo manager. The task ahead is monumental: a return to Serie A, built on a new identity and intensity. But the opening weeks already offer a glimpse of what this new Palermo might become.

 

🧩 Tactical Reveal

To begin the season, Huber’s Palermo lined up in a 4-3-3, inspired by both Bielsa and Guardiola. One full-back, typically Tommaso Augello, inverts into midfield to create overloads, allowing the advanced midfielders—Filippo Ranocchia, Jacopo Segre, or Antonio Palumbo—to crash the box and drive into the half-spaces. On either side, Yeremay and Jérémy Le Douaron stretch the play by sitting wide on the touchline, only driving inside when they receive the ball in an attempt to force 1v1s. “Freedom with discipline,” as Huber likes to say, is the balance they’re chasing.

 

Early signs? When it works, Palermo look fluid, dynamic, and suffocating. When it falters, however, big gaps appear and they are highly susceptible on the counterattack. Out of possession, the team press high, with the midfielders jumping, and maintain a high defensive line. At present, they have been switching between a more aggressive 4-3-3 and a more conservative 4-1-4-1 depending on the opposition. Huber and his staff have also been experimenting with a 4-4-2 pressing structure but are yet to fully commit. The fine margins of Serie B and the individual quality of the players will eventually decide which of these approaches succeeds.

 

📝 Match Reports — Opening Rounds

Coppa Italia — Sassuolo 1–2 Palermo (A) 

A tough first competitive match for Palermo, as the Rosanero head to Sassuolo in the Coppa Italia. Despite the 1,000 km trip, pink shirts filled the away terraces, voices echoing with anticipation as Huber led his Palermo into battle for the first time.

 

Despite a cagey start, Palermo managed to impose themselves early in the first half with chances for Tzimas and Bani. The press was sharp, the tempo high, and Augello’s inverting greatly helped ball progression. Unfortunately, however, the breakthrough came the other way for Sassuolo in the 28th minute, when a mix-up in defending a set-piece allowed Fadera to lash one through a crowded penalty box. The collective groan that followed from the away crowd captured the disappointment of Huber and his team as they headed into half-time 1–0 down.

 

Fortunately for Palermo, the second half started much better, with Stefanos Tzimas levelling in the 50th minute after volleying home the cross of fellow debutant Yeremay. The away fans were then sent further into raptures when substitute Jacopo Segre popped up, slotting home a rebound to make it 2–1 in the 70th minute. Despite a late onslaught from Sassuolo after Huber’s team retreated into a mid-block, the Rosanero held on for a statement 2–1 win. When the final whistle blew, the cheers from the away end were thunderous. Palermo were not just competing; they were dictating.

 

Matchday 1 — Palermo 3–0 Reggiana (H)

The Renzo Barbera was alive again. It was the first home game of the new era, and the fans were in for a treat.

 

Coming off the back of their own Coppa Italia win against Udinese, AC Reggiana posed a stern test for Palermo in their first Serie B game. However, 13 minutes in, Yeremay curled a free-kick around the wall and set Palermo on their way. Twenty minutes later, a lovely, intricate passing move ended with Palumbo thumping another home from just outside the area. The roar from the crowd that followed the 2–0 lead wasn’t just joy; it was relief—a sense that Palermo have an exciting new era ahead of them.

 

Despite Reggiana having chances of their own, the second half brought more of the same. In the 65th minute, Tzimas tapped home a Yeremay cross for his second of the season, capping off a resounding Palermo win. Three points on the board and two wins from two for Huber.

 

Matchday 2 — Palermo 3–1 Frosinone (H)
The most convincing performance yet. Palermo dominated possession and pressed relentlessly in this match against their rivals. Goals from Palumbo (22’), Gomes (26’), and Tzimas (77’) secured a comfortable home win and gave fans plenty to cheer about.

 

Matchday 3 — Südtirol 1–3 Palermo (A)
Another win in a gritty, stop-start affair on the road. Palermo struggled at times to find their rhythm, but a fabulous hat-trick from Stefanos Tzimas (23’, 27’, 88’) secured the three points.

 

Matchday 4 — Palermo 4–2 Bari (H)
A dominant display at home, in which Palermo created chance after chance for their attackers. A hat-trick from Tzimas (8’, 17’, 39’) and a goal from Palumbo (38’) capped off a scintillating first-half attacking performance. Lapses at the back, however, may prove a cause for concern for Huber over the course of the season.

 

 

📊 Early Standings

 

After four games, Palermo sit top of Serie B. It’s early days, but the table already hints at what might be possible. That being said, promotion isn’t decided after four games, and every point matters in the long race for the top flight.

 

🔎 First Impressions

It’s still too soon for grand conclusions, but the foundations are clear. Palermo play on the front foot, they press with intent, and they have already begun to reconnect with their fans.

 

Early Standout Performers

• ⭐Stefanos Tzimas (8.22) — The difference-maker. He has scored nine in the opening five games and already looks like the ideal focal point for Huber’s attack. Quick, sharp, and relentless in the pursuit of goals, some fans have already started online fundraisers to bring him in on a permanent deal.
• 🛡️ Claudio Gomes (7.02) — Antonio Palumbo may have stolen the headlines with his goals, but it is Gomes that has been the heartbeat of Palermo’s midfield. He reads the game well, breaks up play, and sets the tempo with simple, precise passing.
• ⚓️ Mattia Bani (7.04) — Bani has been calm, assured, and growing into a real leader from the back. He has also relished his new role in possession when he shifts to the centre of a back three.

 

New Signings Settling In

• ✍️Yeremay (7.24) — Still adjusting to Serie B but has shown flashes of quality, especially in partnership with Tzimas. He looks like a player who could grow into a key role, with one goal and two assists already this season.
• ✍️Seydou Fini (N/A) — A disappointing start to his loan spell, as a groin injury has ruled him out of every fixture so far. He is almost back, however, and his performances in pre-season suggest he might be a useful weapon off the bench this season.

 

Youth Promotion Watch

• 🌱 Salvatore Di Mitri (N/A) — Promoted to the first team this summer and, though still waiting to make his first start, his energy in training has already caught the eye. Two goals in two matches for the Under 20s side.

The challenge now is consistency, turning this brilliant start into a season-long march.

 

 

Next Up: Settling into Serie B, the grind begins. September and October bring packed fixtures, away trips, and Palermo’s first real tests of consistency in Serie B and the Coppa Italia. Can Huber’s side turn early promise into momentum?

🏠 6: Life in the Bunker - Settling in Via Agrigento

The drive back from the training ground had been quiet. Now they were back from training camp, Palermo’s facilities were even better than expected: modern, clean, with room to grow. Jacques Huber had walked the pitches with his hands in his pockets, already imagining changes. Tobi Okori had muttered about analyst space and briefings. Samir Halimi, though, had been grinning since they left.

 

“You’ll see,” Samir said as he finally unlocked the door to their new apartment. “It’s not too glamorous, but it’s us.”

 

The flat was wide and modern, with high ceilings, neutral walls, and a balcony overlooking the rooftops. Tobi scanned the room like he was judging a player. “It works,” he nodded. “Enough space for a table, a whiteboard, maybe a projector.”

 

Samir laughed, throwing open the balcony doors. “If we’re going to build something in Sicily, we need to live Sicily. This isn’t Cambridge anymore. Here, it’s espresso at dawn, pasta at midnight.”

 

That night, they christened the flat with cheap wine, overcooked pasta, and endless talk of football. By the third week, it no longer resembled a rental. The crisp walls were hidden by tactics boards and diagrams; the dining table buried under notebooks and laptops; arrows on the whiteboard tangled into something between strategy and abstract art.

 

The clock read 2:17 a.m., but no one moved to close their laptops. Empty glasses and garlic fumes filled the room. Jacques tapped his notebook. “The line’s too flat. Push the full-back five metres higher, and the press holds.”

 

Across from him, Tobi shook his head. “It only holds if the midfield shifts too. Otherwise, they’ll get cut straight through.” He rewound the clip of the Trapani game, stabbing the screen. “You’re asking too much of Gomes in the six.”

 

Samir leaned back in his chair, arms folded, a grin tugging at his mouth. “We could argue all night, but the players aren’t machines. Passion first, order second.” He gestured at the whiteboard in the corner, where overlapping arrows had turned into a mess of formations. “Give them patterns, yes, but give them freedom too. If we shackle them, we kill the flair Jacques keeps talking about.”

 

Jacques laughed, rubbing his eyes. “Freedom with discipline, Samir. That’s the balance.”

 

Even away from the training ground, football consumes them. Tobi’s family is still back in England, and sometimes he scrolls through photos of his kids before returning to analysis. Jacques scribbles notes endlessly. Samir cooks late-night pasta and plays devil’s advocate in every debate. 

 

Their neighbours have noticed. Just the other night, a voice called up from the street: “Allenatori! Sempre calcio, eh?” – Coaches, always football, huh?

 

The three leaned over the balcony, waved, and laughed. Palermo is starting to notice them, too.

 

This is how projects begin. Not under bright stadium lights, but in cramped apartments, over cold pasta and late-night arguments. If the dream of rebuilding Palermo is ever realised, it may be said it was born here, in Il Bunker del Calcio – The Football Bunker.

 

 

 

📰 Giornale di Sicilia - “The Football Bunker: Inside Huber’s Palermo Flat”

 

It’s not often that a football revolution begins in a rented apartment, but that may be the case in Palermo.

 

For weeks, neighbours on a quiet central street have spoken of the three foreign coaches who never sleep. The lights burn into the early hours, voices rise and fall, and whiteboards covered in arrows are visible through the curtains. This is the base of Jacques Huber, 32, Palermo’s new manager, alongside his assistant Tobi Okori and coach Samir Halimi.

 

None of them yet speak Italian, but they are learning quickly. Their days are intense at the training ground, their nights even more so. A neighbour told us: “At two in the morning, you hear them arguing. One shouts, another laughs, then silence. Always football, football, football.”

 

Sources close to the club say Huber and his staff are already gaining a reputation for obsession. They cook together or eat late at trattorie but talk always returns to the pitch. Okori is the data man, Halimi the romantic, and Huber the relentless planner.

 

Locals may smile at their eccentricities, but in Palermo, they are already making waves. Whether victories will follow remains to be seen, but if they do, history may say they were born here, in Il Bunker del Calcio.

 

 

Next Up: Serie B Kick-Off, Palermo begin their campaign under Jacques Huber. How will the new-look squad fare when the real football starts?

🔄 5: Transfers & First Impressions

The press conference was only words. Palermo supporters know that speeches do not win promotion, but players do. And in Sicily, the mercato (transfer market) is more than just business. It is theatre and hope wrapped in pink and black.

 

For Jacques Huber, this will be his first real test: can he reshape a squad that has drifted and mould it into something competitive, that reflects his vision of Southern grit and Mediterranean flair?

 

📝 Transfers In

 

Stefanos Tzimas – Striker (19, Greek) – Loan from Brighton & Hove Albion
The first arrival under Huber, and already a statement. A promising young Greek striker known for his powerful dribbling and ability to beat the offside trap. At 19, he has a lot to learn, but with an eye-watering option to buy of €27,500,000, there is a tiny chance that if he fires Palermo to the riches of Serie A, he can become a permanent part of Huber’s rebuild. 

 

Seydou Fini – Winger (19, Italian, Sardinia) – Loan from Genoa
A much needed depth addition on the wings for Huber and Palermo. Incredibly raw but with bags of pace, Fini will likely excite in his cameos off the bench. Born in Nuoro, Sardinia, his arrival is a reminder of Palermo’s new Mediterranean identity. 

 

Yeremay – Winger (22, Spanish, Canary Islands) – Transfer from Deportivo La Coruña, €8,000,000 (€11,750,000)
From Gran Canaria to the Conca d’Oro. Signed for his creative trickery and fearless dribbling, he is the kind of flair player Huber has promised to unleash. At just 22, he represents a huge coup for Palermo, who moved quickly once news arrived that he was transfer listed. With a fee potentially reaching €11,750,000, this marquee signing is a big show of faith from the board, as well as an expensive risk. If all the addons are hit, Yeremay will become Palermo’s second most expensive signing ever, only trailing the fee paid for one Paulo Dybala.

 

🌱 Academy Promotions

Alongside the new signings, Huber has also rewarded youth with some first-team opportunities. With the arrival of Huber, the Palermo board appointed a new manager for the U21s, 37-year-old Sicilian Tommaso Longato, who immediately advocated for the promotion of Salvatore Di Mitri to First Team training. With the loan of Giacomo Corona, Di Mitri will become third choice striker, whilst still playing fixtures for the U20s.

 

• Salvatore Di Mitri, Striker, 19 — A product of Palermo’s academy and born in the city, Di Mitri impressed during preseason with his athleticism and finishing. He will train with the senior squad this season and awaits his senior debut.

Huber has been vocal about his desire to see Sicilian talent flourish. Including homegrown players in the squad is an early step toward that vision.

 

🚪 Transfers Out

Player Name	Age	Nationality	Position	To Club	Fee
Joel Pohjanpalo	30	Finnish	Striker	Getafe	€6,650,000
Aljoša Vasić	23	Serbian	Midfielder	Cremonese	€1,500,000
Giacomo Corona	21	Italian (Palermo)	Striker	Ravenna	Loan

Huber described the departures as “difficult but necessary,” the first step in reshaping Palermo’s squad to reflect Sicily and the South.

 

👥 Staff Moves

It wasn’t just the squad being reshaped this summer. Behind the scenes, Palermo also added Michelangelo Rampulla, a Sicilian goalkeeping coach, and Salvatore Foti, a former striker turned defensive coach born in Palermo, in order to strengthen the local voice on the training ground. An exciting young Naples-born coach, Roberto Secchi, also joined Huber’s coaching team. 

 

On the recruitment side, the Director, Dario Mirri, also made a few changes to support Palermo’s new direction. Mirri appointed a new Director of Football, Gianluca Petrachi from Lecce, as well as orchestrated the return of Palermo-born, Rosario Argento as Chief Scout. Over the next couple weeks, both Petrachi and Argento are planning to brutally reshape the entire scouting department.

 

Beyond their technical work, these various appointments serve another purpose: helping bridge the gap between Huber’s newcomer staff – English, Irish, Nigerian, Moroccan – and the players who grew up in Sicily and Southern Italy. Communication, trust, and cultural understanding will be as vital as tactics in the months ahead.

 

⚽ First Impressions: Preseason

At their summer training base near Lago di Garda, under the Italian sun, the hard work began. Huber’s sessions are relentless: pressing drills, positional rotations, endless running. His staff – Okori buried in data, Fairclough barking at defenders, Halimi urging expression, Sullivan driving fitness – are quickly making their presence felt.

 

The squad, at first hesitant, is beginning to adapt. The Naples-born midfielder, Antonio Palumbo, caught the eye in the first preseason friendly with a hattrick, whilst the new Spanish winger, Yeremay, electrified the crowd in the final match of pre-season with a nutmeg and goal that drew great applause from the ultras. The only negative was the unfortunate groin injury (6-9 weeks) sustained by new signing Seydou Fini against Virtus Verona.

 

Observers noted Huber quietly shaping patterns of play that hinted at what’s to come: full-backs drifting inside, midfielders interchanging, and an insistence on attacking with width and speed.

 

 

📊 Preseason Results

• Kočevje 0–11 Palermo — Brunori, Gyasi, Palumbo (3), Ranocchia, Segre, Vasić (3), Verre
• Palmese 2–4 Palermo — Gomes, Le Douaron, Palumbo, Ranocchia
• Trapani 2–4 Palermo — Bani, Palumbo, Tzimas (2)
• Virtus Verona 1–3 Palermo — Brunori (2), Peda
• Reggina 1–3 Palermo — Palumbo, Tzimas, Yeremay

 

“The scorelines are not important yet,” said Huber. “The intensity, the spirit, that is what matters.”

 

Next Up: Life in the Bunker, how Huber and his inner circle are settling into Palermo life, with late-night tactics, cheap pasta, and a flat already nicknamed Il Bunker del Calcio.

🎤 4: The Arrival - Huber’s First Press Conference

 

After a week of speculation, introductions, and quiet work behind the scenes, Jacques Huber finally stepped out in front of the cameras as Palermo’s new manager. Dressed in a crisp black suit, the 32-year-old faced the local and international media at Renzo Barbera’s press room for the first time. 

📝 Transcript Excerpts

Club Spokesperson:
“Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us here at the Stadio Renzo Barbera. We are proud to present our new manager, Jacques Huber. Jacques will now take your questions.”

 

Simona Damone (La Gazzetta dello Sport):
Jacques, welcome to Italy. How does it feel to be sitting here today as manager of Palermo FC?
Huber:
“Thank you. It’s a huge honour. Palermo is a club with rich traditions, a strong identity, and passionate supporters. To be trusted with leading this team at such an important moment in its history is a privilege. I feel excited and ready to get to work. Forza Palermo.”

 

Jacopo Vezzosi (Sky Sport Italia):
You are still a young coach, just 32 years old. Some might say this is a risk for Palermo. What would you say to those who question your experience?
Huber:
“Yes, I am young, but I’ve worked in very different environments. From university football in Cambridge to academy work in England, and later alongside Marcelo Bielsa. Those experiences shaped me. For me, age is less important than clarity of ideas and the ability to transmit them to the players.”

 

Chiara Fracaros (Corriere dello Sport):
How important was Marcelo Bielsa in your development, and what parts of his philosophy will you bring to Palermo?
Huber:
“Marcelo was fundamental. From him, I learned discipline, intensity, and the courage to trust your principles. I won’t copy him. I am my own coach. But his values will always be present in my work: hard pressing, fluid rotations, and respect for the physical side of the game.”

 

Alessandro Redaelli (La Repubblica Palermo):
Supporters here are desperate to see Palermo back in Serie A. What is your vision for the club?
Huber:
“We want to return to Serie A, but we must build step by step. I believe in football that is brave, intelligent, and intense. If the team reflects the passion of our fans, results will follow.”

 

James Gardner (BBC Sport):
You speak French and English fluently, and now you’re working in Italy. How are you adapting to the language and culture?
Huber:
“My Italian is still a work in progress, but I’m studying every day. It’s vital to respect the culture of the club and the city. Communication is key, so I’ll keep improving until I can give this press conference in Italian.”

 

Darren Johnston (The Sun):
Jacques, you’re now managing in Sicily, a place that, frankly, many people abroad still associate with the Mafia, corruption, and danger. Does that reputation worry you or affect how you think about your job here?
Huber (pausing, then firmly):
“I know those stereotypes exist, but they don’t reflect the Palermo I see. What I see is a city full of life, A city full of passionate people and a beautiful culture. Football should tell that story, not clichés. Yes, Sicily has a powerful and complex history, but it is not my role to repeat tired narratives. My role is to represent this club and its supporters with pride, to build a team that belongs to them, and to show people a Palermo that the world should respect. That is the only story I want to tell.”

 

Jacopo Vezzosi (Sky Sport Italia):
You’ve also brought several young coaches with you. How important is that staff to your project?
Huber:
“Very important. This is not a one-man job. I wanted people I trust, who share the same vision, and who are ready to learn about Palermo as I am. They are ambitious coaches, and together we will give everything to build this club.”

 

Simona Damone (La Gazzetta dello Sport):
In recent years, we have not seen many young players coming through from Sicily. Do you have a plan for this side of the club?
Huber:
“Yes, absolutely. Palermo must be a club that represents Sicily. That means opportunities for local players. We must create a pathway where young players know they will be trusted if they have the quality and mentality. My dream is to see Palermo succeed not only with signings from outside, but with boys who grew up here wearing the pink shirt.”

 

Club Spokesperson:
“Grazie, thank you everyone. That concludes today’s press conference.”

 

📰 Reactions: Media & Fans

Giornale di Sicilia
“Huber promises courage, youth, and Sicilian pride. The words the city wanted to hear.”

Corriere dello Sport
“A Professor at Heart: Big ideas, but can he turn them into victories?”

La Stampa
“Another foreign coach with promises. Palermo needs results, not speeches.”

 

📣 Voices from Palermo

 

Mauro, 44 (taxi driver):
“He talks nicely, but he’s a foreign coach who doesn’t know Sicily yet. Let’s see if he really understands this city.”

 

Isla, 27 (curva sud season ticket holder):
“At last someone speaks about Sicilian boys playing for Palermo. If he keeps that promise, we will back him forever.”

 

 

🎯 Final Word

Jacques Huber’s first press conference set the tone: bold words, a clear philosophy, and promises of youth and identity. But Palermo is a city that has heard promises before. The pink and black faithful are hopeful but cautious. In Sicily, trust is not given freely, it is earned, one performance at a time.

 

Next Up: Transfers & First Impressions, who will Huber and his team bring in to wear the pink shirt, and how will they shape Palermo’s  squad for the season ahead?

👥 3: Meet the Staff - The Inner Circle

When Jacques Huber signed on as Palermo’s new manager, he didn’t come alone. Football is never a one-man project, and from the beginning he made it clear: any success would be built on the people beside him.

 

This summer, four young coaches have joined him. All in their first senior jobs, all eager to prove themselves. They are his inner circle.

 

⚽ Tobi Okori — Assistant Manager 

 

Nationality: English–Nigerian | Age: 33
Background: Former QPR and Crystal Palace academy player who never turned professional. Built his career through coaching courses and obsessive study. UEFA Pro Licence.
Role: Tactical brain and analyst. Huber’s right-hand man, armed with endless clips, data, and diagrams.
Connection to Huber: Met on UEFA coaching courses, quickly bonding over late-night debates about pressing systems. Agreed to leave his opposition analyst and youth coaching position at QPR to join Huber as assistant manager.

 

“Tobi can talk about passing networks like its poetry. He sees details most of us miss.” — Jacques Huber

 

 

🧱 Adam Fairclough — Defensive Coach 

 

Nationality: English | Age: 36 (a few years older than Huber)
Background: Ex–Cambridge United defender, a solid lower-league career before moving into coaching. UEFA A License.
Role: Specialist in defensive organisation, bringing structure and discipline to the back line.
Connection to Huber: Met through early coaching courses, later worked together at Cambridge United’s academy during Huber’s break between Leeds and Uruguay. Left his position in Cambridge United’s academy to join the senior coaching team in Palermo.

 

“Adam’s an old school defender at heart. He gives us all the balance we need.” — Jacques Huber

 

 

🧨 Samir Halimi — Technical Coach

 

Nationality: Moroccan–English | Age: 32 (same age as Huber)
Background: London-born with Moroccan heritage. Studied at Cambridge university with Huber before earning his badges alongside him. UEFA A License.
Role: Focuses on attacking play, ball progression, and player expression.
Connection to Huber: Old friend from Cambridge University days. They coached together and studied side by side. Was managing younger ages at Leyton Orient before agreeing to join Huber.

 

“Samir protects the joy in our football. When things get too rigid, he reminds us why players love the game.” — Jacques Huber

 

 

🏋️‍♂️ Patrick Sullivan — Fitness & Conditioning Coach 

 

Nationality: Irish | Age: 28 (youngest of the group)
Background: Modern sports science specialist with a sharp eye for fitness and recovery trends.  UEFA B License.
Role: Oversees conditioning and ensuring players can meet Huber’s high-intensity demands.
Connection to Huber: Introduced through Fairclough after impressing during joint training blocks at Cambridge United. Was assisting fitness coaches in both senior and academy Cambridge teams before agreeing to join Fairclough and Huber in Sicily.

 

“Patrick’s energy is contagious. He’ll keep the players sharp and keep us honest too.” — Jacques Huber

 

 

🌙 Settling In

 

For now, the coaches are still unpacking and finding their rhythm in Sicily. Huber, Okori, and Halimi will be sharing an apartment in the city centre. A new temporary base for long nights of tactical talk and late dinners. Fairclough and Sullivan will also be close by, ready to begin the grind of preseason.

 

None of them speak Italian yet. They don’t know the city, or the language, or the rhythms of Sicilian life. What they do know is each other, and that trust may prove just as important as any transfer Palermo makes this summer. 

 

 

The real work begins now. 

 

Next Up: The Arrival, Huber faces the press for the first time at Renzo Barbera. What will he say about Palermo’s future, Sicilian identity, and the challenges that lie ahead? 

 

(I need to wait for the release of FM26 before posting the next blog, but hopefully some of you are now interested in following the story!)

📰 2: Meet the Manager - Jacques Huber

 

From Rennes to Leeds, from Cambridge lecture halls to Bielsa’s dugout, Jacques Huber’s path to Palermo has been anything but ordinary. At just 32 years old, the Franco-English coach arrives in Sicily with a story shaped by tragedy, resilience, and a relentless obsession with the game. Now, he steps into the pink-and-black spotlight of Palermo: a city where football is passion, theatre, and sometimes chaos.

 

👶🏻 Early Life & Playing Dreams

Jacques Huber was born on 17 May 1993 in Dinard, France, to a French mother from Saint-Étienne and an English father from Leeds. Raised on the outskirts of Rennes, Huber joined the Rennes academy as a promising central midfielder. But at 10, his father’s new job took the family to Oxford, ending his spell in Brittany and beginning a new one at Oxford United’s youth academy. 

 

In Oxford, Huber’s talent quickly stood out, and by 13 he was on the radar of his boyhood club, Leeds United. He joined their academy in 2006, balancing long-distance travel with his school studies. At 16, he signed as a first-year scholar, and later that year he made his professional debut in League One (2009–10). 

 

Over that season, Huber made 28 appearances as a defensive midfielder. Praised for his composure and tactical maturity, he was regarded as one of the club’s brightest young players. 

 

Tragically, however, just weeks before Leeds secured promotion to the Championship, Huber (number 19) suffered a devastating quadruple leg break against MK Dons. The injury ended his professional playing career just 3 weeks before his 17th birthday.

 

 

🎓 Cambridge & the Birth of Il Professore

 

Walking away from football, Huber, at the behest of his mother, turned to higher education. After doing exceptionally well at his A-levels, Huber enrolled at Cambridge University in 2011, studying psychology.

 

Initially focusing solely on his studies, he was eventually persuaded to coach his college football team, Fitzwilliam. His first season brought immediate success, as Fitzwilliam went unbeaten to win the inter-college title. 

 

Huber then went on to complete undergraduate, master’s, and PhD degrees with top honours whilst continuing to coach. Under his leadership, Fitzwilliam won another college title and Cambridge University's first team earned promotion back to the top division of the university league system, finishing second in their first season before capturing back-to-back titles in 2016–17 and 2017–18.

 

Remarkably, his inventive tactical experiments, such as deploying two right wingers and inverted full backs, drew coverage from regional news outlets and grassroots football blogs, earning him the nickname “The Professor”. For a university side to receive this level of attention was unusual, and it marked Huber out as a coach with ideas far beyond the amateur game. 

 

⚽ Leeds United & the Bielsa Years

By the time Jacques completed his PhD in psychology as well as his UEFA B License, Huber had transformed from reluctant student coach into the most intriguing young mind in English university football. That growing reputation as well as his playing connections eventually helped him return to Leeds United as a youth coach, where he impressed with his work in the academy and with the U23s under Carlos Corberán. It was here that Marcelo Bielsa first noticed him. 

 

Bielsa, curious about this young Franco-English coach, invited Huber to dinner after hearing of his tactical curiosity. Despite language barriers, with Bielsa speaking Spanish and Huber, French and English, the two spent hours communicating through sketches, gestures, and fragments of shared vocabulary. That evening laid the foundation for a mentorship that would profoundly shape Huber’s career. Bielsa valued Huber’s analytical mind and psychological background, while Huber absorbed Bielsa’s obsessive attention to detail and uncompromising footballing philosophy. Over time, Bielsa gave him greater responsibilities with the senior team: leading training drills, preparing opponent dossiers, and contributing ideas to tactical setups.

 

Huber came to view Bielsa not only as a mentor, but as a father figure within football, someone who instilled in him both discipline and creativity.  

 

“Jacques is a man who thinks deeply about football, but also about people. That combination is rare.” – Marcelo Bielsa 

 

Huber was part of Bielsa’s staff during Leeds’ promotion to the Premier League in 2019–20 and remained alongside him through their first season back in the top-flight. By the start of 2021–22, Huber was seen regularly on the bench as one of Bielsa’s key assistants, having also completed his UEFA A License. When Bielsa was dismissed in February 2022, Huber chose to depart with him out of loyalty, despite Leeds offering him the chance to remain under the new coach Jesse Marsch.

🌍 A New Stage: Uruguay

 

During the following year, Huber worked towards his UEFA Pro License while staying in close contact with Bielsa and running occasional training sessions for Cambridge United. In 2023, when Bielsa became manager of Uruguay, he invited Huber to join his staff. Once again, Huber seized the chance to learn under his mentor, this time in an international setting. He led training sessions, contributed to tactical preparations, and played a central role in guiding Uruguay to the semi-finals of the Copa América. 

 

Bielsa was effusive over Huber’s time with Uruguay: “He was not my assistant. He was my colleague. There is a difference.”

 

The experience with Uruguay improved Huber's Spanish as well as finally cemented his readiness to step out of his mentor’s shadow, and so whilst assisting Bielsa with Uruguay’s World Cup preparations he began looking for a Head Coach position of his own.

 

🏟️ The Palermo Project

In the summer of 2025, Jacques Huber was unveiled as the new manager of Palermo FC. Palermo is part of the City Football Group, but despite recently modernising its branding, it is fiercely proud of its Sicilian roots. Huber’s appointment came with Bielsa’s personal recommendation and a clear challenge: restore Palermo to Serie A while building a team that reflects the island’s identity. 

Huber’s philosophy is simple but demanding:

• Attacking, possession-based football.
• Flair and intensity, inspired by Bielsa, but uniquely his own.
• A focus on youth development, especially Sicilian players.

 

🎯 Closing Thoughts

For Jacques Huber, Palermo represents both risk and opportunity. “My career ended too soon as a player,” he reflected at his unveiling, “but that gave me time to think. Football isn’t only about winning. It’s about identity. Palermo deserves a team that reflects Sicily’s pride.”

 

At just 32, his story already spans Rennes, Leeds, Cambridge, Montevideo, and now Palermo. The question now is whether Il Professore can become something more: Il Principe di Palermo. 

Next Up: Meet the Staff, where we explore and learn about the men joining Huber in Palermo.

🎭 1: Behind the Curtain - The Sicilian Project

“Palermo per la Sicilia. Sicilia per il Mediterraneo.”

(Palermo for Sicily. Sicily for the Mediterranean.)

 

Welcome to The Sicilian Project, my FM26 save story with Palermo. This won’t just be a diary of matches and transfers, it will be a living narrative around my fictional manager, Jacques Huber. You’ll see his press conferences, his pitch side and nightlife scandals, and follow his rise (or fall) in Sicily.

 

But before the story begins, here’s a look behind the curtain. These are the rules and guiding principles that will shape the save in-game, so as is to make it more fun and challenging for me.

 

Sicily and the South of Italy has long been under-represented in Italian football. The vast majority of Serie A teams and Italian players now originate from the far wealthier northern region. Only three clubs this season (Napoli, Lecce, Cagliari) are geographically more southern than Rome, and over the past few years there has never been more than three Sicilians playing in Serie A .

 

The Sicilian Project is therefore about more than just winning matches and trophies; it’s about giving Sicily and Southern Italy a greater voice and representation on the national stage.

 

 

✅ Recruitment Policy

1. Southern Italy Core

• Players only from Rome and below: Lazio, Abruzzo, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sardinia, and Sicily.

2. Mediterranean Circle

• Recruitment also allowed of players from culturally and geographically connected regions:
  • Corsica, Marseille.
  • Balearic Islands, Canary Islands.
  • Cyprus, Greece, Malta.
  • Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt.

3. Diaspora Links (Special Cases)

• Can also bring in some players from Argentina, Uruguay, USA → Some of Palermo’s most famous players are from these countries so I am allowing it, but I am also limiting myself to only players of Italian heritage (surnames, backgrounds, or cultural ties).
  • A policy of “bringing our people home.”

4. Squad Restructure

• By the end of Season 4, all the Northern Italian players and ineligible foreigners already at the club have to be replaced.

 

👥 La Primavera Siciliana (Youth Development)

• By Season 2 → at least one Sicilian player in the senior squad.
• By Season 4 → at least one Sicilian academy graduate in the first XI.
• Continuous investment in Palermo’s youth academy to make Sicily a hub for talent.

 

⚽ Tactical Vision

• Attacking, possession-based football.
• Inspired by Bielsa, adapted by Huber: positional fluidity, high intensity, relentless movement.
• Built around flair players, expressive midfielders, and dynamic dribblers.
• Football that excites, entertains, and represents Palermo’s character.

 

🚫 Prohibited Approaches

• No signings from Northern Italy or unrelated foreign nations.
• No defensive, or overly cautious tactical systems.
• No shortcuts. No mercenaries. No compromises on Palermo’s new identity.

 

📝 Closing Note

This blog will mix football updates with story: match results, press conferences, tabloid gossip, lifestyle spreads, ultras statements – all wrapped around Jacques Huber’s Palermo journey. Apologies in advance for any poorly made AI visuals (slop). I think visuals are important for a blog but just know, if I was capable, I would make them myself. 

 

Next up: Meet the Manager, where we explore Huber’s extraordinary path from Rennes to Palermo, via Cambridge lecture halls and Marcelo Bielsa’s dugout.

 

Recently started a save with Manchester United and noticed that a number of the newly created wonderkids have a wrong ethnicity in the match engine. Chido Obi for one was white with blondish hair for me and i think Jorthy Mokio was wrong as well. I think because you do not specify in the new files their ethnicity and because Chido is from Denmark with no Nigerian second nationality despite his parents, and Mokio is Belgian, the game generates them incorrectly. Is there any chance of having this changed and making sure the newly created players have the correct appearance in the match engine? Its not a crazy error but pretty annoying for immersion haha. I think there were a few others wrong as well in my save but I can't remember now. This is also only my first save with the update so I am sure there will be loads wrong that I haven't bought or seen yet. 

@Footygamer @maconnolly  Thank you both for your informative answers! I will hold off on starting a new save for a few days then!

Is there a timeframe yet for a new 2025-26 start? So with +2 years age and contract and next season's Euorpean qualifications/promotions/relegations etc. 

I started a new save not that long ago with the data update, as well as Dave's increased realism. I am just wondering how many differences there are at the moment with current version of this classic FM and the previous data update? Basically, is it worth me restarting my long term save haha? How aggressive have you been with the CA PA changes? Are there many new wonderkids and changes etc? 

Hi I know that everyone who is capable of making 3D kits for FM20 already has their hands full with just getting the normal kits done - but if anyone gets the chance please could you make some custom 3D Leeds kits for me!

They would be the 3D versions of the kits linked here and also attached below.
The White being Home, the Blue Away and the Yellow as a Third kit. In terms of shorts and socks, it would just be the same primary colours as the kits with adidas stripes in the secondary colour of each strip (basically how Real Madrid do their kits). There would also be the specific leeds logo of each kit on one leg of the shorts and the adidas logo on the other leg and on the socks.

Thanks again to all the creators who slave away to make our games look great every year, and I am sure I speak for the rest of us leeches by saying you guys ducking rock, and the fm community is lucky to have you!