The only sound coming from the Wrexham AFC training field was the distant hum of the janitor's vacuum cleaner in the hallway; the stadium lights had long since been turned off, and the spectators had left.
Leo sat alone in his office, staring at the match report in front of him.
Possession: 35%
Shots on Target: 2
Pass Accuracy: 70%
Final Score: 0-3 Loss
It didn't take a genius to analyze the performance. They had been awful.
Sloppy passing, zero defensive structure, and worst of all—a complete refusal to follow his tactics.
Leo clenched his jaw, tossing the report onto his desk.
He had expected resistance. No team trusts a new manager on day one. But this?
They hadn't even tried.
A loss like that would've crushed any manager's confidence.
But Leo wasn't just any manager.
He wasn't here to survive. He was here to win.
And that's when the system activated.
[Ding! New Feature Unlocked – Live Tactical Adjustments]
[Modify formations and player roles in real time.]
Leo's breath hitched.
The glowing blue screen flickered in front of him, displaying a new interface.
At first glance, it looked like a tactical board, similar to what football managers used in their pre-match discussions.
[Live Tactical Adjustments – Function Unlocked]
[Feature Explanation: Allows real-time modifications to player roles, positions, and formations mid-match.]
[Live Analysis: Detects in-game weaknesses and suggests optimal adjustments.]
Leo sat forward, eyes scanning the details.
This wasn't just an assistant—this was an in-game coaching tool.
With this, he could change tactics on the fly instead of waiting for halftime or substitutions. He could see where the gaps were, who was struggling, and what needed fixing immediately.
Leo exhaled slowly.
This was it.
The advantage he needed.
But an advantage meant nothing if his players still refused to follow his instructions.
And that?
That was a different battle altogether.
The next morning, Leo stood in the center of the locker room, facing a squad that looked just as disinterested as before.
Some of them sat with their arms crossed, Smith included. Others slumped against the benches, waiting for him to start talking.
Viktor Taylor leaned against the doorway, watching silently.
Leo didn't waste time.
"Last night, I rewatched the match three times." His voice was calm but firm.
A few players rolled their eyes.
"You want to know why we lost?" Leo continued. "Because some of you decided my tactics weren't worth following."
That got their attention.
Smith let out a small scoff, shaking his head.
Leo turned to him.
"You have something to say, Captain?"
Smith leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Yeah. You're blaming us, but what about you?" He gestured around the room. "Maybe your tactics just don't work."
A few murmurs of agreement followed.
Leo didn't react.
"You think I don't know what I'm doing?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
Smith shrugged. "You're new here. We don't know anything about you. But we do know our own strengths. Sitting deep and countering like cowards? That's not Wrexham's style."
Leo nodded slowly. "Right. So you ignored my tactics, played your way, and what happened?"
Smith's jaw clenched.
"Three-nil," Leo said flatly. "Your style got you embarrassed."
Silence.
Smith's fists tightened, but he had no comeback.
Leo took a step forward.
"You don't respect me yet. I get that. But I'm telling you now—my way is the only way we survive this season."
He let that sink in before speaking again.
"You're all professionals. You want to play attacking football? Then earn the right. First, you defend. First, you learn discipline. Until then, we play how I say."
No one spoke.
Leo scanned the room, then sighed.
"Training starts in ten minutes. Don't be late."
He turned and walked out, leaving them to think about his words.
The players slowly filtered onto the pitch, still dragging their feet.
Leo watched them carefully, his hands in his coat pockets.
He knew what they were doing.
They wanted to test him. See if he'd give in, lose confidence, crack under pressure.
That wasn't going to happen.
The system's tactical insights were already breaking down weaknesses.
Smith? Too slow in transition.
Root? Hesitant in one-on-one duels.
Johnson? Explosive pace, but poor decision-making.
Leo had all the data he needed.
He clapped his hands together.
"Alright. We're starting with defensive drills."
Groans.
Leo ignored them.
For the next two hours, he drilled them on positioning, tracking runners, cutting passing lanes.
Smith, annoyed at being forced into a deeper role, kept pushing forward during drills.
Leo saw it instantly.
Using Live Tactical Adjustments, he shifted Smith's role mid-drill, forcing him into a deep-lying playmaker position.
Smith gritted his teeth, realizing he was being dragged deeper by the system's enforced movement.
The look he shot at Leo was pure frustration.
Leo just smirked.
"Follow instructions next time," he said simply.
For the first time, Smith looked at him with something other than contempt.
Maybe… just a little bit of respect.
By the end of training, the mood had shifted.
Players were exhausted, but focused.
They had started the day testing Leo.
Now, they realized he wasn't going to break.
As they walked off, Viktor Taylor approached, arms crossed.
"Not bad," the assistant said. "You pushed them harder than the last guy."
Leo smirked. "And?"
Taylor shrugged. "And… they actually listened, by the end." He paused, then added, "Smith still doesn't trust you, though."
Leo glanced toward the captain, who was heading toward the locker room without a word.
"I don't need him to trust me," Leo said. "I need him to follow orders. And he will."
Taylor let out a small chuckle. "You sure about that?"
Leo checked his system screen, where Smith's positional discipline had increased by 5%.
"Yeah," Leo said, adjusting his collar. "I'm sure."