The glowing screen didn't fade.
Firdaus stared at it, mouth slightly open, one hand still hovering in the air as if unsure what he'd just tapped. Lines of data flowed down the translucent interface like rain on glass—squad list, match calendar, training modules, tactical presets. It was sleek, professional, and eerily familiar.
Like something straight out of a Football Manager simulation.
No. It was a Football Manager simulation.
His heart thudded. This couldn't be real.
But the screen didn't care what he believed.
[Cardiff City FC 2023/24 - Squad Overview Loaded]
[Next Match: Leeds United (A) – August 6, 2023]
[Current Morale: 51% | Squad Harmony: Low | Fitness Level: Mixed]
Firdaus muttered under his breath, "System, are you serious?"
[System Active. Please proceed with desired functions.]
He blinked. The screen dimmed slightly, waiting.
Curious, he said, "Show me squad view."
Immediately, names appeared in a familiar left-right layout:
GK: Ethan Horvath, Jak AlnwickDEF: Perry Ng, Mark McGuinness, Dimitrios Goutas, Nat Phillips, Mahlon RomeoMID: Joe Ralls, Ryan Wintle, Aaron Ramsey, Callum O'DowdaFWD: Kion Etete, Callum Robinson, Karlan Grant, Yakou Meite
Each player had bars beside their names. Fitness. Morale. Tactical familiarity. Potential.
He stared at the numbers, recognizing the colors—green, yellow, red.
He tapped on Perry Ng.
A detailed profile appeared:
Stamina: 89 | Work Rate: 85 | Tactical Discipline: 78 | Leadership: 80
Trait: "Forward runs often" – Confidence: Low after last match.
The data was precise. Almost… too precise.
Firdaus whispered, "Edit player."
[Editing Mode Activated – Full Access Granted.]
Rows of sliders appeared, ranging from 1 to 100—each corresponding to attributes like Acceleration, Positioning, Decision Making, Passing, Strength, and more. Alongside them were editable sections for traits, preferred roles, even personality attributes like Determination and Ambition.
He froze, overwhelmed. This wasn't a demo. This was the full game.
His eyes drifted to the "Edit All" function—but his instincts screamed no.
Too fast, too obvious. Too risky.
Instead, he searched for someone less likely to raise eyebrows. A youth player. Someone quiet.
He selected Joel Colwill, younger brother of Rubin Colwill, currently training with the U23s. The system displayed his profile:
Joel Colwill – Age: 19 – CM
Technique: 63 | Vision: 60 | Passing: 59 | Stamina: 66
Personality: Balanced | Loyalty: High | Influence: Low
He glanced at the "Edit" tab and raised his Technique to 68 and Passing to 65—nothing too dramatic. Just a nudge.
[Edit Saved – Changes will gradually reflect in training and matches.]
He exhaled, hands slightly trembling.
The power was real. He could transform players completely.
But that wasn't the plan.
He wouldn't waste it. He'd be careful.
And no one could know.
The next morning, he arrived at the Cardiff City training facility just before 8:00 AM. The early sun cut through the clouds for once, casting long shadows across the grass.
He walked in wearing his new club jacket. Blue with the white crest of the Bluebirds stitched over his chest. It still didn't feel real.
Inside the staffroom, murmurs stopped the moment he entered.
Fitness coach Patrick Wilson, video analyst Thomas Barker, and goalkeeper coach Gavin Ward stood around the whiteboard with furrowed brows. Assistant coach Omer Riza looked him up and down with guarded eyes.
"You're Firdaus?" Riza asked, hands in his pockets.
Firdaus nodded.
"Never heard of you."
"I'm not surprised."
The reply came sharper than intended, but Riza blinked, then chuckled dryly. "Alright then. You're running the session today?"
"I'll need twenty minutes to assess the players first," Firdaus said calmly, though his heart thumped in his ears.
"Fair enough. They're warming up outside."
He walked out onto the pitch, hands in his pockets, face unreadable. Players were scattered across cones and passing drills, wearing grey bibs over their kits. Kion Etete was laughing at something Karlan Grant said. Ethan Horvath jogged with Jak Alnwick by the far post.
Firdaus called out, "Circle up."
The players exchanged glances. There was hesitation. Some didn't even know who he was.
"Now," he added.
That got them moving.
Once they stood in a semicircle, he spoke without raising his voice.
"My name is Ahmad Firdaus. I'll be taking over until further notice. I don't care if you think I'm temporary. While I'm here, you do what I say. Questions?"
Silence.
"Good. Go warm up. Properly this time."
As the players dispersed, Firdaus whispered, "System."
The interface appeared again, dim and floating at eye level.
He looked across the field, data flowing beside each player like AR overlays.
Aaron Ramsey – Sharpness: 61 | Leadership: 91 | Physical Risk: Medium
Kion Etete – Confidence: Low | Dribbling: 74 | Heading: 83
Yakou Meite – Aggression: High | Work Rate: 88 | Tactical Understanding: 63
Then one caught his attention.
Mark McGuinness – Positioning: 70 | Communication: 65 | Match Awareness: 60
Issue: Tends to drift out of line during transitions.
Firdaus narrowed his eyes. Moments later, the team split for defensive shape drills.
As McGuinness shifted out of line to close down space, Firdaus stepped forward.
"McGuinness," he called out. "Drop three feet. You're breaking the line every time they switch flanks."
The centre-back hesitated, surprised. "What?"
"You're jumping forward too early. Stay aligned. Let the midfield press first."
The assistant coach, Omer Riza, blinked. "You saw that already?"
Firdaus didn't answer.
He simply stared at McGuinness until the player returned to position.
They ran the drill again.
This time, the back line held.
Firdaus turned away, walking back toward the bench. Behind him, the players murmured.
Later, in the staffroom, Gavin Ward and Thomas Barker were still talking about it.
"How the hell did he catch that so fast?" Gavin asked.
"Must've watched last week's match footage. Still…" Thomas shook his head. "It was clinical."
Riza leaned against the table, arms crossed, watching Firdaus with new eyes.
"You've got an eye for this," he said.
Firdaus looked up from his notes, pen paused mid-sentence.
"I just paid attention."
"You see things others miss."
Firdaus shrugged. "It's not that deep."
But inside, he was sweating.
The system had done all the work.
And yet, they were already calling him sharp.
A genius.
He packed his notebook slowly. "We good for today?"
"Yeah," Riza nodded. "Players looked sharp. Surprised even me."
Firdaus gave a stiff nod and turned to leave.
Behind him, the assistant coach muttered, "He's a quiet one… but I think he's the real deal."
As Firdaus stepped out into the corridor, he exhaled deeply.
Then the system blinked to life in the corner of his vision.
[Tactical Sync Complete – Squad Familiarity Increased by +3%]
[New Feature Available: Match Preparation Module]
He froze.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
To be continued...
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