Nicholas Marjan, known as Niels, was an Asian football-obsessed loner in the modern world. A master of FIFA Career Mode, addicted to YouTube tactics videos, and followed every twist of the transfer window like it was life or death, he lived the beautiful game from behind a screen.
Until the day he died.
And woke up in the late 2000s, in the body of a once-promising young player at a lower-league English club. A player whose career had been cut short by a brutal ACL injury. With his playing career over before it could truly begin, his second life offers no glory on the pitch.
But Niels still has one weapon: his mind.
Armed with future knowledge of football's evolution, and guided by a mysterious, almost cheat-like instinct for scouting raw talent, Niels steps into the world of coaching. As an assistant at a struggling lower-league club, he begins to reshape the team from within challenging outdated tactics, unearthing hidden gems, and reigniting hope in the dressing room.
His methods are unorthodox. His instincts, uncanny. And soon, whispers about the "young coach with a gift" begin to spread.
This isn’t the story of a player chasing glory. It’s about someone reborn to change the game from the sidelines. From forgotten training grounds to Europe’s biggest stages, Niels is on a mission, 
not just to win, but to rewrite what it means to lead.
He once dreamed of lifting trophies as a player.
Now, he'll do it as a coach.

The day off had set Crawley alight, its streets pulsing with red scarves, murals, and dreams after the 4-3 triumph over Notts County. Now, with Wembley few days away, Niels drove the squad into a relentless training routine, determined to harden them for the battle ahead. They were preparing to face Chelsea's giants Ancelotti's sharp tactics, Drogba's fierce aggression, and Terry's unbreakable defense. Every sprint, every pass, every tackle was for the town, for the kids chanting in the streets, for the scarves waving like flames. Could this grueling test of sweat, heart, and pride forge Crawley's spirit strong enough to stun the world or would Chelsea's power crush their dream into dust?


Chapter 83 - Burning for Wembley