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 As an assistant at a struggling lower-league club, he begins to reshape the team from within challenging outdated tactics, unearthing hidden gems, and reigniting hope in the dressing room.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 West Ham United draw, announced on March 1, loomed over Crawley Town like a gathering storm, their FA Cup Quarter-Final set for March 29, 2010, a Premier League titan awaiting. The Red Devils, fourth in League Two after a 3-0 rout of Morecambe, thrummed with belief, their win against Burnley a fire in their hearts. Yet, the path to Upton Park demanded focus, with Bournemouth's league clash on March 7 just few days away. At Broadfield's training ground, under a cold March drizzle, Niels watched his squad assemble, Nate Sutton's return a quiet spark, his knee cleared though still stiff.


Chapter 57 - The Red Devils' Resolve