After dropping the bombshell of the release list on the coaches and staff, Richard didnât sit idle.
He still had two days until they submitted the draft.
Rebuilding wasnât just about cutting playersâfor every departure, a replacement was needed. But finding the right players wasnât easy.
His first target...?
Richard leaned back in his chair, sifting through his memory. Names, stats, performancesâtalented stars, promising prospects, hidden gems available for a bargain.
Of course, the candidates had to meet a specific criterionâespecially a player who could realistically consider joining his second-division team.
Richard sat at his desk, deep in thought. After a moment, he picked up a newspaper, hoping to find some inspiration.
"The World Cup..." The bold headline signaled the start of footballâs biggest tournament.
As his eyes scanned the page, his expression hardened. His mouth twitched slightlyâsomething in the article had caught his attention.
Headlines: Ronaldo NazĂĄrio â The Young Star Inspiring a Nation Beyond Football
"Football unites us, but so does our responsibility as citizens. Just as we dream of lifting the World Cup, we should also dream of a better Brazil. That starts with voting,"
Ronaldo declared, his words met with resounding applause.
Of course, it was Ronaldo.
As part of an initiative aimed at encouraging young Brazilians to vote, the Brazilian Electoral Court, in collaboration with national media, had appointed Ronaldo as a spokesperson. The campaign sought to engage first-time voters and increase civic participation among the countryâs youth.
At just 17 years old, Ronaldo NazĂĄrio was already being hailed as Brazilâs next football superstar. Selected for the 1994 World Cup squad, the young forward had captivated the nation with his dazzling performances for Cruzeiro. But now, he had taken on an unexpected roleâa spokesperson for the Brazilian elections.
Richard felt helpless. This wasnât newâBrazil had a history of using footballers for political agendas.
Frustrated? Absolutely.
Football should be football. Politics should be politics.
His instinct was to pull Ronaldo out of the situation, to protect him from the distractions and potential consequences. But the timing couldnât have been worse.
Brazilian football was on the rise. Relationships with clubs, agents, and governing bodies were fragile. One wrong move could burn bridges with powerful figuresâsomething Richard could not afford.
He sighed, rubbing his temples. He knew better than to make enemies in South American football politics. Who knows what will happen in the future?
"Forget it..." he muttered, shaking his head. There was nothing he could do.
The Next Page... and Richard Nearly Tore the Newspaper Apart.
Headline: Sol Campbell â The First Star to Leave the Premier League
The latest football headline wasnât about a record-breaking transfer or an unbelievable goalâit was about Sol Campbell making history.
For the first time, a high-profile English player left the Premier League for a lower-league clubâa move that sent shockwaves through English football.
"Was this purely a footballing decision? Or was there more beneath the surface?"
the media speculated.
The press wasted no time piecing together the controversy. Many pointed back to an infamous scuffle with Derby County, suggesting it had sparked the fallout. Others claimed the issue ran far deeper than a heated clash on the pitch.
Rumors swirled of a growing rift between Campbell and Tottenhamâs top brass. Some sources even hinted at internal conflict involving the chairman, manager, and legal team, which ultimately led to Campbell being frozen out of the squad.
Banished to the youth squad, stripped of his authority, and left in limbo, Campbell finally submitted a transfer request. But there was one problemâno club dared to make an offer.
With his case still under scrutiny and tensions rising within Tottenham, teams hesitated. Nobody wanted to risk a legal battle or a media frenzy.
With no concrete offers, the tabloids ran wild. The most sensational claim?
That Richard Maddoxâa manager known for his bold and often reckless decisionsâwas willing to take a chance on Campbell if he agreed to join Manchester City.
For now, it was nothing more than speculation. But with Campbellâs career at a crossroads, anything seemed possible.
One thing was certain: his time at Tottenham was over, and he had become the first Premier League player to step down to a lower league.
"Sigh... Iâm going to get a headache if I keep reading this newspaper." Richard exhaled, rubbing his temples before setting the paper down.
The endless headlines, the speculations, the dramaâit was exhausting.
Setting aside the newspaper, he set his sights on the newly introduced Transfer Matching System. Of course, the name was differentâTMS itself would only emerge around 2010âbut the concept was already in place. It wasnât as advanced as future systems, but the foundation was clear.
This was a centralized database where clubs could check player availability. Leagues required clubs to submit official transfer or loan lists to the league office, which could then share this information internally with other clubs.
It functioned as an internal system where clubs could inquire about available players through league connections. These lists were not publicly available but were shared with interested clubs, scouts, and agents.
Unsurprisingly, some clubs still leaked or officially announced transfer-listed players in the press to attract buyers. In fact, in modern football, clubs often do this to drive up player prices. Still, for now, this kind of concept was still novelâmore structured, efficient, and commercially driven than previous transfer systems.
"Hmm..." Richard quickly skimmed through the names.
Most were ruled out almost immediately. Still, a few remained. His first priority was sorting through Premier League players nearing retirementâexperienced veterans who could lead his team.
Among them, one name stood outâa name Richard hadnât expected to see.
"Mike Phelan?" he muttered.
Best known for his long-standing role as Sir Alex Fergusonâs assistant at Manchester United and his later coaching stints, Phelan remained a key figure even after Fergusonâs retirement. He went on to serve as an assistant to Ole Gunnar SolskjĂŠr, Ralf Rangnick, and Michael Carrick as well.
"This guy... wasnât he supposed to be Fergusonâs right-hand man in the future?"
A late bloomer in the Premier League, once respected, now overlooked.
Forgotten by everyoneâincluding himself.
A player on the verge of retirement.
His current status?
Free agent.
Freshly released by Manchester Unitedâa detail that could pose an issue. But for City in the second division? The rivalry was probably a joke at this point, right?
"Still, I couldnât approach him recklessly," Richard mused.
Richard made direct contact with Mike Phelan. After all, he was a free agentâthere was nothing stopping him.
And Richard was right.
Mike Phelan, who had been preparing to retire and wrap up his career, was caught completely off guard by the unexpected meeting request.
"They want to sign me? Manchester City? Second division?"
Phelan couldnât believe what he was hearing. Yet, deep inside, a small spark of hope flickered.
At 31, he still had a year or two left in him. But after spending the last two seasons mostly on the bench, it was easy to feel like his playing days were already over.
By 1993, his appearances at Manchester United had dwindled due to the rise of younger talents like Andrei Kanchelskis, Paul Ince, Ryan Giggs, and Lee Sharpe. He hadnât even made enough league appearances to earn a Premier League winnerâs medal, and he wasnât included in the squad for the FA Cup final victory over Chelsea.
This season, United had offered him a one-year contract extensionâbut the role remained the same. A squad player. A backup. A name on the bench.
He had been prepared to accept it, just as he had the previous season. But what ultimately hardened his resolve to reject the offer was the fact that he had been issued the number 23 shirtâthe same one that would soon be worn by Phil Neville.
Which meantâwas it a mistake by the staff? Or a subtle way of pushing him out?
It didnât matter.
What mattered now was that it was a clear signâhis time at the club was coming to an end.
He had already prepared for retirementâearning his coaching license and planning his transition to the other side of football. But he hadnât expected Manchester City to approach him so suddenly.
Maybe they hadnât heard about his plans. Staring at the man across from him, Phelan let out a deep sigh. He had enough on his plate without wasting time on what seemed like a pointless meeting.
"I didnât play at all last season."
"I know," Richard replied casually, completely unfazed.
Phelanâs brow furrowed.
"Youâ"
"I need a benchwarmerâsomeone to fill the homegrown quota and meet the minimum squad requirements," Richard bluntly said, serious.
"..."
Phelan fell silent. He lowered his gaze and took a slow sip of tea. The hot black liquid tasted bitter.
Bluntâbut at least honest.
Better than when an agent or club official said all the right words upfront, only to later break their promises with excuses like "thereâs nothing we can do," "we have no power," or whatever else they came up with.
Indeed, for Richard too, it was better this way. Since he hadnât truly envisioned Phelan as a player in the first place, he pressed on.
"Butâ"
Phelan looked up, meeting Richardâs steady, unreadable gaze.
"Youâre already preparing to step into coaching, arenât you?"
Phelan frowned at this. "And?"
It wasnât unusual for footballers to get their coaching licenses and transition into management after retirement. In fact, it was the natural next step for many.
So Richardâs words didnât surprise himâbut he was curious where this was going.
"Iâm going to be honest with youâIâve already chosen a manager, and heâs bringing his own staff to City. But as you know, managers come and go, and so does their staff. What I want to do right now is build stabilityâsomething that lasts beyond just one manager. When a manager leaves, there needs to be someone who truly understands City from the inside, knows how the club operates, and can carry forward its philosophy."
Phelan nodded. This was nothing newâalmost every team did it.
"So, I want to build my own team within the coaching staff," Richard continued. "Not just to oversee the squad but to establish a long-term group that understands the club from the inside. A team that can help me monitor the players, keep an eye on potential conflicts, and give me a heads-up if someoneâs form starts to drop."
"You want me to be your watchman?" Phelan asked, raising an eyebrow.
Richard clicked his tongue. "Watchman sounds a bit too harsh, donât you think? Look, itâs better this way. Rather than retiring now at 31, isnât it better for you to add another year or two? If your goal is to become a manager, then itâs wiser to start in the lower leagues firstâlearn the basics, you know? Instead of jumping straight into a big club."
He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Besides, youâll have time to wait for your coaching license to be approved, right? Then, wouldnât that put us on the same page?"
Phelanâs mouth tightened in thought before he finally spoke. "I understand where youâre coming from, but... whatâs in it for me? I mean, if I applied elsewhere, Iâd probably get a better offer, right?"
No matter what the advantages were, City was still in the third tier. There was a higher chance that a bigger clubâmaybe even Unitedâwould accept him since he had just left them, offering him a far better career trajectory than joining City.
"Freedom to experiment. Not with the first team, of course, but with the youth squad. Sure, the new manager will bring in his own youth coaches, but weâll still need people. To be blunt, Iâm overhauling the entire staff setup. Thatâs why Iâm offering you thisâa chance to learn and grow with City. Itâs not glamorous, but at least you wonât be restricted here."
"Youâre planning to fire your entire staff?" Phelan asked, surprised. â
This guyâs insane.â
Richard nodded, his expression turning serious. "Do you really think Iâd keep the same staff that let City get relegated twice? And letâs not forget the sex abuse scandal. Thereâs no reason to keep