The next day, Richard arrived at Maine Road a little late. As usual, he made his way straight to his office, half-distracted and still nursing his morning coffee.
BANG!
The sudden, echoing sound of something slamming against the stadium wall made him jump. He froze mid-step, blinking.
"At this hour?"
He checked his watch. Training shouldâve wrapped up by now. Actuallyâscratch that. Wasnât OâNeill the one who gave the players a day off to prepare for the match against Blackburn?
There shouldnât be anyone here.
Frowning, Richard followed the source of the noise, the echo of another powerful thump guiding his steps toward the training pitch.
As he turned the corner, his eyes widened.
There they wereâJohn Terry, Paul Robinson, and David Trezeguetâtaking turns hammering shots at goal like it was mid-season. Fully geared, dripping with sweat, and completely locked inâdeep in practice mode.
"What the hell?" Richard muttered under his breath.
Werenât these lads just coming off a grueling FA Youth Cup match this morning?
They were supposed to be resting.
Richard scanned the pitch, hoping to spot at least a coach or someone supervising themâbut there was no one.
Just the three of them. One was firing shots like a machine, another was defending and already drenched in sweat, while the third stood beneath the goalposts, eyes burning with fire as he blocked the ball.
Storming onto the field, Richard didnât waste time. He stepped in front of the goal, snatched a ball, and kicked it aside. The players froze mid-motion.
"You lot," he barked, walking straight up to them, "where is your coach?"
The three looked at each other and then shook their heads.
"And what about you? Arenât you in the match tomorrow against Blackburn?"
Trezeguet shook his head. "My nameâs not on the list."
Richard sighed, dragging a hand down his face, then rubbing his temples in slow, irritated circles. He paced in front of them like a general surveying young soldiers whoâd just set off a grenade in their own trench. Then he stopped, eyes narrowing.
"You ever see a car engine run without oil?" he asked.
The boys blinked, confused. Richard didnât wait for an answer.
"It worksâsure. For a while. Runs hot, runs hard. And then... boom." He clapped his hands together. "Total breakdown. Pistons shot. Whole thingâs useless."
He then pointed at each of them in turn. "Thatâs your body. Thatâs your career. You think pushing through exhaustion makes you elite? Noâit makes you reckless."
Still no answer.
Richard sighed again. He raised four fingers and held them up right in front of their faces.
"Four hours," he said sharply. "Thatâs the maximum daily training limit UEFA allows for youth players."
Then he dropped two fingers.
"Twenty hours. Thatâs the weekly cap. You know why they have these rules, John? Paul? David?"
The three shook their heads, indifferent.
Richard narrowed his eyes. "Because if they didnât, maniacs like you would train until your legs snap in half."
The players stood silently, unsure whether to leave or stay. Richard didnât care.
"You think this is dedication, but itâs self-destruction. I pulled you off fundamentals when you joined the team to protect youânot to hold you back. Three to four hours of intensive training per day is already pushing itâand now youâre adding
this
?"
They looked at him blankly.
Then Terry shrugged and said, "I donât think the teamâs daily training is that tiring."
"Jesus Christ..." Richard muttered under his breath, nearly exploding.
"Are you King Kong? Or Hulk?" he snapped. "I donât care how much you think your body can take. This ends now. You stop. You go home."
Both Terry, Robinson, and Trezeguet exchanged bewildered glances. â
What the hell are King Kong and Hulk?â
But none of them dared to askâRichard was so deep in the zone, he didnât even notice his slip-up.
Richard bent down and rolled a ball slowly beneath his foot, rocking it back and forthâannoyed, but also a little self-conscious. He could feel their eyes on him.
âAlright... donât screw up the flick. Just one smooth lift. Easy. Youâve done this a thousand times...â
He tried to flick the ball up into his hand in one motion, but it bounced awkwardly, clipped his shin, and rolled away toward the corner flag.
"..."
There was a long, awkward silence.
âIs this what rock bottom feels like? Has my ball control officially retired too?â
The three didnât laugh. Not even a smirk.
The new guy, David Trezeguet, just jogged over, picked up the ball, handed it back, and said calmly, "Sir, can I do just ten more shots?"
"I..."
Richard stared at him for a long second... then sighed in defeat.
"Five," he muttered. "And then youâre out of here. All three of you. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!"
Done with the trio, Richard finally arrived at his office and dived straight into work. He began researching NCSA and Netscape. More importantlyâAdidas!
5.6 billion French francs.
Equivalent to $1 billion or ÂŁ780 millionâthat was the amount Richard would have to spend to buy Adidas. But since Bernard Tapie himself was desperate, Richard needed to find a way to lower the price as much as possible.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Sunlight streamed gently through the office window just as Richard looked up from his papers, the sudden knock on the door breaking the quiet.
"Come in," he called.
Before the crucial match against Blackburn, Andreas Schlumberger and Dave Fevre entered the room, flanked by OâNeill and his assistant Robertson.
The serious expressions on their faces instantly pulled Richardâs attention away from his business research. His instincts told him this was about the players. He shut his laptop and leaned forward.
Soon they briefed him.
"Is it really that serious? Six players suggesting rest?" Richard asked, disbelief creeping into his voice as he scanned the medical report laid out before him.
This news meant that in the upcoming match, there would be no Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Gallas, Jackie McNamara, Neil Lennon, or Van Bommel.
"Thatâs why, isnât that a bit extreme? Our lads look fit enough. Sure, theyâve had a few extra games recently, but if they just grit their teeth and push through, they can get through the next two fixtures this week and then finally have a break." OâNeill also furrowed his brow.
Hearing this, Richard instantly changed his mind and sided with Fevre and Schlumbergerâs recommendation to rest the players immediately.
"No. The recommendations from Dr. Fevre and Dr. Schlumberger make perfect sense."
He then locked eyes with OâNeill, voice steady but firm. "Youâre right that they might manage the next game against Blackburn, but
remember
â"
"Players arenât machines," Richard said, his tone growing serious. "And even machines arenât perfect. The most advanced machines break down and need repairsâsometimes in ways that no engineer can predict until the failure happens. Nuts and bolts donât have emotions, stamina, or moods. Football players do. Theyâre human. They wear down."
Robertson looked at him incredulously. "Are you being alarmist?"
Richard clicked his tongue. "What are you saying? Both Dr. Fevre and Dr. Schlumberger are experts in sports medicine. Who else should I listen to? Besides, as I said, theyâve convinced me. In the long run, I want our players to have healthier, longer careers."
OâNeill saw Richardâs mind was made up, couldnât help said. "If six key players donât play, the substitutes should be fine, but you know the match tomorrow is Blackburn."
Indeed, without those key players, tomorrowâs match looked daunting.
Tim Sherwood, Stuart Ripley, and Niklas Gudmundsson were all threats. Richard even spotted some familiar namesâformer players from his agent days, like Alan Shearer and Graeme Le Saux, whom he had once brought into the City academy.
Facing them wouldnât be easy. But truthfully, even without the starters, Cityâs squad was still manageable.
Zambrotta could cover for Cafu, and Finnan or Gallas could fill in for Roberto Carlos. In midfield, there was still plenty of talentâKeith Gillespie, Theodorus Zagorakis, Robbie Savage, Jammie Pollock, Steve Lomas, Graham Fenton and Jackie McNamara.
After giving his reasoning, Robertson wanted to argue, but OâNeill cut him off.
"Alright, weâll put together a half-first-team, half-bench squad. If we donât have enough players on the substitute list, weâll call up two or three from the reserves."
Since Richard had already given his verdict, there was no use in arguing with him. Moreover, as a manager, his job was to accept the decision and move forwardâfocusing on how to adjust the team, motivate the players, and prepare for the next challenge.
What else could he say? Since OâNeill also agreed with Richard, he, as part of the staff, could only go along with it.
After OâNeill and Roberson left, both Fevre and Schlumberger remained, which meant there was still something they wanted to discuss.
Richard allowed them to speak their minds freely. However, when they finally did, he was bewildered.
"You want a gym? A new one? What about the current one?" he asked, confused.
Both Fevre and Schlumberger immediately shook their heads, rejecting the idea of using the current gym. The problem, they explained, dated back to Alan Ball.
Everyone knew that when he was manager, he prioritized player exposure. Thatâs why, at the time, he suggested that players train in public spacesâincluding the gymâso fans could feel closer to them.
"Right now, if a player wants to rehab or put in extra work, heâs doing it surrounded by noise and fans," Fevre said. "Thereâs no privacy. No focus. Thatâs not how elite athletes train. In Wigan, we had to move training out of public areas to avoid distractions like autograph hunters."
Richard frowned. The man had a point.
He then turned to Schlumberger. "What about you?"
Schlumberger nodded. "Weâre still seeing players train using outdated methods. Basic stretching, core strengthening, recovery protocolsânone of it is being done systematically. Itâs only a matter of time before we lose key players to injuries that couldâve been prevented."
By the end of the discussion, basically both of them requested a dedicated budget for their respective departments: Recovery and Physiotherapy.
For Dave Fevre, he wanted to expand the physio department to a six-person team.
This would include:
2 Senior Physiotherapists (focused on injury management and return-to-play planning)
1 Rehabilitation Specialist (to work closely with injured players during post-physio recovery)
2 Sports Masseur (essential for muscle recovery before and after matches)
1 Hydrotherapy Assistant (especially if the gym included recovery pools or ice baths)
For Andreas Schlumberger, he requested a budget to improve the clubâs physical recovery infrastructure. His proposal included:
Hydrotherapy equipment such as ice baths, complete with a budget for ice, foam rollers, and heat packs or hot water bottles.
More adjustable physio tables to reduce long waiting times for treatment.
Basic diagnostic tools (e.g., blood pressure monitors, flexibility testing kits, reflex hammers).
Portable massage beds for use during away games.
After listening to all the requests, Richard realized that it wasnât just about new equipment or extra staffâit was about laying a solid foundation: balancing work and rest, training and recovery.
This was the missing piece City had needed for years.
A genuine smile spread across his face.
â
Finally,â
he thought, feeling a wave of relief and excitement.
For the first time, City was on the path to becoming a truly professional clubânot just in name, but in how they cared for their players. This wasnât just about short-term fixes; it was about building a system that would protect the squadâs health, prolong careers, and elevate performance.
"You know what?" Richard said to both of them as he pulled a folder from his drawer and placed it on the table.
He continued, "Months ago, when I created this high-performance team, I decided I needed to take a deeper look at training, preparation, and diet. Thatâs what led me to Italy."
Both Fevre and Schlumberger looked at each other but said nothing, waiting for Richard to finish.
The folder Richard placed on the table was boldly titled "Proper On-Pitch Warmups."
It contained modular, timed training sessions. Richard then asked them if they could implement the program and follow it consistently.
"..."
Richard stayed quiet, giving the two doctors time to skim through the folder. After a few moments, Fevre finally broke the silence.
"Itâs going to take time," he said thoughtfully.
Because in this module, a completely new training program will be introduced, essentially dismantling the current system, which largely revolves around five-a-sides.
Like stretching sessions and ice bathsâpreviously unheard ofâwere now part of the program Richard wanted to make a habit at City, giving players longer playing careers. Basically the module states that players are not in optimal condition with the existing method.
"Thatâs what we do in Schalke," Schlumberger stated, pointing to the ice bath section included in the folder. "But Dave is rightâCity will need a full adjustment for this to work."
"I know," Richard replied. "Thatâs exactly why I chose this moment. Iâm aiming for the new system to be fully in place after New Year. You know how it isâthese players usually only get into their fittest condition after Christmas."
Of course, Richard made some adjustments to certain parts to better fit the culture of English football. This included personalized training plans, individual diets, and double training sessionsâquite a change at a time when many players were more used to spending their afternoons in the pub or playing golf.
Donât expect Cityâs players to embrace this easily. So, Richard leaned back, a thoughtful look crossing his face, then suddenly asked, "What do you think about the current City?"
Both Fevre and Schlumberger were taken aback, uncertain how to respond. To be honest, at first, they thought Richard was just looking for an excuse to reject their budget requests.
Richard continued, his voice steady and clear: "I want to build a new culture at Cityâone that puts health, recovery, and conditioning at the center, not as optional extras. We want a title-winning team, and this is where it starts."
While augmenting his knowledge by learning from fellow coaches during trips to Italyâincluding recent time with Gian Piero Ventrone at JuventusâRichard wanted to give both Fevre and Schlumberger a "carte blanche," a blank slate, using Ventrone as a reference and their expertise as sports doctors to meticulously plan the squadâs preparation and carefully manage the playersâ workload to minimize injuries.
Fitness, flexibility, and strength work were tailored to complement on-pitch training. Richard does not believe the modern game is more demanding on playersâ bodies; instead, he thinks the volume of injuries in the top flight comes from over-training.
"The physical demands are more or less the same," Richard says. "I believe injuries come from training. Coaches need to know when to stop, when to rest players. Itâs all about planning."
And thanks to both Fevre and Schlumberger requesting to install a rudimentary gym at Maine Road, Richard was finally able to present his idea.
"I will put a lot of my trust in you for this. Youâll probably clash with OâNeill, his staff and the players in the future, so when you start to feel like you canât do this anymore, rememberâI will back you."
There was a brief silence.
That was a bit over the top, wasnât it? After all, for a football club, what could be more important than the players and their coaching staff?
"You know why I rejected OâNeillâs request to buy players like Chris Sutton and Trevor Sinclair in the previous transfer window?"
"..."
"Let me explain the truth," Richard said, leaning forward. "Typically, the more famous a player is, the more reluctant they are to be ordered around by new recruitsâespecially by a new department just getting started. Think about it: if Alex Ferguson were coaching here, or Roy Keane or Eric Cantona were playing for usâwould they listen to you? Would Alex Ferguson accept Marina as the new Director of Football or me handling the transfers?"
He smirked and added, "Heck, I guarantee heâd resign that very day."
"..."
"Thatâs why," Richard said firmly. "You have my full support. You lead, and weâll follow. Letâs do thisâletâs build a team grounded in sports science from the very beginning."