As Richard and miss Heysen was discussing plans for the clubâs new season, soon OâNeill joined the conversation about Manchester Cityâs new jersey concept for the upcoming season.
He looked puzzled at first. "Didnât you just acquire an apparel brand?" he asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
He was referring to Adidasâthe iconic brand Richard had recently purchased from a French businessman for half a billion pounds.
Richard nodded, then shrugged helplessly. Originally, he could have used Adidas as Manchester Cityâs new shirt sponsor for the upcoming season. But during the previous campaign, when he signed a deal with Umbroâs John Humphreys, there was a clause giving Umbro the option to extend the contract by one more year.
As for what he expected from City this seasonâhe saw them as contenders in the Premier League, but not a team that would bring home any silverware.
After finishing his explanation, Richard closed the map in his hand. "Thatâs it," he said, before handing the document back to Miss Heysenâgreenlighting the new seasonâs jersey design.
Once Miss Heysen left the room, Richard rose from his seat and gently patted OâNeill on the shoulder. "Good job."
It was about how OâNeill had addressed the crowd during the League Cup final, just before things could have turned ugly. Of course, Richard could have addressed the fan behavior himself after the incident, but managers are typically the public face of the team on matchdays. They are contractually required to face the media immediately after matches.
Owners, on the other hand, are not part of the matchday operational structure. They usually observe from executive suites and arenât expected to speak to the media unless itâs a major club-wide issue.
It all comes down to the standard media protocol and chain of responsibility.
In Richardâs case, he also had to consider that he wasnât just the owner of Manchester Cityâhe was also the face of the Maddox Group. Any statement from him needed to be carefully curated, typically issued through official club channels or via select interviews. Letting the manager or spokesperson speak first allowed for calm, on-the-ground responses, while Richard could step in later with a more measured and strategic statement.
After some small talk about the previous day, Richardâs face suddenly shifted to a serious expression. OâNeill and Toto, noticing the change, sensed that Richard had something important to discuss.
"Please, sit down first," Richard said, as he walked over and switched on the large TV in his office. He inserted a neatly edited videotape into the player and pressed play.
The screen lit up with footage from the League Cup finalâManchester City vs. Aston Villa.
"Whatâs going on?" OâNeill couldnât help but ask.
"I have something very important to discuss with you," Richard replied calmly.
"Is it about the players?"
"No," Richard said, his tone unwavering. "Itâs about the teamâabout our clubâs future."
OâNeill immediately sat up straight, fully alert.
Richard wasnât the kind of person to speak lightly. His academic background meant he was precise and deliberate with his wordsâneither dramatic nor overly cautious.
"I understand. Go ahead," OâNeill said.
Richard nodded before gesturing to the screen. "You should watch this first."
Sitting upright, OâNeill turned his full attention to the TV, which was now showing highlights from the League Cup final where City had faced Aston Villa.
The video featured various angles, showing clips of City players on the attack while Aston Villa defenders held their lineâhighlighting one-on-one situations between attackers and defenders.
Larsson, Ronaldo, Neil Lennon, Van Bommel, and Pirloâall of them appeared on screen.
After watching the first round of clips, OâNeill raised his hands in confusion, still unsure of what Richard was trying to convey.
Richard rewound the tape and played it again, pausing the video on Larsson as he received the ball. He pointed at the screen and asked, "Henrik is in this position. How many options does he have?"
OâNeillâs expression shifted as he focused, his mind beginning to work. He answered solemnly, "The passing options are limited. Dribbling is the best choiceâit offers the highest payoff."
In the footage, Larsson was facing Taylor in defense, and there was indeed space to break through.
The trailing center-back, Southgate, wasnât closing in yet. If Larsson made a move, it wouldnât guarantee a goal, but heâd at least have a decent shotâexactly what City wanted: direct scoring opportunities.
Richard continued playing the video, showing Larsson choosing to pass. While he didnât lose possession, that decision allowed Aston Villa time to reset their defensive shape.
In the next clip, Ronaldo was shown holding the ball with his back to goal.
Richard paused the footage and asked, "What should he do here?"
OâNeill assessed the screen.
His teammates were tightly marked, and the supporting players were out of position. Ronaldo could either pass back or try to go it alone. Since Ehiogu wasnât pressing him tightly, Ronaldo had enough space to take a quick shot.
"Turning and shooting directly is the best option," OâNeill said.
Richard played the clip, showing Ronaldo attempting to turn and shoot but getting intercepted.
He spoke solemnly, "Ronaldo made the right decision, but his execution was poor. He should have taken a lateral touch to adjust his shooting angle and find a better position before striking. The footage clearly shows space around himâhe didnât need to force a dribble forward."
Richard let the video continue, showcasing more sequences involving various players. His main point was clear: the team had solid ball-handling skills, but their decision-making in key moments still needed refinement.
After turning off the TV, Richard said seriously, "Martin, letâs get to the point."
Richard hadnât celebrated the victory from the previous day. Instead, he returned to the office, asked the staff to compile multi-angle footage of the match, and spent the night analyzing it without rest.
Looking directly into OâNeillâs eyes, Richard said, "Yesterdayâs win wasnât just about the players performing well. It was about your tactics working. Our strong performance in the Premier League this season isnât only due to star playersâitâs driven by three things: first, team chemistry; second, tactical execution; third, player fitness..."
OâNeill responded, "Isnât the playersâ excellence reflected in how they work well together, carry out the tactical plan, and improve their fitness through serious training?"
Richard slammed his hand on the table and raised his voice. "No! If we keep going like this, it will come with limitations. These players are a product of Cityâs tactical system. They adapt to our style, but they wonât stand out individually. Theyâre good, yesâbut they wonât become world-class stars. Once other teams adapt to our tactics and our fitness edge fades, theyâll catch up. We need to help our players unlock their full potentialâso they can make the best decisions in a split second and execute flawlessly!"
OâNeill looked stunned by Richardâs passionate argument. Then looked puzzled. "Doesnât that make us look stronger, though? We emphasize teamwork over individualism."
Richard rubbed his temples. "Youâre missing the point, Martin! This isnât about team versus individual. The real question isâif we brought in someone new who could blend into our system, would he perform better or worse? And how long would it take him to adapt? What if, for example, we signed a fully developed player and forced him to adjust to our way of playing? So far, from what Iâve seen, the only one who can consistently perform on an individual level is Ronaldo."
Indeed, when it came to breaking down the opposition on his own, it was only Ronaldo. Perhaps it was because he liked to drop deeper, creating his own space and chances. The others, thanks to the counter-attacking strategy OâNeill deployed, often needed support to be effective.
OâNeill frowned at Richardâs intensity. "Whatever it is youâre about to say, letâs take a step back and talk this through calmly. Iâm here to listenâjust tell me what the core of the issue is."
He could only sigh before striving to fully comprehend Richardâs points.
Richard didnât disappoint him.
"Martin, imagine a player receiving the ball in an attacking position. They typically have three options: shoot, pass, or dribble. If theyâre not in a position to shoot, that leaves the other two. Our tactics emphasize the collectiveâwhen teammates make runs and there are viable passing lanes, the ideal decision is to pass. But when a player canât shoot or pass, the only option left is to take on the defender. And do you know who they usually pass to in those moments? Ronaldo."
Richard continued, "Right now, weâre playing smoothly in the league because of our advanced tactics. Our full-backs and midfielders alternate in attacking roles, creating numerical superiority in key areas. That gives us an edge. But what happens when our opponents catch up to our system? When we no longer have the numerical advantage, can our players rely purely on their technical ability to change the game? Do they have that in them? We may have won yesterday, but it also exposed our biggest weaknessâwho in our squad can consistently dominate one-on-one situations? Larsson relies on strength, and so does Lennon. The only player who shows even a slight technical edge is Ronaldo."
Henry and Okocha could be the solution to that, but OâNeillâs 4-4-2 system doesnât support them. If next season Robertson stays at City, with his preference for the 4-3-3, Richard wouldnât be worried. But what if OâNeill decides to bring in an assistant who also prefers the 4-4-2?
Wouldnât that just create a whole new problem?
Richardâs words darkened OâNeillâs expression. Maybe he was the one who needed a wake-up call.
As he reflected on yesterdayâs match, the truth became clearerâwhen the playing field was level, none of Cityâs players had stepped up through individual brilliance. It was OâNeill himself who had unlocked the game by orchestrating a coordinated attack through the middle.
And Aston Villa wasnât even an elite side. Their full-backs were caught off guard when isolated. But against stronger teams? Theyâd adapt and shut those chances down effortlessly.
Seeing a hint of clarity in OâNeillâs face, Richard let out a quiet sigh of relief. This might be the turning point. He cleared his throat and asked, "You already know about Johnâs situation, right?"
It was no secretâJohn Robertson, the current assistant coach, was preparing to begin his own journey as a head coach. OâNeill looked momentarily surprised, but he nodded.
Richard nodded too, then continued, "I know youâre looking for someone to replace himâand thatâs your right as manager. Heâll be working closely with you. But before you decide, take a look at this."
Of course, half the things Richard had just saidâno matter how dramaticâwere true. The rest? Well, they were clearly meant to set the stage for something else entirely.
Richard didnât just want to make a tactical point. He wanted to make an introduction.
Curious, OâNeill picked up the folder Richard slid across the table.
And there it was. A name printed neatly on the front page.
José Mårio dos Santos Mourinho Félix, better known as José Mourinho.
OâNeill blinked. He looked up slowly, as if trying to confirm whether this was some kind of joke. "Youâre serious?"
Richard gave a tight smile. "Dead serious."
The problem was, the man Richard wanted to bring in wasnât even an assistant coachâhe was just an interpreter. Or to put it more bluntly, a translator.
Was he serious? He wanted a
translator
to step in and become his assistant coach?