As the sun dipped behind the skyline, casting a warm glow over the Britannia Inter-Continental London, Richard stood quietly on the grass, hands in his coat pockets. But this wasnât just any training field â it was, in fact, a repurposed garden lawn behind the hotel, usually reserved for peaceful strolls and private events.
When Richard first acquired the hotel, he didnât just buy the main building â he also purchased the adjacent property next to it, allowing him to own the entire block. That decision, once seen as excessive, turned out to be a masterstroke.
Now, whenever Manchester Cityâs squad traveled to London, this hotel became their home base. And thanks to Richardâs foresight, the garden was sealed off and transformed into a temporary training ground, exclusive to the City first team.
As Richard watched the coaching staff set up the pitch and the equipment staff roll out cones and goals, he allowed himself a quiet nod.
PHWEEEE~
A sharp blast of the whistle pierced the air. Mourinho paced along the sideline, the whistle still hanging from his lips as he barked instructions at the players practicing short passes in tight groups.
"Frank! Donât just stand there waiting for the ball! Move into space! The field is huge â are you trying to dance on the spot?"
"Neil! Step up! Look at Claudeâs position â if you take one more step forward, youâll shut down Joanâs passing option!"
"Jay! If youâre double-teamed and thereâs no clean path forward, donât just try to muscle through! Pass it out wide or back! As a central midfielder, your job is to keep possession, not to gamble. A poor pass in that zone can be fatal!"
The players were drenched in sweat, focused, and clearly under pressure â but not in a negative way. Under Mourinhoâs sharp gaze and relentless voice, they pushed harder, striving to meet his demands for perfection.
From the edge of the pitch, Richard watched with quiet satisfaction. He turned to one of the staff nearby. "Is Martin already gone?"
"Yes, sir," the man replied. "He left about ten minutes ago."
Richard gave a slow nod. OâNeill had informed him earlier that todayâs session would be led mostly by Mourinho, as he had a family matter to attend to. Richard didnât press for details â he never did when it came to that. Some things were more important than football.
And anyway, from what he was seeing, the session was in good hands. Mourinho wasnât just running drills â he was building habits, carving instincts into muscle memory.
Richard folded his arms and continued watching, eyes narrowing slightly as the tempo of the passing quickened.
Once training wrapped up, Mourinho wasted no time dismissing the team. Rather than walking off, he joined his coaching staff to help gather the training balls, making sure everything was properly packed away.
Richard also began walking toward his room, but Mourinhoâs voice called out behind him.
"Sir, please wait a moment!"
Richard paused, turning slightly, curious. He stepped under the shade of a nearby tree as the late afternoon light began to fade. Mourinho jogged over, his brow furrowed â a subtle tension in his expression that Richard didnât miss.
"Whatâs wrong?" he asked.
Mourinho scratched the back of his head and let out a deep sigh. "Iâve been thinking... whether itâs time to unleash the full attacking potential of the team. But Iâm worried it might compromise our defensive structure â the one weâve worked so hard to build."
Richard blinked, slightly surprised. "Youâre not satisfied with the squadâs performance?" he asked."We just won two days ago. After the fourth round, weâll be in the quarterfinals by January. Weâve basically swept the Premier League so far â top of the table, barely conceding a goal."
It was true. Two days prior, City had defeated a struggling Tottenham side 1â0 at White Hart Lane. The performance hadnât been flashy â few chances were created â but theyâd taken the one that mattered. Efficient.
Two days ago, City had defeated a struggling Tottenham side 1â0 at White Hart Lane. The victory wasnât dazzling â City didnât create many chances, but they capitalized on the one that mattered. Coincidentally, their next match would be against Tottenham again â same venue, same opponent. Thatâs why the squad was still in London, rather than flying back to Manchester.
But Mourinhoâs concerns werenât about results.
He could feel it â from the players, and within himself.Against teams with rigid defensive tactics or deep blocks, Cityâs counterattacking edge was blunted. Their structured, cautious build-up play had grown conservative, even predictable. And the mood? It was starting to shift.
There was a tension under the surface â not from losing, but from holding back. He didnât need to ask to know players like Zanetti and Capdevila were itching to push higher and impact the game further up the pitch. Zidane, tireless and ambitious, was clearly yearning to take more creative risks, to roam freely and dictate play.
Mourinho hesitated.
Yes, they had one of the best defensive records in the league. His conservative approach had kept them solid through Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup fixtures. It was working â statistically, tactically. But something was missing.
He knew it.
âOur goal-scoring has dipped recently,
â he thought to himself.
This squad was young, ambitious, and full of talent. Holding them back might preserve results, but it was starting to chip away at their spirit. Still, Mourinho understood the risk: loosen the reins, and everything theyâd built defensively could unravel.
With only six rounds played, Mourinho had originally intended to wait until the halfway point of the season before making any major tactical adjustments. There would be time, he thought â time to analyze, time to adapt.
But things didnât go according to plan.
The team was on fire, and making a change now could disrupt everything. And with OâNeill suddenly away due to urgent family matters, Mourinho found himself in a dilemma. Reluctantly, he turned to Richard.
As a former footballer himself, Richard wasnât just a boardroom figure. Mourinho knew he might be the only person outside the dressing room who could truly grasp the weight of the decision â and the risk that came with it.
He hoped Richard would understand. More than that, he hoped Richard would give him the green light.
"What exactly do you want to do?" Richard couldnât help but ask, trying to piece together what was running through Mourinhoâs mind.
Mourinho nodded, then began to share his thoughts.
Previously, the teamâs attacking instructions were kept simple: forwards were told to take quick shots whenever they received the ball, focusing on clean and efficient ball handling, building chemistry through movement, and using precise ground passes and fast-paced play to break through defenses.
But Mourinho now felt that this approach was too basic for the increasingly complex nature of modern football.
Individual breakthroughs are a crucial part of the game. While many celebrate the classic "pass it into the net" style of play, that isnât the only way to score. In fact, individual skill and direct attacking runs often create the most decisive chances.
From what Mourinho had observed in OâNeillâs tactical setup, City had intentionally limited wide attacking breakthroughs to prioritize defensive structure. It made sense â such plays often push individual players deep toward the byline and the penalty area, dragging the entire offensive unit forward. But once the "arrow" is released, it canât be pulled back.
If the attack goes too far without the ability to retreat or reset, the defensive risk becomes overwhelming.
To maintain balance between attack and defense, Mourinho believed he couldnât simply let the players unleash their creativity right away. Instead, he needed them to first develop an instinctive understanding of when and how to fall back â mastering the teamâs defensive shape and transition before gradually unlocking more freedom in attack.
This was his philosophy. A slow, deliberate transformation â not to restrain the players, but to prepare them for total football: intelligent, flexible, and controlled.
Richard was deep in thought as he listened to everything Mourinho had just said.To be honest, it was all
very typical Mourinho
. Based on everything heâd heard, Richard could summarize a few key points:
1. Structured Transition Before Full Offensive FreedomPrioritizes structure before expression â maintaining defensive discipline first, then gradually introducing more offensive freedom once players have mastered transitions and positioning.
2. Limiting Wide Breakthroughs Early OnAvoids over-committing wide players early in matches. Prefers maintaining team shape, only allowing full-backs or wingers to push forward when the space is safe.
3. Cautious Risk ManagementValues control, predictability, and calculated risk â especially in big matches. If the team canât recover after losing the ball, itâs simply unacceptable in his system.
4. The Most Important Principle: Efficiency Over AestheticsDismisses "pretty football" if itâs ineffective. His teams aim for efficiency, realism, and ruthlessness â even if it means less possession or fewer touches.
So... do we go for it or not?
There was no hesitation in Richardâs eyes.
Of course we go for it!
Who else but Mourinho?
Whether at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, or Real Madrid, Mourinhoâs teams always shared the same core principles: absorb pressure and strike with ruthless timing. Wherever he went, the formula worked â control the game, kill on the counter, win at all costs.
Richard thought for a moment and nodded. He knew he didnât have absolute authority over the team. Winning games was one thing, but if he made any decisions that led to even minor discontent among the players, they might find themselves estranged.
"I think you should give it a shot. The training reports from the past two months show clear improvements in our first teamâs cooperation and passing. If we can make it even better, then thatâs a good thing," Richard suggested.