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 As an assistant at a struggling lower-league club, he begins to reshape the team from within challenging outdated tactics, unearthing hidden gems, and reigniting hope in the dressing room.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 FA Cup Quarter-Final draw on March 1 set the stage: Crawley Town would face Premier League giants West Ham United on March 29, 2010. It was a daunting challenge that loomed large. But confidence ran high.


The Red Devils, sitting fourth in League Two after a commanding 3–0 win over Morecambe, were still riding the momentum of their upset victory against Burnley.


Still, there was work to do before the trip to Upton Park. A crucial league match against Bournemouth was just days away, scheduled for March 7.


At the Broadfield Stadium training ground, under a cold March drizzle, manager Niels watched his team gather.


The morning was crisp, and Broadfield's rain-slick pitch shimmered under a gray sky. Training kicked off with set-piece drills.


José Baxter's corners curled through the mist, finding Max Simons, whose sharp instincts sent a powerful header into the net.


Chapter 57 - The Red Devils' Resolve