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 As an assistant at a struggling lower-league club, he begins to reshape the team from within challenging outdated tactics, unearthing hidden gems, and reigniting hope in the dressing room.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.

Chapter 99: A Night of Champions League


Niels settled into his seat on the short flight from London to Milan. As the plane hummed quietly, he stared out at the clouds below. His old backpack was in the overhead compartment, packed with a few clothes, a battered novel, and a notebook he'd sworn was just for thoughts, not football tactics.


He'd left Crawley the night before, quietly slipping away after a week of calm following his decision to stay. The "Niels Stays!" banners, red-iced pastries, and kids chanting near Broadfield Stadium had all faded, leaving behind a quiet that made him crave some distance from the weight of the town's hopes.


He hadn't gone anywhere since deciding to stay in Crawley just kept to himself, letting the town's quiet support settle around him. Now, Milan was his first real break, a short escape before the season's demands pulled him back to Broadfield's empty pitches.


Chapter 99 - A Night of Champions League