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 As an assistant at a struggling lower-league club, he begins to reshape the team from within challenging outdated tactics, unearthing hidden gems, and reigniting hope in the dressing room.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

Crawley Town's 3-1 rout of Aldershot had ignited Broadfield, anchoring them fourth in League Two with 66 points, just two points away of third place, promotion a blazing spark. The FA Cup Quarter-Final against West Ham United, set for March 29, 2010, loomed like a thunderhead, their Burnley upset a fire in their hearts. Yet, Burton Albion's league clash at Broadfield on March 25, just four days before West Ham, demanded every ounce of focus, a gritty test against a side known for physicality. At Broadfield's training ground, under a crisp March breeze, Niels watched his squad, their Aldershot triumph a glow, but Nate Sutton's tender knee a spark of hope and fear, Max Simons' captaincy a beacon. Could his team outmuscle Burton while keeping their eyes on West Ham's storm, or would the grind dim their fire?


Chapter 63 - Burton’s Challenge