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 As an assistant at a struggling lower-league club, he begins to reshape the team from within challenging outdated tactics, unearthing hidden gems, and reigniting hope in the dressing room.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

League Two Matchday 34: Crawley Town vs. Rochdale


With promotion in sight, Crawley Town held their nerve in a tense 1-1 draw away at Bournemouth, proof they could scrap with the best when it mattered. The shock win over Burnley still buzzed through the squad, but talk of cup glory had to wait. The FA Cup Quarter-Final against West Ham loomed on the horizon, but next up was Rochdale at Broadfield, a league clash that could shape their season just as much as any giant-killing. The town buzzed with anticipation, 3,500 fans ready to roar, their faith a blaze against Rochdale's 200 supporters. Niels stood sharp at the dugout's edge, calculating every variable, Nate Sutton's tender knee a spark of hope and worry, Max Simons' leadership a beacon, Rochdale's aggressive press. His squad had heart, but could they out-think and outlast a team built to wear them down? The cup dreams depended on it.


Chapter 60 - Broadfield’s Blaze