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Football System: Touchline God-Chapter 65: Staff Meeting II
Chapter 65: Staff Meeting II
Maddox pushed open the glass doors of the training facility. The smell of fresh paint and new equipment filled the air. Everything about Northcastle Rising Stars screamed professional. Clean floors, modern equipment, trophy cases lining the walls.
He checked his watch. 10:45 AM. Fifteen minutes early. Good.
The meeting room was on the second floor. Maddox climbed the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. His palms were sweaty. First impressions mattered. These people would be working with him every day.
The door read "Conference Room A" in gold lettering. Maddox knocked twice and entered.
Four people sat around a oval table. They looked up as he walked in. Maddox recognized some faces from the last training sessions, but others were new.
"Maddox!" A tall man with graying hair stood up. "Good to see you again."
"Mr. Markus," Maddox replied, shaking hands with the youth club’s director.
"Just call me Marcus. We’re all family here." Markus Webb gestured to the others. "Let me introduce your staff."
The first man was bald, short and stocky with kind eyes. He wore a tracksuit with "Rising Stars" embroidered on the chest.
"This is Teddy Johnson, your assistant coach. I guess you both are well acquainted already." Marcus said. "Teddy’s been with us for three years. Knows the players inside and out."
Teddy stood up and extended his hand. "Pleasure to officially meet you, Maddox. I’ve heard great things."
"Same here," Maddox replied. "I’m looking forward to working together."
"Teddy played semi-professional for twelve years," Marcus added. "His tactical knowledge is excellent."
Next was a woman in her thirties with short blonde hair. She wore a professional blazer and carried a tablet.
"Sophia Davidson, our fitness coach," Marcus continued. "She handles conditioning, injury prevention, nutrition plans."
Sophia smiled warmly. "The boys are in great shape. We’ve been working hard throughout the season."
"That’s good to hear," Maddox said. "Fitness wins games."
The third person was younger, maybe twenty-five. He had dark hair and wore glasses. His handshake was firm but nervous.
"David Frank, our analyst," Markus said. "He studies opponents, tracks statistics, creates match reports."
"Nice to meet you," David said quietly. "I’ve already started preparing files on Hastings Coastal Academy."
"Perfect," Maddox replied. "I’ll want to review those today."
The last person was older, maybe fifty-five. He had weathered hands and a calm demeanor.
"And this is Mark Doughty, our goalkeeper coach," Markus finished. "Former professional keeper. Played in the second division for eight years."
Mark nodded. "Our keepers are solid. Young, but talented."
Maddox took his seat at the head of the table. Everyone sat down and looked at him expectantly. This was his moment to set the tone.
"First, I want to thank you all for being here," he began. "I know some of you might have concerns about working with a new coach."
Teddy shifted in his chair. "We’re all behind you, Maddox. The club made the right choice."
"I appreciate that." Maddox opened his notebook. "But I want to be clear about my expectations. We’re not just trying to avoid missing out on the world youth competition. We’re here to win."
Sophia leaned forward. "The players will respond to that attitude. They’ve been hungry for success."
"Good. Because Sunday’s match against Hastings Coastal Academy is crucial. A win puts us in a strong position for the NextGen Ascension League."
David pushed his glasses up his nose. "Hastings finished third last season. They have a strong midfield and their striker scored eighteen goals."
"Tell me about their weaknesses," Maddox said.
"They struggle with pace on the wings," David replied. "Their fullbacks are slow. If we can get our wingers isolated against them, we’ll create chances."
Maddox made notes. This was useful information.
"What about set pieces?" he asked.
"They’re vulnerable from corners," David continued. "Their goalkeeper is only five-foot-nine. Not great in the air."
Mark spoke up. "Our keeper is six-foot-two. Good with crosses. We should look to attack their goal from corners."
Maddox nodded but stayed silent. He turned to Teddy. "How do the players feel about changing systems?"
"They’ve adapted quite well. Most of them have played in different formations before."
Maddox nodded. He was already forming ideas about how to approach the Hastings match.
"Sophia, how fit are the players?" he asked.
"Very fit. We’ve been doing high-intensity training for the past six weeks. They can press for ninety minutes without dropping off."
"That’s perfect. I want us to press high up the pitch. Make Hastings uncomfortable when they have the ball."
Sophia smiled. "They’ll love that. The boys enjoy aggressive football."
Markus Webb had been quiet, but now he spoke up. "Maddox, the board is confident in your abilities. We’re not expecting miracles, but we want to see progress."
"You’ll see progress," Maddox replied firmly. "But I need everyone’s support. Players, staff, fans. We’re in this together."
"The fans are excited," Markus said. "Ticket sales for Sunday are already at eighty percent capacity."
The pressure was building. Maddox could feel it in his chest. The fans expecting positive results. A board demanding progress. Players trusting his decisions.
"Let’s talk about transfers," Maddox said, flipping to a new page in his notebook. "What was spent this season before my arrival?"
Markus Webb shifted in his chair. "We kept it modest. Around ⊽280,000 total."
"That’s not much for a youth academy," Maddox replied. "What did we get for that money?"
"Two midfielders and a left-back," Teddy answered. "All from lower ranked youth clubs. Good potential, but they need development."
Maddox made notes. ⊽280,000 wasn’t enough to compete with the bigger academies. He’d seen youth teams spend double that on a single player.
"What about next season?" he asked. "Will I have a proper budget?"
Markus hesitated. "That depends on our performance. If we make the NextGen Ascension League, the board will increase funding."
"How much are we talking about?"
"Maybe £400,000 to £500,000," Markus said. "Possibly more if we show real progress."
Maddox nodded. It still wasn’t huge money, but it was better than nothing. Smart recruitment could make a difference.
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