Chapter 3: Don’t worry, kid. I’ll make you a world-class player and restore your confidence!

Although Henry was very curious about this so-called system, he knew the current situation didn't allow him to check. He looked up at Mendes, who was smiling.

"Welcome to Roma, Henry."

Just like that, a deal that changed the European football landscape was made without any grand ceremony—just between a man looking forward to the future and another wanting to achieve more.

Sitting in his chair, Mendes was clearly pleased with the outcome.

"I'll inform the club immediately. They'll want to announce your appointment as soon as possible."

"You have to know that as a coach who hasn't completely proven himself, you'll have to face many challenges and bear immense pressure."

Henry nodded. He had already thought about this. Anyway, which manager isn't under pressure?

"I'll need to wrap things up at Southampton quickly. I've been here for two years, and there are some things I need to sort out."

"Of course," Mendes said, waving a hand dismissively. "You have about a month to prepare. Nothing will press you, but still, I'll arrange for you to meet the key figures at the club—the sporting director, the president, and a few senior players. They'll want to hear your vision."

Henry thought about it. Meeting players like Totti and De Rossi would be crucial. They had significant influence at the club, and their words could really affect the locker room. He just hoped they wouldn't give him too much of a headache.

As they stood to leave, Mendes clapped Henry on the shoulder.

"You're about to step into a new world, Henry. Roma is a club with a passionate fanbase, but they're not always patient."

"They'll expect results, but they'll also want to see a team that fights for the badge. If you can give them that, they'll love you forever."

Henry smiled. Though he had never thought about AS Roma before, from now on, it had always been his favorite team since childhood.

"I'll do my best, Jorge. That's all I can promise."

Mendes grinned.

"That's all anyone can ask for. Now, let's get to work."

---

As soon as he returned to the house he had been living in for the past two years, Henry couldn't wait to check the system's illusory panel that had been with him for ten years:

[Manager: Henry Ian Walker]

[Age: 36]

[Team: AS Roma]

[Team Comprehensive Rating: 82 (A good team in a top-four league)]

[Achievement: Signing a managerial contract with a team in a top-four league.]

[Skills: None] (Gaining skills requires meeting conditions such as: winning 20 matches where the team scores 3+ goals in the second half, winning 30 matches after being behind by 2+ goals, winning 15 matches against teams ranked at least 10 places higher in the FIFA rankings, etc.)

[Team Players:]

Francesco Totti – Forward, Comprehensive Rating: 88/100, Potential: 90/100 (after injury)

Daniele De Rossi – Defensive Midfielder, Comprehensive Rating: 85/100, Potential: 92/100

...

[Click to open the Novice Gift Pack]

Henry, who had been curious about this so-called system for ten years, was utterly shocked, delighted, and excited.

Just look at how detailed the information was—he could see every player's attributes, potential, and even hidden details. This would allow him to know the players better than they knew themselves.

How could he put it? Just for this detailed information alone, Henry already believed in the system. In fact, he had searched for information about such a thing before and came across Chinese-translated novels. They often gave the protagonist game-like abilities.

Now, just from seeing the system display player abilities and potential, he knew it was enough to help him build a strong team by maximizing each player's strengths.

Still, Henry's eyes fell on the Novice Gift Pack. The system seemed to grant skills based on achievements, and he was curious about what kind of skills it could provide. Without hesitation, he clicked on it.

[Congratulations! You have received the skill: Never Say Die]

[Never Say Die (Passive)]

Effect: Each time the team concedes a goal, all offensive-related stats such as Positioning, Shooting Power, Finishing, and other attacking attributes increase by 10% (stackable up to 3 times per match). The enhancement lasts for the remainder of the game.

"Oh my god..." Henry muttered after reading the skill's effect.

Now, he truly had everything needed to be a manager on the same level as—or even beyond—someone like Ferguson. If he couldn't succeed, it would mean his personal ability was really that bad.

He no longer had to worry about his playing style—it was obviously going to be all-out attack. Just thinking about Totti's shooting accuracy of 89, after a 10% increase, it would be 97. After a 20% increase, it would be 107, and after a 30% increase, it would be 118—he would have surpassed the limit of shooting accuracy!

And this applied to all attacking abilities for the entire team. Henry was already fantasizing about the future.

Fortunately, he quickly snapped out of it. He knew that potential was just potential, and the future was just the future. How could he get ahead of himself when he hadn't even achieved anything yet?

If he had time to fantasize, he might as well start learning Italian.

After calming down, he looked at the various attributes and potential of his players, seriously considering the tactics and lineup he would use.

In fact, apart from De Rossi and Totti, no other player in the team had a rating of 85.

He couldn't help but think about Barcelona, with players like Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Puyol, and Dani Alves. He was sure all of them had ratings of 90 or above. Compared to Roma, it was a massive gap.

Still, player ratings shouldn't be everything. If they were, then the Galácticos, with their luxurious lineup of Zidane, Beckham, Ronaldo, Raúl, and others, all of whom should have had ratings around 90, would have won more than just one Champions League.

The most surprising thing, however, wasn't just the potential of players like Pjanić, Marquinhos, and De Rossi, who all had 90+ potential.

No, the most surprising thing was that the player with the highest potential wasn't any of them—but someone else entirely.

[Bojan Krkić – Attacking Midfielder/Forward, Comprehensive Rating: 78/100, Potential: 96/100]

Notes: Confidence – 62/100 (Volatile). Preferred Role: False Nine. Weak Foot: ★★★☆. Mentality: Very anxious (Most of the time anxious, especially when comparing himself to Messi). Injury Risk: Medium-High.

That's right—the player with the most potential was Barcelona's former wonderkid, Bojan Krkić, who had always been compared to Messi.

Thinking about it, it wasn't that surprising.

In fact, if not for his mental attributes—such as Aggressiveness, Confidence, and Composure—dragging his overall rating down, Henry had no doubt Bojan should already be at 85+.

Alone in his house, Henry couldn't help but laugh like a madman.

God is really helping me!

It seemed that all his hard work over the past few years hadn't been in vain.

Now, he had all the ingredients for success—he just needed to cook them into something great.

Bojan is feeling anxious, unconfident, lonely, and lacks aggression?

Don't worry, kid. I'll make you a world-class player and restore your confidence!