Squad Assessment & Harsh Truths

The air was crisp and biting, the morning fog still clinging to the edges of the pitch as Jake Wilson—or rather, Ethan Carter in his body—stepped onto the training ground for the first time.

He pulled his coat tighter around him, his breath visible in the cold as he walked toward the group of players huddled near the center circle. Their body language was enough to tell him exactly what they thought of him.

Arms crossed. Expressionless faces. Zero respect.

It wasn't surprising. Bradford City was a club on the verge of relegation, a team used to being ignored. And now, their new head coach was some no-name lower-league manager who had never accomplished anything in his career.

Jake could hear the whispers even before he reached them.

"Another one, huh?"

"How long do you think this guy lasts?"

"Relegation's confirmed already, mate."

His jaw clenched, but he said nothing. Let them talk. That would change soon enough.

A sharp voice cut through the murmurs.

"Alright, let's get this over with."

Jake turned to see a short, balding man in a thick winter coat approaching. Henry Lowe, the club chairman. His expression was flat, unimpressed. He didn't bother with introductions.

"Your job is simple," Lowe said, stopping inches from him. "Keep us in the league. If we go down, you're done."

Straight to the point. No small talk, no encouragement. Just cold, brutal reality.

Jake met his gaze evenly.

"Understood."

Lowe studied him for a second longer, then let out a snort.

"Good. Because we're not expecting miracles. Just survival."

He turned and walked off without another word, leaving Jake standing there, staring at a squad that already looked like they had written him off.

Jake exhaled, adjusting the collar of his jacket. Fine. He would play along for now. But they had no idea who they were dealing with.

As Jake moved toward the squad, his vision suddenly flickered.

A blue screen materialized in front of his eyes.

[Ding! The Coaching System Has Activated.]

[Analyzing Current Squad – Bradford City (5th-Tier League, England)]

[Compiling Data…]

Jake's pulse quickened.

Then, in an instant, an entire breakdown of his team appeared before him.

SQUAD VERDICT:

3 players worth keeping.

7 players are dead weight and need to be replaced.

1 shocking recommendation: Sell the team's captain and star player next season.

Jake's eyes widened. Sell the captain?

A notification flashed.

[James Holbrook – Team Captain]

[Current Ability: 68 | Potential Growth: 68]

[Verdict: Peak reached. High wages. Sell next season.]

Jake's stomach twisted.

Holbrook wasn't just the captain—he was the best player in the squad. A 28-year-old central midfielder, the only guy who had shown glimpses of quality in this team.

And yet, the system wanted him gone.

He skimmed through the report, his heart pounding.

Top 3 Players Worth Keeping:

David Reece (20, RW) – Explosive pace, high potential.

Nathan Barnes (23, CB) – Good defensive instincts, needs leadership.

Scott Williams (25, CM) – Lacks confidence but strong technical ability.

7 Players Marked as Dead Weight:

Aging fullbacks who can't keep up with the pace.

Strikers with poor finishing.

A goalkeeper with weak reflexes.

And then, at the bottom—Holbrook's name.

Jake couldn't believe it.

Holbrook was the only reason Bradford hadn't been embarrassed every week. How could the system recommend selling him?

His hands clenched into fists.

Why?

[Reason: Cannot improve further. High salary draining club funds. Better reinvestment options available.]

Jake took a shaky breath. It made sense.

In football, long-term success wasn't about holding onto fan favorites. It was about building a system, a squad that would grow and dominate.

Still, he knew what this meant.

If he followed this decision, he would be making enemies.

Holbrook was the heart of this team. Selling him wouldn't just cause tension in the locker room—it could turn the entire squad against him.

But then again…

Wasn't this exactly what he had failed to do in his past life?

The old Ethan Carter had been too cautious, too afraid to make big calls. He had always been hesitant to change the core of his teams.

And it had gotten him nowhere.

Not this time.

He exhaled slowly.

The decision was made.

Next season, Holbrook was gone.

"Coach?"

Jake blinked, snapping out of his trance.

Standing in front of him was Paul Roberts, the assistant manager. A man in his early 50s, his greying hair and deep-set eyes made him look like he'd seen every disaster possible.

And he was looking at Jake like he had just seen one more.

"You alright?" Roberts asked, crossing his arms. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Jake hesitated. The system, the squad report, the brutal reality of what he needed to do—it was all overwhelming.

But he swallowed it down.

"I'm fine."

Roberts didn't seem convinced.

"You sure? Because we've got three days until the next match, and you're standing here like you don't know what to do."

Jake straightened. He did know what to do.

He had a team to rebuild.

A relegation battle to survive.

And a legacy to create.

The doubts, the disbelief from the players, the skepticism from the staff—none of it mattered.

By the time he was done, they would believe.

Jake adjusted his collar, turned to the squad, and took his first step forward.