The System Unlocks Tactical Adjustments

The only sound coming from the Bradford City training field was the distant hum of the janitor's vacuum cleaner in the hallway; the stadium lights had long since been turned off, and the spectators had left.

Jake sat alone in his office, staring at the match report in front of him.

Possession: 39%

Shots on Target: 2

Pass Accuracy: 74%

Final Score: 0-3 Loss

It didn't take a genius to analyze the performance. They had been awful.

Sloppy passing, zero defensive structure, and worst of all—a complete refusal to follow his tactics.

Jake clenched his jaw, tossing the report onto his desk.

He had expected resistance. No team trusts a new manager on day one. But this?

They hadn't even tried.

A loss like that would've crushed any manager's confidence.

But Jake wasn't just any manager.

He wasn't here to survive. He was here to win.

And that's when the system activated.

[Ding! New Feature Unlocked – Live Tactical Adjustments]

[Modify formations and player roles in real time.]

Jake's breath hitched.

The glowing blue screen flickered in front of him, displaying a new interface.

At first glance, it looked like a tactical board, similar to what football managers used in their pre-match discussions.

[Live Tactical Adjustments – Function Unlocked]

[Feature Explanation: Allows real-time modifications to player roles, positions, and formations mid-match.]

[Live Analysis: Detects in-game weaknesses and suggests optimal adjustments.]

Jake sat forward, eyes scanning the details.

This wasn't just an assistant—this was an in-game coaching tool.

With this, he could change tactics on the fly instead of waiting for halftime or substitutions. He could see where the gaps were, who was struggling, and what needed fixing immediately.

Jake exhaled slowly.

This was it.

The advantage he needed.

But an advantage meant nothing if his players still refused to follow his instructions.

And that?

That was a different battle altogether.

The next morning, Jake stood in the center of the locker room, facing a squad that looked just as disinterested as before.

Some of them sat with their arms crossed, Holbrook included. Others slumped against the benches, waiting for him to start talking.

Paul Roberts leaned against the doorway, watching silently.

Jake didn't waste time.

"Last night, I rewatched the match three times." His voice was calm but firm.

A few players rolled their eyes.

"You want to know why we lost?" Jake continued. "Because some of you decided my tactics weren't worth following."

That got their attention.

Holbrook let out a small scoff, shaking his head.

Jake turned to him.

"You have something to say, Captain?"

Holbrook leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Yeah. You're blaming us, but what about you?" He gestured around the room. "Maybe your tactics just don't work."

A few murmurs of agreement followed.

Jake didn't react.

"You think I don't know what I'm doing?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

Holbrook shrugged. "You're new here. We don't know anything about you. But we do know our own strengths. Sitting deep and countering like cowards? That's not Bradford's style."

Jake nodded slowly. "Right. So you ignored my tactics, played your way, and what happened?"

Holbrook's jaw clenched.

"Three-nil," Jake said flatly. "Your style got you embarrassed."

Silence.

Holbrook's fists tightened, but he had no comeback.

Jake took a step forward.

"You don't respect me yet. I get that. But I'm telling you now—my way is the only way we survive this season."

He let that sink in before speaking again.

"You're all professionals. You want to play attacking football? Then earn the right. First, you defend. First, you learn discipline. Until then, we play how I say."

No one spoke.

Jake scanned the room, then sighed.

"Training starts in ten minutes. Don't be late."

He turned and walked out, leaving them to think about his words.

The players slowly filtered onto the pitch, still dragging their feet.

Jake watched them carefully, his hands in his coat pockets.

He knew what they were doing.

They wanted to test him. See if he'd give in, lose confidence, crack under pressure.

That wasn't going to happen.

The system's tactical insights were already breaking down weaknesses.

Holbrook? Too slow in transition.

Barnes? Hesitant in one-on-one duels.

Reece? Explosive pace, but poor decision-making.

Jake had all the data he needed.

He clapped his hands together.

"Alright. We're starting with defensive drills."

Groans.

Jake ignored them.

For the next two hours, he drilled them on positioning, tracking runners, cutting passing lanes.

Holbrook, annoyed at being forced into a deeper role, kept pushing forward during drills.

Jake saw it instantly.

Using Live Tactical Adjustments, he shifted Holbrook's role mid-drill, forcing him into a deep-lying playmaker position.

Holbrook gritted his teeth, realizing he was being dragged deeper by the system's enforced movement.

The look he shot at Jake was pure frustration.

Jake just smirked.

"Follow instructions next time," he said simply.

For the first time, Holbrook looked at him with something other than contempt.

Maybe… just a little bit of respect.

By the end of training, the mood had shifted.

Players were exhausted, but focused.

They had started the day testing Jake.

Now, they realized he wasn't going to break.

As they walked off, Paul Roberts approached, arms crossed.

"Not bad," the assistant said. "You pushed them harder than the last guy."

Jake smirked. "And?"

Roberts shrugged. "And… they actually listened, by the end." He paused, then added, "Holbrook still doesn't trust you, though."

Jake glanced toward the captain, who was heading toward the locker room without a word.

"I don't need him to trust me," Jake said. "I need him to follow orders. And he will."

Roberts let out a small chuckle. "You sure about that?"

Jake checked his system screen, where Holbrook's positional discipline had increased by 5%.

"Yeah," Jake said, adjusting his collar. "I'm sure."