Chapter 16: Reorganization (4)

Jonathan Landris was a man with short, curly hair and a patchy beard, slightly plump with a friendly demeanor.

Having driven up from Liverpool to Barnfield just to meet in person since he was nearby, he exchanged warm greetings with his former bosses, Mike Garlick and John Banaszkiewicz, before taking a seat.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Helena Cartwright, currently serving as the chairwoman of the board and acting CEO," Helena introduced herself.

"Jonathan Landris. Thank you for meeting me," he replied.

A key member of Liverpool's analysis team—nurtured by owners FSG since joining in 2013—he candidly explained why he wanted to switch jobs.

"There are some incredibly smart people at Liverpool. I enjoy analyzing players, but I want to get closer to decision-making—like recruitment decisions and transfer negotiations—rather than just making recommendations."

"Is that because of Michael Edwards?" Mike Garlick asked.

Jonathan shook his head at the mention of Liverpool's young genius Football Director, credited with shaping over half of their formidable squad.

"No way you can compare me to a genius like Michael. Besides, even if Michael steps down, there's Julian Ward, the assistant Sporting Director, so my chance would still be years away."

"Then why here?" Helena pressed.

"I think Burnley offers a great opportunity for experience. The squad's aging, and whether we avoid relegation this season or not, a full overhaul is inevitable. For someone handling player recruitment and departures, it's a really exciting chance."

"So what do you think Burnley should do?" Helena asked.

Jonathan paused to gather his thoughts.

"Hmm… The caliber of players we can target shifts slightly depending on whether we avoid relegation this season, but the overarching approach stays the same. Given the financial situation, I think the club has no choice but to shift its operating model toward signing and selling prospects."

Gesturing toward the training ground outside the window, he continued.

"Honestly, Liverpool's been watching Burnley's showcase loan strategy with a lot of interest. Our first team is so strong and keeps getting reinforced with external signings that, unless you're a genius like Trent Alexander-Arnold, it's nearly impossible for youth players to break into the starting lineup. If Burnley proves this model works in the Premier League, clubs will be lining up to loan us their players."

The directors nodded as they listened.

"I've got experience identifying youth talent from my time as a youth development analyst at Everton. I think we can fill squad gaps with showcase loans while continuously signing and developing prospects internally. That'd ensure long-term stability in performance and player supply."

He added, "Oh, and one more thing."

"What's that?" Helena asked.

"It might sound odd, but… with Liverpool's status, budget, and the chance to play under Klopp, we can sign almost anyone. It's great for building a strong squad, but… it's kind of boring, you know?" Jonathan said with a self-deprecating laugh, wrapping up his detailed response.

"Anything else?" Helena prompted.

Jonathan glanced at her cautiously before shrugging. "Working under American owners wasn't so bad, honestly. FSG's been a solid owner. I asked some of the American FSG folks at Liverpool about the Cartwright Fund, and the feedback wasn't negative. Strict but fair, and they take care of their people. That's good enough for me."

Helena checked the expressions of the other two directors, then beamed at Jonathan. "You're hired!"

"What, really?! Just like that?" Jonathan exclaimed, a mix of shock, joy, and confusion on his face.

"You've got the experience, skills, and motivation. More importantly, you've already figured out where we're headed from an outsider's perspective, so we don't even need to explain much. Plus, you've worked at Burnley before, so you know the setup."

"Wow! Thank you!"

"So, when can you start?"

Amid handshakes and congratulations from Mike Garlick, John Banaszkiewicz, and Helena, Jonathan replied, "Oh, I'd like to wrap things up at Liverpool and take some time off with my wife."

"Fair enough. Then… how about starting next week?"

"…Huh?!"

"We'll take that as a yes. John, make sure Mark signs the contract before he leaves the building."

"I'll handle it," John Banaszkiewicz said with a sly smile that didn't quite match his usual affable demeanor.

*Getting paid on time and running things properly are two different things,* he seemed to imply.

"Uh, wait a sec…" Jonathan stammered, still processing, as he looked between the three directors.

John firmly grabbed the arm of the innocent Technical Director—now destined for a spiral of exploitation—and dragged him out of the meeting room to sign the contract.

Helena and Mike Garlick, having secured a new core executive colleague (or rather, prisoner #4), watched the bewildered new hire being hauled away with a mix of pity and glee.

---

Feeling somewhat bamboozled after signing the contract, Jonathan politely declined John Banaszkiewicz's suspiciously kind (and slightly creepy) offer to arrange nearby lodging and returned to Liverpool.

How he explained this to his family—who'd expected a proper break during the job switch—was anyone's guess. But starting the following Monday, Jonathan hit the ground running, despite his initial shock.

He'd already outlined his framework during the interview, and Hyung-min and Arthur, upon hearing it, welcomed it with open arms.

First, he tackled rebuilding the scouting team that had resigned with Sean Dyche. With the board's (mostly Helena's) approval, he swiftly hired six scouts: one for Britain (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland), one for South America, and four for Europe (split into Northern, Western, Eastern, and Southern regions).

"For Britain, we'll focus on the Championship and Scottish Premiership. Premier League clubs compete heavily for talent here, so prices are tough, but the proximity allows for repeated observation and faster adaptation," Jonathan explained, justifying why one scout could cover the hundreds of clubs across Britain.

"For the other Big Five leagues—Spain, France, Italy, Germany—we'll scout reserves and youth rather than first-team regulars. In South America, Eastern Europe, and Northern Europe, we'll target first-team debutants who make an immediate impact."

Dividing the remaining regions among the scouts, he continued, "Unfortunately, it's statistically harder to find gems in North America or Asia. Africa's best are often snapped up early by Southern Europe or France, so we'll approach it by targeting their pre-polished talents."

To support this, he hired two analysts—one for scouting and one for the first team—forming an eight-person scouting and performance analysis team under his command.

Surprisingly, Helena didn't object. "Cutting costs, minimizing staff, and not hiring at all when work stalls are all different things. Hire when it's needed—just keep it efficient."

With her approval, the scouting and analysis teams were quickly established, while the coaching staff to support Hyung-min was also finalized.

As expected, Arthur Brimlow reversed his retirement to officially become the first-team assistant coach, assisting Hyung-min.

Given the club's finances and Hyung-min's vision, they opted to expand the coaching staff gradually rather than rapidly.

However, a fitness coach was essential to execute Hyung-min's pressing tactics.

Despite posting a job ad after informal applicants fell short, finding a fitness coach capable of delivering the intense, structured training Hyung-min wanted proved elusive. Traditional methods couldn't meet the Premier League's demands for strength, speed, stamina, and tight schedule.

Wanting tailored programs accounting for match cycles, individual body rhythms, and physical traits, Hyung-min eventually gave up on local recruitment and sent an SOS to RB Salzburg's Mark Lang.

Red Bull Football Group flatly refused to lose both players *and* coaches but didn't mind recommending a few off-radar talents they'd been eyeing.

After lengthy resume reviews and multiple video interviews, they hired Paulo Mourão, a Portuguese fitness coach.

Since 2011, Paulo Mourão had worked as a fitness coach at Vitória in Portugal's top league. That same year, he joined manager Rui Vitória, moving to Benfica in the summer of 2015—a club that, alongside FC Porto, Sporting CP, and SC Braga, formed Portugal's Big Four. Under Rui Vitória, Benfica won the league three times across four seasons (2015/16 to 2018/19). When Rui was sacked, Paulo followed him to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

Now 40 and on a break after Rui's dismissal from Al-Nassr, Paulo brought experience Hyung-min and Arthur lacked—overseeing fitness for a team that won three titles in four seasons in Portugal's notoriously competitive league.

Thus, the coaching staff—Hyung-min, Arthur, and Paulo Mourão—totaled just three.

For a Premier League club, it was absurdly lean, but Hyung-min shook his head at Helena's offer to expand further.

"We can grow the staff later, but for now, a small, tight-knit group is enough. The first-team squad isn't that big anyway, so we don't need more people."

There wasn't even a dedicated goalkeeping coach, but Arthur's extensive youth coaching experience meant he could partially cover that specialized role.

After much trial and error, Burnley Football Club finally filled the operational and coaching gaps left by ALK Capital and Sean Dyche's exits.

With a permanent manager, new staff, and a bolstered—if still thin—squad, Burnley completed its reorganization and took its first steps out of a bleak situation.

As the hectic international break ended, the four loanees joined the first team, arriving on the same day as players returned from national duty or holidays.