Football: The British Legendary Manager

The players soon started arriving, coming in batches this time while the staff were setting up the equipment.

It was genuinely amusing to see a group of big men with sleepy eyes and faces that seemed to want to complain but didn't dare. Fortunately, the atmosphere remained relaxed.

Henry watched as the players shuffled onto the training ground. Some were still stretching their stiff muscles, while others yawned, fighting off the remnants of sleep.

It was clear that early morning training wasn't their favorite activity, but no one dared to voice their complaints—at least not openly.

De Rossi was among the first to arrive, already dressed and ready. Despite Paul's concerns about his fitness, the Roman midfielder carried himself with the same authority that made him a natural leader in the squad.

Sometimes, fitness isn't just about physical ability but also about willpower. Many people have overcome their fitness issues through sheer determination, and De Rossi, a true fighter, is one of them. Although he would play as a holding defensive midfielder, there was nothing to criticize about his attitude.

He gave Henry a nod as he passed, then went straight to the stretching area.

Totti, on the other hand, arrived looking as though he had just rolled out of bed. The Roma legend rubbed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and then flashed a lazy smile. "Morning, Mister," he greeted in his laid-back tone, sounding more friendly and less distant than the day before.

Henry couldn't help but joke with the Roman icon. He smirked, "Did you sleep here or what? You look like you haven't even woken up."

Totti chuckled. "Maybe I should sleep here. That way, I can roll straight onto the pitch."

Sure enough, Henry's premonition was confirmed. Totti seemed unusually friendly, and Henry couldn't help but wonder if his charm was already working. But soon, thinking about the training session planned for the day, he thought that any good impressions might quickly fade.

Perhaps the talk with Paul had motivated Totti, or maybe he felt less pressure after meeting the players. Henry patted Totti on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I've got you. The training session will wake up every cell in your body."

Totti couldn't help but shudder. Looking at this young coach, who was the same age as him and seemed friendly—without any intention of sidelining veterans—he wondered if Henry was about to unleash a brutal training regimen.

The interaction between Henry and Totti was captured by some paparazzi who had arrived early. After all, AS Roma was currently a hot topic, especially in England.

One of the topics dominating discussions among professionals and fans in England that summer was two names: Brendan Rodgers, who had managed Swansea, implementing a possession-based style that earned his team comparisons to Barcelona. He was immediately poached by Liverpool, who had finished 8th in the previous season. Rodgers was tasked with revitalizing the team, and many Liverpool fans were hopeful, wondering if a new Alex Ferguson was about to emerge.

The second name, naturally, was Henry Ian Walker, the man who had led Southampton from League One all the way to consecutive promotions back to the Premier League before being poached by AS Roma.

Although he had only managed a League One team, Henry had already built a reputation in England and was regarded as one of the top prospects for the future. He just needed to accumulate more experience before leading a Premier League team—or so most people thought. Instead, he not only declined to extend his contract with Southampton but was also hired by a major club like Roma.

Now, the British were eager to see if this young man could achieve something special, like Guardiola in Spain, Klopp at Dortmund (who had snatched the Bundesliga title from Bayern's grasp), or Antonio Conte, who led Juventus to an unbeaten league record en route to winning Serie A.

Unfortunately, England had lacked promising young managers or coaches to rally behind before. Now, two figures had emerged out of nowhere, naturally attracting significant attention.

As for the fact that Southampton hadn't been fully willing to extend his contract, no one cared. They only saw it as Henry being poached by Roma.

The British media had a knack for hyping up young managers or players as the future best in the world, as if they could achieve anything—only to tear them down at the first sign of failure.

Henry knew this all too well, but he wasn't one to dwell on external pressures. He was confident that sooner or later, he would prove himself. The hype would only bring him into the public eye before he accomplished anything meaningful. In any case, today was an open training session aimed at building momentum, so the news about his good relationship with Totti would only help.

When the players finished gathering, Henry was pleased because no one was late. "Okay, guys, today marks the official start of our training before we move to Val Pusteria tomorrow for the training camp."

"I hope all of you are ready for what's about to come. As a giant in European football, it's a shame that AS Roma, despite its huge investment, failed to qualify for any European tournament this season."

There was only silence after Henry's words. He paused, letting his message sink in. The players exchanged glances, some nodding in agreement, others shifting uncomfortably. From Henry's perspective, their reaction was positive—it showed they were ambitious and felt the weight of last season's failures.

This was what he wanted: for them to understand the reality of their situation and not treat the absence from European competitions as normal or acceptable for a club like AS Roma.

"We have the squad, we have the resources, and now we need to have the right mentality," he continued, his voice firm but not overbearing. "This season, we have two main objectives. First, we must get back into Europe. Whether it's the Champions League or the Europa League, we belong on the continental stage—though I doubt anyone would choose the Europa League over the Champions League."

"Second, we will play football that demands respect—not just from our fans but from every opponent we face. Anyone who faces us must feel respect and fear, regardless of the result."

"Believe in yourselves. You all have the ability to achieve greatness. The fact that you're wearing the jersey of one of the biggest teams in Europe—and in the football world—proves it."

"If we fail to achieve results, I'm willing to admit that it's my fault for not being able to lead such a talented squad to success. But before that, I need your cooperation. You need to show that fighting spirit—the confidence to fear no one and to believe in yourselves."

"When I first took office, I didn't ask for new signings and even halted the transfers of many players because I believe in your capabilities. Don't let us—the fans, your families, me, the coaching staff, or your teammates—down. Prove to the world that you have what it takes to achieve greatness."

Clearly, Henry's words had dispelled the haze in most of the players. The younger ones, like Lamela, Pjanic, and Marquinhos, were excited and full of fighting spirit, while veterans like De Rossi and Totti, who had been sleepy earlier, now looked dignified and ready to fight.

"Now, disband and start warming up. Today's training will be very hard—don't say I didn't warn you."

With that, he returned to the sidelines, becoming a spectator as Paul took charge of the warm-up.

END OF THE CHAPTER

Have a big headache today, also hope you can send more Power Stones