Football: The British Legendary Manager

The players quickly dispersed across the training ground, some jogging lightly to get their blood flowing, while others paired up for dynamic stretches.

The atmosphere became more lively, and the sluggishness of the early morning had completely disappeared. At least for now, Henry's speech had touched a sore spot with most of the players.

Truthfully, Roma was a team hungry for trophies. They had only won the Serie A title three times in their history, with their last triumph coming in the 2000-2001 season.

Since then, they had consistently been close to glory but fell short, finishing as runners-up six times in the relatively short span from 2001 to 2012.

As for the Champions League, their best performance was a runner-up finish in the 1983-84 season. The hunger for success was evident, and Henry's words had reignited that fire.

Paul, the versatile jack-of-all-trades who doubled as the fitness coach, took charge of the warm-up drills. He instructed the players with a blend of encouragement and a friendly attitude while still ensuring every player moved correctly and efficiently.

"Come on, guys! Let's get those muscles back to their prime. No half-measures today!"

His voice could be heard across the field, pushing the players to give their all. Paul's approach did have some advantages.

With Henry supervising from the sidelines, no player slacked off. Still, the same principle applied: no one dared to gamble, as their role was too important to the point where they couldn't afford to slack off without consequences.

Plus, it's well-known in the football world that players are most afraid of offending a new coach because he would definitely not let it slide and would use the situation to strengthen his authority.

Amidst the players who were serious, De Rossi led by example, his movements sharp and precise, showing the professionalism expected of a seasoned veteran.

Even Totti, the team's iconic figure and biggest star, was fully engaged. His trademark lazy smile had been replaced by a look of intense concentration, a rare sight that underscored the seriousness of the moment.

Totti's commitment was a clear signal to the rest of the team: if their captain was taking this seriously, they had no excuse not to.

Henry watched from the sidelines, arms crossed, a small smile playing on his lips.

Unlike many coaches who had come before him, Henry had no intention of diminishing Totti's influence within the team.

Past coaches had often tried to reduce Totti's influence to assert their own authority, but Henry saw no need for such power struggles.

Totti's influence didn't threaten him; instead, Henry believed in earning his place through results. If he succeeded, his authority would grow naturally. If not, he would move on without regret.

For now, he was confident that the players wouldn't make things difficult for him. He also trusted Paul's ability to help the team regain their form within a couple of weeks. The bigger challenge, however, lay in implementing his tactical vision.

When it came to tactics, Italian football was second to none. The country's rich tactical heritage was evident in its clubs and national team.

Henry had already devised his tactical approach, but the real hurdle was explaining it to the players. His limited Italian made it difficult to hold lengthy discussions, and even if he could communicate fluently, he wasn't sure he could convey his ideas in a way the players would fully grasp.

In England, things had been simpler. He hadn't introduced any revolutionary tactics; instead, he had adapted the traditional English long-ball style with minor tweaks that players could understand with minimal explanation.

Here, however, he was introducing his own system, one that required every player to understand their specific role and the style of play he expected from them. Without a clear example or reference point, the players would have to internalize the system through trial and error.

This was where a complete coaching staff would have been invaluable.

Ideally, Henry would lead tactical meetings, explain game plans before matches, and rely on his assistants—such as the first assistant coach, defensive coach, attacking coach, and set-piece coach to break down the tactics in detail during training sessions.

Unfortunately, his current staff was limited to Paul, who doubled as the fitness coach and his right-hand man, and one other assistant from the club who oversaw training.

This lack of support was one of the reasons Henry had delayed explaining his new system to the team. For now, his focus was on helping the players regain their physical form. He could only sigh inwardly at the challenges that kept arising and encourage the players to keep pushing forward.

...

"So, you're saying that during his first meeting with the board, he presented detailed documents analyzing every player's abilities and potential, documents that were more thorough and trustworthy than the team's own reports?"

George asked, his surprise evident. He was intrigued by how Henry had managed to win over AS Roma's board of directors so quickly, to the point where they publicly expressed their full support for him.

George was particularly curious about these documents. If they were as detailed as described, they would be a goldmine for any agent.

Evaluating a player's strengths, weaknesses, psychological profile, potential, and development plan was no easy task.

Countless players had been misled because they failed to recognize their own strengths or chose teams and coaches that weren't the right fit for them.

Every year, new talents emerged, each seemingly more promising than the last. Yet, only a handful of these so-called geniuses managed to sustain their careers in top leagues.

Success depended on a combination of psychological resilience, genuine talent, self-awareness, and the ability to overcome physical and mental challenges. It was a complex equation that required both skill and luck.

If Henry truly possessed the ability to assess players' potential and strengths accurately, it would be a game-changer.

Still, George preferred to adopt a wait-and-see approach. While many saw him as the agent behind Cristiano Ronaldo and José Mourinho, they often overlooked the numerous other talented players in his Gestifute stable, players who were the backbone of many top teams.

It was no exaggeration to say that George was among the top twenty most influential figures in the football world. Given his stature, it was only natural for him to observe Henry's progress and verify whether his vision held true.

For now, things seemed to be moving in the right direction. José Mourinho had led Real Madrid to the top of La Liga, and for the first time since 2008, it looked like Cristiano Ronaldo might finally surpass Messi to claim his second Ballon d'Or.

Despite these successes, George felt it was time for Henry to formalize their partnership. After all the effort he had invested, it would be unacceptable for someone else to reap the rewards.

...

"Alright, guys, it's only the first day. Why do you look like it's the end of the season?" Henry's voice cut through the silence, but no one responded.

The players were too exhausted to even breathe properly, let alone speak. For athletes who played year-round or spent most of their time on the training ground, it was natural to relax during the off-season.

However, that relaxation came at a cost: a difficult preseason to regain peak fitness. Most players preferred to enjoy their downtime and work harder later, but Henry had no patience for such an approach.

Shaking his head, Henry surveyed the group. Their condition was far from what he had expected.

In his tactical system, defense wasn't the sole focus, but with only three defenders, every player needed to contribute defensively after losing possession.

This required exceptional physical fitness. Ideally, he wanted players who could run tirelessly, like Nedvěd or Makelele, but it seemed that was too much to ask.

Henry clapped his hands, breaking the silence. "Listen up. I know this is tough, but it's necessary. We're aiming to make a statement this season, and that starts with discipline, both on and off the pitch."

"Today was just the beginning. Tomorrow, we go harder. And the day after that, even harder. By the time the season starts, you'll be in the best shape of your careers. Trust the process."

His words were met with collective groans, but Henry's expression made it clear he wasn't joking. "Good," he said, his tone a mix of satisfaction and encouragement. "Now, hit the showers. Rest up. Tomorrow, we head to Val Pusteria for training camp, and it's only going to get harder. But trust me, it'll be worth it."

...

Okay, guys, I'm just trying a new style and showing some different points of view. I don't know if it's good or not, but anyway, if I want to improve, I just need to experiment, and you can tell me what works and what doesn't. Finally, thanks to Namelys and Yellow Idra for the support!

Come on, guys! While writing this chapter, this book was ranked 47th in power stones over the past 30 days. Let's put in more effort and climb even higher!