Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Mad Dog (1)
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Ahead of this season, just as there had been player signings and departures, there had been quite a few changes in the front office as well.
The coaching staff was no exception.
Tap tap—! Tap tap!
Ryan Enby, Bolton's new power analyst, was immersed in his work late into the night at his desk.
The only light in the office came from the glow of his monitor.
His brown bobbed hair was matted from not being washed for two days.
But Enby didn't care about that at all.
On his screen was the training circuit that would soon be implemented.
"Heh heh heh."
After a long while, he broke into a satisfied smile.
"This should be enough to make them all go 'whoa,' right?"
No matter how he looked at it, the training circuit he'd created seemed clean and capable of drawing out the players' positive traits.
He was a graduate of the Coverciano Coaching Academy, an affiliate of the prestigious Italian institution, and had joined the team about a month ago.
But his expression soon crumpled uncomfortably.
"No way they're rejecting this one too...?"
It had only been a little over a month since Enby joined Bolton.
Yet he had been more proactive than anyone.
Recently, he'd even proposed a training circuit he'd made to Bolton's manager, and during preseason, he'd suggested a few tactics.
But there was a problem.
'He rejected every single one...!'
The current manager, Ma Jeong-woo, had glanced over theMad Dog refused.
Sometimes, he'd alternated looks between Enby and the proposed tactics with a baffled expression.
Even chuckling softly now and then.
Each time, Enby's face flushed beet red.
It felt like he was being dismissed.
"Not even a Coverciano grad, and he... tch!"
It was only natural for resentment to build.
And moreover...
"This is Mad Dog stuff. And he ignores it?"
Right now, Ryan Enby had World Management's Mad Dog tactics pulled up separately on his laptop screen.
He had been completely captivated by this internet tactician called Mad Dog ever since Coverciano.
He'd even written a paper based on Mad Dog's tactics and earned top grades.
Thinking back on it now made his face flush with anger again.
'Beating Manchester United and getting all cocky...!'
Enby gritted his teeth.
But soon, his expression softened.
A small smile even crept onto his lips.
Anyone seeing it would have been startled by the sudden shift.
He was looking forward to the upcoming Charlton Athletic match.
'Jimmy Jones...!'
Charlton's manager, Jimmy Jones.
Before taking Charlton, he'd won three straight titles with Qatar's Al Khor.
By league standards alone, it was a stretch to call him a legendary manager.
But not for Enby.
'He's the real deal.'
By chance, Enby had seen it.
Over the past few months, Jimmy Jones incorporating 'his' tactics into the team.
And it continued even after taking the helm at Charlton this season.
'He directly implemented Mad Dog's tactics into the squad...!'
Furthermore, Enby was convinced.
That Jimmy was one of the rare few he acknowledged as a true strategist.
'On a whole different level from that fake Mad Dog.'
He'd seen it too.
Last season, Blackpool's manager Eric Lai had borrowed Mad Dog's tactics.
But Blackpool's manager had racked up wins with Mad Dog's tactics only to kneel before Bolton in the end.
Above all, Enby had known from the start.
Eric Lai wasn't Mad Dog.
He couldn't fool the eyes of a true devotee like Enby.
'It was sloppy.'
He'd imitated Mad Dog's tactics, but the flaws weren't just one or two.
But Jimmy Jones was different.
The tactics Enby had seen from Jimmy evoked Mad Dog himself.
Of course, that didn't mean Jimmy was Mad Dog.
But as a fellow supporter and believer in Mad Dog, he acknowledged it.
Maybe that's why.
Thump—!
His heart raced.
Excitement bubbled up.
How well would Jimmy Jones embody Mad Dog's tactics for real?
And he hoped.
It hurt as a Bolton employee to see the team lose, but... this time, he wanted Jimmy Jones to give that arrogant Manager Ma a harsh lesson.
'He needs to get beaten badly once to wake up and realize how great Mad Dog is as a tactician...!'
Enby was thinking something a true Mad Dog devotee shouldn't.
* * *
"Achoo!"
Jeong-woo suddenly felt his throat tickle and let out a sneeze.
Creak!
The old executive chair groaned at the single sneeze.
"Damn it. Who's talking shit about me?"
His ears itched too, like someone was badmouthing him.
"Which bastard?"
His furrowed gaze then landed on a binder in the corner of the table.
It was the tactics proposal recommended by the newly signed coach ahead of this season.
"Good grief."
Just looking at it brought an incredulous laugh.
"Blackpool's manager did the same thing."
Mad Dog's tactics had spread more widely than he'd thought—way more.
Even the new recruit Ryan Enby had brought ones he'd carefully crafted before.
The difference from Blackpool's manager was...
"This one even labeled the source."
Not only had he not modified Mad Dog's tactics, he'd recommended them pure and straight.
Proudly declaring they were from World Management's Mad Dog.
On one hand, it felt good, but on the other, it left him feeling oddly empty.
And Jeong-woo had shot down Enby's Mad Dog proposals every time.
Simple reason.
'Bolton's current setup doesn't need those tactics right now.'
They were designed for EPL level from the start.
And Bolton was a team that suited basic, foundational tactics for the time being.
"I'd love to try those high-maintenance tactics too, but they'd just glitch out. The lads would fumble 100%."
They were definitely too tough for the current players to handle.
Then, Jeong-woo furrowed his brow slightly.
"Enby, that kid—what kind of power analyst has zero creativity?"
It was baffling and increasingly frustrating that he stubbornly brought only Mad Dog's tactics every time.
As a former power analyst himself, it was exasperating as a senior.
"Should I just fire him?"
He suddenly felt like going on a rant.
* * *
The relationship between Charlton Athletic and Bolton Wanderers wasn't bad.
If anything, it was indifferent.
But this season, for some reason, fans from both sides had been bickering online.
It had even escalated to regional rivalries.
- : I've never been to bumfuck Bolton. But my mate says it's like the Middle Ages surrounded by hills. We're a metropolis with the capital...! Totally different roots!
: London is a metropolis, sure, but you lot are in the suburbs in Greenwich. Pretty far from the Thames, no?
: Bolton got any fast food? Heard they shut down 'cause business sucked. Should I bring burgers on match day?
: That was the one in the uni. I had a burger this morning, you twats.
The trash talk between the two sets of fans grew coarser.
- : Bolton's got no history.
: You lot have even less. You've been bouncing between Championship and League One since 2007.
: What? You f***ing c***!
: And? F*** off, eat shit.
- : You f***ing prick. Shove your f***ing teeth up your ass!
: 6th floor, room whatever—be here by midnight tomorrow. I'll knock your teeth out.
The reason for the squabbling was simple.
Bolton had gone 3-for-3 in the league, sitting pretty at 4th.
Charlton, meanwhile, had 2 wins and a draw, in 6th.
Charlton's Addicks couldn't stomach it for a second.
Charlton's once-legendary star Darren Bent fanned the flames on radio.
[Looking at recent head-to-heads, Bolton's no match for Charlton. Things will go back to normal.]
Jeong-woo, checking these reactions live, was thrilled beyond measure.
'Our recent form's boosting recognition, so everyone's poking around, huh?'
Of course, as a natural instigator, Jeong-woo wasn't one to just watch.
The day before the match, he posted a short message on SNS.
[Concede one goal. Experience the magic of the pitch turning into a bed.]
* * *
Bolton's home, University Stadium.
Maybe because of the heated online feud.
Not as many as for Wigan, but plenty of police were deployed on match day.
Indeed, Addicks and Wanderers along the touchline hurled trash at each other, venting their rage.
"You f***ing wankers—! Here's some newfangled shit you never tasted: burgers! Fries too!"
"You bastard! Get over here! I'll snap your neck!"
And then—tweet!
With the ref's whistle, the match kicked off.
10th minute of the first half.
Charlton Athletic manager Jimmy Jones narrowed his eyes at Bolton's shape on the pitch.
'Pulse Nine.'
Pulse Nine meant a false nine.
Focused more on playmaking than scoring.
Jimmy Jones thought his mind games had worked.
Because Bolton had pulled out a zero top today.
In their 4-1-2-3, the Pulse Nine role fell to Owen Fresais.
Jones narrowed his eyes further.
'A passer by trade.'
Left winger: Togua Pak.
Right: Shearer Kane.
Central mids: Frank Gerrard and David Dignity.
And Quick Floyd.
Back four: Morten Pedersen, Dennis Slip, Dominic Shield, Delicate.
Gloves on the 2m giant: Screech.
Jones was convinced his plan had worked, seeing Kane on the right wing instead of striker.
'Just pulling him away from goal is a win.'
Jimmy had spent media time tearing Kane down.
He didn't even recognize him as a striker.
Which meant Jones saw Shearer Kane as a dangerous prospect.
'A kid who can shoot from any angle.'
In the three league games since the season started, Shearer Kane hadn't scored once.
Yet if Jimmy had to name Bolton's two most threatening attackers, it'd be Togua Pak and Shearer Kane.
'If Kane stays in the final third, we'll be outnumbered defensively no matter what.'
With his ambidextrous shooting, center-backs or full-backs had to track him wherever he was.
'And powerful too.'
Even young, his shot tempo and power exceeded expectations.
He'd fire shots stubbornly under pressure.
'Looks like he'll fall but doesn't.'
No—if charging sent him tumbling, he'd still get the shot off before hitting the deck.
The problem was he could pack power and precision even then.
Thanks to that, Togua Pak and Sensuous Ruff had more penetration space in the last three games.
In Jimmy's view, Shearer Kane not scoring was because his strengths were too obvious.
'You can tell at a glance he'd hurt us if left alone.'
That's why the defense had to swarm him.
Over the past few days, Jones had used media play to drag Kane out of the box.
And he'd seen it.
'He's losing confidence with every game.'
You could tell from how often he blindly blasted shots when in possession.
The young prodigy was getting impatient.
Probably why Bolton's manager, stung by Jones' provocative comments, switched his position.
'Doesn't matter.'
Just keeping him away from goal freed up the defense immensely.
Plus, Shearer Kane wasn't winger material in Jones' eyes.
Above all, his own tactical prowess was firing on all cylinders lately.
Ever since learning Mad Dog's tactics.
Even without being the internet tactician called Mad Dog, Jimmy Jones was already respected for his tactics.
But now, his abilities had doubled.
'Beyond imagination.'
Combining Mad Dog's tactics with his own had birthed an even stronger team.
Defense was airtight, counter-attacks sharp as spears.
Still, he didn't get complacent.
As he'd told the staff, every match was a final for him.
17th minute of the first half.
Splash—the net rippled early.
The scorer: Charlton's frontman Didier Ramsey.
Smirk.
Jimmy Jones' lips curled in satisfaction.
The goal played out exactly as he'd wanted.
Shearer Kane, drifting right, lost the ball instantly.
Charlton hit a long counter.
The quick, physical Ramsey burst the defensive line in a flash for the goal.
Kane looked rattled by the one mistake.
Jimmy observed that flustered reaction more closely than celebrating the goal.
He issued new instructions to the team.
Press Kane harder. Choke him out.