4 Chapter 4: Taking the Wheel...

Opening my eyes, I was pleasantly surprised to feel a thousand times better than I had in a long while. It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and I could finally breathe freely. It was all thanks to the new life I had embarked on, where I took the time to understand the tactics and philosophy I wanted to instill in my team.

With a newfound clarity and purpose, I felt confidence unparalleled by any I had ever experienced. It was as if I had finally found my footing and was ready to take on any challenge. I was determined to lead my team with conviction and inspire them to be the best versions of themselves.

Before all that, however, I'd have to meet my coaching staff and some higher-ranking members of Manchester United, so having dressed that morning, I purposefully pulled up at Carrington.

I walked into the reception area and greeted Cathy, the receptionist at Carrington. As I made my way to the manager's office, I couldn't help but feel an adrenaline rush. The thought of sitting in the same chair that the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson had once sat in was an overwhelming experience. As I sat down, I took a moment to absorb the surreal feeling of being in the same room where so many significant decisions had been made for the club.

After a few minutes of awe, I got down to business. I quickly emailed the coaching staff, informing them to meet me in the changing room. I was excited to start the upcoming training session and couldn't wait to work with the team. As I made my way to the changing room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride knowing that I was a part of such a great club.

I waited about twenty minutes before deciding to head to the changing rooms to give people time to arrive. Upon entering, I was greeted by the familiar faces of my co-workers, whom I'd spent years working with in this life.

Unfortunately, Michael Carrick, Mike Phelan, and Kieran Mckenna, the experienced minds of the club, left following my appointment, leaving me without an assistant coach of note. However, other than that, quite a few coaches remained from the previous regimes.

Upon noticing my entrance, the dressing room chatter ended as my staff's eyes centered on me; with a deep breath, I strode into the center of the room, pulling a whiteboard with me.

"Hello, lads; I think it's important that we go over the tactics before the rest of the lads return from international duty before pre-season." As I spoke, my eyes roamed the faces of the coaches, deciding to continue upon seeing the approval on their faces.

"After a few days of looking at what we have available and the competition we'll face in the league and Europe, I've decided on what style of football we will attempt to play." 

Without giving time for any questions, I quickly introduced the tactic I'd decided on from the football library upon hearing the quote, "Systems No Longer Exist In Football. It's All About The Spaces Left By The Opposition. You Must Be Quick To Spot Them, Know The Right Moment To Strike, And Have The Courage To Start The Move Even When Pressed." Most of the staff had funny looks on their faces, which became progressively more thoughtful the more I explained.

By the end of my explanation, I could see I'd won over most of the coaches, with only a few of the older coaches from the Mourinho era seemingly unconvinced. Still, with a majority of the coaches on my side, I knew I'd have no problem at least attempting to instill my philosophy.

After a few hours of questioning, the meeting ended with nervous optimism in the eyes of most of the staff and questions on the faces of the rest, something I knew would only change with results.

Unfortunately, while I would have loved to continue getting my staff to adjust to my tactics, the main reason I'd come to Carrington wasn't actually to tell my coaches about the tactics ahead of next season but rather because of a meeting between myself, John Murtough, and Richard Arnold regarding the transfer budget I'd have to work with and expectations ahead of the season.

So, without further ado, I headed over to Richard Arnold's office to begin the meeting, entering just in time for it to start. Both rose upon seeing me enter, greeting me with firm handshakes and greetings.

Richard Arnold began the meeting: "Hello, Matt. I'll begin by thanking you for your service to the club; we understand the difficulty and public pressure of being Manchester United manager and will do whatever we can to lighten your duties and make life easier for you over the coming season." John Murtough nodded in agreement before picking up where Richard had left off.

"Regarding a transfer budget, we will allocate you around one hundred million pounds in transfers and allow seventy-five percent of any sales to be added to the budget." I showed nothing on my face; however, I was buzzing with the amount, having expected a lot less, having been an interim.

One hundred may not seem like a lot in modern football, but with the team I already had and my knowledge of the future, I knew I could bring in maybe three or four players who could directly improve the squad with that money.

Richard Arnold looked me in the eyes, looking for signs of disappointment, but, having been satisfied, spoke with a voice devoid of emotion. "Regarding expectations, we believe that our team and the transfer budget available make a top-four finish achievable, as well as a strong showing in Europe and domestic competitions."

I nodded before responding, "I'm confident that with the available players and the transfer budget, I've been given a top-four finish, and a strong showing in cup competitions is possible." They smiled for the first time in the meeting as John Murtough spoke.

"Are there any immediate targets you would like us to go in for, or would you rather meet again in a week?"

"I would like to wait until next week to understand better what players I wish to bring to the club." We hashed out a few unimportant details before I headed home, deciding that a good night's sleep would make my decision-making in regard to what players I'd need better.