Football Dynasty
Chapter 320: Richard Raised the Warning Bell

Chapter 320: Richard Raised the Warning Bell

As Richard and miss Heysen was discussing plans for the club’s new season, soon O’Neill joined the conversation about Manchester City’s new jersey concept for the upcoming season.

He looked puzzled at first. "Didn’t you just acquire an apparel brand?" he asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

He was referring to Adidas—the iconic brand Richard had recently purchased from a French businessman for half a billion pounds.

Richard nodded, then shrugged helplessly. Originally, he could have used Adidas as Manchester City’s new shirt sponsor for the upcoming season. But during the previous campaign, when he signed a deal with Umbro’s John Humphreys, there was a clause giving Umbro the option to extend the contract by one more year.

As for what he expected from City this season—he saw them as contenders in the Premier League, but not a team that would bring home any silverware.

After finishing his explanation, Richard closed the map in his hand. "That’s it," he said, before handing the document back to Miss Heysen—greenlighting the new season’s jersey design.

Once Miss Heysen left the room, Richard rose from his seat and gently patted O’Neill on the shoulder. "Good job."

It was about how O’Neill had addressed the crowd during the League Cup final, just before things could have turned ugly. Of course, Richard could have addressed the fan behavior himself after the incident, but managers are typically the public face of the team on matchdays. They are contractually required to face the media immediately after matches.

Owners, on the other hand, are not part of the matchday operational structure. They usually observe from executive suites and aren’t expected to speak to the media unless it’s a major club-wide issue.

It all comes down to the standard media protocol and chain of responsibility.

In Richard’s case, he also had to consider that he wasn’t just the owner of Manchester City—he was also the face of the Maddox Group. Any statement from him needed to be carefully curated, typically issued through official club channels or via select interviews. Letting the manager or spokesperson speak first allowed for calm, on-the-ground responses, while Richard could step in later with a more measured and strategic statement.

After some small talk about the previous day, Richard’s face suddenly shifted to a serious expression. O’Neill and Toto, noticing the change, sensed that Richard had something important to discuss.

"Please, sit down first," Richard said, as he walked over and switched on the large TV in his office. He inserted a neatly edited videotape into the player and pressed play.

The screen lit up with footage from the League Cup final—Manchester City vs. Aston Villa.

"What’s going on?" O’Neill couldn’t help but ask.

"I have something very important to discuss with you," Richard replied calmly.

"Is it about the players?"

"No," Richard said, his tone unwavering. "It’s about the team—about our club’s future."

O’Neill immediately sat up straight, fully alert.

Richard wasn’t the kind of person to speak lightly. His academic background meant he was precise and deliberate with his words—neither dramatic nor overly cautious.

"I understand. Go ahead," O’Neill said.

Richard nodded before gesturing to the screen. "You should watch this first."

Sitting upright, O’Neill turned his full attention to the TV, which was now showing highlights from the League Cup final where City had faced Aston Villa.

The video featured various angles, showing clips of City players on the attack while Aston Villa defenders held their line—highlighting one-on-one situations between attackers and defenders.

Larsson, Ronaldo, Neil Lennon, Van Bommel, and Pirlo—all of them appeared on screen.

After watching the first round of clips, O’Neill raised his hands in confusion, still unsure of what Richard was trying to convey.

Richard rewound the tape and played it again, pausing the video on Larsson as he received the ball. He pointed at the screen and asked, "Henrik is in this position. How many options does he have?"

O’Neill’s expression shifted as he focused, his mind beginning to work. He answered solemnly, "The passing options are limited. Dribbling is the best choice—it offers the highest payoff."

In the footage, Larsson was facing Taylor in defense, and there was indeed space to break through.

The trailing center-back, Southgate, wasn’t closing in yet. If Larsson made a move, it wouldn’t guarantee a goal, but he’d at least have a decent shot—exactly what City wanted: direct scoring opportunities.

Richard continued playing the video, showing Larsson choosing to pass. While he didn’t lose possession, that decision allowed Aston Villa time to reset their defensive shape.

In the next clip, Ronaldo was shown holding the ball with his back to goal.

Richard paused the footage and asked, "What should he do here?"

O’Neill assessed the screen.

His teammates were tightly marked, and the supporting players were out of position. Ronaldo could either pass back or try to go it alone. Since Ehiogu wasn’t pressing him tightly, Ronaldo had enough space to take a quick shot.

"Turning and shooting directly is the best option," O’Neill said.

Richard played the clip, showing Ronaldo attempting to turn and shoot but getting intercepted.

He spoke solemnly, "Ronaldo made the right decision, but his execution was poor. He should have taken a lateral touch to adjust his shooting angle and find a better position before striking. The footage clearly shows space around him—he didn’t need to force a dribble forward."

Richard let the video continue, showcasing more sequences involving various players. His main point was clear: the team had solid ball-handling skills, but their decision-making in key moments still needed refinement.

After turning off the TV, Richard said seriously, "Martin, let’s get to the point."

Richard hadn’t celebrated the victory from the previous day. Instead, he returned to the office, asked the staff to compile multi-angle footage of the match, and spent the night analyzing it without rest.

Looking directly into O’Neill’s eyes, Richard said, "Yesterday’s win wasn’t just about the players performing well. It was about your tactics working. Our strong performance in the Premier League this season isn’t only due to star players—it’s driven by three things: first, team chemistry; second, tactical execution; third, player fitness..."

O’Neill responded, "Isn’t the players’ excellence reflected in how they work well together, carry out the tactical plan, and improve their fitness through serious training?"

Richard slammed his hand on the table and raised his voice. "No! If we keep going like this, it will come with limitations. These players are a product of City’s tactical system. They adapt to our style, but they won’t stand out individually. They’re good, yes—but they won’t become world-class stars. Once other teams adapt to our tactics and our fitness edge fades, they’ll catch up. We need to help our players unlock their full potential—so they can make the best decisions in a split second and execute flawlessly!"

O’Neill looked stunned by Richard’s passionate argument. Then looked puzzled. "Doesn’t that make us look stronger, though? We emphasize teamwork over individualism."

Richard rubbed his temples. "You’re missing the point, Martin! This isn’t about team versus individual. The real question is—if we brought in someone new who could blend into our system, would he perform better or worse? And how long would it take him to adapt? What if, for example, we signed a fully developed player and forced him to adjust to our way of playing? So far, from what I’ve seen, the only one who can consistently perform on an individual level is Ronaldo."

Indeed, when it came to breaking down the opposition on his own, it was only Ronaldo. Perhaps it was because he liked to drop deeper, creating his own space and chances. The others, thanks to the counter-attacking strategy O’Neill deployed, often needed support to be effective.

O’Neill frowned at Richard’s intensity. "Whatever it is you’re about to say, let’s take a step back and talk this through calmly. I’m here to listen—just tell me what the core of the issue is."

He could only sigh before striving to fully comprehend Richard’s points.

Richard didn’t disappoint him.

"Martin, imagine a player receiving the ball in an attacking position. They typically have three options: shoot, pass, or dribble. If they’re not in a position to shoot, that leaves the other two. Our tactics emphasize the collective—when teammates make runs and there are viable passing lanes, the ideal decision is to pass. But when a player can’t shoot or pass, the only option left is to take on the defender. And do you know who they usually pass to in those moments? Ronaldo."

Richard continued, "Right now, we’re playing smoothly in the league because of our advanced tactics. Our full-backs and midfielders alternate in attacking roles, creating numerical superiority in key areas. That gives us an edge. But what happens when our opponents catch up to our system? When we no longer have the numerical advantage, can our players rely purely on their technical ability to change the game? Do they have that in them? We may have won yesterday, but it also exposed our biggest weakness—who in our squad can consistently dominate one-on-one situations? Larsson relies on strength, and so does Lennon. The only player who shows even a slight technical edge is Ronaldo."

Henry and Okocha could be the solution to that, but O’Neill’s 4-4-2 system doesn’t support them. If next season Robertson stays at City, with his preference for the 4-3-3, Richard wouldn’t be worried. But what if O’Neill decides to bring in an assistant who also prefers the 4-4-2?

Wouldn’t that just create a whole new problem?

Richard’s words darkened O’Neill’s expression. Maybe he was the one who needed a wake-up call.

As he reflected on yesterday’s match, the truth became clearer—when the playing field was level, none of City’s players had stepped up through individual brilliance. It was O’Neill himself who had unlocked the game by orchestrating a coordinated attack through the middle.

And Aston Villa wasn’t even an elite side. Their full-backs were caught off guard when isolated. But against stronger teams? They’d adapt and shut those chances down effortlessly.

Seeing a hint of clarity in O’Neill’s face, Richard let out a quiet sigh of relief. This might be the turning point. He cleared his throat and asked, "You already know about John’s situation, right?"

It was no secret—John Robertson, the current assistant coach, was preparing to begin his own journey as a head coach. O’Neill looked momentarily surprised, but he nodded.

Richard nodded too, then continued, "I know you’re looking for someone to replace him—and that’s your right as manager. He’ll be working closely with you. But before you decide, take a look at this."

Of course, half the things Richard had just said—no matter how dramatic—were true. The rest? Well, they were clearly meant to set the stage for something else entirely.

Richard didn’t just want to make a tactical point. He wanted to make an introduction.

Curious, O’Neill picked up the folder Richard slid across the table.

And there it was. A name printed neatly on the front page.

José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix, better known as José Mourinho.

O’Neill blinked. He looked up slowly, as if trying to confirm whether this was some kind of joke. "You’re serious?"

Richard gave a tight smile. "Dead serious."

The problem was, the man Richard wanted to bring in wasn’t even an assistant coach—he was just an interpreter. Or to put it more bluntly, a translator.

Was he serious? He wanted a translator to step in and become his assistant coach?