Football System: Touchline God
Chapter 53: Coaching Opportunity

Chapter 53: Coaching Opportunity

Monday morning hit Maddox like any other. Coffee brewing in the kitchen. The sound of traffic building outside his window. He sat at his small dining table, scrolling through job listings on his phone. The same routine he’d been doing for weeks now.

His phone buzzed. An unknown number.

He almost ignored it. Spam calls came daily, and he wasn’t in the mood for another credit card offer or warranty scam. But something made him swipe to answer.

"Hello?"

"Is this Eric Maddox?" The voice was professional, crisp. A woman’s voice he didn’t recognize.

"Yes, this is Maddox."

"My name is Sarah Mitchell. I’m calling from Northcastle Rising Stars. We’d like to discuss a coaching opportunity with you."

Maddox sat up straighter. His coffee mug paused halfway to his lips.

"Northcastle Rising Stars?" he repeated, making sure he heard correctly.

"That’s right. Are you familiar with our organization?"

Of course he was familiar with them. Anyone half-serious about football knew Northcastle.

Their main team played in Division 1 of the Imperial Crown League. Not among the best, but was close enough to matter. Their youth setup was solid too. Well-funded. Well-organized. The kind of place where careers were built.

"Yes, I know the club," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Excellent. We’ve gone through your work with Silvergate Youth Sailors, and we’re certain you have the potential needed to take this team forward. We’d like to offer you the head coaching position for our youth team."

The words hung in the air for a moment. Maddox blinked, processing what he’d just heard.

"I’m sorry, could you repeat that?"

Sarah’s laugh was warm. "We want you to coach Northcastle Rising Stars. Our youth team. They compete in Youth League E."

Maddox knew Youth League E. It was competitive, one of the most in the eight youth leagues. Teams fought tooth and nail for every point because the stakes were high. The top teams moved up to bigger things. Better things.

"I’m interested," he said, though his mind was racing. "Can you tell me more about the situation?"

"Of course. The team is currently sitting in 4th place in the league. Twenty-seven points from thirteen games. We’re just two points behind 2nd place, and same points with 3rd place."

Maddox grabbed a pen and started scribbling numbers on a napkin. Fourth place. Two points behind second. Same points as third place.

"What’s the timeline here?" he asked.

"Well, that’s the thing. The season ends this Sunday. Six days from now. Our final match is against Hastings Coastal Academy. They’re the team in 2nd place."

Maddox’s pen stopped moving. "You’re playing 2nd place in your final game?"

"Exactly. Win, and we finish 2nd. Lose, and we stay 4th. The difference is huge."

She didn’t need to explain why. Maddox already knew. Second place meant qualification for the NextGen Ascension League. The NextGen was where young players got noticed by bigger clubs. Where scouts came to watch. Where careers began.

Fourth place meant nothing. Another year of hoping for a better chance.

"So you need a coach for the biggest game of the season," he said.

"That’s right. Our previous coach resigned unexpectedly a week ago. He said it was a family emergency. We need someone who can step in immediately and get the team ready."

Maddox leaned back in his chair. This was either the opportunity of a lifetime or a setup for spectacular failure. Taking over a team six days before their most important game was risky. But it was also exactly the kind of challenge he’d been looking for.

"What do you know about the team’s current form?" he asked.

"They’ve been inconsistent. Talented, but inconsistent. Three wins, one draw, and a two losses in their last six games. The potential is there, but they need someone to pull it together."

"And you think I can do that in six days?"

"We think you’re the right person to try. Your record speaks for itself. The work you did with Silvergate Sailors was impressive. Turning around a struggling team six goals down is exactly what we need."

Maddox felt something stir in his chest. Hope, maybe. Or excitement. He hadn’t felt either in a while.

"I’d like to learn more," he said.

"Perfect. Are you available to meet today? We’d like to discuss contract details and get you familiar with the team as soon as possible."

"Today?"

"This afternoon, if possible. There’s a restaurant called Velvet Kitchen downtown, east of Marvel Park. Do you know it?"

Maddox knew it. Upscale place. The kind of restaurant where serious business got done over expensive meals.

"I can be there. What time?"

"Two o’clock? I’ll be there with our youth development director, Marcus Webb."

"I’ll be there."

"Excellent. Mr. Maddox, I should mention that this is a significant opportunity. Northcastle Rising Stars is a stepping stone to bigger things. Our last three coaches have all moved on to professional clubs."

After she hung up, Maddox sat staring at his phone. He read the name he’d written down: Sarah Mitchell, Northcastle Rising Stars. The numbers he’d scribbled: 4th place, 2 points behind, 6 days.

He looked around his apartment. The same walls he’d been staring at for weeks. The same furniture. The same sense of being stuck in place while life moved on around him.

This could change everything.

He stood up and walked to his closet. If he was meeting club officials at The Crown and Anchor, he needed to look the part. He pulled out his best suit, the one he’d worn to job interviews that led nowhere.

This felt different though. This felt real.

His phone buzzed again. A text from Elira: "How’s your morning going?"

He stared at the message for a moment, then typed back: "Good. Actually, really good. I’ll call you later."

He didn’t want to jinx it by talking about it yet. But he couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face.

Six days to prepare a team for the biggest game of their season. Six days to prove he could handle the pressure. Six days to show that all the struggle had been worth it.

He checked his watch. Three hours until the meeting. Three hours to research everything he could about Northcastle Rising Stars, their players, their style, their opponents.

Maddox opened his laptop and started typing. For the first time in weeks, he had purpose. He had direction.

He had a chance.

The morning sun streamed through his window, brighter than it had been in a long time. Or maybe he was just noticing it for the first time in a while.

Either way, Monday was looking up.

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