Football System: Touchline God
Chapter 56: First Training Session II

Chapter 56: First Training Session II

As the players began their warm-up runs around the pitch, one by one, Maddox explored the Player Cards in his Pro Manager System, each one materializing as a holographic panel in his vision, shimmering with players stats.

The players kept running. No one else seemed to see what he was seeing.

Player cards for all Northcastle Rising Stars players, aligned with their hard-working and creative flair style. The squad’s overall average talent is ★★½☆☆, with most players falling into the developing potential range.

The panel shifted, showing detailed information about the first player jogging past.

Freddie Booth, the goalkeeper. Stats and ratings floated beside his name, breaking down every aspect of his game into numbers and descriptions.

---

[Name: Freddie Booth

Age: 17

Foot: Right

Current Ability: ★½☆☆☆

Potential: ★★½☆☆

Overall Rating: 54/100

Attributes: Reflexes-7, Handling-10, Positioning-7, Aerial Reach-6

Avg Performance Rating (Season): 6.0]

---

Below that, more details appeared. Reflexes, handling, positioning. Even notes about his personality - "Vocal leader in training" and "Short reach. Brave with dives."

As his gaze moved to the next player, the information changed. Luca De Santis, the backup keeper. Different stats, different ratings. The description made Maddox almost smile despite his confusion: "Handling like a squirrel on caffeine."

"You alright, coach?" Teddy Johnson, his now assistant coach asked, noticing Maddox’s expression.

"Yeah, just... studying the players," Maddox replied, which wasn’t exactly a lie.

He focused on Jack Stones, the captain. The holographic panel updated instantly.

---

[Name: Jack Stones (CB)

Age: 17

Foot: Right

Current Ability: ★★☆☆☆

Potential: ★★★☆☆

Overall Rating: 58/100

Attributes: Tackling-8, Positioning-10, Aerial Ability-11, Strength-9

Avg Performance Rating (Season): 6.5]

---

The notes were encouraging. "Leader. Reads the game well. Strong in aerial duels." But there was a warning too: "Prone to overcommitting."

Maddox watched Jack organizing the other players during the warm-up. The system’s assessment seemed accurate. The young man had natural authority, but Maddox could see the eagerness in his movements that might lead to rash decisions.

As the squad moved into passing drills, Maddox’s attention shifted to the defenders.

Darnell Vickers, the right-back, showed the pace the system had rated at 9 out of 10. But his crossing was indeed poor, just as the panel indicated.

Marcelo Vieira Rocha caught Maddox’s eye. The Brazilian left-back had flair in his step, technical skill that stood out even in simple drills.

---

[Name: Marcelo Vieira Rocha (LB/CB hybrid)

Age: 16

Foot: Left

Current Ability: ★★☆☆☆

Potential: ★★★☆☆

Overall Rating: 54/100

Attributes: Stamina-8, Tackling-6, Crossing-7, Pace-10

Avg Performance Rating (Season): 6.2]

---

The system rated his pace at 10 and noted his "technical flair" and "temperamental" nature.

When Harvey Quinlan made a simple pass that Marcelo thought was too safe, the Brazilian threw his hands up in frustration.

"Temperamental," Maddox muttered, watching the scene play out exactly as the system had predicted.

The midfielders were next.

Harvey Quinlan, the box-to-box midfielder, never stopped moving. His stamina rating of 10 showed in every sprint. But when he received a pass, Maddox noticed the poor composure and heavy first touch the system had warned about.

Ishaan Bhatt, the creative midfielder, was more interesting.

---

[Name: Ishaan Bhatt (CAM/CM)

Age: 17

Foot: Right

Current Ability: ★★☆☆☆

Potential: ★★★☆☆

Overall Rating: 55/100

Creative spark. Tends to hold the ball too long. Loves risky through balls.

Attributes: Vision-10, Dribbling-8, Creativity-11, Shooting-7

Avg Performance Rating (Season): 6.3]

---

His vision rating of 10 became obvious when he attempted a through ball that split two defenders perfectly. The striker couldn’t quite reach it, but the intent was clear.

"Hold the ball too long," Maddox said under his breath, reading from the system panel. As if on cue, Ishaan received the next pass and danced around two players before losing possession.

The system wasn’t just showing stats. It was predicting behavior.

Émile Fournier drew Maddox’s attention with his smooth passing.

---

[Name: Émile Fournier (CDM/CM/CAM hybrid)

Age: 16

Foot: Right

Current Ability: ★★☆☆☆

Potential: ★★★☆☆

Overall Rating: 58/100

Silky technique. Weak under pressure. Dictates tempo if given space.

Attributes: Interceptions-9, Passing-9, Strength-7, Vision-10

Avg Performance Rating (Season): 6.4]

---

The French midfielder’s technique rating of 10 was evident in every touch. But when Harvey pressured him quickly, Émile’s pass went astray. "Weak under pressure," the system noted.

Then there was Reece Alden, the player who had asked the direct question earlier. His ratings were average across the board, but the description caught Maddox’s eye: "Plug-and-play midfielder. Doesn’t stand out but rarely fails."

That could be valuable. Sometimes you needed utility players who just did their job.

The forwards were running shooting drills now. Zayn Carter, the main striker, hit every shot with power but little precision. His finishing rating of 7 seemed generous watching him spray balls wide of the target.

---

[Name: Zayn Carter (ST)

Age: 17

Foot: Right

Current Ability: ★★☆☆☆

Potential: ★★☆☆☆

Overall Rating: 52/100

Hard runner. Heavy shot. Poor link-up play. Always looking to poach.

Attributes: Finishing-7, Movement-7, Composure–6, Heading/Aerial–8

Avg Performance Rating (Season): 6.0]

---

"Heavy shot," Maddox read from the system. "Poor link-up play."

When Ishaan tried to play a quick one-two with Zayn, the striker’s first touch sent the ball three yards away. The link-up play assessment was spot-on.

But then Luis Navarro stepped up. The youngest striker, only 16, placed his shot perfectly into the corner. Then another. Then another. His finishing rating of 11 was the highest Maddox had seen, and it showed.

---

[Name: Luis Navarro (ST)

Age: 16

Foot: Right

Current Ability: ★★☆☆☆

Potential: ★★★☆☆

Overall Rating: 60/100

Clever movement. Lightweight. Natural poacher with flair.

Attributes: Finishing-11, Movement-10, Composure–8, Heading/Aerial–8

Avg Performance Rating (Season): 6.1

[System Tip: Hidden Gem (4-Star potential)

Recommend Regular Play Time]

---

A special note appeared beside Luis’s name: "Hidden Gem (4-Star potential) - Recommend Regular Play Time."

Maddox studied the young striker more carefully. Luis wasn’t the biggest or strongest, but his movement was intelligent. He found space where others couldn’t. When crosses came in, he was always in the right position.

"Johnson," Maddox called over. "Tell me about Luis Navarro."

Teddy Johnson scratched his bald head and glanced at the young striker. "He’s a good kid. Scores goals when he gets the chance. Previous coach didn’t play him much. Thought he was too inexperienced for the games."

The system disagreed. And watching Luis move, Maddox was starting to trust the system’s judgment.

As training continued, Maddox noticed something else. The overall team rating was 2½ stars, but the individual ratings told a more complex story. Some players had higher potential than their current ability suggested. Others were already near their peak.

The system was showing him not just what these players were, but what they could become.

Declan Whittaker, the left winger, caught his attention. Pace rating of 11 - the highest he’d seen. But his end product was poor. Every cross went over the bar or into the keeper’s hands.

"Great pace. Poor end product," the system confirmed.

But his potential was 2½ stars, same as his current ability. Maybe Declan was what he was, nothing more.

Ethan Suleiman on the right wing was different. Technically gifted with a dribbling rating of 10, but inconsistent. One moment he’d beat three players, the next he’d lose the ball with a poor touch.

The system painted a picture of a twenty-two-man squad with talent but flaws. Players who could do brilliant things but made critical errors. Young men with potential but lacking experience.

"Fifteen minutes until we scrimmage," Teddy Johnson announced.

Maddox nodded, his mind racing. The system had given him more information about his players in thirty minutes than most coaches learned in weeks. But information was only useful if you knew what to do with it.

He looked at his squad again, seeing them differently now. Not just as a group of young footballers, but as a collection of specific strengths and weaknesses. Each player a puzzle piece that needed to fit with the others.

The system flickered, showing one final message: [Analysis Complete. Formation suggestions available (4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1)]

Keeping the system’s suggestions in mind, Maddox blinked, and the message disappeared. He knew his players now, really knew them. Their limits and their possibilities.

Sunday was five days away. Five days to turn this collection of talented but flawed individuals into a team that could beat Hastings Coastal Academy.

The system had shown him the pieces. Now he had to figure out how to put them together.

"Alright, lads," he called out. "Let’s see what you can do in a proper game."

The players gathered around him, eager and nervous. Maddox looked at each face, seeing the ratings and notes that still flickered faintly in his vision.

He was beginning to understand that this wasn’t just about football anymore.

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