Football Card System

The players were all taken aback by Gao Bo's toughness, and they were stunned by his decisive actions.

In the eyes of most of the players, Sam Parker was the team's only viable striker at the moment.

Before Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin demonstrated their abilities, Luton's players, although polite to the two new arrivals, didn't believe these amateur league players could make an impact in the second division.

Even the team's assistant coach, John Aston, shared this skepticism. John was also concerned about the relationship between Gao Bo and the team's star striker.

After a day of training, John approached Gao Bo.

"Don't you have plans with your wife tonight, John?" Gao Bo joked as he organized his desk.

Gao Bo had been living in his office recently. Having just taken over the team, his schedule was packed.

The team's defensive training had started, and soon the focus would shift to offensive tactics.

For offense, Gao Bo planned to focus on counterattacks and offensive routines. In positional play, the team's main strategies would include crosses from the wings and long shots from the edge of the penalty area.

Right now, Gao Bo didn't have enough skilled players to execute complex tactics. This season, Luton's primary goal was efficiency—grabbing as many points as possible.

With a 30-point deduction at the start of the season, Gao Bo appeared confident on the surface, but he fully understood the challenge.

However, Gao Bo wasn't planning to linger in the second division for long. His goal was promotion!

Gao Bo hadn't revealed this goal to anyone. If he did, people would think he was insane—talking about promotion after starting with a 30-point deficit? Even avoiding relegation was a near-impossible challenge!

But Gao Bo thought differently. He had four players who, in the future, would excel in England's top league. Vardy would eventually win the Premier League Golden Boot, and N'Golo Kanté would become a Premier League star. For now, even though these players were still far from their prime, they were more than capable of dominating in the fourth tier of English football.

Thanks to Gao Bo's ability to foresee the future, he had identified potential stars who could shine even now.

Luton's pre-season training was progressing smoothly, and Gao Bo's approach became more precise.

The team still needed a backup striker and a tall central defender to improve aerial defense. Gao Bo made these priorities clear to the scouting department.

John Aston and other team members began to change their minds as training advanced. The team's central defenders had experienced firsthand the goal-scoring prowess of Vardy and Charlie Austin during practice games. These two strikers were leagues ahead of Sam Parker, who had already been forgotten by his teammates.

In fact, Sam Parker was eventually traded by the team.

As for the tall striker, Gao Bo recalled a match he watched during the 2012-2013 FA Cup. In the fourth round, League One team Oldham defeated Premier League giants Liverpool 3-2. Gao Bo remembered Oldham's striker Matt Smith, who scored twice.

Matt Smith, at 198 cm tall, was a towering forward who dominated aerial battles. Liverpool's then-manager Brendan Rodgers had even called him the "white-skinned Drogba." However, Matt Smith didn't achieve mainstream fame afterward.

Through Luton's scouts, Gao Bo discovered that Matt Smith was now playing for League Two side Port Vale. Negotiations were successful, and Port Vale agreed to trade Smith for Sam Parker.

With this move, Gao Bo felt more confident about his forward line. A trio of strikers—Vardy, Austin, and Smith—was far more reliable than just two.

However, the search for a central defender proved challenging. Quality defenders from lower leagues often caught the attention of higher-tier teams, making it hard for Luton to compete.

If no new defender could be signed, Gao Bo would have to make do with his current options and decide on a central defensive partnership.

After thorough analysis and considering training performances, Gao Bo finalized the team's main and reserve lineups.

Once done, Gao Bo rubbed his tired, bloodshot eyes. While not fully satisfied with the central defense, he was confident the squad was strong enough for the second division. The midfield and forward lines, in particular, were well-equipped.

Luton couldn't afford to waste money on average players. Every penny had to go toward top-level signings.

Gao Bo smiled with satisfaction as he reviewed his work. It was 9:15 a.m., fifteen minutes before training began. He had been in the office since 4:00 a.m., dedicating himself to the job.

He adjusted his collar, splashed cold water on his face, and prepared to start the day's training in top form.

"Mr. Gao Bo, someone named Jeffrey Bruma is here to see you!"

"Jeffrey?" Gao Bo was momentarily stunned before breaking into a smile.

It seemed Luton's final puzzle piece for the season was about to fall into place!