Football Card System

For Gao Bo, becoming the head coach of Luton Town was actually a very suitable job.

First of all, he was currently unemployed. If he kept waiting for a job to come his way, he might starve before he found one...

Secondly, given his current qualifications, it was impossible to get hired as a head coach in the Premier League or even in the Championship or League One. Similarly, in other top European leagues, a Chinese coach becoming the head coach of a first team was less likely than winning a 10-million-pound lottery—at least the lottery still had a chance.

More importantly, this was an opportunity to become the head coach of an English team! In England, head coaches wield far more power than their counterparts in other European countries. Most English teams operate under a system where the head coach has control over everything—from directing matches and training to overseeing player signings, transfers, and even salary negotiations.

Thus, despite the team's poor state—its starting point of a 30-point deduction and a near-certain relegation—Gao Bo was tempted by the opportunity.

Although the team's main roster was nearly wiped out, Gao Bo possessed a memory ten years ahead of this timeline. With that knowledge, building a new core lineup for Luton Town was no problem. England's expansive league system was brimming with players who would go on to shine in the future.

As for tactics, Gao Bo's success in leading Chelsea U18 to a championship in this timeline proved that his coaching abilities were solid. Coupled with his foresight, he felt confident in assembling a squad that could hold its ground in League Two.

The reason Gao Bo hesitated earlier when Morton extended the invitation was due to an unexpected occurrence. A glowing interface suddenly appeared before him, flashing like a slideshow, and finally displayed a line of Chinese characters:

"Soccer Card System... activating!!"

"Soccer Card System?"

What was this?!

Before Gao Bo could fully process it, the interface changed again.

"As a bonus for activating the system, you receive a chance to draw a special gift package. Would you like to draw now?"

Below this prompt were two large buttons: "Yes" and "No." Gao Bo immediately chose "Yes!" without hesitation.

Ding Dong!

Startled by the sound, Gao Bo glanced around nervously, worried that others might have heard it. Fortunately, judging by Morton's expression, it seemed only he could hear the noise.

The screen flickered, and two radiant, blue cards appeared before Gao Bo, glowing like playing cards.

Training Card (Blue): Increases defensive training effectiveness by 15%!

Match Card (Blue): Boosts steal success rate by 13% during defensive situations!

Holy crap, is this real?!

Gao Bo was stunned.

An increase in steal success rate by 13%? That was a game-changer! Stealing the ball wasn't just about stopping the opponent's attack—it often created counterattack opportunities. With this, even average defenders on his team could make a noticeable impact.

Just as he was about to explore the system further, Morton, visibly disappointed, stood up to leave. Gao Bo decided to postpone his investigation and deal with the matter at hand first.

The negotiations went smoothly. Morton had full control of Luton Town, and Gao Bo was simply a jobless young man looking for an opportunity. Morton quickly printed a contract, and the two signed it right there in the tavern.

After agreeing to meet in Luton the next day, Gao Bo said goodbye to his new boss and returned to his small apartment in London.

The apartment, about 70 square meters, had rent paid only until the end of the month—just one week left.

Back home, Gao Bo reopened the Soccer Card System. This time, he explored the interface more confidently. A translucent screen appeared in front of him, displaying something akin to a game interface.

At the center of the screen was a 3D avatar of himself, and to its left were attributes resembling those of a game character:

Name: Gao Bo

Level: 1 (0/3000)

Nationality: Chinese

Date of Birth: August 30, 1981

Occupation: Football coach

Number of cards owned: 2

Special Skill: Wisdom Eye (24-hour cooldown)

"Wisdom Eye?" Gao Bo guessed this skill allowed him to see player attributes. This, too, must be a feature of the system.

But what about the cards?

A prompt appeared on the screen, as if responding to his thoughts:

"Cards are the core elements of this system. They are divided into seven tiers: White, Yellow, Green, Blue, Orange, Red, and Purple. Equipping different cards grants teams or players various abilities!"

Intrigued, Gao Bo focused on the explanation. A soft, feminine voice read out the text, sending goosebumps down his spine. Despite the eerie delivery, he couldn't hide his excitement.

"Does that mean the more cards I collect, the stronger my team becomes?"

"Correct! The number of cards you can equip depends on the number of card slots you have. Each slot holds one card, and during a match, you can use twice the number of your available slots."

Gao Bo noticed three notches beside his avatar—card slots. However, when he tried equipping his two cards, nothing happened.

"Cards can only be equipped during training or matches!" the system clarified.

That made sense.

"How do I get more cards?"

"Win official matches to earn chances to draw cards!"

"So, it's all luck?"

"Exactly."

The sarcastic tone of the prompt left Gao Bo speechless.

"What about leveling up?"

"Winning matches grants experience points. Accumulating enough experience will level you up, unlocking more card slots!"

"Damn, this is insane..."

Gao Bo couldn't help but marvel at the system's potential. With such a powerful tool at his disposal, the daunting task of coaching Luton Town suddenly seemed a lot less intimidating.