Football Card System

Gao Bo was a workaholic.

The lights in his office didn't go out until 4 a.m. When John Aston walked in at 8 a.m., Gao Bo was already tidying up and preparing to call his assistants for a meeting.

"You should take care of yourself, Gao!" John Aston said with concern after hearing from the stadium security that Gao Bo had spent the entire night in the office.

But Gao Bo didn't feel tired at all. Since childhood, he had a special ability: when he was focused on something, he only needed two or three hours of sleep to recover. He could easily enter a deep sleep that quickly restored his mental energy.

Many football coaches had similar traits. For example, the famous coach Rijkaard was also a workaholic who thrived on just a few hours of sleep each day. In fact, many successful figures across various industries often shared this characteristic. Some people were simply gifted, and Gao Bo was one of them.

"Let's not dwell on that, John. Here's what I worked on last night. Take a look before our meeting," Gao Bo said, handing John a thick stack of papers filled with notes.

John quickly skimmed through it and looked up in surprise. "This is your plan for next season?"

"Exactly. We have a transfer budget of £200,000, and we must use it wisely. I've revised the previous training plan as well. From now on, the team will follow this updated plan," Gao Bo replied, flipping the calendar on his desk.

"Today is May 26th. We have about two months before the new season starts. The players will return on June 20th, so we need to get a few things done before then."

At that moment, fitness coach Mel Donald walked in excitedly. "Gao, you're a local celebrity now!"

He handed over a pile of newspapers. Gao Bo glanced at the headlines, which were all about his appointment as Luton's new head coach.

Despite the club's low-key approach, local media couldn't ignore the fact that a Chinese coach had taken over. The coverage sparked some controversy, with some speculating that Gao Bo had secured the position through connections—especially since he and owner David Morton were both alumni of the University of London.

Gao Bo skimmed the reports but didn't linger. Luton wasn't a big club, and media scrutiny was limited to the local level. He had no need to worry about external pressure for now.

"Mel, you're just in time. Let's start the meeting," Gao Bo said, setting the newspapers aside.

The coaching staff was small, consisting only of Gao Bo, John Aston, and Mel Donald. Their first priority was to expand the team.

In terms of training, Gao Bo and John would handle most of the work, with Mel focusing on fitness and medical support. However, they urgently needed a goalkeeper coach and a proper medical team.

"I know someone who used to be a goalkeeper coach at Nottingham Forest," John suggested.

"Great. Bring him in," Gao Bo said. "I trust your recommendation."

Finding a goalkeeper coach was relatively straightforward, but assembling a medical team proved to be more challenging. Even some lower-tier Premier League teams didn't prioritize medical staff. However, Gao Bo understood the importance of injury prevention and envisioned establishing a dedicated medical department.

"I have someone in mind for the team doctor," Gao Bo said, recalling Haruko, a Japanese sports medicine specialist he had worked with at Chelsea. With her qualifications and expertise, she would be perfect for the role. Whether she could be convinced to join Luton was another matter.

"For now, let's focus on player recruitment," Gao Bo said, shifting gears.

John and Mel perked up. They were curious about the type of players Gao Bo planned to bring in.

"Drinkwater?" John asked, puzzled by the unfamiliar name.

"Yes, Danny Drinkwater. He's currently with Manchester United's U18 team. If possible, I'd like to sign him for £200,000. If not, we can try for a loan," Gao Bo explained, recalling his encounters with Drinkwater during Chelsea's youth matches against Manchester United.

At the time, players like Welbeck and Cleverley were the standouts in United's youth team. Drinkwater seemed ordinary by comparison. However, Gao Bo knew that in the 2015-2016 season, Drinkwater would become a key player for Leicester City, helping them achieve their miraculous Premier League title win under Ranieri.

"If I recruit these gems now," Gao Bo thought with a smirk, "Ranieri might struggle to create his miracle team."

John, though skeptical, trusted Gao Bo's judgment. "He's not a standout player at United, but I doubt they'll sell him easily."

"Let's try to buy him first. If not, we'll negotiate a loan. Many Premier League clubs loan out young players to lower-league teams, and we can benefit from that," Gao Bo said.

The three spent the morning discussing various topics, including player recruitment, training plans, and tactics for the upcoming season. Gao Bo made sure to communicate his tactical philosophy clearly, knowing that he couldn't handle everything on his own.

Despite the challenges ahead, Gao Bo's confidence and meticulous planning inspired his assistants.