Chapter 16: A New Beginning
Chapter 16: A New Beginning
The boardroom was colder than usual.
The early sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting long shadows over the shiny mahogany table. Though the heater was on, its warmth didn't quite penetrate the room's core. It felt empty, quiet, as if something essential had been removed from its essence.
And it had.
A day had passed since Milan had stood on the pitch, waving to the fans with watery eyes and a tired smile. A day since the chants. The shoulder claps and the goodbye.
Now, the room he once anchored felt strangely off-balance without him.
Niels sat at one end of the table. Not at the head, not yet. Across from him sat the chairman, the finance director, the head of recruitment, and a club lawyer with a folder full of officialese. Contracts, clauses, salary plans, performance bonuses, everything was organized neatly in a manila folder. The folder smelled like ink and stress, as if it had absorbed the tension of its contents.
The chairman leaned in and clasped his hands. "Niels, first of all congratulations. We're officially offering you the position of Head Coach. It's an 18-month contract, with the possibility to extend if everything goes smoothly."
Niels managed a small, polite smile. "Thank you, sir. I'm honored. I'll do my best to carry on the legacy Milan left behind."
But deep down, his stomach tightened with a heavy truth: this wasn't just a new job, it was a responsibility. He wasn't just replacing someone; he was stepping into Milan's shadow. Into the seat Milan had filled with steady, quiet strength. The place where every choice mattered, where wins and losses left a mark, and where respect had to be earned, not given. Milan had built something lasting there, through every match, every setback, every long night. And now, that weight was on his shoulders.
The finance director pushed the papers across the table. "There's no time to ease in, Niels. You know that. League matches every week, and the FA Cup third round coming up next. The Wrexham game this weekend... that's a serious challenge."