99: "Genius" coach

August 20, 2007, Hartlepool, the weather was clear.

The FA's official email lay quietly in Lin Feng's inbox.

The coaching course application had been approved.

Special approval, based on his status as a club chairman, allowed for a model of online theoretical learning combined with intensive offline practical sessions.

Lin Feng closed his email, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.

In his mind, the azure interface that only he could see lit up silently.

The [World-Class Club Development Platform] - [Assisted Learning] module activated.

All theoretical knowledge from The FA Level 1 to UEFA B License was systematically deconstructed, reconstructed, and then imprinted deep into his memory in the most efficient way. It wasn't a dry indoctrination, but more like an instinctive awakening.

Immediately after, the [Simulation Training] module opened.

The office before him disappeared, replaced by a virtual green field. He stood on the sidelines, repeatedly giving instructions to virtual players, practicing the positioning and rotation of various defensive formations, and deducing every possible way to break high-press tactics.

A few days later, the offline practical assessment day arrived.

The examiner sent by The FA was David Watson, a seasoned coach with graying hair and a weary look in his eyes. To him, this assignment was just a formality for some wealthy owner's vanity; he didn't even bother to turn to a new page in his notebook.

The assessment location was the U18 youth team's training ground.

Lin Feng wore only a simple tracksuit and stood before a group of half-grown kids, without a single wasted word.

"Today, we're only going to talk about one thing: the defensive positioning of a 4-4-2," Lin Feng's voice was calm, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

Watson yawned on the sidelines, ready to listen for a bit and then sign off.

"Think of this formation as a house," Lin Feng pointed to the four defender models on the field. "The two center-backs are the load-bearing walls of the house. Remember, load-bearing walls cannot be moved casually, or the house will collapse."

The youth team players were stunned; it was the first time they had heard such a metaphor.

"What about the two full-backs?" Lin Feng's gaze swept across the players' faces. "They are levers. When the opponent attacks from the wing, your task is not to confront them head-on, but to use your position, like a lever, to pry open their attacking route, make them lose balance, and force the ball to where we want them to go."

Watson's fingers, gripping his ballpoint pen, paused in mid-air.

He slowly raised his head, the weariness in his eyes completely gone.

Architectural 'load-bearing structures'? Physics' 'lever principle'? Using these to explain the most basic defensive positioning was simply brilliant.

He had been in the profession for thirty years, listened to countless lectures by masters, but had never heard such simple yet profound metaphors.

The youth team trainees understood instantly.

Watson looked at Lin Feng, his expression shifting from disdain to surprise, and finally to an almost absurd scrutiny.

How was this like a beginner? This was clearly a master, steeped in tactics for many years, giving an introductory lesson to children in a back-to-basics manner.

After the assessment, Watson returned to the sidelines and silently picked up his pen. He wrote a few words on the evaluation report, then crossed them out. Finally, he wrote his final assessment in an unprecedentedly solemn tone:

"His understanding of football already exceeds the scope of a B License. His teaching methods can make the most complex tactics easy to understand. I personally strongly recommend that he be allowed to directly pursue an A License."

That afternoon, Sophie Green walked into Lin Feng's office.

As a sharp sports journalist, she had prepared a thick interview outline, determined to uncover the true secret behind this northern dark horse's continuous victories.

But as soon as she entered, she was stunned.

There was no luxurious mahogany desk as she had imagined, no walls covered with photos of achievements, and certainly no choking cigar smoke.

There was only an extremely minimalist black, white, and gray color scheme, and a massive touch-screen display covering an entire wall. Lin Feng, dressed in casual wear, was holding a cup of coffee and standing in front of the screen, looking more like a Silicon Valley CEO than a football club owner.

All of this completely subverted her perception of the industry.

"Please, have a seat, Miss Green," Lin Feng gestured to the sofa opposite him.

The interview began, and Sophie quickly got into the swing of things, her questions sharp and direct, cutting straight to the core of the team's winning streak.

"Victory belongs to the players' hard work and the coaching staff's efforts," Lin Feng casually deflected the credit. "I'm more concerned with something else."

He walked to the large screen, and with a light tap of his finger, a magnificent master plan instantly filled the entire display.

"I hope Hartlepool not only has a successful team but also becomes a true 'City of Football'."

His finger glided across the screen, and exquisite 3D models appeared one by one.

"This is the surrounding development plan for the Northern Dragon Arena. Here is a sports-themed park; here is an esports arena; and over here are the fan interaction center and the football museum."

Sophie looked at the blueprint, which could almost be described as "crazy," and listened to Lin Feng's calm, unruffled narration. She felt as if she wasn't interviewing a businessman, but a true visionary.

His gaze had already swept past the outcome of the next match, looking ten, even twenty years into the future.

She realized her pen had stopped at some point, and none of the questions she had prepared could be asked.

She was captivated by this composure beyond his age and a terrifyingly grand vision.

As the interview drew to a close, Sophie took a deep breath and asked a personal question unrelated to the interview: "Mr. Lin, I'm very curious, what is your true motivation for doing all of this?"

Lin Feng was silent for a moment.

He turned his head, his gaze passing over the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking towards the young figures running on the distant training ground.

"Perhaps," he said softly, "I just want to see how high a plan can ultimately reach when it's given almost infinite resources and an absolutely correct direction."

These words, devoid of flowery language, struck Sophie's heart like a precise bullet.

She looked at Lin Feng's profile; the afternoon sun cast a golden outline upon him, and in his deep eyes, there was a captivating power.

The exclusive interview ended, and they both stood up.

Lin Feng smiled and extended his hand, but did not immediately release it after the handshake.

"To thank you for your objective reporting," he paused, looking directly into Sophie's eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips, "and... to more fully answer your question from just now. Are you free on Wednesday evening? I'd like to treat you to dinner."