On April 17, 2008, Old Trafford echoed with the chants of thousands.
This was the fortress of Manchester United — a sacred ground for the Red Devils' faithful, famously known as the Theatre of Dreams.
The stands were packed, buzzing with anticipation. On the pitch, a few players in training kits knocked the ball around, keeping warm. The scoreboard loomed overhead, showing a harsh reality: Manchester United 0:1 Chelsea. It was halftime.
In the away team's dressing room, a tall man — around 185 centimeters — in a crisp white shirt, black suit trousers, and a black tie, addressed the young Chelsea players. But this wasn't Avram Grant, the interim manager who had replaced José Mourinho that season. This man was an unfamiliar figure to the fans and media: an Oriental man named Ethan Kai Wong.
Sweat seeped through the back of Ethan's shirt, a testament to the pressure of the moment. This was the second leg of the 2007-08 FA Youth Cup final. Manchester United U18s hosted Chelsea U18s, and Ethan was the head coach leading Chelsea's youth squad.
"We played brilliantly in the first half! Keep it up in the second!!"
He spoke with conviction, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere.
"Stay compact! Don't give them space in the middle — force them wide!!"
"When we win the ball, transition fast! Catch them before they reset!!"
He sketched quickly on the tactical board, illustrating his points. The young Chelsea players nodded in unison, eyes burning with determination.
Chelsea U18 held the advantage. A week earlier, they had ground out a 1-0 win at home with disciplined defending and a ruthless counterattack, neutralizing United's rising stars like Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley. Now, with an away goal and a first-half strike at Old Trafford, Chelsea led 2-0 on aggregate.
United needed three goals in the second half to pull off a comeback. The odds heavily favored Chelsea.
"Don't think this is over! This is their home! Stay sharp in defense! Let them cross from the flanks if they want — just don't let them get a clear shot from the middle!" Ethan's voice remained firm despite the situation looking promising.
Youth football was unpredictable — raw talent, emotions, and inexperience often turned games chaotic. Ethan knew better than to assume victory too early. His journey to this moment had been anything but simple.
Leading Chelsea U18 past Tottenham and Manchester City to reach this final was already a major milestone for his coaching career. But for Ethan, this wasn't just about football — it was a turning point in his life.
His story was split between two lives, two realities.
Born on August 30, 1981, Ethan grew up an orphan. Left at the orphanage with only a blue blanket and a scrap of paper bearing his name, he endured a tough childhood. Yet he excelled academically, earning a spot at the University of London after acing his college entrance exams.
In one version of his life, Ethan couldn't afford to study abroad. He stayed in China, graduated locally, and worked his way up in a Fortune 500 company — climbing from a junior employee to middle management. Just as he celebrated his promotion to an executive role, he experienced a night he would never forget. A rare night of drinking left him unconscious on May 30, 2018.
When he woke up, his mind held a second set of memories — a different Ethan.
This Ethan's life diverged after the college entrance exam. His academic success caught the attention of the orphanage's head, who reported his case to the education department. An interest-free loan enabled him to attend the University of London, where he studied Sports Management and Football Business at Baker College.
After earning his master's degree, he pursued his UEFA A Coaching License — a badge of elite tactical knowledge, still out of reach for many professional coaches in Europe's top leagues at the time.
Now, standing in the Chelsea U18 locker room, those two lives seemed to blend into one. Ethan wasn't sure which version of himself was real anymore.
But one thing was certain: he wasn't here to lose.
It was precisely because he held this coaching certificate that Ethan managed to land a job with a prestigious club like Chelsea.
Fortunately, both versions of Ethan — the one from 2018 and the one now in 2008 — shared the same mind and had similar personalities. This made it easy to blend in without raising suspicion among his colleagues.
It took Ethan a week to accept the reality: he had traveled back in time from 2018 to 2008. Once he adjusted his mindset, he quickly embraced his new role — after all, he was still the same person, just in a different era.
With his experience from the future, Ethan realized that becoming a football coach was the most natural path. He now had a solid starting point: if he could lead Chelsea's U18 team to win the FA Youth Cup, his coaching career would be off to a remarkable start.
Ethan was an optimist. After accepting his bizarre situation, he threw himself wholeheartedly into his dream job — coaching football.
He was satisfied with his performance so far. His tactical aura was impressive, and his strategies were sound. Today, he felt he delivered an impeccable performance.
Living two lifetimes, especially going from a low-level employee to a company executive in his first life, gave him an edge. This maturity filled the gaps his 27-year-old self originally lacked.
Even his assistant, Coach Wrights, noticed the change. The young Chinese coach had seemed inexperienced when he first arrived at Chelsea, but he matured rapidly. His commanding presence now exuded confidence and authority.
Just as Ethan was about to discuss second-half tactics with the team, the locker room door burst open with a loud slam!
A massive figure squeezed through the narrow crack, charging towards Ethan at alarming speed. A pudgy finger jabbed angrily at his nose.
"Damn it! Why didn't you let George play this game?!"
"I'm warning you — I better see George on that pitch in the second half!"
"Do you even know football, you Asian? Since when does Chelsea hire an Asian coach?! Ga—"
The rant was abruptly cut off — the man made a noise like a strangled duck.
Because Ethan was, in fact, strangling him.
With one hand, Ethan slammed the intruder against the wall. His flabby body hit the surface hard, sending waves rippling through his flesh.
When the tremors settled, the room fell into stunned silence.
"Who the hell is this?!" Ethan's voice was sharp with irritation. This was the team's locker room — a sacred space. No outsiders should come and go as they pleased.
"Eth... Ethan-kun, he's Director Kent…" came a hesitant voice.
The team doctor, Haruko Sakuragi, had quietly stepped forward, whispering into Ethan's ear.
Haruko had short, ear-length hair, delicate features, and a round face typical of Japanese beauty standards. If not for the noticeable swell of her chest under her sportswear, she could easily pass for a high school girl. In reality, she was a 26-year-old sports medicine master's student at the University of London and the team doctor for Chelsea's U18 squad.
Ethan suddenly remembered — before this match, a Chelsea director had called him, demanding that a certain player get field time. Ethan had promptly ignored the order.
"I see. Thanks, Haruko."
"N-No… you're welcome…" Haruko stammered, blushing.
Ethan's eyes briefly — and involuntarily — drifted to Haruko's chest. He quickly snapped his gaze away. He was her boss now. Getting caught staring would be a disaster for the team's morale and his leadership.
While Ethan was distracted, Kent broke free, gasping for air. His face flushed red with rage.
"You're finished! You yellow-skinned monkey! You're DEAD! Do you know who I am? Do you know who my father is?!"
Once again, Kent didn't get to finish.
Ethan spun around, seized him by the neck, and — to the team's collective shock — dragged the man out of the locker room like a sack of potatoes. He slammed the door shut with a kick for good measure.
"Who the hell is George?!" Ethan asked, panting from the effort of hauling Kent's weight.
"He's a new kid — joined the U18 squad last month. He didn't make the matchday roster," Wrights explained, admiration clear in his voice.
"Oh… good." Ethan dusted his hands off. Even if George had been on the list, he wouldn't have played. Letting outside forces interfere with coaching decisions? Absolutely not.
Straightening his slightly rumpled black suit, Ethan turned back to the team, a confident grin spreading across his face.
"Alright, guys — you played great in the first half. I'm proud of you. Let's finish this strong!"