Ethan was a workaholic.
The lights in his office stayed on until four in the morning. By the time John Aston walked in at eight, Ethan was already dressed, reviewing his notes, and preparing to call a meeting.
"You should really get some rest, Ethan," John said with concern. He'd heard from stadium security that Ethan had spent the night in the office again.
Ethan waved him off. He didn't feel tired — he never did. Since childhood, he had an unusual ability: when he fully focused, he only needed two or three hours of deep sleep to recharge. It was a trait shared by some of football's most relentless managers. Rijkaard, for example, was famously known for thriving on minimal sleep during his managerial days.
"Don't worry about that, John. Here, take a look at these notes from last night," Ethan said, handing him a thick stack of papers filled with tactical plans and player assessments.
John flipped through them quickly. His eyes widened. "This is a full plan for next season!?"
"Yes. We've got a transfer budget of £200,000 — not much, but enough if we're smart. I've revised the training schedule too. We'll stick to the updated plan going forward." Ethan turned his desk calendar. "Today's May 26th. The new season starts in two months. The squad returns on June 20th. We've got a lot to sort out before then."
Just then, Mel Donald, the team's physical coach, burst into the office holding a stack of newspapers. "Ethan, you're all over Luton's headlines!"
Ethan took the papers. They were filled with stories about Luton Town's surprise appointment of a Chinese head coach. The club hadn't held a press conference, keeping things low-key, but local media still latched onto the story. Some outlets even speculated he got the job through nepotism, noting his connection to club owner David Morton — a fellow University of London alumnus.
Ethan skimmed the articles and tossed them aside. "Doesn't matter," he said. "Luton's not a big club. Beyond the local press, no one's paying attention to a team stuck in League Two. Let's focus on what we can control."
He looked at his two assistants: assistant coach John Aston and physical coach Mel Donald. Including himself, that made three members on the first-team staff. It wasn't enough.
"First order of business — expand the coaching team. John, you and I will handle training. Mel, you're in charge of fitness and injury prevention. But we still need a goalkeeper coach and a proper team doctor."
John nodded thoughtfully. "I know someone. He used to coach keepers at Nottingham Forest. Experienced guy."
"Bring him in," Ethan said without hesitation. "I trust your recommendation. We're not exactly spoiled for choice here in League Two — a solid, reliable coach is good enough."
Finding a team doctor, though, was proving more difficult. The budget was tight, and medical staff were harder to recruit at this level. John and Mel exchanged uneasy looks.
Ethan leaned back in his chair, eyes sharp. "We'll figure it out. One step at a time."
The road ahead was steep, but he was already mapping the route to the top.
Don't bother talking about second-division teams. Even many mid-to-lower table Premier League clubs don't prioritize their medical staff.
However, Ethan values the role of a team doctor immensely. He plans to establish a dedicated medical department. Injuries are a manager's worst nightmare, and many major injuries stem from untreated minor ones. If these underlying issues can be addressed early, it's a game-changer for keeping players fit and in form.
Finding a doctor who fits Ethan's high standards, though, has left John and the others stumped.
After thinking for a moment, Ethan speaks up.
"I have someone in mind for the team doctor!"
He recalls Haruko, a Japanese doctor currently with Chelsea. With a master's degree in sports medicine from the University of London, she's more than qualified to take on the role at Luton.
"Let's put the team doctor on hold for now — focus on signings first," Ethan decides.
John and Donald perk up immediately. The backroom staff is important, but they're far more curious about the players Ethan wants to bring in.
"Danny Drinkwater?" John raises an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name.
"Yes. He's with Manchester United's U18 squad. We could probably get him for around £200,000 — I doubt United will even notice." Ethan remembers the FA Youth Cup final, when he led Chelsea's U18s against United.
The standout from United's side was undoubtedly Danny Welbeck, a promising young striker Sir Alex Ferguson already earmarked for the first team. Another rising talent was Tom Cleverley. By comparison, Drinkwater seemed like just another squad player.
But Ethan knows better. In the future, Drinkwater will become a key figure — a driving force behind Leicester City's historic 2015-16 Premier League title win under Claudio Ranieri. That Leicester squad is a goldmine of overlooked talent, and Ethan can't help but smirk at the thought of snatching one of its future stars early.
If he signs Drinkwater now, what will Ranieri do without him to pull off that miracle season?
John, aware of Ethan's Chelsea U18 background, isn't surprised by his interest in youth prospects.
"Drinkwater isn't exactly a standout at United. But still, they might hesitate to sell a young midfielder outright," John says cautiously.
Ethan nods — he expected as much.
"Let's try to buy him first. If they refuse, we'll push for a loan."
For lower-league teams like Luton, loaning young, unproven players from top-flight clubs is a smart, cost-effective strategy. Premier League teams rarely loan out first-team stars, but their academy prospects — 18 or 19-year-olds — often get sent to smaller clubs for experience.
The three of them spend the rest of the morning deep in planning. Player recruitment is just one part of it — they also review pre-season training schedules, tactical setups, and preparations for the upcoming campaign.
Ethan knows he needs to make his tactical philosophy crystal clear to his assistants. He can't do it all alone.