The day's training resumed. With the ambition to secure promotion, Ethan poured boundless enthusiasm into his work.
For Luton Town, currently sitting on -30 points due to a deduction, promotion might seem like a fantasy—but not for Ethan.
In League Two, four promotion spots are available. The top three teams secure automatic promotion, while teams finishing between third and seventh enter the playoffs to compete for the final promotion spot. This means that, for Luton, the safest target is to finish at least seventh. If they can reach seventh place, they will have a shot at promotion through the playoffs.
But just how difficult is it to reach seventh place?
Ethan studied the points tallies of seventh-placed teams in recent seasons. Last season, the Wellcome Rangers finished seventh with 69 points. In 2006-07, Seaspoli secured seventh with 71 points, while in 2005-06, Lincoln City finished seventh with 70 points. Over the past few years, seventh place has typically required around 70 points.
Seventy points might be enough to reach the playoffs, but Ethan didn't want to rely on luck. It wasn't a safe bet. His goal for the season was to surpass 75 points to ensure qualification.
Without the 30-point deduction, he was confident Luton could achieve 75 points. But under the current circumstances, reaching 75 points means they need to accumulate an astonishing 105 points over the course of the season!
League Two consists of 24 teams, playing a total of 46 matches. In theory, the maximum possible points a team can achieve is 138. However, in a long and grueling campaign, winning every match is impossible. Football is unpredictable—injuries, player form, tactical adjustments, weather conditions, and many other factors influence results.
Historically, League Two champions have won the title with around 90 points. For Luton to reach 105, they would need to outperform every title-winning side in recent years—an enormous challenge.
With the addition of Jeffrey, Ethan had settled on his main lineup, and the team gradually transitioned into tactical training.
In designing his system, Ethan took inspiration from Arrigo Sacchi's legendary AC Milan side, implementing a highly structured 4-4-2 formation to compress space. Whether attacking or defending, he demanded tight cohesion between the lines.
Sacchi's tactical philosophy has influenced countless modern coaches, and Ethan, as a student of the game, studied his methods extensively. Sacchi famously said, "If our forwards and defenders stay within 25 meters of each other, we are invincible." His philosophy was deeply rooted in the Dutch concept of total football, emphasizing high pressing and defensive compactness. Under Sacchi, Milan played an aggressive, high-pressing game, suffocating opponents in their own half. The legendary backline, marshaled by Franco Baresi, made Milan's offside trap almost unbeatable. There was even a joke that if Baresi raised his hand, the assistant referee would immediately flag for offside without question. Some say FIFA even adjusted the offside rule due to Milan's dominance in this regard.
Although the traditional 4-4-2 has declined in favor of more fluid formations, Diego Simeone later revived it at Atlético Madrid. He adapted the system by deploying narrow, compact wingers instead of traditional wide players, creating a defensive fortress with high discipline and intensity. Atlético became one of the best defensive sides in Europe under this approach.
Ethan also utilized a 4-4-2 press but emphasized an aggressive attacking approach. When out of possession, he instructed both strikers to apply high pressure, harassing the opposition's build-up from the front. Winning the ball in advanced areas would provide immediate opportunities for counter-attacks. In possession, he demanded quick passing combinations, aiming to move the ball into dangerous areas within just a few passes. His ideal goal sequence? No more than seven passes before a shot on target.
Ethan wasn't tied to any single tactical philosophy. His only priority was winning. He adapted his strategies based on his team's strengths and what would bring success on the pitch.
As training continued, the players brought in by Ethan started proving their worth.
Forwards Vardy and Charlie Austin demonstrated impressive finishing ability, quickly becoming Luton's main attacking threats. In midfield, the partnership of N'Golo Kanté and Danny Drinkwater provided excellent control. Kanté's relentless ball-winning ability left opponents struggling—his defensive tenacity was so extraordinary that teammates half-jokingly suggested that even Lionel Messi would respect him.
With training progressing smoothly and the players improving, Luton was heading in the right direction. However, before the season began, the team had to test their progress in pre-season warm-up matches.
Luton's first warm-up match was against Oxford United, a club competing in the fifth-tier National League. The match took place behind closed doors at Luton's training ground, with no fans or reporters present.
In the first half, manager Ethan opted to field a lineup composed mainly of fringe players, giving them an opportunity to prove themselves ahead of the new season. He wanted to assess their determination and attitude before finalizing his squad. However, despite facing lower-league opposition, Luton's young players struggled. By halftime, they were already trailing 3-0.
Watching from the touchline, Ethan shook his head. With the club having offloaded most of its first-team players, he knew that if these academy graduates were thrown into League Two without reinforcements, even the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson would struggle to turn things around.
Thankfully, this was just a friendly. At the start of the second half, Ethan made wholesale changes, introducing his strongest lineup.
Between the posts, 21-year-old goalkeeper Claude Rondo was given the nod. Once the club's third-choice goalkeeper during their Championship days, he had now established himself as Luton's No. 1 following their relegation.
The center-back pairing of George Parker and Jeffrey provided defensive stability. Parker, standing at 190 cm, excelled in positioning, anticipation, and one-on-one duels. While Jeffrey was slightly shorter, his powerful physique and outstanding aerial ability made him even more dominant in the air than his taller counterpart.
On the flanks, Ethan placed his trust in two young full-backs. At right-back, he selected 18-year-old Irish U19 international Mitchell Piran. Standing at 188 cm, Piran was a versatile player capable of operating as a right-back, right midfielder, central midfielder, or even center-back. However, Ethan preferred using him in the full-back role. On the left, 19-year-old Solo Davis was deployed. A strong and pacey full-back standing at 176 cm, Davis had a natural attacking instinct that sometimes left gaps in defense. Noting his offensive tendencies, Ethan had even nicknamed him "Luton's Marcelo" in his coaching notes.
In midfield, the pairing of N'Golo Kanté and Danny Drinkwater was a certainty. Ethan had complete faith in their ability to control the game. Meanwhile, club captain Kevin Keane operated on the right flank, with 19-year-old Lewis Emanuel playing on the left. Despite standing only 173 cm, Emanuel could slot in as either a left-back or a defensive midfielder. Ethan was particularly impressed by his exceptional work ethic, determination, and defensive contributions—qualities that helped compensate for Davis's attacking instincts.
Up front, the strike partnership of Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin led the line.
Once the second half began, Oxford United quickly realized they were facing a completely different Luton side. Luton's relentless high press suffocated their opponents, forcing mistakes and creating opportunities. The breakthrough came when a misplaced pass in midfield led to a rapid counterattack—Vardy surged forward at full speed and slotted the ball home for his first goal in a Luton shirt.
Minutes later, history repeated itself. This time, Charlie Austin capitalized on another Oxford United error to find the back of the net.
From that moment, Luton's dominance was absolute. Vardy completed a stunning hat-trick, while Austin grabbed a second goal to pile on the misery. Ethan then introduced towering center-forward Matt Schmidt, who replaced Austin. Schmidt wasted no time making an impact, rising highest to nod home a corner and put the finishing touch on Luton's emphatic comeback.
By full-time, Luton had completely overturned the deficit, scoring six unanswered goals in the second half.
On the touchline, Ethan could barely contain his excitement. Turning to his assistant John Aston, he exclaimed:
"Did you see that, John?! That's our football! The football that wins!"