Sam Parker grinned as the boos rained down from the stands.
He watched as Ethan walked calmly toward the dugout, shook hands with the Port Vale manager, and took his seat on the bench.
Sam Parker relished the jeers. Hear that, you bastard? The Luton fans hate you! Damn yellow monkey!
Vardy's face remained cold. The hostile reception only fueled his anger. He dug his studs into the ball at his feet, eyes locked on the Port Vale goal.
These clueless fools… they have no idea what a brilliant manager Luton has!
Just wait… You'll be eating your words soon enough.
Vardy's determination burned inside him.
The boos didn't last long. After all, this was only Ethan's first match in charge. While the media had painted a negative picture of him, many fans hesitated to jeer their own manager before the game had even kicked off. In the eyes of most English supporters, that would be crossing the line.
Inside the security booth at the entrance to Luton's training ground, Magis switched on the radio.
"…Before kickoff, Luton's new manager, Ethan, was met with boos from the crowd…"
"These idiots…"
The corners of Magis's mustache twitched in frustration. As a training ground staff member, he knew exactly what Ethan had brought to Luton. And yet, because of a few misleading media reports, the fans had turned on him so quickly.
Luton is shooting itself in the foot before the season has even started…
"…Compared to last season's squad, only Kevin Keane and George Parker remain in Luton's starting XI. The rest are new faces. In goal, it's K. Lord Rondo. Right-back Mitchell Pirin. At center-back, George Parker partners Jeffrey—an academy reject from Chelsea U18. Left-back Soro Davis completes the defense. In midfield, captain Kevin Keane starts on the right, with N'Golo Kanté and Danny Drinkwater forming the central pairing. Lewis Emanuel takes the left flank. Up front, the strike partnership consists of Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin."
Magis exhaled slowly. The outside world had no idea how good Vardy and the others were, but he did. He knew Vardy was miles ahead of players like Sam Parker.
"…Ethan, the Chinese manager, appears confident in his recruitment. He has brought six new signings to Luton, five of whom are starting today. The only exception is 198cm target man Matt Schmidt, who starts on the bench. Prior to this, Ethan only coached Chelsea's U18s and has no senior professional experience. His Luton side is also the youngest team in League Two. Other than captain Kevin Keane and center-back George Parker, most of the squad are in their early twenties. With such an inexperienced lineup, what can we expect from Luton this season?"
You'll be in for a surprise…
Magis leaned back in his wicker chair, closing his eyes as he listened to the broadcast.
Just across the road at Kenilworth Road Stadium, the match was about to begin.
Luton had the kickoff. Vardy placed his foot on the ball, standing beside Charlie Austin.
Austin flexed his wrists and bounced lightly on his toes, still warming up.
"Relax, Charlie," Vardy said, sensing his teammate's nerves. "It's just League Two players."
Vardy, however, was buzzing with excitement.
Austin, just 19 years old, had little experience in high-pressure situations compared to Vardy.
"Aren't you nervous, Jamie?" he asked.
"Nervous?" Vardy grinned. "Why would I waste energy on nerves when I've got an opportunity like this?"
"I'm too excited to be nervous." His eyes stayed fixed on the opposition goal.
The referee blew his whistle. Vardy rolled the ball to Austin and immediately sprinted forward.
Drinkwater received the return pass, scanned the field, and spotted Vardy's run. Without hesitation, he played a lofted pass behind the Port Vale defensive line.
Port Vale's center-back, a strong aerial defender, managed to head the ball clear.
But Kanté was already anticipating it. He pounced, winning the second ball with ease.
Rather than dribbling, he quickly shifted play to the left flank, where left-back Solo Davis had pushed up in support.
Davis attempted to take on his man but was dispossessed by Port Vale's No. 7.
However, before the midfielder could launch a counterattack, Kanté was already on him.
No contest. Kanté won the ball back immediately.
"…Luton's No. 6, N'Golo Kanté, has made back-to-back interceptions in under a minute. If this is a sign of things to come, he'll have no trouble making his mark in League Two!"
The commentator's voice filled the radio.
Magis smirked, eyes still closed.
"You always bring surprises!"
Magis hummed Luton's team anthem as the tension mounted.
On the pitch, after intercepting the ball for the second time, N'Golo Kanté had set the perfect stage for a counterattack! Ethan immediately jumped up from his seat—this was the moment they had trained for!
Port Vale had just attempted a counterattack of their own, but in an instant, Luton had regained possession. With their defense now completely exposed, it was the perfect opportunity to strike.
During training, Ethan had repeatedly emphasized the importance of taking advantage of such transitions. And with a ball-winner like Kanté in midfield, Luton would always have opportunities like this.
Kanté wasted no time after his interception. With a sharp pass forward, he found striker Charlie Austin. Austin, showing great awareness, immediately laid the ball off. Danny Drinkwater surged forward and, with one touch, threaded a perfect through ball into space!
Jamie Vardy had timed his run to perfection, breaking past the last defender and into the penalty area. With the ball at his feet and only the goalkeeper to beat, he didn't hesitate.
Vardy's approach was as direct as his personality. Before the goalkeeper could react, he coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner!
Goal!
The stadium erupted in celebration, though Luton's bench had already gone wild before the fans could even process what had happened.
For Vardy, this was more than just a goal—it was his first in professional football. Overcome with emotion, he sprinted straight to the touchline and threw his arms around Ethan, the man who had given him his chance in the professional game.
This was the coach who had believed in him. The one who had made his dream come true.
The cheers from the stands grew louder. Even the Luton fans who had previously doubted Ethan seemed to have forgotten their earlier jeers.
For now, they were in the lead. And that was all that mattered.