For reporters covering English football's lower divisions, there was a strong hope that Ethan would bring Jamie Vardy, Charlie Austin, or N'Golo Kanté to the press conference. These players had growing news value, and their inexperience with the media made them ideal subjects for coverage.
After a few matches, seasoned journalists had already identified them as rising stars. If they continued performing at such a high level, Premier League clubs would undoubtedly take notice—especially in the cases of Austin and Kanté, who were just 19 and 17, respectively. Their youth and potential made them highly attractive to top-tier teams.
Even Ethan himself had become a figure of interest for the press. Regardless of whether Luton Town could avoid relegation this season, his team's performances so far had shown that he was a capable coach with a keen eye for talent. The players he brought in had become Luton's key contributors. Vardy and Austin were leading the league's goal-scoring charts, sitting in first and second place, respectively.
However, Ethan was not one to feed the tabloids. Instead of bringing young stars to face the media, he consistently chose to have the team's experienced captain, Kevin Keane, handle press duties—much to the frustration of the reporters.
Following their victory over Gillingham, Luton's points tally stood at -24 due to their pre-season points deduction. They remained bottom of the league.
A week later, on August 23rd, in the third round of the League Two season, Luton played host to Notts County.
Despite never winning a major trophy, Notts County holds a unique place in football history as the world's oldest professional club, founded in 1862—a time when China was still under Qing Dynasty rule. The First Opium War had ended only two decades earlier, and the Taiping Rebellion was on the verge of being crushed by the Qing army.
However, while Notts County boasts historical significance, they have spent much of their existence in the lower divisions, with little success to show for it.
Luton, in contrast, had been in red-hot form since the start of the season. Playing away, Notts County adopted a cautious approach, refraining from pressing too aggressively.
But their defensive resolve didn't last the first half. In the 42nd minute, after sustained pressure from Luton, a cross from Thoreau Davis caused chaos in the Notts County penalty area. Charlie Austin reacted quickest, stabbing the ball home to give Luton the lead.
Then, in the 87th minute, Danny Drinkwater unleashed a powerful long-range strike from outside the box to secure a 2-0 victory. Luton had now won three consecutive league matches and four straight games across all competitions.
"Luton have gone on a goal-scoring rampage since the start of the season!" one commentator exclaimed. "They've netted 18 goals already—15 in the league—while keeping clean sheets in every match! That's more than the combined total of league leaders Shrewsbury and Rotherham!"
Indeed, Luton's attacking output far outshone their League Two rivals. Although five teams—including Shrewsbury, Rotherham, Bradford, and Bury—had also won three straight league games, none had scored as prolifically. The team with the best goal difference, Shrewsbury, had managed just six goals, while Luton had scored 15.
If not for their 30-point deduction, Luton would currently be sitting atop the League Two table.
Despite their precarious league position, the mood around Luton Town was upbeat. Even the club's training ground staff couldn't hide their smiles, sensing that relegation might not be as inevitable as it had once seemed.
After the Notts County match, club owner David Morton sent a text message to Ethan:
"Ethan, you're the best manager I've ever seen!! I think you're the next Mourinho!!!"
Ethan smirked as he read it. "Talk is cheap. A pay raise would be better."
However, as Luton's de facto general manager, Ethan wasn't just the head coach—he was the man running the entire club. Morton, despite claiming to be a devoted Lutonian, was, in reality, an American businessman. And in true American fashion, he believed professionals should be left to do their jobs without interference. By hiring Ethan, he had effectively handed him complete control over the footballing side of the club.
Defeat... Despite being the head coach and leading the team, I'm still doing all the hard work. Are club owners always this calculating?
Ethan sighed as he turned off the screen.
After securing a victory, he decided against giving the team a break. In just three days, Luton would face Reading away in the second round of the League Cup.
Another Championship opponent.
Reading had just been relegated from the Premier League last season and remained a strong contender in the second tier. With fixtures coming thick and fast—Luton had played Notts County in the league just three days before and would face Exeter City in an away match immediately after the Reading game—Ethan had to make a strategic decision.
With only two days of rest before the next league fixture, he opted to field a second-string squad for the League Cup clash. The grueling 46-game league season demanded squad depth, and risking key players in a cup tie could prove costly. If any starters picked up injuries, Luton's promotion hopes could take a serious hit.
The League Cup, after all, was less prestigious than the FA Cup. Even if they were eliminated, they would still have another cup competition to compete in.
Still, the reality of Luton's squad depth was exposed in this match. Without Vardy and other first-team regulars, the young squad struggled to impose themselves. They held Reading to a goalless draw until the 90th minute, only to concede from a corner in stoppage time.
Ethan clenched his fists in frustration on the sidelines. A draw away from home could have given them a fighting chance in a second leg, but there was no such opportunity in this cup format.
Yet, despite the defeat, there were positives. The team executed his tactical setup well, proving that even with limited individual talent, his system could compete against Championship-level opposition.
Perhaps these cup matches should be left to the fringe players?
Ethan pondered. After all, he couldn't rely on the same eleven players for an entire season. Footballers weren't machines—they would get tired, they would get injured.
Squad rotation, after all, was the true test of a manager's ability.