Lin Sen had a strong feeling—Ethan was Chinese, or at the very least, of Chinese descent.
On the TV screen, the camera frequently cut to Ethan. In just the third minute of the match, Luton launched an attack. Jamie Vardy took a shot inside the penalty area, but the goalkeeper made a save.
The broadcast immediately switched to a close-up of Ethan.
Standing on the touchline with his arms crossed, Ethan suddenly raised his hand, then leaned back, his face full of regret.
"Luton have started the game on the front foot. Just look at Ethan's reaction, and you'll know how close that was!" The commentator, Letkinson, exclaimed on the broadcast.
Lin Sen understood English well. After all, he had studied at Jiaotong University for years, passing both CET-4 and CET-6. Though he was a mathematics major, he had a knack for languages. His passion for football had even led him to teach himself Spanish, German, and French.
From the commentary, Lin Sen caught the key name—
"Ethan?!"
He took a closer look at the man on the screen. The surname Wong, the double eyelids, the facial features—he didn't look Korean, nor did he have a Japanese demeanor. And the name Ethan Kai certainly sounded Chinese.
He must be Chinese—or at the very least, of Chinese heritage!
Lin Sen made a quick judgment. A Chinese manager coaching in England's second division? If the domestic media found out, they'd probably write about him for weeks.
As an experienced football fan, Lin Sen knew how rare it was to see an East Asian face in a managerial role in England. His curiosity about Luton's head coach instantly grew.
At that moment, Letkinson's voice came through again:
"The Chinese team has been aggressive right from the kickoff, playing a very direct attacking style. But Daning Port is struggling to cope with such a high-intensity approach. The movement and link-up play of forwards Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin are causing all sorts of problems for their defense."
Chinese!
Lin Sen instantly picked up on the keyword. But unlike in Chinese, where terms like Chinese national, ethnic Chinese, and overseas Chinese carry distinct meanings, the English word "Chinese" could mean any of these.
So, was Ethan actually a Chinese national? Lin Sen wasn't sure.
But that didn't stop him from becoming a Luton supporter.
In fact, as a football enthusiast, he never really had a specific home team—he simply enjoyed watching good football. But now, as a Chinese person, seeing a fellow Chinese on the touchline of an English club, Lin Sen felt an immediate sense of connection. He didn't know Ethan's story, but he was sure it hadn't been an easy journey. Supporting him was almost instinctual.
Even if it was just spiritual support.
But after watching just a few more minutes of the match, Lin Sen was completely drawn in.
Luton's tactics... he had never seen anything like them before.
It was clear there were influences from Dutch football—far from traditional English football—but at the same time, it wasn't exactly Dutch either. It was an evolution of the total football philosophy, incorporating both attack and defense seamlessly.
The first thing Lin Sen noticed was how compact Luton's formation was. Because he was watching on TV, he couldn't see the entire pitch, but even in the limited camera angles, Luton's players always seemed to outnumber their opponents in key areas.
This level of cohesion and discipline wasn't easy to achieve—it spoke volumes about Ethan's control over the team.
Then, Lin Sen picked up on something else. Luton didn't seem to cherish possession in the traditional sense. Their attacks were fast and direct, often ending with a shot after just a few passes. But even when they lost the ball, they regained it almost immediately through relentless high pressing.
Luton's press started right from the front. The forwards formed tight, triangular pressing traps, making it nearly impossible for the opposition to play out from the back. And once they won possession, there were always passing options available to immediately launch another attack.
It was suffocating.
Lin Sen was captivated.
He was really interested in Ethan now. A coach who could design such a sophisticated tactical system was bound to become a big name in the future—Lin Sen had a strong hunch about it.
On the screen, Ethan looked young.
This manager… he might not even be much older than Lin Sen himself!
At that moment, Luton's attack paid off.
Their midfield won the ball back once again, cutting out an opponent's counterattack.
Danny Drinkwater quickly played a pass out to the right. Captain Kevin Keane received it and, without hesitation, whipped in a cross—
Charlie Austin didn't touch the ball before the equalizer, but he played a crucial role in disrupting the opposition's defensive line. Then, Vardy rose high in the center and powered a header into the net!
"What a goal!"
Lin Sen couldn't help but admire the play.
From winning possession to launching a counter-attack and scoring, the entire sequence happened in the blink of an eye. Before the opponents could react, three quick passes cut through their defense, leading to a clinical finish!
"Vardy has scored!! Luton takes a 1-0 lead!! There are about 70 minutes left before Luton secures their tenth consecutive league victory!! Ethan's team has been unstoppable since the start of the season! If they win today, their points tally will finally move back to zero!!" Letkinson exclaimed.
Ten consecutive wins? Zero points?
Lin Sen was puzzled. A ten-game winning streak is a rare achievement, but winning ten matches should amount to 30 points. How could they be at zero?
Did the commentator make a mistake?
That seemed unlikely—zero and thirty don't sound alike, and no professional commentator would make such a basic mathematical error.
Curious, Lin Sen opened his laptop, searched for "Luton FC" in English, and quickly found shocking news.
At the start of the season, Luton had been hit with a 30-point deduction.
Due to financial troubles, the club had been forced to sell most of its first-team players from the previous season. The squad now consisted mostly of young, inexperienced players with no prior professional league experience.
And yet, against all odds, they had won their first nine league matches and were now on the verge of a tenth consecutive victory!
Lin Sen quickly navigated to Luton's official website and found the profile of their head coach, Ethan.
It turned out that Ethan was indeed Chinese. Lin Sen immediately noticed the word "Guangdong" in the details—written in Hanyu Pinyin, which is typically used in mainland China.
This confirmed it. Ethan was almost certainly a Chinese national.
But what shocked Lin Sen even more was his age—Ethan was only 27 years old!
In the world of football management, that was incredibly young. The man leading Luton from the touchline was just four years older than Lin Sen himself!
Looking through Luton's recent records, Lin Sen couldn't help but be amazed.
There was no doubt about it—Ethan had worked a miracle.
He had taken a team that was on the verge of collapse and transformed them into title contenders.
Watching the young coach in a sleek black suit on the TV screen, Lin Sen couldn't help but feel admiration.