Chapter 5

The black cab pulled up to St Andrew's Stadium as he made the final checks to his outfit. He had opted for a neat and fashionable navy suit for his first day, he had decided against a tie and kept his top button undone to appear approachable and easy to get along with to his new co-workers. He had learnt a lot from the managers he had studied under and the ones who he had read about, but the most important thing was to be open and respectful with the club staff as they were just as important as the players. The welcoming party included the remaining club staff and Maxi Lopez who had taken on a sort of overseer role on behalf of the consortium.

"Any idea who you would like to add to the staff, unless you plan to start the season like this?" joked his new somewhat boss as they walked through the offices greeting all the staff.

"I'm ambitious but even I wouldn't dare to wear that many hats" he japed back as he considered how much of his plans he should share, realising it was good to start off with honesty he decided to make his current situation clear.

" I've already got some ideas for the key positions, but I'm stumped on a Technical Director. I'd like someone I could form a good relationship with and could help realise my vision for the club. Preferably, the director would compliment my skill set and help mitigate my weaknesses"

" I wouldn't have thought you had any weaknesses from the way you carried our interview out"

" Everyone has weaknesses, an interview just isn't the place to share them."

" I need someone whose name carries weight; they need to be a shrewd operator who can get what they want and give not a cent more" that was the characterisation of a director he was looking for and he had been struggling to find.

" I'm not here to intervene too much but since you haven't got a candidate, I have someone I would recommend. It would be their first job in the position but I'm confident he could make the transition. If you are looking for profile in the game, then there isn't much bigger. For multiple reasons, I also think we have a chance at getting them since they are currently free. " Maxi suggested, becoming visibly more excited as he spoke.

" I'm willing to have a sit down with them but don't promise the position too early" he replied making sure to rein him back in a bit.

The recommendation had floored him as the former player was none other than Henrik Larsson. It appeared that his new overseer had become familiar with him from sharing a dressing room at Barcelona and it was the first time that Yusuf was truly thankful for his presence. Larsson was a name that was well known among football supporters for his heroics at Celtic and then having a short stint at Barcelona. His time at the club was curtailed by injury problems but he still managed to produce a performance that would go down in history in his final match there. Masterminding a reversal on a rampant Arsenal team to win his club the champions league. The appointment was definitely a shrewd one bringing much needed muscle in the transfer market that was often required to get the deal over the line. It also suited Larsson well, who had pursued a career in coaching which hadn't gone to plan. His most recent appointment had been under Ronald Koeman at Barcelona and when he was relieved of his duties the former wasn't retained. As a coach, he hadn't achieved all that he wanted but based on what Yusuf knew about him and the interview he gave, he would bring a lot to the table which made him optimistic.

The day after his appointment the three men who had now become the highest ranked figures at the club gathered in a conference room to discuss who else would be joining them. It was the first time all three had been gathered for the job at hand and it was clear they each gave off distinctly different vibes. Larsson had short ashy coloured hair in complete contrast to the blonde locks he had sported in his playing days. He wore a light cream coloured fleece and exuded charisma to the point that it was almost intimidating. He spoke with authority but softly as if he didn't feel like he needed to shout to be heard and had already becoming a popular individual around the club. Maxi was more laid back and prone to telling jokes but in a way that made everyone else comfortable rather than feeling forced. First impression would likely not be very generous to him but as most would come to learn and Yusuf had as well, there was a fierce intelligence hiding the extroverted and comical personality he gave off. The last of trio wore his now official uniform of a navy suit the only change being the addition of a club crest on the right breast. He had rich brown skin with a warm undertone, high cheekbones, and curly hair which he had cropped short owing to his Somali background. He had grown up in the local neighbourhood which had changed very much over the years and remembered in his youth feeling like the club didn't truly serve its community, which was something that he planned to fix now that he was in charge. In terms of his mentality, Yusuf was methodical and approached coaching with a laser sharp focus, those that worked with him would say he never left a single stone unturned. He was measured in his interactions with people and at times needed to actively force himself to interact with others in a natural way. The three very different individuals had been given custodianship of the club and were intent to make their tenure a success.