Football Manager 2014 Part #228 - Epilogue: He wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.

Part 228: Epilogue: He wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.

Epilogue: He wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.
May 13, 2028-May 28, 2028

In the week before the Champions League final took place, there was some minor bookkeeping.

Some of the board votes were implemented, a £140.3m budget and a seating expansion chief amongst them. I didn't monkey with the ticket prices, however, as I felt uncomfortable doing so when I wouldn't be able to see the results.

As a parting gift I've also created a commercial link to the biggest club in China, Guangzhou Evergrande. Pay no attention to the backdated date of the agreement, and don't answer any calls from FC Basel for the next few months.

Don't worry, you'll be taken care of before I leave.

Mujkic gains plaudits for breaking his own assist record, which he promptly improves by one in the Champions League final, assisting on Thiago's first.

Moctezuma's tutelage under our captain comes to an end as well, but it doesn't seem to have stuck.

Ah, and now we're all caught up.

As expected Isaac Stringel wins player of the tournament. He doesn't have a shot at Golden Boot, nor does anyone else on Wrexham, because Rocky Bastable scored a dozen goals before Real Madrid went down in the quarterfinals.

Six current and two former Dragons make the team of the tournament. So does Miso Babnik, the man who nearly won it for Juventus, and Felix Gonzalez, who cost them everything after having been sterling all game long and clearly their best player.

The Red Keep at the Racecourse Ground
May 23, 2028

(The end of seasons staff meeting is just wrapping up and the coaches and scouts are filing out of the auditorium.)

: Hey, Paul. Come here for a second.

: Sure, what is it boss? Want to schedule the friendlies for the Olympic squad?

: No... I've decided that it's time for me to leave Wrexham.

: I thought you might choose to go out on a high note.

: I've also decided that it's time for you to step down as assistant manager to the U.S. National Team.

: What?!

: I want you to succeed me at Wrexham,

: What!?

: I can't think of anyone I trust more to ensure my legacy here.

: What?!

: I want to finish off a couple things before I step down, mainly the Partizan Project and contract negotiations, but I've set up a board meeting for a week from today so I can properly step down and you can take the reigns.

: What!?

: See you then.

(THE COACH exits the room.)

: What?!

The Red Keep at the Racecourse Ground
Later That Day

(THE PLAYERS are packing up their lockers for the summer, chatting happily as they get ready for vacation and international duties as THE COACH)

: Hey guys. Thank you for an incredible year. We won eight trophies, and won every competition we entered in. And we did it while resurrecting a 150 year old formation and using it against the best managers and players in the world. You guys will forever be first among the greatest teams in history. I'm so, so proud of all of you.

: How are we going to follow this up?

: I'm sure Coach has got a plan, mate. So what's next?

(THE COACH grimaces wistfully.)

: I don't know. All I know is that I'm not going to be there to see it. I'm stepping down as manager.

(AUDIBLE GASPS come from virtually every player)

: But why? Did we do something wrong?

: I've accomplished all I can achieve at Wrexham. Moreover, the World Cup is in two years and it's the only jewel not in my crown. I need to focus on that. Also, after 14 years of coaching without a single vacation I could use a break.

(THE PLAYERS start to grumble.)

: I'll still be in touch. You all know how to reach me.

: Si, but no one uses that “gmail” anymore.

: Not since Google was proven to be a secret NSA front.

: Well, I'll tell you what. I'll look into stepping into the modern day. What are all the kids using these days?

: We just use our AlwaysOn box. The messaging apps just read your thoughts and send them like one of your generation's text messages.

: Is that the implantable computer chip that goes behind the ear?

: Uh-huh. We've all got exterior ones since you don't want to have one on when you're on the pitch or practicing. Bad header or an elbow to the noggin and boom, you've suddenly got to wait 8-12 hours at home for a technician to re-set it. But you could probably get the internal one!

: … OK. Moctezuma, I assume you know how that works?

: Oh yeah. Installation's a quick trip to the doctors. And they're great, they can do anything. I've been stream-o-consciousing this whole meeting to my followers!

: Wait, so they know I'm resigning?

: Uh... I suppose so.

: Shit, I'm going to have to make some calls. Uh. Have a good summer. I'm so proud of you. Bye!

(THE COACH strides away quickly to get out ahead of the news of his retirement)

Facilities naturally decline over time to convey the sense of improved equipment and wear and tear on the old stuff. I wouldn't worry about this, though, both the youth and senior team facilities are still rated as “excellent,” which means they're at either 18 or 19 out of 20.

Whaaaaat? I've heard of this happening but never seen it for myself. How frustrating. Doesn't the town council know we're the reason Wrexham is on the goddamned map?! We're a half a billion pound industry in a town of 45,000!

Celtic offer about half of Patel's option, and I accept it because he stunk for them and I doubt that anyone else would pay as much. I don't care that I'm leaving Wrexham, he doesn't get to stay.

I'd be happy that you were withdrawing your request for a better deal, Rickard, but you're current one is out as five weeks from now so you're getting a contract offer regardless.

It's ten times his former wages, but he's still cheap compared to the rest of the squad. That one player making £2.5m a year is considered “cheap” shows how far the club has come since the days when £2.5m was the yearly wage budget for the entire team.

Tounkara signs through the next four years and more than doubles his wages.

Laux joins him, and the quartet of Laux, Hammatt, Tounkara, and Quiboulaz are now locked in through the next two years, with the first three being signed until 2032. It's going to be hard for my successor to screw things up, given how rock solid this team is and how young most of it's key players are.

Meteor puts pen to a new deal; at thirty years old I was leery of giving him too many years and possibly giving Wrexham an albatross contract so it's only three years long.

I also give a deal to one of our Academy players who would have been leaving on a free at the end of June. Cooke will at the very least bring in good money on the transfer market, and could be a rotation player for Wrexham in a few years.

Lastly, I trigger the extensions on Moctezuma and Bale. They're around for the next three years at bargain basement price...

As are the U18 players who are coming into their final year but who haven't cracked the first team as of yet. With that I've concluded half of my remaining business at Wrexham.

European teams tend to be fighting with one hand tied behind their back during the Olympics. That's because the European Championship takes place during the same summer, and so all of their best young players are on the senior team sent to contest the Euros. It also means that they're working with a depleted pool of players when choosing the three over-23 players on the Olympic squad. Their loss is our gain, Denmark is missing both Jacob Lundbye and Claus Damgaard, and have another eleven Olympic eligible players on their Euro roster on top of that.

My USMNT squad, on the other hand, has altogether too many midfielders, right flankers, and strikers. The over-23 selections are midfielder Bobby Padilla, goalkeeper Toninho, and right fullback Isaac Parsons. I expect to do one better than our silver at the 2024 games.

The Partizan Project also paid dividends, with three participants being named to the Olympic squad.

Have fun storming the castle!

Another 18 of our former players are on Euro squads, from the familiar faces of Shahed Parr and Chris Todd to the “who were theys” of Meilir Thornley and Ben Dixon.