The Coaching System

Edgeley Park has a tense atmosphere. Even though it was a preseason game, the atmosphere was close to that of a regular league game, and the stadium was almost full because it was against one of their rivals.

Bradford City's final friendly was against Stockport County, one of their main opponents in the lower leagues. Stockport was known for rough football, violent play, and bending the rules as much as possible.

Jake Wilson had warned his players about what to expect.

"This isn't about tactics," he said before kickoff. "This is about mentality. They'll foul, waste time, try to get under your skin. Stay disciplined. Don't let them drag you into their game."

The system had already predicted a high chance of fouls and stoppages.

[Ding! Match Risk Warning: High likelihood of injuries. Stay cautious.]

Jake clenched his fists. That was the last thing he needed before the season started.

The referee blew the whistle.

Kickoff.

From the opening minutes, Stockport played exactly how Jake expected.

Rough challenges, late tackles, and constant pulling of shirts.

Bradford's midfield struggled to find rhythm—every time Ortega received the ball, a Stockport player clattered into him.

Collins was wiped out on the wing after dribbling past two defenders. No foul was given, and Jake immediately stormed to the fourth official.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded. "They're hacking my players down, and you're doing nothing?"

The fourth official barely glanced at him. "Calm down, coach."

Jake clenched his jaw. It was going to be one of those games.

Despite the dirty play, Bradford struck first in the 27th minute.

Carter received the ball at the edge of the box.

Instead of shooting, he played a quick one-two with Ortega.

Ortega squared it to Thompson, who slotted it past the keeper.

GOAL!

The away fans erupted.

Jake smiled. They could handle the pressure.

The lead didn't last.

In the 39th minute, Stockport won a dubious penalty.

Their striker backed into Barnes inside the box.

Barnes barely touched him, but the striker collapsed like he'd been shot.

The referee immediately pointed to the spot.

Jake lost it.

"That's a dive! Are you kidding me?!"

The Bradford bench erupted, but the decision stood.

Stockport's captain stepped up and buried the penalty.

1-1.

Jake turned to Paul. "We're playing against twelve men today."

The second half started worse than the first.

In the 50th minute, Carter was nearly taken out by a reckless two-footed challenge.

The referee only gave a yellow, despite Carter rolling on the ground in pain.

Bradford's players reacted instantly—shoving, yelling, surrounding the ref.

The game nearly broke into a full brawl.

Jake had to rush onto the field to pull his players away.

"We don't lose our heads," he barked. "Let them be dirty. We stay smart."

But things only got worse.

Then, in the 70th minute, it happened.

Stockport launched a counterattack.

Their striker, clearly beaten for pace, lashed out with a wild challenge.

His boot smashed into Ahmed Saidi's knee.

The horrific crunching sound made Jake's stomach drop.

Saidi collapsed instantly, clutching his leg.

Jake sprinted onto the field.

Saidi's face was twisted in pain. "Gaffer… I can't move it."

The system notification confirmed Jake's worst fear.

[Ding! Player Injury Detected – Possible Ligament Damage. Estimated Recovery: 2 Months.]

Jake's hands clenched into fists.

The referee? Only gave a yellow card.

Jake saw red. He stormed up to the fourth official.

"That's a straight red! He's taken out my center-back, and you're letting them get away with this?!"

The official gave him a yellow card t.

Stockport's manager smirked from the other dugout.

Jake forced himself to take a deep breath. Stockport wanted him to explode.

Instead, he turned back to his players. "We finish this game for Saidi. Stay sharp. No more mistakes."

With the team shaken, Stockport took advantage.

In the 88th minute, they launched a long ball into the box.

Barnes misjudged the flight.

Okafor came out too late.

Stockport's striker poked it into the net.

2-1.

The final whistle blew.

Jake stayed silent. The match had been a disgrace.

But one thing was clear—they had to be ready for this type of fight all season.

Post-Match – Confronting the Referee

Jake waited outside the referee's tunnel.

When the official finally walked out, Jake's voice was cold.

"You lost control of that match. My player is out for two months because you let them get away with murder."

The ref ignored him and walked away.

Jake exhaled through his nose. He would remember this.

The Bradford locker room was silent.

The players were angry, frustrated, and still processing what happened.

Jake stepped in.

"Listen up," he said, his voice steady.

"This is what we're going to face all season. Teams trying to bully us. Refs letting it happen. We need to be stronger."

Eyes locked onto him.

"No excuses. We don't lose our discipline. We fight, but we fight smart. Got it?"

The team nodded.

Then, Jake delivered the worst news.

"Saidi's out for two months."

Silence.

Then, Thompson spoke. "We'll play for him, gaffer."

Jake nodded. "Damn right we will."

The team had just been through hell.