In the end, Gao Bo decided not to use the two lottery opportunities to exchange for a somewhat useless white card exchange coupon.
Instead, he tried his luck in the lottery. The first draw resulted in a white card: Designate a player to improve their heading ability by 2% during the game.
Seeing this card, Gao Bo sighed. It was clear that drawing game-changing cards was next to impossible. The real rewards would have to come from completing missions, which might offer better cards.
He used his second lottery opportunity as well, hoping for a miracle. However, his luck didn't improve much.
The second card was another white card: Designate a player to improve their high-ball passing accuracy by 3% during the game.
It was a relatively useless card. Luton's gameplay didn't rely heavily on high crosses. Their fullbacks often opted for lower crosses into the box, where their forwards were skilled at taking advantage of ground-level chances. Still, Gao Bo decided to equip the cards, as they were better than leaving the slots empty.
After a moment of frustration, Gao Bo regained his optimism. He shifted his focus back to Luton's long-term goals. Winning the League Two championship seemed like a far-off dream at this stage, especially since the team was still in negative points. However, there was no use worrying about the championship yet. One step at a time.
After taking a shower and preparing a quick breakfast, Gao Bo decided to visit Luton's youth academy that day. Although the first team had the day off, Gao Bo wanted to stay productive. In English football, the head coach often plays the role of a manager, overseeing not just the first team but also the club's youth academy.
The youth academy was located on the outskirts of Luton, near the suburbs. Instead of taking a taxi, Gao Bo decided to use public transportation, wanting to experience the city more intimately.
Luton was a small city, typical of many in England. Unlike major metropolises like London, even "big" English cities like Manchester had modest populations by global standards. As Gao Bo boarded the double-decker bus, he found it surprisingly empty despite its large size.
After crossing a park and turning into a side road, Gao Bo arrived at Luton's youth academy. It wasn't a particularly large facility, reflecting the club's modest resources. A row of low buildings served as offices for the staff, and the academy featured a standard 11-a-side pitch and two smaller fields for seven-a-side or five-a-side games. Unlike larger clubs, Luton's youth academy didn't house players in dormitories; most were local boys.
Steve Powell, the academy's director, greeted Gao Bo enthusiastically.
"You should visit more often, boss. We've got some real talent here!" Steve said, leading Gao Bo into the training area.
The academy had over 90 players, ranging from U15 to U19. Many of the older players had already been called up to the first team, leaving the academy short on senior youth players. Gao Bo noticed a U18 match taking place and stood on the sidelines to observe.
However, the game didn't impress him much. The playstyle heavily relied on long passes, aerial duels, and a direct approach—an outdated English football tradition. Gao Bo knew that this archaic style was one of the reasons why the lower leagues in England struggled to produce players for the modern Premier League, where continental European tactics now reigned supreme.
Top Premier League teams had long abandoned traditional English football. Clubs like Arsenal, under Arsène Wenger, had embraced a more technical, continental style, while Chelsea's heavy investment in international stars had further shifted the league's tactical landscape. Meanwhile, teams in the lower divisions stubbornly clung to outdated methods.
Gao Bo believed that building a robust youth system was crucial for the long-term success of any club. Even though Luton's current financial situation made significant investment in the academy impossible, he resolved to start making incremental changes. For now, he decided to focus on revising the training methodology.
"Steve, could you show me the youth players' training curriculum?" Gao Bo asked, still watching the match.
Meanwhile, the boys on the pitch noticed Gao Bo and immediately turned up their intensity. The presence of the first-team manager on the sidelines gave them extra motivation, as they all dreamed of being noticed and called up.
Just as Gao Bo continued observing, a commotion on the sidelines caught his attention.