Football Dynasty-Chapter 290: Mid-Season Break

The United Kingdom was in turmoil. News had broken that the country was facing a widespread outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)—widely known as "mad cow disease"—alongside its deadly human equivalent, variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD).

The media buzzed with panic. Supermarkets scrambled to remove contaminated products. Families across Britain stared at their dinner plates with unease.

When Richard heard the news, he froze—staring at the headline for a moment longer than necessary. Then, without hesitation, he issued a sweeping order.

"Effective immediately," he said, "no one under the Maddox Group and Manchester City—staff, players, executives, or family—is to consume British beef. Not a bite. Not a risk!"

Both Marina and Miss Heysen exchanged glances.

Even at the Manchester City training ground, chefs and staff catering were instructed to purge every trace of beef from the kitchen. Menus were rewritten overnight.

It might have seemed extreme, but to Richard, it was simple, ’this is how you stay two steps ahead—on the pitch and off it.’

The outbreak also affected the Premier League, as Middlesbrough cancelled their fixture against Blackburn Rovers, scheduled for the following day. Manager Bryan Robson insisted he could not field a team, with 23 of his players reportedly struck down by a virus. As a result, Middlesbrough were charged with bringing the game into disrepute over the cancelled fixture.

For Manchester City, thankfully, their schedule remained intact—at least for now.

Every cancelled fixture elsewhere in the league brought headaches. Postponements meant rescheduling, and rescheduling meant a more compressed calendar—a nightmare for any club chasing consistency.

For Richard and the coaching staff, that was a scenario they wanted to avoid at all costs.

Back in the league, Manchester City lit up the pitch at Maine Road. Ronaldo stole the show, producing a dazzling hat-trick in a commanding 4–1 win over Sunderland, with Andriy Shevchenko adding the fourth to cap off a dominant performance.

Meanwhile at Anfield, it was Robbie Fowler’s turn to make headlines, as the Liverpool striker netted four goals in a blistering 5–1 demolition of Middlesbrough, adding more pressure on a club already rocked by illness and chaos.

Over at the Old Trafford, Manchester United made their title intentions clear, sweeping aside Nottingham Forest 4–0, a result that deepened the home side’s relegation fears.

Wimbledon, the season’s surprise package, continued their fairytale run with a 3–1 away win at Everton, keeping their hopes of European qualification alive.

And in the biggest shock of the weekend, Newcastle United tore through Tottenham Hotspur 7–1, sending a message to the rest of the league that they, too, were serious contenders for the crown.

With the Sunderland win in the books, November had come to a close—and with it, the calm before the storm.

December was here.

In the Premier League, December wasn’t just another month. It was a gauntlet: fixture congestion, icy pitches, exhausted legs, and unforgiving turnarounds. They called it the Boxing Day period, but to managers, it felt more like walking into a minefield—match after match, sometimes three in seven days, with little rest and even less margin for error.

Richard knew this stretch would make or break their season. Momentum could skyrocket—or collapse entirely. His focus sharpened. The calendar was no longer just a schedule; it was both his enemy and his strategy board.

He gathered the coaching staff, including head physio David Fevre and head of recovery Andreas Schlumberger.

"We need to rotate smartly. We can’t burn out the players before New Year’s Day. Every player has a role."

Five league matches, one League Cup tie, eighteen days.

Richard felt thankful that City had been promoted this year—especially as the FA Cup was undergoing changes to its competition structure.

In the 1996–97 FA Cup, the tournament began with non-league teams competing in preliminary and qualifying rounds to earn their place in the main draw. This meant that, in the early stages, most participating clubs were not members of the Premier League or the Football League.

In the First Round Proper, 48 teams from the Football League Second and Third Divisions entered the competition, joining the 28 non-league clubs who had progressed through the qualifiers—along with four non-league sides (Woking, Kidderminster Harriers, Altrincham, and Enfield) who were granted byes.

The Second Round then featured the winners of those first-round ties.

Only in the Third Round Proper did teams from the Premier League and First Division enter the competition—which meant Manchester City’s FA Cup campaign wouldn’t begin until January.

Robertson nodded in agreement with Richard’s idea of rotating players.

He looked up. "Everyone will get minutes—especially in the tighter matches. If possible, no one plays the full ninety in all of them."

He pointed to the week of December 21st.

"That’s our danger zone. Three matches in seven days: Aston Villa, Southampton, then West Ham."

With that meeting concluded, City was prepared.

The first fixture in December would be against Sunderland.

One day before the match, Henry stood wide on the left, just near the touchline.

Ahead of him were narrow vertical channels marked into the grass—the spaces between the opposing full-back and center-back.

"Wait for the cue!" shouted coach Walford.

Today’s drill: Zonal Ghost Runs — for positional awareness and movement.

The whistle blew. Henry darted diagonally, accelerating between the cones as a ball zipped into his path.

Another whistle. He froze.

"Too early," the coach called. "You were offside."

They repeated the drill.

Again.

And again.

By the sixth run, Henry’s timing was perfect—appearing late, but arriving first.

In the next drill, Henry jogged back to position. Midfielder Neil Lennon stood ready to deliver the pass.

The drill: Blindside Finish — for receiving and finishing during transitions.

The moment it came, Henry turned. A defender chased from behind.

One touch. Another. Bang.

The net rippled.

Again.

Again.

Not every shot went in, but now the movement was there.

His first touch was cleaner.

His posture more balanced.

His finishes sharper.

From the sidelines, Richard nodded as he watched. ’He’s starting to understand,’ he thought. "It’s not about being fast—it’s about knowing where to appear."

Then, in the match against Sunderland, Henry proved himself.

1 goal. 1 assist. A statement.

PHWEEEEEEE!

The final whistle echoed across Maine Road, and the crowd erupted.

As Henry walked toward the tunnel, he received a standing ovation from the City faithful. Applause rained down from every section—fans clapping, cheering, even chanting his name.

He had earned it.

Alongside Ronaldo, he had torn Sunderland’s defense to shreds—stretching them wide, cutting inside, linking up with pace and precision. They were unstoppable.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Just after the match against Sunderland, Miss Heysen knocked on Richard’s office door and stepped inside, a folder tucked under her arm and a subtle frown on her face.

"Richard," she began, walking in without waiting for an invitation, "I’ve compiled the latest complaints—mostly about the Christmas menu."

She handed him a printed report—notes from the chefs, supplier pushback, and even letters from staff. Richard flipped through it casually.

"For weeks now," she said, "City’s rotation meals have been strictly poultry and fish. But now, with Christmas around the corner, the chefs are insisting beef has to be on the table. Some external partners are even threatening to cancel their holiday sponsorship events if we don’t relax the ban."

Richard didn’t even blink.

"We’re not serving beef. Not now. Not on Christmas. Not until I say otherwise."

Miss Heysen raised an eyebrow. "Even though the government says there’s ’insufficient evidence’ linking BSE to vCJD? They’re reassuring everyone British beef is safe."

Richard leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly.

"And that’s exactly why we won’t touch it."

The UK government’s response to BSE/vCJD in the early 1990s was widely seen as weak, particularly in public health communication and proactive risk management. Their updates often lacked clarity, as UK officials merely offered public reassurances without enforcing strict consumer protections. Richard refused to risk his life—or anyone else’s—on the word of such an irresponsible government.

He tapped the folder sharply.

"Tell the chefs to get creative with turkey and salmon. No red meat. End of discussion."

Miss Heysen hesitated, then gave a resigned nod.

"Understood."

In the grueling Boxing Day stretch, Manchester City faced Everton, Blackburn, and Tottenham in quick succession.

Despite their momentum, City managed to collect only five points from the three matches—drawing against both Everton and Tottenham, but thrashing Blackburn with a dominant 4–0 victory that reminded everyone of their attacking firepower.

The current table:

1. Manchester United – 42 points

2. Newcastle United – 40 points

3. Liverpool – 39 points

4. Manchester City – 35 points

5. Arsenal – 30 points

6. Chelsea – 29 points

What surprised Richard the most was that Robertson had quietly racked up an impressive win rate of nearly 81%.

Sixteen wins, two draws, and just one loss in the league. Two wins from two in the League Cup.

Richard leaned back in his chair, eyes lingering on the numbers. The figures didn’t lie.

"People won’t believe it," he murmured, almost to himself. "But he’s actually pulling it off."

What once looked like a gamble — especially with O’Neill’s unexpected injury — was now proving to be one of the most promising managerial runs in the league.

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