Chapter 1
Chapter one
Present day
July 2009
I woke up with a startle, a nervous startle at that. The bed empty next to me. The rest of the small flat empty and considering it was July it was quite dull. I had my breakfast and a quick shower, and dressed in my best suit I started to leave the flat ready for the quite possibly the biggest Interview of my career to date. As I left I glanced at the picture of me from 4 years ago, I was stood, lit only by a street light, behind me lit only by the moon, Sydney Opera house. I smiled to myself remembering the good times I had, had in Australia for those 4 years, although it wasn’t all good.
I suddenly remembered why I was nervous, The meeting, the biggest interview of my career to date. The stadium would have only been a short walk away, but I decided to drive as I find it relaxes me. As II got in to the car, I switch the radio on. “Greatest Day” by Take That was playing and I certainly hoped it would.
I turned the corner, and saw it, the main stand, a sight I’d seen many of times over the years. I parked up, stepped out of the car and took a deep breathe. The air smelt stale even for the summer. I walked into the reception, the area bathed in the colours and crest of the club. I introduced myself to the reception and then waited. The longest 30 minutes of my life passed and finally the receptionist gestured for to follow her. As we walked up the stairs and toward the board room, I couldn’t help but notice her perfectly form body.
She knocked and I enter the board room alone, where the chairman and a director awaited me. We talked for almost 2 hours. Discussing where they wanted the club at the end of season, and the long term future of the club, transfer budgets, and finally my contact. Then came the question I was waiting for.
“With such little experience in a management role, do you think you are the person who can achieve these goals?”
With out hesitation
“Yes!”
“Well, Mr Curtis welcome to the club” With that the paper work was signed and sent to the F.A.
The official announcement would be made to the press early tomorrow at a small press conference. For now on the other hand, I was shown around the stadium, the changing room, the directors box, the dug out and finally We walked out to the middle of the pitch. I took another deep breathe, this time the air smelt fresher and cleaner. We stood there for just under an hour, talking about my memories of this place. Growing up just 10 miles away and just over 4 years since I was last here, I finally felt home again.
We left the pitch and finally He showed me the one place I had wanted, my new office, my new home. Small, but big enough with a TV on the wall, a big desk and a plush leather chair. On my desk a file.
“I had your assistant compile a team report, take it home, and read it, ready yourself for tomorrow. Ready yourself for your first day as Manager of this great club.”
I picked the file up, flicked through it before the chairman decided to leave me alone in my office. I officially didn’t start the job until tomorrow, but I could get some work done between now and then. The club was a little short of staff, so I sat behind my desk and contacted a few of my friends and a few contacts I had made in my time in Australia. I had only been back little over 2 months, And here I was taking my first job as a manager in England. I checked my watch, and headed back to the board room, where the director who had been in the meeting with me offered me a drink. We then walked through to the directors box, over looking the fresh looking grass of the pitch plunged into darkness and lit only by the bright moon in the sky. I told here some of my memories of watching football when I was growing up. The infamous European cup run in the early 90s being the one that stuck in my mind most.
She smiled at me, and sipped her wine.
“I think you are going to do great things at this club Mr Curtis”
“I hope so”
“I know so” Delia Smith replied
“Welcome to Norwich City”
She smiled at me again as she left me alone in the Director’s box, looking out over the stadium, my new home. I smiled to myself as I sipped the wine she had gave. I’m a football manager in England at last, I’m manager of Norwich City!
