"Rebirth of the Football Tycoon".

"I don't think I have any reason to disagree. Let's work together to create a miracle!" David and Loew exchanged determined looks, both seeing the same fiery fighting spirit in each other's eyes.

"Since you feel this lineup is a bit thin, let's go over it together and figure out which positions need reinforcement. While we've just started training, we can quickly finalize suitable players," David said, showing the decisive leadership expected of a club chairman. With a wave of his hand, he made the decision to strengthen the squad immediately.

Loew pulled out a tactical board, already prepared for this meeting. It displayed a 4-4-2 formation, with some positions having two names, while others had only one.

"In my opinion, the main forwards should be Hubuner and Di Natale, with Villa rotating in. However, we need a backup forward for insurance," Loew began.

"For the left-wing forward, Iniesta will start, with Ribery as a substitute; on the right, Kuyt will play, with Marcho as backup. These two positions don't need reinforcements," Loew continued.

"In the midfield, we have Missy and Sneijder, and Alonso and Merelles as central midfielders. However, considering the possibility of changing formations, we may use two defensive midfielders to better counter tough opponents in cup games. So, we still need a defensive midfielder," Loew analyzed further.

"As for the center-back positions, four players should suffice. On the right-back, we have Ram and Bosingwa, but the left-back is just Grosso. Although Ram can cover both sides, it would be best to add another left-back," Loew pointed out.

"For goalkeepers, Diego Lopez and Ben Foster are enough. We should promote a third goalkeeper from the youth team to complete the squad," Loew concluded.

David nodded as Loew analyzed the lineup. The lack of reinforcement in certain positions was a clear issue. If they wanted to make an impact in both league and cup competitions, these gaps needed to be filled. Without hesitation, David switched from the role of assistant coach back to club chairman and began the necessary steps to bring in new players.

During Loew's early season physical training sessions, David quickly moved to address the most pressing gaps in the team.

First, he turned his attention to the Altentop brothers, who were playing in the German regional league for Wattenscheid. The elder brother was a midfielder, while the younger brother played as a striker. David moved quickly to secure both players, solving two problems with one deal.

For the left-back position, David had a clear target in mind: 17-year-old Leighton Bynes from Wigan Athletic's youth academy. David offered Bynes a professional contract, bringing him to Notts County. Finally, the first English player had joined the team.

With these signings, the first team was finally complete. The squad now numbered 25 players, sufficient for handling the demands of both the league and cup games—barring any major misfortunes.

David and Loew were content with the squad, but the work wasn't over. The club still had to deal with the players who were no longer part of their plans from the previous season.

David had no intention of entertaining players who had used their position to demand higher wages. For those who were unwilling to accept their place in the squad, he had a simple response: "Find your next home."

For these players, who had come to Notts County at a high price only to see their futures dimming, it was a cruel reality. The club was not in the mood for negotiations. The transfer income from the 20 players leaving the team amounted to just £1.2 million, a far cry from the £3 million the club had spent on their signings in the past seasons.

David's stance was clear: if players wanted to leave, they could—provided they brought in an acceptable transfer fee. If not, they would be stuck in the reserve team, with no chance of first-team action. It was a tough stance, but David believed it was the only way to maintain the club's discipline and focus.

For those players who were left behind, the reality was hard to escape. Having failed to secure transfers, they were left to play in the reserve league, clinging to their hopes for future opportunities.

David, though, didn't spare a second thought for their misfortune. He had no time for sentimentality. His focus remained on the future and the task at hand. As far as he was concerned, what he was doing was in the best interest of the club.

With the squad now nearly complete, the next step was preparing for the season ahead. The warm-up matches before the season were crucial to building team cohesion and getting match fit. According to Loew's plan, after the physical training was complete, the team would start the warm-up matches. Ideally, they would play 4 to 6 matches before the season kicked off.

The challenge, however, was finding the right opponents. Weak teams were easy to find—there were plenty of professional and non-professional teams in England willing to play for a friendly. But David needed a mix of opponents: teams with similar strength, and of course, some stronger teams to truly test the squad.

David reached out to Manchester United and Arsenal, hoping to secure a warm-up match with the top Premier League clubs. Unfortunately, both giants politely declined, citing that they had no plans to warm up against a second-division team like Notts County. In their eyes, despite Notts County's heavy summer signings, the club was still a small-time team with little history—hardly worth their time.

David, upon receiving the rejection, felt his anger rise. Notts County was being dismissed, just as a country bumpkin might be mocked when entering the city. No matter how much money the club had invested, it still wasn't enough to be taken seriously by the elite.

David's frustration boiled over. He couldn't tolerate the way the big clubs looked down on Notts County, despite all the effort the club had put into strengthening its team. He had a suitcase full of ambition, but it seemed to mean little when facing the entrenched snobbery of the top-tier clubs.

Determined not to let this setback affect him, David knew he had to focus on other tasks. The team was being built, and now it was time to prepare for the future—no matter how much the established elite tried to dismiss them.