Succeeding Sir Alex

The realization struck him like a thunderbolt. The memories of his past life—his identity as Jin Taige—were fading, like a dream slipping through his fingers. But new, sharper memories began to surface.

He was an Englishman, born and raised in this country. His parents had passed away when he was very young.

The blonde woman he had seen earlier? She was his wife — Victoria. His childhood sweetheart. The love of his life.

And he wasn't alone.

He had two children. His eldest son, David, was 8 years old. His younger daughter, Alexa, was 6.

As these memories settled in his mind, Tiger King sat motionless, his breathing heavy. This wasn't just a new body—this was a new life.

A life where he wasn't just a fan of football.

He was someone who belonged to this world.

Tiger King's mind raced as the final piece of the puzzle fell into place.

His career — Manchester United's Youth Team football coach.

A sharp breath escaped his lips. He wasn't just a random man in England. He was the manager of Manchester United!

Jin Taige—his past self—finally understood.

This wasn't just reincarnation. This was possession.

He had crossed over into another body, another life.

Tiger King? He couldn't help but find the name amusing. What kind of Englishman has a name like that? It didn't seem logical at all.

But when he thought about it… the name had a strangely familiar ring to it. Tiger King … Jin Taige. It was almost as if fate had played a joke on him, giving him a name eerily similar to his own.

Forget it. He sighed, rubbing his temples.

There was only one explanation—he had crossed into a parallel universe.

Although he had crossed over, Tiger King didn't feel any emotional attachment to his past life. Since he couldn't recall anything about his previous world, there was no nostalgia, no regrets.

It was as if this had always been his life.

With that acceptance, he got up and dressed.

Looking through Tiger King's wardrobe, he found that almost everything was sportswear—training gear, tracksuits, and football-related outfits. Only a few formal suits hung neatly in the corner, probably reserved for press conferences or important events.

After getting dressed, he stepped out of the bedroom. Victoria was playing with the kids in the hall. Needing more time to himself, he quietly slipped to the kitchen.

Dipping into Tiger King's memories, he recalled that today had been his day off. He had promised to take his family shopping to buy new clothes for the kids.

But then… he crossed over.

Shaking off the thoughts, Tiger King walked around the house. It was a modest three-bedroom, two-bathroom home—nothing extravagant, but perfectly located in Manchester, close to both Old Trafford and the Carrington Training Base.

Feeling hungry, he made himself a simple breakfast—a few slices of bread and some fried eggs. Then, taking his plate, he walked over to the third-floor window.

As he ate, he looked outside, watching the bustling streets of Manchester below.

Cars, buses, and people filled the roads. Some wore Manchester United jerseys, others hurried about their daily routines.

Tiger King sighed, gripping his coffee mug.

This was his life now.

And he was no longer just a fan.

This was Manchester. And he was a coach at Manchester United.

Tiger King stood by the window, taking in the view of the city. The streets were alive with movement, a mixture of cars, buses, and pedestrians, some donning the familiar red jerseys of Manchester United.

He frowned, trying to dig deeper into his past memories. Nothing.

His personal life before crossing over? Blank. His childhood, his relationships, his experiences—all missing.

But then, something strange happened.

When he thought about football… everything was crystal clear.

Tactics, formations, player strengths and weaknesses, legendary matches, iconic goals— every detail of the sport remained perfectly intact in his mind.

It was as if his entire existence had been reset, except for football. Tiger King clenched his fist, a determined fire igniting in his eyes.

Maybe he couldn't remember who he used to be. But he still remembered how to win.

And as the new coach of Manchester United, that was all that mattered.

Today was January 14, 2013.

Jin Taige had traveled back in time—from February 2025 to this moment, over a decade earlier.

And now, inside his mind, he carried a treasure trove of knowledge about everything that would happen in international football over the next twelve years.

Match results.

League winners.

World Cup champions.

Transfers, managerial appointments, tactical revolutions.

All of it.

Of course, his knowledge didn't come just from real-life football—his years of experience playing Football Manager (FM) games had also sharpened his understanding of strategy, tactics, and player development.

This knowledge would be his greatest advantage. Since he couldn't recall anything else about his past life, his football knowledge was all he had to rely on.

But before thinking about the future, Jin Taige focused on retrieving Tiger King's memories.

He needed to understand who he was in this life. As he dug into Tiger King's past, he suddenly froze.

Jin Taige's eyes widened in shock. His heartbeat quickened. He took a deep breath.

As he continued retrieving Tiger King's memories, the picture of his new life became clearer.

He had a beautiful wife, Victoria, his childhood sweetheart. Two wonderful children—David, 8, and Alexa, 6. He was a respected member of Manchester United's coaching staff, holding a high-ranking position just before Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. And most shockingly—he had been the captain of Manchester United's legendary '92 Class.

Captain?

Tiger King was stunned.

That meant he had once led a generation of superstars—Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, the Neville brothers, and Nicky Butt.

But if he was the captain, why wasn't he a legend like the rest of them?

Something must have happened.

His heart pounded as he dug deeper.

He had all this football knowledge from the future — the perfect blueprint to reshape Manchester United's destiny.

But before he could rewrite history, he needed to understand his own past.

Jin Taige took a deep breath, letting the weight of his new reality settle in.

Before he was a football coach, before he was a former player, before he was a man with knowledge of the future—he was Tiger King.

A husband.

A father.

A man with a family who loved him.

Victoria had been with him through thick and thin, always by his side. His two kids, David and Alexa, looked up to him—not as a football figure, but as their father.

And right now, football could wait.

Because he had a promise to keep.

A small smile formed on his lips as he turned away from the window.

It was time to take his wife and kids shopping.