Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 124

124. Public Hearing

“First, the club owner plans to lend Burnley Football Club up to 100 million pounds sequentially as needed. The loan term is 10 years, and there is no interest during that period.”

“What if we can’t repay the loan in full even after 10 years? Will it be recovered all at once?”

Helena smiled gently at the question, addressing the concern about the club’s potential bankruptcy.

“The outstanding loan will not be recovered all at once after 10 years. Interest will apply from that point onward. However, with the new stadium expected to be completed by then, we anticipate refinancing the loan at a lower interest rate, using the stadium and its revenue as collateral.”

Helena added this explanation, and the supporters nodded, seemingly convinced.

“Of course, the goal is to repay the loan in full within 10 years. 100 million pounds may seem like a large amount, but if you divide it by 10 years, it’s 10 million pounds annually. Last season, Burnley Football Club made a net profit of 5 million pounds. 10 million pounds a year is an amount we can manage.”

The murmuring in the seats shifted from doubt to understanding.

Another supporter raised his hand and asked.

“What about the Financial Fair Play rules? Wouldn’t taking out and using a 100 million pound loan violate UEFA [Union of European Football Associations] or the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play regulations?”

“No. I can explain that in two main points. First, the UEFA and Premier League Financial Fair Play rules don’t factor in investments in facilities like stadiums and training grounds when assessing financial soundness.”

Helena answered immediately, as if prepared.

“Secondly, we aren’t borrowing all 100 million pounds at once. We’ll receive the loan as needed. Since larger amounts will be brought in at specific points during construction, there are no major issues.”

The questioner sat down, appearing satisfied. Then, another person stood up.

“I’d like to hear a detailed construction schedule. And this… prefabricated? Is that the correct term? Is this really feasible?”

At Helena’s gesture, Emil grabbed the microphone.

“Hello. I’m Emil Cartwright, dispatched from Cartwright Fund to oversee this stadium reconstruction. I’ll address the construction details.”

Emil ignored the whispers and glances between him and Helena prompted by the Cartwright name and began his explanation.

“First, the prefabricated construction method is a modern technique, and there are precedents for its use in stadium construction. For example, Inter Miami CF of the American MLS [Major League Soccer]…”

For the next hour, questions poured in about stadium construction, the construction period, where Burnley would play during construction, how long each stand would be closed, and even the name of the new stadium.

While Helena primarily answered and Emil assisted, Helena felt relieved as the overall atmosphere shifted from doubt to conviction and expectation. Then, a questioner stood up.

“I’d like to ask Manager Kim a question.”

“Me, me?”

Hyeongmin, who had been observing the Q&A as if it were someone else’s concern, half-stood, looking bewildered. He sat back down and turned on the microphone.

“Manager Kim, what do you think about this plan?”

Hyeongmin glanced at Helena, perplexed.

He had come without much thought, simply told to attend and sit down. Now, sweating at the sudden question, Hyeongmin answered with whatever came to mind.

“I think it’s really good. Turf Moor is great, but it would be really fun and exciting to face strong teams from Europe and the Premier League in a new stadium.”

Whether the stadium would help the club’s revenue, the construction timeline, or the revenue generated by box seats were outside his expertise.

The questioner sat down, satisfied with Hyeongmin’s answer, and another person stood up.

“I have another question…”

“Ah, stop asking questions now!”

Henry Smythe, the supporters’ president, who had been sitting in the front row with his arms crossed, stood up and shouted towards the back.

“The manager said it’s good! That settles it! Who are you to criticize the manager’s decision and make a fuss?!”

“Ah, no, I wouldn’t criticize the manager’s decision…”

The man who had stood to ask a question sat down, flustered by the shouts and the gazes of those around him agreeing with Henry Smythe.

Henry Smythe, confirming that no more questions would be asked, nodded with satisfaction and looked at Hyeongmin.

“Since the manager said it’s good, the supporters will fully support it!”

“Uh… ah… yes. Yes, thank you.”

While Hyeongmin stuttered, Helena, hoarse from answering questions for the past hour, sat next to him, trying to maintain a calm exterior.

*What, does it all come down to this if you just put Hyeongmin forward?*

***

Jamal Higginbottom.

As a member of parliament for the Burnley constituency, he walked to his office that morning, enjoying the chillingly cold air of his hometown in winter.

“Oh, Jamal! You’re coming to work early today!”

“Yes! How have you been?”

The entire constituency, including Burnley Township, has fewer than 100,000 people.

It’s a small constituency where voter turnout rarely exceeds 30,000, reaching 40,000 at most.

Moreover, Jamal Higginbottom is a Burnley native and has known most of his constituents since childhood.

He opened his office door leisurely, greeting voters he met along the way, and his vision went white.

“Wh-what is this…!”

“Please close the door quickly! Letters are pouring out!”

At the urgent cry of his chief of staff, he automatically entered the office and closed the door. But no matter how much he blinked, the white scene before him didn’t disappear.

“Antony, is something wrong with my eyes? Everything looks white.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your eyes. It’s all white.”

“Wh-what is all this?!”

Even during campaigns or resident surveys, his small office had never been filled with so many envelopes.

Jamal Higginbottom reached out and picked up an envelope from the pile on the floor.

The front of the envelope, written in crooked handwriting that looked like it belonged to an elementary school student, clearly read ‘To Jamal Higginbottom, Member of Parliament for the Burnley Constituency’.

“What’s this about?”

Jamal Higginbottom muttered, tearing open the envelope and quickly scanning the contents.

“…Please approve the reconstruction of Turf Moor quickly. If you don’t approve it, I will continue to send letters until you do.”

Jamal Higginbottom, raising his head at the letter’s content, which was neither encouragement nor threat, saw the envelopes filling the office.

*Uh… I think this is a threat.*

“The post office called and said there are about twice as many of the same things at the collection and delivery center as what they brought here. They said they couldn’t bring it in a regular delivery vehicle, so they’d arrange a truck to load it.”

It’s said that people become calm when severely shocked.

Jamal Higginbottom was startled and shouted at his chief of staff, Antony, who was reporting in a flat voice while buried in an envelope somewhere in the office.

“No! Tell them not to bring it! Tell them we’ll go to the collection and delivery center to see it!”

“They said they can’t. They said they will definitely deliver it…”

“No, why?!”

At Jamal Higginbottom’s desperate cry, the chief of staff’s long sigh was heard.

“…Those friends are all Burnley fans too…”

***

It was the government’s approval that everyone worried about, but Helena had a reason for her confidence.

“Do you know how many Burnley residents there are? About 70,000. But do you know how many Burnley Football Club fans there are among them? There are more than 70,000.”

Helena explained her strategy, looking around at the board members and key executives, who showed a mixture of admiration and embarrassment.

“So I made a very simple request to the supporters.”

“Is… is that what this is?”

Helena gave Mike Garlic a bright smile at his shocked tone.

“That’s right. Um… should I call it physical spamming?”

“That’s not it… uh… is this okay?”

The fact that Jamal Higginbottom’s office was filled with envelopes to the point where people could swim in them spread throughout Burnley.

Of course, the Burnley Township Office was in a similar state, and the mayor, startled by this, was rumored to be wearing a Burnley Football Club uniform to work and stamping all documents as they were brought in to prevent any more letters from arriving.

There was also talk that all elementary, middle, and high schools in Burnley were allocating a special hour each day to write and send letters.

Helena, leaning back comfortably in her chair, slightly raised her chin as if enjoying the expressions of shock and admiration.

“Um… is there anyone who wants to bet that all permits will be issued within this week?”

No one accepted the bet, so it was called off.

***

“I have bad news.”

“What is it?”

Team doctor Simon Morris spoke in a heavy tone in the conference room where the first team manager and coaching staff were gathered.

“It’s Dwight. He completely twisted his ankle. It will take 3-4 weeks to recover.”

“Ugh…. Then he’s out for the whole month of January.”

“That’s right.”

Although they had risen to 3rd place by defeating Arsenal and surpassing Aston Villa, thanks to playing one more game due to goal difference, bad news arrived.

Thanks to the World Cup, the league schedule was packed, and they had to play 7 games in 31 days in January, but the starting left winger was out for a month during this busy time.

He played full time in the Arsenal game, and there was a collision with opposing players at the end, but Hyeongmin sighed and ran his hand over his face as the condition was more serious than expected.

Carolina, watching Hyeongmin, spoke apologetically.

“There’s more.”

“More?! Who else got injured?”

While team doctor Simon Morris and fitness coach Paulo Morão shook their heads, indicating they didn’t know, Carolina sighed.

“Guga got a yellow card at the end of the last game.”

“What’s that… no way!”

“Yes. That was his 5th card. He is banned from playing in the next game.”

“Agh…”

Following the starting left winger, the starting right defender was also out.

Starting right winger Karim Adeyemi was still on vacation after winning the World Cup.

They won the dramatic Premier League title on the last day of last season, but this season they were pushed back by Manchester City and had to face Liverpool, who were holding 2nd place.

Anfield, Liverpool’s home stadium, is famous for its hostile atmosphere towards away teams, and they had to face an opponent that was uneasy even with the best possible lineup, now missing key players.

Hyeongmin, sighing deeply, waved his hand at the coaching staff, who were looking at him with worried faces.

“Is there anything else? Bring me bad news quickly.”

The expressions of the coaching staff became subtly uneasy at Hyeongmin’s question.

*Uh… I think I just said something dangerous?*