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Player Manager #2
Player Manager 2: A Sports Progression Fantasy
Most Premier League fans are happy to cheer from the stands, but one fan—armed with some serious RPG talent—is taking his football pride onto the pitch.
Not too long ago, Max Best was stuck in a dead-end job, trudging from one day to the next and mourning the fact that his burning love of football was getting buried in a landslide of cold statistics and intangible tactics. Then, after saving an old man from a mugging, he was “cursed” with the ability to instantly ascertain a footie player’s attributes on sight and use that knowledge to upgrade his own skills. Now he’s making a name for himself as an amateur team manager, but it’s not enough for him to ditch his dud of a job.
Soon Max realizes there’s only one logical next step to levelling up to his dream of being a top-tier become a player himself. But first a great many things have to fall into place. From healing up his injured ankle to evaluating his real strengths as an athlete to continuing his scouting and dealing with his own client list, he’s got a lot on his plate—to put it mildly.
Turns out there’s a massive difference between knowing how the game is played and actually playing it. If Max really wants his dream to come true, he’ll have to put in the work . . .
The second volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than 700,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!
Not too long ago, Max Best was stuck in a dead-end job, trudging from one day to the next and mourning the fact that his burning love of football was getting buried in a landslide of cold statistics and intangible tactics. Then, after saving an old man from a mugging, he was “cursed” with the ability to instantly ascertain a footie player’s attributes on sight and use that knowledge to upgrade his own skills. Now he’s making a name for himself as an amateur team manager, but it’s not enough for him to ditch his dud of a job.
Soon Max realizes there’s only one logical next step to levelling up to his dream of being a top-tier become a player himself. But first a great many things have to fall into place. From healing up his injured ankle to evaluating his real strengths as an athlete to continuing his scouting and dealing with his own client list, he’s got a lot on his plate—to put it mildly.
Turns out there’s a massive difference between knowing how the game is played and actually playing it. If Max really wants his dream to come true, he’ll have to put in the work . . .
The second volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than 700,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!
659 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2023
58 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 13, 2025
Te veel "vloek", te weinig cijfers die omhoog gaan
February 11, 2025
Loved this one even more!
Next!
Next!
September 16, 2025
Well, Book two is as good if not better than book one.
2022 the world cup in Qutar and max and all the charectures are developing Terrifically.
Max's pep talk to the under 14's is priceless when they play Colchester.
If you enjoyed the first book you will love this one
Again, I will give it a 6
On to Book 3
2022 the world cup in Qutar and max and all the charectures are developing Terrifically.
Max's pep talk to the under 14's is priceless when they play Colchester.
If you enjoyed the first book you will love this one
Again, I will give it a 6
On to Book 3
December 15, 2023
Best Max? Max Best.
Extra ordinary Excelsheet reader kicks balls and relationships around.
I love the way the author manages to make me engage in their world and start thinking like Mr. Best.... Well as much as anyone can.
(p.s. Kisi's alignment is definitely chaotic neutral)
(p.s. p.s. please release the next book quickly)
Extra ordinary Excelsheet reader kicks balls and relationships around.
I love the way the author manages to make me engage in their world and start thinking like Mr. Best.... Well as much as anyone can.
(p.s. Kisi's alignment is definitely chaotic neutral)
(p.s. p.s. please release the next book quickly)
October 31, 2024
Max (the protagonist) is still a fun character to read and he experiences decent growth in this book. The plot is more about his "curse" and the man(?) he got it from, which I think works less well than the plot in book 1.
The soccer commentary is still very well done, but there is a bit much thinly veiled complaining about the changes to the way that world soccer is run nowadays. I'm quite sure that Max is a spokesman for the author and is being used (in part) for exactly that commentary, but the book would be better with more character work and fewer screeds.
All that said, this is a fun story and a unique take on LitRPG that I will be continuing soon. Recommended.
The soccer commentary is still very well done, but there is a bit much thinly veiled complaining about the changes to the way that world soccer is run nowadays. I'm quite sure that Max is a spokesman for the author and is being used (in part) for exactly that commentary, but the book would be better with more character work and fewer screeds.
All that said, this is a fun story and a unique take on LitRPG that I will be continuing soon. Recommended.
December 24, 2023
Better than the first, but more focus on the Max's playing, in preparation for a potential return to "Top Eleven" style gaming in book 3.
Some really cool mechanics are added to the story and we also get a bit of peek behind the scenes.
If you want a solid gamelit, with some very knowledgeable football stuffs, I highly recommend this book.
Book 3 is coming out in March.
Some really cool mechanics are added to the story and we also get a bit of peek behind the scenes.
If you want a solid gamelit, with some very knowledgeable football stuffs, I highly recommend this book.
Book 3 is coming out in March.
December 28, 2023
Amazingly good
Unique humor, writing, and characters will capture you like no other story you have read. This won't disappoint you. I don't know the sport, but I love every page of these books.
Unique humor, writing, and characters will capture you like no other story you have read. This won't disappoint you. I don't know the sport, but I love every page of these books.
July 19, 2024
Awesome!
This series is seriously addictive. I’m American, and soccer has never been a thing I’m aware of, in general. It doesn’t matter. I love this series. Max is a fun character on a fun journey. This is definitely my kind of progression LitRPG (zero qi-ki-chi).
This series is seriously addictive. I’m American, and soccer has never been a thing I’m aware of, in general. It doesn’t matter. I love this series. Max is a fun character on a fun journey. This is definitely my kind of progression LitRPG (zero qi-ki-chi).
January 6, 2025
This 2nd book was just as enjoyable as the first in the series. Steele has a way of entertaining and educating without losing momentum. You DON'T have to been a football (soccer) fan to enjoy this loveable series.
August 16, 2025
a bit worse than the 1st book but still an enjoyable read.
Max is such an asshole—i would hate him if I ever met him in real life, but his joy and passion for the game is so infectious I found myself smiling when reading quite often
Max is such an asshole—i would hate him if I ever met him in real life, but his joy and passion for the game is so infectious I found myself smiling when reading quite often
March 27, 2025
This series is tops (see what I did there?)! I've always been confused how the various European soccer leagues worked, and this series is ironing out those wrinkles. 👍🏽👍🏽
April 30, 2025
Unbelievable, but it's getting more fun with every book. Absolutely amazing plot developments, lots of shit stirring, great characters, interesting conflicts. Pure sugar straight into my veins.
January 12, 2024
If you like soccer, England, inclusion, crazy schemes, excellent writing, and savant main characters who need to (and actually sort of work to) become a better person, then this series is for you.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews