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Player Manager #5
Player Manager 5: A Sports Progression Fantasy
A one-time football fanatic continues his fight to become an all-time legend of the game in the fifth book of this hard-hitting, humorous sports LitRPG.
Max Best was on a roll. After climbing the ranks at Chester FC with his burning desire, innate talent, and the “curse” of a sentient heads-up display with knowledge of all things footie, he was named the club’s electrifying new director of football. Seizing the opportunity, he saved the day and led the team out of relegation. But that’s when someone tried to murder him . . .
Waking up in the hospital, Max is barely alive, with a crack in his skull—and without his curse, thanks to Old Nick, the creepy entity who gave it to him in the first place. Nick thinks Max needs some time to recover and repair as well as learn some control of his own, because Max’s most pressing challenges are about to come at him from all sides. He’ll need to navigate his responsibilities to his players, staff, and girlfriend, not to mention the league bosses and crazed public that want his head on either a golden bust or a silver platter.
And without his curse to guide him, for once Max will have to depend on one thing alone to get him through this himself.
The fifth volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than 800,000 views on Royal Road—now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!
Max Best was on a roll. After climbing the ranks at Chester FC with his burning desire, innate talent, and the “curse” of a sentient heads-up display with knowledge of all things footie, he was named the club’s electrifying new director of football. Seizing the opportunity, he saved the day and led the team out of relegation. But that’s when someone tried to murder him . . .
Waking up in the hospital, Max is barely alive, with a crack in his skull—and without his curse, thanks to Old Nick, the creepy entity who gave it to him in the first place. Nick thinks Max needs some time to recover and repair as well as learn some control of his own, because Max’s most pressing challenges are about to come at him from all sides. He’ll need to navigate his responsibilities to his players, staff, and girlfriend, not to mention the league bosses and crazed public that want his head on either a golden bust or a silver platter.
And without his curse to guide him, for once Max will have to depend on one thing alone to get him through this himself.
The fifth volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than 800,000 views on Royal Road—now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook!
397 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 25, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 26, 2025
Waarom moeten dit soort boeken altijd zo'n extreme, deprimerende tegenslag hebben?
June 27, 2026
Brilliant. The setback at the end of book four made this book so much more interesting.
I really enjoy all the mini story arcs in the books. Because the characters are so well written all these mini arcs feel super natural and keep the story fresh and interesting.
Similarly, the authors ability to capture a crowd or a club is exceptional. You can feel the hostility of a place through the pages. Similarly, a place can feel welcoming like a warm blanket or you'll feel as part of the Chester supporters through the described atmosphere. You really live though all the highs and the lows.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. This series is brilliant. There's a big untapped audience that would devour these books; they'd only have to stop playing football manager for twelve hours a day.
I really enjoy all the mini story arcs in the books. Because the characters are so well written all these mini arcs feel super natural and keep the story fresh and interesting.
Similarly, the authors ability to capture a crowd or a club is exceptional. You can feel the hostility of a place through the pages. Similarly, a place can feel welcoming like a warm blanket or you'll feel as part of the Chester supporters through the described atmosphere. You really live though all the highs and the lows.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. This series is brilliant. There's a big untapped audience that would devour these books; they'd only have to stop playing football manager for twelve hours a day.
September 12, 2026
4.5 Stars
[Book 5 Player Manager] Comments/Imppressions from my reading experience 😆
\*Book 5 spoilers by the way.
—-9/9/26—-
Awww, that is so cute. Emma’s reactions whenever Max crack’s a smile is just sweet.
——
Wow, I hated the code names in the next chapter until I read and reread and reread to understand who is who. I still don’t know who is Two(Edit from many chapters later, it’s Carl! No idea he was half American. I thought Two was a new signing from Max’s coma for half this chapter). Anyway, wowwow, I am loving the insights in the chapter. And it’s crazy that Sam’s a complete convert! The character divergence haha😆
And I can’t help but smile helplessly because of *course*, the high ceiling people he picked would want to stay. Like duh right? Having someone like Max who’s intense and charismatic on a good day pouring all that belief and good feelings into you, no shit they will want to stay. It’s wild reading from Max’s pov and how blase and normal him and everyone feels about being sold off when they get good.
>!He’s written, simply: TEN THOUSAND WORDS.!<
>!“Oh fuck me,” says Nine.!<
>!Fourteen stares at the instructions before crouching and silently screaming.!<
Hahahhaha
——-
>!And they’d changed formation!!<
>!I gasped. I sucked in air so dramatically the Brig shot to my side, ready to catch me if I fell. “Sir?”!<
Ahh, this image of in recovery and subdued Max receiving exciting information is just so cute!
—10/9/26—
Guys! Oh wow guys! 😆 This heart to heart, Max’s mind being unveiled, discussing what the heck he is planning to Chester, erhmaigods, chefs kiss 🤌 And then the questioning by the players and then! Them asking to know more about Max personally, which he always avoids and deflects. Stuff even I want to know. Like I just want to open his head to find out how he developed into this person today. Of course, the dad got deflected, ahhh I want to know! I couldn’t handle the warm fuzzies and had to come gush here lol.
——
Omaigod, he’s crying 😦
——
Ahh now I’m crying.
——
Really really crying 😩
——
>!Being old, his curly hair was receding, but only at the sides, above the temples—the rest was intact. He was one of those guys who would end up with a wispy, central, cotton-candy patch, an oasis of joy on an otherwise lifeless, barren moon.!<
Such imaginative description goodness 😂
——-
Huh. Does he not want to take Chester to tier 1? I thought that was his dream, to have control managing a small club, design football as he wants it to be played and go as high as possible? And he told the men he and they were likely to spend forever together so he answered about his mum? So why is he not promising to stay at Chester or something? Or even something like not until after they reached the top. Even if he leaves like 5+ years later, that’s 5 seasons and pretty long, no? Him being so uncommitted sounding in his own head makes this section feel a bit unpleasant.
—-11/9/26—-
Okay, the messing with Darlo isn’t fun anymore if it ever was. Feels like he’s ruining his own relationships he created. And in his own thoughts he kept showing signs that he might leave. Which, what? He’s ridiculously community minded so this is weird and jarring. There was no indication as to why he would leave. Ugh.
The other thing beginning to bother me as very likely to blow up in Max’s face is him interfering with the team from his sojourn. It’s not his club so what he’s doing will be borne by them. I feel like it would only go well if he’s there for any follow up but again, not his club. It feels like people will get offended, do things badly and then blame him. So Rhodes O(the manager guy), seems like he is going down that route but Max gets well with the owner. Bad feelings going to happen.
———
Omaigosh, Dean, Dean my dude, what the heck 😂 You are wild. So* *this is who you really are?? Do you really think of yourself this way 😅😂
>!I am a sick man, I am a wicked man. I am an unattractive man. My undiagnosed neuroses are legion, but I choose to believe they compete with each other rather than their host, leaving me able to muddle through as a somewhat functional member of society. I lie awake wondering what I’ll get wrong next. Daily life with all its mundanity is joyless and solitary. My office is a cave burrowed into the side of another cave. Everyone I meet despises me, and I despise them for being justified.!<
>!…. as I fix the many and various character defects that make me unemployable.!<
>!…. Max is right to keep me in my cave, away from sunlight. Sunlight is the best disinfectant and I am a germ.!<
Yo, Dean my man, are you alright? 😂😅😂
—12/9/26 \~2am—
>!What happened next didn’t help.!<
Close to the end thoughts, will update after I finish the Epilogue:
Omaigosh, what the heck. That final men’s game was just afdhfjgk. It was so quiet and intense. It was weirdly beautiful?? I am kinda speechless? No words gah. Idk, it’s so wild because I thought every properly marvelous game would be some intense, high energy, adrenaline filled match with crazy Max Best chaos that does something. You know, Wizard of Us things. But this? Wow. I was spellbound. I didn’t know a football match could be so silent even though it wasn’t actually silent. Because Max was so in the present and it’s so wild how the author can write that feeling out. It was magical for me. Something happened with Max that never quite happened before. And how football shows a person’s character, this was so interesting. What happens to Max under pressure? 😄
Also, holy cow Brigs, what suaveness you have, that was hella smooth dang. Max, he should be the one doing the interviews from now on, no question.
——
And I am done! I liked the ending, no cliffhanger, no real dread for something to happen, no crash from the high of the book’s climax. Quite nice. Of course, Max did something big and then it ended but it strangely doesn’t feel all that crazy 😂 I am just curious on how its going to fit into his goals.
[Book 5 Player Manager] Comments/Imppressions from my reading experience 😆
\*Book 5 spoilers by the way.
—-9/9/26—-
Awww, that is so cute. Emma’s reactions whenever Max crack’s a smile is just sweet.
——
Wow, I hated the code names in the next chapter until I read and reread and reread to understand who is who. I still don’t know who is Two(Edit from many chapters later, it’s Carl! No idea he was half American. I thought Two was a new signing from Max’s coma for half this chapter). Anyway, wowwow, I am loving the insights in the chapter. And it’s crazy that Sam’s a complete convert! The character divergence haha😆
And I can’t help but smile helplessly because of *course*, the high ceiling people he picked would want to stay. Like duh right? Having someone like Max who’s intense and charismatic on a good day pouring all that belief and good feelings into you, no shit they will want to stay. It’s wild reading from Max’s pov and how blase and normal him and everyone feels about being sold off when they get good.
>!He’s written, simply: TEN THOUSAND WORDS.!<
>!“Oh fuck me,” says Nine.!<
>!Fourteen stares at the instructions before crouching and silently screaming.!<
Hahahhaha
——-
>!And they’d changed formation!!<
>!I gasped. I sucked in air so dramatically the Brig shot to my side, ready to catch me if I fell. “Sir?”!<
Ahh, this image of in recovery and subdued Max receiving exciting information is just so cute!
—10/9/26—
Guys! Oh wow guys! 😆 This heart to heart, Max’s mind being unveiled, discussing what the heck he is planning to Chester, erhmaigods, chefs kiss 🤌 And then the questioning by the players and then! Them asking to know more about Max personally, which he always avoids and deflects. Stuff even I want to know. Like I just want to open his head to find out how he developed into this person today. Of course, the dad got deflected, ahhh I want to know! I couldn’t handle the warm fuzzies and had to come gush here lol.
——
Omaigod, he’s crying 😦
——
Ahh now I’m crying.
——
Really really crying 😩
——
>!Being old, his curly hair was receding, but only at the sides, above the temples—the rest was intact. He was one of those guys who would end up with a wispy, central, cotton-candy patch, an oasis of joy on an otherwise lifeless, barren moon.!<
Such imaginative description goodness 😂
——-
Huh. Does he not want to take Chester to tier 1? I thought that was his dream, to have control managing a small club, design football as he wants it to be played and go as high as possible? And he told the men he and they were likely to spend forever together so he answered about his mum? So why is he not promising to stay at Chester or something? Or even something like not until after they reached the top. Even if he leaves like 5+ years later, that’s 5 seasons and pretty long, no? Him being so uncommitted sounding in his own head makes this section feel a bit unpleasant.
—-11/9/26—-
Okay, the messing with Darlo isn’t fun anymore if it ever was. Feels like he’s ruining his own relationships he created. And in his own thoughts he kept showing signs that he might leave. Which, what? He’s ridiculously community minded so this is weird and jarring. There was no indication as to why he would leave. Ugh.
The other thing beginning to bother me as very likely to blow up in Max’s face is him interfering with the team from his sojourn. It’s not his club so what he’s doing will be borne by them. I feel like it would only go well if he’s there for any follow up but again, not his club. It feels like people will get offended, do things badly and then blame him. So Rhodes O(the manager guy), seems like he is going down that route but Max gets well with the owner. Bad feelings going to happen.
———
Omaigosh, Dean, Dean my dude, what the heck 😂 You are wild. So* *this is who you really are?? Do you really think of yourself this way 😅😂
>!I am a sick man, I am a wicked man. I am an unattractive man. My undiagnosed neuroses are legion, but I choose to believe they compete with each other rather than their host, leaving me able to muddle through as a somewhat functional member of society. I lie awake wondering what I’ll get wrong next. Daily life with all its mundanity is joyless and solitary. My office is a cave burrowed into the side of another cave. Everyone I meet despises me, and I despise them for being justified.!<
>!…. as I fix the many and various character defects that make me unemployable.!<
>!…. Max is right to keep me in my cave, away from sunlight. Sunlight is the best disinfectant and I am a germ.!<
Yo, Dean my man, are you alright? 😂😅😂
—12/9/26 \~2am—
>!What happened next didn’t help.!<
Close to the end thoughts, will update after I finish the Epilogue:
Omaigosh, what the heck. That final men’s game was just afdhfjgk. It was so quiet and intense. It was weirdly beautiful?? I am kinda speechless? No words gah. Idk, it’s so wild because I thought every properly marvelous game would be some intense, high energy, adrenaline filled match with crazy Max Best chaos that does something. You know, Wizard of Us things. But this? Wow. I was spellbound. I didn’t know a football match could be so silent even though it wasn’t actually silent. Because Max was so in the present and it’s so wild how the author can write that feeling out. It was magical for me. Something happened with Max that never quite happened before. And how football shows a person’s character, this was so interesting. What happens to Max under pressure? 😄
Also, holy cow Brigs, what suaveness you have, that was hella smooth dang. Max, he should be the one doing the interviews from now on, no question.
——
And I am done! I liked the ending, no cliffhanger, no real dread for something to happen, no crash from the high of the book’s climax. Quite nice. Of course, Max did something big and then it ended but it strangely doesn’t feel all that crazy 😂 I am just curious on how its going to fit into his goals.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2025
Even bigger soccer fan now!
First, I'm a huge sports fan. Retired coach and what have you. I must admit I was hugely surprised by this series. I've read all 5 books and I am hoping there will be more. You would be hard pressed to find a more unique MC than Max Best. Creative dialogue and entertaining situations make this series a must read.
Secondly, I found the series quite informative on the whys and wherefores of professional English football. By the time you finish the series you'll know more than most about the intricacies of pro football.
I'm a huge fan of sarcastic dialogue and fun repartee. These books have that in spades. Do yourself a favor and try book 1. I have a suspicion you'll burn through them like I did.
First, I'm a huge sports fan. Retired coach and what have you. I must admit I was hugely surprised by this series. I've read all 5 books and I am hoping there will be more. You would be hard pressed to find a more unique MC than Max Best. Creative dialogue and entertaining situations make this series a must read.
Secondly, I found the series quite informative on the whys and wherefores of professional English football. By the time you finish the series you'll know more than most about the intricacies of pro football.
I'm a huge fan of sarcastic dialogue and fun repartee. These books have that in spades. Do yourself a favor and try book 1. I have a suspicion you'll burn through them like I did.
July 31, 2025
Another Excellent Continuation!
This book was fantastic. One of the most emotionally intense LitRPGs I’ve read. The story took me on a serious roller coaster, and I even teared up a few times. The characters feel real, the stakes feel earned, and the writing hits hard in all the right places. The fact that it's set in the real world and built around football (soccer) makes it stand out, even more so because the author clearly knows the sport inside and out. I don’t follow soccer at all, but this book made me care. Highly recommend.
This book was fantastic. One of the most emotionally intense LitRPGs I’ve read. The story took me on a serious roller coaster, and I even teared up a few times. The characters feel real, the stakes feel earned, and the writing hits hard in all the right places. The fact that it's set in the real world and built around football (soccer) makes it stand out, even more so because the author clearly knows the sport inside and out. I don’t follow soccer at all, but this book made me care. Highly recommend.
March 13, 2025
Most LitRPG series lose momentum in the first book. Almost all do by the third book. Five books in to this series & Ted is still going strong. Such a fun series with characters you just want to root for. You do not need to be a sorts fan to enjoy this well-crafted series.
January 16, 2026
These books are simply a joy to read. The humor, the characters, the football analysis, it's all wonderful. At this point, I'm giving the ones that have almost no Old Nick/curse-behind-the-scenes content 5 stars, and the ones that have too much of that only 4. So there's that.
May 14, 2026
I said in the last review that I wanted 2,000 pages at Chester and.... We're looking at 1,600 just for the first season??? The pacing is sloooow now but I don't mind :) let's bump up the 2,000 to 10,000
February 27, 2025
This series just keeps getting better and better and better. Number goes up but so does the character growth and the quality of each chapter. Highly recommended.
March 18, 2025
Great Add
Still enjoying the banter and the developments emerging.
Can’t wait for the next one!
- Mike Parsons (author of The Mana Influx)
Still enjoying the banter and the developments emerging.
Can’t wait for the next one!
- Mike Parsons (author of The Mana Influx)
July 10, 2025
This continues to be a fantastic series. 👍🏽👍🏽
August 18, 2025
I think that this is the strongest book in the series to date. hopefully this series continues this upwards trend
January 12, 2026
insane
Somehow this one was better than the last.
I need 5 more max best books now.
Thrilling stakes and yet charming at the same time
Somehow this one was better than the last.
I need 5 more max best books now.
Thrilling stakes and yet charming at the same time
May 9, 2026
Not as good as the last one, but still, it has me interested. I will keep reading these books for a while.
May 14, 2025
Still amazing, I was pretty upset about the upsetting stuff happening... but I really shouldn't have worried. Max is always the best, etc.
Especially the Dean PoV chapter was good, really happy with it.
Especially the Dean PoV chapter was good, really happy with it.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews