Player Manager: A Sports Progression Fantasy

Player Manager, Book 1

De: Ted Steel

Narrado por: Luke Francis

Could a seemingly average Premier League fan oversee a football club better than a top manager? Max is starting to think so . . .

Max Best is not living his—ahem—best life. His job's a drag, his home's a shooting gallery, his hopes are nil, and lately, even his beloved game of football has devolved from a chaotic, ecstatic delight into a cold, calculating equation complete with stats, tech terms, and mindless lingo. But then Max rescues a mysterious old man from a mugging. "Nick" seems friendly enough . . . until he innocently asks his savior, "Would you sell your soul to be a top football manager?"

Naturally, Max says yes, and in that instant, everything changes. Suddenly, whenever he watches a footie match, the skills and attributes of every player are visible to him within an eyes-only display. While he's terrified at first, he quickly learns to appreciate his abilities—even embracing them to gain his own level-ups and experience. And he's going to need them.

Because his otherworldly talent is about to have a massive effect on his real-world existence, catapulting him from small local matches to the insanity of top-tier football. But the more he succeeds, the more he's torn between the simple, happy fanatic he once was and the master of the pitch he's becoming. Soon Max will have to ask himself: Is football really a matter of life or death? Or is there something more important worth fighting for?

The first volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than 700,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!

©2023 Ted Steel (P)2023 Podium Audio

And now I have a new favorite litrpg flavor

this was a really good book. Just like the time i found out I really liked sports anime this book has opened up a whole new subgenre for me. everything about this from the narrator to the story was absolutely enjoyable. As the credits rolled i immediately purchased the next book.

Amazing Series

Just finished with book 6 and felt compelled to come back here to share that this is currently my favorite series and thoroughly entertaining on a number of levels. The premise is wonderful, the characters engaging and the performance perfection (the accents in particular are spot on).

I listen to hundreds of hours of Audible each year and have finished countless fantasy and LitRPG series and this is now firmly up there with several of my favorites. If you're even slightly tempted, I urge you to give it a try!

this is what good looks like

this has quickly become one of my favorite series. it's unique in its setting and systems, very well written, but the key is Ted gets us to care about the characters.

Just try it

I almost never write reviews, and I really am not the type of person to give a perfect score to anything, ever. but this book is just so unbelievably good.

I have never cared about sports of any kind, I don't know the rules, my local teams, who plays in what tournaments, or who any of the big names are. I just don't care, and this book hasn't changed that, but it has made really understand the mindset of someone who does care. The author so clearly has a deep intense passion for the sport, and not only that, I'm certain they'd make an excellent teacher or coach or whatever the role is called themselves. I came in to this knowing literally 2 things about soccer: don't touch the ball with your hands, and get it in the other teams goal. I'm not exaggerating, that's it. And despite that massive deficit of all but the very very most basic knowledge, and the fact that this book gets way down into the weeds and little bits of minutia about and surrounding the sport, I was never once even a little bit lost. I swear, if you're having trouble writing a coherent smooth action scene, read this book. It doesn't have any swords or fireballs, but it is astonishing how easy it is to follow, while still feeling highly technical and advanced.

Luke Francis, while I wouldn't care to listen to him read many other books, is the perfect casting for this role. Truly a match made in heaven if ever there was one.

So fun and funny

I fell asleep listening and started listening as soon as I got up. I was so entertained!

Truly amazing

First off, I’m not a soccer fan. I’m such a non soccer fan that I am going to keep calling it soccer. Having said that, absolutely love this book. If you like LitRPG, then this book is like a palette cleanser. It washes away the bad taste of all the redundant isekai stories about some guy who suddenly is a prince in a run down town.

The level of detail in this story is addictive. The author paints a picture of football that sucks you in. On top of all that, it’s clever and funny and passionate. It’s just good quality writing.

Unique litrpg? Whatever this is called

Love this series the story is way better than you expect. The progression is some of the top in genre albeit unconventional. Top notch job as others have said I don’t even like soccer but love this series. Oh and the narration is outrageous. I’ve written all 5 reviews in my 400 books.

Scratched an inch I didn't know I had

If you like Football Manager and Litrpg books this is for you. Can't wait for more. Luke Francis does a great job narrating this one.

This book made me love soccer!?

I have never been a soccer fan, I’ve always been an American football fan. But this book made English soccer seem like the greatest sport in the world! I am now fascinated by the sport, and I am following it through the Internet. The book is well written, the characters are all great, and the story is just engrossing. Well done!

I don’t like football but this has changed my mind

It’s impressively good, unexpectedly funny and thrilling.
Never cared much about football but heard a lot of good reviews about this book in a progression fantasy forum.
Tried it and haven’t looked back, starting on book four now.
5 / 5 across the board, including the narrator.
Thanks for a fantastic series!