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Chairman Barry Hearn was visibly nervous as he glanced around before entering the door to the seedy building. As he entered what appeared to be closer to a parlor room rather than the expected pub-like surroundings, he was held up by tall, forceful looking man- who didn't speak, but just held his hand up to stop Hearn in his tracks.
"Business?" the man offered in a clipped tone.
Hearn shakily said, "Uh, um, I am here to see Mr. Drabek- at his request."
The man glanced over at another man that had remained unseen by Hearn.
The shorter man glanced down at a clipboard, "Mr. Hearn?"
"Yes, that is me."
Raising a phone, the man stated "Mr. Hearn is here." With barely time to receive a reply the man hung up the phone and stood up. "Mr. Drabek will see you now." He led the way down a narrow hall and tapped on what appeared to be a very sturdy door. The door swung open and the man motioned Hearn into the dimly lit room.
"Barry! It is so nice to see you," oozed the man- known to Hearn as Drogo Drabek. He waved Hearn to an open seat.
As Hearn made the few steps to the seat he noticed a young, slender raven haired man sitting off to the side. He seated himself, but his visible nervousness was apparent as he sat almost on the edge of the seat.
After he was seated, the man folded his hands and smiled at Hearn. "I am glad you made the choice to accept my invitation for this visit."
Hearn nodded, but didn't offer any comment back.
"Barry, Barry. We have a slight little problem and I thought we might work together to resolve it." He stopped and composed his thoughts. "I do appreciate your business- but I also hope that you appreciate mine. I am in the business of providing services to customers."
"Gambling," spoke up the slender man.
"Will!" The heavyset man snapped at him. "In the course of those services, I believe in offering a reasonable amount of both credit and time to pay off debts that are incurred by my customers. There are limits to both of course- and that brings us to the crux of my problem."
Hearn was visibly sweating and only could nod to the summation.
The man leaned on forward and placed his elbows on the desk, his large stature now visibly apparent, "Now, Barry...I think it is quite reasonable to expect some repayment for those large amount of services you have used. You realize that I also have to answer to creditors, and the large amount incurred by you is certain to become a topic of discussion with them."
Hearn spoke his voice raspy from a dry throat, "But Drogo, I don't have the full amount available to pay you completely right now."
Drogo held up his hand, halting Hearn's stammering speech, "Now Barry, You must realize that I don't want to discuss your problems. I only want to discuss solutions."
Hearn was wide-eyed and realized that Drabek was waiting for him to speak, "Uh, um, I don't know of any quick solution."
The large man smiled, slightly grimly, and leaned back in his chair again, "Well, in that case you are in luck Barry. I happen to have a solution in mind that would please both me and my creditors."
Hearn was definately shaking now, "What might that be?"
Drogo Drabek stood up, his square frame seeming to fill the office, "Barry- I know you are a sporting man- you have given me plenty of evidence in your access of my services."
Hearn visibly winced at the mention of the large gambling debt.
"I have another sporting proposition for you. Your businesses need able leadership, and my son Will here is just the person you need to provide that leadership."
Hearn, suddenly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel- and finding it much brighter than he had anticipated- relaxed slightly, "I am certain that I can place Will in a suitable management position."
Drago smiled, "I was certain that we could reach an equitable compromise. Will would be glad to take over management of Leyton Orient."
"What???" spluttered Hearn. "I can't do that! The Board wouldn't accept it- The federation wouldn't allow it..." he trailed off.
Drogo Drabek leaned threateningly on the desk. He hissed in a low voice full of menace at Hearn, "You can and you will do it- Chairman Hearn. If you fail to do it, you will find your activities leaked to the press, as well as incur the enmity of my associates. Don't worry about your precious federation. This undertaking is not designed to influence Orient into the realm of my services. My son, most unfortunately for me, is somewhat of a straight arrow. He will not and doesn't want anything to do with me or my style of life. I accept his decision on that, but I do owe him a debt of both honor and blood, and this is my repayment. You will appoint him Manager of Leyton Orient- at the end of this week. That should be enough time for you to smooth the way before hand."
Hearn slumped back, terrified at the projected menace, and could only dumbly nod to the demand.
Drabek leaned back again, "I did mention that this is a sporting proposition though Chairman- and I am nothing if not a man of my word. If Will fails to accomplish the reasonable objectives set before him by you and the Board- then you may send him packing. However, you *will* consult with me before those objectives are established- and if I find out you are stacking the deck against him- it will be my wrath you will incur." Drabek stood up and walked around the desk, "Agreed?" he stated in a low tone.
Thanks HD- I have been online for almost 10 years now with this nickname, nice to see how many people now know who that is
Great to have you along again LO 212- kutgw on your story
***
Hearn sat in the chair and looked morosely out the window, "Well, it is done. You are manager of Orient now- and I think you realize that I don't know whether to hope you succeed- or fail."
Will Drabek lounged in another chair, "Personally, wouldn't it be better for both of us if I succeed?" he stated dryly.
Hearn peered at him, and gave a nod after a moment of thought.
"You assumed that I orchestrated this?" questioningly commented the younger man.
Hearn nodded again, sitting up more in his chair.
Will Drabek snorted, a derisive short laugh, "I am as much a pawn as you Chairman. But my father always pays his debts and this is my payment- something I also did not want."
Hearn couldn't help himself, "What does he owe you for?"
Drabek shrugged, "Saving his life."
"What?"
An audible sigh escaped Drabek, "He was beset by a gunman last year. I happened to be behind the man. It was all reactions when I knocked him out."
"Why Orient? Why me?"
"Because you were handy. He is very good at exploiting his tools as he discovers them. I had avoided him and his business as much as humanly possible growing up. He didn't mind my reticence much- after all I have an older brother who has been his protege for quite some time. But, his code is always to pay his debts- and that created quite a quandry for him when I saved him. He grabbed at the straw you offered him."
"Do you have *any* Managerial experience?"
Drabek stood up and strolled to the window, "Well, not exactly the type you are hoping for. I have been managing a Norwegian hockey team for several years, so I do have the experience in actual sports management- but my football management has been limited to Championship Manager."
"A bl**dy game? That's *all* the football management you know???"
Drabek shrugged, "Yes. So my first step will be to hire a good Assistant to help tutor me in many ways. I do know how to manage people- a lifetime in my father's lengthy shadow and my own work have taught me well in that area. I hope to surprise both of us."
Hearn slumped again saying nothing.
Drabek murmured, "The consequences of failure in this affect not only you Chairman."
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Faramir:
_Thanks HD- I have been online for almost 10 years now with this nickname, nice to see how many people now know who that is
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Clearly you're named after Faramir Took, son of Pippin
Hearn looked at Drabek with a pained expression, "What is your stake in this? What leverage does Drogo have with you?"
"More than you think Chairman. More than you know."
It was Hearn's turn to snort, "Sure. More than your life, livlihood and good name."
Drabek turned and stared at him, for the first time revealing the icy glare of the fire and determination in him. "OK, fair enough. Here is the rest of my story. Drogo and my mother split up a long time ago. She moved away from him, but we couldn't fully escape his influence on our lives. When she moved away, Hugo- my older brother, stayed with him. He was already the annoited one to take over the business and was old enough to sneer at my choice of staying with my mother. With my mother and I went my younger sister- Mary. Though Drogo offered me chances to take the easy way and join the business, I was dead set against it, and always turned him down. After awhile, he tired of offering and grudgingly accepted that I would have no part of it."
Drabek paused and looked for a few moments out the window. "I went my own way and was actually quite content. I went to America for awhile and worked as General Manager for a minor league baseball team. I tired of the American lifestyle and found work managing a Norwegian Hockey team. It seemed things were looking very well- it had been a long time since I had heard from either Drogo or Hugo. That changed when Mary called me. She was crying. What I got out of her was that when she was still in her wild stage- she committed a couple fairly serious indiscretions. Somehow, Drogo- or more likely Hugo, who has never cared for either of us- got ahold of the evidence. Despite wanting to stay away from Drogo, I am now again entangled with him."
Drabek sat down again and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "I had gone to meet with him about Mary and her past. While arriving at the meeting, I stumbled onto the gunman and after I accidently saved his life, he was suddenly in debt to me- as well as ready to twist me with the evidence of Mary's past. His solution was to offer me a 'sporting proposition'- very similar to the one he approached you with. My bet with him is that I could raise Orient to Premier Level. If I can advance the club, he will obliterate the three pieces of evidence that he is holding over Mary. So, to answer your question yes- it is bl**dy important to me Chairman- I am playing for my sister's life."
Hearn appeared slightly stunned at the story, "I don't really understand. What does he have against your sister? Why would he ruin her life."
Drabek leaned back and sighed, "He wants her in his business. He is certain that there are portions of his business that need a lady's touch and finesse- and he, or Hugo- I am not totally certain whose idea that is, will use the evidence to force her to join the business. She came to me with all of that, and I would do anything to keep my sister out of his clutches- and both he and Hugo know that."
"So now do you understand failure is not an option for me as well?"
Hearn nodded in agreement.
"Then how about we quit this fencing and get on with the business of accomplishing with Orient."
Hearn picked up the phone and heard Drabek commenting, "Just leave it on the desk- I'll be with you in a couple minutes. Sorry about that Chairman, I just wanted to let you know that I have found an Assistant Manager. His name is Spencer Field- just didn't want you to hear about it in the papers first."
"I know of him, but isn't he an out-of-work Scout with a pretty poor reputation. Are you certain he is the right person to be working with you?"
Hearn could almost hear Drabek's nod on the telephone, "I have talked and interviewed dozens of people in the last five days. I don't really care what Field's reputation was- he has past credentials of working as Manager of Under-19 squads and I am convinced he is what I need. I understand the dynamics of a club, but I need an Assistant who is very good at evaluating football personnel, since that is what I am most lacking in. Field has a very good tactical awareness- he understands the concepts of the offense that I want to develop here- and I think he will relate well in teaching younger players."
Drabek could almost envision Hearn's shrug, "If you say so Will. You are the one who needs to get along with him and depend on him- the choice is yours."
***
Drabek strode into the empty training room, "Spencer, I would like to hire you as Assistant Manager."
Field looked at Drabek with his mouth slightly askance, "Assistant Manager? I thought you were interviewing me for a scouting position."
"No. I want you as my Assistant. Still interested?"
Field looked away a moment, "Sure. How can I turn down that kind of opportunity. You do realize it has been quite a few years since I handled a squad as a coach though?"
"I know that. In some ways we will be learning this together. But we will have to get our sh*t together pretty quickly- we don't have a lot of time before friendlies start."
They walked into Drabek's office and both sat down.
Drabek leaned back and stared at the ceiling a moment, "This is the starting point Spencer. I want to give you a concept that I picked up working in America in their baseball minor leagues. The fancy name they gave it is 'freely available talent' and you can probably guess what it means."
Field nodded, "It must be free transfer players in football equivalence."
It was Drabek's turn to nod, "Exactly. That is our starting point for now. We do have limited transfer funds from the Chairman, but I don't plan to use them unless it is for a player I really think we need and have to purchase. For the most part, I want to sign players on free to help fill out the squad. Once the new scouts are on board- we should be able to start looking for undervalued players and also have them beating the bushes for good free talent."
"We are adding new scouts then?" asked Field.
"Yes, at least two, maybe as many as four. I don't really have a high opinion of Ronnie Gale and Jamie Parson's at this point. They are competent, but I am not sure they can really find the type of players I think we will need. I think they are a bit too used to how the past manager's styles and offense were structured. For now, plan on meeting with me in a week to evaluate whatever potential signings we might have on the table at that point. In the meantime, take a good look around at the club and everything involved with it- I want your viewpoint on everything you see."
Excellent start as ever...always look forward to your new Os stories... personally i reckon the Mighty Hearn would be looking at this sort of 'disagreement' from thhe other side irl (not that i'm implying anything)
The Bet 
) and we can discuss state of Orient outside my stories 
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