Carrington – First Full Training Session
The August sun was low and sharp, casting long shadows over the manicured pitch. The scent of damp grass and sweat hung in the air. This wasn't just training.
It was an initiation.
Drill One: Compact Midfield – One-Touch Transition
Mason stood at the edge of the drill zone, watching Toni Kroos and Michael Carrick operate side-by-side. The objective was to win the ball in the middle third, then complete 5 passes under pressure within 10 seconds.
Carrick was, as always, precise. Two-touch rhythm. Voice calm.
Casemiro hovered just behind, tasked with mirroring him, like a shadow in midfield. Mason had told him one thing earlier that morning:
"Don't play today. Learn today."
Every time Carrick shifted his body to show the passing lane, Casemiro copied it half a second later. By the end of the drill, he wasn't copying anymore. He was anticipating.
Drill Two: Wing Isolation – Nani vs João Cancelo
On one side of the pitch, Nani stretched out wide, hands on hips, staring at the young fullback in front of him.
Cancelo bounced on his toes. Focused. Alert.
"Go at him," came Mason's voice. "Now."
Nani's first move was lightning—chop right, flick left, quick burst down the line.
Cancelo recovered, shoulder-checking without fouling, forcing him wide.
"Good. Again."
Second run—Nani came inside, dragged the ball under his foot and rolled it through.
This time Cancelo bit.
Wrong choice.
Ball through the legs. Nani curled it past the keeper from 18 yards.
On the jog back, Nani clapped the youngster on the shoulder. "You're quick," he said, "but I'm still tricky."
Drill Three: Defensive Gauntlet – Van Dijk & Marquinhos vs Rooney & Van Persie
In a tight-sided game, Rooney and Van Persie were instructed to alternate roles: one drops, one runs. Over and over. Their task? Disrupt. Confuse. Exploit.
Vidic and Rio stood at the sideline, arms crossed, watching the pair of new defenders closely.
Rooney immediately tested Marquinhos, spinning off him into a channel.
"Too soft," Vidic muttered.
Next play, Rooney tried it again—but this time Van Dijk stepped up, bodying him off the ball like a wall of red granite.
Ferdinand chuckled. "That's how we do it here."
Marquinhos caught his breath, nodded at Vidic. No words exchanged—but the meaning was clear. I heard you.
Tactical Board Review – After Session
Back in the makeshift tactics tent, the squad gathered, sweating into training tops, turf still clinging to socks.
Mason clicked up his primary theme:
4-2-3-1 INTO 3-2-5 IN POSSESSION
Diagrams showed:
Cancelo tucking inside
Grimaldo pushing high left
Carrick dropping between CBs
Kroos and Rooney linking in central zones
Nani and Kagawa in half-spaces
Van Persie as the outlet, but also decoy
"This shape flows. You don't fix your position—you find your role," Mason said. "We don't hold formations. We build them in motion."
Rooney raised a hand. "You want me pressing, then dropping, then threading? All in one phase?"
Mason grinned. "Exactly."
Rooney nodded slowly. "Then I'll need Kagawa talking. Constantly."
Kagawa, quiet as ever, smiled and gave a short bow. "I will."
End of Session: The Circle
Before heading in, the players huddled in a circle—something Ferguson always ended with. Vidic stood in the middle, tapped the ball under his boot.
"This team has names. But names mean nothing here. Not yours, not mine. We are Manchester United. If you want a shirt, you bleed for it—here first."
He looked at the new signings, one by one.
Salah. Casemiro. Dybala. Son. Lukaku. Cancelo. Grimaldo. Kroos.
"Earn the badge."
Silence.
Then Rooney clapped once. Then again. Then all of them joined.
Mason stood back, hands in pockets.
The old guard wasn't resisting the new era.They were forging it.
Old Trafford – Press Suite, Media Day
The microphones were already hot.
Notepads out. Laptops glowing. Recorders blinking.The media were ready—for a quote, a contradiction, or a crack.
Mason adjusted his tie behind the podium. The Manchester United crest loomed behind him, bright under floodlights.He stood alone, but not unprepared.
Martin Atkinson – The Guardian:"You've offloaded Anderson, Cleverley, Fabio, and Chris Smalling—still young, still developing. Smalling in particular was seen as a long-term centre-back. Was it rash to sell him now? Roma are getting a player many think hasn't peaked yet."
Mason:"Chris wasn't one of our academy boys—he came here from Fulham. Good professional. But in our setup, you need to play through the lines. We've brought in defenders who fit how we want to control matches, not just defend them. Chris deserves minutes, and Roma will give him that."
Alex Palmer – Sky Sports:"You've brought in names like Salah, Cancelo, Grimaldo—players with little or no Premier League experience. Why take that risk in such a transitional season?"
Mason:"It's only a risk if you're chasing names. We're chasing roles. Salah stretches defenses with and without the ball. Cancelo gives us midfield presence from fullback. Grimaldo is a technician—we need that in wide buildup. They weren't signed to survive England. They were signed to change it."
Robbie Allen – Manchester Evening News:"There's talk Rooney is dropping into midfield or a false nine role. Some say you're neutering one of England's most instinctive finishers."
Mason (dry smile):"Wayne's instincts don't end at the penalty spot. He reads space and tempo like few others. We're not moving him back—we're unlocking a different layer of him. He'll still score. But he'll create chaos while doing it."
Megan Doyle – The Athletic:"Is the captaincy set? Is Vidic still wearing the armband?"
Mason:"Yes. Nemanja leads this club with his presence. But we've got lieutenants—Rooney, Carrick, Evra, Rio. This isn't a squad that needs one voice. It has many."
Final Question
James Holloway – BBC Sport:"Are you trying to replace Sir Alex Ferguson?"
The air tightened. The pause hung heavy.
Mason answered slowly:
"You don't replace Sir Alex. You respect what he built—and try to add a few bricks of your own beside it."
Click. Microphones off. Cameras down.
Mason stepped away from the podium, not triumphant, but unshaken.Phase One: Tactics. Complete.Phase Two: Belief. Underway.