Chapter 1 - Where exactly is Iceland?

There were many things Callum Fraser thought he'd be doing at thirty years old, and managing a football club wasn't one of them.

In fairness, neither was standing outside East End Park trying to explain to his best mate that Iceland was, in fact, a real country and not just somewhere frozen food came from.

Stevie wasn't making it easy ‘so let me get this right’ he said, leaning against the railings outside the stadium ‘you've got a job interview’

‘Aye’

‘For a football club’

‘Aye’

‘In Iceland’

‘Aye’

Stevie nodded slowly ‘as in the country?’

‘Aye’

Stevie frowned ‘so... where's the shop then?’

Callum stared at him ‘what shop?’

‘Iceland’

‘The supermarket?’

‘Aye’

‘It's got nothing to do with the country’

Stevie paused for a second ‘well that's just poor branding’

The pair had known each other since primary school. They'd suffered through years of supporting Dunfermline Athletic together, convincing themselves every August that this would finally be the season.

Usually by October they'd accepted reality.

Still, they kept turning up. ‘It's what we do’ Stevie would always say.

Nobody ever argued

‘So…..’ Stevie said, taking a sip of his pint.

‘What?’

‘How'd you even end up with an interview?’

Callum shrugged ‘I applied’

‘Aye I know that bit’

‘I sent them my CV’

‘I know that bit as well’. Stevie leaned forward ‘what I don't understand is…..why they replied’

Callum smiled ‘neither do I, mate, neither do I’

The reality was almost embarrassing. He'd spent the last few weeks applying for football jobs all over Europe.

Scotland. Ireland. Wales. Norway. Sweden, even Luxembourg, anywhere that didn't immediately ask for ten years experience and three coaching badges he didn't have. Most clubs ignored him, some politely declined, one accidentally emailed him back in Czech.

He was still convinced it might have been an offer. Then, three days ago:

We would like to invite you to interview.

He'd read the email four times before checking it wasn't from one of Stevie's mates winding him up.

It wasn't.

Some club in Iceland actually wanted to meet him.

‘So…..’ Stevie asked 'what exactly did your CV say?’

Callum looked out across East End Park and smiled ‘I was, optimistic’

Stevie narrowed his eyes ‘...optimistic?’

‘I highlighted my strengths’

‘You've never managed a proper team’

‘I know’

‘You've never coached professionally’

‘I know’

‘You've got one coaching badge’

‘I know’

‘So……’

Callum took a deep breath ‘I might have made my Sunday League experience sound a bit…..’ he searched for the word ‘.....transferable’

Stevie burst out laughing ‘transferable?’

‘I never lied’

‘You definitely bent the truth a wee bit’

‘I reshaped it’

‘Like a politician?’

‘Exactly’

Stevie shook his head ‘I've got to ask’

‘Aye?’

‘If they offer you the job…..’

‘What?’

‘...are you actually going?"

Callum didn't answer straight away. Instead, he looked back towards the stadium.

Saturday afternoons. Pies that were always too hot. Rain that always seemed to arrive five minutes before kick off. Watching Dunfermline with his dad before it was just him and Stevie. It had always felt like enough.

Until it didn't.

Finally, he spoke ‘it's the only football club that's wanted to interview me’

Stevie's smile disappeared. There wasn't really anything to joke about after that. 'so…..’

‘Aye?’

‘I suppose you've got to go’

‘Aye’

The pub door swung open as another regular wandered in, neither of them noticed.

Stevie was studying his phone as Callum asked ‘what are you looking at?’

‘I've just Googled Iceland’

‘Oh aye?’

‘It says they've got active volcanoes’

‘So?’

‘So…..what happens if one goes off?’

‘Well I don't know’

‘Does training get cancelled?’

‘I've genuinely no idea pal’

Stevie nodded thoughtfully ‘hope they tell you before you get there’

== == == == ==

Callum's phone buzzed.

Flight EI29899 - Edinburgh to Keflavík. Check in opens: 06:15.

He frowned ‘how d'ya’ pronounce that?’

Stevie looked over ‘'Kef... la... vick?'

‘Naw I don't think that's right’

‘Neither do I’

Silence. ‘...ya’ should probably find out before you land’

== == == == ==

Later that evening, Callum sat alone in his tiny flat, an old Dunfermline scarf hung over the back of a chair. His suitcase lay open on the floor.

Inside it are three shirts, a suit that hadn't been worn in nearly two years, football boots, a notebook and far too many packets of Tunnock's Caramel Wafers.

He looked around the flat, it wasn't much but it was home. Tomorrow he'd be flying to a country he'd never visited, to interview for a football club he'd only heard of seventytwo hours earlier. He still wasn't entirely convinced it wasn't some elaborate mistake.

His phone buzzed one more time, a text from Stevie:

If they ask if you've managed in snow before, just say aye. They'll never know.

Callum laughed, he typed back:

I've never managed in rain either.

Three dots appeared almost instantly:

You've watched Dunfermline for twenty odd years. Close enough.

Callum shook his head, smiling to himself as he put the phone on charge.

He looked at the half packed suitcase, then out of the window and then back at the email confirming tomorrow's interview.

For the first time all day the reality hit him.

He wasn't going on holiday, he wasn't going to watch football, he was going to ask complete strangers to trust him with their football club.

He just hoped he could convince them.

Even if he still wasn't entirely convinced himself.

== == == == ==
 

A suitcase full of caramel wafers

Callum hadn't slept, not properly. He'd spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, wondering whether he'd accidentally talked himself into the biggest mistake of his life. By half past four he gave up, the kettle went on, a slice of toast disappeared in three bites, his suitcase sat by the front door exactly as he'd left it.

Three shirts, one suit, ragged old football boots, a notebook and far too many Tunnock's Caramel Wafers.

It would have to do.

== == == == ==

Edinburgh Airport was already busy. Business travellers marched through the terminal as though they owned it, families argued over passports and snacks, someone was already asleep across three seats.

Callum found his gate and sat quietly, watching aircraft come and go. His phone buzzed. Stevie.

‘Awright pal?’

‘Aye’

‘Nervous?’

‘A wee bit.’

‘I looked up your route’

‘Oh?’

‘You've got two flights’

‘I know.’

‘One to Iceland’

‘Aye’

‘And then another one’

With a sigh Callum said ‘...aye’

Stevie was silent for a moment. ‘So... Iceland's got airports as well?’

Callum smiled ‘apparently’

‘Huh’. Another pause ‘bigger place than I thought’

== == == == ==

By early afternoon, Callum was looking out of the window as the aircraft descended towards Keflavík. The landscape didn't look real, dark lava fields stretched towards the sea. 

Beyond them stood mountains with patches of snow still clinging to their sides despite it being June.

He'd never seen anything like it.

As the wheels touched the runway, one thought entered his head ‘I've definitely left Fife’

== == == == ==

The domestic flight was smaller. Much smaller. There were barely enough passengers to fill half the seats. The woman at the check in desk smiled as she handed over his boarding pass.

‘Egilsstaðir?’

‘That's the plan, I think’

‘First visit?’

‘Is it that obvious?’

She laughed ‘only a little.’

== == == == ==

The flight across Iceland lasted less than an hour, Callum barely took his eyes off the window. Waterfalls. Mountains. Lakes that seemed to stretch forever. Roads with almost no traffic.

Every few minutes he spotted another tiny cluster of houses and wondered how people managed to build lives in places so isolated.

It wasn't sad, it was peaceful, different.

== == == == ==

Egilsstaðir Airport was unlike any airport Callum had ever imagined, he was fairly certain he'd seen bigger supermarket car parks.

Inside the arrivals hall stood one man in a black polo shirt holding a handwritten sign.

CALLUM FRASER

Callum walked over ‘I'm hoping that's me’

The man smiled and shook his hand. ‘It is. Welcome to Iceland’

‘I'm Callum’

‘I'm Einar’

They stepped outside, the air was crisp but surprisingly mild.

Callum looked around. The mountains seemed impossibly close ‘this is beautiful’

Einar nodded ‘it grows on you’

== == == == ==

The drive into town took only a few minutes, Callum had expected a city. Instead he found quiet streets, colourful houses and people who waved as they drove past.

‘Everyone knows everyone here?’ he asked.

Einar smiled ‘mostly’

‘And if I get the job?’

‘They'll know you as well’

Callum laughed nervously ‘that's... slightly terrifying’

== == == == ==

As they crossed the river, Einar pointed towards a modest football ground tucked neatly beside the town ‘there’

Callum followed his finger. Simple stands, black and white seats, a pitch surrounded by mountains. No giant floodlights. No corporate hospitality. No flashing advertising boards. Just a football club.

Einar glanced across ‘what do you think?’

Callum didn't answer straight away. He couldn't. He'd spent years dreaming about managing somewhere. Anywhere. The place in front of him wasn't glamorous, it certainly wasn't famous.

Everyone back home had never heard of it. Yet somehow….. it felt real. More real than any dream he'd ever had.

Einar slowed the car as they approached the entrance.

A small sign came into view.

ÍF Höttur

Callum smiled to himself ‘so……’

Einar asked ‘so what?’

‘I hope they like me’

Einar laughed ‘I think you'll find they're hoping exactly the same thing’

== == == == ==

Just Be Yourself

The receptionist smiled as Callum walked through the front door ‘you must be Callum’

He looked over his shoulder. There didn't appear to be another Callum standing behind him ‘I am’

She nodded towards a door ‘they're just finishing another meeting’

‘No rush’

She pointed towards a small seating area overlooking the pitch ‘if you'd like to wait’

Callum thanked her and sat down. Outside a handful of players were finishing a light training session. One by one they wandered off towards the changing rooms, laughing about something he couldn't hear. He watched them for a few minutes, in a strange way, it settled his nerves.

Football was still football. Whether it was Dunfermline, Dundee or the east coast of Iceland, players would always find something to laugh about after training. 

His phone buzzed. Stevie. 

Callum answered quietly ‘awright?’

‘You in?’

‘Aye’

‘How's it look?’

Callum glanced out of the window ‘different’

‘Different good?’

‘I think so’

Stevie hesitated. ‘So... have you met Björk yet?’

‘...she's a singer, Stevie’

‘So she's no' on the board then?’ 

‘Naw’

‘Pity that’

Callum laughed ‘I'll let you know if she turns up’

‘Cheers’

As he ended the call, the receptionist looked over with a smile ‘your friend?’

‘Aye’

He sounds funny’

‘He never means to be’

== == == == ==

A tall man in his fifties appeared from a corridor and offered his hand ‘Callum?’

‘That's me’

‘I'm Guðmundur, the chairman. Thank you for making the journey’

‘My pleasure’

‘Come through’

The boardroom wasn't anything like Callum had imagined. There was no polished mahogany table, no club crest dominating the wall, just a modest room with a kettle in the corner and a window looking directly onto the pitch.

Two other people stood as he entered. The sporting director, Einar and the club secretary. 

Coffee was poured, a couple of biscuits were offered. 

The chairman smiled ‘before we begin…..’. A pause, then …’how was your journey?’

Callum let out a small laugh ‘long’ 

‘I imagine’

‘I think I spent more time in airports than in the air’

The room chuckled, the ice was broken.

== == == == ==

After a few minutes of conversation, the chairman leaned forward.

‘So…..’ he began, then ‘why do you want to become a football manager?’

Callum took a second ‘I've wanted to since I was a teenager’

‘What changed?’

‘I realised talking about football in the boozer doesn't actually qualify you to manage it'

That earned another laugh 'so I started coaching’

‘Youth teams and amateur football’

‘Whoever would let me’. He shrugged ‘I loved it’

The chairman nodded ‘you've never managed professionally’

‘No. Not yet’ 

‘Does that concern you?’

‘It would concern me if it didn't’. That answer made the sporting director glance up from his notes. ‘I've got plenty to learn’. He waited a moment before saying ‘I'm not pretending otherwise’ 

== == == == == 

The questions became more football focused. 'what style do you prefer? 

Callum smiled ‘I don't know yet’ 

The sporting director raised an eyebrow ‘you don't know?’

‘I don't know your players’. A pause, then ‘I've watched videos and I've read reports, but that's not the same as working with them’. He leaned forward slightly ‘I'd rather adapt to the players than force the players to adapt to me’

The chairman nodded thoughtfully ‘that's an interesting answer’

‘It's an honest one’

== == == == ==

The sporting director finally asked the question Callum had been expecting ‘you're thirty years old’

‘Aye’

‘You've never managed professionally’

‘No’

‘Why should we trust you with our football team?’ 

Callum looked around the room, he could have talked about tactics, he could have mentioned coaching badges. Instead, he answered the question with 'you shouldn't’

The room fell silent.

‘Not today’.  Another pause ‘you've only just met me’

The chairman folded his arms, intrigued.

‘But if you give me the chance……....I'll spend every day earning that trust’

No one spoke.

Callum continued ‘I don't expect anyone to trust me because of what's written on my CV. I'd rather earn it’

The sporting director slowly closed his notebook.

 == == == == ==

An hour later, the conversation was winding down. The chairman stood, extended a hand and said ‘thank you for coming’

‘Thank you for having me’.

As they walked towards the door, Callum stopped ‘can I ask one question?’

‘Of course’.

‘What does success look like?’

The chairman smiled ‘you've done your homework’

‘I've tried’. 

He looked out towards the pitch and said ‘we're bottom of the league, no wins so far and the supporters are frustrated’. He turned back towards Callum ‘I'm not asking for miracles. I'd just like people to enjoy coming here again’

Callum nodded ‘I understand’.

The chairman extended his hand once more ‘safe journey back’

Callum shook it ‘thank you’.

He walked out of the building convinced he'd been beaten to the job by somebody with twice his experience.

Inside the boardroom, the three men sat back down. The chairman was the first to speak ‘he'll make mistakes’

The sporting director nodded ‘without doubt’

‘And if we appoint him, there'll be questions’.

‘There will’

Silence settled over the room for a few seconds. Finally, the chairman smiled ‘I know’ .He looked through the window towards the empty pitch ‘but I think he'll care’ 

No one disagreed.

== == == == ==

The Call

Callum had never known breakfast to last so long. He wasn't hungry, he'd finished his coffee ten minutes ago and his suitcase sat beside his chair, zipped up and ready to go. Every few minutes he glanced towards the reception desk.

Nothing.

He checked his phone.

Still nothing.

He told himself to stop checking his phone.

Then checked it again.

The waitress walked over ‘another coffee?’

Callum looked at the empty cup ‘aye, why not?’

Outside, Egilsstaðir was beginning to wake up. A delivery van pulled into the shop across the road, a cyclist waved at someone walking a dog, the mountains that had seemed so intimidating yesterday somehow felt a little friendlier this morning.

His phone buzzed. Unknown number. 

Callum took a breath before answering. ‘Hello?’

‘Good morning, Callum’

It was the chairman.

‘Morning’

‘I hope I’m not disturbing your breakfast’

‘No, not at all’

‘We've had our meeting’

Callum sat up a little straighter.

‘We'd like to offer you the position of first team manager of ÍF Höttur’

For a moment.…. nothing. The words had reached his ears, his brain simply hadn't caught up.

‘....me?’

The chairman laughed ‘yes, you’

Callum rubbed a hand across his forehead ‘....are you sure?’

There was another laugh ‘not completely’

That made Callum smile.

‘But we believe you're the right person at this time’

Silence settled between them for a second.

Then the chairman spoke again ‘you don't have to answer immediately, I understand it's a big decision’

Callum looked out of the hotel window. The mountains.  The river. The small football ground in the distance. It all suddenly felt very real.

‘Could I have an hour?’

‘Of course’

‘We'll speak shortly’

The call ended. Callum put his phone on the table and simply stared at it.

Football manager. Actually a football manager, of a football team. The words still didn't seem to belong to him.

He pressed a name on the phone.

Stevie.

The phone barely rang once.

‘Awright?’

‘They've offered me the job’

A second of silence. Then…..’that's brilliant!’

‘...Aye’

‘So when do you start?’

‘I haven't accepted it yet’

This time the silence lasted longer. ‘You what?’

‘I asked for an hour’

‘.....why?’

Callum looked out of the window again ‘I don't actually know’. He waited before continuing ‘I think I just needed to hear somebody else's voice’

Stevie sighed ‘you've wanted something in football like this since we were kids

‘I know’

‘You've bored me senseless talking about football for years’

‘I know’

‘You've spent your weekends coaching kids for free’

‘Aye’

‘You've spent every penny you had on coaching badges’

‘Aye’

‘So what exactly are you thinking about?’

Callum smiled to himself ‘I'd be moving to Iceland’

‘Aye’

‘I don't know anyone’

‘No’

‘I've never lived abroad’

‘No’

‘I don't even know if I'm any good’

Stevie didn't answer straight away. When he finally spoke, his voice was calmer than usual ‘can I ask you something?’

‘Go on’

‘If you get on that plane today, and come home, what are you going to do tomorrow?’

Callum already knew the answer ‘apply for another job’

‘And the day after?’

‘The same’

‘And the week after?’

‘Aye’

Stevie laughed softly ‘so eventually you're going to end up moving somewhere anyway’

Callum laughed ‘when you put it like that…..’

‘I'm not clever enough to put it any other way’

They both smiled. Stevie broke the silence ‘go and enjoy yourself, but I will miss you’

‘Aye’

‘But think of all the stories you're going to come back with’

Callum looked around the quiet hotel lobby ‘aye, I suppose’

‘And if it all goes wrong….....you'll still owe me a pint’

== == == == ==

Half an hour later, Callum stood outside the hotel. A cool breeze drifted through the town, he'd made his mind up before he'd even finished speaking to Stevie.

He just hadn't realised it.

He found the chairman's number and pressed call.

‘Callum’

‘Mr Chairman’

‘Have you reached a decision?’

‘I have.’ A smile spread across his face as he said ‘I'd love to be your manager’

There was genuine warmth in the chairman's reply. ‘Wonderful, and welcome to ÍF Höttur’

As the call ended, Callum slipped the phone back into his pocket. Nothing around him had changed. The mountains were still there, the road was still quiet, the hotel looked exactly the same.

Yet somehow...

Everything was different.

For the first time in his life…..Callum Fraser had a football club.

As he began walking towards the ground, he couldn't help but laugh to himself.

‘What have I let myself in for?’

== == == == ==