Godfather Of Champions

When Tang En declared Nottingham Forest’s aim for the season as being the UEFA Champions League champions in his own column, no one felt any surprise. But no one expressed their approval of it either. Most people thought it was the arrogant Tang En once again hyping matters up; a poor performance, that was all.

Even Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool did not dare to publicly announce their season’s aim to be the champions of the Champions League, much less speak of the trophy representing the highest level of European Club tournaments like it was their own.

So, even though there was little surprise, there were several people who believed that such an arrogant declaration was not at all trustworthy.

“Tony Twain loves being the focus of attention. Every now and then, if he doesn’t incite a wave, he would get uncomfortable. I completely understand that. However, if you always treat the waves he creates as real, you’ll go crazy; you don’t know what he actually wants.” The Daily Telegraph was firmly “Anti-Tony”. The words in his column were representative of how some people saw Tang En.

However, when the first round of the League match ended, everyone who still saw him that way fell silent. In the face of Nottingham Forest’s overwhelming victory, they did not know what else they could say to make themselves seem less awkward.

Even though those people were unwilling to see the gleeful smiles of Tang En on the television screen, their words paled in comparison to the truth.

China’s media did not care much about Tang En’s relations with the English media. What made them exuberant with joy was the discovery of an Asian face sitting in Nottingham Forest’s technical area in the match.

As numerous Chinese citizens were guessing if the Asian man was Chinese, Korean, or Japanese, Titan Sports, where Tang Jing worked, took the lead in revealing the person’s detailed information as well as the reason behind his appearance in Nottingham Forest’s technical area: they were online friends. Although it sounded like a fantasy, the fact was that it had happened. It was not up to them to disbelieve it.

Wasn’t Nottingham Forest’s victory over Wigan Athletic F.C. to be expected? As a result, everyone became even more attentive to the Chinese man who appeared on the managers’ seats of a strong Premier League team.

Nowadays, the appearance of a Chinese player in a European team was not uncommon. There was not much hype value to the news. However, it was incredible to the Chinese to have a Chinese manager appearing in a foreign football team.

In the hearts of many Chinese football fans, perhaps there were still one or two geniuses among Chinese players who could be nurtured into outstanding players. Chinese managers, on the other hand, were certain to be devoid of any high-quality talents. Becoming a manager in a foreign club? It would be good enough if they did not lead their young ones astray!

Precisely because of such opinions, Dunn’s appearance triggered a sensational reaction in China.

It was like he had suddenly dropped out of the sky, making his mark. No matter how deep their research or understanding of Chinese football was, no one had heard of such a top dog among Chinese managers, not to mention understanding Dunn’s past, coaching experience, or other details.

For a period, Titan Sport’s article written by Tang Jing with information on Dunn became everyone’s only way of understanding this mysterious manager.

Many people were shocked by the information disclosed in the article – the person who had managed to become an assistant manager on Nottingham Forest, a team ranked second in the EPL, was someone who did not have any coaching experience! And he had only gotten to know Nottingham Forest’s main manager, Tony Twain, through chatting online! No matter how it was viewed, it seemed like a scene that only appeared in YA novels.

As a result, many guesses regarding Dunn’s appearance in Nottingham Forest began to surface.

Some people thought Dunn must be the brother-in-law to some big corporate boss in the country whose company forked out money sponsoring Dunn to go over and have some fun. In truth, however, he was without any real ability.

That was the supposition with the greatest support behind it.

Then, there were those who believed that Dunn was a learned man hidden amongst the commoners. Didn’t the report say that Tony had toured China twice? Getting to know Dunn was normal. Furthermore, the Chinese football scene was rubbish. Was having any coaching experience in the field something worthy of being bragged about? Maybe Tony would not have even wanted Dunn if he had done any coaching in China.

Some felt that Tang En, as England’s characteristic manager, was always doing things that puzzled everyone else. So, even if Dunn turned out to be lacking, it was just the norm for Tang En to have chosen him to be an assistant manager; Tang En simply did not do anything normal.

The final viewpoint was angled from a business perspective. The idea was that Nottingham Forest had the intention of breaking into the Chinese market after purchasing Sun Jihai. As such, they found a Chinese manager… This was sheer nonsense. Who would buy Nottingham Forest’s merchandise because of a Chinese manager? What were they going to sell? A customized manager’s suit?

Regardless, no matter how these people were making guesses, Dunn was, as a matter of fact, a member of Nottingham Forest’s managerial team.

To clarify the story behind all of this—the other media groups did not want to always be picking up crumbs dropped by Titan Sports—countless Chinese media flocked towards where Nottingham Forest Club was.

“Tsk, tsk.” Tang En shook his head and clucked his tongue on the training grounds. “Even when Sun came, I didn’t see this many dark-haired, yellow-skinned reporters. Dunn, your charm is quite compelling! I’m a little jealous.”

The other members of the managerial team laughed.

Dunn knew that Tang En was joking, so he only smiled at him and said nothing.

“Letting them wander around outside our training grounds all day won’t do. It affects our training too much. Let’s make time to call for a press conference. Dunn, I’ll go with you to deal with them.”

Dunn nodded this time. He also disliked being treated like a monkey. It was a very visual metaphor; surrounded by barbed wire walls within the training grounds, it was as if they were monkeys in a metal cage while tourists outside scrutinized them with curious gazes. It was an unpleasant feeling.

Tang En could understand the enthusiasm that the Chinese media had for Dunn. After all, he was once a Chinese man too. With the fatigue and weakness of Chinese football today, they needed a hero to boost their morale. Although it was still not known if Dunn was a hero, that could not, in the eyes of the Chinese media, prevent them from declaring him to be one. As a lone ranger who found his way into England, he had managed to move the famed general, proud and aloof Tony Twain, with his true abilities. Dunn was then called on upon to serve under him. International superstars were amazing, but so what? They had Dunn, who specialized in managing these incredible superstars!

Tang En wiped his eyes. What a touching story…

As a result, each of the Chinese reporters who hoped to interview Dunn had received the following invitation:

Nottingham Forest Club sincerely invites our reporter friends who have come from afar to participate in a press conference held in City Ground at three-thirty in the afternoon tomorrow.

Naturally, Tang Jing was one of the invited parties. She held the invitation in her hand and looked inside the venue. Her gaze was not on Dunn, whom everyone was paying attention to. Rather, it was on Tony Twain.

In comparison to Dunn’s mystical appearance in Nottingham Forest, she felt that manager Tony Twain was likely worthier of further research. He was the one who had decided to recruit Dunn into the team to be a manager after mere conversations over the net and the two discussions they had had when he flew to China. What on earth did the man think about his whole day? Was he thinking of all the ways and means of astounding the world with his decisions? If it were really the case, he had succeeded, going by the current reactions from the outside.

It was not just the Chinese media. Even UK’s media had begun taking notice.

Right now, there were numerous foreigners around her. But Tang Jing firmly believed that those people had not come for Dunn. Instead, they had their sights on Tony Twain, the man who had brought Dunn into the English Premier League. Otherwise, Dunn had already been working as Forest’s Youth Team manager for the past two years. Why wasn’t there any attention from UK’s media then?

No matter how China’s media was in an uproar over this news, the English were not at all interested in a Chinese manager. They were only concerned about their own people and their football. The UK media did not care even for the other strong football nations from Continental Europe. In a corner of Europe, England’s football imagined they were the world’s best in their own illusory world.

Having stayed in England for so many years, Tang Jing had long ago come to understand how the UK’s football was. Her attitude towards it had also gone from being deeply admiring to coldly looking at it from afar.

Their losses in the World Cup and UEFA European Championship were certainly not only due to less-than-optimal conditions of the players or a lack of standards in the management of the team. Many times, they showed similarities with China’s football.

“I say, Dunn. When the time comes, you must dress a bit more formally. Don’t you go there wearing a bloated sports outfit… this one isn’t going to work.” In preparation for the press conference on the next day, Tang En was forcing Dunn to try out clothes at home. The tactics Shania had used to “torment” him back then were now all inflicted on Dunn.

He had to admit. Tormenting a living, grown-up person like that, commanding him to do this and that as he desired, was very satisfying.

“Do I have to put on a tie?” Dunn was holding a dark red tie in his hands.

“I hope you will.”

“It’s not like we’re going to meet the Queen…”

“It almost is!” Tang En said sternly. “Tomorrow, you’re not going to be facing reporters from all over the world only as Forest’s assistant manager. You’re also facing them as a Chinese man. Every word and action of yours and the way you dress will represent China. If you dress badly, you would be mocked! They’ll look down on China and think ‘do all Chinese people dress that way?’ You must know that many people in the western nations still know nothing about China. They believe the Chinese to be living in the ’50s or ’60s, or even further back in the Qing Dynasty. You have the duty to let everyone see how the Chinese are now!” He adapted and edited the lessons he had received from Shania, feeding them to Dunn.

Shania had said it this way to Tang En: “…You’re Nottingham Forest’s main manager. Wherever you go, everyone will look and think of you in that way. Your dress, words, and actions all represent Nottingham Forest. If you dress badly, people will ridicule the club that stands behind you. They’ll say, ‘Look, Nottingham Forest’s main manager looks like some country bumpkin’. They won’t say, ‘Tony Twain is a country bumpkin.'”

Dunn had the same expression as Tang En had had when he heard this: wide eyes and agape jaws. In the past, they had had never thought about such complicated matters. Now that they were pinched awake by someone, it really seemed to be the case when they thought carefully about it.

Although everyone liked to say, “I am me, I don’t have to live for anyone else”, and sound very independent and strong, people were, in truth, social organisms; they needed to live in various groups. Everyone inevitably represented something.

“You get very serious when it comes to China’s image, huh?” Dunn said after a long stupor.

“No matter what, I’m Chinese.” Tang En crowed. “Protecting the image of one’s own motherland is everyone’s responsibility!”

Dunn snorted as he put on his tie. “I thought of a problem. Now that you’re getting closer and closer to China, would you go if the Chinese Football Association invited you to manage the Chinese National Team?”

“Of course not!”

“You turned that down rather flatly. Weren’t you saying something about protecting your motherland’s image?”

“China’s football is apart from China’s image. If you’re talking about the sports image, ping-pong, badminton, and gymnastics are enough. China’s football is already much too complex. It should be simpler. Plus, I don’t need to sacrifice my career and money to do that sort of thing.” Tang En sat on the sofa and swung his crossed legs leisurely. He was a completely different person from the man who had spoken sternly with a sense of justice.

Tang En’s words rendered Dunn speechless. He had to admit, the man before him with an Englishman’s appearance had a much more in-depth understanding of China’s football and deep opinions of the issues within it.

“How does this look?” Dunn asked after putting on the suit.

Tang En scrutinized him for a moment. In truth, he did not know. He was just putting on a pretense. Experts acted the same way when they showed an unclear attitude. To outsiders, it would be regarded as a show of depth by the experts. They must also speak slowly, which would be interpreted as a careful weighing of their every word. If they spoke quickly or made a clear stand on their opinions, it appeared frivolous and without standards. After all, empty barrels make the most noise.

After a show of intense scrutiny for a long time, Tang En finally nodded. “Okay!”

In fact, in comparison with before, he had only changed into a suit from a sports jacket, a round-neck tee into a white shirt, and added a tie.

“Perform better tomorrow. Don’t be so quiet.” Tang En gave his roommate a thumbs-up.

On this day, everyone’s focus was not on Forest’s preparation for the next League match, but on the press conference to be held after three-thirty in the afternoon.

Everyone wanted to know the story behind the first Chinese assistant manager to set foot in the English Premier League.

When the designated time came, Tang En brought Dunn, dressed in formal wear, before the many reporters.

“You are free to ask any questions, but we’re taking them one at a time. We have limited time, so I’m sure nobody wants to waste precious time on maintaining order. Let’s begin.” After a brief bout of instructions, Tang En announced the commencement of the press conference.

Then, the reporters launched their questions with raised hands before receiving an answer from either Tang En or Dunn. Questions that were aimed at Dunn were sometimes interrupted by Tang En as well.

The main interests of the reporters lay in the following:

First, Tang En and Dunn; one was an Englishman, the other was Chinese. How did the two meet and become familiar with each other?

Of course, Tang En and Dunn could not say that they had swapped bodies, thereby understanding each other so well. So, Tang En brought up how they had become friends via online chatting. Regardless of whether the reporters believed them or not, that was their answer. Even if it seemed unbelievable or like a fantasy, it was the truth of the matter.

Second. Was Dunn truly equipped with the ability and qualifications to be an assistant manager in an English Premier League team?

Naturally, Tang En would not say that Dunn was unqualified. He was also unbothered with whether the media would take his words on Dunn’s abilities at face value. Either way, time would prove everything. In the future, the media themselves would know how to determine Dunn’s abilities.

Third. The world had numerous capable managers and assistant managers. Those from England, Scotland, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Argentina, and Brazil… why did Tang En specifically choose one from China?

To this, Tang En’s stance was unyielding. Since those from the other nations could become assistant managers, why not one from China? So long as they had the ability, he did not care about whether his assistant was an Earthling or a Martian. In fact, he said something else that stunned everyone: “If there was a woman with enough capability, I wouldn’t mind her as my assistant manager!”

Originally, the target of this press conference was Dunn, but Tang En managed to become the main character again. He was truly proficient in snatching the limelight.

Dunn also answered questions, but he answered very few. Only when the reporters specified for him to answer would he stand up to say a few words. Tang Jing was someone who witnessed his manner of speech. It was precise and to the point. After finishing whatever he wanted to say, he would not further elaborate. Interviewing him? That was practically a form of torture because one had to rack their brains over how to keep the conversation going.

When Dunn’s answer failed to satisfy the reporters, Tang En would jump out to make additional remarks. It was only then that the media discovered that Tony Twain, who liked going against the media, was rather adorable in comparison to the Chinese man, Dunn, who spoke minimally.

The press conference this time answered many questions for everyone but also created more. These could only be answered later.

The next day, The Times especially published a commentary article on the matter. They used a thought-provoking title, ‘The Chinese Man Who Conquered Nottingham Forest’, for the article on the Chinese manager becoming an assistant manager with a renowned English Premier Club.

“He won the trust of his colleagues and convinced the arrogant Tony Twain. Dunn and Tony’s story of how they met sounds like a modern fairy tale. The internet has made everything impossible into a reality. To us, this Chinese man is still full of mystery, like the faraway nation behind him that we do not, in truth, know much about.”

Tang En passed the newspapers to Dunn and said, “From now on, please allow me to call you Man of Mystery, Dunn!”

Dunn took the newspaper and casually put it to the side. “I think they’re exactly right. A real Chinese man has conquered this ancient Forest.” He pointed to the laughing Tang En and said, “The Conqueror, King Tang En.”

Tang En’s laughter intensified. He liked that nickname.