Godfather Of Champions

Before the day’s training began the next morning, Tang En called for a meeting with the other coaches in the team. He wanted to discuss the matter of reforming their strategies. Tang En related to everyone about what he and the two assistant managers had discussed. Everyone felt differently about the matter.

Some felt that Forest Team’s previous strategy was very successful and did not need to be reformed. Losing to Fulham FC was only an accident. The loss of a single match could not be used as a reference. On the other hand, there were also others who felt that a reformation was needed, just not right now. After all, the team had just gone through a period of turmoil; some stability would be important at this point.

Tang En had also considered the various objections himself. He did not use his own position as the Head of the Sports Department to pressure his peers. He answered their doubts one by one and explained his own thoughts.

While a single match loss could be said to be a mere accident, there was always a certainty behind it. Things did not occur without a reason. There had to be a reason for its appearance. After all, “what is reasonable is real, and that which is real is reasonable.” Their loss to Fulham was of course somewhat attributed to manager Tang En’s arrogance in underestimating their opponents. However, when Tang En stopped taking them lightly, he found himself without a different set of strategies to break through the opponents. Perhaps Tang En could have the team be more alert and go all-out the next time they meet such an opponent. That way, they could use the overwhelming difference in their abilities to end the match. But what if they met with a team at about the same level of capabilities as them? What would they do then?

When the time came for them to have to face that, raising their alertness and doing their best might not be enough for a victory. A manager’s wisdom was not solely for the purpose of reminding everyone not to underestimate their opponents.

Regarding the question of changing the strategy now or later, Tang En felt that he did not mind some more unrest since it was already so unsettled currently. He would rather have the terrible things happen all at once than have it come around more frequently. Furthermore, a reformation did not necessarily mean that unrest was inevitable. While there would surely be some ups and downs, there would be no harm to the foundation of the team if they managed it well. This was only a strategic adjustment, not a major cleansing of the lineup.

At last, he managed to convince everyone. They agreed that it was necessary for the team to change.

But how were they going to proceed with the reform?

That was Tang En’s homework for the coaches.

“We have all the time to do this. We can proceed slowly; I’m in no rush,” Tang En said. “This is a massive undertaking, so we can’t rush it. I have a beautiful picture in my mind, but I need everyone’s hard work to help me complete it!”

※※※

The directive for a change in the team became fixed. With a goal, things became much easier. Everyone’s job was to take steps to reach their goal.

Dunn had a strong operational capability. With him around, Tang En did not need to worry about such matters. The team was training every day as usual. After winning a match, everyone’s morale was high. The dreadful situation before had already passed. Even if the next opponent they welcomed was a strong team like Chelsea on their home grounds, they believed that the future held something wonderful.

Although their next opponents were Chelsea, Tang En did not spend his whole day holed up in his office doing research on them. It was simply unnecessary to specifically analyze Mourinho’s Chelsea. This was not because Tang En was underestimating his opponents again, Tang En was simply too familiar with the team. In fact, he believed that it was a team that all the other opponents in the English Premier League were also extremely familiar with. Mourinho’s wild and arrogant personality, while bringing him success in his career, also brought him tremendous attention. Everyone hoped to defeat that arrogant man, just as they all hoped to defeat Tony Twain’s football team. Furthermore, there was an important difference between Chelsea and Forest Team: Chelsea was extremely rich. The mentality of viewing the rich with enmity could be found anywhere. So, every team became particularly enthused when it came to fighting Chelsea. It was not difficult to understand why Reading FC would be so crazed about beating Chelsea back in the world Tang En lived in.

Thanks to Tang En, nothing happened in the match that just happened between Chelsea and Reading FC. Čech very peacefully guarded the goal until the end of the match. Chelsea took away an easy win with a score of 3:1.

Instead of researching his opponents, Tang En took out time to watch a reserve team match instead.

After George Wood got suspended, Tang En placed him in the reserve team. On the record, he made it sound as if he was punishing Wood for his rashness. In truth, however, it was to prevent Wood’s condition from deteriorating from not having any matches to play in. Usually, Wood would train with the First Team. When it came to the weekends they needed to go for matches, he joined the reserve team instead.

The matches for the reserve team oftentimes took place a day earlier than First Team matches. On the day before their match with Chelsea, the team only trained for half a day. Tang En, who was free in the afternoon, dragged Dunn along with him to City Ground to watch the reserve team’s match.

In the first half, Tang En discovered that Wood was obediently glued to his position as a defensive midfielder, doing the usual job of defending.

In this match, the opponents of Forest’s reserve team were Chelsea’s reserve team.

Forest’s abilities were not as strong as Chelsea’s. However, because of Wood’s presence, the attacks from Chelsea’s reserve team were of little threat. However, Tang En was shaking his head as he watched from the outside.

“It shouldn’t be like this,” he told Dunn, who was standing by his side. “If we let Wood continue to do this, it’ll be no use for him to continue to play on the reserve team.”

“Are you intending to talk to McParland?” Dunn pointed to the reserve team coach sitting at the manager’s seat.

Dunn and Tang En did not inform the reserve team coach of their intent to watch the match, nor did they watch from the manager’s seats. Instead, they chose to watch from the spectators’ stands, which were from a higher viewpoint.

There were not many people watching the reserve team’s match. Most of those who came were hardcore fans. The two stood in a corner of the stands and did not attract much attention.

“I’ll have to say something. If this goes on, it’ll be a waste of a training opportunity for Wood.”

When halftime arrived, Tang En and Dunn walked off the stands and went to the locker room. There, he asked for the reserve team coach, McParland.

“You’re here, Tony?” As Tang En did not greet him prior, McParland was not expecting him to come to watch the match.

“We’ve watched half of it.” Tang En nodded. “Ian, push George slightly forward in the second half. Give him more opportunities to participate in the offense and tell him there’s no need to defend.”

Ian McParland was surprised. “We’re not letting him defend?”

Dunn supplemented from the side, saying, “Tony wants to see George’s performance in the offensive.”

McParland understood what he meant and asked, “Should it also be the same for the next three matches?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I understand. Uh, do you want to go in and say a few words?” The reserve team coach pointed to the locker room.

Tang En shook his head with a smile. “No need. You’re the boss here.”

McParland was elated to hear Tang En say this. He extended another enthusiastic invite. “Why don’t you watch from the manager’s seats instead?”

Dunn shook his head again. “It’s good watching from the angle at the spectators’ stands too. Thank you, Ian.”

“Go ahead with your work, Ian.” Tang En let him return to the locker room. Then he and Dunn went back to the spectators’ stands.

This time, however, they were recognized by some fans on the stands, and everyone surrounded them asking for signatures. Tony Twain was a star. It had nothing to do with Dunn, so he slipped out stealthily.

“I would really like to know the kind of thoughts manager Dunn is having right now.” All of a sudden, a woman’s voice sounded from behind him.

Without turning back, Dunn already knew who it was saying it. A woman speaking in Mandarin? Who else could it be other than the reporter, Tang Jing?

“Why did Ms. Tang come to watch a reserve team match?” Dunn asked with his head cocked.

Tang Jing stood in front of him, smiling as she said, “Because the two of you are here.”

“How did you know we would be here?”

“Because George Wood is here.” She pointed to the field below. “Everyone on earth knows how concerned manager Tony Twain is about his beloved general. It was announced that this was a punishment for George Wood’s rash behavior. But in truth, he’s afraid of Wood’s conditions deteriorating because he couldn’t play for eight straight matches, no?”

“This isn’t the time for an interview, Ms. Tang.”

“Can’t we even chat casually?” Tang Jing showed him her hands. “Look. I didn’t bring anything. No reporter’s ID, recorder pen, camera, or notebook. I even bought a ticket to get in.” She took out a football ticket from her pocket and waved it.

Faced with such persistent people, Dunn would be unable to frighten her into backing down even if he purposely put on a cold face. So, he asked, somewhat helplessly, “Why are you so curious about Tony?”

“Manager Dunn, you’re wrong. I’m not interested in him.”

Dunn looked up at her.

“I am interested in you.” Tang Jing smiled gleefully as she pointed to Dunn, who was surprised.

Dunn decided to respond with silence. That was a difficult topic.

Tang Jing did not back down because of Dunn’s silence. She continued, saying, “although the club specially called for a press conference, because of you, to answer everyone’s questions, why do I still feel that the matter is not as simple as you have said? An average Chinese man became a member of the managerial team so quickly just because he had so fortunately met an English professional manager over the internet? I am very curious.”

“Curiosity killed the cat.” Tang En’s voice abruptly sounded, causing Tang Jing to flinch. It had really startled her.

“Are you threatening me, Mr. Tony Twain?” Tang Jing retorted with furrowed brows. Coming around, she was a little annoyed by her own shakiness.

Tang En laughed as he waved his hands. “No, no. Please don’t misunderstand, Ms. Tang. This is not the mob drama, The Godfather. A woman’s intuition can be a very scary thing, right Dunn?” Tang En said, looking at him. The fans by his side had already dispersed. There were only the three of them now.

Dunn was not sure about what Tang En had up his sleeves, so he kept quiet.

“You’re right, Ms. Tang. This man, Dunn, indeed has a secret. And it is an enormous one,” Tang En said secretively to Tang Jing. “But this thing can’t be publicized. Lean a little closer, I’ll whisper it to you.”

Tang Jing felt strange about having to lean closer when there was practically no one in the area. But her curiosity compelled her to obediently place her head beside Tang En’s mouth.

Taking a deep breath, Tang En said, “So, it’s Head and Shoulders…”

“You!” Tang Jing immediately leaped back when she realized she had been deceived, her shame turning into rage.

Tang En, the rogue, laughed even more delightedly. “I’d said that curiosity killed the cat. If I was really a gangster, it wouldn’t be as simple as getting a whiff. You’re really a naive woman who trusts easily.”

“Mr. Tony Twain, would you pay attention to your own image!” Tang Jing said this sternly with a sense of righteousness.

“Do I still have any image to preserve?” Tang En shrugged with open hands. “Don’t you, the media, report that I am an ungentlemanly b*stard demon with horns on my head, wings and tail on my back, sharp teeth and who spews cruel and poisonous words?”

Upon hearing Tang En say so, Tang Jing was momentarily stunned. “That—that is only the evaluation of the English media, not me.”

“Doesn’t that newspaper office of yours do nothing but reprint overseas media all the time?”

“I’ve never done that! Every word I’ve written was typed by me!” Tang Jing could not stand being doubted of her professionalism. She was constantly in an environment filled with doubt of her; entering the newspaper office and coming to England for the long-term, she was always secretly thought of by the others to have achieved it because of her father. No matter what she did, it always seemed as if she depended on her father while her own efforts and talent went completely unseen.

“Mr. Tony Twain, if you’re angry about my insolence the first time we had met, I can apologize to you! But bearing a grudge like that, are you still acting like a man?” Tang Jing angrily rebuked Tang En and turned to stomp away furiously.

Dunn finally opened his mouth from beside him. “Hey, Tony. That wasn’t very nice? No matter what, she’s a woman…”

Tang En glanced at him. “You should thank me. I saved you.”

“That’s another matter…”

“Oh, oh. You couldn’t watch anymore?” Tang En asked in return. “You were feeling sorry for her? As a man, you wanted to take care of her?”

With his verbal skills beneath his opponent’s, Dunn decided to keep quiet.

“Hey, Dunn. Shouldn’t you consider love?”

Dunn continued to be silent.

“If you don’t say anything, I’ll take it as a silent agreement. But it’s nothing really. As the saying goes, which young lady wouldn’t yearn for love, and which young man wouldn’t think of romance. Although you’re already past the age of a youth…”

“I’m going, too.” Dunn made a movement to leave, and Tang En hurriedly grabbed hold of him.

“Alright, alright. I won’t say any more if you’re upset. But I’m not holding a grudge against her. It’s just that every time I see her gleeful face, I want to cut her down and make it impossible for her to throw her arrogance around me. Hey, Dunn. Do you think I’m someone who is especially dark on the inside?”

“It’s no use telling me that. Why don’t you tell it to her…”

Tang En grinned at Dunn.

Dunn also noticed he wasn’t acting like himself. He coughed and went quiet.

“To be honest, if that woman would stop assuming that haughty air, she’d be a real looker…” Tang En said with a rub to his chin.

“The second half is starting,” Dunn reminded him coldly.

The two stopped their unhelpful discussion and put their focus back onto the match.

※※※

As expected, George Wood was pushed to the front in the second half of the match. He was already close to becoming an attacking midfielder.

McParland was not allowing him to defend, but he was still rather uncomfortable with the position he was in. He did not know what he should be doing, or how he should do it. Many times, he could not help himself but retreat to take part in the defense. Very quickly, however, he would be yelled at by McParland to move up.

After over ten minutes of discomfort, George Wood finally realized that he could do nothing but participate in the offense. As a result, Tang En watched happily from the stands as Wood experimented with passing balls to his teammates in front. Although the intentions of his first pass were too obvious and got intercepted midway, it was a good sign.

McParland started hollering at the sidelines again, asking Wood to pass the ball in a more covert manner. The second time, Wood managed to pass the ball accurately to the forward, a direct pass that ripped the defensive line apart.

It was a pity that such a good pass was wasted by his teammates.

Outside the field, Tang En felt as regretful as Wood having missed a goal.

“He has the capability to pass the ball forward,” Dunn said from the side.

Tang En nodded. “You’ve noticed that too? In the last season, both his assists involved this sort of abrupt forward passes in the middle. I think that he would be unsuitable for the wings. Some people are naturally suitable to develop in the wings, while others needed to be put in a broader area, so they have more freedom. George belongs to the latter group. Demi was right. This boy has talent in the aspects of attacking. It’s just buried deeply. Even he himself was not aware of it.”

Following that, Wood’s forward passes increased in frequency. However, due to the crowd of people in the middle and his obvious intentions when passing, his rates of success were not high.

But Tang En did not care about that. What he saw was Wood daring to take the initiative in passing forward. If the lad did not even have the confidence for that, there would be no hope in getting him to perform at his full potential. Having such thoughts was a positive sign.

This was what Tang En was really hoping to see. He was not expecting Wood’s performance today to be like Pirlo or Redondo, directing the team’s match pace with ease and dealing with it all so smoothly.

Tang En and Dunn left before the end of the match. They had seen what they wanted to, and there was still a tough battle awaiting them tomorrow.

“George!” McParland called after Wood. “Good job!” He gave a thumbs up to the First Team captain.

Wood was not as satisfied with his own performance and furrowed his brows. “I don’t think it was any good.”

“It’s progress as long as you’re moving forward, George.” Wood was representative of the team’s Youth Training standards. The coaches at various levels were all especially caring of this genius footballer.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day. Similarly, our future midfield all-rounder isn’t going to be shaped in a single match.” McParland proudly patted Wood’s strong shoulders.

It was no exaggeration to say that these shoulders carried the glorious future of Nottingham Forest.

Just like how AC Milan had Maldini, Real Madrid had Raúl González, Barcelona had Messi, and Liverpool had Gerrard, it was hoped that Nottingham Forest in the future could be proud of George Wood.

You’re our representative, George.

Ian McParland did not say this out loud, but in his heart, he truly believed so.