Godfather Of Champions

While when he and Evan Doughty were going to the Champions League group draw, Allan went looking for Twain. He was surprised to find an extra person in the car.

In the past, only both the manager and the club chairman attended the draw. Some of the teams’ chairmen did not attend, but Evan insisted on going. He had to have had some business. He did not think that Allan would go as well.

“I’m not heading there for the draw, Tony.” In the car to London’s Heathrow airport, Allan smiled and said to Twain. “I have something I want to discuss with you.”

“With me?” Twain was a little puzzled.

“Yes.” Allan nodded.

Sitting in the front seat, Evan had not made a peep since the conversation began.

It suddenly dawned on Twain. He knew roughly what it was about.

“Is it because of that Chinese football talent show?”

Allan smiled. “You’re very smart, Tony. Yes, it’s because of that. I heard a Chinese reporter went to see you and wanted to talk to you about a collaboration with that talent show, but you refused?”

Twain turned his head to look outside, and turned back to Allan to say, “she went to see you?” He did not answer, but it was as good as admitting it.

“No, I heard it from someone else, not from the Chinese reporter,” Allan added. “Someone from Kickworldwide told me. They said that their planning department has a television talent show that no one in the world has ever done…”

Twain was a little stunned and asked, “isn’t it an idea organized by the Chinese media?”

“It is co-organized by the two countries. In addition to the two Premier League clubs, FremantleMedia and GroupM are participating as well.”

Twain was new to the names. He had never studied any economic matters. Perhaps some names were so well-known in the economic world, but they were unknown to Twain.

Allan apparently saw the bewildered look on Twain’s face, so he explained further. “You know of Kickworldwide, don’t you? A famous sports agency in England.”

Twain nodded to show that he knew. He knew anything to do with sports.

“FremantleMedia is a media company in Australia, but they are a well-known and influential in the English-speaking world. They are experts in reality television shows and control talent shows like America’s Got Talent types of shows in Australia. As for GroupM; they are a major player in the British communications industry and one of the subsidiaries belonging to the world’s second largest advertising group, WPP.”

Twain nodded. “Are you trying to say that I rudely turned down a seemingly tempting piece of business with a large number of distinguished companies?”

Allan smiled and shook his head. “I did not say that, Tony.”

Evan decided to speak up. “Allan just feels that it’s a shame, Tony. This is a great opportunity to break into the Chinese market and to further expand and consolidate our status in the minds of the Chinese fans.”

“The Chinese market?” Twain habitually scorned. “You don’t understand the market. Ninety-nine percent of the fans won’t buy your official apparel and memorabilia.” Twain thought to himself that he was the same in the first place. A genuine jersey sold for more than 700 yuan. How many fans could afford to spend that much? Football was not a rich man’s sport. There were all kinds of ordinary people, students, and kids who liked football. How many of these people would be willing to pay 1,000 yuan to buy the jerseys?

“All right, Allan. Although I don’t know much about economics, I can give you an example that I know, and it happened recently. Did the English Premier League not sign a new broadcasting rights contract before the new season? They had signed for both domestically and overseas. The company that won the bid for the Chinese side was called…Tiansheng Media bought the broadcasting rights in mainland China for three seasons of the Premier League, as well as some of Serie A events. Then they decided to introduce a paid-subscription service. Pay TV… It’s normal, isn’t it? It is for the UK. But in China, Tiansheng was unanimously boycotted. Do you know why?”

Allan and Evan shook their heads. In Europe and the United States, pay TV was been a tradition and routine. But in China, everyone is still used to watching free games. But that’s not the crux of the problem.

“The crux of the problem is that Tiansheng had set the fee too high. The monthly fee was 188 yuan! This was undoubtedly a big financial burden for most ordinary Chinese fans. Although the Premier League is exciting, many Chinese fans chose to quit watching, or watch the live broadcast for free online in order to protest the unreasonable practice of Tiansheng… I have no doubt that Tiansheng’s eventual failure was due to China’s national conditions. The fee was too high, and football is a civilian sport. But some companies in China tried to manage it like it’s a rich man’s sport. A fake jersey only costs thirty-five yuan. Allan, you studied economics, so you should know the exchange rate between Renminbi and Sterling Pounds.”

Allan nodded. “That’s about two and a half pounds.”

Evan gasped, as it was indeed cheap.

“But how much is the genuine licensed product? More than 1,000 yuan. This price is already higher than the ticket price for two-thirds of the Premier League teams’ home games,” Twain said. “How much does one of our jerseys sell for locally?”

“Forty to forty-five pounds,” Allan replied.

“This price is expensive in the UK, not to mention China.” Twain’s lips curled at the corners. “Once it reaches China, it’s even higher when the import duties are included.Many authentic jerseys are made in China. Nike, Adidas, Umbro and Puma all have factories in mainland China.”

Hearing Twain, Allan muttered to himself. “Our jerseys cost only seven to ten pounds apiece…” He suddenly looked up and held Twain’s hand. “Thank you, Tony!”

Twain was baffled by Allan’s move. “Huh?”

“Thank you for illustrating it so well for me and letting me understand what the Chinese market is like.”

Twain began to think that something was wrong. He had wanted to persuade Allan to give up his unrealistic fantasies about the Chinese market, but it now appeared to have stirred the other man’s interest instead.

“Like what you have said, Tony, the key to the problem lies with the price. We can’t copy everything from England and use them in China. Compared to the United Kingdom, China is still a developing country, where the spending power is not that high. If we convert the local price to there, it will make the people over there feel that our products are too expensive and they would not want to buy them.” Allan relayed his sorted ideas to the other two men in the car.

“If we look around for factories in China to produce our jerseys and other memorabilia, then sell them at prices that are in line with the local spending power… I think it can work. The materials and labor are all in China and we only have to offer a brand — the Nottingham Forest’s brand…”

Twain interrupted him. “I’m sorry, Allan. But there were other clubs that have done this before, like Manchester United…”

Allan smiled gently and was not displeased in the slightest at Twain’s interruption. “That’s because they couldn’t let go of the airs they had as powerhouse clubs. They did not really enter the market at all. They thought that by opening several restaurants, retail outlets, or setting up an official Chinese web page, that meant they had entered the Chinese market. That’s not it. That’s just superficial entry. They did not understand the country and its people, economic standards and traditional culture. They just copied what they did in other countries and regions, but this does not work for China. And we are fortunate to have an assistant manager from China and a manager who is so proficient in the Chinese culture.”

Allan looked at Twain and smiled. “What you said just made me think you are a Chinese man.”

Twain went on guard. He had shown that he was too proficient in the Chinese culture, so he scratched his head. “Well, Dunn explained most of it to me and also… that Chinese female reporter. We sometimes chat about this kind of topic.”

“It doesn’t matter who told you, Tony. In short, I don’t think there will be another club in the world that is more suited to enter the Chinese market than our Forest.” Allan counted on his fingers, “A Chinese player well-known in China, a newly emerging Chinese assistant manager, a manager keenly interested in the Chinese culture and who is ‘an old Chinese hand.’ We have an approachability advantage over the rest of the other teams.”

Twain recalled those teams also enjoyed great prestige in China, which he had defeated, and how he humiliated their coaches and fans. Would those Chinese fans find him approachable? Goodness knows.

“So, Tony.” Evan turned his head around. “We still want to talk to the people from that talent show and see if we can work with them. I think this is a key. A key to help us open the door to China.”

“Moreover, I’m sure they’d be delighted for us to work with them.” Allan added, “Neither of the two clubs they have have much influence. It will be different if we join.”

Twain agreed. The information he heard from Dunn was that Tang Jing was somewhat unhappy that she only managed to get Everton and Bolton Wanderers to work with them.

He was not really an idiot. He knew that profits were involved, it was best to put aside personal emotional tendencies, such as his dislike of talent shows. However, if the talent show could bring benefits to the team and club, he had to agree to it. Furthermore, if the club could make more money, he would benefit as well, wouldn’t he? After the construction of the new stadium had been fully funded, did it mean he would not strapped for cash in the transfer market in the future?

Evan and Allan glanced at him without a word. They just looked at him, but their meaning was apparent.

Twain raised his hands in surrender. “All right, I’ll concede. I will not object to a collaboration with them on the talent show. Anyway, I am only responsible for the team’s training and competition. Allan is in charge of the commercial development or opening up the Chinese market. We’ll do what you say.”

The other two men met gazes and smiled. “Then it’s a deal. Allan will take care of this matter.” Evan Doughty issued the final order in his capacity as the club chairman.

When they arrived at the London Heathrow Airport, Allan did not board the plane with the two men. He refunded his ticket. Twain asked in puzzlement, “Aren’t you going with us to Zurich?”

Allan smiled and shook his head. “I was going to follow you to Switzerland and persuade you if I couldn’t convince you in the car. But it’s not necessary now.”

Twain drew back the corners of his mouth.

Then the three men parted ways at the airport. Twain and Evan flew to Switzerland together for the Champions League group draw, while Allan returned to Nottingham to find the person in charge to explore the possibility of a collaboration now.

※※※

Nottingham Forest received widespread media attention as the defending champion. The media followed from the beginning of the draw until his departure from Switzerland back to England. He was no longer the unattended nobody who sat in the corner in the first time he took part in the draw.

The camera flashes would follow closely wherever he went.

In the end, Nottingham Forest, the defending champion, drew a pretty good lot. They were grouped together in Group A with Porto from Portugal, Olympique de Marseille from France and Beşiktaş from Turkey.

The first game would be held on the night of September 18th, with Nottingham Forest challenging the 2004 UEFA Champions League champion, Porto, in an away game.

This was a clash of the champions and promised to be a good show.

※※※

A matter awaited Twain and Evan when they returned to Nottingham, which would take the three to decide together.

Allan was someone who, once decided on a matter, would act immediately. He made use of the day of the Champions League group draw and took care of all the organizers and co-sponsors of this talent show.

The other party had agreed that Nottingham Forest would join the show. But now there was a problem. The show organizers had agreed with the two clubs, Everton and Bolton Wanderers, that the older group’s draft winner would join the Everton Football Club for a year-long trial, while the runner-up would join the Bolton Wanderers Football Club for a year of trial. As for the final’s third placeholder, he could only accept the harsh reality — he was luckier than those who had been eliminated and had the power to look forward to being in the top two but had to leave empty-handed in the end.

Initially, the top three contestants could have been rewarded, and the ending would have been a happy one, but due to Nottingham Forest’s refusal, they had to modify the outcome of the final. Of course, all parties in China and Britain thought that it was also a good outcome. It was cruel and suspenseful enough with a good amount of excitement. They could inflame emotions at the end as well.

Therefore, the plan was already communicated to the two clubs, Everton and Bolton Wanderers.

Then, Nottingham Forest suddenly decided to join in again.The original plan was for the champion to go to Nottingham Forest. Could they ask Everton to give up that seat? They obviously could not do that as it would be disrespectful to the Everton club.

Therefore, if the Forest team decided to join now, it could only accept the condition of receiving the second runner up for the training trial.

Allan did not agree. He thought that the European champion should have the status of a European champion.

Twain smiled after he heard what had happened. “It’s okay, Allan. We’ll take the second runner up. Anyway, what you want is the Chinese market, not a talented Chinese player. Besides, according to… Dunn, in the Chinese talent shows, the winner is generally not the most powerful.”

Evan also felt it was pointless to compete with Everton on that false title. It did not matter which team took the top three winners.

And that was how this matter was settled.

The organizers finally came up with the idea of not announcing the Nottingham Forest Football Club’s participation at all. They would only state that the Nottingham Forest Football Club officially supported this show. As for the rewards of the top three winners in the older group, it would remain in accordance with the previous announcement — After a brutal and fierce final, only two lucky winners would be awarded with a one-year trial at an English club.

Then at the last moment of the final, when the second runner up wept with tears flowing in public, the “mystery guest”, a representative from Nottingham Forest would show up at the live show to announce the decision that the second runner up had won a year of trial at the European Champion, Nottingham Forest Football Club. It would make the live audience, television audience and the second runner up feel the joy and sorrow of life, which would produce a dramatic effect.

Everyone thought this was a good idea. Just thinking about it was enough to make everyone excited. This was truly a “reality show” and a reveal of a real-life situation without any hint of scripted performance.

Twain silently cursed the group. Isn’t that messing with people? If anyone dares to do this to me, I’ll guarantee to mess him up!

※※※

Nottingham Forest’s last-minute decision to join in was definitely a good thing for Tang Jing, who was determined to produce good results. Therefore, the next day, Twain saw her among the crowd of reporters outside the Wilford training base.

“Mr. Twain!” She waved happily to Twain and then squeezed her way over with a bright smile on her face.

“What are you so happy about? Are you getting married?” Twain poked fun at her.

“Nah!” Tang Jing smiled. She did not set herself up against Twain for the first time.

“You want to interview me? I’m sorry, it’s during working hours now, so I can’t be interviewed.” Twain had just entered the training base gate. The players had not arrived for work yet. Where did “working hours” come from?

Surprisingly, Tang Jing’s face was still full of smiles no matter how tough Twain’s words were.

Twain felt that the woman was not right in her head and did not want to pay attention to her anymore. He wanted to quickly walk away. As he turned away, he heard Tang Jing speak in Mandarin. “Thank you, Mr. Twain!”

Twain did not turn back, but there was a hint of smile on his straight face. This young girl is really quite interesting.

He pretended not to hear and just walked away.

Tang Jing looked at his back, feeling foolishly happy. Dunn, who had been silent next to Tang Jing the whole time, looked at her strangely and asked, “are you really this happy?”

Tang Jing looked at him and smiled. “Thank you, too, Dunn.”

Dunn finally muttered as he walked away. Like Twain, he also felt that there was something wrong with this woman in front of him today.

The sun shone brightly this morning in Wilford. As a Chinese female journalist from China who worked alone in Nottingham, Tang Jing’s mood was like the weather. She felt great. She did not even care if she acted like a childish little girl in front of Twain, whom she hated most.