Godfather Of Champions

Twain was watching the DVD discs Dunn brought back from China for him.

Unlike the box of discs brought back by Dunn last time, this version was edited to be more like a reality television show with protagonists and supporting actors. There were voice-overs and scripted lines.

Therefore, he watched it with relish, and did not feel impatient, even though he had been watching it for an hour and a half.

If the three months of the training camp leading up to the grand finale was more professional and suitable for the vast number of fans to watch, then the grand finale program was more entertaining, which could be discerned from the number of live female audience members.

Football was full of male charisma, so there was no reason for it not to be favored by women. With neutrality flooding the current entertainment circles, The Football Kid presented another kind of beauty to the general audience — the beauty of male strength, speed, power, passion, victory, and failure.

Therefore, the final stage of this television program would be entertaining.

During the live show, a few singers were invited to sing liven up the atmosphere, and all the fourteen contestants presented their own choreography and skill performances to the audience.

Twain had little interest in the cultural program, so he fast-forwarded to watch later segments.

※※※

Even with the artistic segment, the show producers had not forgotten the real purpose of the show.

The contestants’ videos began to play on the big screen at the live show, from childhood video footage to audition highlights, as well as clips of the general training camp. Coupled with their evaluation from both the Chinese and British coaches, they re-introduced the two lucky contestants.

Why was it only two contestants?

Twain turned his head and looked at Dunn, who sat next to him without a word.

“Why are there only two people? What about Chen Jian’s introduction?”

Dunn shrugged his shoulders. “There wasn’t one.”

“None? What does that mean? There were three finalists, but they only introduced two people in the video. The other person had nothing except a simple image.” Twain glared and looked a little angry. “What the hell are these idiots doing?”

“I don’t know either.” Dunn answered. He really did not know.

※※※

Indeed, the introduction videos of Wang Yang and Song Hui appeared on the big screen, but Chen Jian did not have one. When the contestants appeared in turn from the background, the presenters grandly promoted Wang Yang and Song Hui.

“This is China’s future Fàbregas — Wang Yang!!”

“Song Hui! He could become the future Rio Ferdinand of China!!”

Then it was Chen Jian’s turn.

“Let’s welcome Chen Jian from the Chengdu division in Sichuan!”

And it was over and done with. The introduction was finished.

Amid the joyous atmosphere of the scene, no one noticed the episode. Everyone followed the presenter, and no one had time to consider if the introduction held any deeper meaning. The results came out before this final, but no one knew.

Chen Jian did not take it to heart. In fact, before he appeared, he waited in back stage and watched his two fellow contestants run out. When he heard that the formerly famous commentator-turned-presenter speak to the audience with his usual enthusiastic tone, he actually looked forward to it. What would the presenter shout when his turn came? Which future player would he be from China?

He was no one or anyone.

He was pushed onto the stage.

Wang Yang was the most handsome among the three finalists and the most popular contestant online. Song Hui had been the team leader of the training camp. They could be better than Chen Jian in every way, so even if they finally got the tickets to the English Premier League, it was well-deserved and to be expected.

But Chen Jian still had hope in his heart. There were people who said that hisadvance to the finals was due to good luck. Only he knew that that was not the reason.

Earlier today, the three finalists were asked to record their introductions for release before they appeared on stage to introduce themselves.

As a midfield playmaker, Wang Yang’s manifesto fit his position. He declared, “I believe football is a game to be played using brains and I will play with wisdom like Fàbregas!”

Song Hui also introduced what he was best at. “Speed, coordination, and stability are my specialities. I’m fit for the English Premier League.”

During Chen Jian’s turn, the first sentence he came up with seemed frustrated, which made people feel that he had given up before the fight. “I may not have the best football skills…” He paused before he continued, “but I’m definitely the most persistent. My name is Chen Jian, my family name is Chen, which means East, and Jian as in strength. My father gave me this name because he wanted me to persevere and be strong. I firmly believe that attitude determines everything.” That was how he was able to get to the final top three — definitely not luck.

But when he said that, many people still thought they were just beautiful words for the occasion.

Chen Jian stood in the middle after his appearance, with Wang Yang to his left and Song Hui to his right. The two presenters stood on the left and right. They briefly interviewed Wang Yang and Song Hui. One of them asked Song Hui how he left. The other presenter praised Wang Yang for his good looks and how he was so popular that he snatched away many fans of the handsome presenter, which drew laughter from below the stage.

No one interviewed Chen Jian. The two presenters turned to introduce the two coaches at the live show. They were a former China national footballer and the former Arsenal team captain, Kenny Sansom.

Chen Jian stood in the middle, his tanned skin and dark sports jacket almost blending in with the dark stage. He was quiet and still had a smile on his face.

After the introduction of the coaches, it was time to introduce the work units that participated and supported to the talent show — the Chinese Football Association Youth Department, the Everton Football Club, and the Bolton Wanderers Football Club. There was no mention of Nottingham Forest, which was still a secret.

Allan Adams sat in a corner in the auditorium, looking at the scene with interest. The audience had been brought into the pre-arranged setting by the presenters. When they came out at the last minute, it would be sensational and impress everyone.

Things were going according to plan…

※※※

Dunn waited backstage. He only needed to make his appearance at the last minute, and he had nothing to do until then. There was a television in the lounge, so he sat down to watch the live broadcast on the television.

Perhaps other viewers focused their attention on Wang Yang and Song Hui, who the presenters had formally introduced. But Dunn kept his eyes on Chen Jian.

He had little interest in that type of entertainment shows. He only cared about what was relevant to his mission. He already knew the result. Except with the gift that he was going to bring back, would Twain like it?

There were four breaks during this fifty-minute live broadcast. When the presenter said, “We’ll come back live after the commercial break.” Then the lights were dimmed, and everyone had a five-minute break for a restroom break or to do whatever. Most people stayed in the auditorium for the sake of convenience.

Dunn finally had the opportunity to look away from the television and went to the restroom to relieve himself. The program had reached its final segment. Once they returned after the ad break, the final mystery would be revealed.

※※※

Chen Jian looked around at the noisy crowd and decided to go to the restroom. He did not have to relieve himself.

He was just nervous.

The show had been going on for forty minutes. What needed to be said had been said and what needed to be performed had been done. What was left? It was obviously the announcement of which two lucky contestants would be the ones to go to the English Premier League, which was the main theme of the episode.

No matter how happy the beginning was, the hidden blow was inevitable.

Consequently, Chen Jian was nervous. No matter how calm and tenacious he was in the tests, he could not help being nervous in the face of an elusive fate.

He went to the restroom and bumped into a person at the entrance.

That person apologized to him and hurried off. Chen Jian thought it was a little strange, because the person he bumped into looked somewhat familiar. He could not recall where he had seen him or what his name was, however.

While he was trying to figure out who the familiar face was, his train of thought was interrupted.

“Hey, 9527!” Wang Yang’s voice came behind him. “You have come to the restroom, too. I can’t believe you would be nervous as well.”

Chen Jian turned around and smiled at his competitor. “Sure, this is the final.”

“Just like a penalty shootout! Haha!” Wang Yang laughed. Everyone who could enter the top three had confidence in their abilities. Wang Yang felt that he was bound to be one of the two ultimate lucky ones. His skills and awareness were among the most outstanding out of the fourteen contestants, and his popularity was high. He did not feel that he would be eliminated.

When he did not see Song Hui, Chen Jian asked, “where’s Song Hui?”

“Ah, he’s…” Wang Yang’s mouth twitched. “Chatting with his parents. He doesn’t look nervous at all.”

“Well, he’s the team leader after all.” Chen Jian continued to smile.

Wang Yang looked at Chen Jian’s face with a strange look. “Say, 9… Chen Jian, when do you ever stop smiling?”

Chen Jian found it a strange question and asked in return, “why wouldn’t I smile?”

“Let me say something honest… Out of the three of us, you have the lowest chance, right?”

Chen Jian froze for a moment and nodded. He had some self-awareness.

“So, how are you still able to smile? It’s like you have a card up your sleeve.” Wang Yang was a little frustrated. Even when he was stumped, his smile quickly returned to Chen Jian face.

“Wouldn’t I feel less confident if I did not smile because I feel uncertain?” Chen Jian asked. “At least I feel more confident when I smile.”

“You are deceiving yourself!”

“It’s just a psychological cue…”

“Well, whatever.” Wang Yang shrugged. “Anyway, the spirit is not omnipotent. This is.” He pointed to his temple.

Chen Jian did not refute his words and continued to smile, so Wang Yang could not fathom what was going on in his mind. Wang Yang mumbled with frustration and turned into the restroom.

Wisdom and experience on the field required and relied on time and continuous competition to accumulate. Until then, the only weapon Chen Jian could rely on was spirit.

With the spoiler from Wang Yang, he did not want to go to the restroom. He did not need to relieve himself, so he turned back and quietly waited for the judgement from fate.

※※※

After the five-minute commercial break, the footage cut back to the broadcasting studio site.

The three contestants sat in chairs on the left side with the coaches’ table opposite them. One of the two seats was empty. Other than the two presenters standing in the middle, there was also Kenny Sansom. When the audience saw the setup, everyone knew that the final results would soon be announced.

Even the contestants who had been eliminated felt an inexplicable tension and… excitement, not to mention the three finalists sitting in the chairs.

Song Hui, whom Wang Yang considered “not looking nervous at all,” had a serious expression, while Wang Yang himself was so nervous that he did not know where to set his gaze. Chen Jian still had a smile on his face, but the smile seemed a little stiff to other people.

“The most exciting moment has arrived!” the presenter shouted. He already knew the result, but he had to act excited to stir up the audience’s mood.

“Yes, it’s finally here!” His partner, that young handsome presenter who he used to poke fun at Wang Yang echoed.

A drumroll began, and the heavy drumbeat sounded like the heartbeats of the three finalists. The televised broadcast gave the three finalists a close-up of about ten seconds each, which seemed to convey: Who will be the last two lucky contestants to go to the English Premier League? Is it him? Him? Or him?

“I believe that everyone already knows that only two of the three finalists will eventually be able to go to the English Premier League clubs and receive the highest level of professional football training in the world.” The presenter repeated the cruel rule and intensified the already tense atmosphere. “Who can finally go to Everton and Bolton Wanderers?”

He smiled briefly. For a person who already knew the results, it was wonderful to see the nervous expressions of the three finalists in front of him.

“The following will be announced by our British Head Coach Kenny…” He handed the command over to Kenny Sansom.

Kenny Sansom also did not waste any time. He pointed to Wang Yang. “Wang Yang, go to the box on the left.”

There were three boxes on the stage, lined up in a row. The three boxes were covered, and no one knew what was in them — a jersey from Everton or Bolton Wanderers, or nothing.

Therefore, being called to stand up did not count as winning. Wang Yang stood up and headed for the box on the left and stopped in front of it.

The presenter’s voice rang out. “Open it up! And take a look at what’s in it.”

Wang Yang obediently opened the lid. A brief smile flashed across his face, but soon disappeared. He pulled out a white jersey.

He thought he could go to the stronger Everton team.

Cheers erupted on the scene, mostly Wang Yang’s fans.

“Bolton Wanderers! Congratulations to Wang Yang!” the presenter screamed excitedly. His tone made it feel like he had just found out the result as well. “Come, show to everyone what’s in your hands!”

Wang Yang raised the Bolton Wanderers jersey in his hands. His happiness made his movements a little clumsy. He went around to the coaches’ table to hug the Chinese coach in gratitude and then returned to the stage to hug Kenny.

The presenter invited Wang Yang’s parents to stand up and give a thank you speech.

There was only one chance left.

“Now there are two finalists left. They each still have a fifty percent chance of going to the UK. Who will it be?” The presenter paused for a moment.

“Song Hui.” Kenny wanted to call Song Hui to stand in front of the box.

The presenter came up with a better idea instead, one that would keep the suspense to the end. “Chen Jian, you go too. Both of you go stand at the same time. Song Hui, you go to the middle box and Chen Jian, you go to the right.”

Chen Jian also got up from his seat. He tidied up a corner of his clothes and steadied his emotions. He was trying to calm himself down, lest he made a fool of himself.

“Walk slowly, then stop in front of the boxes. Stop for a moment…” The presenter was still stirring up emotions. “You can close your eyes and think carefully about the road you’ve taken over the last three months. Think about everything you’ve given… Now that dream is in the box in front of you, covered with a lid. Once it is lifted… your dream will break out and be revealed!”

Song Hui closed his eyes, but Chen Jian did not.

“All right… Open them up! Take a look at what’s…”

The presenter was still talking when the two teenagers had already opened the lids in front of them at the same time. Within the same camera frame, Song Hui froze, and Chen Jian only lifted the lid halfway and covered it back up again.

“… Inside!”

Chen Jian closed his eyes this time and lifted his head. He did not want to let others see his expression.

Next to him, Song Hui reached in with his hands and pulled out a blue jersey from the box. It was the second ticket to the English Premier League!

The entire auditorium was jubilant.

※※※

“I have to say the scene that this bastard set up is quite effective.” Twain turned and said to Dunn.

Dunn just smiled and motioned him to keep watching.

※※※

“Everton! Congratulations to Song Hui! He has received the last dream ticket!” The presenter continued to be rousing.

Amid the cheers, Chen Jian looked a little lonely. He turned to walk back.

The camera shot swept across the contestants’ seats. Zhao Rui looked disappointed as he shook his head repeatedly.

Song Hui came up and hugged Chen Jian. Everyone’s gaze immediately focused on him. Not many people were optimistic that he would be able to achieve the final victory… Did not he say it himself? “My football skills are not the best.”

The presenter would have liked to say stirring words like “the ‘Smiler’ has finally shed tears…” But he carefully observed and did not see a trace of tears on Chen Jian’s face.

The kid did not cry even though the curled-up corners of his mouth were replaced by tight pursed lips. His brows were knitted, but he did not cry.

The discovery disappointed the presenter, who could not use the stirring lines that he had thought of.

The organizers created the stunt in hopes that they would dissolve into tears and move people to propel the program’s atmosphere to its climax. Then, when the last surprise came, it would be so impressive that everyone would exclaim “ah, life is really full of ups and downs.”

Without the down, would the shift of events have any dramatic effects?

He was eager to make Chen Jian cry, so he said, “Chen Jian fell outside the threshold of the dream. This is really such a shame! But sports is this cruel, there will always be winners and losers…”

Chen Jian and Song Hui had walked back to the stage. Wang Yang also came over to hug Chen Jian. The presenter still did not see tears on Chen Jian’s face, not even a hint of tears to come.

He sighed silently at his failure. The kid was more tenacious than he thought.

The program had to go on. He could only shift the target to the victorious Song Hui and heap praises on him, while Song Hui’s father was invited to come forward to say a few words to his son.

It was a heart-warming scene.

No one noticed Chen Jian, who was not on the television camera shot. His parents were there too, but they did not get a chance to stand up and say something big to show a heart-warming scene of their family.

Allan Adams looked on with interest at Chen Jian on the stage. He was clearly disappointed, dejected, and in pain. The best way to vent was to cry, but the Chinese teenager chose one of the most uncomfortable ways. He made himself hold back the tears in front of everyone so as not to let others see his weak side.

Surrounded by the joyous atmosphere, Chen Jian suddenly thought of the Northeasterner, Zhao Rui, who stood up first to give him a toast last night. He thought of how he hid in the restroom and cried after he was eliminated in the last test due to his poor condition from a cold and fever that he did not even get to do the penalty shootout.

How was it possible not to vent? His chest felt like it was crushed underneath a boulder. He was so uncomfortable that he could suffocate. He could only hope now that the program ended early so that he could find a quiet place to have a good cry. Then he would dry his tears and report back to school. He would write a deep self-review because he had skipped his classes. He would also reassure his parents that he would study hard and complete his studies. He would just treat the half-year period as if it had never happened.

He had a wonderful dream, and now he had woken from it.

While Song Hui father’s said a few words to his son, the presenter kept shooting side glances at Chen Jian. He wanted to see him while no one paid any attention to him. He was disappointed. This teenager still had a taut face and did not shed a tear, but the sadness on his face could not be concealed in any way.

Silly boy, you don’t even know how lucky you are. If the other two contestants knew about your results, I guarantee they will be crazy with jealousy.

Song Hui’s father finally finished his speech. The presenter took over the command again. He congratulated Song Hui and Wang Yang once again and then looked at Chen Jian.

“For the first time, the smile has disappeared from our “Smiler’s” face.” He said, and everyone followed suit to look at the morose-looking Chen Jian.

“This is probably the time when I should comfort Chen Jian and tell him not to feel sad. But it’s no use, because the results have been revealed, and they’re impossible to change… All of us have seen Chen Jian’s diligent efforts during this selection. He was one of the most hardworking out of the fourteen contestants!” The treatment that had not been given him before was returned to him. It was only then that the presenter gave him a grand introduction to the audience. “What everyone saw on TV was just a small part of his efforts, and there were a lot of things we did not see, when there were no cameras and outside the show… Just like what he said when he introduced himself, attitude determines everything, and his attitude… made the pickiest Kenny Sansom speechless!”

Sansom’s image appeared on the large television screen and he said to the camera, “This kid is the hardest working player I’ve ever seen.” Subtitles were not needed to indicate who “this kid” was, because everyone knew who he was talking about.

“He was aware of his shortcomings, so he stepped up his training in those areas and he’s very smart. He made up for his weaknesses with diligence, and that’s the truth. He did not make it to the end by luck.”

Chen Jian turned his head to look at what the two coaches said about him on the big screen, a little surprised. He had never heard the words from the two men. He always thought that he was not well-liked by the coaches due to his poor football skills.

The reaction of the live audience also changed, and a buzzing chatter below the stage sounded in the auditorium.

The presenter smiled. The final ace had come out after all and the live atmosphere finally developed to where he wanted.

He cleared his throat to attract everyone’s attention again. “In that case, let me announce the last result.”

Everything quieted down.

One last result?

Chen Jian looked confused.

“But before I announce it, I’m going to show everyone a short clip!”

The big screen went dark. After the sound of a whistle, an excited voice rang out. It was the presenter’s own voice.

“The game is over! Congratulations to the Nottingham Forest team from England, they’ve won the 2006-2007 season of UEFA Champions League!!”

The screen lit up again and it was the Nottingham Forest players in red jerseys who were running around the stadium to cheer and celebrate their victory. Through the big screen and sound equipment, the hustle and bustle from Greece’s Olympic Stadium battered on the eardrums and minds of all the people present.

Albertini ran at the front with the Champions League trophy, followed by faces the contestants could not be more familiar with — George Wood, Franck Ribéry, Rafael van der Vaart, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Edwin van der Sar, Pepe, and so on.

Naturally, Tony Twain, who was highly popular among the fans because of his character, was there.

He was lifted high up by the players and thrown into the sky.

Loud cheers and gasps of surprise rang out at the live show. This was the condition that Allan Adams accepted for the fact that his club could only pick the third-place winner. At the end, the organizers had to give Nottingham Forest a grand promotion. Such treatment was not enjoyed by the Everton and Bolton Wanderers football clubs or anyone.

Sitting in the audience, Allan Adams was very pleased.

Song Hui and Wang Yang looked at Chen Jian.

What’s Bolton Wanderers? What the hell is Everton? How can they compare with the newly minted UEFA Champions League winner, Nottingham Forest?

As everyone was amazed, Dunn appeared on the stage. He stood beside Chen Jian. Chen Jian turned his head and looked at him, only to finally react: the person he had bumped into in the restroom and thought looked familiar was the Nottingham Forest assistant manager Dunn!

Dunn smiled kindly at the shocked Chen Jian but said nothing.

Chen Jian noticed what Dunn held in his hands: a bundle of a fire-red colored… jersey.

The former commentator turned presenter announced in an excited tone, “and now, let us congratulate Chen Jian. His reward is — a year of training at Nottingham Forest!!”

“Awesome!” Zhao Rui was the first to stand up among the contestants and held up his arms to cheer for Chen Jian. “Chen Jian, that’s fantastic!!”

Dazed for a moment, the smile returned to Chen Jian’s face. This is indeed… fantastic.

Although he was in the third place, the reward for third was better than the first and second places combined. It was so much better!

“Now, the Nottingham Forest’s assistant manager, Dunn, will award the jersey to Chen Jian!”

Dunn handed over the Nottingham Forest jersey to Chen Jian amid the cheers. “Nottingham Forest welcomes you, Chen Jian.” He spoke in Mandarin.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you” Chen Jian could only repeat his thanks.

The ups and downs between joy and sorrow caused him to be momentarily speechless. His mind was completely blank, and he had temporarily lost the ability to think. Ah, life is really full of ups and downs…

The presenter handed the microphone to Dunn to let him say a few words to Chen Jian, which was actually also for the television viewers.

“We’ve been watching this show. Manager Tony Twain had high expectations it.”

※※※

Twain glanced at Dunn. “Did they tell you to say that?”

Dunn smiled and shook his head. “No, it’s in the original script. I added it at the last minute.”

“Hey!” Twain rolled his eyes and turned back to press the play button to continue watching.

※※※

“We’re happy to see the kids’ performances.” Dunn turned around and spoke to Chen Jian. “You did an outstanding job. You have a very prominent trait in you that we have observed from the initial audition to the grand finale. You put your heart and soul into this. So we decided to join the show and give you a chance for a one-year trial training in the UK. Hopefully you can be a part of us in the future. Welcome to Nottingham Forest, Chen Jian,” he repeated.

Another burst of loud cheers and applause rang out at the live show. Everyone liked a happy ending.

※※※

Twain turned off the video and turned back to look at Dunn.

“It’s really a great story with Chen Jian as the protagonist. It’s inspirational enough with sufficient twists and turns.”

Dunn smiled.

Twain was reluctant to admit that the football talent show was produced better than he thought, so he used the roundabout approach.

Dunn made him keep up on the talent show. He discovered that the standards were higher than he thought. No one impressive-looking but useless was selected. The fourteen contestants were all capable of entering the general training camp and the three finalists each had prominent strengths. For example, Wang Yang had the ability to command the game on the field, and Song Hui’s speed and composure were good. As for Chen Jian, his physical fitness was enviable, and his tenacity bore sweet results for him.

It was a fair outcome.

Dunn’s smile made Twain feel a little embarrassed.

“All right, all right… I admit that there has been some deviation in my previous judgment on this event. But we don’t have to harp on this small matter. I’m asking you a professional question now.” His face became serious as he asked, “what do you think of that guy’s ability?”

“There’s value in training him for one year,” Dunn answered seriously.

“His ball skills are the worst among the three finalists…”

“But I think his foundation is better than Wood’s.”

“Now that you say that, I remember when I first saw his performance in auditions, I thought of a person…”

“George Wood, right?”

Twain nodded.

“Their personalities and characteristics are somewhat similar in some ways. That’s also why I’m interested in him.”

“But we already have a George Wood. And I don’t think he can reach Wood’s current height,” Twain interrupted.

“I agree that his talent may not be as good as George Wood’s, but no one knows what will happen in the future, so I’m just saying there’s value in training him for a year.” Dunn’s tone was cool and detached, as if he were not discussing the future of his fellow countryman.

Twain was silent for a moment before he said, “what you said is reasonable. Anyway, even if it’s just fulfilling the original agreement, we’re going to train him for a year, so we may as well make use of it. The other two clubs may deal with it as a commercial event. We’ll give this kid the most formal youth training. Isn’t he the best at perseverance? I’m going to see how long he can hold on at Wilford.” Twain spoke with a smirk, the a devil’s smile.

“‘The Smiler’? Don’t think your life will be perfect after experiencing such a thrilling grand finale. To achieve your dream, experiencing such a little difficulty doesn’t even come close…”

“Are you going to play the ultimate boss again?” Dunn asked.

“Who else but me?”