Godfather Of Champions

On the flight back to Britain from Belarus, Twain would occasionally recall what happened, scene by scene, at the Dinamo Stadium in Minsk. Then he felt the lingering fears and his heart would beat faster.

By the time he brought on Žigić, he could have guessed how many media outlets would have been sharpening the knives in far-flung England, ready to take the defeated Nottingham Forest apart. If he did lose the game, he did not have to consider the pressure from the club’s senior management. Just the domestic public opinion could hang, draw, and quarter him.

Even if he had won the game now, the debate about the game would not stop there. The Belarusian media shouted unjust treatment, lashed out at Nottingham Forest for its lack of sportsmanship and said that Britain did revere fair play (the spirit of fair play), but as a Briton, Tony Twain had no concept of fair play at all. He stole three points from Borisov in the game with an unfair advantage.

Some of the British media also derided that it was a pity Twain had fallen to the point where he had to resort to the strategy of robbing with force to ensure that they advanced out of the group stage.

He could foresee that the pressure shrouding him would not diminish at all with the victory of the game in the near future. He was still in the middle of the maelstrom and was still unlikable.

In addition to thinking about how to deal with the enemies on the pitch, he had to rack his brains to cope with the media.

The immense pressure exhausted him. No matter how loud the noise was on the plane, he just went to sleep the moment he tilted his head and shut his eyes.

※※※

Twain recently felt that his sleep was not restful, and he was in a bad mood every morning when he got up. The moment he opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling, the troubles which he temporarily forgot while sleeping would surface thick and fast, which caused him to suddenly lose all interest in life—there were worries every day on top of more worries. His brows did not have a moment to smooth out at all.

He forgot from where he had heard the phrase “The mood of the day is decided by your mood when you wake up.” At the moment, he felt that this phrase was too appropriate. He was in a bad mood every day when he got up, so he was in a bad mood all day.

During this period, he headed more frequently to the Forest bar, where he downed one drink after another with a cigarette constantly in his hand. Everyone in the bar also knew that Twain had been under a lot of pressure lately and that the team’s results were daunting. Even playing against the weakest opponent in the Champions League group stage was a narrow escape. Carl Spicer continued to attack Twain in his column because he sent him ten thousand books to embarrass him in public. Furthermore, after his relationship with Shania came to light, numerous rumors swirled around him.

As a football manager, the pressure was already greater than it would be for a normal person, on top of so many things out of the football field to bother him. He could not find any other way to relieve his mental stress other than drinking and smoking.

John and the others were unable to help however much they wanted to. No one could help Twain share this kind of pressure.

No…

Actually, there was someone.

The fans in the bar were talking and laughing with drinks in hand. They discussed the latest interesting happenings. Football was not the only topic being talked about here. The fans who often gathered here knew each other well and could talk about anything.

Twain was still sitting alone in the corner, drinking and smoking.

John leaned over and propped his bent elbows on the bar. He looked at Twain in the corner and said to himself, “It’s really hard to see Tony like this. Unfortunately, we can’t help him… Can’t play football and help him win good results; can’t help him deal with the media, can’t help him raise money to buy players in January…”

“It’s hard behind the glitz…” Skinny Bill sighed too.

As one of the best in a new generation of managers, Tony Twain had a high-profile and many admirers and followers. What the people, who liked or hated him, saw was nothing more than Twain’s arrogance and domineering appearance plus his bright and dazzling achievements. Who could see the Tony Twain of the present moment?

Burns wiped the glasses and softly spoke, “Bone weary from the day, he returns home all the time to a dark and cold house. Even the smallest amount of pressure will slowly accumulate to become something bigger?”

John looked back at him.

Burns held up a glass and looked at it under the lights to see if there were any stains that had not yet been cleaned. “A forty-year-old man, still single and doing such a high-stress job. How many football coaches have you heard who are single?” He looked up at John and asked.

With a bang, Twain stood up and knocked over the glass placed on the table. He waved goodbye to Burns, John and Bill, as he wove out of the bar alone.

“Who can spend all his life in a bar?” Burns looked at the swaying door and said.

※※※

Every day after work, he would go to Burns’ Forest Bar to get drunk and then sleep in a drunken haze. The next day, he would get up and frowned as he thought for a while only to realize the new day held nothing that could make him feel better. The international financial situation was deteriorating every day and the club’s finances could only shrink further. He was worried that the next day Evan would find him to say that the club could no longer afford to pay the big star players their high salaries. The players’ exhausted stamina could not be fully recovered with a few days’ sleep. There were always a few names on the injury name list. Sometimes a person would leave, and another person would come on.

This was Twain’s “happy life” nearing the end of the year.

Although he could not think of any good news that would make him happy when he got up every morning and sat by the bed, he still had to drum up his spirit and forcibly put on a pleasant face to go work in Wilford.

He had to supervise the training, develop a week’s work plan, communicate with the physiotherapists and team doctors to know the recovery status of the injured players every day, communicate with the fitness coaches to keep up-to-date with the team’s latest fitness, observe the players’ condition during training, and occasionally pay some attention to the youth team and reserve players, listen to the latest reports from the football scouts from around the world. He also had to search for talent within the database of players specially crafted by Sports Interactive for the Forest team, hoping to rely on Sports Interactive’s vast network of scouts around the world to allow him to unearth one or two unknown wonder kids and young bosses. He continued to deal with the media’s various tricky questions at the regular press conferences, studied the next opponent’s latest intelligence, and worked with Dunn to develop a detailed campaign …

Since the pressure was too enormous to be solved, he simply worked harder and kept busy to make himself temporarily forget the pressure.

This was the “stress reduction” approach that Twain used to face the pressure.

It could be said that this method was effective at work. He was frantically busy and basically had no time to consider the amount of the pressure. It was only at the end of the day when work had ended, that the feeling would surge up like a tide coming ashore, and increasingly stronger than before.

When he returned home after he “relaxed” at the bar and saw the dark painted colossus from the outside, he had the urge to not go in and turn to leave.

It was cold outside. It was just as cold at home.

Standing on the dark doorway, he broke out in a cold sweat after drinking as a gust of icy wind blew at him.

※※※

On November 29th, the fifteenth round of the league tournament, Nottingham Forest defeated West Bromwich Albion at home by 3:1. In the other games played at the same time, Chelsea and Arsenal tied at 2:2 while Liverpool easily beat West Ham United by 2:0. Manchester United and Manchester City shook hands on a 1:1 draw at the Manchester Derby. Thus, Liverpool overtook Chelsea to take the top spot in the league table with thirty-eight points, followed by Chelsea with thirty-six points, and Nottingham Forest at the third place with thirty points. Manchester United, which originally had the same points as them, was in the fourth place with twenty-eight points. Arsenal was in the fifth place with twenty-seven points.

Nottingham Forest had finally pulled ahead of Manchester United in points and was no longer in third place in the league with the other teams. Chelsea’s winning streak was held back by Arsenal. At thirty-six points, they only a six points difference with the Forest team, once again giving the Forest team a glimmer of hope to catch up and overtake.

In the game against West Bromwich Albion, the team also put in a spirited performance rarely seen in recent games and easily won against the opponent at 3:1.

It was reasonable to say that these were all good things, but neither Tony Twain nor the media clearly thought that was the case.

Van Nistelrooy was replaced by Žigić after he was injured and fell to the ground in the 70th minute of the game against West Bromwich Albion.

According to a preliminary diagnosis after the game, he needed to take a break for the injury for two months.

The figure had made Twain’s already knitted brows creased even more.

Van Nistelrooy knew what troubled the boss. In an interview, he even smiled with ease that he was fine to lessen the pressure on Twain. He said, “It’s only for eight weeks. I’ll just have a good rest for two months. I’ll be back!”

As a result, when he flew to the United States for further examination, a staggering piece of bad news came out.

The previous estimation of two months of recuperation did not include the option of surgery. The team doctors did not think that there was any need for surgery and he just needed to recuperate. Of course, it was from the club’s point of view. After all, the team doctors knew the Forest team was currently short of players. Beckham and Eastwood had been injured, while Pepe’s injury was also further aggravated in the game against Borisov. He had to sit in the stands completely, and Sun Jihai was also injured for a month.

Under the circumstances of the team being strapped for players, they did not consider the surgical treatment option at all.

The doctor in the United States had no such concerns. The famous doctor, Richard Steadman who diagnosed van Nistelrooy, bluntly pointed out that the Dutch man should have surgery right away and…

<Eight months!!>

<The Sun> printed the big and somewhat shocking black headline.

Eight months was the estimated time for van Nistelrooy to recover from the surgery—eight to nine months.

When the news came from America to Nottingham, Tony Twain could hardly believe his ears. He thought the other side had mistaken “eight months” for “eight weeks.”

How could he be wrong?

※※※

“… At least eight to nine months and it’s only the time for recovery from the surgery. It’s at a year away from him being able to play again!”

How could Tony Twain’s most loyal opponent, Carl Spicer not be around during such a sensitive time? In an interview with a television station, he broke the news and pushed Tony Twain further into the heart of the struggle.

“The players normally have at least a month to undergo muscle training to regain their forms during the initial stages of recovery from a serious injury. Any intense exercise during the one-month period can cause the newly healed injury to flare up again. Van Nistelrooy’s injured knee meniscus is the most likely part of the body that can cause the old injury to recur from any collision. The most classic example is Ronaldo. Can any of you count the number of times the Brazilian O Fenômeno’s knee has been injured?”

“No, no. I won’t say the kind of foolish things like van Nistelrooy will definitely say goodbye to the season. I’m just saying that the Dutch will have a ninety-five percent chance of completely retiring! Is this alarmist talk? I’m not doing that. Well, I’ll pray for the Dutchman’s successful surgery and perfect recovery from the injury. Then he will be able to start a simple muscle strength training, and then gradually strengthen to participate in the team training with the whole team. And he can slowly … begin to compete again. There will be no twist and turn during the period, and a year will have passed.” On the television football program, he wrote and drew on the board. He spoke frankly with assurance about van Nistelrooy’s serious injury, “Remember, there will be no problem during this time. He will recover well, and he hasn’t had a relapse in his right knee. Then he will be thirty-four years old.”

Spicer spread his hands and said to the host with a smile, “Do you know what thirty-four years of age mean for a striker? In a fast-paced and fierce competition like the Premier League, what can a thirty-four-year-old striker, who has just suffered a serious knee injury…do? Will Nottingham Forest renew van Nistelrooy’s contract? I don’t believe Evan Doughty will be a philanthropist under such terrible financial climate. That’s why I said he had a ninety-five percent chance of retiring directly!”

“Well, I made myself clear about the unfortunate Dutchman. Now let us see who’s the cause of all this and who was responsible for van Nistelrooy’s tragic fate!” He saw the host’s mouth open and hurriedly stopped him with a gesture, so that he can continue to add, “That’s right, I’m referring to—Tony Twain!”

From the beginning of the new season, van Nistelrooy is already injured and has not been in good shape. He basically plays in a few games and takes a break during the first half of the league tournament. At the start of the season, van Nistelrooy already announced his retirement from the Netherlands national team and focused on playing for the Forest team. Twain overjoyed by this. After he drove Bendtner away, van Nistelrooy is the only center forward he can rely on. The Serbian simply couldn’t adapt to the Premier League football. The team’s performance is not good and the entire team’s condition was up and down. Coupled with the impact of the financial crisis, Tony Twain knew he has to obtain good results. Under immense pressure, he can only continue to rely on van Nistelrooy…”

Having said that, Carl Spicer leaned calmly against the back of the chair, with a mysterious smile on his face.

“I have inside information that just before the game against West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest’s team doctor had warned Twain that it was best not to let van Nistelrooy play or he would risk an injury. But Tony Twain still forced to bring the Dutchman on and did not heed the team doctor’s warning for the sake of his manager position. And what did everyone see in the end? A manager who only cares for his own position regardless of the players’ health. Some people may say that he rules with an iron fist. But I scoff at this!”

※※※

While Carl Spicer’s talk show was on the television, Twain was drinking his troubles away in Burns’ bar. Van Nistelrooy’s serious injury was indeed a heavy blow to Twain. Žigić was still slowly adjusting to the Premier League, Eastwood was constantly suffering from minor injuries and Arshavin was more of a winger than a scoring center forward. The only one who could be trusted was the dedicated van Nistelrooy. As a result, he became injured and it was going to take eight months… He completely had no idea how to resolve the task of goalscoring within the team the rest of the season.

While he was troubled, he naturally came to the bar to drink and drown his sorrows.

He was surrounded by John and Bill, who were both trying to comfort him.

Then he heard the news of Carl Spicer looking smug on television and jabbering about the scoop.

At the time, his body swayed as he stood up, holding a thick beer glass in his hand, and was about to smash the television. Fortunately, John and Bill acted quickly. One of them held him and the other man reached to take the glass. But the beer in the glass drenched Twain.

“The bitch-faced bastard!” He punched and swore.

“Why do you care what that idiot do, Tony? Drink up, let’s drink!” John signaled to Burns to continue serving.

But Twain did not keep drinking. He sat in the chair in a daze and still looked back on what happened before the game.

Carl Spicer was right with one thing. Fleming did warn him that van Nistelrooy’s body was close to collapse and could not be used like this again. Therefore, Twain decided to rotate and rest van Nistelrooy to give Žigić, who had not adapted to the Premier League yet, to start in the game. Anyway, West Bromwich Albion was just a newly promoted team which they could cope with. Even if Beckham, Eastwood, Pepe and van der Vaart were injured, they could always cope.

But van Nistelrooy looked for him and insisted on playing. He was aware of the team’s current predicament and knew that the boss had no one available whom he could use.

Twain thought about it for a long time before he nodded and agreed.

He just did not think that what he feared would come into fruition. Van Nistelrooy really got hurt in the game and was seriously injured for eight months!

It was really unfortunate. He was out of luck…

※※※

The next day, a lot of reporters were at the gates of Wilford and they wanted to come here to confirm if what Carl Spicer said on television last night was true.

Twain’s hoarse voice in front of these reporters sounded a little soft. The troubles, which came one after another these days gave him a sense of powerlessness and he could not act tough even if he wanted to.

“Don’t make wild guesses…” He waved his hands and said, “It was my decision to let Ruud play, and I’m not going to shirk my responsibility for it. I feel sorry and shocked that the team has lost such an important striker, but my team will persevere. We are ranked third and in good condition. An injury is a normal occurrence. I don’t see what you call a crisis. That’s it, goodbye everyone.”

With that, he turned and walk inside.

A group of reporters rushed forward at the back and shouted, “Mr. Tony Twain! I have one more question!”

“Mr. Twain, I heard you forced van Nistelrooy to play injured with the use of local injections?”

Twain turned and glared at those reporters and coldly said, “I am in a bad mood, don’t bother me! If you’re curious, go ask Carl Spicer. Didn’t he claim to have inside information? Let him give you all the inside information he knows!”

After he marched ahead to shake off the reporters, only then Twain stopped to look up at the gloomy sky.

At least eight months…

When van Nistelrooy returns from the recovery of his injury, who knows what the situation will be like at that time?

Will the global economic crisis be over? Will we have any money? Can I wave my checkbook to buy people all over the world? What will happen to the team? Can we win the UEFA Champions League title for the third time in a row? Can we still defend the Premier League title? What kind of breakthrough can we made in the FA Cup?

What’s going to happen to Nottingham Forest and I… a year later?