Thanks to "Taotie 1988" for the tip!
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The day after Ajax's defeat in Bruges, Qin Xiong came to the training ground to train as usual. He unexpectedly found that the atmosphere in the reserve team had become strange!
Van Basten's face was dignified, which probably meant that he was very dissatisfied with the First Team's performance in Belgium last night and was worried about the First Team's future in the Champions League.
But Qin Xiong noticed that his teammates in the reserve team were not depressed by the First Team's defeat. Instead, there was a suppressed excitement!
This excitement made them more serious in training, as if they had been injected with stimulants!
After a little thought, Qin Xiong understood.
There was an unwritten law in the football circle: a successful team would not change!
The specific embodiment of success was winning games.
If a team kept winning games and could always defeat the opponents it faced, then what was the need to change? Victory meant that everything in the team was running well. The team composed of 11 starting players and three to five substitutes had reached its best state. Whether it was the manager or others, they should not take the initiative to change, because change would risk destroying the well-functioning system.
It was conceivable that if Ajax's First Team kept winning games, then how could the substitutes who had been relegated to the reserve team and the young rookies who were lining up to "rebel and usurp the throne" in the reserve team stand out?
It was precisely because the First Team had lost and perhaps needed to change that the players in the reserve team were so excited from the bottom of their hearts!
Perhaps this kind of mentality was "negative" and appeared to lack a sense of collective honor.
However, for these players who were still nothing to the Ajax Club, to talk about loyalty and collective honor, first of all, you had to be an indispensable part of the team and play a significant role in the team. If you were an unknown and insignificant figure to the team, loyalty and honor would be akin to the nonsense of a bystander.
After Qin Xiong understood the change in mentality of his teammates, he naturally became excited. An opportunity would not come for no reason. When the First Team had a problem, it was as if a God-given opportunity had appeared in front of him and his teammates!
With this kind of excitement in mind, the teammates held back their energy to compete with each other during training. This was a kind of benign open and covert competition that stimulated each other's potential!
.....
The Dutch domestic media, Inter Soccer, criticized Ajax in their Champions League match report published on Thursday. "Three days ago, Comain proudly announced the return of the best Ajax after their victory over Valwijk. In fact, that was just an illusion. This talented Ajax team was humiliated by Club Brugge in Belgium. Club Brugge relied on their home ground advantage and unprecedented unity to fight to make Ajax, who was in the top eight of the Champions League last season, swallow the bitter pill of defeat. Ajax's problem is very obvious. The smooth offensive and defensive system from last season no longer exists. The situation is very chaotic. Captain Van Der Vaart's performance after returning from the frontline to the midfield is not satisfactory. He is still adapting, but Ajax's Champions League journey has already begun. If they do not defeat Celta in the next match at home, we can almost declare that Ajax will not be able to make it to the top 16 of the Champions League, because in the third and fourth round of the Champions League group stage, Ajax will face last season's Champions League champion, the powerful AC Milan!
The pressure on Ajax's head coach, Comain's shoulders is incomparably huge.
The second round of the Dutch Cup will be held in the middle of next week. All the Eredivisie teams will be participating, so this week's league matches are mostly concentrated on Saturday.
Ajax went to Belgium in the middle of the week. After returning to the country, he will have to play consecutive matches as a guest.
In the fifth round of the Eredivisie, Ajax will be the guest of Breda, which is located in the extreme south of the Netherlands.
Qin Xiong did not watch the match in the afternoon. He had to prepare for the reserve team match on Sunday. He also had to train with a coach on the field.
The coach would give him a long pass, and then Qin Xiong would do his best to perfectly stop the ball. Running!
At the end of the training, he walked back to the locker room to take a shower. By chance, he heard his teammates, Esayas and Driedle, talking in a low voice.
"Should we change a few players to try?"
"Who knows what Comain will think. I heard that the atmosphere in the First Team's locker room is very tense."
"Haha, anyone would be angry after two consecutive defeats."
"Sigh, I hope Comain will try to change the lineup. We're not like those First Team people who are comfortable. I don't dare to say anything else, but when it comes to the next match, even if I break my leg, I'll give it my all!"
"Of course! Hmph, those First Team geniuses are all arrogant and complacent because of the outside world last season. Each of them thinks they're superstars. "
.....
Qin Xiong returned to Wardle Street to find out about the fifth round of the Eredivisie.
Ajax lost miserably at the feet of Breda in the away game 2: 4!
Following the away loss in the first round of the Champions League group stage, Ajax, who had not lost in six matches in the new season, suffered two consecutive defeats in four days!
The outside world was questioning, worried, and discussing Ajax.
Within Ajax, apart from the tense atmosphere in the First Team's locker room and the team's morale falling, the head coach, Comain, and the technical director, Louis Van Gaal, also broke out in an intense argument in the office!
"Ronald, I know what you're thinking! Indeed, today's Ajax cannot be compared to last season. You need to consider the balance of the team. That's why you withdrew Van Der Vaart. De Rong is still immature. He needs more protection. However, there's a better solution now! "
Louis Van Gaal's tone was forceful, trying to get Comain to accept his suggestion.
With two consecutive defeats, Comain was distraught. Louis Van Gaal came to criticize him again, making him even angrier.
"You want to talk about that Chinese again? He's performing very well in the youth team, but he doesn't have any experience on the professional stage. Have you considered the risk of rashly pushing him into the professional stage? Have you considered that if I were to use him, then who should I abandon? Pienaar? On what basis? "
Louis Van Gaal retorted, "Isn't managing a football club about taking care of anyone's feelings? Everything has to be done for the benefit of the team! You haven't seen Qin Xiong play at all! Open your eyes and take a look. Make a decision after you've seen it! I have to remind you that we don't have time! No more! By the time you experiment with withdrawing Van Der Vaart back to the midfield to create a new tactical system, our Champions League season will be over! "
"Now I'm the manager of the team. Everyone has to listen to me. I know how the team is going to develop! It's not up to you to give orders! "
"Hehe, we lost to the eventual champions of the Champions League last season and were regrettably eliminated. In the new season, the players from last season should be stronger. But now? Anyone with a discerning eye can see the performance on the field. It's not a matter of the players' strength, but the technical and tactical system! Indeed, before Qin Xiong appeared, I supported your approach to revamp the team's tactical system. However, after Qin Xiong appeared, not only can we restore the mature tactical system from last season, so the players don't have to adapt to the new changes, but we can also become stronger! Because Qin Xiong is a very good midfield playmaker. This is an element of the team that we didn't have last season! Now, do you want to give up what's near and seek what's far away? Ronald, think about it yourself. Yes, you're the manager. Everyone should listen to you. However, you also have to be responsible for Ajax's honor and all the Ajax fans! "
Louis Van Gaal slammed the door and left. Sometimes he was so fiery. When he spoke harshly, his impulsive outburst was earth-shattering.
Comain was in a terrible mood. His record of two consecutive defeats gave him a weakness that could be used against him. He was in a disadvantageous position. In addition, Louis Van Gaal used to be his immediate superior. It was even more difficult for him to withstand the confrontation.
However, after calming down, he pondered Louis Van Gaal's suggestion.
Excluding the power struggle within the club, Louis Van Gaal's vision and professional advice were definitely the number one in Ajax!
Their quarrel broke out on Sunday morning. The First Team had just played a game yesterday afternoon. They had a break in the morning and would only be back for training in the afternoon.
Comain planned to leave the recovery training in the afternoon to his assistant. He would go to the reserve team's stadium to watch the reserve team's league tournament.
Coincidentally, Ajax's reserve team was facing their opponent at home today. Otherwise, Comain might not have time to go to the away game to watch.
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