Dunn saw Evan Doughty appear at the entrance of the café right on time, right on time. Evan Doughty did not bring anyone with him, and he did not see anyone who looked like a reporter near him. Dunn breathed a sigh of relief.
Evan Doughty paused at the door and looked around. Dunn did not raise his hand to indicate where he was, and Doughty quickly found him. He walked straight to Dunn and sat down opposite him.
The waiter came up and politely asked the gentleman what he wanted to drink.
This was not a very famous café. Such ordinary cafés were scattered all over the streets and were not eye-catching, so Evan Doughty chose this place. Doughty casually ordered a very ordinary cup of coffee. He was not here to taste coffee today, but to discuss the future of Nottingham Forest with the Chinese man in front of him.
It was interesting to say that there had never been a precedent in European football for hiring a Chinese man as a manager. Their football level was very low. What good manager could be produced in that kind of environment?
If Dunn knew what Evan Doughty was thinking, he would not know whether to laugh or cry. He was a true Englishman, and Tony Twain, whom he trusted the most, was indeed a 100% Chinese. How would Mr. Evan Doughty feel if he knew the truth?
Was it important to be Chinese or English?
As long as one had the ability, what difference did it make?
When the waiter served the coffee, the meeting between the two men officially began.
"I really did not expect the Chinese lad to have such achievements today." Evan Doughty looked at Dunn opposite him and sighed. He was not being pretentious. In fact, when Twain first introduced Dunn to him, he really did not expect the Chinese lad, who did not even have a coaching certificate, to be able to face him and possibly coach Nottingham Forest today.
"Frankly, Dunn. Although Tony is in favor of you taking over, I have some doubts. You know … "
"I know, I lack some experience in coaching a top team." Dunn took over the conversation. He was not angry that he was seen as such, because it was the truth. Having worked in football for more than a decade, including seven years as a manager, he had already understood the only truth in the world — results represented strength, and strength represented everything. Since he didn't have any commendable achievements, he would naturally be looked down upon by others.
"Ha, it's good that you know." Evan Doughty laughed dryly. "Tony thinks very highly of you. I think he has his reasons. Let's cut the crap. Can you let me hear your plans for the future of the team? If you manage the Forest team, where will you take it? "
Ever since Twain approached him and asked him to take over as the Forest manager, he had been thinking about it.
Now, there was a basic answer.
"I think Nottingham Forest needs to be torn down and rebuilt."
Dunn's first words shocked Evan Doughty. He had originally thought that a small break and supplement on the foundation that Tang En had left behind would be enough to maintain stability, and his results would naturally improve. However, he did not expect that the first thing this Chinese said was to completely overturn everything that had happened before.
"Why? Is the foundation that Tony left for you not good enough? "
Dunn smiled. "He didn't leave me anything." Seeing that Evan Doughty was a little confused, Dunn pressed on. "Other than bringing in Chen Jian during the winter transfer window, did he make any requests for you to buy players?"
Evan thought about it carefully. He really did not. Other than buying Chen Jian, Tony did not mention any other players that he wanted to buy. Logically speaking, the team's ability was not good, and winter was a great opportunity to replenish. However, Tang En was uncharacteristically quiet in the transfer market. The media had been paying attention to Nottingham Forest throughout January, but Nottingham Forest did not make any moves in the transfer market.
Evan only thought it was strange at the time, but he did not think of the real reason behind it. Now that Dunn reminded him, he realized that it was because of this?
"Also, has he been cleaning up the players in the team?" Seeing Evan's expression, Dunn knew that he was right, so he pressed on.
Evan raised his head and glanced at Dunn. The Chinese had guessed correctly again. If Tony had not revealed something to him in advance, he might have thought the same as Tony …
Tear down and rebuild?
But was there really a need to go that far?
Evan Doughty felt a little heartache at the thought of tearing down everything that had been built up previously.
Actually, Tang En did not reveal his thoughts to Dunn because he did not want to interfere with Dunn's plans. However, from what Tang En was doing, Dunn could already guess what Tang En was doing. To pave the way for his own promotion.
What a meddlesome fellow …
"Right now, this team still has remnants of Tony Twain's will, but Tony and I are managers with completely different styles. His team may not be suitable for me. Mr. Doughty, do you know why, no matter how many managers you changed in the past four seasons, the team's results could not be restored to their previous standards? "
"Too many managers changed?" Evan Doughty understood it this way: too many managers changed, and the tactical thinking was not unified. The players did not know what to do, and their loyalty to the manager decreased. Naturally, the results were poor.
Dunn shook his head. "The root cause is that the managers you changed later on were not Tony Twain. Tony had been in charge of the Forest team for 11 years, starting from the youth team all the way to the First Team. This team had long been deeply imprinted with his imprint. It would be useless to casually change someone else. The players would not accept anything other than him. But if I take over the team, the situation will be different. Tony can't come back to put out the fire. If I want the team to have a longer term development, I have to start all over again. This is also why Tony did not buy new players during the winter transfer period. Instead, he has been purging the old players — he is paving the way for me. "
Hearing Dunn's lofty words, Evan Doughty was very surprised. He did not expect Tang En to think so far ahead. At the same time, he saw the Chinese man's ability in a new light.
"Tony has always hoped that the team can get rid of its dependence on him, and be able to get rid of his imprint. He has always thought so since the day he had his heart attack. But he never got what he wanted. Now, he feels that this is a good opportunity. "
Nottingham Forest was Nottingham Forest, not Tony Twain's Nottingham Forest.
Dunn still remembered these words.
When he thought of Tang En, and then himself, Dunn was suddenly full of confidence in himself. There was a surge of pride in his heart.
He said to Evan Doughty, "Mr. Doughty. Do you want the team to be known as a 'traditional strong team in the English Premier League' a few years later? Do you want to see the team appear in the UEFA Champions League every season? I can't promise you that I can pick up the championship trophy after a few years. I also can't promise that I can be like Tony Twain and win 12 championships in 11 years. If you just want to win the championship, I can't promise anything. But I can lay a solid foundation for your team. This foundation is the foundation for Nottingham Forest to become a powerhouse. Mr. Doughty, do you like to ride the roller coaster, or do you like to move forward with your feet on the ground? "
Doughty really did not expect that he was the one testing Dunn, but now Dunn was testing him.
But he had to face the question raised by this man. Because it was the question in his heart.
Tony Twain led the team to 12 championship titles in 11 years, but he was still called a nouveau riche. In the past, he was quite unconvinced. Could it be that Nottingham Forest could not do well without Tony Twain? As it turned out, without Tony Twain, Nottingham Forest would not be able to play well.
What was the reason? Why was Manchester United able to maintain in the top four of the Premier League after Ferguson left? While Nottingham Forest plummeted?
It was really like riding a roller coaster, from the peak to the bottom in an instant.
Was it the immediate championship title or the long-term future?
"Don't powerhouses rely on winning the championship title?" He asked a little unwillingly.
"Powerhouses need championship titles, but you can't become a powerhouse with only championship titles." Dunn explained for him. "Chelsea won a lot of championship titles during Mourinho's time, but did anyone admit that they were champions? Now that you have a lot of championship titles, it's time to meet another condition. "
Evan Doughty did not ask Dunn what the condition was, because the condition was sitting opposite him.
"I want to move forward with my feet on the ground." Evan finally answered Dunn's previous question, and also answered the question in his heart.
Dunn laughed.
From 1996 to 2019, he took a big detour and circled back to the starting point.
※ ※ ※
Tang En knew the news of Dunn signing with the club immediately, because it was Dunn who called to tell him.
On the phone, Dunn thanked Tang En.
"Thank you, Tony."
"You're making me feel bad for saying that, Dunn." Tang En was very embarrassed. "This position was originally yours. I'm just returning it to you."
"Based on my previous performance, I could at most stay in that position for half a season. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have the changes I have now. So, I thank you not only because I can coach Nottingham Forest again. If I hadn't met you, my life might have passed just like that. "
Tang En and Dunn thought at the same time of the soul in this body before January 1, 2003.
There was a short silence on the phone.
It was not an awkward silence. The two men seemed to be immersed in their own memories, enjoying the silence without anyone to disturb them.
Me and him, him and me, if not for that "accident," we should have been living separate lives, right? As for what it was like exactly, it was hard to say. In short, they had both undergone irreversible changes. Whether these changes were good or bad for each of them, no one could say for sure.
Those notes on the fridge, that "You must win!!!", that familiar face, hugging a book as he waited to cross the road on the streets of Chengdu. That familiar face holding a book and waiting to cross the road on the streets of Chengdu, that brother who couldn't fall asleep just like him in his hometown. Those images of the past were all mixed together, indistinguishable from each other.
"I have nothing more to say, Dunn. I can only wish you good luck. But you must be careful. If you perform badly, I will not hesitate to scold you in the media. "
Dunn's light laughter rang from the other end of the phone.
"I hope I won't give you that chance."
After ending the call, Tang En was still holding his phone in a daze.
After 16 years, he had finally returned this team to Dunn. The last shred of guilt in his heart was gone. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. No matter what, a good ending was a good thing.
What would happen to Nottingham Forest next was not something he could control. He only hoped that everything would go well, hoped that Dunn would succeed, and hoped that he did not choose the wrong person.
He had been the captain of this team for 12 years. While he was not tired of looking at it, he should leave quickly. He could still leave the world with a cool and legendary figure.
※ ※ ※
Dunn put his phone aside and looked at the stack of papers on the table again. This was the contract signed with the Forest Football Club today. It would take effect automatically after the end of the English Football League Championship season.
Nottingham Forest would inform the Notts County Football Club that they would have to pay compensation to Notts County. Dunn was not worried that Notts County would not let him go. They could not even keep those promising players, so naturally, they would not be able to keep him. The logic was the same.
It was just that the Notts County fans might be angry for a while.
Since entering the Nottingham Forest Football Club in 1996, he had started out doing odd jobs. It was only now that he had truly become the owner of Nottingham Forest. He suddenly felt like he was in a dream. Was he really going to coach this team?
He had briefly coached this team in 2003, but the results of the team were terrible at that time, and he was also a rookie. Today, he still had not achieved anything to be proud of, while Nottingham Forest had swept through Europe under the leadership of his other self. They had become an existence that he had to look up to. Did he have the ability to lead such a team back on the road?
Thinking about this, Dunn smiled bitterly. He was still worrying about this now. How useless. Regardless of whether he had the ability or not, he had already signed the contract. No matter what, he could not get off the bus halfway.
He closed the contract and placed it in the drawer he had opened. Then he stood up and stretched.
Be Tang En's successor? It was a challenging job. He did not know how people and history would judge him as his successor in a few years.
Would he and Tony be like Paisley and Shankly?
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