Winters in England always darkened early. The sky was already completely dark at around five in the afternoon. The street lights lit up one after another. The neon lights of the bars on the streets were lit up even earlier than them. They hung on the transparent glass windows and reflected brilliant lights, giving off an illusory feeling, just like the scene in the eyes of a drunkard.
Burns' Forest Bar was at the corner, at the intersection of two streets. These two streets were where bars and pubs gathered. Burns' Forest Bar had the best business and was the most famous. It was not only because of its good location, but also because it was opened in an area where Forest fans gathered.
Forest Bar only needed to hear the name to know what kind of fan territory it was. The main color of the bar inside and out was red, a dark red. There was also a huge Forest logo on the outer wall that could be seen from afar. Before and after a match, Forest fans liked to come here to have a few drinks, chat with others, and even have heated debates. During matches, people without tickets would come here to watch the broadcast of Forest's matches. Every time this happened, the bar's business would be at its peak.
Tang En had been waiting for Walker in the bar. He even ate his dinner in the bar. When business was not too busy, he would sit in a corner and chat quietly with Burns. Burns congratulated Tang En on his performance in the second half of the FA Cup, then felt sorry for the two draws. In between, there would be fans who came here to drink. Burns would go to greet them, and there would also be people who recognized Tang En and would come up to greet him politely. When everyone was not drunk, this group of Englishmen was still quite nice.
Walker only came after eating. He was not like Tang En, who was single and could be dealt with anywhere. He was a man with a wife and children.
"The man who loves home is here," Tang En said to Burns, pointing at Walker when he saw him appear at the door.
Burns smiled and went up to welcome him. He pulled Walker over to sit with him, then personally went to the bar to get a beer.
"What's the matter, Tony?" Walker took off his coat and hung it on the back of the chair.
"I'm bored, so I'm looking for someone to chat with." Tang En lit a cigarette for himself. He did not pass one to Walker. The kid did not smoke, a habit he had developed as a professional footballer.
"I don't think Mr. Tony Twain is the kind of person who would look for someone to chat with just because he's bored." Walker smiled as he received the wine from Burns. "Thank you, Kenny."
"Uh, that's right … I'll find a woman."
The three men laughed knowingly.
"Seriously, I do have something to talk to you about, and I also want Kenny to give me some ideas." After Walker drank a mouthful of wine, he spoke. "Before I tell you what I think, I want to ask you a few questions, Des."
"Go ahead."
"As a fan and a spectator, Des, what kind of game do you like to see? Don't think, just tell me the answer … "
"Uh …" Walker was stunned for a moment, then replied, "I think it should be the kind of exciting match where there are a lot of star players, and both sides are evenly matched."
"So it's a battle of aggression?" Tang En asked.
Walker nodded. "If you put it that way … it's not wrong. Both sides play attacking football. Many, many beautiful goals … "
Tang En chuckled. "You're really cruel."
"Ah?"
"Des, you're making the defenders and goalkeepers look bad by saying that." Burns also laughed at the side.
Walker understood. Of course, a battle of aggression was good to watch, but it was a painful thing for the defensive players who played on the field. "Uh, Tony asked me to say it from the perspective of a fan and a spectator …"
"Alright. Now, from your perspective as a player, what kind of game do you like? Don't think about it, just say it intuitively. "
"Of course it's the kind where our side wins easily, without any suspense." This time, Walker gave the answer just as Tang En asked the question.
"In other words, as long as we win, it's fine. Don't worry about the process," Tang En asked.
"Uh, it's not that we don't care about the process, we have to win easily … But what you said is not wrong. As long as we win, it's a good game. When I was playing, sometimes I wished that I didn't even sweat for 90 minutes. Sometimes, I'd rather pay the price, just to get a victory in the end. "
Hearing Walker's words, Tang En snapped his fingers. "Alright, now it's the last question. Des, if you were a team's manager, which of the two games above would you like? "
This question stumped Walker. He opened his mouth but did not know how to answer. Tang En looked at Walker's rich and varied expressions with interest. He seemed to be struggling internally. After a while, Walker shook his head honestly. "I'm not sure. I've only been a manager for half a season."
Burns knocked on the table beside him. "Tony, don't keep us in suspense. Tell me what you think. "
Tang En said to the two, "The last three games have given me a lot of inspiration. Three games, one loss and two draws. We have the upper hand. If technical statistics can determine the final result, we should have obtained three consecutive wins, not three without a win. "
Walker knew what Tang En was going to say. He coughed. "Tony, we should have won the first game. But the reason we lost was not because of that. It was because of the referees. It was the referees who eliminated us in the third round of the FA Cup."
"Alright then. Aside from the first game. Two league games … Kenny, you've also seen it. We had the upper hand. No matter how you look at it, we should have been the final victors. And the result? "Tang En leaned back in his chair. He spread out his hands, shrugged, and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Ka …" He had originally intended to mention the famous "useless possession theory" that was repeatedly criticized by the Spanish media after Capello took charge of Real Madrid. But he immediately remembered that this was four years ago. At this time, Capello was still in Rome, playing the most beautiful and powerful offensive football in Italy. If he were to tell them at this time that Capello advocated the useless possession theory and let a team like Real Madrid play extremely conservative and ugly football, they would definitely not believe it.
But … wait! A plan emerged in Tang En's mind. He did not know if this "useless possession theory" had been clearly mentioned before Capello, but the football world should have long had this understanding. It was just that he had not heard of any expert summarizing it and bringing it to greater heights. Since I'm now four and a half years ahead of this world, why can't I summarize it and officially push it out? Four years later, who knows, Capello might have to say, "I really admire Manager Tony Twain's' useless possession theory. '" This is my, Tang En's, original creation. Sir Capello, don't ruin it.
Thinking of this, Tang En became excited. The feeling of toying with history in the palm of his hand was too great.
"It's like this …" Tang En began his work of promoting this theory. First, he had to get everyone to acknowledge this theory emotionally. "I know the fans all like to watch a good game, like to attack each other, and like more goals. But what do you think the chances of winning such a game are?"
"Arsenal plays very well, and they're currently in first place. Manchester United is five points behind them," Walker retorted.
Tang En rolled his eyes. When he asked this question, he already knew that Walker would answer him like this. The current Arsenal team was indeed considered an anomaly in the whole of England. There were more and more teams in the English Premier League that played with techniques, but no one could bring it to the extreme like Arsenal. "Professor" Wenger was a very great manager. Tang En never denied this, even though he was not an Arsenal fan. However, he also clearly remembered who the final winner of the English Premier League title in the 02-03 season was. It was Manchester United. It was the Manchester United that was five points behind Arsenal. Of course, Tang En could not use this fact to refute Walker. He could only change his perspective. "Five points is nothing. I think Manchester United still has a high chance of winning the title at the end of the season."
Walker chuckled, and Burns whistled from the side. Tang En knew they did not believe him. Arsenal's current form was too good, while Manchester United was declining. He was not prepared to convince the two of them. After all, this was not what he wanted to say. However, he did not mind using this to earn some benefits.
"Alright, I know you don't believe me. How about this, let's make a bet. I bet that Manchester United will become the English Premier League champion at the end of the season. The bet is … whatever you choose. "Tang En was very confident.
"Okay, I'll bet too," Walker said first. Burns followed up. "Walker and I bet that Arsenal will win the title. If we lose, I'll open my business for a day for free. Also, Tony, you don't have to pay a single cent when you come here to drink in the future. "
This was a good bet. Tang En chuckled. "I'll drink you until you're broke, Kenny."
"I don't mind. But if you lose, Tony, you have to fulfill my request. "
"No problem. What request? "
"Hmm …" Burns thought about it. "I haven't thought about it yet. I'll let you know when I have an idea."
"Alright, it's a deal."
The matter of the bet was settled just like that. Tang En continued to promote his "original" theory to them. "In today's football world, other than Arsenal, which other team can you name that relied on beautiful offensive football and artistic football to ascend to the top?" Tang En dared to brag because he knew that Barcelona was still in chaos. Ronaldinho had not gone to Barcelona, Messi had not become famous, and Deco was still playing under Porto's Mourinho. The frenzy of offensive football that swept Spain and Europe was far from arriving.
"How many teams can you name within ten years, let alone five years? I don't want those teams that have a high reputation but have not won any glory. Ascending to the top means winning the championship. "
Walker and Burns thought about it. Indeed, there were not many. The Arsenal team that they admired had not even won the championship this season.
"That's right. Modern football is more utilitarian. That's a fact, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Because I'm a manager. I look at things from the manager's point of view. I don't want my team to be praised for playing beautifully in the future, grasping the initiative in the game, playing aggressive football, exciting the fans and the media, and then … we can't win anything. I repeat, I'm a manager. What are the standards to evaluate a manager? It's very simple: results, results, victory, championship. A manager who can't lead his team to victory is definitely not a good manager. No matter how outstanding his tactical style is, no matter how beautiful his team plays, he won't be successful. " Tang En thought of Rijkaard. The 06-07 season was the beginning of the collapse of Rijkaard's artistic football. It also showed that relying on artistic football could not achieve long-term success. "How can we win? I don't think it's possible to rely on beautiful football. At least, it's impossible to use it on Forest. "
"Ah, Tony, are you a conservative manager?" Walker said, pointing at Tang En.
"No, I don't belong to any school or faction. I only believe in victory. I only pursue victory. As long as I can win, I don't care if it's full offense and defense or defensive counterattack. " Tang En felt that this was where he was stronger than those good-for-nothings who clamored all day that offensive football was better than defensive football, or those who chattered endlessly that defensive football was the way to go. He had already jumped out of the realm of pursuing the superficial style of football.
"Professional football … I'm talking about professional football. It's not something kids in school play to keep fit, or a pastime for street play. What's the most important thing about professional football? What's the ultimate goal? In my opinion, it's victory. The ultimate pursuit of victory is the championship. " In a small bar in Nottingham, Tang En had set a consistent pursuit of his coaching career, establishing a style that was completely his. "I'm a manager. If I don't want to lose my job or be forgotten, there's only one way to go, and that is to lead the team to victory, one championship after another!" He raised his voice.
"Tony, are you drunk?" Walker asked cautiously, the smile on his face gone.
"No, I'm sober." Tang En shook his head, then downed half a glass of wine. "Do you think I'm wrong?"
"Uh, no …"
"That's good. I've said the essence of professional football. Des, didn't anyone tell you before? Why do you think we play professional football? To strengthen our bodies? To entertain the public and ourselves? " Tang En snorted disdainfully. "Let me tell you … Why do the 24 First Division teams fight each other every weekend? Why did the 20 super teams fight to the death for 10 months of the year? For victory! For the championship! If it's not for victory, why do we train the team? Why do we spend so much money to buy those players? The football of this era is a completely different sport from the football of a hundred years ago … "
Hearing Tang En's words, Walker and Burns were silent. Not to mention that it was different from a hundred years ago, even compared to thirty years ago, it was very different. Twenty-four years ago, Nottingham Forest set off a red whirlwind on the European continent. A team without a strong financial foundation or a lofty reputation won the highest honor in European football two years in a row — the UEFA Champions League. Later, this experience became known as the "Nottingham Miracle." Why was it called a "miracle"? Because it was getting harder and harder to reproduce in modern football. In today's European football, which team without a strong financial foundation and the backing of a financial group could win the UEFA Champions League? No, not even one. This was the difference between now and the past.
Walker sighed. "Maybe you're right, Tony. The establishment of the Premier League changed everything … "He thought of the Forest team he played for.
Nottingham Forest was still a strong team even at the end of the eighties. They made it to the FA Cup finals two years in a row, losing to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United due to bad luck once. But after the establishment of the Premier League, the Forest team, lacking financial support and without the pound sterling, plummeted. Even the amazing manager Brian Clough, who could lead the team from a Second Division team to a European champion in three years, could not compete with the tide of the pound sterling. He and his team eventually became the victims of the new era.
"It was the television broadcast that changed everything," Tang En said. "The emergence of the television broadcast fee changed everything." Ever since he understood his situation, Tang En had crammed in his understanding of English football from the Internet. He was confident that he could already be considered a hardcore "English fan" who knew the history of English football.
The development of English football could be roughly divided into several stages: the establishment of the sport; the establishment of football clubs and football leagues; the establishment of the football league … Then the next sign was the intervention of television.
In 1955, when the newly established British Independent Television Company (ITV) offered to the English Football Association and the Football League to buy some of their selected league games for 1,000 pounds per game, a brand new era began. One must know that the average ticket income for a First Division game at that time was only 3,000 pounds.
Television officially entered the world of football and then gradually gained a dominant position in the world.
Next was the establishment of the English Premier League in 1992, which marked the beginning of another era. Because the original intention of the league was precisely because the big clubs were dissatisfied with the equal distribution of the television broadcast fee. They needed more money, and they deserved more money.
The Premier League saved a person's company. Sky Television, which originally had an annual debt of 47 million pounds, made a television empire of 67 million pounds in the first year because it successfully bought the broadcasting rights of the Premier League for the first five years. It was because they relied on football to make a lot of money that Rupert Murdoch suddenly wanted to buy the Manchester United Football Club. He did have the strength, and it was precisely the Premier League that Manchester United represented that brought him.
The big clubs with a reputation earned more and more, while the small clubs gradually lost their space to survive. Wealth was always in the hands of a few. Nottingham Forest was relegated after struggling in the Premier League for a season. After several ups and downs, it was difficult to return to its former glory.
More than half a century ago, it was television that needed football. Now, it was football that needed television. This was the biggest difference between the two eras, and also the sorrow of countless small clubs.
Of course, Tang En was not a strong man with a mouth full of "nonsense" in Hong Kong comics. He did not want to go against the natural order. Regardless of whether this era was good or not, if it could not be overthrown, then he would comply. Tang En felt that in this increasingly utilitarian world, the pursuit of victory and championship titles was very much in line with the development of the times, and reflected the idea of harmony and progress. There was nothing wrong with it. A person's memory was a very strange thing. In competitive sports, the only things that could be remembered, and after a few years, were the victors. Other than a few inconsequential words of comfort, the losers had nothing else.
Tang En was originally not such a fan. He also liked the beautiful art of football, liked Brazil, liked Ronaldinho, liked Zidane, liked Kaka. What caused such a huge change in his thinking? In fact, in the final analysis, it was related to the current situation after Tang En's transmigration. Tang En was always worried that he would be fired by the chairman one day, lose his job, lose his source of income, and starve to death on the streets alone. He felt very insecure, and this feeling was very strong. It accompanied him at all times, and he could not get rid of it. Tang En realized that if he wanted to completely drive away this sense of security, he had to lead the team to play to a satisfactory result. What was a satisfactory result? Naturally, it was victory. Tang En's subconscious thinking was very simple: As long as he won, he would have a job. With a job, he would not have to worry about food and clothing. Survival was the only truth in this world. Everything else was an illusion, an illusion …
He did not know that even if he did not have a job, with the high welfare in Britain, he would be able to live without worries. Of course, it was impossible to find a woman to pass the time.
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