Coppelle Laveran Lima Ferreira, or Pepe, stood outside the crowd, looking strangely at the man and woman in front of him. The girl was very tall and beautiful. He could not help but take a few more glances at her. The man claimed to be the manager of a British Premier League club. The man was unfamiliar to Pepe. Was he really the manager of "Nottingham Forest"?
Pepe's match was over. They had won. Just as he was about to continue to face the next team of challengers, the man in front of him walked up with a business card.
Next, he randomly found a substitute and ran out to have a "detailed discussion" with the man.
What else could a manager of a European professional football club be looking for a professional player for? Pepe did not need to say it out loud.
"That, Mr. Tang …"
Tang En waved his hand to signal him not to speak first. He then pointed to a row of umbrellas on the beach in the distance. "Let's go sit and talk."
The three of them sat down. The waiter came over and ordered three glasses of fruit juice.
Tang En took the time to carefully think about Pepe's current situation.
As a loyal FM series player, it was impossible for him not to have an understanding of Pepe, the center-back with the highest physical stats in FM 07. Tang En had a habit. After witnessing a player's prowess in the game, he would always go online to gather all information related to the player. That way, he would have a more three-dimensional understanding of the player. When he returned to the game, he would have a greater sense of immersion.
So, while Pepe had yet to be known by the world, in the world of FM 07, it was as if Tang En had known Pepe for a long time. He knew the man's resume, knew his past at Porto, and even knew the name of the first club he had landed in Europe. So, of course, he also knew that Pepe was currently in dire straits.
The waiter left with the three glasses of fruit juice. Shania quietly sipped from a straw. She had no interest in the conversation between the two men. She could only cast her gaze at the crowd in the distance and the scenery on the sea.
"As for me, I don't like to talk nonsense." Tang En looked at Pepe. "Nottingham Forest has qualified for next season's UEFA Champions League. Hierro has retired, and we plan to find a defender who can replace him. I have high hopes for you, Pepe."
Pepe froze for a moment. Even though he knew that the other party was most likely looking for him for such a matter, he did not expect him to say it so directly. Furthermore, there was a name that made him excited.
"Hierro? Real Madrid's Hierro? "
Tang En smiled. "Now he's Nottingham Forest's … No, he used to be. Now he's retired. The Forest team needed to find a successor to him. Do you understand, Pepe? I think you and Hierro have a lot in common. "
Pepe's idol was Hierro. Tang En's words were right for Pepe.
"Tall, strong, skillful, explosive … These are all very similar to the young Hierro. The only thing you need to improve is your ability to make long passes. Hierro is very good at attacking. "
Pepe frowned. He felt that Tang En had hit the nail on the head. "Uh, I'm a center-back, so I have to stay at the back a lot of times. Although … "
"You used to play as a forward, right, Pepe?" Tang En suddenly asked.
"Yes." Pepe nodded. "At first, he was a striker, then a midfielder. Later, he became a defender."
Tang En laughed heartily. "That's how a lot of Brazil's defenders are made." He saw that Pepe might misunderstand that he was mocking him, so he smiled and said, "Almost every defender who comes this way is the best defender. Lucio, Cafu … I think Brazilian players have a sense of forward in their bones. Even if he's playing as a goalkeeper, why would you think a defender has to stay at the back? "
"Of course, uh … That's what the coach requested."
"Actually, I think if you see Hierro as your idol, then you should learn how he attacks from the back. I worked with him for a year in the Forest team. To be honest, he taught me a lot of lessons as a manager … "
Of course, Tang En deliberately exaggerated it, but Hierro did give Tang En a lot of help and inspiration in some areas. In the past, Tang En thought that a center-back should be at the back. Other than going up to participate in the attack during set pieces in the front field, he had to prioritize safety at other times. Unless the situation was particularly unfavorable and he had to cut off all means of retreat, he would let the center-back go up to be a striker — he had used it twice in his first season in the Forest team.
After Hierro came to the Forest team, although his body could no longer keep up, the consciousness he showed in training to boldly plug in whenever there was a chance still benefited Tang En a lot. What would be the effect of a center-back, who everyone thought should stay in the backfield, suddenly dribbling the ball forward or launching a long pass to launch a counterattack in the game?
The opponent's defense would be in a mess, and their own attack would be more concealed, which would increase the chances of success. Moreover, as a defender observing the situation from the back, it was more convenient for him to grasp the gaps. He could always see the space that the players in the front field could not, and then as long as he had the ability to send a good long pass out, he could almost form an absolute kill.
Such a direct attack by the center-back saved the midfield and did not waste time. It was more sudden, making it impossible for the opponent to guard against it. In Real Madrid, Hierro was not only praised for his defense during his peak, but his talent in offense also benefited Real Madrid a lot. Before Raúl, Hierro had even become the player who had scored the most goals for the Spanish national team, and his position was a center-back. He was perhaps the most goalscoring center-back in the world of football in his era.
※ ※ ※
Two men, Tang En and Pepe, chatted on the picturesque Copacabana Beach about how a center-back could participate in the offense. They chatted happily, as if they regretted not meeting each other earlier …
Shania felt bored, and the straw in her mouth made a wheezing sound — she had finished drinking the juice. She first looked around for a waiter, but there were more and more people coming to rest at this time, and she could not find one for a while. She glanced at the glass in front of Tang En. It was full, and he had not taken a sip!
She rolled her eyes, reached out to pull the glass over, and inserted the straw into it. She picked up two straws and sucked loudly with the pleasure of revenge.
Her unladylike way of drinking the juice finally caught Tang En's attention.
He turned his head to look at Shania, who was acting strange, and then looked down at the empty glass in front of him. Then he smiled at Pepe, and Pepe expressed understanding and smiled back.
Both of them realized that this conversation should also end. Pepe did not agree to Tang En's transfer. Ever since Tang En mentioned it at the beginning of the conversation, they did not touch on this topic at all.
"Uh, I think I should … My friends are still waiting for me." Pepe got up and pointed to a few people in the distance, who were on the same team as him when they played football.
Tang En nodded, expressing understanding. He seemed to have forgotten the purpose of looking for Pepe as they chatted happily.
Just as he got up to send her off, Pepe suddenly turned around and asked, "How do you know my idol is Hierro? I don't remember telling you about this, Mr. Tang En. "
This … Tang En knew that it was his precocious memory that caused trouble again. He could only find an excuse that did not seem convincing, but how could he understand Pepe? "Don't you think … when we talk together, it's like we've known each other for a long time?"
Pepe grinned and waved. "Goodbye, Mr. Tang En. It was a pleasure to meet you. "
"Goodbye, Pepe. Me too. "
"Goodbye, beautiful lady." Pepe did not forget to say goodbye to Shania.
Shania originally pretended to be uninterested in the men's conversation and looked around. In reality, when she saw Tang En and Pepe show signs of saying goodbye, she pricked up her ears to eavesdrop. Seeing Pepe say goodbye to her, she stood up happily and waved. "Goodbye, Pepe!"
After watching Pepe return to his companions, Tang En then turned to look at Shania. He did not say anything, just looked at her with a face full of smiles, as bright as the sun above his head.
Seeing his expression, Shania sighed. "If I had known, I would have suggested going to America for a vacation!"
Tang En knew that it was wrong of him to give Shania the cold shoulder. Men should not be afraid of making mistakes, but they should dare to take responsibility! So, he took the initiative to treat Shania to a meal.
"I'm not hungry! I'm full from drinking water! "
He looked at the two empty glasses and Shania, who had a straight face. Tang En also sat down with a straight face. "Then I'll drink with you …" He waved his hand to call the waiter, but was stopped by Shania's outstretched hands. "Alright, alright. If you drink any more, you'll become fruit. I know a restaurant that has good barbecue. You treat me! "
Hearing Shania say that, the sunshine returned to Tang En's face.
"Alright, don't be angry, Shania. I promise I'll be with you during this time in Brazil, until you get bored … "
"I won't!" Shania retorted. She buried the second half of the sentence in her heart.
It would never happen …
※ ※ ※
Tang En and Shania had a good day in the lively Rio de Janeiro and did not return until late at night. Shania's parents did not seem to mind Shania's crazy play. Perhaps it was because Tang En was by her side, so they did not have to worry. Perhaps they felt that in England, with Aunt Ryan's stricter discipline than theirs, it was not a bad thing to let Shania relax during the holidays. After all, Shania was only a fifteen-year-old child. The two of them were busy with work and social engagements. With a "free nanny" like Tang En accompanying them 24 hours a day, they could not be happier.
(To be continued. If you want to know what happened next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading!)
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