It was nearly 11 o 'clock when he returned to the hotel. After a tiring day, Tang En simply took a cold shower and fell asleep on the bed.
Next door, Dunn also took a shower after returning to his room. However, he did not immediately fall asleep on the bed because he had washed his hair. He still had to wait for it to dry before going to bed. Taking the opportunity, Dunn opened his laptop and connected to the Internet. There was a question that had been circling in his mind ever since he was on the bus. If he did not figure it out, he would not be able to sleep peacefully tonight.
He opened the English Premier League's official website and went straight to the page of the season's schedule. Looking at the schedule on the screen, Dunn fell into deep thought.
The situation seemed to be different from what Tang En had predicted.
In Round 37, Manchester United would challenge Manchester City in an away game and Chelsea would challenge Arsenal.
Two city derbies …
※ ※ ※
Early the next morning, Tang En was woken up by knocking on the door. He turned and picked up the watch on the bedside table. It was only eight o 'clock.
He did not want to bother, but the knocking kept ringing.
"I don't need any service!" Tang En shouted.
"Tony." Dunn's voice came from outside the door.
Tang En froze for a moment before jumping out of bed and going to open the door in only his underwear.
As expected, it was Dunn who knocked on the door. He was already dressed and looked like he had been up for some time.
"There's no training this morning. Ah …" Tang En yawned and walked to the bed.
"Aren't you going to the chairman's house?"
"That's at half past nine. It's only eight now. I can sleep for at least an hour." As he spoke, Tang En really turned over and lay down on the bed, ready to sleep.
"I discovered something interesting last night. I want to tell you. Maybe it'll be of some help when you meet the chairman in the morning."
"What? Say it … Ah … "Tang En yawned again.
"Do you know who Chelsea and Manchester United's opponents are in the remaining two rounds?"
The half-asleep Tang En shook his head and muttered weakly, "Who remembers other people's schedule? It's good enough that I can remember Forest's …"
"Round 37, Chelsea will challenge Arsenal in an away game and Manchester United will challenge Manchester City in an away game. Round 38, Chelsea will challenge Everton at home … "
Without waiting for Dunn to finish, Tang En sat up in bed. He looked at Dunn, and Dunn nodded. "Two city derbies."
Twain was no longer sleepy. He sat on the bed and squinted at the bright sunshine outside the window.
"How could this be …" He muttered after a long while.
"Is this good news or bad news?"
Tang En began to put on his clothes. Even if he were to lie on the bed now, he would not be able to sleep. "I don't know. It's good news if you handle it well, but it's bad news if you don't. "
It was a trap he had set up himself, but he didn't expect to be dragged into it because of an accident.
Just as he had said to Dunn, if this matter had a happy ending, it might have been a wasted effort.
"I want to be an outsider who sits on top of the mountain and watches the tigers fight, Dunn. It's much better to watch the show than to do it yourself … "
"I don't believe that you don't want to win this championship."
"Of course I do. But I don't know if it will be a honey trap. " Twain's muffled voice came from the bathroom. "We once set the same trap for Chelsea and Manchester United, causing them to perform poorly in the first leg of the semi-finals. So, I know the danger of this trap. "
After the sound of the water, Tang En walked out of the bathroom. Wiping his face, he continued to say to Dunn, "If this isn't a trap, I won't be willing to let go of a championship. So, I'm very hesitant and conflicted now. "
"Anyway, there are only two rounds left. Bite the bullet and hold on."
Tang En did not express his opinion. He did not know what to say now. This sudden accident had disrupted all his plans, and he could not calm his emotions for a while.
"Anyway, let's go see Evan first." Tang En put on his coat and opened the door. "Let's go and have breakfast together."
※ ※ ※
After breakfast, the players left the hotel one after another and went to find their own fun. They had half a day to rest. In the afternoon, the team had to continue training in preparation for the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals in the middle of the week.
Tang En's seat was stacked with a pile of newspapers. Kerslake sat beside them.
"Tony, look at the newspaper," he said to Tang En, pointing to the newspaper.
"Reading the newspaper while eating isn't good for your stomach." Although he said that, Tang En still opened the newspaper.
Regarding the Forest match yesterday, the Nottingham media was full of praise, saying that Tang En had once again let the fans enjoy the joy of winning. This was not what Tang En was concerned about. He quickly scanned through and found news about the other two league matches yesterday.
Manchester United and Chelsea were both forced into a draw by their opponents. This result was beyond the expectations of many media outlets. Because, according to the analysis of the experts before the match, the probability of these two teams drawing at the same time was the lowest. They did not expect them to really do it.
Because of the chain reaction brought about by these two draws, it was naturally within the scope of the media's attention.
Several different newspapers listed the latest league table. On it, the names of Chelsea, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest were highlighted in bold. Bolded and eye-catching were their points.
From bottom to top: 79, 80, 82.
These points really made people's imaginations roam and have many impulses.
Almost all the media outlets thought that these two draws suddenly made Nottingham Forest, who originally had no hope of winning the title, suddenly enter the ranks of the title contenders. To verify this statement, they even listed the last two rounds of matches for the three teams. Chelsea and Manchester United would both face strong opponents in the 37th round. Arsenal and Manchester City were not to be trifled with. Coupled with the background of the derby, these two matches would not be easy to play. Nottingham Forest's opponent in the 37th round was Aston Villa, a team that was not very strong. As long as those two teams stumbled in this round, Nottingham Forest could take the opportunity to move up by winning against Aston Villa. They would be able to rank first in the league with the same number of points as Manchester United but with an advantage in goal difference.
This would be the first time they sat at the top of the league this season.
"… I can say that the 37th round is likely to be the key to deciding the final league title," a certain expert vowed.
Seeing this, Tang En put the newspaper aside.
He did not need to read to know what was coming next.
"They seem to have forgotten that Chelsea and Manchester United still have one game left," he said to the two assistant managers as he ate. "Even if they both lose in the 37th round, so what? With the same points, if Chelsea wins, Chelsea will be first; if Manchester United wins, Manchester United will be first; if both sides tie, Manchester United will still be first … What's the point of analyzing this? Dunn, you just said there were two more rounds. Just grit your teeth and hold on for a while. But it's precisely because there are only two rounds that our chances are slim. The space for two rounds is too small. There's no room for us to maneuver. "
"But if both of their teams lose in the final round …"
"Wake up, David," Tang En said disdainfully. "Our opponent in the last round is not weak either — Liverpool. They're now ranked fourth, pushing Arsenal below them. Moreover, even if we can beat Liverpool at home — no matter what the cost — even if we beat Liverpool and get the last three points, the probability of both teams losing at the same time or Manchester United losing and Chelsea drawing is too low. Chelsea's opponent in the last round is Everton, who still has some strength. Manchester United's final game is against West Ham at home. I don't believe that with Manchester United's strength and Ferguson's experience, they will capsize in the last round at home — that's only a theoretical possibility. I don't think it's credible to pin hope on a theoretical possibility. Do you know how complicated our situation is now? "
Kerslake did not utter a word. After a while, he muttered, "Reality is cruel …"
※ ※ ※
After breakfast, Tang En decided to drink coffee and admire the beauties in the hotel while waiting for Evan's driver to pick him up. And Dunn went home alone.
Before he left, Dunn asked him, "Have you decided to give up on the Premier League?"
Tang En shook his head. "No, I didn't say I'm giving up. It's just that I'm still considering … "
"Hesitating doesn't suit your personality."
"You can't be a qualified manager just by being impulsive and hot-blooded."
Dunn nodded. "Anyway, you're the one making the decisions. I'm only in charge of executing."
After bidding farewell to Dunn, Tang En sat alone in the hotel lobby, lost in thought as he watched the pedestrians outside the French windows. It was not until the familiar dark red Audi appeared in his field of vision that he snapped out of it.
※ ※ ※
This was Tang En's first time going to the club chairman's home. He had always thought that the Doughty family, who were famous and had assets in Nottingham, must have bought a mansion in the most luxurious area in the city. He did not expect the car to directly pull him out of the city and head straight for the rural wilderness in the northwest.
Their final destination was a farm that looked no different from all the farms in England. The three-story stone building showed that the house had some history. If it were a cloudy day, the gray building would make people think of the "ghost of an ancient castle" or something not so good. Fortunately, it was a sunny day. White clouds floated overhead, the blue sky was clear, and the sun was bright. Then, the gray stone building sitting in the middle of the green wilderness looked very suitable for humans to remember.
After the car passed through the high walls and metal gates, Tang En saw a vast expanse of green plains and low shrubs. The scenery made people feel relaxed and happy. It was definitely not something that could be enjoyed in the city.
Sitting in the car, he could not help but take a deep breath.
After getting out of the car, Evan Doughty personally came to greet him … or rather, it looked more like he was passing by. He was pushing a wheelchair for a stroll, and in the wheelchair sat an old man.
Although they had not seen each other for a few years, Tang En quickly recognized the old man sitting askew in the wheelchair, his head and hands constantly shaking. He was the former club chairman, Mr. Nigel Doughty.
This discovery surprised him.
He still remembered what the old man, Mr. Chairman, had said to him when he had just transmigrated. At that time, those simple words gave him great encouragement and comfort, and also strengthened his belief that he wanted to make a name for himself in this field.
Tang En reacted and greeted Nigel Doughty, "Good morning, Mr. Nigel Doughty."
Nigel Doughty, who was sitting in the wheelchair, was expressionless, as if he did not hear Tang En's words. Only his fingers and head kept shaking.
After a while, a muffled sound came from the depths of his throat, as if he was answering Tang En's greeting … It should be …
"Parkinson's Syndrome," said Evan, who was pushing the wheelchair.
Looking at the former chairman like this, Tang En did not know what to say. He really could not connect the old Nigel Doughty with the sickly old man in front of him. He remembered when Evan first came to power, he announced that Mr. Nigel Doughty would no longer be the chairman of the club due to his health. At that time, he thought it was just a dignified excuse. He did not expect it to be true.
"If the weather is good, I'll push him out for a walk. There aren't many opportunities like this in England. When I asked him to go to America, he was reluctant to leave his homeland in England. But the weather here is too unfriendly for a sick old man. "
Seeing that Tang En did not speak, Evan also knew that this was not a good topic, so he pushed the wheelchair as he walked, saying, "Let's talk about the league, Tony. We seem to be in a good situation. "
His tone was much calmer than Kobe yesterday. Could it be that he had also analyzed it?
Tang En guessed, and then said, "It just looks good."
"Oh? The media is saying that we are now a strong contender for the championship. "
"In order to attract more attention, the media always likes to exaggerate. Do you want to hear my analysis? "
Evan Doughty gestured for him to go ahead.
Then Tang En repeated what he said to Kerslake during breakfast in the morning. Even though Evan didn't interrupt once, he listened very attentively.
When Tang En finished, he asked, "Then, what do you think the probability of us winning the league title is?"
"0.1%."
"You might as well just say there's no hope, Tony," Evan said in a bad mood.
"Isn't it to not hurt you?" Tang En laughed. "Our goal for this season is the Champions League. Now that there are two rounds left in the league, I think it's a little difficult for us to suddenly change to the league title. And … if the hope is really higher, I will also seriously consider it. But this time, the hope is too slim. I don't want us to put in 100% effort to get nothing in the end, and it might even jeopardize the Champions League plan. You know how important the Champions League is, Evan. "
Evan Doughty nodded. "Of course I know. It's the dream of all European clubs."
"Yes. And the Champions League has a special meaning to Nottingham Forest … If we have to choose, I think choosing the Champions League will be more beneficial for our club. "
"I'm not asking you to choose one of the two now. I want both now, Tony."
"Oh, please, don't mention that. If we have hope and the ability to win the Double, do you think I don't want it, Evan? I want to win the championship more than anyone else, and I want to win more championships. But … to put it bluntly, this season's league doesn't belong to us. Maybe we have hope of finishing second in the league, but the chances of winning the league title are too slim. " Looking at the former club chairman, Nigel Doughty, who was sitting in a wheelchair, he added, "Maybe we have the chance to win the Double, the Treble, or even the Quintuple like Liverpool … but not this season."
He did not doubt the feelings of the old man, who had Parkinson's syndrome, for Nottingham Forest. In the mid- 1990s, when the Forest team was at its most difficult, he bought a majority of the Forest team's shares and invested a lot of money into the team, hoping that the team could regain its glory and fight its way back to the Premier League again. Unfortunately, the collapse of ITV Digital made all his hard work go down the drain, and it also dealt a huge blow to the old man's ambition. Like Tony's teacher, Paul Hart, he then chose to hand the club over to his son and retired.
The first half of the last sentence was for him to hear.
Yes, Nottingham Forest could definitely regain its glory and regain its glory. As long as it was in his hands, there would always be such a day.
But Rome was not built in a day, and it took time to rebuild a team.
After a moment of silence, Evan sighed. "It's not a good feeling to see the championship trophy right in front of us, but not be able to take it …"
"Just don't think about it. It's natural that you feel uncomfortable thinking about things you can't get. Compared to the league title, at least we have the Champions League title. "
"The semi-finals are not over yet …"
"We will be going to Athens. Do you doubt that?"
"No, of course not." Evan shook his head.
"The final winner will definitely be us. Whether the opponent is Manchester United or AC Milan, we will definitely win. Unlike the league title that only has a 0.1% chance, this is a championship that belongs to us 100%. "
Evan stopped and turned to look at Tony. "I've always had a question, Tony. Why are you so confident in the Champions League? Whether it's Manchester United or AC Milan, they are not easy opponents. "
Tang Jing had asked Tang En this question once, but Tang En did not give the same answer as the last time. He just shook his head. "I don't know."
Evan did not expect this answer either. He froze for a moment and then curled his lips. "You disappoint me, Tony."
"If I say it's intuition, you won't believe me. But it's the truth. It's intuition. The UEFA Cup is like a gamble. Every minute and second is a gamble. The winner continues to move forward, and the loser scram. I believe it's not skill that determines the outcome of the gamble, but luck. Or rather, it's 70% luck and 30% skill. So if you ask me why I'm so confident that my team will win the Champions League, I can only say it's intuition, even though it sounds as unbelievable as the Gambling Sage saying he's always lucky. "
Evan shrugged. "I prefer the reason you say it's because of the strength of the team."
"That's in the three-point skill."
As they spoke, the two had already walked home. Evan handed the wheelchair to the waiting private nurse. She would accompany the old man to continue basking in the sun outside. Meanwhile, Evan and Tang En sat on a chair to the side to rest.
"If we can really win the Champions League … I plan to plan a grand celebration ceremony at the City Ground stadium. It'll be held at night. Allan has already gone to work on it, "Evan said, looking at the field in the distance.
"They've already started preparing?" Tang En was a little surprised.
"Yes." Evan looked at Tang En and smiled slyly. "So the Champions League must enter the final and must win."
"You're talking nonsense, Evan. Of course we'll win. "Tang En chuckled.
"Stay here for lunch. I'll go to Wilford with you after."
Tang En thought about it. Shania was not in England anyway, so there was nothing to worry about. He nodded and agreed.
"I won't force you to win the league title this season, but I hope you remember what you said. In the future, I hope to see us pick up two, three, four, five … and more championship trophies in a season, Tony. "
Tang En nodded and agreed to the promise.
It was good to have a one-man dictatorship in a club. The chairman's words were the final decision. There was no need to hold a shareholders' meeting and quarrel endlessly. Moreover, the seats were all for individual clubs like Nottingham Forest and Chelsea. Tang En could not help but sigh.
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