If I can't win, I'll jump into the sea!
This sentence became the headline of almost all the English media in the sports section in the next few days. It even became the front page headline of some media. The English media hyped this topic so wildly. In fact, it was a counterattack to the provocation of the Italian media.
When the Italian media published the photo, Dunn once told the truth in an interview, which was not what the Italians understood. But the Italians did not listen. They were selectively deaf. They were entangled around the photo and sincerely wanted to make life difficult for Nottingham Forest.
This was a kind of psychological warfare before the big game. But as the parties involved in the psychological warfare, Nottingham Forest and Twain were very angry with this kind of behavior.
What Twain hated the most in his life was to be insulted like this.
As a counterattack, the day after the photo was published, he called Pierce Brosnan and told him to publish the sentence.
Sure enough, after this "one-sentence interview" was published, it caused a stir in England and Italy. The other countries also carried the mentality of watching the show and spread the title everywhere.
It was not over yet.
When they first saw the article, some Italians mocked it in the media as nothing more than another big talk by the loudmouth Twain. He always gave empty promises, and everyone was used to it.
Another day later, the BBC television station announced that they had just signed an agreement with Tony Twain.
According to what Twain had said before, if his team lost to AC Milan in the Champions League final and the Champions League, he would jump into the sea. This agreement was based on this situation. The television broadcasting rights of the exclusive live report of the jump were sold to the BBC television station. The agreement would automatically take effect after the final was over and the Forest team was confirmed to lose. If the Forest team won, then the BBC television station would obtain the exclusive right to broadcast Nottingham City's grand celebration ceremony.
At the same time, the content of this agreement was exactly the same. Twain sold the network broadcasting rights of his jump into the sea to the famous online video website, YouTube. The publishing rights for the print media were sold to three companies. One was Nottingham's local media, the Nottingham Evening Post. Another was the tabloid newspaper, The Sun, which had a wide influence in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the world. The third was sold to China's Titan Sports — which Tang Jing had painstakingly snatched from other Chinese media.
When the news of the signing of these contracts was revealed at the same time, it was undoubtedly a heavy bomb thrown at the Italians. The Italians who had been mocking Tang En for bragging were all silent.
Around the world, Tony Twain became the first football manager to promise to jump into the sea if he lost a match, and even sold the entire process of him jumping into the sea …
"He (Tony Twain) must be crazy …" After a brief collective "silence", Italy's Corriere dello Sport made its first statement regarding this matter.
"… We saw a Hollywood-like comedy movie. The Italians did not expect Tony Twain to be so ruthless. After the news of him selling the live footage of him jumping into the sea spread, we saw the entire Italian media collectively lose their voices … "A comment from the BBC's Match of the Day Sunday Edition that night.
"Actually, this is very much in line with Twain's personality. He's always doing things that we find inconceivable. I really don't know what's in his head all day long. He can always think of so many strange things to attract attention. It's a pity that he doesn't go to the entertainment industry to develop his career. He's better at putting on a show than those celebrities in the entertainment industry. "This passage came from the blog of a famous football commentator on a famous China portal.
For a moment, the whole world was talking about this matter. What Premier League, Champions League finals … Everyone did not care about football itself. The Times even specially published a commentator's article on this matter. There was a very representative sentence in it:
"… Compared to the suspense of the finals and the championship, everyone is actually more concerned about whether Tony Twain will jump, and how he will jump. I think there will be quite a number of people who will place bets on Forest's loss in order to see Tony Twain jump into the Aegean Sea. Of course, I admit that I'm one of those people … "
※ ※ ※
The person Tang En hated the most was sitting in front of him with his legs crossed and a goblet of red wine between his fingers, looking at him with narrowed eyes.
There were a few documents scattered on the coffee table between the two of them. These were the contracts he had signed with the media.
"I don't have any objections to the others. Why did you go to The Sun?" Tang En stared at Billy Woox, who was sitting opposite him.
"They offer the highest price, and they're the best at doing this kind of thing. Didn't you say you want to expand your influence as much as possible? I can't think of any other print media more suitable than The Sun to do this kind of thing, "Woox said slowly to Tang En as he took a sip of wine.
"Of course I know. But anyone can do it. I'm very unhappy with The Sun, "Tang En said with a straight face.
Woox shrugged. "I don't think that's the tone you should use to a kind-hearted person who's here to help, Mr. Tang."
"I didn't ask you to help …"
Tang En was halfway through his sentence when he saw Woox pointing behind him. "Of course I can't refuse the lovely Shania's request. But are you going to complain that Shania shouldn't have looked for me? "
Shania's slightly angry voice came from behind Tang En. "You asked me to look for Mr. Fasal, but he's really too busy recently, so I used my personal connections to look for Mr. Woox. I'm really sorry that I looked for someone you don't like, Uncle Tony. "
The content was an apology, but there was no hint of apology in her tone at all. Tang En hurriedly got up and waved at Shania, who was making coffee for him. "Ah, that's not what I meant …"
This matter was really a headache. Who asked Woox and Shania to have such a relationship?
The two of them worked well together. He could only blame it on his bad luck. His tone softened. "Alright, how should I thank you, Mr. Woox?"
Billy Woox covered his heart with his hand and made a gesture of being flattered. His face was full of surprise. "Ah! It's so rare to hear Mr. Tang speak to me in such a gentle tone. Am I dreaming? "
Tang En coughed awkwardly. Only then did the other party let it go.
"Do you want to talk about George's contract, Mr. Tang?" Woox said with a grin.
"Then I'd rather tear up these contracts," Tang En said with a straight face.
"Aiya, it's just a joke. Why so serious?" Woox shrugged. He was helpless against Tang En's lack of understanding. "Just take it as you owe me a favor, Mr. Tang. I'll get it back from you when I need it in the future. "
"As long as it's not George's contract, I'd be happy to."
Tang En was not just saying pleasantries. After the photo came out, he was so angry that he tore up all the newspapers that published the photo in his house. Then he plotted in his heart how to give the Italians the most effective counterattack. After thinking about it, he remembered what he said on the phone to Pierce Brosnan that day — I'll jump into the Aegean Sea if I can't win!
An uncontrollable thought popped up in his mind. Everyone saw what happened next. Contacting the media was also his idea. But he had only intended to tell the media that he would jump into the sea if he lost and invite them to be witnesses.
When Shania heard it, she said it was a good opportunity. Why not make better use of it? She proposed to split up the reporting rights of each media platform and sell them separately. Not only could they make money, but they could also achieve a more sensational publicity effect than simply notifying the media. It would be a better way to take revenge on the Italian media.
Tang En accepted the suggestion, but he was not good at negotiating with the media. Shania volunteered to recommend her agent, Fasal. Who knew that Fasal had something to do at the last minute and had no time. Then Shania had to go to Woox. Of course, she knew the grudge between Tang En and Woox. But perhaps because she respected Mr. Woox very much, she hoped that Uncle Tony could bury the hatchet with Woox, so she specifically went to ask for Woox's help.
She thought Woox would refuse. At that time, she had prepared a lot of excuses for this. She did not expect Woox to nod and agree without hesitation after hearing the purpose of her visit. Things went so smoothly that Shania was surprised.
With Woox's connections and power, this was done beautifully. Even the release time of the news of the signing was arranged in great detail by Woox. As a result, when the news was published one by one by the media, Tang En saw the scene he wanted to see the most — the Italian media collectively lost their voices, stunned and speechless.
This was certainly very satisfying, but if he wanted to vent his anger even more, he still needed to put in more effort.
If he could not beat AC Milan in the final, he would have to jump into the sea. It was not a fun thing. He would become the laughing stock of everyone and would still be mentioned years later.
And if he could beat AC Milan, then he could return the anger he had previously suffered a hundredfold. At that time, no matter how he humiliated the Italian media, no one would dare to have any dissatisfaction. Because the winner always had the right to speak.
Woox put down the cup and stood up. He was going to leave.
He reached out to Tang En. "I've done everything I can. Mr. Tang En, I also don't want the club my own player plays for to become the laughing stock of Europe, so it's still up to you now. If you don't win, everything you've done for me over the past few days will become the grave you dug for yourself. "
It was rare for Woox to speak to him in such a serious tone. Out of gratitude for his help, Tang En also reached out and shook hands with Woox. "I have to correct you on one point, Mr. Woox. I never dig my own grave. What I dig is what the enemy has booked from me. I don't do useless work. "
※ ※ ※
Nottingham Forest got the ticket to the Champions League final and was only one step away from Tang En's goal for the season. Everyone was excited, but Tang En had to let his people calm down for a while.
Because on May 5th, the 37th round of the league tournament came.
Three games were scheduled on the same day. The "Manchester derby" between Manchester United and Manchester City was the first to appear. After this game was over, it was the "London derby" between Chelsea and Arsenal. At the end of this game, Nottingham Forest's away game against Aston Villa would also open the curtains.
Many people were saying that the final results of these three games would directly affect the ownership of this season's league title.
However, Tang En was no longer too concerned about this round of the league tournament. For the away game against Aston Villa, he had already made up his mind to do a big rotation. Basically, the lineup from the Champions League semi-final just now was largely gone. Most of the players would no longer appear in the starting lineup for this game.
Since he did not intend to fight for the illusory league title, and the third-place position was also very stable, Tang En would certainly not let his players risk injury to play in the game. It was a good opportunity for the others to train more.
With five hours to go before the game, Tang En announced his starting lineup. He rarely did this, but it looked like he was really relaxed this time.
Forest's goalkeeper was still Edwin van der Sar. He was an unshakable main force. Tang En actually wanted to rotate, but unfortunately, Akinfeev, who he bought before the season, was on loan back to CSKA Moscow and was not recalled. Paul Gerrard's recovery after his surgery was not ideal. At one point, experts told Tang En that Paul was likely to end his career prematurely because of this.
This was not good news. Tang En had not given up. He had said that when they went to Athens, no one in the Forest team could be missing. He was still waiting for Paul to return to the team, even though there was not much time left.
The center back was Wes Morgan and Ayala's partner. The left back was changed to Gareth Bale, and the right back became Sun Jihai. George Wood was still in the starting lineup for this game. No matter what, Tang En was still a little cautious deep down. He allowed the rotation, but it did not mean that he allowed them to lose.
Arteta and van der Vaart did not appear in the starting lineup. Instead, they were replaced by Albertini, who had not appeared in the team's lineup for a long time and was only three games away from retirement. Tang En wanted the Italian veteran to find his competitive form because he had said he would give Albertini the best farewell match. In other words, Albertini would definitely play in the Champions League final. If he was replaced because of his poor form, it would not be a good thing for everyone.
Of the two flanks, Petrov replaced Ribéry on the left. Lennon continued to be in the starting lineup on the right due to Ashley Young's injury. The strikers were Bendtner and Anelka.
In the final stages of the season, Anelka instead frequently got the chance to play, which some people could not understand. In fact, it was very simple. Because the Forest team wanted to sell him, they naturally needed to let him perform more. That way, the Forest team would have the confidence to demand an exorbitant price from other clubs in the transfer market.
※ ※ ※
On May 5th, Manchester United challenged their city rival, Manchester City, in an away game. The game received much attention. Tang En and Mourinho watched the match from start to finish. Mourinho very much hoped that Manchester United would lose. Unfortunately, the final result disappointed him.
Manchester United managed to obtain three points in an away game, 1: 0. This score spoke volumes. But no matter how unsightly the scene was, the three points were real. At the press conference after the game, Ferguson's already red face turned even redder from smiling.
The frustration and pain from being eliminated from the Champions League had been washed away in this game. There was nothing more delightful than defeating their city rival twice in a season. There was a generally interesting phenomenon in European football regarding the "derby." The fans could accept losing heavyweight titles such as the league title and the Champions League title. They could be forgiven even if they had nothing for a season, as long as the team they supported could defeat their city rival in the derby.
What made Ferguson so happy was not just the victory over Manchester City. For him, Manchester United's victory over Manchester City was a normal thing. There was no need to be so happy. It would give people the illusion that "Manchester United's victory over Manchester City was not an easy thing, so Ferguson was so excited."
Another important reason was that he had achieved a crucial victory at a crucial moment in the league title battle with Chelsea. He continued to maintain a two-point lead over Chelsea, which put the pressure on Chelsea. If Chelsea was overwhelmed by the pressure in the next game and played abnormally to lose the game, Manchester United would be only a thin line away from the league title.
Later, in London, the crucial battle between Chelsea and Arsenal officially began.
The game was quite intense. Both sides had their own reasons to go all out.
Wenger certainly did not spur the team to go all out for the boring reason of helping Manchester United stop Chelsea. He was now competing fiercely with Liverpool for the fourth place in the league. Liverpool was currently only one point ahead of Arsenal. Their game kicked off an hour earlier than Arsenal's game. When Wenger's team stepped onto the field, the score was still 0: 0. If the score was maintained until halftime, Arsenal would overtake Liverpool and become the fourth team in the league as long as they beat Chelsea, thereby earning a place in the Champions League.
It was needless to say for Chelsea. If they could not win the game, they would be pulled away by Manchester United in the final sprint. That was not what Mourinho wanted to see.
Just ten minutes into the game, news came from Fulham in the southwest of London — Fulham scored!
Fulham, playing at home, led Liverpool 1: 0!
The news gave Arsenal a shot in the arm. They exerted more pressure on Chelsea at their home ground.
Thirty-three minutes later, Chelsea could no longer withstand Arsenal's wave after wave of attacks. The city gate guarded by Čech was finally breached. Gilberto Silva was Arsenal's goalscorer. 1: 0, Arsenal in the lead!
When Arsenal took the lead, Nottingham Forest was warming up at Aston Villa's Villa Park. When Tang En heard the news in the locker room and waited for the players to return, the first thing he said was — — — — —
"I've changed my mind, guys. We must win this game! "
He still remembered Mourinho's mockery that he did not even have a chance to "almost win the league title." Now that the situation was good, he did not mind returning the words to Mourinho and his Chelsea.
When all three games were over and the dust settled, the league table that everyone saw became like this:
Manchester United accumulated 85 points after winning the derby and remained at the top.
The second and third positions had changed.
Chelsea fought back in the second half of the game and scored the equalizer, but unfortunately could not change the final score. The result of being forced to a draw by Chelsea was not a good one. If they lost to Chelsea again, Arsenal's season might be over. Wenger and Arsenal were of one mind, desperately resisting Chelsea's attacks and actively seeking opportunities to fight back. The game came to an end in this endless entanglement between the two sides. The result was 1: 1. No one defeated the other, but no one won the other — neither team achieved the result they hoped for.
It could be seen from the expressions of the two managers, Wenger and Mourinho, after the game ended that they were in a bad mood. At that time, Mourinho did not know the result of Nottingham Forest's game. If his expression at the time was "gloomy to drizzling," then after knowing the result of Nottingham Forest's game, it immediately became "a thunderstorm accompanied by a short-term gale."
Why was Mourinho so angry? Because he knew that the league table would change in a way that he did not want to see.
Nottingham Forest won 1: 0 against Aston Villa in the away game with a substitute lineup and earned three points. As a result, the league's second place became Nottingham Forest with 82 points. Chelsea, who tied with Arsenal, was in third place with 81 points.
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