Due to Tang En's sudden outburst in the locker room yesterday, the atmosphere on the training ground today was a little gloomy. Kerslake thought Tang En would apologize on the spot when the players arrived. He did not expect Tang En to just wave his hand and let the team start training normally. He stood to the side without saying a word and put on his sunglasses. No one could see his eyes.
This made him a little unhappy. Why did he have to go back on his word?
But now he had to be in charge of leading the team for training. Moreover, he knew he had to save face for Tang En in front of everyone. If there was anything, they could talk about it in private.
Tang En did not give him the chance. Once training ended, he gathered the team together and made a formal apology.
"I have to apologize to you," he said. Some of the players looked surprised.
"I know I went overboard with my outburst yesterday. After thinking about it, I felt some of my words were really unpleasant to hear. I can't treat you like this because you're all my players. We should share weal and woe together. I can't scold you badly just because we lost a game. "As Tang En spoke, the looks of surprise on those people's faces became more and more intense.
Dunn stood behind Tang En, expressionless. He was very familiar with these words. Tang En had recited them to him no less than ten times yesterday. Finally, he could recite them so fluently.
"I know my mouth has caused me a lot of trouble, but it was never my intention to cause trouble for you."
Kerslake did not expect Tang En to be so humble. He thought it would at most be something like "I'm sorry for what happened yesterday." He did not expect Tang En to say so much.
"So, I'm here to formally apologize to you. Let's just leave it at that … But, even though I was wrong to scold someone, losing isn't a good thing. I don't want to lose again in the next round of the league tournament … "Tang En's last sentence fully expressed the unwillingness in his heart.
In short, because he took the initiative to apologize, the small storm passed just like that. The team returned to normal. There was more laughter during training. Tang En was still joking with the people around him, looking no different from before.
Tang En did not say that his outburst was due to the pressure. Although he was angry because of it, he could not say it to the players. He did not want to take the initiative to admit that he had lost his composure because of the pressure. What would the players think of him if he did that? Would some people think that their manager was actually a coward who was outwardly strong but inwardly weak? Would they be disappointed, lose their trust in him, and no longer listen to everything he said?
Tang En did not dare to bet with the hearts of the people, so he still had to put on a "I'm not afraid of anything" look to appease the troops.
※ ※ ※
On March 29th, in the last league game before the quarterfinals of the Champions League, Nottingham Forest easily beat Portsmouth, who came for revenge, by 2: 0 at home.
Perhaps encouraged by Blackburn Rovers' victory over Nottingham Forest in the last round, Portsmouth also wanted to take three points away from the away game. But they ignored the factor that the Forest team valued this game.
A Forest team that valued their opponent would be very strong, so there was no doubt that they would lose. The entire game was under the Forest team's control. Portsmouth did not have the slightest chance and lost the game.
After the match, Old Redknapp said helplessly, "… There's nothing to say. The two teams are not on the same level at all …"
Wasn't that right? All the Forest team's goals were to be champions, while Portsmouth's highest goal might only be to qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
The two teams were not on the same level of opponents at all …
※ ※ ※
The victory over Portsmouth stopped the pressure on Tang En's head from continuing to increase. Now, Nottingham Forest was ranked second in the league, only three points away from the league's top team, Manchester United. The next thing the Forest team could do was to ensure that they did not make any mistakes, while patiently waiting for Manchester United to make a mistake — twice in a row.
The possibility was a little low …
Tang En sighed and temporarily put aside the worries of the league tournament to prepare for the Champions League game.
Their opponent, Real Madrid, was a guest and then a host. It was Tang En's favorite schedule.
※ ※ ※
After the league tournament, Nottingham Forest flew directly to the Spanish capital, Madrid, to prepare for the game.
For Tony Tang En, the Bernabéu was no stranger at all. In fact, there were only so many powerhouses in Europe, and he would always encounter them again and again. But he and the La Liga powerhouse, Real Madrid, were indeed fated.
The first time he met Shania, he brought her to Spain to travel, and they came to the Bernabéu stadium. Later, he led the team to meet Real Madrid many times in the Champions League and other competitions. In addition, last summer, he also got David Beckham from Real Madrid for free.
Yes, this time in Madrid, Beckham surpassed Tony Tang En and became the focus of the media's attention.
During the adaptation training at the Bernabéu stadium, countless media crowded on the sidelines, waiting to interview Beckham. When Tang En announced the end of the training and the free interview time, a group of people rushed forward and surrounded David Beckham.
In the stands, there were even many fans wearing Real Madrid jerseys holding up Beckham's portrait and jersey to welcome the Englishman.
"I'm very grateful that the Real Madrid fans can still remember me now. My four years at Real Madrid have been wonderful. I'm proud to have played for this great team. "The interview was conducted on the sidelines of the training ground. Beckham, who had just finished training, still had a fine layer of sweat on his forehead. His training clothes were also soaked in sweat. Because the training intensity was not low, he was a little breathless when he spoke, but he still showed a charming smile without the slightest impatience. The sun shone on his face, and that smile seemed to be warm enough to melt people's hearts. Screams suddenly rang out from the side.
Beside him, Tang En educated Wood. "George, look at David Beckham. This is what a star is. He speaks with propriety, pleases everyone, and doesn't offend anyone. Your image gives others a feeling of being a thousand miles away. I don't think it's good. "
George retorted, "You've offended everyone you can, but aren't you still a star?"
"Uh …" Tang En was speechless for a moment, unable to find a retort. He looked at the smiling Beckham surrounded by the crowd and asked Wood, "Then, do you want to be liked or hated?"
"I don't know." Wood answered quickly.
"You don't know?" Tang En was a little surprised.
"Is it better to be liked by others or hated by others?" Wood asked.
Tang En blurted out, "Of course it's better to be liked."
"Then why do you seem to be happy to be hated?"
Tang En was speechless again. He suddenly realized that George Wood was becoming more and more sharp-tongued.
"Ah, uh, this … that … actually …" Tang En hemmed and hawed for a long time before he finally thought of an excuse. "When I hate someone, I hope that the person I hate also hates me. When I like someone, I hope that the person I like also likes me. It sounds a little hard to pronounce, but that's what it means. "
"Then don't you think it's a little wishful thinking?"
"Hey, George!" Tang En was a little annoyed. Although I also know that it's wishful thinking, you can't say it so bluntly.
Wood did not seem to hear the dissatisfaction in Tang En's tone. He looked at Beckham and said to himself, "Woox said that he hopes that I can stay true to myself, but I don't know what that is. Sometimes, I hope that everyone hates me, and sometimes, I hope that everyone likes me … Mom said that I should try to make everyone like me, but I think it's very difficult, because sometimes, in order to make others like you, you have to do things that you don't like … "
"Hey, George."
"Hmm?"
"You're more wishful thinking than I am."
"Maybe. Anyway, I think that if I'm a celebrity, I have to do a lot of things that I don't like. I'd rather not be a celebrity. Actually, I don't want to be a celebrity either. It's fine as long as there's money to be made. "
"If you don't be a celebrity, where do you get money?"
"It's pretty good the way it is now."
"Aren't you a celebrity now? Everywhere you go, people will ask for your autograph. That old man Woox even signed a few business contracts for you. Do you know where those companies came from? They're all the best in their respective industries. When you go to those business events, do you like it? "
Wood did not answer. He just looked at Beckham in a daze.
After a while, he said, "Maybe I'll hate it in the future."
Tang En nodded. That was the truth. When people were not famous, they hoped to be famous. They looked forward to becoming a big star and becoming the focus of everyone's attention. Even their fart would be noticed by the media, and they felt that it was very awesome and amazing. But after becoming famous, they would slowly realize how painful it was to be famous. You had no privacy at all. Everything was exposed in front of the public. Even if you were secretly filmed picking your nose at home, you would be ridiculed and criticized. Moreover, those who ridiculed and criticized you would think that it was natural because you were a public figure.
Tang En had experienced such a change in mentality. When he had just transmigrated, he especially wanted to be famous. Now, he began to feel that being famous was not a good thing. If he went out to return the mobile phone of a female Turkish fan, the media would treat it as a "tryst with a rumored girlfriend." Fortunately, Shania knew the whole story. Otherwise, he did not know how much he would have to worry about.
He was still relatively cautious about his private life. But if there were still people who pointed fingers at him and used "because you're a public figure" as a reason, he thought he would definitely say, "F * ck you public figures."
Wait a minute. Why do I feel that if Shania does not know the whole story, I'll be in trouble?
※ ※ ※
Beckham finally got rid of the reporters. The smile on his face did not disappear from the beginning. He appeared very patient, very kind, and very gentle. He won the favor of many people. After the media finished interviewing Beckham, they turned to interview Tang En. They suddenly felt as if they had gone from a sunny spring to a cold winter.
Tang En said with a straight face, "Don't ask me about the lineup for the game. Don't ask me about the tactics for the game. Don't ask me how confident I am in winning."
"Then what else do we have to ask?" one of the reporters said unhappily.
"Ah, we can talk about today's weather." A smile reappeared on Tang En's face. "Madrid is really sunny. I like the sun. Madrid is a very good city. What do you guys think? "
George Wood began to pack his things and leave. Not everyone would be interviewed by the reporters. Although he was the captain, he was really too low-key. And even if someone came to interview him, he would casually deal with it and send it away. He was not David Beckham, nor was he Tony Twain.
Beckham walked over. It looked like he was also going to leave.
The two men walked out side by side. When they reached the door, Beckham was stopped by a group of fans. They leaned on the railing of the stands and stretched their hands down, fighting to get Beckham's autograph.
Beckham did not have the slightest impatience. He stopped in his tracks and took the pens handed over by the fans with a smile on his face. He signed where they asked.
Because George Wood was with Beckham, he was also stopped and could not leave. He could only stand to the side and wait for Beckham to sign.
If the security guards had not come up in time, perhaps this autograph activity would have been endless.
Walking into the tunnel and getting rid of the enthusiastic fans, Beckham smiled apologetically at George Wood next to him. "Sorry to make you wait there too …"
Wood shook his head to show that he did not mind.
Yes, when he waited there, there was also no impatient expression on his face because he was only slightly distracted.
He thought of a person. That was the first person to ask him for an autograph, the first person to acknowledge him, even earlier than Tony Twain.
If that incident had not happened, what would happen now?
In the past, George Wood had never thought of such a boring question because the dead could not come back to life. But when he saw Beckham surrounded by a group of fans asking for an autograph, he naturally thought of it.
— Give him an autograph. George, he is your first fan. You can't be so cold to him. Squat down and sign!
— Here lies the beloved son of Michael Bernard and Fiona Bernard, Nottingham Forest's most loyal fan, and George Wood's eternal supporter — Gavin Bernard.
— George, you must become a big star player!
Would there be a little bit of red in that expanse of white?
"It's good to give autographs to the fans. I don't feel impatient."
Beckham smiled. "Everyone outside says you are very fierce, a traditional English villain. They compare you with Winnie Jones and Savich. Why don't you try to refute it? We all know you are not. "
Wood shook his head. "I hope the people I hate hate me."
"George …"
"What is it?"
"You and Tony … Ah, no, boss, are really alike."
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