In the week after the Champions League final, television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet were all talking about Ferguson's retirement. It was indeed the most sensational thing in the world of football in recent times. Although Ferguson had announced his retirement in advance, when the day actually came, it still made people feel reluctant.
Even Wenger, who had been his nemesis for many years, sent his blessings for Ferguson's retirement. "He created an era. This may be the only time I praise him. In his 25 years at Manchester United, he has done a really good job. League title? You know, life always needs to have some regrets, don't you? "Wenger smiled slyly.
Even Klinsmann, who was defeated by Ferguson in the Champions League final, did not have any bad comments about Manchester United snatching his title. "He is a role model and a goal for me to follow. I'm happy that he can win another Champions League title before he retires. Manchester United's performance was better, and they deserve to win this title. "
In an interview with the television station, Ferguson once again talked about the issue of his successor, which was everyone's concern.
"There are a lot of outstanding managers in the world. I believe the board will choose the most suitable manager for Manchester United. Note that I said 'most suitable' and not 'best.' I won't make any more comments on the club's personnel work. Now I just want to go home and enjoy a relaxing time with my wife. You know, for the first time in many years, I don't have to think about tomorrow's training plan and the weekend's lineup arrangement. It's actually a very pleasant thing. "
He did not name a specific candidate, clearly not wanting to cause trouble for the club's selection of a manager. Because if he were to say it, it would be "Tony Twain." But Tony Twain would certainly not come to Manchester United. It was better not to say something that would make everyone feel awkward. He gave Tang En a call in private. After confirming once again that Tang En had no desire to move to Old Trafford, he sighed with some regret.
※ ※ ※
Just as Tang En was getting tired of all the commemorative articles about Ferguson in the media, he finally heard a different piece of news.
After the end of the league tournament, the Forest team disbanded on the spot and entered the holidays.
Twain also planned to take advantage of the holidays to fly to the United States to spend a few nights with his wife and continue their great "Android project."
Dunn, on the other hand, was going to take Tang Jing back to his hometown. This time, it was probably to meet his parents …
Before he left, he suddenly gave Tang En a call and asked to meet him alone.
Tang En found it strange. If Dunn had something to talk to him about, he would have said it over the phone if they were not together. No matter how big the matter was, there was no need to arrange a time and place to call out Facial Paralysis.
Strange as it was, Tang En still kept his appointment. He did not forget to joke about Dunn on the phone. "Is this considered a date?"
Dunn's appointment was not related to the "date" in Tang En's words at all. It was at the Wilford training base.
When Tang En drove over, the entrance of the training base, which used to be crowded with reporters and people coming and going, was now so quiet that he could hear the chirping of birds from the forest in the distance.
The security guards were surprised by the manager's sudden arrival. Tang En smiled and greeted them before being let in.
Tang En parked the car in the parking lot. When he got out of the car, he saw Dunn waiting at the entrance of the building.
He raised his hand in greeting but was not in a hurry to walk over. Instead, he paced a few steps in the parking lot under the sun.
"The weather is good today. It's quite nice and sunny." He said something that only he and Dunn could know what was funny about.
But this time, Dunn was not amused by Tang En. He stood in the shadows of the building, expressionless.
Tang En waved at him. "The sun is so good today. Don't you feel the wind blowing around you when you stand there? If you have something to say, let's talk as we walk. How about taking a walk around the training ground? "
Dunn nodded in agreement.
But before that, neither of them spoke. They just walked and walked. Until they accidentally walked to the number three training ground. Tang En looked at the training ground that was still like a vegetable field and laughed. "If Guardiola sees this training ground, I wonder if he will also make one for Barcelona's training base?"
Dunn did not reply, so Tang En turned his head and asked, "Is there something on your mind, Dunn? Did Tang Jing force you to get married? "
Dunn rolled his eyes at him. "I do have something to tell you, but I don't know how to say it."
"Hey, who are you talking to?" We're sworn brothers from our hometown in Sichuan. If you have something to say, just say it. You don't have to worry about the wedding gift. "
Dunn coughed. "It has nothing to do with marriage. Tony … Hmm. "He wanted to say something but stopped.
Tang En frowned. He rarely saw Dunn being so garrulous. "Bad news?"
"No … I don't know." Dunn shook his head. "I … I plan to end my contract with the club early."
Tang En was shocked. He thought he had heard wrong. Did the birds in the forest sing too loudly affect his hearing?
Dunn's contract with the club's assistant manager still had two years left. Tang En had planned to give Dunn a new contract at the start of the next season and extend it for a longer period. Maybe he would sign for eight years like himself. That would be the best.
Seeing Tang En look at him in disbelief, Dunn explained, "I've thought about it for a long time. I … uh … "He rubbed his hands, not knowing where to put them. "I don't want to be an assistant manager anymore."
"Why?" Tang En asked. He did not want to express any opinion at the moment. He just wanted to hear Dunn's explanation.
"Tony, you might not know … Initially, before we … that, I never thought about being a manager. Later, you found me, and I thought being an assistant manager was good enough. But after following you for so many years, I suddenly feel … feel that I really want to try being a manager. "
Tang En looked at him. "Go on."
"Hmm …" Dunn deliberated for a moment, thinking of where to start. He rarely spoke so much in one breath. But this time, it was related to the path he would choose in his future, so he had to say more.
"To be honest, Tony. During the time you left the team because of your heart disease, I was the acting manager. During the time you were suspended, I was also the acting manager. But this is your team, not mine. I don't want to be an 'acting' manager. I want to be a real manager, but I don't have that chance in the current Nottingham Forest. "
"I'm not complaining, Tony. But the current Nottingham Forest is your Nottingham Forest. It has a deep imprint of you. I can't change this imprint, so it's very difficult for me to be the acting manager. Do you know, Tony? Sometimes, when I want to say something to the players, I have to borrow your identity to say it. Only then will it be effective. "
Tang En only raised his eyebrows and did not say anything.
"When I say to them — Tony thinks … how and how, Tony says it should be how and how. Only then will they listen. Calling you a king is not an exaggeration at all. You're too good, Tony. "
"Is that a compliment?" Tang En did not smile. "Simply put, you want to be a manager, but you can only be an assistant manager in Nottingham Forest, right?"
Dunn nodded.
Tang En was silent for a moment, then said, "I really don't seem to have considered your feelings. I keep you by my side because I think you can help me a lot as an assistant manager. Should I be magnanimous and say to you at this time, 'Go, go pursue your dreams'? But I still don't want you to go. I'm a little selfish, but I can't help it. If you leave, it'll be hard for me to do my job. "
Dunn shook his head. "You're finding an excuse for yourself to be lazy."
"Alright, I want to be lazy." Tang En nodded, admitting Dunn's "accusation." "But no matter what the reason is, don't you think we're the best partners? Together, we're invincible! I hope you stay, Dunn. "
In the past, whenever Tang En begged Dunn to do something, he would always agree, whether he was willing or not. But this time, Tang En's move did not work. Dunn looked like he had made up his mind. "It's useless, Tony. I've thought about it for a long time, and I think I should leave Forest and try another path. "
"Don't tell me a club has invited you?"
Dunn did not deny it. He nodded. "There's one."
"Ha!" Tang En laughed dryly.
"A team in England's Second Division."
This time, Tang En really laughed. He seemed to have heard a very funny joke. Dunn did not stop him. He quietly watched Tang En laugh until he squatted on the ground.
"Ha … To be honest, Dunn. Do you really think leaving Nottingham Forest to go to a team like that would be good for your future? England's Second Division, huh? A team in the Fourth Division is equivalent to the Third Division! Do you really want to go? "
Dunn said very seriously, "I really want to go."
"Are you sure?" Tang En stopped laughing as he squatted on the ground and looked at him sideways.
"I'm sure."
"What's in it for you?" Tang En asked a little angrily as he stood up. He really could not understand Dunn's choice, so he would rather think that it was an excuse for Dunn to escape him.
"I don't know, Tony. I don't know if it's good for me. But I want to try. Maybe I'll still be bad and can't even lead a Second Division team well, and get fired in the end. Who knows? "His expression was calm as he talked about this terrifying future. "But this thought lingers in my mind every day. I just want to try. Even if it doesn't work, at least I've tried."
"To try and bring out a team with your brand?"
"Yes. I envy you, Tony. I hope I can achieve what you've achieved one day. "
Tang En did not express any joy at Dunn's praise. He still kept a straight face and was in a very bad mood.
"I've decided to start from the beginning. I'm confident that I've learned a lot from you and should be able to help. But I don't necessarily want to be a manager like you. I'm still not good at arguing with people. "
"That kind of team … It's without fame or fortune …" Tang En still wanted to persuade Dunn to give up on this fantastical idea.
"I don't really care about fame or fortune, Tony. I just want to see if I have what it takes to be a manager. "
Tang En was still frowning, his expression unfriendly.
Dunn saw his expression and sighed. "Do you still remember Chen Jian, Tony?"
Tang En froze for a moment. He did not understand why Dunn would suddenly mention that China kid. "I remember. What's wrong? He's still training in the youth team and reserve team. I haven't seen him in a long time. "
"Do you remember how you talked to him on the phone back then, asking him to come to England to play football? Do you remember how excited you were after talking to him on the phone? Do you remember how you answered my questions when you first decided to use Wood's training plan to train him? "
Tang En was rendered speechless by Dunn's three consecutive rhetorical questions.
"You asked me if I had a dream. You asked me if I had the impulse to accomplish something. You even told me: 'Men, there must be one thing in their lives that they want to accomplish no matter what.' Thank you, Tony. Now I have a dream. I have the impulse to accomplish something. There's already one thing in my life that I want to accomplish no matter what. "
Tang En was countered by Dunn using the words he had once said. He completely lost his temper.
He looked at Tang En and laughed. "You're getting more and more glib-tongued."
Dunn saw him laugh and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "What do you mean?"
"If you're really so determined to go, I can't stop you. After all, you're not my personal property. I have no right to interfere with your life. Whatever path you want to take and how you end up, that has nothing to do with me. "Tang En waved his hands and admitted defeat. He was indeed stubborn, but he was not unreasonable.
Dunn heard him say this and suddenly laughed. "Your words are so heartless."
"You hurt me. Of course I have to be a little heartless." Tang En glared at him. "But … I'm saying if, if, if you really can't go on, come back. Wilford's doors will always be open to you. "
"Like Queiroz?"
Tang En chuckled. "I don't think it's right to say a good horse doesn't return. If you want to come back, give me a call. I'll make room for you as an assistant manager."
Dunn did not say anything. After telling Tang En his thoughts, he felt a lot more relaxed. From today onwards, he could pursue his dreams. Although it was a little cruel to Tang En, the two of them had been together day and night and worked well together. His sudden departure really caught Tang En off guard. But in reality, if he had not considered minimizing the impact, he might have left the season Tang En returned. This season, the Forest team was on the right track, and a new batch of young players like Mitchell had also emerged. It made him feel that the time was ripe for him to leave with peace of mind.
"Tony. Since I'm leaving, there's something I want to tell you. Actually, my departure is a good thing for you. "
"What's so good about it? I'm losing a right-hand man. "
"You used to always use your lack of familiarity with the team's training as an excuse, and I arranged everything. But now that you've been in the team for eight years, you should have seen it, right? But if I'm here, you'll still leave everything to me. I'm leaving, and you won't be able to find anyone else. You can only do it yourself. I think this can further improve your own level. Don't underestimate yourself, Tony. You have potential but you don't use it. It's a waste. It's shameful to waste it. "
Tang En continued to laugh. "Is this what you call a good person's words when you're about to leave?"
Dunn did not continue to tangle with Tang En on this topic. He believed Tang En had listened. "I've explained things clearly to you, and I have nothing else to say." He planned to leave.
"Oh, right. Can you tell me which team invited you to be the manager?"
When Dunn heard Tang En's question, a smile that he could not hold back suddenly appeared on his face.
Tang En became even more curious. "Which team? If you need help, I can loan the Forest youth team players to you. You can pick whoever you want, and I won't charge you a loan fee … "
Dunn could not hold back his laughter. "Notts County."
Tang En's eyes widened, and he stopped mid-sentence. His mouth was wide open as if he had seen an alien.
"Damn! Did I hear wrongly? "
"I thought you'd be happy that I don't have to move out of Nottingham."
"I'm happy, my ass!" Tang En felt like he had been played. "Nottingham Forest's nemesis! I take back everything I've said before! You want to loan players from me? No way! Dream on! The next time we meet, it'll be a real fight! "
"Ha! Do you finally feel like you're playing in a city derby? "Dunn laughed happily.
Tang En gritted his teeth and glared at him. "You're still laughing? You did it on purpose, didn't you? You could have picked any team, but you picked Notts County! "
Dunn spread his hands. "The other teams look down on me, but they're the only ones who found me. They don't think there's anything wrong with me being Forest's assistant manager. Naturally, I can't reject them just because they're from Notts County. "
"You're really … You're really unscrupulous in order to become a manager?" Tang En was speechless.
"The conditions they've offered are also very tempting. Although the team is not doing well recently, they've promised that I have the final say in the team. I'll also be in charge of the youth training camp. I can build my team from scratch according to my own ideals. These are the best conditions. "
Tang En nodded vigorously. "Very good! I wish you the best in leading the team to complete the three-level jump and appear in the English Premier League. That way, I'll have two chances every season to beat you up, you bastard! "
"I'm looking forward to that day," Dunn replied with a smile.
Despite his scolding, Tang En still extended his hand. "If you can't survive in Notts County, I'll welcome you back. Don't worry about the pressure from the fans. I believe my words still carry weight. "
Dunn also extended his hand. "Thank you, Tony."
※ ※ ※
Two days later, the media reported that Nottingham Forest's first assistant manager, the Chinese Dunn, had terminated his contract with the club. Nottingham Forest thanked him on their official website for all his contributions to the team and wished him the best of luck in other areas.
Three days later, Notts County officially announced the signing of former Nottingham Forest assistant manager, Dunn, as the team's new manager on a four-year contract.
However, these two pieces of news were drowned out by the overwhelming wave of "Ferguson" news and did not even cause a ripple.
The fans of Nottingham Forest and Notts County, on the other hand, took note of these two pieces of news. They had differing opinions. Some understood and some scolded, but no matter what, they could not interfere with the path that Dunn wanted to take.
Brosnan planned to interview Tang En. He wanted to know the news behind this change in personnel. However, Tang En, who had long flown to Los Angeles to spend time with his wife, simply turned off his phone. He could only sigh as he held his phone that kept ringing with a busy tone.
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