A day of rest was very short. Everyone seized the moment to enjoy this moment of peace. That was because they were about to face two intense championship matches.
On the day training resumed, Tang En smiled as he waited for the players at the training ground. He greeted everyone and observed their expressions. He was very satisfied with the results. The players did not play crazily. Even when they relaxed, they still remembered that there were two crucial battles waiting for them.
From the 13th until the 17th, Nottingham Forest's training was not all against Tottenham Hotspur. Tang En could not be more familiar with this opponent in the FA Cup. They would play against each other at least twice a year. Both teams could be said to have no secrets to speak of. The game was expected to be very intense, with the excitement of punching flesh.
While Tang En was preparing for the FA Cup, he was thinking more about the Champions League final.
The La Liga was not over yet, but there was no doubt that Real Madrid would win the league title. Although they did not have the chance to win the Copa del Rey, it was still very impressive to win the Double.
There were already Spanish media analyzing the chances of Real Madrid winning the tenth Champions League title in the club's history. To this end, they cited history to prove that Real Madrid was the rightful winner of this season's Champions League. In 2000, Real Madrid eliminated Barcelona. In the end, they defeated Valencia 3: 0 in the final and successfully won the eighth Champions League title in the club's history.
Of course, the English media was not to be outdone. They cited historical examples that were equally persuasive. During Brian Clough's era, Nottingham Forest successfully defended their Champions League title at the Bernabéu Stadium. It could be said that the Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, was their blessed land.
Everyone did not seem to care much about the FA Cup.
Tottenham Hotspur's thoughts were much simpler than Forest's. The only title they could fight for this season was this FA Cup. If Nottingham Forest did not take it seriously, it was a good thing for them. They could focus on winning the FA Cup and thereby qualify for next season's UEFA Europa League. Their league ranking this season was not ideal. If they wanted more income and glory next season, they could only fight for it in the FA Cup.
There were even Tottenham Hotspur fans who said that they would win the FA Cup and Nottingham Forest winning the Champions League. This was the most ideal outcome.
But … how could the sparrow know the ambitions of the great?
※ ※ ※
There were still a few days before the competition started. Tang En was unwilling to be left out and initiated a war of words. When he was interviewed by the reporters, he kept talking about the Champions League, Real Madrid, and Bernabéu. But he did not mention the FA Cup or their opponents in the FA Cup.
In the end, the reporter interviewing him could not take it anymore and took the initiative to ask, "What do you think of the FA Cup finals that are about to begin, Mr. Twain?"
Tang En asked curiously, "Is there a need to look at it? We would meet our opponents at least twice a year, and we couldn't be more familiar with them. I don't think one FA Cup game has turned them into a team of Arsenal's level. There's nothing to worry about. "He smiled at the reporter as if he had a card up his sleeve.
Such an attitude and remarks naturally angered Tottenham Hotspur. Their fans must have regretted supporting the Forest team to overturn Arsenal in the final round of the league tournament with Portsmouth to win the championship.
Harry Redknapp was a veteran manager in the English football world and could be considered as a legend. Now that his team had been insulted by the younger generation, he had to jump out and say something.
"Of course I hope that Manager Tony Twain thinks that way, because that way, our chances of winning the championship will be higher. I can't wait for Manager Twain to continue thinking that way. "
He took the initiative to show weakness to express his dissatisfaction.
His subordinates did not have such self-restraint.
Fabian Delph, an outstanding player previously groomed in the Leeds youth camp, had transferred to Tottenham two seasons ago. Now, he had become a key player in the Tottenham squad. He said to the reporters, "I've always looked forward to playing against Manager Twain's Forest team in such an important game. I don't hide my thoughts … I just want to beat them!"
"A team of Arsenal's level? Didn't a team of that level also lose the league title? Why do we want to become that kind of team? Tottenham is Tottenham. We don't need to become anyone else to beat Nottingham Forest. " As a center back who had been playing for the team until now, Ledley King not only refuted Twain's words, but also ridiculed Arsenal who had lost the league title. He was indeed a veteran of Tottenham, his hatred for the Gunners was deeper than anyone else's.
"We once pulled Arsenal down, now we can do the same to Nottingham Forest!" The Brazilian goalkeeper, Gomes, also hoped to get his first championship trophy since coming to Tottenham.
In fact, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest had some history. Because there were two former Forest players in the current Tottenham Hotspur squad. One was the center back, Michael Dawson, and the other was Jermain Jenas.
The latter had very little affection for Nottingham Forest because he had left the team long before Twain accepted the team. Initially, he had the halo of "England's most expensive young player". Now, he was neither famous nor infamous, and was a marginal figure in the team. Michael Dawson was originally a center back with great potential, but he suffered from too many injuries last season and gradually lost his place in the national team. But he was better than Jenas, and if he was not injured in the club, he would still be a key player.
Jenas did not have much affection for Twain, and he also made a small appearance in the war of words. Dawson, on the other hand, was grateful for Twain's kindness in nurturing him back then, and did not participate. When it came to the game, he would no longer have such thoughts. He would definitely do his best for Tottenham and defeat Nottingham Forest.
※ ※ ※
After Twain stirred up Tottenham into a state of panic and chaos, he withdrew and left. Of course, his attitude during the interview was all an act. Not only did he not look down on Tottenham, but he also valued Tottenham. Other than studying Real Madrid, the team had been doing targeted training on Tottenham these few days.
If there was anything special about the FA Cup, it would be that this was the finals, and the opponents could explode with more fighting spirit and energy than usual. This kind of energy could make up for some of the difference in the strength of the two teams. If Forest was not careful, they would still fail miserably.
Since Twain wanted to create a great undertaking of winning the Treble, accidents like failing miserably were definitely not allowed to happen.
Two days before the match, he asked the entire team to watch the videos of Tottenham's last five matches to familiarize themselves with their opponents, while he analyzed every detail for the players in front of the television, including Tottenham's usual tactics, the technical characteristics and weaknesses of every player on the field, how to exploit these weaknesses in different situations, the way they should respond, and so on.
These two days, the training time on the field was intentionally reduced, and watching the match videos became a compulsory course for everyone.
Who dared to say that Twain did not value his opponents? If his opponents really thought so, then there would be a good show to watch when the time came.
Watching the videos allowed everyone to familiarize themselves with their opponents, and they were fully prepared.
Next, Nottingham Forest only had to wait for the match to start.
※ ※ ※
On the 15th of May, Forest set off from Nottingham. The entire team took a bus to London and checked into the hotel they were staying in, preparing for the FA Cup final on the 17th. This was the first time the team had entered the FA Cup final since Twain took over. The entire club took it very seriously, and the chairman even put aside his other work to specially rush to London to encourage the team. He announced that as long as they won the FA Cup, they would immediately cash in a sum of money.
The club chairman used money to boost the players' morale, while Twain used discipline to ensure the players' condition. He asked everyone to be in bed before 11 o 'clock, wake up before 8 o' clock in the morning for breakfast, and have an hour's lunch break in the afternoon. They were not allowed to have pork in their three meals, and they were not allowed to drink for the next two days. Furthermore, these rules were not only used to restrict the players, but also for all the coaches to enjoy such "treatment." It was still alright for them to rest and wake up on time, but not allowing those British men to drink was worse than killing them.
Twain told them in the internal meeting of the coaching staff that there was no better way to manage a team than to set an example. If you wanted your subordinates to follow the rules you set, then you had to follow them first. Only then would it be convincing. It was just like how Wood had always been the most hardworking in training and the most serious in matches. Therefore, even if he was not good with words, he still had a relatively high prestige in the team. This was the power of "setting an example."
He took this FA Cup final very seriously, and he did not allow any mistakes to be made even in the smallest of areas.
After all, this was also Tony Twain's first time …
He had experienced many firsts in his life, but this first time came late.
Even if he had won many championships, he was still a little nervous when facing the FA Cup. He was a little like a scholar who went to the capital to take the imperial examinations, not knowing if he would be the top scorer or the bottom scorer.
Another reason why he took the FA Cup so seriously was very simple — this was the second title of the Treble. If he lost the FA Cup, he would lose the dream that he had been fighting for the entire season. This was the same logic as the Premier League, there was absolutely no room for failure.
※ ※ ※
The day before the game, when the teams went to Wembley to get used to the venue, both managers sat together for a press conference.
When Redknapp and Twain sat together, it was impossible to tell that they had just spat at each other in front of the media.
The two of them were polite. Twain maintained enough respect for his senior, and Redknapp also seemed to have forgotten that Twain had purposely looked down on Tottenham previously.
They only talked about themselves, and did not talk about their opponents. This press conference was as smooth as water, which was very disappointing. The reporters who came after hearing the news had wanted to sow discord at the meeting, but the two foxes, one old and one young, did not fall for it. You talk about yours, I'll talk about mine.
If there were reporters who insisted on asking questions about Twain's comments a few days ago, Twain would just be a rascal and not answer. Anyway, it was not his first time doing this, and he was very familiar with it.
※ ※ ※
On the 17th of May, there was a light drizzle in London since early in the morning. The temperature dropped by four degrees compared to the day before, and the weather was cool. The light rain did not affect the stadium much, but Twain still asked the coaching staff to prepare two sets of shoe studs for the players.
It was still raining when they went to the stadium in the afternoon. Twain looked at the sky in the distance before he got on the car. The sky over at Wembley Stadium was white and bright, and it looked like the rain was going to continue for a while.
In the car, Twain received a text from his wife, reminding him not to get too wet in the rain when he was directing the game in the stadium, in case he caught a cold.
The players were more relaxed, and there were even people playing poker at the back. Twain did not care about them. It was good to relax at this time.
Twain only turned back to look at the players, and then lowered his head to look at the text on his phone screen.
If there was anything that could calm his heart in such a tense moment when a big battle could break out at any moment, it must be his wife's concern.
When Wembley Stadium appeared in everyone's field of vision, the players who were playing cards, resting with their eyes closed, listening to music, and texting all raised their heads to look at the iconic stadium in front of them.
This was the battlefield for their decisive battle.
Twain also retracted his gaze from his phone and looked out the window at the huge stadium under the dark sky.
It was not his first time fighting at Wembley, but it was his first time playing in the FA Cup final. It should not feel different.
He closed his eyes and went through every one of his opponents in his mind. He was sure that he and the team were well prepared, and the FA Cup would definitely belong to them.
The bus stopped well in front of the dedicated tunnel. The nearby fans had already surged up, wanting to be the first to see the players' elegance.
Kerslake was the first to jump off the bus. He waved his hands against the rain and said, "Get off, get off!"
The players got off the bus in a single file, and even had the leisure to respond to the fans' shouts.
Twain was the last to get off the bus. He was held back by the reporters, who insisted that he answer a few questions.
Twain thought of Shania's text message. He put on a stern face and said, "Don't ask about the prediction of the match, don't ask about the score prediction, don't ask about the tactical arrangements, don't ask about the starting lineup …"
"Then what else can we ask?" One of the reporters protested.
"Ah, are there no more questions? Then I'll take my leave first. "Twain turned and left after teasing the media for a while. He was not in the mood to accompany the reporters in their raincoats and umbrellas in the rain here.
"Hey …"
"Mr. Twain, please stay …"
"We've been tricked by him again!" The reporters grumbled.
"Alright, he better pray that his team doesn't lose the FA Cup. Otherwise, I won't let him off so easily in the papers!"
"I think he better pray that his team keeps winning like this. Otherwise, we won't let him off so easily …"
Twain did not hear the malicious curses of the reporters. He quickly walked into the tunnel to avoid getting wet.
Even if he heard it, he would not care. It was not that easy for the reporters to catch him at his weak point. He would not easily give his opponents a chance.
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