The television was replaying last night's soap opera, but no one was watching it. The television in the bar was turned on to create a little atmosphere. Business was average in the afternoon, especially after the end of the season. Burns leaned against the bar, wiping the row of glasses on the counter. John, Bill, and the rest of the gang were gathered in a corner, drinking to pass the time.
"Days without football are so boring … Ah …" Bill stretched and yawned, his tears squeezed out.
"You look like a drug addict, Bill. And you're so skinny … Ha! "Someone teased him.
"If there's an addiction, it's a football addiction!" Bill glared at the other person and continued to lean on the table, using his fingernails to scratch the glass. "The end of every season is the hardest time for me …" He groaned weakly.
"Luckily the World Cup is starting soon. Who has tickets? "John asked from the side.
"Me!"
"I have tickets!"
"Full set!"
Everyone raised their hands.
John looked at them and laughed. "Great, we can spend this summer together again! Haha! "
"Maybe we can even meet Tony," someone suddenly said. Everyone was stunned for a moment before agreeing.
"That's right, he's also commentating the game in Brazil!"
"Ah, now I'm in a dilemma … I want to go live, but I don't want to miss out on Tony's commentary …"
The group chatted, and the topic turned to Twain.
At that moment, the image on the television screen suddenly flashed, and then changed from an intense gunfight on the streets of London to a news broadcast hall. A male anchor wearing gold-rimmed glasses sat upright.
"Now, we'll interrupt with the latest news we received …"
Bill was originally leaning on the table, looking around in boredom, and happened to catch a glimpse of the change on the television. He was interested, and decided to raise his head to see what the anchor had to say.
The image changed again, to a place he was very familiar with — the City Ground Stadium.
A reporter holding a microphone stood outside the gates of the City Ground Stadium. He pointed to the building behind him and said to the camera, "Just now, the Nottingham Forest Football Club held a press conference. The club's chairman, Evan Doughty, announced at the press conference that the contract renewal negotiations between Nottingham Forest and Tony Twain has officially ended. After the contract expires, Twain will no longer be the manager of Nottingham Forest … "
Bill stood up abruptly, kicking over the chair behind him and knocking over the beer glass on the table. The people sitting next to him were startled, afraid that the wine would drip on their pants.
"Hey! Bill! What are you doing? "
"Are you drunk?"
Bill didn't react to this at all. He just stared at the TV with wide eyes and his mouth open, as if he was shocked.
John turned around to look at the TV. Other than one or two people who were still worried about their crotches, everyone else looked up at the TV.
The screen was replaying the scene of the press conference.
Evan Doughty sat on the stage and faced the many microphones. He said expressionlessly, "… We regret to announce this news. As they could not reach an agreement on the renewal of the contract with Mr. Tony Twain, both parties decided to terminate the negotiations. Tony Twain will no longer be the manager of Nottingham Forest after his contract expires. We would like to thank him for all his contributions to the club over the past 11 years and for leading the team to winning 12 trophies. We wish him the best of luck. "
The bar suddenly quieted down, and the sound of the TV was very clear. Burns also stopped what he was doing and looked up at the TV screen.
The beer on the table dripped onto the crotches of the people who were still sitting, drenching them, but these people were not aware of it.
※ ※ ※
George Wood was accompanying his mother for a walk in the garden outside, basking in the sun. His cell phone rang.
It was his agent, Woox, who called, "Good afternoon, George. What are you doing?"
"Walking with Mom." Wood looked at his mother, who was snuggling beside him.
"Hmm, looks like you didn't watch the TV. I have a piece of news for you." Woox paused before continuing, "Tony Twain resigned."
Wood didn't realize what it meant at first because he had never had such a concept in his mind. But then he came back to his senses and asked, "What is it?"
"The news just now. The contract renewal negotiations between Forest and Twain have failed. Both parties did not renew the contract. So after June 30th, he will no longer be your boss. "
Wood stopped walking. Sophia sensed her son's strange behavior and also stopped to look at him.
Wood did not speak again. After listening to the phone call, he quietly hung up.
"George?" Sophia called softly. "What happened?"
Wood looked at his mother and hesitated before saying, "The boss has left the Forest team."
Sophia let out a surprised "Ah". She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes still wide open.
"Mr. Twain …"
Wood nodded. His mother must find it unbelievable, but why did his heart feel empty? It was as if he had lost something very important …
※ ※ ※
The English Premier League had ended, and the English Football League Championship was naturally over. At this time, Dunn did not stay in England. Instead, he flew back to his hometown in Sichuan with his fiancée. He wanted to personally tell his parents the most important decision in his life. Making a phone call was out of the question.
Tang Jing rested her head on Dunn's shoulder, admiring the lush green scenery of Southern Sichuan along the way. The two of them were sitting on a long-distance bus from Chengdu to their hometown. As the manager of a English Football League Championship team, Dunn was not well-known here. They were just like any other ordinary person on the bus.
In his previous life, Dunn never thought that he would one day get married, and to a Chinese woman at that. He felt that he had to thank one person for what he had today — Tony Twain, the him of the past, and the him of today. Although Tony had achieved success in his career, Dunn had gained a family and love. He felt that it was worth it, and he might have even gained a little advantage from it …
So, Dunn decided to tell his parents the news of his marriage with Tang Jing, and then visit Tang Jing's parents. Then, he called Twain and invited them to attend his wedding with Tang Jing this summer. He did not inform Twain in advance. One reason was that Twain was busy at that time, rushing to lead the team to the Treble. The other reason was that he wanted to give Twain a surprise.
The couple, who were about to embark on a new life, did not know what happened on the other side of the world. But he believed that they would know soon.
※ ※ ※
The Champions League had long ended. Chen Jian did not call Twain, and he did not receive any news from Twain. But he felt that he already had a plan in mind, especially when he saw Forest lift the Champions League title. His blood was boiling, and he could not wait to be a part of it.
He thought that his future should be dedicated to this team.
But after a day, Mr. Xia kept pouring cold water on him. He told him not to be blinded by a moment of impulsiveness. Nottingham Forest was not something he could dream of at the moment. Winning the Treble would only make them more inclined to buy famous star players instead of nurturing their own players. Chen Jian would not get any benefits from going to that kind of place. He would sit on the bench for a few years, and finally realize that he had made the wrong choice back then before leaving in dejection. That was his future.
He decided to pack his things and return to Sichuan to be with his family. Perhaps that would calm his wavering heart.
For the past few days, Mr. Xia had been continuously calling Twain's cell phone, but all he got was, "The subscriber you have dialed is powered off." He was so annoyed that he left Chen Jian behind and flew to England alone. He had to catch Twain and ask him in person what his plans were.
Chen Jian, on the other hand, returned to China alone.
When he was carrying a big bag and waiting at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, he suddenly received a call from an unknown number.
"Hi, Chen Jian." Twain's Chinese accent was a little strange, but it was not easy for a foreigner to speak Chinese so fluently, so the small difference in accent was not a big deal.
The call was from Twain.
"Where are you now?" Twain heard some noise on the other end of the phone, and there seemed to be the sound of a broadcast.
"Airport, Amsterdam's airport," Chen Jian replied.
"Ah, ready to go home? Can you tell me your plans for the future? "
Chen Jian was silent for a moment, and finally made up his mind. "I think, I want to renew my contract with the club …"
Twain let out a soft "ah" on the other end, and then said, "I suggest you don't do that."
Chen Jian was shocked. Was the other person not the Nottingham Forest manager, Tony Twain? Otherwise, why did he not speak up for the team?
"You haven't seen the news these few days, have you? You haven't paid much attention to Nottingham Forest, have you? "Twain laughed. "I quit."
Chen Jian was so shocked that his hand trembled, and his phone almost fell to the ground. This was too unbelievable … It was as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight.
Twain could guess how Chen Jian would react at this moment. His departure from the Forest team was too sudden, and he left right after winning the championship title. The difference was too big, and it was indeed hard for the average person to accept.
"You know, Chen Jian. Back then, I was the one who decided to sign with you because I thought highly of you. But who would have thought that things would turn out like this? "He was naturally referring to his departure from the Forest team. "I don't know who my successor will be, and I didn't recommend anyone to the club. So, I don't know what the new manager's attitude towards you is. I don't even know if the team will renew your contract. If I were there, I would definitely give you a contract. It's a pity you didn't sign it before, and now you don't have the chance to sign it, "Twain said with a smile. "Your agent is right, Chen Jian. A club like Nottingham Forest is very utilitarian. They don't have the patience to let a youngster grow slowly, unless you show a very, very shocking talent right from the start. "
But I don't have that kind of talent. Chen Jian said in his heart. He was still very self-aware.
"If your dream is to play professional football, then it doesn't matter where you play. I don't think it's time for you to go to Nottingham Forest. Like your agent said, going to a small team and starting up step by step will be more helpful to you. "
"You mean … you want me to leave the Forest team and go to some small clubs?"
"I heard that there are teams in Holland and Belgium that are interested in you. Although they are not the top leagues in Europe, they can still train you."
This suggestion made Chen Jian feel a little discouraged. He had finally mustered up the courage to face the new challenge at Nottingham Forest.
"Even if you renew your contract with the club, you will still be on loan outside. Without a work permit, you can't play for the Forest team. If you don't play, your golden years will be wasted. So, my suggestion is to transfer to a team that is interested in you. It can guarantee you the number of appearances and ensure that you are trained. At the same time, you can wait for the national team's call, accumulate experience and fame, and play for the national team … "
Chen Jian interrupted Twain. "If I don't plan to play for the Forest team, why would I care about the number of appearances for the national team, Mr. Twain?"
"If you perform well, what if other English Premier League teams are interested in you? For example, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea … If they come knocking on your door and you don't have the qualifications to apply for a work permit, wouldn't that be a pity? "Twain explained with a chuckle.
Chen Jian thought about it in his mind, but he still felt that it was a fantasy. However, he did not refute Twain.
"Anyway, from your point of view, the current Nottingham Forest team is not suitable for you."
Chen Jian fell into deep thought. Everything he heard today was too shocking. Tony Twain had actually resigned and even called to persuade him not to stay on the Forest team … He even suspected that what he saw and heard a few days ago were all illusions and lies.
The world had gone crazy …
"I … uh, I'll think about it, Mr. Twain."
Twain laughed again. "You don't have to say that to me. I don't care about those things anymore … You make your own decisions and be responsible for your own matters. I'm just giving a suggestion. I'm not asking or ordering you to do anything. Take your time to think about it. There's still a year before your contract expires anyway. You've decided on your own path. Walk it yourself. "
Having said that, Twain hung up.
Chen Jian held his phone and sat in his chair, lost in thought. He was still thinking about Twain's words.
He did not expect that in just a few days, his future would undergo yet another earth-shattering change. Ever since he decided to leave school, leave his country, and leave his hometown to pursue his dream of playing professional football, the road beneath his feet had not been smooth. However, he had never regretted it, and it was useless even if he did. He could only continue walking down this path.
Chen Jian did not think for too long this time. When the airport broadcast reminded him that his flight had begun boarding, he dialed his agent, Mr. Xia's number.
"Uncle Xia, there's no need to look for Mr. Twain. I've thought it through. If a team from Belgium or the Eredivisie is interested in me, just contact them. I have to get on the plane. That's all, Uncle Xia. If there's anything, contact me when I arrive. "
Having said that, he hung up the phone, got up, and pulled his suitcase to the boarding gate.
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