Since the end of the World Cup, Kenny Burns' Forest Bar had not been this lively for a long time.
Since the bar opened at 11 o 'clock in the afternoon, there had been a constant stream of people pushing the door open, ordering a glass of beer, and then gathering together to discuss something.
When Skinny Bill appeared in the bar, the whispers finally turned into a loud argument. The fans, who were originally united, had split into two factions at this time, with no one willing to give in to the other. Other than the lack of smashing glasses and swearing, the atmosphere was not friendly.
Burns continued to wipe the glass in his hands that could not be wiped clean for the rest of his life, and had no intention of stopping them.
When John pushed the door open and entered, the argument in the bar temporarily disappeared after seeing him.
John stood at the door and looked around the room. The fans in the bar were clearly divided into two sides, with fewer people on the left and more people on the right. Everyone had a hint of anger, and under the contrast of alcohol, the red on their faces was exposed.
"Bill, what are you doing now?" John immediately caught the main contradiction. He stared at Bill sitting on the right.
"Nothing, discussing how to 'welcome' Tony for tomorrow's game." Bill swirled the whiskey in his glass and casually replied.
"You still can't let it go? Tony has Tony's freedom … "
The fat man's words had just begun when he was rudely interrupted by Bill. He suddenly stood up and glared at John, saying with red eyes, "Bullsh * t freedom! Do you think he's still an ordinary manager? That's right, it doesn't matter how many ordinary managers leave, because they are worthless to us! But Tony Twain is different! He used 11 years to prove that he only belongs to Nottingham Forest! A Nottingham Forest without him is not the Nottingham Forest we like, and without Nottingham Forest, he … is also not the Tony we like! "
John waited for him to finish shouting, and still said calmly, "You said you like Tony, but do you understand him? If he is unhappy with his job, at least he has the right to choose to leave, right? "
"Ah ha, if he is unhappy with his job, he has the right to choose to leave. So, we also have the right to choose to hate him! "Bill changed his tone and said sarcastically. "If he just leaves, what if he leaves us behind? And those players who follow him wholeheartedly, those fans who believe in him, support him, and call him king. Did he think about how these people feel when he left? Did he ever understand them? We see him as the man who can take Nottingham Forest to the top, and this is how he treats our expectations? "
John felt that Bill had gone mad. It was impossible to communicate with such a Bill. He shook his head and ignored the hysterical Bill. He walked straight to the left and sat down. Then, he raised his hand and asked Burns for a glass of wine.
The wine was personally served by Burns, but John stared at the wine glass in a daze. "A disposable paper cup?"
Bowens gave him a smile. "That way, I won't have to worry about someone dying when you guys start fighting."
Hearing this, John suddenly felt very bad. He used to be such good buddies with the people opposite him. They watched the game together and followed Nottingham Forest's glorious footsteps everywhere. When they won the game, they would come back here to celebrate. When they lost the game, they would come back here to drink and curse. Whatever had happened, they had never fought among themselves like this, not even when Michael had left.
But he did not expect them to split up after Tony Twain left. That person was really a devil. He was no longer around, but the influence he left behind could still make friends turn against each other. Tony, ah, Tony, how can I say this to you? What were you thinking when you decided to leave Nottingham Forest? Also, can you imagine what kind of treatment you'll encounter in tomorrow's game?
John was not in the mood to sit there and drink. He stood up and looked at Bill, shaking his head. Then, he walked out alone.
The people sitting on the left also left one after another after John left. Soon, only Bill and his gang were left in the bar. They gathered together and continued to discuss how to "welcome" their old friends tomorrow.
Burns continued to wipe his wine glass, as if he had turned a blind eye to everything in front of him. But his gaze had already passed through the door and drifted into the distance. He also did not know the reason and psychology behind Tony Twain's choice to leave. But he knew that Tony Twain was not the kind of person Bill described him to be. An ungrateful person would not visit Gavin at least twice a year.
Some people were used to wrapping themselves in a thick shell and did not want others to easily understand their inner world. Tony Twain should be such a person.
※ ※ ※
The day before the game, the scene that happened in the Forest bar continued to play out in other parts of the city of Nottingham. The city was originally divided between Notts County and Nottingham Forest, but now it was divided into three parts — the Nottingham Forest fans fell into internal strife.
Tony Twain will return to Nottingham with England in tomorrow's game. How should we treat him then? Should we thank and welcome him from the bottom of our hearts, or greet him with boos, abuse, and middle fingers?
They could not forget the many trophies and joy that "His Majesty the King" had brought them, but they could not forget the impact that Tony Twain and Forest brought to their hearts when they parted ways. Indescribable complex emotions welled up in their hearts, mixed with shock, disappointment, sadness, and anger, messing up their lives. Do not think that the power of football was not that great. In this country, in this city, football had such power.
The Nottingham Evening Post used this headline in the newspaper that day:
The King or Judas?
It vividly illustrated the conflicting feelings of the Forest fans.
※ ※ ※
"I'll definitely hug the boss before the game." Pepe announced his decision in the locker room, which attracted everyone's attention.
There were some people in the locker room who had good feelings for Twain, such as Pepe. He still could not forget the boss's kindness. There were also people who disdained Tony Twain, such as the new players who had just joined the team. They had not experienced the Twain era and could not understand why someone like Pepe would go crazy with a manager who had just left.
The Brazilian center back, Thiago Silva, who had just joined the team was such a representative. He came to Forest to replace Kompany and was naturally excited to join a team that had just won the Treble. He was eager to show his skills here and did not care about what had happened to Forest before. He also could not understand why there were always people in the locker room discussing a manager who had already left.
"Pepe, aren't you afraid that the higher-ups will give you a hard time?" Bale pointed to the ceiling.
"They don't care that much." Pepe looked disdainful. He was the first player in the team to clearly express his dislike for the higher-ups. Anyway, if he really offended the club chairman, he could just leave. Since the boss was not here, what was the point of him staying?
Some of the players were envious of Pepe's courage to love and hate, as well as his courage to take responsibility for his actions. There were also people who were dismissive and did not take it seriously, thinking that Pepe was just saying it. Anyone could move their lips.
Cracks quietly appeared in the locker room that was originally as united as a piece of iron.
Bale looked at Pepe, then turned to look at Wood. "George …"
Wood looked at him and did not answer.
"You, uh … Will you also go and hug the boss?" In the team, everyone knew how good the relationship between Wood and Twain was. If Twain was said to be Wood's father, probably no one would object.
But today, Wood did not give an answer that matched this relationship. He shook his head. "I'm not that mushy."
Bale felt Wood's coldness and did not speak anymore. Ever since the boss left, the atmosphere in the locker room had changed. It became very uncomfortable for him. Playing in Nottingham Forest used to be a kind of enjoyment, but now it had gradually become a torture. For those players who had the best relationship with Twain, this feeling was especially obvious.
He did not say a word and busied himself with his own things. The other players gathered in groups of three to five and whispered, most likely related to tomorrow's game.
Bale was no longer interested in their discussion. What was there to discuss? He would know everything tomorrow.
※ ※ ※
Evan and Allan looked at each other in the club chairman's spacious office. No one said a word.
The silence lasted for a while before Evan changed his position and leaned back on the chair. The leather chair made a creaking sound, breaking the silence in the room.
"What a coincidence." Allan laughed. "When I booked this game, I did not think he would become the England manager."
"Isn't this good? As far as I know, there are a lot of people in Nottingham who are unhappy with his sudden departure. This game may be a way for them to vent their dissatisfaction. "
"You like seeing this scene?" Allan asked.
Evan spread his hands. "It's better than having those people protest and march in front of our house all day, right?" When he suddenly took the initiative to hold a press conference, he had this intention — to implicitly push the main responsibility to Twain. Now it seemed that his goal had basically been achieved. Although there were still voices against the club, it was too insignificant compared to those who were disgusted with Twain.
It could be said that Tony Twain's character and consistent image in the media had helped Evan Doughty. If it were not for his terrible temper and terrible image, the people would not have so easily targeted Twain.
If Twain had always appeared in front of people with an image of a nice guy, a gentle and low-key character, and did not make so many enemies, how could he have fallen to such a state? It was true that character determined fate.
Allan stood up to say goodbye. "Tomorrow's game … is full of anticipation. We earned it. It was originally just an ordinary friendly game, but because of Tony, everything is different. The outside has been blocked by the reporters. Be careful of them when you go out later. "
Evan smiled. "It's a great free advertisement. We should all thank Tony. "
Allan did not reply. He turned and walked out.
※ ※ ※
Since Twain became the England manager, the happiest person was not Twain's hardcore fans, but Mr. Carl Spicer.
It was as if he had regained the focus of his life, smiling and greeting everyone he met in the television station. Those who were familiar with him shook their heads behind his back. They really did not know how Spicer would feel if he knew that he was living for Tony Twain.
After the World Cup, football programs fell into a slump. Originally, the game between England and Nottingham Forest was not an important game. Nottingham Forest wanted to use it to test their new lineup, and England would certainly not send out their main team. Such a game was not worth paying attention to. But now it was different, because Tony Twain had become the England manager.
This hot topic was a news generator. Wherever he went, the news would happen. Carl Spicer no longer had to worry about what to say on the show. Now looking at the previous episodes of the show he did, it really made him stuff his head into his pants — dry and tasteless. The witty words that he was most proud of were gone. When he spoke, his eyes wandered, as if even he himself did not know what his mouth was moving up and down to say. Without Tang En, he didn't know what to say.
Now he no longer had to worry about this, whether it was scolding or sarcasm, there was a target tree in front of him.
He walked briskly into his independent office, gently lifted his feet, closed the door, and then turned around, as if he was dancing. He walked in a circle to the office desk, picked up a dart on the table, and threw it at the office door.
With a "poof", the dart plunged into the dart tray. The dart tray was very special, because it was a picture of Tony Twain with a big grin on his face.
The dart stuck right in Twain's teeth, looking a little funny.
Spicer also smiled like Twain in the photo, "Long time no see, Mr. Twain. The England team is harder to manage than Nottingham Forest. "
The Twain in the photo was still grinning, with a dart in his mouth, and did not answer him.
※ ※ ※
"Tomorrow's game is in the spotlight, and the reason is very simple — Tony Twain is back again. This time, he is back in Nottingham as a guest. "A BBC reporter held a microphone and said to the camera. Behind him as the background was a red behemoth — the Crimson Stadium.
Although there was still a day before the game, the parking lot outside Nottingham Forest's new home, the Crimson Stadium, was already full of broadcast vans. Many media outlets gathered here, just to be able to report the news of Twain's "return" as soon as possible.
The reaction of the fans, the reaction of the Nottingham Forest players … These were all things that the reporters were eager to know.
The tickets for the game were sold a week in advance, and 50,000 of the 60,000 tickets were sold three days ago. If it was in a big city like Manchester, Liverpool or London, it was estimated that the 60,000 tickets would have been sold out long ago.
"The fans are very enthusiastic." The reporter walked to the fans queuing up to buy tickets, intending to do a street interview.
A skinny man appeared on the television camera, shouting excitedly into the reporter's extended microphone, "We will very, very, very, very warmly welcome Tony! This game will definitely be unforgettable for him! Ah ha! "
The reporter reappeared on the television camera, smiling as he said, "It looks like Tony Twain's influence is still very big, and these fans are still missing him. Tomorrow's game will definitely be very exciting! "
※ ※ ※
After the end of training, the players walked out of the training ground one by one, getting ready to change and go home. The reporters who had been waiting for a long time swarmed up and surrounded them, insisting that they talk about tomorrow's game.
"It's just a normal friendly match." The team captain, George Wood, pushed aside the reporters in front of him with a cold face and squeezed out.
The reporters shrugged their shoulders, and turned their attention to the other players. They basically could not get what they wanted from Wood's mouth.
"I'm looking forward to reuniting with the boss!" Pepe said what the reporters wanted. Especially the way he addressed him, there was too much to write about. If Martin O 'Neill heard this, what would his reaction be?
"It's a little strange … I never thought I could become an opponent with him in a game before." The person who said this was Gareth Bale, who was a little steadier. "But it must be a very interesting experience." What he said was all nonsense, and it was as good as not saying anything.
Most of the other players were in a state of ambivalence, unwilling to talk more about tomorrow's game. After a few words, they hurriedly left. Even when he signed autographs for the fans, he seemed absent-minded.
When Martin O 'Neill came down from the training ground, the players were almost gone, and there were some reporters around, waiting for him.
"I have nothing to talk about." O 'Neill knew what they were going to ask, and raised his hands in advance. "I understand why you media are so interested, but for me, this is just a normal friendly match. I don't care how you hype it up, as long as you don't affect my players. "
But the reporters still did not want to let him go. "Hey, Martin. How much influence does your predecessor have on you here? "
O 'Neill pursed his lips and did not answer. In fact, he had to thank Twain for not mentioning Nottingham Forest so much, otherwise the pressure would probably be even greater. Even so, the influence of the former manager was still everywhere, and it troubled him. He must have been muddle-headed when he first agreed to take over the team, and actually ignored Tony Twain's influence.
"Just one question, Mr. O 'Neill. Can you comment on Tony Twain? "
O 'Neill pretended not to hear.
The reporter did not let it go and continued to ask, "Is there a conflict between you two?"
O 'Neill did not dare to pretend not to hear the question. In case the reporters interpreted it maliciously, his silence would really become "Martin O' Neill is dissatisfied with Tony Twain." Such a news would throw him into the limelight. He was not Twain. He did not like to be a news figure who was overly concerned by the media.
"No." He stopped and smiled. "My relationship with Tony has always been very good. He is a very good manager, as can be seen from the many championships he has won. As the new manager of Nottingham Forest, I hope to continue this glorious tradition. "
He was still forced to answer the first question and put himself in a low position.
With that, he quickly walked out of the encirclement of reporters, no longer caring about the reporters' shouts behind him, and swaggered away.
Pierce Brosnan was also among the reporters who pestered O 'Neill. Looking at O' Neill's back as he quickly fled, he thought of Tony Twain.
From the beginning to the end, Twain did not show up and say a word about the game, but it made so many people go crazy. At the same time, was that person hiding in the dark and laughing incessantly at the show? He must be very proud, right? He had already left, but he still had such a terrifying influence that made countless people willing to go crazy for him.
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