Evan Doughty would now begin to miss the days when Tony Twain was around.
Because he found that it was not enjoyable to face the reporters and media like this all the time.
When his car drove to the gate of the Wilford training base, a large group of reporters blocked the place, and his car could not move at all. Just like last night, a large group of reporters rushed over when they saw the dark red Audi A6. They were like sharks that smelled blood. The white flashes were like the giant teeth in the mouth of the fish, glinting coldly in the morning sun.
They were asking the same questions as the day before, but they were even more aggressive. Evan believed that if he could not give them an answer, he would not be able to enter the gate of Wilford …
He opened the car window, and those microphones immediately slithered in like snakes.
If he had pressed his face against the window just now, he would have been poked in the face by these stick-like objects …
"There will be a press conference in the afternoon, gentlemen. If you have any questions, please ask them at that time! "Evan raised his voice and shouted, without any of the demeanor of the club chairman. He was embarrassed by this group of hungry paparazzi.
"Can I ask any question?" a reporter asked.
In order to get rid of these people, Evan Doughty had to nod, "Anything!"
"Then, about Tony Twain's open letter … can I also ask?" The reporters were not willing to let go of such an opportunity.
Evan Doughty did not answer the question. He pushed those microphones out and closed the car window.
The Audi trudged through the crowd with difficulty, inching forward bit by bit. The dissatisfied reporters were still around to take pictures, and some even slapped the windows and doors, shouting, hoping to get the people inside to come out and answer the questions.
The security guards of the entire Wilford training base gathered here to escort their boss. Even so, they looked embarrassed under the attack of the reporters.
When Evan finally arrived at the office after much difficulty, Allan Adams was already waiting for him inside.
"These reporters are crazy!" Evan complained bitterly. There were also reporters near his house last night, and it seemed that it was unlikely for him to have a peaceful life.
Allan said with a smile, "You have to be glad that they are just reporters and not crazy fans, otherwise you will be overturned with your car."
Speaking of fans, Evan became sensitive. "What's wrong?"
"Protesting fans have appeared outside the training base. They are holding banners. The words on them … are all cursing you, Evan." Allan reported the latest situation to him. This was also the reason why he had come to find him.
Evan was stunned for a moment. What was supposed to happen had still happened. And there should be even more violent storms in the future.
"The fans need to be appeased," Allan said.
"How do I pacify him?"
"Find a new manager as soon as possible, let the team return to normal, let the fans focus their attention on the transfer market … Then hurry up and buy a big star player." This was Allan's plan.
"Here's the problem, Alan. Do you have a candidate for the new manager? "
Alan was stumped by his question. At this point in time, there were too few outstanding coaches left in the market, and they did not look up to coaches who were not outstanding enough. The goal set by the club for the team was to continue to enter next season's Champions League in the new season. At the very least, they had to ensure that they would win a championship title. Such a request was not something that could be easily achieved by any manager.
Both of them stopped talking, and the office fell into an awkward silence.
※ ※ ※
The Nottingham Forest players were training under Kerslake's lead on the training ground, but they all looked distracted. Everyone's eyes would unconsciously glance outside.
A large number of fans had gathered there, but they were not there to watch the team's training today, and then look for a chance to find a few of their favorite players for autographs and photos. They hung the banners they brought on the barbed wire wall. The banners read:
"Who is the culprit who caused the team to become a laughing stock? Evan Doughty! "
"Evan Doughty, get lost! Give me back my Tony Twain! "
"The criminal must be punished, Evan Doughty must resign!"
"We have the right to know the truth behind Tony's departure!"
"Evan Doughty, go to hell!"
There were no less than ten such banners, densely hung on the barbed wire wall. When the wind blew, it would shake, and it was very eye-catching.
If the reporters could get in, they would definitely surround this place and take pictures.
This was the best news material — "The chairman of the Treble winning club faces a crisis of confidence, and the fans collectively ask him to resign as an apology!"
Listen, how great!
Apart from hanging the banners, these fans did not shout slogans loudly, and then they began to watch the team train. But who could train with peace of mind in such an environment, under such gazes?
The results of the morning's training were abysmal. Kerslake could do nothing about it.
The players would gather together whenever they had the chance to discuss the banners they saw.
It was not easy to lead the team when the players' hearts were scattered.
Gareth Bale looked at the banners and thought of Pepe, who had already left. He hugged the boss in front of more than 50,000 people at the Crimson Stadium, and it turned out that he already knew why the boss left. Now Bale somewhat regretted that he did not do the same at that time. And what made him even more ashamed was that he did complain in his heart about the boss leaving without saying goodbye, and felt that he was very irresponsible to leave him behind.
He felt that he should take the initiative to call the boss to apologize. But he wondered if it was really appropriate for him to do so. The little monkey, who was in a dilemma, was not in the mood to train. During the set-piece training, his ball either hit the human wall or flew straight out of the end line. Not a single kick was within the range of the goal.
Mitchell's situation was not too good either. He tripped many times during training and almost strained his thigh.
Everyone felt that their vision was dark, and they did not know where their future lay. Two managers in a row had left, and the club's top management was facing a crisis of trust. Should they continue to stay here, or should they change teams?
Everyone ended the half-day of training with a heavy heart. The fans watched the players walk out of the training ground. Only a few people went up to ask for autographs, and the others just watched from the side.
After the players left, the fans who had been watching coldly from the sidelines took down the banners they had hung and left one after another.
When they went out, they found the reporters surrounding a white BMW X5, which was Allan Adams' car.
He had just ridiculed Evan Doughty in the morning, and this time it was his turn to be unlucky.
"Mr. Adams, I heard that you received a deposit in Lennon's transfer deal? May I ask if this is true? "
"Tony Twain thinks that you are the main culprit who has made this team what it is now. May I ask if you want to defend yourself?"
"Is it because of the bad personal relationship between you and Twain that led to Twain's departure?"
"Mr. Adams, have you really never said a word to Twain in the past year?"
Allan Adams hid in his car. Compared to Evan Doughty, his car window was covered with a special protective film. From the outside, the situation inside could not be seen clearly, but from the inside, it was very clear what was happening outside. It was very much like the kind of single-sided mirror glass.
A few fans passed by the crowded crowd. They suddenly pulled up the banners in their hands and booed the white BMW. The people next to them cooperated and stuck out their middle fingers.
"Americans, get out! We want Tony! "
This was the slogan on the banner. There was also an American flag drawn on the side, with a big red cross on it.
The group of fans began to chant the slogan of "revolution." "Americans, get out! Get out! Get out! "
The reporters noticed the noise behind them. They turned around one after another and aimed their long guns and sprints at the group of uninvited guests.
Seeing that the reporters were filming them, the group of people became even more excited.
"We want Tony! He can bring us the championship. What about the person sitting in the car? He will only sell our main players! " Among them, there was a fat man who was shouting especially energetically. He seemed especially excited, the fat on his body shaking non-stop.
"Allan Adams! Get out here right now! Give an explanation for Tony's departure! "He pointed his thick middle finger at the car window.
None of the reporters went up to dissuade him. Instead, they became even more enthusiastic.
The security guard at the door had to come forward to separate the excited fans, for fear that they would overturn the car that the club's commercial director was in, and then pour gasoline on it and light it on fire. There were so many reporters here. If they were allowed to do that, it would be … lively.
The incident at the door blocked the area. The players who were driving away were all blocked at the back.
The reporters were not willing to let go of such a great opportunity. There were many people on the spot who started to interview the fat fan.
"We need the club to give us an explanation. Why can't they keep the meritorious manager who led the team to win the Treble? Why can't they keep the team's defensive core, Pepe? Why can't a team that has just won the Treble become the laughing stock of the whole of England? "The fat man spoke passionately to the camera. His speech was echoed by the fans behind him.
"We've become the f * * king laughing stock! They're sitting in a luxury car trying to avoid responsibility! "
"Get out of the car, damn Americans!"
"Get out of the UK, American pigs. This is not a place you should be!"
To prevent him from escaping, some fans even ran to the front of the car and blocked Adams' way with their bodies.
The beautiful blonde reporter from Sky TV held a microphone and was pushed around by the angry fans. She might even be taken advantage of by others, but she did not care about it at all. She shouted excitedly in the crowd, "Nottingham Forest's commercial director is being blocked by the fans at the entrance of Wilford. The two sides are not friendly … The fans are demanding the club to give them an explanation. These people cannot accept Tony Twain's departure … But Allan Adams is still in the car and has not come out … This is a live report from Sky TV's Avril from Wilford!"
In the car, Allan Adams was calling his boss and good friend, "Evan, I'm blocked at the gate."
"Reporters? Just deal with them with a few words … I see it, the players' motorcade is almost extending downstairs … What's going on? "
"It's not just reporters, it's excited fans and excited reporters."
Hearing Allan say so, Evan Doughty sighed. This was the worst combination.
"The fans want us to give them an explanation."
"What explanation? O 'Neill's? Isn't there a press conference in the afternoon? "
"No, it's an explanation about Tony Twain's departure."
There was no sound on the other end of the phone.
After a while, Evan's voice came, "Promise to give an explanation in a few days and suppress the immediate crisis. What else can you say in front of the media?"
"Then what about the explanation in a few days?"
"We'll talk about it when the time comes … Let me think, I want to be alone now …" Evan hung up the phone.
Allan turned his head to look at the angry faces outside and the middle fingers that were pointing straight up. He knew what all this was because of. If it was just Martin O 'Neill's resignation, it would never have caused such a big stir. What changed everything, set off waves, and rolled up a storm over Wilford was Tony Twain's damn open letter.
But the two men seemed to have planned it. If O 'Neill had not resigned, the number of people who believed in Twain's open letter would have been reduced, because his reputation was at its worst at that time. But as soon as O 'Neill resigned, everyone was willing to believe everything Twain said, because O' Neill's interview and resignation were the best footnotes to the issues discussed in the open letter. Now, no one would believe the club's excuse.
Evan wanted to drag it out, but could he drag it out past tomorrow even if he could drag it out past today?
Allan did not think about these issues. That was what the club chairman needed to worry about. He just had to carry out the orders.
The players were watching from the back. It was not good for the club to drag it out with the fans and reporters. This kind of scene was really too frightening.
※ ※ ※
The fans who were shouting and protesting found the back door of the car in front of them move a little, and then a crack appeared.
The fat man made a gesture, and the shouting stopped abruptly.
After a while, the crack was widened, and Allan Adams stood out from inside the car.
The players at the back also noticed the abnormality in front of them. They stood on their tiptoes and stretched their necks to look into the crowd. At this time, everyone was particularly envious of Aaron Mitchell.
"Hey, what happened, Aaron?" Aaron. "Mokela tugged at Mitchell's shirt and asked. Many players turned their eyes to the big man.
"Mr. Adams is coming out …" Mitchell replied. At 2.01 meters tall, he could easily see inside the crowd. "The fans are not making a scene, and the reporters are aiming at him …" He described what happened in the crowd to his teammates like a commentator.
"Thank you for your concern for Nottingham Forest, gentlemen." Although he had been blocked for more than ten minutes, Allan Adams still had a smile on his face and appeared to be very restrained. "I admit that the club has encountered a little difficulty now …"
His words were interrupted by the fans' mockery. "A little difficulty? He really has the nerve to say that, ha! "
The smile on Allan's face did not diminish in the slightest. He was really tolerant. "But I think the real Forest fans should support the team and the club at this time. As for Tony Twain! " He said one sentence at night, and immediately said the next sentence. He did not even have time to take a breath in between. He was afraid of being interrupted by the fans again.
Hearing him mention Tony, the fans quieted down.
"The club will give everyone a satisfactory answer in … four days." Evan did not say a specific number of days. He guessed in his heart. "Now I hope that everyone will not hinder the players from going home to rest. They have a training session in the afternoon."
Allan pointed to the long line of cars behind them.
This was a wonderful reason to get out of the current predicament. After all, the fans were only targeting the club, not the team and the players.
After the fans looked at each other, the fat leader stood to the side and made way. The other fans ran to his side, but continued to hold the banner, as if to remind Allan Adams that if he did not give them a satisfactory answer in four days, the matter would not end.
Allan returned to the car, closed the door, and turned to look at the fans who had smiles on their faces. These people must have thought that they had won the confrontation just now. In fact, he did not take these people seriously. If it were not for the media at the scene, he would have swaggered off. What were the fans? They only needed to provide them with ticket money, buy some souvenir merchandise, and go to the stadium to vent once a week. Nottingham Forest was Evan Doughty's club alone. It had long been removed from the stock market. Here, only Evan Doughty was the real king. No matter what the fans did, they could not threaten the king's throne. Look at Tony, Tony abandoned you, and now you want to seek an explanation for him? How sad …
The car started again and was the first to drive away from the gate of the training base. The dust raised made the reporters cough, and they complained a few times at the car butt.
"The club will give an explanation for the boss's departure!" Mitchell announced to his teammates around him with some excitement. It caused a small cheer. After knowing the truth about the boss's departure, the locker room was restored to unity — at least on the surface. Everyone was in the same mood as the fans and hoped that the club would give an explanation.
Giving up a meritorious manager was tantamount to destroying the Great Wall.
No player could accept such a result calmly.
George Wood had just finished his extra training and came out of the locker room after taking a shower and changing his clothes. He saw his teammates who should have left long ago still gathered together. Although he did not see the wonderful scene of the media and fans besieging Allan Adams, he happened to hear Mitchell's words.
At that time, he froze in place, and then he realized that no one had noticed him. So, he turned around and quietly went back the way he came.
The players saw that the reporters were still at the door and realized that it was not a good time to discuss the locker room issue. They said goodbye to each other, returned to their cars, started the cars, and left one after another.
When the most persistent reporters could not withstand the scorching noon sun and left the place, Evan Doughty got in his dark red Audi A6 and carefully passed through the gate like a thief and left Wilford. After a while, George Wood appeared in front of the closed door on foot.
The guard was surprised when he saw the Forest team captain — he thought the club chairman would be the last person to leave in order to hide from the reporters. He did not expect there to be another …
Although he was surprised, he still opened the door and watched Wood slowly leave. Then he shook his head. There were too many things that he did not understand in Nottingham Forest recently. And he also knew that there would be a lot of such things in the next few days.
The man who was called the "Forest King" by the media and fans had been away for more than two months, but he could still set off such a big storm with just an open letter. It was really …
That was amazing!
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