Evan Doughty's so-called "satisfactory answer" was to get Twain back and everything would go back to square one. Everyone would pretend that nothing had happened in the past two months and Nottingham Forest would continue to dominate England and Europe.
But Twain was not cooperative, so this answer was naturally not very satisfactory …
Evan and Allan did not stay idle for the next few days after being rejected by Twain. They went around contacting managers, whether they were unemployed or employed, they were all on their list. They had to find a new manager for the team. Currently, the team's recruitment and preparation work was in a state of complete paralysis. If this situation continued, Nottingham Forest's grand plan for the new season would all go down the drain.
Hiddink insisted on being the manager of the Netherlands national team, otherwise there would be no discussion.
McClaren was not interested in being the manager of this team.
Scolari was also not willing to return to England to manage.
Ancelotti did not want to manage a club where his arch-rival had been, because he did not want to be repeatedly discussed about his feud with Tony Twain, especially when people would introduce him as "this is Tony Twain's successor". That would be a huge insult.
Schuster had a quick time in Spain and was not willing to manage in England.
…
They even went to America to look for a manager. What Rosenberg, what Bielsa … they were really desperate. Regardless of whether it suited their team's style, as long as it was a manager, they had to ask, "Are you willing to manage the best team in Europe?"
Unfortunately, no one was willing to accept the olive branch they had been throwing out. Perhaps the heated news had damaged the club's reputation during this period of time. Many managers would consider when they received the invitation: how long can they last in a club that likes to meddle in the team's affairs?
Perhaps the only attractive thing at this time was money. Evan had no choice but to raise the standard once again, hoping to attract a qualified manager.
In the end, they managed to settle on a manager before the agreed date with the fans.
The former Valencia manager, Flores, accepted Nottingham Forest Football Club's invitation and signed a three-year contract, officially becoming the team's manager.
However, this kind of news did not pique people's interest. Everyone was interested in how the club was going to give the angry fans a "satisfactory answer".
Flores' inauguration press conference was filled with media from all over England, but they were not there to support the new manager, but to ask for the "answer".
This made Flores feel awkward. He was the second player after Martin O 'Neill to see Tony Twain's influence right off the bat. It was not a good start.
Only a few reporters from his hometown who traveled all the way from Spain remembered to ask Flores a few questions, leaving him with some dignity. The other English reporters all targeted Evan Doughty who accompanied Flores to the press conference.
At the same time, outside the Crimson Stadium, a group of police officers surrounded another group of people as if they were facing a formidable enemy. The people surrounded were all radical Nottingham Forest fans. They held up caricatures of Evan Doughty and Allan Adams, as well as banners insulting the two men, and stood at the entrance of the stadium. Protesting to the club under the hot sun.
Reporters in the crowded press room were still peppering Evan Doughty with questions … or perhaps it would be more appropriate to say "questions."
Doughty could not resist it and could only act shamelessly in the end, "My answer is for the fans, not you reporters." If it was not for the fact that he had to finish the press conference for Flores, he really wanted to leave in a huff. It was only then that he realized how annoying the media was, and why Tony always liked to go against the media in the beginning. This was something he did not realize when he was being praised by the media previously.
Such a press conference was also a form of torture for Flores, but fortunately, his English was not very good, and he did not understand some of the harsh questions. Otherwise, if he knew that the English reporters questioned whether he could control the big stars in Nottingham Forest's locker room, he would fly into a rage. He might even just flick his sleeves and leave — if he did it much more skillfully than Evan, one must know that he was also known in Spain as a "personality coach" and a "madman."
Due to the disruption of the reporters and fans, the press conference ended hastily.
Evan Doughty and Flores left the Crimson Stadium with their own thoughts.
When Evan's car drove out of the parking lot, he saw the protesting fans under the strict "protection" of the police.
The banners they raised read, "Americans, go back! Give me back Tony!! "
If they knew that he had indeed invited him, but he had rejected them, how would these fans feel? Up until now, Evan felt that he loved Forest more than Tony.
※ ※ ※
Allan hoped to sign another star player for the team before replying, but they were running out of time.
The next day, Nottingham Forest's official website published the full text of Evan Doughty's open letter.
In the letter, the club chairman did not admit that letting Tony go back then was a huge mistake, nor did he give an explanation for O 'Neill's departure. He only told the fans who loved Forest that ten years was an era, and it was time for a change.
"… As the club chairman, I am very grateful for everything that Tony Twain has done for the team and the club, and I also miss the days when we were colleagues. But we have to look forward, ten years is a cycle. Maybe it's time for a new start. I am still grateful to Tony for bringing the Treble to the team before he left. That was the best parting gift. Maybe such a gift made all of us lose our judgment. Continue the glory or rebuild the glory? I choose the latter.
I hope you will continue to support the team. In the history of the team, many managers have come and gone. When Brian Clough left, didn't someone say that no one could surpass him from now on? Next, we welcome Tony Twain. Now it's the same cycle again. Why can't there be a third person?
I hope today is the beginning of another period of glory … "
"What he said is bullsh * t! Tony is unsurpassable! This time, it's really unsurpassable! " In the Forest bar, the drunken fans were discussing Evan Doughty's reply to the fans in the name of the club chairman. "I bet he must have had too much to drink when he wrote this. His mind is not clear. Does he know what he's talking about?"
"The Treble, the Double, three UEFA Champions League titles, the only manager to defend the Champions League title after the restructuring, 12 championship trophies in 11 years, at least one championship title every year on average, has become a cultural phenomenon, and there are people who write books to criticize him and become a television presenter … Such a manager, to be honest, is really difficult to surpass." Pierce Brosnan also responded to Evan Doughty's open letter in his article.
"Actually, Evan Doughty's words are not wrong logically. Nowadays, the football world is becoming more and more utilitarian. There are very few managers who can stay in a team for more than ten years. It's normal for Tony to leave. For the Nottingham Forest fans, perhaps it's time for them to forget about Tony Twain … However, I think Mr Doughty is mistaken on one point. Even though the Forest Team ushered in the Tony Twain era after Clough's era, Flores, who has never managed a league outside of Spain, is definitely not the third person. " Lineker commented on the recent series of events that happened at Nottingham Forest on the special edition of BBC's Match of the Day.
Perhaps only Carl Spicer, who Pierce Brosnan called "the guy who wrote a book to scold Tony Twain and became a television presenter", publicly supported Evan Doughty's remarks. "This is why I don't think it's good for a manager to be too charismatic. It's not just the manager, it's the same for the players. When a person's influence and existence surpasses the collective of the club and the team, a lot of things tend to change. Why? He'll change things that are originally very normal … For example, Nottingham Forest is currently undergoing a change of regime. This is originally very normal. Any team will have such a day. However, because of Tony Twain's existence, what was originally a normal move has become an act of betrayal in the eyes of the fans … What a joke! Even the club chairman can be replaced. Why can't the manager be replaced by someone else? " Twain was still a manager in England anyway. He did not care if he was not the manager of Nottingham Forest.
The media had different opinions about the open letter. In any case, the fans did not buy it.
What bullsh * t change of regime? What third glorious period? In the eyes of the smart fans, those were all excuses. They were inferior excuses to cover up their mistakes in their work.
If such an answer could satisfy them, then they would be seeing a ghost.
What could they do if they were not satisfied?
※ ※ ※
"The fans' protest against the Nottingham Forest Football Club's top management seems to have reached a climax. Normal protests are no longer able to express their disappointment and anger towards the club. Just this morning, the club's chairman, Evan Doughty, received a 'death threat' in his office … "
The reporter in the camera stood at the entrance of Wilford. There were quite a number of reporters around him. However, what was more eye-catching than the reporters were the five police cars flashing red and blue lights and the police officers standing guard around them with serious expressions, as though they were facing a formidable enemy.
"The police believe this was done by a radical Nottingham Forest fan …"
The police officer coming out of Wilford was showing the media the evidence of the "death threat" that had just been put into a plastic bag — a white envelope and a bullet.
The people watching the television in the bar broke out in discussion. Some people were applauding the radical fan's actions, believing that he had helped everyone vent their malice. Some people held an opposing view, believing that no matter how much they hated Evan Doughty, they should not have done something like a "death threat."
Fat John did not participate in such a debate. He was concerned about another matter.
He poked his head out and searched the crowd for a long time before asking Boss Burns beside him, "Have you seen Bill these few days, Kenny?"
Burns seriously lowered his head and thought for a moment. Then he shook his head, "I haven't seen him here for two days."
John did not say anything. He pursed his lips tightly and looked worried.
Burns looked up at the television screen and knew what he was worried about. He comforted him, "Don't think too much. Bill is not that kind of person. To be honest, he's the most timid among the few of you …"
"I've always felt that Bill is not normal during this period. I also hope it's as you said …"
As he spoke, Skinny Bill pushed open the door and entered, holding a white envelope in his hand.
When the fat man saw the envelope, he stared at Bill until he walked straight to his side and handed the envelope to Burns.
"Kenny, I'm not very educated. Help me see if there's anything wrong with this letter. Also, give me a glass of wine, I'm dying of thirst … "
John was still staring at him. His expression was as if Bill was not holding a letter, but a gun.
Burns readily opened the envelope and shook out the item inside — it was not a bullet or a knife, but a folded piece of paper.
After opening the paper, Burns only took a glance at it before he raised his head and looked at Bill in surprise. "A confession letter?"
"I felt that I should apologize to Tony, so I wanted to write this … But you know I'm not very educated. I've long forgotten what I learned in school. I've held back for two days and only wrote this … "Bill pointed at the paper in Burns' hand in embarrassment. "I don't think Tony will have a chance to come here. The possibility of us meeting is too small. So, it's better to write a letter to him … If you have a way, please pass it to him. "
Burns did not speak and looked down at the letter.
John, who was beside him, pushed a glass of golden beer to Bill.
Fine water droplets seeped out of the thick walls of the glass. White foam floated out of the mouth of the glass and hung on the side. It was tempting.
"It's iced. It feels good." John grinned at Bill.
※ ※ ※
A few days later, the "death threat" case was solved. The police easily found the culprit through the fingerprints on the bullet. He was indeed a fanatical Nottingham Forest fan and had never committed a crime before. Otherwise, he would not have left fingerprints all over the bullet and the envelope. As he was dissatisfied with the club's management for chasing Tony Twain away and selling Pepe, he sent this letter to teach Evan Doughty a "lesson".
When he was arrested, the television media followed him. The culprit did not have the slightest awareness of his misfortune and was still shouting at the camera, "Go away Americans! We want Tony! We want Tony! Nottingham Forest was destroyed by an idiot like this, destroyed … "
He was still shouting when he was pushed into the police car by the head by the police. When the car door closed, he was still shouting at the camera, but no one could hear his voice anymore.
Although it was a false alarm, Evan Doughty was very nervous. He immediately sent his wife and children to the United States and strongly condemned this behavior in an interview.
Yes, he was the king of the club in essence. No one could threaten his rule. He had supreme authority here. The fans who only knew how to protest on the streets were not valued at all. But this incident made him understand that no matter how insignificant a person was, they could still make him, the king, tremble.
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