Born to be a coach [soccer]

Chapter 175

On the 25th, the vast majority of ordinary people in the UK are still celebrating Christmas at home-all major football clubs have "started".

Unlike the other five major leagues in Europe, the Premier League not only does not have a winter break, but instead arranges intensive schedules for clubs during Christmas and New Years-this is no longer a devil's schedule, it is simply abnormal.

Sunderland's schedule is: a guest at Old Trafford against Manchester United on the 26th; a home game against "Canary" Norwich on the 28th - before taking two breaths, on January 2011, 1, they will play against Manchester United at home blackburn.Within seven days, three games will push the players' physical fitness and willpower to the limit, and at the same time, it will also extremely test the balance and scheduling ability of the coaching staff.

For Sunderland, on the 26th they had Messi to help them out, and after the 28th they will have to rely entirely on themselves.

Anton happily accepted the Christmas gift from all the players, but as the head coach, Anton played the "start-up song" as soon as he turned around.

All members of the first team (including Messi), all members of the coaching staff, and all those on duty responsible for logistics support arrived at Guangming Academy before nine o'clock in the morning on the 25th.

"Very good!" On Anton's handsome face, he could no longer see any ease and joy related to the "festival", "I think everyone is very clear about the upcoming schedule, right?"

"Needless to say, it's another 'Battle of Tianwang Mountain'!" Russell folded his arms and interjected below.

"Wait, what - this is the battle of Tianwangshan again?" Pickford said in surprise: "Why do we always fight this 'Tianwangshan', who is he?"

Immediately, the entire meeting room burst into laughter.

Pickford scratched his head, and was very proud to see that he had brought so much joy to everyone.

But it is true-just over a month ago, they had just played against Chelsea in the "top of the table", and now they have just passed 4 rounds, and they are going to play Manchester United again. The difference between the two teams is only 1 point, and Manchester United's goal difference Even surpassing Sunderland by one, it is actually a "contest for the top spot".

Halfway through the schedule, Sunderland is still at the top of the list. This is already a miracle for a "promoted horse".

However, after playing for half a season, all strong teams have played, and they have tasted the taste of winning and losing. Anton feels that it is time to officially throw out the goal of "championship".

"If you said this at the beginning of the season, I think you all would find it hard to believe that we are now at the top of the Premier League. At that time, everyone would say that Sunderland is a 'promoted horse', please don't aim too high. , please keep your feet on the ground and play well-"

"So we didn't dare to think about anything, we only dared to think about what we could see and touch: We wanted to win the Community Shield, and we won it; we wanted to win the league for the first time, and we won it; we won We wanted to qualify for the Europa League group, we qualified; we wanted to beat the defending champions, we beat..."

"Boys, do you still only dare to think about these targets that are right in front of you?" Anton suddenly raised his voice and asked.

When everyone in the conference room heard it, they patted the table together and shouted.

"We've played all the strong teams once, so there's nothing to be afraid of!"

"That's right, just keep playing like this, isn't it the Premier League champion?"

Anton seemed to have lightly pierced a thin piece of paper blocking everyone, allowing the team members to clearly see the road in front of them, and the goal in the distance that they didn't even dare to think about.

The goal that they didn't even dare to think about before, they are now halfway there.

"I don't want to put pressure on you, but only by winning Tianwang Mountain can we have the possibility of competing for the championship." Anton calmly stated the facts.

"Yes, take Tianwang Mountain tomorrow!" More than a dozen hands clapped on the table at the same time. The calmer Anton was, the more intense the players' reactions were.

After the two-day break at Christmas, the mental state of the players was still a little "floating", but now their fighting spirit has been fully awakened, and the beauty and relaxation of the holiday have been left behind in an instant. Everyone is gearing up and full of motivation .

Russell jumped out and sang bad faces at this time: "Boys, the tactics of the game have been arranged before the holiday. The team's task today is to complete the basic training, and the second is to check your readiness."

There will be a match tomorrow, and it's too late to hug Buddha's feet, so I can only sharpen my gun a little bit.

"In addition, after you finish training today, you can use the sauna room and swimming pool as you like. During the holiday, the club has been overhauled and four new jacuzzis have been installed."

As soon as Anton announced the news, the players were all happy again: "Great!"

The club's large investment is also for the health of the players: the weather is cold now, which is a period of high incidence of sports injuries, but it is also the time when the schedule is the most intensive, so massage and relaxation after exercise are indispensable, but can this be possible? No one dares to guarantee the reduction or avoidance of injuries.

The time to prepare for the game was fleeting, and on the morning of Boxing Day, the whole team drove to Manchester City.Their destination is Old Trafford, which can accommodate 76000 people.

Sir Bobby Charlton once named the stadium "The Theater of Dreams".

In the entire Sunderland team, there are not many people who have been here: firstly, they have mixed in the British Championship for a year before, and secondly, most of the team is now young and later joined players.In their team, there are only a few such as Crouch and Messi who have experience in playing at Old Trafford.

"Mr. Thompson, can you drive the bus around the stadium slowly? I want all the players to see this stadium." Anton asked the driver.

Thompson said: "Then you can only go through the East Stand and the South Stand, and there is no way from the North Stand."

"Let's do it like this!" Anton made a decision.

As a result, fans and tourists outside Old Trafford saw the bus from Sunderland slowly move past the East Stand, with a few young faces stuck on the windows, looking up at the facade outside the stand curiously, And a bronze statue stands outside the facade.

"It's a bronze statue of Sir Matt Busby... yes, Sir Matt Busby, the legendary manager who led Manchester United back to winning the Champions League after the 'Munich Air Disaster'."

The "Munich Air Disaster" was an air accident that occurred in February 1958. In that accident, 2 Manchester United players and 8 staff were unfortunately killed.Manchester United is also a team that suffered a setback and was reborn from the ashes.

"When the bus turns around, you will see the 'Munich Clock' on the southeast corner of the stadium - that is specially placed here to commemorate the victims of the 'Munich Air Disaster'."

Anton's voice is very pleasant. He seems to know this stadium like the back of his hand, and he also knows everything about Manchester United.

After half a week outside Old Trafford, most of the Sunderland players were in awe.

"Now, can you understand how strong and tenacious our opponents will be?" Anton brought them to see these, but it was not for nothing.

The players nodded one by one, expressing their understanding, and no one will take it lightly.

But it was Pickford, the poor man, who now pulled the hat of Henderson's sportswear and said, "Look? If Anton didn't want to let you go, you would have played here this season. "

Henderson's face was flushed, and Pickford's words touched his heart.

Everyone knows that Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson once visited Sunderland to inspect Henderson.But later this matter was settled, and everyone thought that Ferguson had a better relationship with Anton, so Manchester United failed to pull down their face and poach someone from Anton in the end.

Only Henderson, because he has been receiving corrective training, knows the reason behind it very well-Manchester United gave him up first.

In the summer that has passed, Henderson has thought countless times, if he was really lucky to join Manchester United at that time, what would happen to play in this "dream theater".

But the reality is extremely cruel. Ferguson Ferguson, who is extremely experienced, only took one look at his running posture and decided to give up on him.

Now the "Dream Theater" is in front of his eyes.

This "dream theater" almost became his "broken dream" theater.

Henderson stared closely at the grand façade of the stadium outside the car window, one monument after another and bronze statues, but he was thinking in his heart: He is a player who was given up by Sir Alex Ferguson with a single sentence, and Anton can actually do it. Taking advantage of the moment when he just became famous, he sold himself at a high price after changing hands.But Anton didn't, and Anton finally chose to help him correct and heal bit by bit.

Even, whether this correction will work, no one can know for sure.

Anton has never said these things in front of Henderson, but this young man has been in Sunderland's youth training since he was a child, and he has been in the club for a long time. How could he not know these things?

Hearing Pickford mention the past, Henderson suddenly straightened his back-he suddenly wanted to express himself in this stadium and give back to his coach Anton.

The second top match of this season is naturally the highlight of this round.The game is still broadcast by Sky Sports, two celebrities: Andy Gray and Richard Keys, as usual, sit in the studio to explain the game.

Andy Gray has sunken eye sockets and black eyes. Obviously, the "indulgence" of the Christmas holiday has had a great impact on his state today.

But he still cheered up, spread out the stack of materials prepared by the director in advance, picked up a page, glanced at it, and cried out in surprise:

"There is solid news that this will be Messi's last start for Sunderland this season. After that, he will return to FC Barcelona very soon."

Richard Keys also suddenly fell into depression: "The last game in the Premier League with Messi...It's sad to think about it."

At this time, the live broadcast screen also cut in time.Richard Keith coughed: "Yo, look who's here."

The picture freezes in the stands, Guardiola is wearing a thick down jacket, sitting among a group of ordinary fans, preparing to watch the game.