Born to be a coach [soccer]

Chapter 135

"This team has experienced more setbacks than so many of us can imagine combined."

At dinner, Pickford, the team's idiot and pistachio goalkeeper, changed his usual hippie smile and made a serious statement.

These players visited the opponent's team history exhibition hall this afternoon. After returning, none of them spoke much, and only Pickford was expressing emotion.

"Two tragedies, suspensions in European competitions, sluggish performance... They have survived time and time again. It must be the same this time." Pickford concluded.Sunderland players are now aware of the news of Liverpool's "change of ownership". Those who have a deep relationship with Liverpool, such as Hyypia and Crouch, have called his former teammates one by one.

"So you should be able to imagine what kind of game you will face tomorrow?" Anton asked.

Everyone nods together.

Liverpool escaped the disaster of "bankruptcy liquidation" and reintroduced investors, which will be a huge boost to the morale of the football team.

"Guys, do you remember the last time you were a guest at Anfield?" Anton asked casually.

Messi raised his hand, Anton didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "I didn't ask Barcelona!"

There are only a few players in the team who have experienced the third round of the FA Cup rematch last season, including two "Sen", captain Garner, and winger Nubel.When they think back to the game at Anfield now, they still find it very memorable and tell their teammates about it.Royce and several other young people listened.

Hummels stayed in Dortmund for two years in the Bundesliga. Dortmund and Liverpool share the same team song "You Never Walk Alone". Vibe, replace yellow and black with red in mind - that's it.

"There is such a sentence, 'those that cannot destroy you', what's the next sentence?" Anton asked loudly.

"It will only make you stronger!" All the players gathered together to answer.

So far, no one dares to underestimate this team that only accumulated 4 points in the first five rounds of the league.

Anton went back slightly to make amends: "Therefore, what we have to face is a team that is rebuilding from the ruins. Their will is indestructible, but their personnel and tactics still have shortcomings. My request to you is : Respect your opponent and play at your own skill level. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" The players answered in unison.

On Sunday, the Premier League's morning game will start at 12 o'clock.

The weather was fine this day, cloudy, not too windy, with occasional light rain and no glaring sunshine, which was very suitable for football players to play.

Early in the morning, Anton had received news: Liverpool's "new boss" Henrik flew overnight from Boston and will arrive in Liverpool this morning.I heard that this man also brought several potential "minority shareholders" from the United States to watch Liverpool's game.

"This boss is quite competent." Anton thought to himself, "He actually came to defend the battle in person."

Henrik, the boss of Xingwei, has not seen him for several years, and has only communicated on the phone recently.

Obviously, the new boss is much more concerned than "Two Bears". He rushed to the scene to watch the first game in person.Liverpool is bound to work hard to win this game and give the new boss a "good start".

However, should Sunderland take the script of offering sacrifices to heaven?

Anton thought: Of course not.The green field has always been a place where the weak can prey on the strong, not a place where "you are justified when you are weak".

In addition, the words and deeds of Liverpool coach Hodgson yesterday also made Anton very uncomfortable.

The video of yesterday's press conference was uploaded to the Internet, and many Liverpool fans immediately regarded Anton as a "lucky star"-according to his auspicious words, when Anton mentioned the Supreme Court's ruling, the Supreme Court actually ruled like that up.

All of a sudden, many words of gratitude to Anton appeared on the Internet. Even the fact that he settled out of court with the "Sun" last time and donated the other party's compensation to the "Hillsborough Justice Movement Organization" The child was dug out.

But Hodgson openly questioned Anton's intentions in Liverpool's pre-match press conference.

"I don't really understand why the young coach of Sunderland puts so much energy on other teams." The old coach said this with his usual leisurely attitude and at an extremely slow speed.

The reporters who interviewed Hodgson were the same reporters who interviewed Anton earlier.Hearing such two completely different speeches, the reporters were a little silly: Anton's words were obviously answered in response to the reporters' questions... He kindly donated to a non-governmental organization that seeks the truth about the Hillsborough tragedy, Is this also wrong?

"As a newly promoted team, the most important thing is the team's performance!" Hodgson continued to point Anton slowly "from a distance", "A mature head coach should focus on his team's performance."

The reporters were even more confused: the team's performance?

What score is Sunderland now?How much is Liverpool?

Sunderland No.2 in the standings, where is Liverpool?

Where do you have the confidence to say this?

Hodgson continued: "And I think that Liverpool's players finally have no other excuses in this game, and they can finally show their desire to win."

Reporters: ...

It turns out that the losses in the previous games were all due to the lack of "fighting spirit" of the players, and you, the old man, have no responsibility at all.

There is no way to continue this topic, how to talk about it hurts feelings!

At this time, a clever reporter finally took a roundabout way and asked Hodgson: "What do you think of the coaching position of the England national team?"

As soon as the reporter finished speaking, everyone saw the old man's eyes lit up, as if he was very interested in this question.

After the England national team lost 1-4 to the German team in the World Cup in South Africa, the former coach Fabio Capello has been at odds with the FA because of the issue of the captain of the national team. Now he has the intention to resign.The FA is also inclined to hire a local coach.

If Capello leaves, then Hodgson is the most popular candidate for England coach.

Sure enough, Hodgson seemed to have opened up the conversation box, talking endlessly about the performance and future of the England national team.

Reporters: Is this really Liverpool's pre-match press conference?

As soon as the news came out, Liverpool fans were in an uproar.

I didn't expect my coach to "care" about his team so much.

Even a "passerby fan" like Anton can't match it!

After these remarks came out before the game, many fans were very disappointed with Hodgson-it seemed that there was still a head coach between their team and the revival.

So, the slogan "Hodgson dismissed get out of class" was loudly shouted by the fans, "Obviously you are more suitable for the England national team!"

"Kenny, our king! Please come back!" Many Liverpool fans hope that Sir Dalglish can return and lead the team to continue on the road to revival.

After hearing Hodgson's bizarre remarks, Anton couldn't help but think: If Mrs. Huo really wanted to be the coach of the national team, I wouldn't mind helping him—it's just that it would be cruel to Liverpool. If Hodgson was under the new boss If he continues to lose this game in front of him, and if he loses by a large margin, Hodgson's handsome position will almost be lost.

The hour hand is about to point to 12 o'clock, and the first game after the change of ownership of Liverpool Football Club is finally about to start.

While the players were waiting in the tunnel, Anton and his coaching staff had come to the coaching bench outside.Opposite him is the famous KOP stand.

At this time, there was a sea of ​​red in the KOP stands.A huge Liverpool team flag is slowly rolling out.A red bird on the team flag - it is said that this is a local bird in Liverpool, it is called the "liver bird".But at this moment, the Liverbird on the banner stood proudly, like a phoenix reborn from the ashes.

Then there was applause from the stands.

Anton raised his head and saw several figures appearing in the VIP boxes of the stadium. The one in the middle wore a red Liverpool scarf around his neck.The fans are applauding them.

Anton couldn't help but also looked at the people in the VIP box: besides the Henrik he knew, there was actually a familiar tall man... Is this also a potential "minority shareholder" candidate?He came here to watch the game, doesn't he need a game?

Thinking of this, Anton suddenly saw the new boss Henrik in the VIP box waving at him.He had folded his arms, but now he lowered his arms and shrugged slightly toward that side—where in life do we never meet, old acquaintances meet, and one is the new club and the other is the coach of the opponent.

"Welcome..." At some point in the stands, a huge slogan was displayed, which should be welcoming the new boss.

Unexpectedly, as the slogan gradually unfolded, it turned into "Welcome, Anton!"

Exactly the same as when he was away at Anfield in the FA Cup last season.

Last time he only had one word for Liverpool.

And this time...he still didn't seem to have done anything!

Anton's heart was shocked, and he took a step forward, clapped his hands vigorously, and waved his hands to express his gratitude to the fans in the opposite stand.

Hodgson, who was watching from the sidelines, turned around angrily—the fans of his own team turned their backs and welcomed the head coach of the opposing team. Need to find an excuse, this excuse is delivered to the door.

At this time, as the music played, the familiar melody of "You Never Walk Alone" sounded, and Anfield came to the chorus time again.

Hummels, who played at Anfield for the first time, felt that the scene was so familiar, and couldn't help but rubbed forward from the team and poked his head out.What greeted him was a completely different scene:

In front of him was a vast red sea.Countless fans held up the scarves in their hands, like every wave in the ocean.The fans, who had just experienced a baptism of storm, sang loudly and seemed to be more cheered up than ever.

"...keep walking, keep walking, with the hope in your heart.

You never walk alone, never walk alone. "

The Sunderland players, who were not very nervous before, came here, and the Anfield Devils are at home, and they couldn't help feeling the oppression.

Could it be that what they are holding is the script for offering sacrifices to heaven?

The author has something to say: the routine new boss has been beaten...