Chapter 49 The role of veterans

During the training class the next afternoon, the teammates curiously asked about some details about the Albertini farewell match. They all played football and were still very interested in the legendary stars.

Albertini did not refuse to answer everyone's constant questions. For many active players in the Forest team, Baresi, Van, Basten, Gulit, Rijkald, Stoickov... and others can be regarded as legends.

He is happy to tell everyone the stories of these people.

Of course, without affecting training, he always talks about these during training intervals.

Don Eun didn't stop them, he felt that the legendary star's story could inspire young players to fight upward.

After the training, Albertini approached Donn, thanked him for his support yesterday, and mentioned the text message.

"Thank you, boss, but I think I have already had a very good farewell match. Being able to complete the final contract with the Forest team is my biggest wish now.

"Albertini is such a real and direct person. He put forward his own ideas very directly.

Donn, who was already used to Albertini's way of acting, was not angry. He looked at Albertini with a smile: "Are you satisfied? But I'm not satisfied yet, Demi.

How could my captain have only such an inconsequential farewell match? The best players in the world need a special stage to end the curtain call, an exhibition match? I don't think it's suitable for you."

"But……"

"That game yesterday was just you saying goodbye to AC Milan. You don't object to me saying that, right?"

Albertini shook his head, and he thought so in his heart.

"Look, we have no differences now. Yesterday I just said goodbye to AC Milan, but not you said goodbye to Nottingham Forest and the football field. So it is necessary for Nottingham Forest Club to prepare another farewell game for you.

This is the Forest's farewell ceremony to her captain, don't refuse." Done pointed at Albertini, whose mouth had just opened closed again. "There has never been this rule.

The captain of a team retired, but the team he was in said nothing. “

Donn looked at Albertini silently and continued, "Is it because you can't hold any other teams in your heart except AC Milan, Demi?"

This time Albertini quickly explained: "No, boss. It's not like this... it's just that I think it's for me..."

"It's just a little effort, Demi. Do you think we'll go all over the world to find someone to play an exhibition match that doesn't care about the results?"

Albertini made acquiesce.

Tang En smiled.

"Didn't I say that? Such a farewell competition is not something I want to give to you. Don't worry, about your farewell competition, it will definitely not make us all troublesome or difficult to deal with. Don't think about this anymore, just train well and compete.

Farewell match... When that day comes, everything will be ready. It is the stage that suits you the most..."

Albertini had nothing to say, looking at Donn's confident smile, he nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you, boss."

Tang En smiled and patted his shoulder: "Go back. Demi. Just let me think about this kind of thing, just enjoy the last half season."

Albertini left Albertini, and Tang En talked about this on the way home with Tang. Tang was also very interested in what kind of farewell match Tang En wanted to send Albertini, but he didn't expect that when he asked this question, Tang En was surprised.

"You don't know, Tang? I thought you knew."

Tang thought for a while and understood. “Now I know. But you are so confident… Now you give gifts everywhere, Albertini.

Send Beckham, Kenny; Burns, club chairman...what are you afraid that if you end up with a failure?"

"I have confidence in my team." Tang En put away the smile on his face and said seriously, "I think it's time to win the championship."

On January 13, the league that had been on hold for a week rekindled, and the 23rd round was set. Nottingham Forest played against Portsmouth at home. The opponent was not strong, and the Forest team, who played at home, also won easily - 3:0.

Manchester United is still strong in the league, and because of winning this game, Forests even have the hope of returning to second place in the league. Now they are only one point away from Chelsea: Chelsea 51 points and Nottingham Forest 50 points.

This is a great good news. Many people in the club are talking about the round they will catch up with Chelsea and pull this old enemy off the horse.

But Tang En calmed down. He felt that if the team was not dealt with well, it would be a trap. If the Forest team really aims to catch up with Chelsea as their goal.

Then it is very likely that it will take too much energy before the Champions League knockout season arrives. He needs to stabilize the team's rhythm.

So after this round of league, Tang En specially held an internal meeting of the coaching staff.

Reiterate that the team's goal this season is the Champions League, and the league is not planned. There is no need to go to every game to surpass Chelsea. What if the team is injured by fighting a few important players? The team now has only such a small number of first-team players, and one less is a disaster.

With the team's current strength, it is not possible to advance at full speed on several fronts at the same time to compete for the championship.

Even the FA Cup, a long-standing event, was put to the reserve team and the youth team.

After unifying opinions within the coaching staff, Tang En emphasized again among the players.

Due to the good cooperation between the club and the Royal Medical College of Nottingham, the team's injuries have been greatly controlled, and large-scale injuries rarely occur.

Despite this, the problem that Tang En has been worried about still appears in the next round of the league.

Since being tackled in the local game against Reading, Brazil - now becoming a Portuguese native and a member of the Portuguese national team - defender Pepe has been in serious injuries.

Fight and stop, fight and stop.

Coincidentally, in the 24th round of the league, Nottingham Forest's opponent happened to be Reading again.

However, this time the Forest team changed away games.

The FA England attached great importance to this game. It sent several game supervisors to the scene to closely monitor several "dangerous people" - such as George; Wood and Hunter.

Because of heavy punishment, the players on both sides of the game became much more honest. But the FA can control the players but not the fans. The Forest team was almost overwhelmed by Reading's booing and swearing stars on the away game.

No matter who it is, as long as the Forest players get the ball, they will be greeted with overwhelming booing. Even head coach Tony and Don Eun are not spared, and he walks out of the coach's seat every time.

Once you stand on the sidelines, you will boo and scold in the stands behind the visiting team coach's seat.

Tang En was unmoved and stood proudly in the booing sounds like a storm. How cool it would be. Even the game commentator repeatedly mentioned that Tang En's psychological quality was very good.

But only the people on the Forest coach's seat will know what's going on - Don Eun carries an Apple ipod with him, then wears earbuds, listens to the music of the "German Chariot" and turn the volume to the maximum.

He couldn't hear anything he scolded him outside... Of course. He couldn't hear anything he said himself, so he could only shout loudly, but in this environment, if he didn't speak loudly, others wouldn't hear what he was saying.

The result of this is. Every time I see Tang En posing on the sidelines with a serious face and listening to the insults coming from behind the coach's seat, Chris Lack wants to laugh

Don En has the conditions to plug headphones into his ears and listen to the most noisy music. The players on the court do not have this condition. Under the huge away pressure, the players of the Forest team did not play very well.

In the second half, when Pepe was one-on-one with the opponent's forward, he sprained his knee because he turned too quickly and was forced to be replaced in advance.

At that time, Don En didn't take it seriously. After all, as mentioned earlier, Pepe was constantly injured, and he replaced Pepe with Kompany. He continued to stand on the sidelines as a target for Reading fans, dispersing the pressure on the players.

During the halftime break, Donn roared at the team, telling them that if they can't win Reading away, they will be sorry for Paul who is still recuperating at home; Gerald will also make everyone in Nottingham Forest laugh at by Reading people.

So no matter how much pressure they are facing now, they must win this game.

Supported by this spirit, Nottingham Forest finally won Reading 2:1 away. The away trip ended with a long boo.

However, on the way back to Nottingham, Don En finally received bad news.

Team doctor Fleming told Don clearly that Pepe needs to rest for at least three months. If he doesn't want to make it a stubborn disease, he will have to undergo surgery immediately after repeated attacks in the future.

Tang En's face suddenly became mute because he won the ball.

Pepe is now a defensive general. He and Pique are very skilled in cooperating, especially Pepe has become mature and sophisticated beyond his actual age.

His one-on-one ability has caused many Premier League strikers to suffer. His excellent explosive power and accurate judgment of the landing point have allowed him to take the lead when competing for the header. In addition, he has good speed, as a central defender, he can hardly find anything wrong.

Tang En once said in front of the media that Pepe has the qualifications to become a world-class central defender. All he needs now is the accumulation of game experience and one or two championships with enough weight.

Unexpectedly, after fighting with Reading, Pepe became a "quasi-glass man". This time he was completely over.

As the head coach, how can Don't be angry?

"Reeding..." He whispered and swearing, "There is no other way except surgery?" After scolding Reading, Donn asked Fleming again.

"If you don't have surgery, it may take longer to recover slowly, and it will often relapse in the future... He may not be able to play ten games in a season."

"Okay, surgery is the case...I need him to come back before May."

"If everything goes well - the surgery and postoperative recovery go well, I think there is no problem."

After finishing the conversation with Fleming, Don began to sit alone in the seat and think about how to use the winter transfer period to supplement the team's defender.

At this time, I can buy it, but I am not weak in strength, but there are not many central defenders... Tang En carefully searched in his mind for a while and finally decided on a candidate.

The Argentine veteran Roberto Ayala (roberto_ayala), who is currently unhappy in Valencia.

Although he is almost 34 years old, as an experienced central defender, his strength is undoubtedly. In recent season, he has been exiled due to conflicts with Valencia's leader Caboni.

Ayala had long wanted to leave Valencia and change the environment.

At this time, it is easy to say whether it is transfer or loan.

Donn decided to return to Nottingham and asked the club to contact Valencia Club. If the price is right, buy it directly. If the price cannot be negotiated, he will rent it for half a season.

Anyway, Ayala basically can't play any game in Valencia.

With the current influence of the Forest team, Ayala will not reject this opportunity.

The only regret is that Ayala cannot represent Forests in the European Champions League because he has played in the form of a formality for Valencia in this season's Champions League.

It seems that the Champions League is still the only way to hold on to the young people...

Speaking of the Champions League, Tang En is about to attend the lottery ceremony. He is very looking forward to this lottery...

Back in Nottingham, Tang En looked up the information and found that things were not the same as he had imagined. But there was no big problem.

Ayala and Valencia's contract expires at the end of this season. Ayala expressed her wish to renew her contract with Valencia and end her career at this club a year ago.

But after the World Cup, he waited for the news that Valencia did not intend to renew his contract with the 33-year-old, which disappointed him very much. This also triggered a conflict with Caboni.
To be continued...