Chapter 6: The Green Forest Hero

July 1st is the day when both players and coaches finish their holidays and return to the team.

Tang returned to Nottingham with Tang Jing the day before. He said he met Tang Jing by chance at the Beijing Airport, and Tang Encao didn't believe his tricks. He also joked with Tang Yiban with his sharp teeth, making Tang blush as if he had stopped.

The Premier League started earlier than other leagues and started in mid-August, so the training sessions of Premier League teams also started earlier than those of other national leagues.

The training on the first day was just physical recovery subjects. Considering that everyone had just spent a month's vacation and had poor skills in all aspects, the training intensity on that day was not high. Physical fitness was not under Tang En's jurisdiction, and there was a special physical coach in charge, so he didn't have to worry much about it.

But he still has to go to the team because in addition to leading the team to train, there are things that require him to come forward.

After a month of vacation, the players seemed to have just woken up from their dreams, sleepy eyes and yawning, and their spirits and bodies were not adjusted to their best condition.

What made Don En very satisfied was that after a wonderful holiday, no one was absent on this day. Apart from Arteta and Ashley Yang, who had announced their departure, even Anelka, who had a conflict with Don En, drove to train. He is still discussing personal contracts with Juventus, and the two sides still have controversies on some issues.

When the players who were still unable to drive themselves from the mental state of vacation appeared outside the Wilford training base in cars, they were frightened by the media waiting here.

Saying "scared" may have underestimated their knowledge, but in fact it is - these Nottingham Forest players have never seen so much media at the training base on the first day of the pre-season training camp.

Not only the media, but also countless fans, they hold banners and shout slogans on both sides of the narrow alley.

If you only look at the media, you may not know why it is so lively here. But if you look at the fanatical fans, everything will be clear.

Some of them wore red Manchester United jerseys, and some wore white Real Madrid jerseys. These people have one similarity, that is, they all hold a poster of one person.

Ribery, who was driving, parked his car in the parking lot inside the training base, and whistled at several teammates who arrived at the same time: "How is the holiday?"

"Fortunately, I went to Hawaii." Eastwood, who was almost tanned, pointed to the floral shirt on his body. He also drove here, and now he has become famous, so he has long stopped living in the caravan at the training base. He bought a small farm outside and lived with his wife and children. Of course, he still warmed up every morning of home game day - riding on his own farm, but no one can think that he is blocking traffic.

Ribery pointed to the training base gate, from which he could see crowds of media and fans.

"It's so lively, isn't it? It seems like a big shot is coming today."

"Don't you know who is coming?" Eastwood was a little surprised.

"Tsk, it's boring to say it out loud." Ribery rolled his eyes to Eastwood.

The two of them were not in a hurry to go to the locker room, and they were chatting at the gate by the parking lot. As more and more cars were parked beside them. There were more and more people participating in chatting next to them. This formed a strange phenomenon - the players of the Forest team did not change clothes in the cash locker room and went to the training ground, but instead greeted and chatted with each other in the parking lot.

The holiday feels like it hasn't passed yet.

Wood didn't drive here, his home was very close to the training base, and he would come running during training. He happened to do the most basic warm-up here. Everyone is not surprised by this weird guy.

Albertini has retired, and now he is the official captain of the team. He decided to get into the role as soon as possible - when Albertini is here. He only needs to be a captain on the field, and he basically doesn't care about the matter after the game. Those trivial things will be done by the real captain Albertini. Now it's a completely different new experience.

Wood stood outside the crowd, hesitated for a while, coughed a few times, and cleared his throat.

His unusual behavior attracted some people's attention.

"Hey, George, have you caught a cold?" Van Nestroy asked with great concern. As soon as he spoke, several Dutch people who were originally chatting with him turned their heads and looked at him. The three of them took the lead, and the others also turned their attention to Wood.

"Ah, uh... no, I didn't catch a cold." Wood was a little embarrassed, "What are you talking about?"

Ribery pointed at the door with a smile: "Talk about the big guys who came today."

Wood knew who they were talking about, but he was not interested in participating in such a topic. If it were the case before, he turned around and went back to the locker room. He changed his clothes and went to the training ground to start warming up. But now it is not possible. He is the captain, and he is the captain whether on and off the court. Is there such an unsociable captain?

Wood still remembers the words he spoke when Albertini hugged him before leaving. “Then it depends on you.”

This is a kind of entrustment. Wood is not stupid, he understands it very well.

He moved a few steps, but instead of retreating, he squeezed into the crowd.

"Do you... like him?" After thinking for a long time, he asked a question that made everyone laugh.

"George, if you were a reporter, I bet you would be rejected a lot of rejections when asked this." Van Nistruy smiled. "We will understand this question as sowing discord against the locker room relationship."

"I can't say I like or not. I used to know him through the media, but I basically don't believe what the media said, and I don't believe whether it's good or bad. Now I have the opportunity to get in touch with you personally, and I will know if I like or not. "Pepe's words were nodded by most people.

I guess this is the attitude of the whole Forest team towards this new teammate... If the media knew, what would they feel?

Next, everyone gathered together to chat, some talked about the players they were about to join, some talked about their holiday with friends, and several talked about their two teammates Arteta and Ashley Yang.

I just sighed a few words about winning the championship together more than a month ago, and now I will become an opponent. But apart from that, I did not express any indignation at the departure of the two. They are professional players, and they have seen many things about breaking up and getting back together, and it is no big deal. If they are friends, they are friends everywhere, and they can make an appointment to go out for a meal together by calling.

Anelka was the last one to come. He did not join the chat ranks of his teammates, but went straight to the locker room. No one tried to keep him, so he kept him for chatting. Everyone knows that this French striker is a sure one. Since he is not here, the locals here must do anything to keep him.

Tang En and Tang are on the walking training base, so they arrive a little later than the players.

Seeing the media and enthusiastic fan groups along the way, Tang En and Tang were also slightly surprised.

"Look, look. The popularity king is different. In the past few years, did Nottingham Forest have been so lively on the first day of pre-season training?" Tang En pointed to the fans on both sides and said to Tang. When he talked about his interest, he waved to those infatuated fans.

If all those who gather here are the Nottingham Forest subway fans, then Tang En's wave will definitely receive a tsunami response, which can greatly satisfy Tang En's vanity. But this time, he waved his hand without any reaction.

These men simply held posters and looked at the end of the alley – that was where the players drove – completely devoting Don and Don as air.

"Okay..." Tang En was a little embarrassed as Tang watched silently. "At least it proved one thing - they are not fans of Nottingham Forest... but it doesn't matter!" Then he raised the volume again. He grinned. "They will be there soon."

When Tang En and Tang walked to the training base gate, they found that the subway door was open before but it was closed at this time.

The security guard in the house saw that it was the head coach and assistant coach, so he hurriedly came out from inside and opened the door.

"What's going on?" Tang En asked strangely.

"Uh..." the young security guard hesitated for a moment and pointed to the noisy crowd outside the gate and said. "The reporters and fans were so enthusiastic that I was afraid that they would rush in, so I closed the gate..."

Tang En turned his head and looked at the people, including some sports reporters he knew and completely unfamiliar faces. The reporters he knew saw Tang En turn around and waved to him.

However, Tang En did not respond with a stern face, and they all made things boring.

The young security guard thought that the stern head coach would teach him a lesson, and was so scared that he stood aside and walked away. He was not so good at staying.

Unexpectedly, when Tang En turned his face, he smiled and patted his shoulder: "You did a good job."

After the two of them walked in, Tang, who had been silent all the time, suddenly said: "It seems that he has understood the essence of your closed training."

Tang En squatted on the ground with a very ungraceful smile in front of the media.

"By...please, Tang. Can you tell a show preview before you tell a joke next time?"

After Tang En finally stood up, the two continued to walk in and they saw the players gathered in the parking lot.

Tang En and Tang looked at each other, and they saw doubts in each other's eyes.

This is a scene they have never seen before.

Have you had a fight?

Tang En walked over quickly. He realized that there was a false alarm. Ribery waved to him from a distance and said hello: "Boss. Long time no see!" He smiled brightly. How could this be a fight?

"Hey. You don't change clothes in the locker room, what are you doing here?" Tang En asked in front of the crowd, and everyone stopped chatting.

"We all want to see the wonderful scenes outside when he comes here with his own eyes." Ribery pointed to everyone behind him and pointed to the door.

Tang En turned his head and found George Wood standing in the crowd. He smiled in his heart.

"Then you might as well go to the gate to see, what can you see here?"

"This is not possible. We were so happy in the past. If we don't do it, we won't do it." Ribery shook her head like a rattle.

"You are here to let the media watch it too. Don't think that those reporters can't see it? OK, okay, nothing is good to look at. Everyone goes back to change clothes. I don't want him to come and inspect it like the queen comes." Tang En bombarded the group of people back to the locker room like a chick.

Seeing Wood leaving in the crowd, Tang En turned his head and said to Tang Xiao: "What a group of interesting kids. They are not people who have never seen big stars. They are all big stars."

"I just think it's fun to get together here." Tang nodded.

The group of people left, and now it was Tang En and Tang's turn to stand outside the parking lot and wait.

Assistant coach Chris Lack waited on the training ground for a long time and saw only one Anelka. He found it very strange. Anelka is not so active. He looked at the watch and found that it was not that Anelka had come too early, but that others did not come at all!

Leaving Anelka, Chris Lak walked towards the locker room. The locker room was empty. He retreated and saw a large group of players coming from Hulala at the exit.

"Did you all come here for a bus? So neat?" Chris Lack was not as easy to say as good as Donn. He asked with his eyebrows frowned.

"Sorry, sorry, sir. We were chatting outside for a while..." Since Ribery had the idea of ​​standing outside and waiting, now he must also bear the anger from the coach. Fair and reasonable.

"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and change your clothes and wait for me on the training ground. You all know the punishment for being late!" Chris Lak waved impatiently.

As soon as they heard the "late punishment", a large group of people rushed to the locker room. This is not a joke. Even if they are European champions, those who are late will be punished to run the lap, which is still a special tradition of the Forest team.

Ribery ran in the front but was pulled by Chris Lakk: "Where is Tony and Don?"

"They are outside..." Ribery hurriedly pointed and jumped out of Chris Lack's hand. She was flexible as if she was jumping into a loach.

Chris Lark didn't have time to care about these guys, he went upstream and walked towards the exit.

Assistant coach Chris Lack kept walking and finally found two Tang En and Tang who were leaning together to chat in the parking lot.

"What are you doing here?" As soon as Chris Lack's loud voice started, he frightened a group of birds in the tree.

"Ah, David, come on." Tang En turned his head and saw clearly the person coming. He waved to him.

"What are you here? You just arrived? Why didn't you go to the training ground? The other coaches have arrived."

Tang En slapped his forehead. It seemed that more than those players had not yet entered the work state. He pushed Tang: "I forgot about this. It's enough to introduce the new players alone. You go, Tang."

Tang obediently followed Chris Lack, and Tangen stopped waiting in the parking lot. He walked back to his office and began to prepare.

Alshavin and Akinfeyev did not come to the team today. Because they don’t use it. The Forest team will go to Russia for pre-season training in four days. They will meet with the team directly in Moscow.

As for why he chose Russia for training, Tang En said something that made all his opponents feel very owed when answering reporters' questions: "To adapt to the venue in advance for the final of this season's Champions League and do a warm-up." The 2007-08 European Champions League final was placed in Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

In fact, the real reason is that the Forest team was invited to participate in the Russian Railway Cup. As the new European champion, various pre-season warm-up invitation letters were filled with Don En’s desk, and Don En finally chose this event. The reason is very simple. Don En values ​​the quality of the warm-up matches rather than where to play. It doesn’t matter even if it is far away, Moscow, Russia. The teams participating in this Railway Cup are gathered. In addition to the weak strength of the host Moscow Locomotive, the other two participating teams are Real Madrid, which has hired gold medal coaches to work hard to control the pragmatic route, and... AC Milan, who just lost to Nottingham Forest in the final.
To be continued...