super storm

Chapter 1
April 2003, Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands.

On a green football training field in the North City Sports Park, a group of 16-year-old Dutch teenagers are forming a circle and playing a football game called scrambling. Although they are training, the faces of the teenagers have an unusually relaxed expression. There is no tension that should be expected from training. It is more like playing around, even joking.

There is another name for the ring grabbing game, Monkey Walking.

The group of Dutch teenagers walking is the Chinese teenager who is in charge of grabbing the ball.

His black hair and yellow skin made him stand out in an all-Dutch team, and he spared no effort to run and snatch the ball on the field, like a headless fly scurrying around, causing bursts of laughter from time to time, which further stimulated the fun of the Dutch teenagers.

The fans on the sidelines were also very excited, as if what they were watching was not a football training, but a wonderful performance by the Royal Circus of Amsterdam.

The ball was skillfully passed back and forth at the feet of the Dutch teenagers in a circle. Although the Chinese teenagers were running non-stop, chasing the ball, they never managed to catch it.

At the beginning, every time he failed to grab the ball, there would be laughter, even sarcasm and ridicule, but gradually, the noise became smaller and smaller, and finally it was completely silent.

Any cruel game may be able to stimulate the adrenal glands of the audience with freshness at the beginning, but when it is repeated over and over again, the audience will gradually become numb and feel tragic instead.

A kind of tragedy in which the weak are at the mercy of the strong.

"Poor child, why do you still insist?" Someone shook his head sympathetically and sighed.

"No surprise, he does it every time."

"It's been almost a year, why hasn't he given up yet?"

"If you want to change me, you have already given up."

"The speed is quite fast, and the physical fitness is also good, but the basic skills are terrible."

"I've watched football for so many years. This Chinese kid really has no future. Let alone a professional league, I'm afraid he can't even meet the requirements for amateurs. He should give up quickly and find another way out as soon as possible."

"Who says no? Mr. Rip has persuaded him many times, but he just refuses."

"What a stubborn boy."

"It's a pity. If he had come a few years earlier, with his speed, stamina, and determination, he would have hoped to play in the professional league, but now..."

"Hey, what can I do?"

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Coach John Repp finally blew the whistle for the end of training.

Including him, everyone at the scene heaved a sigh of relief.

it is finally over!
The short 10-minute lap-robbing game time seemed so long to them.

After the whistle sounded, the Chinese teenager who still failed to grab the ball was so exhausted that he fell to his knees on the training ground, panting heavily.

Teammates walked around him, occasionally a sympathetic hand or two reached out to pat him on the head and shoulders.

But the comfort from his teammates didn't make him feel better, instead he felt humiliated, clenched his fists, beat the grass hard, and kept blaming himself in his heart.

His name is Yang Yang, he is 16 years old, and he comes from a small county town in Quanzhou, Fujian, China. His parents run a small shoe factory, and the family conditions are not bad. Seeing that he likes football, he was asked to learn from a retired professional player in the city since he was a child.

Uncle Shen Ming runs a Chinese restaurant in Almere, the Netherlands. When he was visiting relatives in China, he happened to watch a school team game played by Yang Yang, so he suggested that he go to the Netherlands for further studies, which moved Yang Yang's heart.

At first, his parents disagreed. After all, there is such a huge gap between Chinese players and European players. Yang Yang has not even experienced formal professional training. How could he succeed?

But Yang Yang insisted repeatedly, coupled with the promotion of his uncle Shen Ming, in the end, his parents could only reluctantly agree, and they regarded it as going abroad for training.

With a limit of one year, if Yang Yang can gain a firm foothold in the Netherlands, they will allow Yang Yang to continue playing football, otherwise they will have to return to China, study hard, and completely give up his dream of becoming a professional player.

He landed in the Netherlands full of ambitions, but what awaited Yang Yang was a series of serious injuries.

He was frustrated by trial training in several Amsterdam teams and was not accepted by the opponents. As a last resort, through his uncle's relationship, he persuaded the third-level amateur team Almere in the form of sponsorship, allowing Yang Yang to train with the team's youth team for a year. But in the end, he was still far inferior to his peers in the amateur team in the Netherlands.

In the year of training with Almere, although he tried his best to improve himself and integrate into Almele's training, his poor basic skills were still exposed in daily training, especially in this seemingly simple but demanding game of robbing the circle. He made frequent mistakes in passing and receiving the ball and could only enter the circle to grab the ball again and again.

A scene similar to today's is repeated almost every day.

If Yang Yang was not sober enough before, his personal experience in the past year has made him fully realize the disparity between himself and Dutch players of the same age.

He was not reconciled, but there was nothing he could do.

He has missed the best age to solidify his basic skills.

Seeing that the one-year period is approaching, Yang Yang's situation in the team is getting worse and worse. Even though he has tried his best, he still can't improve. This makes him feel very annoyed and blamed himself, so he can only keep hammering on the grass to vent his inner depression.

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"Yang."

After the players left, John Repp came in front of Yang Yang. Looking at this sweaty and panting boy, he felt very helpless.

He naturally knew everything that happened on the training ground.

If it is said that a year ago, John Repp was somewhat disgusted with this relationship, then through the performance of this year, Yang Yang used his hard work and determination to completely change the Dutch celebrity, but this does not hinder John Repp's judgment on Yang Yang's future.

For what happened to Yang Yang, the 51-year-old Dutch middle-aged man felt unbearable and regretful, but in the end he hardened his heart and did not stop the training in advance, but continued to watch with cold eyes.

A few years ago, with Yang Yang's perseverance, he believed that there would be a chance, but now...he can only politely persuade him to quit.

He believes that this is responsible for Yang Yang's future.

"Mr. Leipu." Yang Yang got up from the ground and shouted respectfully.

In the past year, he has learned a lot from the famous Dutchman, and he never dared to neglect in the slightest.

"You know, there is still a month or so before the end of this training period, and we will hold an internal assessment then." John Rip said lightly.

Yang Yang nodded. This is the youth training model that Almere borrowed from the Dutch giants Ajax.

Some unqualified students will be eliminated in the annual assessment, and some fresh blood will be added to stimulate internal competition. The outstanding students will be recommended by the club and will go to Amsterdam in July to participate in Ajax's talent day selection, and have the opportunity to be selected into the Ajax youth training camp.

As a satellite club of the Dutch giants, Almere has three recommendation places every year, and only the best students are eligible to receive this recommendation letter.

If one year ago, Yang Yang, who had just arrived for the first time, was still looking forward to Ajax with confidence, then now, he has only one thought, and that is to stay in Almere.

But it's getting harder.

"You know, Yang." John Repp couldn't bear to look at Yang Yang, his eyes full of helplessness, "We are the first team in Almere that is expected to enter the professional league in the past 30 years. The city government and all walks of life are very concerned about the development of our team. This year's assessment site will definitely attract a lot of guests and fans, so..."

There were some things John Rip couldn't bear to say to his face, but the meaning made sense.

Although he has only been in the Netherlands for a year, John Repp believes that Yang Yang's level of Dutch is good enough for him to understand the meaning of what he said.

"Your grades in cultural subjects are very good, and the teachers at the school speak highly of you. We all believe that you should concentrate on working hard in this direction. If you want, I can convince Mr. Chairman that even if you leave the team, you can still continue to study in the middle school we cooperate with. You will definitely have the opportunity to enter the University of Amsterdam in the future."

The University of Amsterdam, the best university in the Netherlands, is also one of the most prestigious universities in Europe.

In John Repp's view, the possibility of Yang Yang becoming a professional player is even more slim than being admitted to the University of Amsterdam, although the latter's competition is also very fierce.

Yang Yang understood what John Repp meant. This kind of persuasion has been repeated many times in the past, and the head coach's rhetoric has become more and more straightforward, and he knows that John Repp's promise to him today is considered excellent.

The middle school he is currently studying in is a prestigious local private school in Almere. If it were not for the Almere youth players, it would be impossible for him to enroll, and the team has never given similar compensation to other eliminated players before, which is an exception for him.

But Yang Yang still couldn't accept it.

"Thank you, Mr. Lei Pu." Yang Yang raised his head after a little thought, looked directly at the head coach, and shook his head resolutely, "I understand your kindness, but I really don't want to give up just like this. As long as it's not until the last moment, I won't admit defeat."

"You..."

"I've decided, Mr. Repp." Yang Yang terminated the conversation without question.

John Rep had been psychologically prepared for this result. He didn't think Yang Yang's stubbornness and persistence were disobedient at all. Instead, he appreciated Yang Yang very much, but the more he appreciated it, the more regretful he felt.

If Yang Yang had appeared in front of him a few years earlier, I believe the result would be completely different from what it is now.

At the very least, his basic skills will be more solid than they are now. With his speed and physical fitness, he can definitely gain a foothold in Almere, and he even hopes to do better.

It's a pity that he has missed the best age.

Thinking of this, John Depp sighed long as he looked at the back of Yang Yang turning away.

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Almere is a satellite city of Amsterdam. Most of the people who live here work in Amsterdam. They go out early and return late. Dinner is the best time for restaurant business.

Yang Yang didn't behave like usual today. After the training, he went to help in the restaurant, called his uncle, and locked himself in the room when he got home.

He felt that he needed to be quiet.

Lying on his back on the single bed, the low ceiling is covered with large posters of his two favorite idols.

Brazilian superstar Ronaldo, currently playing for Real Madrid, and the retired Dutch star Van Basten.

He was like this countless times, lying on the bed, watching his idols fall asleep, even dreaming that he was competing with them.

But he has never hesitated like now.

He has self-knowledge and knows the gap between himself and his Dutch peers, but he is not willing to fail like this and give up his football dream in despair.

He thought of his parents in China, they must have been disappointed when they heard the news.

Although his parents always persuaded him to give up playing football and return to China to study hard, they hoped that he would give up on his own initiative.

No parent would want their child to suffer such setbacks, would they?
There is also the uncle's family, they must have been psychologically prepared, but they must still be very disappointed.

Thinking about it, before he knew it, he seemed to have fallen asleep.

In a daze, Yang Yang had a very strange dream.

He came to a pitch-black unknown space where he couldn't see his fingers.

He wasn't sure if he was dreaming, shouting and running desperately, trying to escape from this frightening place.

But he was hoarse and tired from running, but he seemed to be still in place.

At this moment, from a distant place, there was a sound that seemed to be there.

Yang Yang!

He vaguely heard someone calling his name, at first it was very faint, but gradually, he heard it clearly.

So, he immediately ran over following the sound.

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(End of this chapter)