Ten crown system

Chapter 99

Chapter 98
"I won't be anyone's teaching assistant anymore." (Note 1)

Looking at the resolute Mourinho, Mendes persuaded: "Benfica has very high requirements for the qualifications of the head coach. The fans hope that there will be a famous coach who can bring victory to the team and lead Benfica to regain the lost league for six years. Champion, Chairman Azevedo hopes to keep his chairmanship, Jose, you are still young, you can be an assistant coach to familiarize yourself with the team first, and then consider the head coach next season."

Mourinho's handsome face is full of confidence and pride.

"I'm not worried about the future at all, I can make history, I can win, sooner or later I will find a club that recognizes my coaching ability, I have a clear plan, I did a lot of media interviews when I was an assistant in Barcelona, ​​​​so, Portugal The opportunity to know me and my ideas at home is another trump card that I bring from Catalonia."

"I'm 37 years old, I'm a rookie to some people, I know it's going to be tough, I'm going into an environment where I'm not comfortable because the mentality is different and I realize that I've never been Not belonging to the gang that deals the cards and fixes the game, and with that in mind, I know I'll feel a little left out. Also, I've never been a successful player so won't enjoy what other coaches are able to get That kind of protection, I don't have a great history of successful players to back me up."

"But I have been preparing to be a good head coach for more than ten years. I have learned a lot from Robson and Van Gaal, thinking about why they make such substitutions. Who will be sent to the game, who will be replaced when the game is unfavorable, and which tactics will be adopted, I feel more and more that I am not inferior to those famous coaches, and even I want to beat them!"

Mourinho's wife, Tammy, brought a dish to the table.

"Hawkes, Ronaldo, I am laughing at you. When Jose talks about football, his face is full of passion."

Mendes said: "Tami, I have the same opinion as Ronaldo. I believe Jose will become an excellent coach."

Luo Yi said with a smile: "José is not only a rookie, but a magical bird. Sooner or later, he will soar into the sky."

Tammy said happily: "Thank you for your support to Jose. These days, whenever Jose is watching the game, he is always talking about how to arrange troops in my ears. I can finally be relieved if you come to chat with him."

Tammy lifted the lid of the vegetable bowl and said, "Let's eat, or the food will be cold later."

Luo Yi sniffed it, and said pleasantly: "Aunt Tammy, the dishes you cook are really delicious."

Tammy was very happy to receive the compliment, and said with a smile: "This dish is a famous Portuguese dish, called spicy pork diced with mussel meat. It is made by marinating pork with white wine, red pepper, garlic, coriander, bay leaves, sea salt and pepper, and fried. Until golden brown, it is cooked with clams, cilantro and potatoes, and the pork enhances the clams."

Then Tammy served salted cod in butter, tripe braised with tripe, emerald soup, and paella.

Mourinho opened a bottle of Bordeaux, poured a glass for Mendes, Tammy and himself, and Luo Yi drank plain water.

Several people were chatting about football while feasting.

"Jingle Bell."

Tammy went to answer the phone, asked a few words, covered the receiver and said, "José, it's Parames."

Mourinho goes to answer the phone.

Mendes introduced: "Parames is a good friend of Jose, a former reporter of "Globo" and now the news director of Benfica Club."

The phone is right next to the dining table in the living room, and Luo Yi can hear it clearly.

"José, Azevedo wants to talk to you tonight, he will give you a job, can you make it to Lisbon overnight?"

"Paramés, you know I won't be an assistant coach anymore. It's a waste of time to go to Lisbon. Say sorry to Mr. Chairman for me."

"Man, the job Azevedo gave you is not an assistant coach this time, come to Lisbon and talk to Azevedo, come on!"

Luo Yi saw that Mourinho's face turned red, and his eyes showed ambition.

"Okay, I'll go over overnight."

At this time, TV sports news broadcast the spokesperson of Benfica Football Club claiming that the head coach Heynckes, who had just led the team to a 2-1 victory over Amadora, resigned due to physical reasons, and the club is considering candidates for the successor.

Then the TV reporter interviewed some fans and senior officials of the Benfica club.

Azevedo played the star card against Villario, the main opponent of this year's club chairman election: "Tony has promised that if I am elected as the chairman of the Benfica club, Tony agrees to become the new coach of Benfica."

Supporters of the famous coach said: "Capello is the most suitable for Benfica now."

When Mourinho saw the news, his excited face turned livid just now, and he dialed Parames' phone angrily.

"Tony is going to Benfica, I'm not going to Lisbon, you know I don't want to be anybody's assistant coach."

"Well, Jose, let me tell you the truth, Azevedo has decided to invite you to be the head coach of Benfica."

After dinner, Mourinho took the train overnight to Lisbon and met Chairman Azevedo after midnight.

Later, Luo Yi heard that Azevedo did not give Mourinho any financial signings, but only agreed to Mourinho's absolute control over the team, and he could deal with disobedient players at will and promote youth training players.

Benfica will give Mourinho enough time and will not ask him to win the championship in the short term.

In order to show his sincerity, Azevedo added a clause in the contract. If he can be re-elected as the club chairman, Mourinho's contract will be automatically extended for two years from June 2001.

Knowing that the Benfica club hired a rookie who was not even known as the head coach for a day to be the head coach, the Benfica fans quit and ran outside the club to protest.

Reporters from TV stations, radio stations, newspapers, magazines and other media are also overwhelmingly pessimistic. They all think that Mourinho is too young and lacks experience in directing games. Azevedo is playing with fire regardless of Benfica's future.

Mourinho didn't care about this. He went home and packed his luggage and stayed in a hotel near the Stadium of Light. The team had a holiday on Wednesday. Mourinho locked himself in the hotel all day to study how to deal with Boavista on the weekend. tactics.

But on Thursday, I went to Benfica to watch a training session, and Mourinho was very upset.

Most of the players are opportunistic in their training, they are not active in running, there is no physical confrontation in the training game, they are understated and do not wear shin guards, and even a few main players are sick!
This is not a football field, it is clearly a nursing home.

Health-preserving football is better than a certain national football team in the future.

Only captain Calado, forward Van Hojdonk, midfielder Maniche, goalkeeper Robert Enke, and central defender Mera are quite active in training.

Mourinho looked at all this coldly, without saying a word but secretly calculating countermeasures in his heart.

Mourinho asked Benfica club scouts to collect information about Boavista, and when he took it over, he almost lost his nose.

PS: Note 1 Part of the plot in this chapter refers to the articles "Mourinho Biography: Made in Portugal" and ""He Was 10 Years Ahead of Other Coaches at the Time"-Reviewing Mourinho's Benfica Period" by Luis Lourenco.

(End of this chapter)