long live football

The media meeting between Khedira and Misimovic was held the day before the team's training camp, so after the meeting, Karl led them directly to the locker room, allowing the new and old players in the team to meet.

No matter how harmonious the relationship between the head coach and the players is, there is a clear hierarchy between them. Occasional jokes are harmless, but spending too much time among the players will inevitably damage the prestige of the head coach. So after introducing the two new members, Karl left the locker room, leaving the players to contact themselves.

As a Bosnian fellow and a teammate of the national team, Dzeko first approached Misimovic.

"I knew you would come, but I didn't expect it to be so fast." Dzeko said that Misimovic had just called him the day before and signed with Munich 1860 with lightning speed the next day. thing.

"I just think that if there is an opportunity, I should seize it immediately, otherwise I will definitely regret it in the future." Misimovic looked around, and the locker room after the head coach left was very lively at the moment, with more than 20 players or in twos and threes. Sitting on a few benches in a haphazard manner, and occasionally a few people ran from one end to the other, joking with different players. From this point of view, 1860 Munich is indeed the same unity on the outside. "It seems that everyone has a good relationship with each other."

"I told you that you don't have to worry about integration. There are no thorns in our team." Dzeko thought for a while, then lowered his voice and said, "Actually, even if there is one, you don't have to worry about it. The boss can always suppress it."

Immediately, the image of the head coach who can shoot the covers of fashion magazines appeared in Misimovic's mind.To be honest, looking at the other party's calm and introverted appearance, it is difficult for Misimovic to imagine how the new boss manages this huge team submissively, and has never caused any disturbances for several seasons .

In fact, he is not the only one who is curious. "How do the coaches and players of 1860 Munich get along in the locker room?" has already become a hot topic of discussion among the media and players.

But the days are still long, and he can always see Auston's methods.

On the other side of the locker room, Ozil was the first to talk to Khedira.

Before him, the team's three captains, Beckham, Koch, and Russ, had already expressed goodwill to the new aid. Even so, Ozil's enthusiasm still surprised Khedira a bit.

However, it didn't take long for his doubts to be resolved by the person concerned.

"Are you a Muslim?" Ozil looked at Khedira with a smile of "I found the same kind" on his face: "Me too!"

Muslims refer to Muslims.

Khedira was slightly taken aback when she heard the words, and then smiled with a bit of sincerity.

European football is still relatively conservative most of the time. This can be seen from the fact that Zidane was insulted as a "terrorist" by hostile fans because he was originally from Algeria.

Not everyone is okay with having a Muslim on the team, and while most can be treated fairly on the surface, what about in private?Just a few months ago, such a thing happened at the Real Madrid club: Brazil international Cicinho couldn't stand the habit of his roommate Mohamed Diarra getting up at 4 o'clock in the morning every day to recite the "Quran", and he couldn't bear it. The coach made a request to change rooms.The Ramadan habits of the Muslims also made Capello quite critical, thinking that this would greatly affect the physical condition of the players.

Khedira was very happy to meet someone with the same beliefs as her, as if she was not alone in this strange team at last.

As if seeing what the other party was thinking, Ozil grinned and said, "Dzeko has the same beliefs as us, but he listens honestly, doesn't like to talk, and doesn't like to go out to play." After a pause, he used His eyes signaled Khedira: "Portillo believes in Catholicism, Beckham and Irving are Anglican, and the others are either Protestant or Catholic. I also heard Shao mention a few words about Buddhism...Everyone in the team I have all kinds of beliefs, and I don’t usually talk about this topic very much, you don’t have to be taboo about anything, and you can come here as you feel comfortable with everyone.”

Khedira now sees Ozil as a guiding light in his relationships with his new team.

After the relationship was established, Ozil suddenly asked Khedira seriously: "Did you celebrate Ramadan in the previous team?"

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar is Ramadan. During this month, all Muslims are forbidden to eat, drink, drink, smoking and sex.Professional players who believe in Islam will always have a lot of trouble during Ramadan. Whether to observe Ramadan is a problem, and to what extent is another problem. In addition, if it is bigger, it can also affect the team's ranking in that month. Soldiers formation and even record.

Khedira actually does not observe Ramadan. One is because he grew up in Germany and has fully integrated into European society. The other is that although his father is Tunisian, his mother is German, because following the customs of his father’s country has become a He is a Muslim, but Khedira has never fasted seriously since he was a child.

Do you want to answer honestly?Khedira hesitated.

Ozil has already begun to talk to himself: "It's a big thing to celebrate Ramadan. If we want to be active in September, we have to go to nightclubs in July and August, and play games during the holidays." Are you working hard? And the boss is very strict after the start of the season, and you will not be able to eat vegetarian food at that time... Do you know where there is fun in Munich? I know a lot of places, and I will take you to see them one by one..."

Hearing this, Khedira swallowed all the words he wanted to say: Going to nightclubs is a good idea, except for Ramadan.

……

In mid-January, Karl gathered the players for a ten-day run-in training.

In order to cope with the third-line battles of the German Cup, the League, and the Europa League in the second half of the season, Karl deliberately strengthened the intensity of physical training, expanded the original training time from one hour to nine to ten minutes, and added squats, jumping and other items.

The players were sweating profusely on the court. At the beginning of the court, they complained of suffering and tiredness. After a few days, they learned to have fun while suffering, and joked with each other: "Let me squeeze your muscles to make them bigger?"

A week later, a group of uninvited guests ushered in the Munich 1860 training base: the film crew of the "World Football" column of China Central Television.

They wanted to record an episode of "Chinese Players Overseas". Because Shao Jiayi is currently the most successful Chinese player studying abroad, they chose Munich as the first stop.

The column team proposed to film the Lions' full-day training. In addition to the tactical training Karl will order the stadium to be closed, the physical training is occasionally open to fans, so they readily agreed.

The media from China set up "long guns and short cannons" outside the training ground, concentrating on filming the actions of the players on the court, and the Lions players on the court have seen many big battles in the past two years. Because reporters felt uncomfortable watching from the sidelines, everyone trained as usual with a calm expression.

Karl stood on the sidelines of the court, and from time to time signaled to the assistant coach to adjust the training methods on the court. Although the focus was on the players, some conversations behind him still drifted over from time to time.

"Is the video tape of the interview with Shao Jiayi ready?"

"Put it away, Brother Li."

"What about the plane ticket to England?"

"It's already been decided." There was a bit of reluctance in the voice: "After filming these training sessions, do we really have to go to England early tomorrow morning?"

"I have made appointments for interviews with Sun Jihai, Zheng Zhi, and Dong Fangzhuo. Don't go there and finish the work quickly. Do you still want to settle in Munich?"

"Look at what you said, Brother Li, I'm the kind of person who doesn't care about business and only knows to eat, drink and have fun? It's just a pity. If we can interview Beckham, Irving or Oston, go back to the trailer and watch it. Guaranteed to triple the rate!"

Some hesitant voice: "When we sent out the interview application, we could clearly say that it was only for Shao Jiayi, and they agreed. Now asking for interviews with other big-name players in the team is not a bit of a slap in the face?"

"But isn't this a matter of mutual benefit, we can also count as promoting them."

"Do you think 1860 Munich will agree as long as a reporter comes to interview? As far as I know, 1860 has always kept the media at arm's length, and now it's a shame for us to let us film the whole process during the training camp." The man named Li Ge Said: "To tell you the truth, when I was talking to the chairman's office, I actually asked quietly. Do you know how the secretary answered? People say, 'The head coach has the final say on all affairs of the team. If you want To interview other players, Mr. Alston’s consent is required.’ After hearing this, I dismissed my idea. There will still be opportunities after the interview. We represent the whole country!"

"Okay, okay, Brother Li, you have the final say... I'm just a little sorry for my wife. Before she left, she asked me to help her get the autographs of Beckham and Auston. Now But I can't even get along with anyone... Forget it, go back and give her a few more photos to fool her..."

Li Ge glanced at the little reporter who was traveling with him with a half-smile, and suddenly remembered the look in his daughter's expectant eyes when he boarded the plane. Changed to chasing football coaches and stars?

After 90 minutes, the high-intensity training came to an end, and the players were as tired as dead dogs. They either lay on the ground panting heavily, or dragged their bodies as soft as noodles to the rest area outside the field. move away.

The little reporter surreptitiously moved the camera away from Shao Jiayi's face, and then pointed at the Lions players lying on the field unable to move, wanting to take a picture of their distressed appearance as a souvenir.

Unexpectedly, a person walked in front of him and blocked the camera. The little reporter looked up and immediately gasped: Carl Alston!

He turned off the power of the camera embarrassingly.

Carl glanced at the young reporter, then turned to talk to the middle-aged reporter named "Brother Li", who looked like the team leader: "Is the Spring Festival coming soon?"

The well-spoken Mandarin of the coach of Munich 1860 caused a commotion among the Chinese journalists. Some people inadvertently did not control their volume: "The pronunciation sounds no different from ours!"

Brother Li reacted quickly and glared at the man, then looked at Carl and said seriously: "This year's Spring Festival is late, and now it will be almost a month before the Chinese New Year."

"Munich 1860 Club has always attached great importance to the Chinese market and Chinese fans." Karl smiled and said, "During this break, if your working group is not busy, maybe I can let the players come over to make a short video for the Chinese fans. Congratulations on the Chinese New Year." The China trip plan may be successful this summer, which can be regarded as warming up and boosting popularity.

Brother Li was flattered: "I can shoot now! I can shoot now!"

Carl turned around and waved towards the field.

The assistant coach on the court would have misunderstood it, thinking that Carl was going to continue training, and he straightened his back and shouted to the players who were resting: "The rest time is over, continue training!"

The players put down their half-drunk water, lifted their sore buttocks, and dragged their heavy legs back to the training ground.

Seeing this, the staff of the Munich 1860 club are fine, but all the reporters of the film crew of "World Football" are a little stunned - it's just an action of the head coach, no matter how tired or unwilling the players are, they must obediently return to the stadium to continue Training, and not even a word of complaint, what kind of status do you need to have in the team to do it?If it is placed in China, whether it is the Chinese Super League or the national team, there will already be ball tyrants protesting and rebelling...

There was a small own goal, and Karl inevitably left here temporarily and went to the court to explain to his players.

A few minutes later, all the Lions players walked over to the sidelines, with happy expressions on their faces, "It's nice to take the opportunity to be lazy", and they asked Shao Jiayi one after another: "What do you say to New Year's greetings in your country?" ?”

In fact, it is just a few simple words: Happy New Year, Congratulations on the New Year, Gong Xi Fa Cai and so on.

Each player was taught a New Year's greeting by a reporter, and after silently memorizing it, he grinned at the camera and said it.

More than half an hour later, all the players of Munich 1860 congratulated the Chinese fans on a happy Chinese New Year.

After this short film was broadcast on "World Football", fans all over China were moved and laughed like crazy: the pronunciation of this group of foreign players is simply too funny hahahaha!

But as early as more than half a month ago, someone had already done this in the head coach's office of 1860 Munich.

……

After the ten-day training period, Karl gave the players a holiday, which lasted until the season resumed.

There is looseness and tension, tension and relaxation is the best way to manage a team.

He also took the opportunity to return to England to meet his family and old friends.

There are more than 3 fans sitting in the Stamford Bridge Stadium. The game between Chelsea and Aston Villa was a bit dull, and the fans couldn't celebrate in the stands.

Mourinho was expressionless the whole time on the sidelines of the court. After the game, he saw Karl smile upside down.

Carl teased him: "Three years ago when you laughed, you still had two dimples, but now the dimples have turned into dimples."

Mourinho is very self-deprecating: "There is one more thing you haven't noticed. I used to have only a few gray hairs, but now it's almost half white." Then he pulled Carl's hair: "Let me see your hair. Is it dyed?"

Karl showed it to him generously.

Because he is taller than Mourinho, if he wants to let him see his thick sand-blonde hair, Karl has to lower his head.

Mourinho searched left and right, but he did not find even a single white hair. He twitched his mouth and said, "When you are 40, come and compare with me now." Then he took the opportunity to ruin Carl's hairstyle.

Carl was not angry at all, but he wanted to continue joking with his friends. He patted Mourinho on the top of his head with his height: "Don't make trouble." His tone was as hateful as possible.

Just as Mourinho was about to counterattack, he turned his head and saw his three players, Terry, Petr Cech and Lampard, standing at an inflection point in front of them, staring dumbfounded.

"B, BOSS." Seeing that they were discovered, the three had no choice but to say hello.

Mourinho nodded sullenly at them.

Karl combed his messy hair back with his right hand, and smiled at the three of them by the way.

Terry, Petr Cech and Lampard looked at each other, returned an ugly smile, and then the three of you pushed me and squeezed you and left quickly.

He lost his image in front of the players. Mourinho didn't take it seriously, but he was suspicious on the surface, intending to attack Carl.

He looked around menacingly, but found that there was no one there, and then looked behind him, someone was standing on tiptoe and slipping away from the corner lightly.

Mourinho raised his eyebrows and called: "The stadium security? Help me stop a person from the door..."

……

In the gambling tables of major European bookmakers, the odds of Munich 1860 winning the league championship this season are very low.

The lower the odds, the more optimistic it is, which shows that many people are optimistic about the Lions defending the Bundesliga champion this season.

There are also many people in the media who have the same idea. They all firmly believe that after Munich 1860 is out of the Champions League, they will put all their energy back into the league.

The outside world generally thinks so, but it doesn't mean that the players inside the team think the same way.

The Lions have already won a league championship, and the players in the team have long since lost their desire for it. On the contrary, they have become more interested in the Champions League, Europa League, and German Cup, which they have not won before.

This is a good thing, but also a bad thing-the good thing is that the players still have lofty ambitions for the UEFA Cup. Maybe 1860 Munich can really make achievements in the European arena this season. It is a trivial matter for the domestic league to lose momentum and the team cannot defend the title. If it is self-defeating and loses the UEFA Champions League next season, it will be a major event.

Perhaps, Karl can find some rhetoric to impress the players, so that they treat all games equally and are full of motivation.

For example, ask them: When the season is over, do you want to win one championship, or two?