long live football

7 month 3 day.

Hummels, "Boss, I'm not sure which one to choose, Juventus or Dortmund."

"Do you want to go abroad?"

"No, if you just go to a giant to play football, it will be easier to be noticed in the national team."

"Loew doesn't like flying. It's hard for him to go abroad to watch your game. He probably won't watch the video specifically. He has too many players to pay attention to. The time given to you is at most a few 10-minute highlights. Bar."

"...then, Dortmund,"

"Ah."

"it is good."

7 month 10 day.

"A capable family immigrated long before the war broke out. My family had no money and no place to go. I hid in the Middle East for 4 years during the war. I often dared not sleep in the house, but went out to find a safe pipeline. I hid, and then I moved to my grandmother’s place before I dared to sleep on the bed. Maybe you can’t believe it when I say it, boss, there are 15 people in our family, and they all live in a house of less than 35 square meters..."

"Your grandma must have been very kind to you, did she secretly hide the good things for you to eat alone?" Carl tried to remove the heavy atmosphere in the conversation: "You encountered war in adolescence, if you didn't secretly eat If it’s a good thing, how could it grow to be as tall as 193 now.”

"You guessed it." Dzeko smiled in his memory: "Not only my grandmother, but my father has always favored me. I like playing football. He sent me to the best team in Sarajevo to train for the railway workers. To risk getting shot in the street to pick me up ... thank God we all survived the war and lived such a good life in the end."

"You called me so late, you must not just want to talk to me about the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina."

"My agent helped me get in touch with many clubs, but I wanted to go to a team that is currently very unstable and has a bad reputation..."

"The reason?"

"The annual salary offered by Manchester City is... three times what I am now." Dzeko spoke slowly and in a low voice, as if he was ashamed of it.

"It's not shameful to want to make money, the key lies in what you want to do after earning money. Buy luxury cars and mansions? Travel around the world every year to buy countless luxury items? Marry a supermodel as your wife?"

"I don't want to go to the Premier League for a luxurious life! Even if I earn more money, I will not live like a nouveau riche. I will still be as frugal as before. I am still the old Edin Dzeko! But Money can indeed bring me a great sense of security, and with money, I can help more people... I like charity, and I have already applied to be a UNICEF ambassador in Bosnia and Herzegovina."

"Only the players themselves can decide what their future is."

"?"

"Charity takes a lot of money."

"……Um."

"If you really want to go to Manchester City, go, it's just that I hope you remember what you just said and honor them in the future."

"I will!"

7 month 15 day.

Portillo: "Should I go back to the Bernabeu, boss?"

"Did Real Madrid contact you?"

"Yes, people from the club have come to visit my house almost every day recently, and the proposed treatment has become more favorable every time. My whole family is Real Madrid fans. You know that. The Bernabéu used to be our sad place, and my parents used to be too. I said that as long as I play football happily, they don’t care even if I stay in Munich... However, since Real Madrid wanted me to buy me back last season, they have been in touch with my parents. Although my parents didn’t say anything, I can I can see that their attitudes are getting more and more shaken every time..."

"What do you think yourself, Javier? Are you looking forward to returning to the Bernabeu?"

"Where are you going next, boss?"

"I have no idea of ​​finding a new job just yet."

"Um……"

"Want to go back?"

"I want to get back up where I fell, and stand straighter than anyone else."

"Then go back to the Bernabeu and prove yourself again."

"Ok!"

……

7 month 19 day.

"I was just about to offer Dzeko, why did you sell him to Manchester City?!" Ferguson jumped regretfully on the other end of the phone.

Karl's answer was a bit guilty: "I am no longer the head coach of 1860 Munich, nor Dzeko's agent. How could I sell people?"

"Although there are so many teams competing for him like Valencia, Manchester City, Juventus and Wolfsburg, these teams are not as attractive as Manchester United after calculation. Dzeko no longer waits until it is better. My team appeared, and I signed a contract with Manchester City in such a lightning-fast manner, I would never believe that no one else came up with an idea!" Ferguson said with certainty: "It's not like I haven't heard about how good your player relationship is. However, no matter how eager to sell 1860 Munich is now, it should not be sold so fast, now almost every other day there is a star transfer, and you must be making trouble in the middle!"

"The word mischievous is too mischievous. You should use another word to describe me. How about advising the players? I am a very serious person." Carl rubbed his nose: "No matter how you say it, Dzeko is gone. Oh, you're late, old man."

"Then sell me Portillo."

Ferguson's calculation was very shrewd.

In football, there are many players who can score goals when they abuse teams, but there are few players who can still score goals against strong teams, and even rarer are players who can score goals regardless of weak teams and strong teams Goal goals, the latter two stars are the targets of competition for various clubs, and the last one is almost the king of the transfer period... Manchester United already has such a "king" now, but they can't keep it. For a long time, if you buy another scoring machine now, after Ronaldo leaves, Manchester United's performance will not drop, and the Red Devils dynasty can be guaranteed for a few more years.

"Javier, er, Javier has decided to return to Real Madrid."

"...Can you stop pimping so fast!"

"You came too late. Also, I'm not a pimp, I'm a serious coach."

"Bender's next family has not been determined yet, has he?"

"One Bender or two Benders?"

"It's a bit risky to have the two together. Lars Bender?" From Munich 1860, it is impossible to grab a supplementary candidate for the front line, but it is also good to find a midfielder. Ferguson has been looking for Scholes' successor for many years , I also spent a lot of wronged money in the transfer market, but I still haven't been able to find the perfect candidate. I hope Bender can bring him a surprise.

"Don't you think twins staying in the same team can produce one plus one greater than two? Manchester United's current midfield is very strong, but there are also many hidden dangers. You must understand this clearly—— Although Scholes and Giggs are old and strong, they are 34 and 35 after all. Not every game can play the whole game. Hargreaves has not taken over Keane's class, and Injuries continued, and Anderson, Carrick, and Fletcher were all purchased by you with great hopes, but in the end they all failed to achieve the expected results..."

Karl thought about it carefully. If the Bender brothers moved to Manchester United, it would be an excellent choice for both of them. Moreover, compared to other competing teams with low financial resources, Manchester United is obviously more capable of buying in one go. Two Benders, so that the twins will not face the situation of being separated as soon as they transfer: "Manchester United desperately needs a tough midfielder to take over. Lars and Sven have a very tough style of play. If Manchester United has a bigger player next season ambition, then these two players are good choices."

Ferguson was moved, and he was very moved, but: "If you buy the two together, the transfer fee..." Since the new boss, Manchester United can no longer buy a rich man.

"The transfer fee is not in my control, the signing fee and annual salary should not be too low."

"make a deal!"

……

August 8rd, Street Cafe London.

Karl, Beckham, and Owen sat together for afternoon tea.

Taking a sip of black tea, Carl asked, "How many invitations have you received?"

Beckham first said: "Tottenham, Villa, Southampton, Queens Park Rangers, Lyon, Fiorentina, Lazio, AC Milan... that's about it, most of them are Serie A and Premier League teams." Heartthrob" couldn't help laughing: "There is also a Championship team Preston, which is the one I was loaned out when I was young. Preston's owner Derek Shaw wants to sell the club to I."

"Invest in a club and be your own boss? It's a good idea." Irving interjected, "It happens that I also have the idea of ​​starting a brokerage company after I retire. When the time comes, you will be the team owner and I will be the sports agent. We can do more business." .”

"I don't want to be a team owner at all." Beckham said with a smile: "Compared with running a club by myself, what I want is to play football for a few more years, then go to get a coaching certificate, and stay on the court for a long time. inside."

Carl put a hand on Beckham's shoulder: "If you really pass the coaching qualification test, I can reserve an assistant position for you in my team. Come and work for me, David."

"The tone is so nasty... Hey, go away, go away! Don't blow into my ears!" Beckham's upper body was covered with goosebumps. He shook his shoulders and quickly shook Carl's hand away. People look very uncomfortable.

Karl stopped teasing his friends, and turned to serious business: "Do you not want to accept any of the teams that invited you just now?"

"I kind of want to go to Milan." Beckham said truthfully: "But Victoria likes Los Angeles so much, and the children are now adapting to life in the United States. They have compromised for me for so many years, moved from London to Madrid, I moved to Munich from Madrid and started flying in Munich, London, and Los Angeles. Now I should do something for my family, so I am going to wait another six months, and I will be able to transfer to LA Galaxy for free in January next year. Yes. The Los Angeles Galaxy has been in contact with my agent for several years, and they offer a lot of money. I think it is a team that can make me happy."

Beckham winked at Karl again: "Wildmoser has been crazy about selling other teams to me since last month, but unfortunately his wish can't be fulfilled, I won't let him get a penny from me transfer fee."

What Beckham relies on is the Bosman Act. The Bosman Act stipulates that the last half year of the contract period between the player and the club is the end of the contract. At that time, the player can freely sign with his favorite new team without paying any fees. to the original club.

"Los Angeles Galaxy." Carl pondered: "After all, the United States is too far away. Don't you really want to play in the World Cup in South Africa, the London Olympics and the European Cup in 12? side……"

"McLaren will not not recruit me." Beckham looked confident: "Speaking of it, it still delays your blessing-with this year's five-time champion, and the confidence of the German Footballer, even if I stay I haven’t been back in Los Angeles for a few years, and England fans will never forget me. Top honors are always remembered for a long time.”

The German Footballer of the Year and the Best German Coach Award are voted by the journalists of the German Sports Press Association, and are the heavyweight awards in German football issued by the "Kicker" magazine. As well as German coaches who have coached overseas, and the selection scope of Mr. Football is all players who have played in the German Football League, regardless of nationality.

Just yesterday, "Kicker" magazine announced the selection of various awards last season before the new Bundesliga season started. David Beckham became the German Footballer of the Year, and Karl also won the German Coach of the Year title together.

This is the first time that Beckham has won the honor of footballer in a foreign league, and it is also the second time in the history of German football that the trophy of footballer is awarded to a foreign player, but for this award, Beckham is well-deserved—— Not only did he lead Munich 1860 last season to create a "five crowns" miracle that has never been seen in German football history, but he also enhanced the brand value of the Bundesliga because of his high popularity. , 34 Bundesliga games full attendance record, 9 goals, 13 assists, 4 goals in the Champions League, 2 goals in the German Cup also make Beckham impressive in the data list.

Beckham overwhelmed the German national team captain Ballack to win the award, which did not cause much controversy in the German football world. Karl's victory in a glance did not attract the slightest opposition-the whole European football unanimously agreed, the five in Munich 1860 The crown honor, the contribution of the team coach is the greatest.

"The Sun" once specifically talked about this: "In the journey of winning the championship in Munich 1860, it was inseparable from the sharp attack of forwards such as Portillo and Dzeko, and the support of midfielders such as Beckham and Bender. Command and mobilization is inseparable from the defensive players such as Koch and Thiago... Oston may not have contributed the most among them, but he is the most important one. He is the soul of Munich 1860. Ston is like a thread that connects these star-studded and outstanding stars together. With him, 1860 Munich has the effect of "11+1>world"... So once this team The team left Oston, and it will be a matter of time before they fall apart..."

Now, not only the German media, but also many media from other European countries have already rushed to the headquarters of "Kicker" in Nuremberg, preparing to wait for Karl's appearance there-since the termination of the contract with Munich 7 on July 2. A reclusive life that has never been seen in public before.

"I almost forgot if you didn't tell me." Carl touched his chin: "Remember to call me next week, and I will go back to Germany with you to receive the award."

Beckham nodded.

Carl looked at Owen again: "What is your plan?"

"It's about the same as David. I'll find my next home after January next year." Owen looked a little distressed: "But I still can't figure out where to go. Maybe I will go back to England or stay in Germany. I like the Bundesliga very much. atmosphere."

Carl suddenly remembered something: "Did Sir Ferguson contact you?"

Owen nodded and said: "Yes, Manchester United contacted my agent and wanted me to return to the Premier League-to be honest, when I realized that the call came from Old Trafford, neither I nor my agent quickly shocked."

Manchester United, as a giant in the world, any star who is nearly [-] years old and has only a few years left in his career golden period should be ecstatic if he receives an invitation from the Red Devils. However, after learning that Manchester United is interested in him, Owen, Shocked more than surprised.

Because Owen made his debut from Liverpool, and he also contributed the best years of his life to the Red Army. No matter how many times Michael Owen transfers in the future, no matter how old he becomes, there will be something in him that cannot be washed away. brand.

Anyone who understands English football culture knows that Manchester United and Liverpool are absolute mortal enemies. It was Manchester United led by Ferguson that drove Liverpool off the throne.

If Manchester United really invited Owen, there is no need to wait for the transfer to be successful. As long as the news is revealed, English football will immediately trigger a magnitude [-] earthquake, and Manchester United and Liverpool fans will immediately riot.

"Do you want to go to Old Trafford?" When Ferguson revealed the news to Karl, he only said, "The Bender brothers will be the focus of my future training, and the top priority is to integrate them into the team as soon as possible—you said, Irving has been with them for the past few years, if Irving also comes to Manchester United, can Bender and the others adapt to the Premier League environment faster and better?" So Karl just knows that Manchester United may invite Irving, but he is not sure about the amount. A transfer deal must work.

"I refused." Owen shrugged: "It's too risky to transfer to Manchester United. After all, I used to be a Liverpool player-if I am now in the state I have just moved to Newcastle half a year ago, I am full of injuries and useless. , There is no way out without a team, so I may hold on to the life-saving straw thrown by Manchester United, but now after all I am standing up again, I can pick the team again instead of waiting for the team Picked me - Manchester United is very sincere, but they want to buy me, just want me to be a substitute for Rooney and Solskjaer in the past, and then rely on the main force to compete with Carlos Tevez, Berbatov and even Rooney, to find Opportunity to become the main force. Now I have enough strength to find a fairly good team to be the main force, and there is no need to go back to England to provoke saliva.”

Beckham suggested: "Maybe you can return to Liverpool."

"Going to be Torres' substitute?" Owen rolled his eyes at his old friend: "Come on, I'm not yet 30, and I don't want to enter retirement so soon. Besides, Benitez doesn't like me."

Karl also gave advice: "Wolfsburg and Stuttgart have had a good upward momentum in the past two years. After Dortmund's financial crisis has been alleviated, there will be a lot of room for growth in the future. They are now short of money and people. If you don't If you care too much about the annual salary and only care about the chance to play, you can think about it."

Only then did Beckham and Owen realize that their situation was completely covered by Karl's few words, and they didn't even know where their friend's next stop would be: "Which clubs have approached you?" They both said in unison asked.

Carl Vagrant Auston said lazily, "Too many to count."

"Then where do you want to go?"

"I'm too picky, I can't figure it out."

Beckham & Owen: "..."

……

8 month 9 day.

Karl was calling his disciple, who had been silent for a long time despite the rumors about the transfer: "Are you really planning to go nowhere?"

Now Koch's transfer fee has soared to the universal price of a goalkeeper, and the signing fees and annual salary offered by those giants who want to get him are also so high that everyone is speechless. A look of "I'm going to die of old age in Munich 1860", finally made Carl a little confused about what he was thinking.

"All the teams in the world are the same to me." Koch said calmly: "In the past few years following you, I have seen almost all the best teams and the best strikers in the world. , they are not challenging or attractive to me. The club has been sold and now Wildmoser is also panicking, because all the players want to go, few people want to stay, and the valve will not be closed. , maybe next season the team will not even have 11 starting players, he is now afraid that I will also want to leave, the club has given me a new contract last week, which is much higher than my previous salary few……"

After a pause, Koch went on to say: "I am not ready to accept a new contract because I don't want to sign a long-term contract with the club, but I will not leave Munich 1860 either. When the contract expires next year, I will renew it, but only One year. With you gone, the others are gone, so let me guard the team. With my support, even if 1860 Munich's performance will decline, it will not become miserable."

"Don't sacrifice so much alone." Carl said dryly.Staying in a team that is doomed to decline, Koch sacrificed not only his wealth but also his future. Munich 1860 brought Karl a lot of happy and unhappy memories, but happiness accounted for the vast majority. Happiness is only a little bit when parting. Although Carl is gone, he doesn't want to see the team suddenly decline so badly. However, the burden of saving the team should not only be on Koch.

"I understand what you mean, but I don't think I sacrificed anything. The weaker the team, the easier it is to produce great goalkeepers-I remember you said this. I will continue to grow in Munich and eventually become a A great goalkeeper."

Karl wanted to sigh: "It turns out that the one who bets the most on the team is not me, nor the players who have been trained in the club since childhood, but you."

"..." Koch coughed suddenly: "Well, I don't...I mean, my affection for Munich 1860 is not so deep that I want to only work for it for the rest of my life."

"Then what did you just say?"

"I'm waiting for you to coach the team again, whether it's Ligue [-], La Liga, Serie A or the Premier League, let me know when the time comes."

"?"

"I'll be on a free transfer."

Carl smiled sincerely: "I am waiting for the day when you grow into the greatest goalkeeper."

When Koch replied, his tone was very serious: "I look forward to the day when I meet you again."

……

In 2008, Karl Oston made his last public appearance in front of the media when he went to the headquarters of "Kicker" in Nuremberg in early August to receive the award for the best head coach of the year in German football.

The media from all of Germany has arrived, and half of the media from other European countries have also arrived.

When Carl showed up on the red carpet, the spotlight turned into a galaxy.

Beckham secretly whispered to him: "These reporters are crazy." The media stared at Carl's eyes and expressions, as if they wanted to tear him apart and devour him.

After a brief award ceremony, Carl, holding the trophy, accepted a huge media interview under the protection of heavy bodyguards.

Questions from reporters centered around his whereabouts.

In the five top leagues, almost every team whose coach has just left this summer has something to do with Karl, even those teams whose coaches are still in office, because these reporters seem to firmly believe that as long as Karl nodded, and there was a club willing to fire the current coach for him.Just like Inter Milan fired Mancini at the end of last season in order to usher in Mourinho in the new season.

For these questions, Karl has only one answer: "No, I have not signed with any team, and I am not going to sign for the time being."

Dozens of reporters closest to Karl shouted out one word in different languages: "Why?!"

Facing the camera, Carl said very seriously: "Because I really need a long vacation now."

The reporters didn't believe it.

No one in the media believed Karl's claim that he didn't look for a new job because he needed a break.

"Maybe the conditions offered by those teams are not generous enough to impress Orston." These media began to make up their own minds: "Or which team Orston has taken a fancy to, but which team's head coach Sitting on the seat is a famous and respected marshal, it is not good to drive him down immediately and blatantly."

In addition to the above two, other speculations given by the media are even more strange.

But the truth is as simple as that: Karl didn't find a new team because he was tired and wanted to rest.

In one summer, he appeased most of the players, let them bid farewell to the past and usher in a new beginning.

But Carl himself hadn't said goodbye yet.

Although his people broke up with Munich 1860 cleanly, their relationship does not mean that they can be withdrawn by withdrawing.

Carl needs some time to say goodbye to the past.

Moreover, he has been too busy in the past few years and has no time to take care of his own investment. Many things are left to the agent to do, and now it is time to organize it himself.

...Damn Mendes, he took a lot of advertising contracts for him under the pretext that he didn't have a new job and he must have a lot of time.

Strangely, he seems to be more popular in the advertising market after being unemployed after his contract with 1860 Munich was terminated.

In short, although people are on vacation, Karl's life is not at all leisurely.

……

At the end of November, the FA made a decision to dismiss England coach McLaren from all positions and paid the other party a "breakup fee" of 11 million pounds.

The reaction of English football to McLaren's dismissal was relatively calm.

Because they have long expected such a day.

McLaren, who succeeded Eriksson as England coach in 2006, has been living under criticism from England fans since he took office.

If it weren't for the pressure of public opinion, Beckham had to be recalled to the national team to save the game. McLaren would have eliminated England from the European Cup qualifiers in 07 and lost the opportunity to participate in the Austrian and Swiss European Cup.

Although they successfully participated in the European Cup in 08, the England team performed well in this competition.

But we all know that wasn't McLaren's fault.

Big-name players are disobedient, unable to do anything about conflicts in the locker room, have low tactical literacy, and even scumbag on-the-spot command. Such a McLaren has no ability to control the Three Lions at all.

Even after the end of this European Cup, various internal and external sources showed that since the second European Cup group match, the tactics of the England team were not formulated by McLaren, but by several stars and players in the England team. The coaching staff discussed it together...

Although there is no concrete evidence to prove this statement, judging from the blank expression of McLaren sitting on the coach's bench every game in the European Cup, the credibility is very high.

So much so that all England fans have thanked God: "God bless, we must have been doing good things from birth, so God blessed the national team to qualify."

After the European Cup, although England's performance did not meet expectations, the FA did not immediately release McLaren because it was better than previous years.

They gave McLaren another chance to continue as the head coach and prove his strength in a few friendly games in the second half of 08. If it can make the national team better, then it can Keep going.

Then McLaren used England's three friendly matches against Germany, Italy and Scotland to prove that he is a proper vegetarian meal.

So the FA was really angry, and they decisively fired McLaren.

After temporarily appointing the national team assistant coach Venables as the "acting coach", the FA began to search for the next helm of the Three Lions.

The FA's selection of coaches caused a lot of trouble around the world.

Someone said: "Of course the England national team must choose an English head coach. We have done this since ancient times. Look at other football powers in the world, such as Germany, Italy, Brazil, and Argentina. They have always chosen themselves. people."

Some people also said: "The experience of Eriksson and McLaren coaching the national team only shows one truth, that is-the England coach is really not good. If the Three Lions want to rise, they still have to hire foreign coaches, and If you have the kind of tough wrist, then you can restrain the superstars in the locker room."

Immediately, all the currently idle and somewhat famous head coaches in the world started scandals with the FA.

There are even tabloids in England who are afraid that the world will not be chaotic, and they "swear firmly" to say: "Actually, Beckham is also a strong candidate for the national team coach. In many polls, the support rate of heartthrobs has always been quite high. ..."

But the FA has only one goal from beginning to end.