long live football

"The one with the mohawk is Lambert Koch."

When Enceres and Karl sat together in a nearby cafe, he took the initiative to confess: "Koch is an alumnus of me, Gebhardt, Jungwirth, and many other teammates. Attended primary school in Munich."

Timo Gebhardt and Florian Jungwirth are both players of the Munich 1860 youth academy. They are 16 years old this year.

Munich Primary School is a public school that is famous for its extracurricular activities, especially football. Almost every year, regional teams and professional scouts come to watch the school team games. After graduating from school, they are directly selected for the youth training of various clubs. There are also many examples of football camps, so many children like to play football, but families whose parents have no money to let them receive formal football school training will enroll their children in Munich primary schools.

Carl put a cup of hot chocolate in front of Enceres, and listened to him quietly.

"Koch is one year older than us. When Gebhard and I entered the school team, he had already changed from a substitute player to a regular player, and was assigned by the coach to teach us the basic movements of these newcomers during training. That's it. , we met him and became friends.”

"Mr. Alston, you can tell by my skin color. My family immigrated to Germany. Gebhard's hometown is in East Germany. His parents escaped before the Berlin Wall was dismantled. Jungwirth There are several older brothers and sisters on it, and the Koch family lives not far from the slums. It can be said that our families are very poor. The reason why my classmates became friends."

Enceres took a sip of hot chocolate, then held the cup and continued: "Koch's enthusiasm for football is far higher than anyone I know, of course, including me. When we were only eight or nine years old At that time, many parents were reluctant to buy a complete set of sports equipment for their children - footballs, jerseys, sneakers, socks, and knee pads. The cost of a set is not low, and these are consumables that need to be replaced frequently. Gebha and I They all go home after playing enough football at school, and come back to rub the school football and the field the next day, but Koch is different, he even keeps practicing on the way home."

"Of course, he doesn't have a football that belongs only to him, so I often see him replace it with other items. Cans, mineral water bottles, discarded tennis basketballs, and even stones...Everything I just said Koch has played football for a long time, and he also entertained himself by summarizing which one is better. In the end, the old newspaper he favored was rolled up and wrapped with tape, Pretend it's a football."

In just a few words, Enceres described Karl as a young man who is very obsessed with football. Reminiscent of the series of performances of "Mohican" on the open-air court just now, it can be seen that the other party still likes football very much.However, the Lambert Koch in Enceres's words seems to be more enthusiastic and cheerful than the "Mohegan". What?

Although Karl didn't answer, his eyes encouraged Enceres to continue.

"When he was in the fourth grade, he had already become the main force of the school team. With his brute strength and crazy offensive momentum, our team was invincible in the low-leading competition, but after the seventh grade, this method worked. It doesn't make sense, because everyone started to grow taller, and people taller and stronger than him popped up like bamboo shoots. We couldn't win games with our bodies alone. The coaches also began to pay attention to the cultivation of players' skills, and since then, they have frequently There are two words in the conversation, talent."

"Koch is considered to be the kind without football talent, and when his physical advantage gradually became less obvious, he was pulled down from the main position by the coach, became an ordinary player, and later became a substitute. None People will predict that things will end up like that. Koch has been very smart since he was a child, and he understands the tactics explained by the coach very quickly, but he just doesn’t perform well on the court, as if his body can’t keep up with the rotation of his brain Every year, scouts come to the school to pick someone, and Koch is not picked every time. I have heard several coaches comment on him, saying, 'Hey, this kid is very good, but it's a pity that he plays football. His talent is not very good, he is suitable for studying, and he will be a coach directly in a few decades'”

Carl suddenly thought of the former "Carl Oston" who loved football fanatically but didn't have the slightest talent to become a star. Feelings got a little complicated.

"Koch didn't believe what the coaches said, he was convinced that he would make a difference on the pitch, so he skipped classes, skipped school, went to try out for teams in all the surrounding areas, wanted to join the youth camps of those clubs, but he was all rejected. Rejected. Then, Gebhard and I were discovered by the club's scouts and became youth team players..." Enceres stopped suddenly, with a sad expression on his face.

"He turned against you?" This was the first time Karl asked.

"Not at first, until we signed a youth training contract with the club, but he was rejected by all the teams in several surrounding cities, and there were a lot of gangsters."

Carl observed Enceres' expression: "You think he's jealous of you."

"Maybe a little bit, but it's probably not the only reason." Enceres lowered his head and stroked the coffee cup with his fingers: "Koch has a strong self-esteem, and half of the players in our school team entered the youth training. battalion, and while their grades have been mixed, there have always been a few people who...have not been kind to Koch after all the rejections he's had."

"It's a mockery, right?" Carl asked after seeing Enceres lower his head, "I saw you teaching him to play football, that's because..."

"Koch fought with those who laughed at him. The group of people were very unconvinced after losing the fight. They offered to fight with Koch. Koch agreed, and then he ordered us to teach him in the youth training camp. What he has learned, he understands all the tactical aspects very quickly, but no matter how much he practices, he can't make gorgeous and beautiful moves."

Carl raised his chin, his eyes focused on the wound on Enceres' face: "So he thought you didn't teach well, and then beat you?"

"It wasn't Koch, it was beaten by his subordinates." Enceres looked disgusted: "Especially that short Sansam, who is a dog leg, shameless and bastard. Although we don't have much contact with Koch now But the old friendship is always there. He never hit us, and he never ordered his subordinates to invade, but when he was unhappy, he became very irritable. When his subordinates were tortured, they vented their anger on us. "

"Why don't you tell Lan about this, Lan what Koch?"

"Lambert Koch." Enceres said: "I don't know if he still considers us friends now. I heard that he joined some gangs and cut off contact with everyone he knew before. If it wasn't for him Douqiu, I don't think he will take the initiative to contact us."

For these teenagers who left school and entered the closed life of the youth academy, the life of gangsters and delinquents felt like two completely different worlds from them.

"Do you hate him?"

"I just think he's very, very..." Enceres didn't continue, but a complex expression of sympathy, fear, and don't know what else appeared on his face.

Carl suddenly remembered something: "Just now I saw Koch pulling your clothes and talking angrily. What did he say?"

Enceres scratched his head embarrassingly: "He said that I must have not shown him everything I learned in the youth training camp, saying that I was hiding something, but I swear I really didn't."

"If he doubts you and wants to know how the regular youth training camp is trained, why not go to the training ground to see it? This way you and your friends can also avoid the pain of teaching."

"Mr. Alston!" Enceres stared wide-eyed, showing his white teeth in surprise, "You personally ordered that no one except the parents of the players be allowed to appear on the training ground during the youth team training. around!"

Karl was taken aback, and then recalled that he had indeed given such an order a few months ago - because he didn't want scouts from other clubs to come into the training ground to observe the situation of the Munich 1860 youth training camp, and he didn't want those young players They face strange fans and media who come to watch training every day, and they are affected by too much interference from foreign objects. Therefore, one of the few orders Karl gave after he first arrived at the club is that in the future, only their youth teams will play and train. Family members can come to watch, and other outsiders are not allowed to enter.

After thinking about it carefully, Carlton felt a little embarrassed, because he realized that he was also one of the culprits who indirectly caused Enceres and the others to be beaten.

However, he immediately realized that there was a way to help Enceres and the others out of their predicament: "The next time you see Lambert Koch, tell him that you helped him lie to the coach, saying that he It’s your relatives, so he can go to the training ground to watch the training, don’t you and your friends have nothing to worry about?” This is like going to the police, or going to Koch’s parents and letting them take care of their children. There are many spectrums.And even if Lambert Koch was given a thousand guts, he would not dare to lead his men into the Munich 1860 training base.

"Dear one?" The young man of African descent couldn't laugh or cry. He pointed to his dark complexion: "Koch's skin is as white as cream! No matter how others look at it, they won't think that he and I are relatives."

"Cousins, cousins, or distant relatives, you can say whatever you want." Carl smiled at him: "Anyway, it's just going through the motions, and I'll take care of the security."

Enceres thought for a while, and felt that this was a good way to get out of trouble. He nodded heavily: "Mr. Alston, you are a good man!"

……

Enceres and Lambert Koch with the "Mohican" haircut were at best a small episode in Carl's life, and it took up less than half a day, but it made Carl's thoughts settle from the afternoon to the end of the day. night.

There are so many teenagers in the world who love football and have football dreams, but only a small number of them can receive formal football training since childhood, and enter the systematic youth training team to lay a solid foundation when they grow up.

And in the youth training camps of major teams all over the continent, there are tens of thousands of teenagers training day after day every year. How many of them will eventually become famous?One in a thousand.

If ordinary teenagers want to become stars, they must go through a lot of selection and training, and they may not be able to succeed. Rather than saying that the football world is a place where the fittest survive, it is better to say that this is a "genius may become famous, and mediocrity will be annihilated." cruel arena.

Lambert Koch reminded him of the former "Karl". He was also a person who was unable to pursue his football dream and was forced to find another way out. Unfortunately, Karl is him now, so he will never know if It was the former "Carl" who first came to Manchester United. Will the other party still achieve the success they are today, or more successful than him?

In addition, Koch's persistence reminded Karl of someone: Cristiano Ronaldo.

This is also a person who burns his dreams on the football field and is always full of fighting spirit, but Ronaldo is much luckier than Karl or Koch, he has the talent bestowed by God.

Thinking of Ronaldo, Karl suddenly realized that the two hadn't had much contact since Christmas.He took out his phone, turned to Ronaldo's number, and called.

The phone rang and was connected, but before Carl opened his mouth, Ronaldo asked angrily on the other end of the phone: "Someone tipped you off? Ruud Ruud? Giggs? Scholes or Ferdinand?"

The tone is so aggressive, what happened?Carl frowned: "What are you talking about? Cris, I'm Carl."

"I know it's you! I also know why you called. I can solve this matter myself, and don't extend your claws to England!"

With a beep, the call was cut off.

Carl blinked and stared at the screen of the mobile phone that displayed "The call has ended" - why did he feel that the other party's voice was a little bit aggrieved?

……

Anyone who is being tender with his wife will be very annoyed when he suddenly hears his mobile phone ringing randomly.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy pressed the bedside lamp viciously, connected the phone after the ring rang for the second time, and asked violently, "Who is it?!"

His wife, Leontien Slatz, was wrapped in a bed sheet, patted Fanny's shoulder, and was about to whisper to her husband to stop losing his temper, but saw her husband's face suddenly turned embarrassing, and said in embarrassment: "Ah , it's Karl."

Leontien couldn't help snickering, then leaned his head on his husband's shoulder, listening to his call with his friend.

"Rud, I'm sorry to disturb you so late, but I have something to ask you, and I can't wait until tomorrow!" Carl on the other end of the phone seemed a little anxious.

Carl's tone made Fanny serious: "What do you want to ask?"

"Has anything happened in the Manchester United dressing room lately? I haven't found anything in the papers."

Fanny thought for a while: "Carl, you have to ask more details before I can know what you are referring to. Many things happen in the locker room every day, most of which are impossible for the media to know. You know, If Manchester United's internal news is not guarded against the outside world, several tabloids in England can make a fortune just relying on us."

"About Cristiano Ronaldo."

Van Nistelrooy said, "Related to Ronaldo? I don't remember what happened. Where did you get the news from?"

"Rud, I'm your friend, I know you." Carl threatened, "I also know your tone when you're lying."

After a few seconds of silence, Van Nistelrooy sighed: "Why do you have to know this? Karl, it's really not a big deal." Van Nistelrooy really didn't want to tell Karl about this. Internal conflicts, Carl has already left the Red Devils, told him he can not help, second, it is selfish, Van Nistelrooy does not want his friends to hear any slander about his reputation.

"Tell me, I want to know."

"Okay, let me tell you, it's just that you are also involved in this incident. It's hard to hear. Don't be angry when you hear it."

After getting Carl's assurance, Ruud took a deep breath, leaned on the head of the bed and said slowly: "After you left, a lot of changes have taken place in the locker room. Alan Smith was adjusted by the boss, from a forward to a central midfielder. Rooney seems to have also The trend of adjusting to the midfield, the two of them have a good relationship with the newly transferred Liam Miller, forming another mountain in the locker room. Ronaldo is now performing very well in training, although he cannot say in the game He starts every game, but basically every round of the league can get a chance to play, BOSS values ​​him more, and Mr. Queiroz also likes him very much."

"If it wasn't for Ronaldo's outstanding performance in the frontcourt, scoring goals in several games in a row, BOSS and Mr. Queiroz would not have moved the positions of Alan and Rooney so far back on the field, so...you It should be understood that the relationship between Ronaldo and the two of them will not be very good."

"Alan Smith again? It shouldn't be. Didn't the two of them have a good relationship when I left? Could it be that they had conflicts again?" Carl raised his forehead: "Did you help fight?"

"Of course, Carl, why wouldn't I take your request to heart? If Ziggs and I hadn't pulled them away in time, some of them would probably have to go to the hospital to lie down now, and things would probably be troublesome." He stabbed the boss and even the media.” After a pause, Fanny said, “However, it’s not Alan who got involved with Ronaldo this time. It was very low key here. It was Miller who came forward to provoke Ronaldo and fight, and he cursed in front of Ronaldo, cursed..."

Fanny stopped talking.

"Go on, Rude." Carl said in a low voice.

"He yelled at Ronaldo, 'You bastard who is always treated favorably, why don't you go to Germany to find your father? He will definitely give you the position of the absolute main force and love you a lot' at that time. Now, everyone heard it." Ruud's tone was very awkward: "Ronaldo's face was flushed with anger at that time, if Saha and I hadn't dragged him to stop him, he would have punched Miller a few times."

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Fonny noticed something was wrong, and he quickly explained: "Carl, don't think too much, this sentence is not as dirty as it seems on the surface! In fact, that bastard Miller is using you to satirize Ronaldo and Queiroz. He can't figure out why Every assistant treats Ronaldo so well. After all, you are Queiroz’s predecessor, aren’t you? Queiroz’s care for Ronaldo, many people in the locker room are very jealous, but they dare not disrespect Queiroz, just take the one who has left Manchester United You're under the knife... Giggs, I, Keane and the others have already issued a gag order in the locker room, and this sentence will not be spread!"

After a few seconds, Carl finally said: "That's good. Also, are you really sure that the boss doesn't know?"

Fanny was not sure what the other party was thinking. He always felt that Carl's voice was a little dangerous, but he couldn't tell what was wrong: "Yes, the boss didn't know. He had already gone home at that time, and we were on vacation the next day. And I'm pretty sure no one is really stupid enough to tell the boss, unless Ronaldo himself does."

"He won't, Cris is not the kind of person who goes to complain when he is wronged." Carl's voice sounded extremely calm now.

Fanny thought about it for a moment: "I said Karl, you...you won't sue, right? You won't fly back tomorrow and ask Miller to beat you up, right?"

"Oh Rude, you're thinking too much, I'm not a kid anymore, how could I make such a naive move?" Carl on the other end of the phone suddenly giggled: "I know you just talked to Leontian I'm making out, I'm very disturbed to bother you for so long, go ahead, good night!" After saying this, Carl hung up the phone.

Fanny blew his beard into the receiver and stared.

"Don't look at your phone, Rude, Carl's tone doesn't sound wrong, does it?" Leontian said with a smile: "Although Miller's words were too much, it didn't do any harm to Ronaldo, so Carl Probably won’t make any drastic moves.”

"That's because you don't really understand Carl." Fanny shook his head, worried and said with a smile: "Of course Carl is not some kind of 'father' of Ronaldo, he is a child who flies away and gets in trouble, and just giggles." The old hen that turned the world upside down with a snarl."