The Young Lion

After Aldridge announced the list of transfer players, the scene exploded.

Reporters raised their hands to ask questions.

The focus of the question is two: how to spend the transfer income that Millwall gets? Who will fill the void left by these five players?

Aldridge looked calm and calm, but he didn't feel aggrieved after nearly half of the team's main force was poached, as if the sky was falling.

We have obtained a large amount of transfer income through the departure of these players. Part of this money will be invested in the club's operating costs, part of it will be used to repay the debt of the new stadium, and part of it will be the budget for summer transfers. The rest, We will build a new youth football academy next to Leo's training ground.

In the past, the youth team stayed at the youth training base for special training. Now Millwall wants to build a more comprehensive youth football academy to provide young players from all over the world with a more humane environment and help them not only play football not only to grow, but also to provide them with a guide should the situation arise that they cannot become professional players.

Last year, Leo’s training base was expanded, and the first team moved into it. In addition to the expansion of the youth team, the growth over the same period made the space for the youth team smaller than before. Aldridge’s new youth football academy is based on actual development needs. plan made.

Reporters are more concerned about Millwall's squad for next season.

As the champion of the Champions League last season, Millwall let go of at least four main players in the new season. Although there is sufficient financial income, is the competitiveness of the team next season a cause for concern?

Aldridge said: It is true that Millwall's strength has declined after these five players left, but I don't think the team fell from heaven to hell all at once, with Andriy Shevchenko and Trezeguet, but we have enough talents to replace them. Ruud van Nistelrooy's performance last season proved that he can replace Trezeguet, and Ronaldinho will also get more opportunities. We There are also Duff, Van der Meyer, Glenciel, Gudjohnsen, including Klose who joined the team last season and adapted to English football for a season. At least, I am not worried about the front line, but the back line, Materazzi can completely replace Elguera. If Zambrotta hadn't been affected by injuries last season, he might have been the team's main left back. The only thing worth worrying about is the depth of the team's bench. Of course, as I think It is said that Millwall has a rich talent pool, and we have invested heavily in the construction of youth training for many years. Of course, we hope that those young men from the youth team can enter the first team after reaching a certain level of strength and become part of the team's north and south.

After listening to Aldridge's words, the reporters on the scene bowed their heads in deep thought.

At first glance, Millwall sold off five important players, which seems to be a very cruel reality.

But on second thought,

There seems to be enough quality replacements at each position.

Van Nistelrooy takes Trezeguet.

Ronaldinho takes Shevchenko.

Materazzi picks up Elguera.

Zambrotta picks up Capdevila.

Ballack originally competed with Pirlo for the main position. The main frame of the three midfielders did not move.

As Aldridge said, the strength of Millwall's team in the new season has declined slightly, but it is definitely not a sharp decline. The only worry is the depth of the bench.

So according to your statement, Millwall will not make a big move in the summer? I mean to directly buy strong players to supplement the first team.

Reporters probably thought the same thing. According to Aldridge's style in the past few years, maybe this summer Millwall fans will burst into tears again.

It is probably unrealistic to expect the team to buy big-name stars to boost morale.

Aldridge is now the champion coach of the Champions League, and his level has been improved a lot. He may have worried about buying famous stars before, but now, he is not worried about this problem at all, but he has talent reserves, so there is no need to waste money. to gamble.

No, our signings are in progress. I want to emphasize that Millwall is a rational club. We will not sign for the sake of signings. We will only make decisions for the reality of the club.

After the press conference ended, the news published on Fleet Street the next day created a sensation.

Millwall's top five stars go their separate ways!

Wild Lions fans' reaction to this was relatively flat. The experience of the past few years told them: Millwall doesn't care which player comes or which player leaves, as long as one person remains unchanged, that person is Aldridge.

It is not so much numbness as it is the fans' absolute trust in Aldridge.

The Times columnist David Miller published an article: The second generation of wild lions is in the ascendant.

Marked by winning the Premier League and the Champions League, in the past four years, Millwall has created the first generation of Wild Lions to successfully reach the top of Europe.

After announcing the transfer and departure of five team meritorious players, coupled with the early departure of Stam, the absolute main hero of last year's league championship, half of the main lineup of the first generation of Wild Lions has taken off their dark blue jerseys.

After achieving great success, some players choose to leave. This is a very normal thing. In order to continue the glory of the Wild Lions, it is time to test Aldridge. From the summer of 1998, he will start to build the second generation Lions, although we will still see iconic figures like Larson, Nedved, and Southgate, the whole team will inevitably undergo major changes, and the composition of different players will inevitably require Aldrich Although the tactical transformation will not be an earth-shaking change, if it remains unchanged, it may be difficult to replicate the miracle of the Champions League in 1998. Therefore, Wild Lions fans can look forward to the growth of the second generation of Wild Lions, Millwall's competitors You must seize the opportunity during this period, otherwise, once Hall's team becomes extremely strong again, Hall will use his actions to prove his nickname: the trophy harvester!

Aldridge's work before the new season has officially kicked off. He will first see off some people, not the players, but the coaches.

Benitez wants to return to Spain. Tolop used to be a Belgian player and was favored by Ajax. Unfortunately, he didn't play in Ajax and became a coach. The 30-year-old Tolop as Mir Member of Wall's first team coaching staff, Millwall's success. He also has his credit, and at the same time, the Belgian second division club St. Turden sent him an invitation. Tolop submitted his resignation to Aldridge after receiving the promise of sufficient time and a long-term contract from the opposing boss.

In Sander's bar. Aldridge and the coaching staff practiced here for Benitez and Tolop. All night, they reflected on the difficult struggles they had made together in the past, and also enjoyed the joy of success. In the end, a few people got drunk Spent the night in a bar.

Millwall directly reached a termination agreement with Tolopuda and Benitez, letting them leave freely. It doesn't cost much to prevent the new owner from paying to buy out their contract.

At the same time, Tolop brought back the experience he learned and summed up in Millwall to Belgium, and he wanted to implement a new management model and construction plan at the St. Turden Club. Although the club over there was a bit rough, Tolop was full of enthusiasm and loaned players to Millwall. Aldridge suppressed the loan application, not really wanting to loan players who had reached his age. Because the level is too low compared to B, 18-year-old young players like Paulson and Cahill in the Millwall youth team have limited improvement in training there.

It's easier for Millwall to make signings now than it used to be.

In the past, they came to the door to ask for players to join, but now not only the level of the team has improved. The halo above Aldrich's head was also shining extremely brightly.

Especially for young players, Millwall is even more attractive than world-class giants!

The reason is simple, if you go to a wealthy family, the space is almost zero.

But Millwall is different. Aldridge vigorously promotes young players, dares to use them, and uses them well. This is evidenced by his record.

Among the 14 Millwall players who reached the top of the Champions League, in addition to being young, most of them were unknown before coming to the team, but they became the European champions under Aldridge!

The work of recruiting has become easier. Aldridge does not need to come to the door in person, just make a phone call in person. Young players are basically willing to come to Millwall. At least he can be a good player.

In addition to Millwall itself, Moyes has also become an advertiser for Millwall!

Moyes, who took over Preston in the middle of last season, made an amazing debut. When he took over the team, the team was ranked in the relegation zone. success.

Although he was only promoted from League Two to League One, he has attracted enough attention. Among them, the four players he loaned from Millwall made great contributions to the team, Robinson, Cahill, Bresciano, Fei Leila, the performance of these four players in Preston has quickly attracted the attention of other teams. The outside world believes that this is a manifestation of the success of Millwall's youth training. In addition, the players they sold before are all extremely valuable. , Millwall's youth training signs have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and their reputation is especially good.

In the summer of 1998, the Millwall youth team continued to recruit. Within the local area, the youth team introduced 17-year-old Crouch, London locals to try out 14-year-old Darren Bent, 16-year-old Jermaine Defoe , 17-year-old goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, signed 16-year-old Kevin Nolan, 16-year-old Matthew Taylor and 16-year-old Lescott before Birmingham offered a professional contract.

Following last year's youth team recruited 8 potential English local young players, Millwall once again introduced 7 local rookies with potential this season.

Of course, this is the list in Aldrich's mind. In fact, they have recruited nearly 20 English players, but the others have not made a big hit in the future history or may not even set foot in the top league.

The Millwall summer reserve team also sold many players. The names of those players were not famous, but they were favored by League One teams. A total of 6 players provided Millwall with an income of nearly 3 million pounds.

This is a virtuous circle phenomenon, where mediocre players play with most excellent players, as long as they are aggressive, at least they can achieve higher achievements than playing with a group of mediocre players.

After the recruitment of youth teams in England ended, Aldridge set his sights on other European countries.

This year he does not plan to go out and hang around, but let the club staff go to the activities, and when necessary, he will communicate with the players in person by phone.

Because he is busy with the team's trip to Asia for the new season. ()