The Young Lion

Although the Millwall youth team is full of talents, there are not many options for Klinsmann and Jenson to choose from.

The reason is the age of the players. Most of the players who were physically mature and strong enough to play in the Premier League between the ages of 18 and 20 were poached by Leeds United. There are still many left, but they are all unknown people. The upper part is to accompany the prince to study.

Vud Nistelrooy left and wanted a striker first.

After Klinsmann finished speaking to Najib, his eyes swept around the training ground.

It is unrealistic to find a perfect replacement after leaving a striker at the Premier League Golden Boot level, but at least there must be one who is not too bad, and who can be expected to enter the first team during the rotation, rather than make up the number .

Najib glanced at the youth team players, shook his head and said, There is nothing suitable here.

In terms of age, there are only two people who can replace Van Nistelrooy as a substitute, and one of them has already been included in the loan list, Drogba.

Nagy pointed to the training ground of the reserve team in the distance, and said: David Lamour, 22 years old, once shined in the Liverpool youth team, was given up by Liverpool three years ago, and then came to us. Scored 24 goals in the Reserve League, Aldridge has been watching him, I think he is ready to play in the Premier League now, the substitute should be fine.

Klinsmann didn't know much about this player. He looked at Jenson, but he saw Jenson thinking.

The fallen prodigy has been reborn in Millwall, but whether he can fly again is anyone's guess.

Jansen frowned and asked: He seems to be afraid of confrontation. How is it now? In the Premier League. Regardless of size. Confrontation is the most basic technical requirement.

Najib replied: That depends on what kind of tasks are given to him. If he blindly emphasizes confrontation, he is not an ideal choice. In training, our requirements for him are more like shaping him into a number nine and a half. His technical ability has been honed beyond most of the technical players in the Premier League, and his game reading ability and overall situation view are also outstanding. His only weakness is confrontation. Therefore, he cannot be Ruud van Nistelrooy's substitute, but if he is allowed to lie in ambush Behind the striker, he assumes the role of series connection and support, as well as scoring behind, and he may surprise you.

The weakness you mentioned, poor confrontation, what kind of standard is it?

Klinsmann asked, frowning.

After thinking for a while, Najib said: Probably, it was because of the tough attack from the back line of the top eight teams in the Premier League. He scored 24 goals in the reserve team, and the general level of confrontation is no problem.

And I said it. He does not rely on absolute confrontational advantages to display his ability in the game, on the contrary. He is a team player. He cannot be a fixed tactical fulcrum, but he can become an important piece of the complete puzzle.

Klinsmann roughly understood, that is to say, Larmor is a green leaf, which cannot be used as a flower, but it can make the flower more colorful.

After the three communicated for a while, they decided to let Lamore enter the first team in the new season.

Najib asked the young coach next to him to call Lamour from the reserve team.

After spending three years at Millwall, Lamour has recovered from the shadow of serious injuries three years ago. The 22-year-old is alive and well.

Probably because he was demoted from a child prodigy to a mortal, and he received a weekly salary of 3,000 pounds in Millwall, which was much lower than the salary of the main players in the middle and lower reaches of the Premier League. In terms of the team's situation, he is very grateful to Millwall. Even though he and Aldridge have had less than 10 exchanges in three years, he still has a heart for this club, Millwall's young coach. grateful.

Coach, what do you want from me?

Lamor wiped off his sweat, not showing any signs of nervousness, and looked back and forth at Klinsmann, Jensen, and Najib with a relaxed expression.

In the new season, you go to the first team to report.

Najib said softly with a smile on his face.

Lamor was stunned for a moment, then nodded nonchalantly, and asked, Are you all right? Then I'll go back to training.

Well, let's go.

As soon as Najib finished speaking, Lamor turned around and trotted back to the training ground of the reserve team.

Klinsmann was dumbfounded, and Jansen was also very surprised. He asked, Doesn't he want to join the first team? Why did he react like this? It's like you just told him the weather forecast for tomorrow.

Najib sighed softly: Suffering will make people grow up. Although he is only 22 years old, he is more mature than his peers. He used to be a genius, but now he is a mortal. What he was thinking just now may be: so what if he goes to the first team? It doesn't mean success is guaranteed. So, he went back to training.

Jenson immediately felt relieved, thinking about how high-spirited Lamour was when he was poached by Liverpool with a lot of money? The change of circumstances from heaven to hell is enough to transform a young man's soul.

Klinsmann nodded and said: Well, this mentality is very good. Let's continue. Duff is gone too. The first team needs two new players, so be prepared.

Najib turned his head and looked at the youth team, and said: Now the young people in the team are all under 19 years old. Next season's schedule will be more intensive. They will not be able to lead the way, and their state will not be guaranteed. I will give you four, when the time comes Rotate more to check their status, and usually let them play in the reserve league.

Klinsmann and Jenson exchanged ideas. Millwall is using both the League Cup and the FA Cup for training. The focus is on the League and the Champions League. It is good to have more young people, so as not to be poached in the future. Stretched again.

Which four?

Joaquin at 18, Vicente at 18, Joe Cole at 17, Villa at 17.

Jansen is very familiar with the playing characteristics of these players.

It is no exaggeration to say that if the left and right wing combination of Vicente + Joaquin can grow as expected, it will be the envy of the whole of Europe in the future!

Klinsmann asked seriously: Is there anything I need to pay attention to?

Nagy frowned and said: Although Villa is a Spaniard, he came here four years ago when he was less than 14 years old. Over the years, his physical fitness has grown better than we expected, and the same is true for Joe Cole. , what worries me the most is Joaquin and Vicente. They have beautiful feet and outstanding skills. They are typical technical players. In the next 5 years, they must be protected from major injuries. In other words, the first team is playing them. When using the opponent, it should be based on the characteristics of the opponent. If the opponent is accustomed to killing tactics, then he would rather lose than send them to take risks. It’s not that they are not brave enough, but once they are seriously injured at this age, maybe a genius will be destroyed by us In the hands, training is not much of a concern and the first-team training system is more physically intensive than the youth teams, which is good for them.

You can rest assured that Aldridge has always done a good job in this regard.

Jansen's answer put Najib at ease.

Everyone in the youth team regards Najib as a treasure in his heart, but no matter how precious he is, he must show it to others. He hopes that every player who leaves the youth team can have a brilliant career. Millwall or not.

Aldridge's selection of personnel can reassure Najib, and it is impossible to do such a stupid thing. For a notoriously rough team like Wimbledon, Aldridge usually sends a group of muscular men to head-to-head with the opponent.

Aldridge said that Makelele may leave the team in the next two years. I think it is better to add a young midfielder in the new season, just in case.

Jenson's proposal was approved by Klinsmann.

Najib spread his hands and said, Okay, 17-year-old Harvey Alonso, you can take it away too.

Taking a look at the suddenly tense players in the youth team, Najib may be relieved for them at this moment.

You look forward to it day and night, and finally waited until the day you entered the first team.

Villa, Joe Cole, Joaquin, Vicente, Alonso.

Well, last season swept the youth league to set a new record in history, won the championship with an undefeated 90% winning rate, and won the FA Youth Cup with a record of all victories all the way, and also won the European competition against various giant youth teams Almost all of the record youth teams are about to enter the first team.

Plus Carrick, Evra, Metzelder, Barzagli, Robinson, Mex.

If Millwall won the domestic double in 1999 is the headline news about Millwall, then Millwall's 1999 youth team is simply Millwall's biggest surprise and expectation.

This is a group of players who are hailed by the media as diamond-like!

They are considered the cornerstone of Millwall's continued success over the next decade.

Of course, Millwall will want to make sure they don't leave as early as Robinson did.

The first team must look for substitutes for Ferdinand and Mills, right? Metzelder and Barzagli, they have no problem playing as substitutes. Pay attention to Metzelder's physical condition. He has had three minor injuries in the past year. Although the recovery time is not long, the doctor suggests that we should pay attention to this situation.

Najib really sent almost all the players of the 1999 generation to the first team, but he didn't feel the slightest sense of loss. On the contrary, he was relieved and happy.

Being able to send blood to the first team, train good seedlings, and he can do his job well, he is satisfied.

The youth team players performed hard at the beginning, but their attention would of course be attracted by the three coaches on the sidelines. They saw Lamore was called over to chat for a few words and then ran back to the training ground. He didn't hear any movement, only to see the three coaches moving their lips, but they didn't call themselves, which made them anxious.

Coach, call me!

call me!

Tell me to go to the first team to play the main force!

Uh

Substitutes are also good!

When Najib walked to the sideline of the training field, all the young players on the field became tense, as if their breathing became abnormal and they were about to suffocate.

Villa, Joe Cole, Vicente, Joaquin, Alonso, Metzelder, Barzagli, come here.

As soon as Najib, who was thin and straight, was standing on the sidelines, the seven people rushed to them, while the other friends were slightly disappointed.

His grandma's, what shit luck did they have!

Najib turned around and brought the seven people to Klinsmann and Jensen.

Klinsmann put away his smile and said seriously: Tomorrow is the day when the first team gathers. After today's training, you pack up and go to the first team to report tomorrow. I will arrange the staff to arrange your own in the locker room. Wardrobe, you are a member of the first team in the new season, but whether you can play depends on your training performance and attitude. Remember, you are still young, don’t dream that you will go to the first team tomorrow, and you will become a member of the first team if you play a good game the day after tomorrow. Superstars, down-to-earth to be truly successful, get it?

The seven youths with green faces said in unison: Understood.

They were extremely excited.

Can't even wait, ran to the locker room of the first team after the training, didn't bother the staff, put a label with his name on the empty wardrobe, and then took a group photo in the locker room to commemorate this milestone in their hearts moment. (to be continued...) ()