The Young Lion

Thank you Thieves for your reward!

On the first day of December, Millwall trained as usual in the morning.

The players who came to the club in different styles of cars followed their routine. Ronaldinho would chat with the doorman for a few minutes, Nedved went to the team doctor to read his medical report from last month, Henry sat in the locker room listening to music to relax, Pirlo Playing on the court, Gattuso will look at the right time to trick Pirlo, and Alonso will hold a bookmark in one hand and a book in the other hand to read against the goal post in the bright sunshine

In the small world of the club, life is full of vicissitudes, and you can still get a glimpse of it.

Aldridge has developed the habit of driving to the club for more than a year, parking his car, and getting out of the car with a cup of takeaway coffee in his hand.

Although the work and rest time has been reasonably planned according to the text recently, it is difficult to get rid of the habit.

Before training, he would chat with everyone in the studio of the coaching staff. When the time was almost up, he would go to the training ground to gather. At that time, most of the players were also present.

Today's atmosphere is a bit special, the players seem absent-minded.

Coaches, coaches, players, in fact, everyone's mind is not on training.

After warming up, Aldridge did not conduct training with the ball, and directly let the players practice their physical fitness. After half an hour passed, many players were sweating profusely, and Aldridge gave an order.

Let's go and watch the World Cup group draw together.

The players cheered and followed the coaches to the office building of the training base together in groups of three or five. They sat in the room where the usual pre-match preparation meeting was held. The live draw of the World Cup in Korea and Japan is already being broadcast on the big TV screen.

Boss. Is this girl an Asian women's football player? Asian women play football so beautifully?

Ronaldinho moved a chair and sat in front of Aldridge. Is it the first row? He pointed to a lottery ambassador on the big screen and asked curiously.

There were teammates around immediately blowing whistles.

Aldrich didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and said, That's a Korean female star, she doesn't play football.

What Ronaldinho pointed to was the Korean movie star Song Hye Kyo. This time, as one of the 13 lottery ambassadors, he wanted to talk about women who play football. Among the 13 ambassadors, there is also Sun Wen from China.

some Asian faces,

The players don't know each other, such as Korea's Chung Mong-joon, Hong Myung-po, Japan's Masaka Ihara, etc., but others such as Pele, Cruyff, and Platini are old players who are not familiar to everyone in the European football circle. face up.

Ronaldinho turned his head and asked again: Boss, England under your leadership has had such a good record in the past year. Why isn't it a seeded team?

Because the World Cup is held in Asia, Japan and South Korea are the two seeding teams. Without them, England and Portugal would be in the seeding team.

After Aldrich finished speaking, he pushed Ronaldinho's head forward and said, Look quietly, don't make trouble.

In fact, whether England has been assigned to the seeded team, Aldrich feels that the difference is not big.

Belonging to the weakest in the first tier, the probability of being classified into the death group is very high.

In the second tier, even if they are assigned with the strong seed team, at least the second tier has a high probability of occupying a spot.

It's just that it depends on luck, because the World Cup is a group stage. Except for European teams, teams from other continents have a principle of avoidance in the group stage.

Since Japan and South Korea occupy the seed team places, there are as many as 11 teams in the second tier. If it is good, there will be a seeded team plus two second-tier teams to be divided into a group, and this will give birth to the group of death.

Among the teams in the third tier, Aldridge saw a name: China.

I didn't think much about this period of history in my previous life, but now that I see it, I think it's weird.

It is not uncommon to say that Senegal, Tunisia, South Africa, and Cameroon are in the fourth pot, but the United States and Nigeria are in the fourth pot. The ranking is not high, but at least they have participated in the World Cup in recent years. After hosting the World Cup, the Chinese team entered the World Cup for the first time, so they can be classified into the third tier.

The record in the past two years has been blown to the sky? Got points?

Aldrich didn't remember, and didn't bother to think about it.

The players in the conference room began to whisper, in fact, the actual drawing of lots will not take too long, but the draw ceremony still needs to go through a formality, the flag bearers of the participating teams enter the arena, the national flags of various countries are displayed, the cultural performances arranged by the Korean government, and the American girls The star Anastasia sang the theme song Leap, followed by the introduction of the promotional video of the participating teams.

In England's team promotional videos, the players are naturally dominated by the two most famous stars, Beckham and Owen, but it is rare. Among the promotional videos of the 32 representative teams, only England's promotional videos are given to the coach. Close-up moments of this character over 20 seconds

When the lottery started, the conference room fell silent, and everyone waited for the result of the lottery.

When the result of England being drawn into the Argentina group came out, exclamations erupted at the draw, and the coaching staff around Aldridge also showed various expressions.

Klinsmann gasped, and Jenson slapped his thigh and covered his forehead in helplessness.

I only did one in 1998, and after four years, I will continue the front line!

Aldridge looked as usual, he watched all the draws of all the teams in the second round, and then he frowned.

Damn! Why Argentina?

Jason couldn't help but swear.

When people talk about this World Cup ten years later, what is there to remember about Argentina?

People remember five-star Brazil!

However, before the World Cup, Brazil?

Brazil and Argentina are not at the same level of team!

In the South American qualifiers, Brazil was in danger of being eliminated until the last round. The 1:3 defeat to Bolivia in the penultimate round almost made the Brazilian people despair. Fortunately, they won the final round with a 3:0 victory over Venezuela at home. The goal difference advantage won the third place, and the fourth place had the same points as them. the fifth place. The sixth place is 27 points. Only 3 points away from Brazil, you know how thrilling Brazil's qualifiers are.

And what about Argentina?

Villas, what's going on in Argentina recently?

Jansen turned to ask Boas.

There is a lottery today, and Boas will naturally do some simple intelligence preparations.

Before Jenson asked, he opened his thick book and found information about Argentina. He said in a deep voice, Argentina has 13 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss in the South American qualifiers. 43 points first place, the most goals, more than the number of goals scored Brazil, the second most, conceded 11 more goals than Uruguay, the fifth place with the best defense, conceding 2 more goals. The offense is the first, the defense is the second, and the goal difference is the most. The only loss is at home in Brazil, but they Back at home for revenge.

It is no exaggeration to say that before the World Cup started. The strongest division in South America is Argentina!

This is not empty talk. Rather, it has a record basis, stability, strong offensive firepower, and solid defense. This is the impression Argentina gives to the outside world.

After Boas finished speaking, everyone turned their attention to Aldridge, but heard Aldridge thoughtful: We have a 75% probability of entering the death group.

At this time, the coaching staff looked at the big TV screen at the same time.

After all, in the World Cup group stage, the top two qualify and the last two go home.

Argentina and England are divided into the same group, so if they are assigned to a weaker third-tier team, such as the Chinese team, plus a fourth-tier team.

Well, this lottery is actually very good, earning 6 points on the underdogs, they will definitely qualify.

It's just that when everyone looked at the big screen, they understood the meaning of Aldrich's words.

There are three European teams in the second tier who are divided into the third tier. Although the European teams have no evasion principle in the group stage, there is also an upper limit. That is, a group can only have a maximum of two European teams. .

Therefore, these three teams can only be divided into the group where Brazil, Argentina, Japan, and South Korea are located.

Among the seeded teams, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany have all drawn a European team in the same group.

When England was drawn into the Argentina group, the probability of the death group appearing was very high.

Bad luck. It can be said that as long as you don't get into the group of Brazil and Argentina, and get into a group with South Korea, Japan, or the other four European seed teams, then the probability of avoiding the death group is very high. There is a 25% probability of winning the bid, and then it depends on whether the 75% probability can be avoided.

After the results of the third team drawn into the group where Argentina and England belonged were announced, there was another burst of exclamation at the draw.

In the conference room, Larson lowered his head and smiled wryly.

Sweden, into this group.

The Group of Death, without a doubt, was born.

Aldridge was also smiling wryly, how could I, a butterfly, have no effect on the lottery?

After the results of the draw for the fourth tier were announced, the faces of the England delegation and representatives of the media on Fleet Street were all as black as carbon.

African Super Eagle Nigeria.

Argentina, England, Sweden, Nigeria.

Grass your grandma!

After watching the draw ceremony, Aldridge raised his eyebrows.

The group of death is the group of death, it is not without good news.

At least England's Group F, if they can make it out of the tight encirclement, then both the group stage and the knockout stage will be played in Japan's side of the competition, and there is no need for South Korea and Japan to run at both ends.

The players are also talking about it, and some players have good luck in signing with their respective national teams.

Just like Henry's France, Denmark, Uruguay, Senegal, and Italy where Pirlo is located, their opponents are Ecuador, Croatia, Mexico, and even Germany where Klose and Schneider are located. A relatively weak group, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Cameroon.

Counting and counting, only fucking England is the worst!

Of course, Aldridge didn't think it was a tragedy, he was already prepared.

After the training, the outside of Leo's training base was surrounded by reporters.

Football journalists from Fleet Street flocked to ask Aldridge what he thought of the result of the draw.

Mr. Hall, England and the old enemy Argentina are in the same group. Will you be mentally prepared for this battle of revenge?

How much do we know about Nigeria? Will such an opponent cause us trouble?

And Sweden, we haven't won against Sweden for 33 years! Do you have the confidence to lead England to break through the death group?

Aldridge was dumbfounded when asked.

Mahler Gobi's England.

We know that Germany has been invincible for 30 years, and we don't think there is any problem. Germany is strong.

But why suddenly appeared a 33-year invincible Sweden?

Aldrich, who was sitting in the car with a dumbfounded face, was photographed by the reporter.

Everyone thought that the young coach couldn't bear the pressure because he was drawn into the death group because of England!

Aldridge was really confused by England's recent football history.

As the coach of England, it seems that he has to go back and look up the history.

Otherwise, don’t win Germany for 30 years today, Sweden for 33 years tomorrow, and England for n years the day after tomorrow. Who have you won?

Just like this, England has the face to call itself a strong team?

I really kneel down to Fleet Street!

You are the ones touting England's strength, and you are the ones who use England's embarrassing record to question the coach of the national team! (to be continued...) ()