It's less than half a mile from Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's home stadium, in fact, if you get off at Fulham Broaday and walk to Stamford Bridge, you'll see the stadium, Craven Farm, Fulham's home stadium.

Fulham have been up and down in the Championship for a number of years, and while they don't have to worry about relegation every season, they struggle to reach the promotion ranks. This year, somewhat differently, they are now top of the Championship table, even though it was only early November.

It's a Championship matchday and a so-called 'west London derby' is being played here, with Fulham facing Brentford.

A woman in a gray trench coat sits in the stands. It is clear that many of the home fans behind her are more interested in her than in the game.

The TV camera had already captured her, but it couldn't capture the target in her eyes.

"My colleague made a bet with me today that Kristen Lue was going to be there tonight in the Spanish national derby, oh let's see who this is? Does Luke want to come and coach Fulham and bring a Championship team back to promotion and then create another Premier League title? haha, okay, these are just jokes. My guess is that she's also coming to see Benjamin Hamilton, who has been in the limelight lately!"

****

It's not a very good race, sitting here, the November wind blowing, it's a little chilling. However, Lu Ling's gaze never left the venue. And just as she withdrew her gaze and glanced to the side, she saw a familiar figure.

"Hey, Mr. Jones!" Lu Ling took the initiative to walk over and sit next to the man in the brown jacket.

Old Tom was surprised when he saw her, and then he smiled and said, "Oh, I didn't expect to meet you here, Christine, are you okay?"

After Benitez took over, the head of the academy department, Tom Jones, remained in the office, which is now more under Monchi's jurisdiction.

"Very good, thank you, how are you?" she smiled, and after sitting down, she tilted her head off the court, half of her attention still on the game.

Old Tom looked at her hair, it didn't look as exaggerated as it had appeared in the newspaper pictures, but it was still very short and very capable. The last time he saw her was at her father's funeral, five months later. She had changed a little, and Tom couldn't tell what it was.

"It's not bad at the moment. Old Tom smashed his mouth, "Are you still teaching coaching in the FA?"

"Yes, there are two more classes, one at the end of this month and one at the beginning of March next year. ”

"The guys who were able to take your class were lucky. ”

Lu Ling laughed, "Well...... My two classes are said to be fully booked at the end of August. She winked at Old Tom as she spoke, "I still remember when I took your class, yes, Level 2 class, there are a lot of people, can I say that I was lucky too?"

"I feel fortunate to be the teacher of the youngest champion coach in the Premier League. He laughed and said, "Are we going to continue to praise each other?"

Lu Ling also laughed, "Oh, we can stay until the game is over and continue." ”

Their attention returned to the game.

After a while, Tom's voice came out again, "I'm here to see the kid, oh my God, I think the Fulham manager's use of him is incomprehensible to me, like the coach who put Patrick Jr. at left-back." ”

"Benjamin Hamilton?" Lu Ling asked, her eyes locked on the right-back wearing the number 18 Fulham shirt on the pitch.

The surname Hamilton is very well-known in West London. The Hamilton family has always held titles of nobility throughout history. Thirty years ago, Scott Hamilton was a member of the House of Lords. Today, Scott's son, Samuel Hamilton, owns a sizable consortium, one of the leaders in light industry in Western Europe, and is heavily involved in real estate and financial markets.

Benjamin Hamilton, who is on the field, is one of the heirs of the family.

Few children from such families would take the path of professional football – in England, the average working class is the largest group of footballers, and the middle class is also involved in football, but the children of the rich play professional football? they usually only use it as entertainment and conversation, or as an investment.

The name Benjamin Hamilton has actually appeared intermittently in some tabloids in the past two years, and he has a lot of fans on Instagram, of course, these Lu Ling don't know. She has been a head coach for several years, and she has no time to focus on young players. And there are a lot of young players to watch in all levels of European leagues every season, and she can't remember them all.

Lu Ling knew Benjamin Hamilton because of his excellent performances since he was promoted to the Fulham first team this season, and the media began to cover him widely, including his experience. He had previously gone a full year without professional football training, before completing his A-Level course and is now studying at Imperial College.

Of course, if Lu Ling wasn't in the middle of being idle now, she probably wouldn't have had time to watch a Championship game. This time, she deliberately didn't watch any footage of the player, and she was curious to know what the judgment would be like in this situation.

"That's right, it's that kid. Looks like you know him. Hamilton only came back to Fulham last season, in the reserves, when it wasn't in the eyes of me and Monchi, but now, every big club in England is looking at him. ”

Lu Ling was still staring at the field.

Right midfielder.

Hamilton's skill and awareness appear to be a cut above his team-mates, but his interaction with his team-mates is often poor, he doesn't have enough pace to break down the flanks, and he doesn't play back aggressively.

The dark-haired, taller-looking boy, who had just conceded a goal from which his opponents had broken through, got up from the ground in no hurry, first styled his hair, then patted the dirt off his body before heading to the halfway point.

It didn't seem like the goal had affected his mood at all.

Lu Ling saw Fulham's captain from the stands, a tall, bald man yelling at Benjamin Hamilton.

"Oh, you can see from here that the veins on that guy's neck are almost in Hamilton's face. Old Tom exaggerated.

Hamilton didn't seem to see it. ”

Lu Ling understands the requirements of scouting work. A player's technical and tactical quality and physical fitness are certainly the focus of the examination. But his body language, facial expressions, reactions to goals, concedes, wins or defeats, attitudes towards team-mates, and even attitudes during warm-ups and substitutions are all important parts of the examinment. She thought that such a performance, and such body language, must have disappointed many of the scouts hiding in Craven Farm.

"Hey, Christine, you know what...... Scouts from eleven clubs came to today's game, and yes, half of the Premier League came. But I think after this first half, they're going to be halfway there. That way, we'll have a better chance of taking him. ”

Lu Ling's chin tilted slightly towards Old Tom, and he asked with interest, "Didn't he just grab his hair and make you lose interest in him?"

Old Tom snorted, the sound seemed to come out of his nose, and after laughing, he said, "Christine, I've been following young players for many years, it's my field, you know me, but you're testing me with this question. ”

Lu Ling didn't deny it, she smiled and said sorry, waiting for the following.

"Twenty years ago, I would have seen a player like this and probably want to punch him and teach him to be like a man and not all that bells and whistles, or I would have judged that he wasn't a team player, but times are changing, and people are complex...... To define a person by just a subtle gesture, forgive me, I'm not Sherlock Holmes, I don't dare to be so sure. He said and looked at the girl beside him, "Besides, if I were that kind of guy, how could I have hired you as my assistant in the first place, I always thought it was a very good and wise decision." ”

This compliment is for each other.

Lu Ling looked at Tom, and Old Tom patted her on the shoulder as if she was his buddy, "Christine, you know that my family is very ordinary, a player who hasn't read much, but my old man never believes in the Labor Party...... Do you know why? He always told me that the Labour Party was fucking trying to fool poor people like us......"

This...... Lu Ling was a little surprised. Is that old West Ham fan who chooses to buy himself a beer instead of a hot dog for his son, but then buys a hot dog for his son on Boxing Day? She smiled ambiguously, "Interesting. But her voice wasn't overly uplifted, at least old Tom knew she wasn't meant to be sarcastic. She rarely expresses her political/political views. Is this a form of self-preservation? Or "typical Asian behavior."

'I like players from all backgrounds, as long as they play well. What about the Hamilton family? Even if he is a member of the royal family, he has to be a professional player if he wants to be a good player. This kid, as far as I've observed, is quite professional. Christine, I've said so much and you've not said a word about him, it's unusual......"

Lu Ling lowered his head and pursed his lips and smiled. After a while, she raised her head, looked at old Tom and said, "Tom, I'm sorry, you know that my current status is not suitable for any evaluation. ”

"You're right, Christine, you're right. Old Tom raised his eyebrows, then smiled slyly, then turned to laughter, and a horrible nasal voice reappeared.

Together, their eyes turned to the court.

The No. 18 right midfielder, dressed in white, suddenly made a feint from the periphery, and pretended to pull the ball out with his right leg, but suddenly switched to his left foot and walked to the middle, with a chic figure, smooth and agile movements. After shaking off one of the opponents, he quickly picked it up, and the ball crossed the entire Brentford defence -

It landed on the head of one of Fulham's strikers and with a flick it flew into the bottom of the net. Fulham equalised.

The striker after the goal pointed excitedly at his young team-mate. However, the second-year Imperial College student who provided the assist only calmly accepted the hug from his teammate, after which he straightened his hair and walked back to the halfway line again.

“oh lookthat **ing rich kid!” A strong voice shouted from the stands behind Old Tom.

Lu Ling couldn't help but laugh again, "Tom, I think those scouts who are about to leave have put their butts down again." ”

****

In the Championship, Fulham won 3-1 at home to Brentford. After the game, Tom invited Lu Ling to his home for dinner, but Lu Ling did not refuse.

It wasn't until at his own table that Old Tom figured out what had changed in her. Her facial expression became more relaxed, less repressed, the kind of depression that can only be found under high-intensity work. It's a good thing, it's just that he and she both know that it won't always be like this. Old Tom also felt that the pain of losing her father was leaving her. It's always going to be gone.

They had previously spoken about her next move, but she didn't say much, other than expressed a tendency to continue coaching in England. Old Tom is not surprised by this, people are always in need of fresh beginnings. What's more, staying in the Premier League means playing against QPR, which won't be a good option for her at this stage.

Lu Ling praised Mrs. Jones's cooking skills almost every time she took a bite, and Mrs. Jones was praised by her and said thank you many times. She thought she should stop so as not to embarrass each other. She has a good appetite lately and is in good shape.

Tom looked at the clock, and it was half past seven.

Lu Ling noticed Tom's eyes, put down his fork, and asked with a smile, "Are you thinking about the Barcelona vs. Real Madrid match?" I think it should start at eight o'clock. ”

"Speaking of which, I thought it was strange this afternoon, you should be here right now, and people are expecting you to watch it. ”

Lu Ling finished eating the ravioli on the plate, a little unfinished, and the aroma of the cream was still flowing between his teeth. Mrs. Jones intimately asked if she wanted to come again. Lu Ling nodded a little shyly, then stood up and bent down to serve himself another plate.

"Tom, I don't want to lie to you, I broke up with Nick in the summer and I don't think I should be there at this time. Lu Ling smiled slightly after sitting down, and then explained softly.

Mrs. Jones and Old Tom looked at each other and smiled, and Old Tom said, "I'm sorry to hear that." ”

Old Tom said that he remembered that night four years ago, also in November. It was as if I could still smell the aroma of the steak that night, and even the tip of my tongue could recall the mellowness of the red wine that night, and the voices of Christine Lu and Nick Flores, who were four years younger than now, seemed to sound in my ears. At the dinner table, she told him that he should ask her directly if she would like to become a teaching assistant, and he proudly said that you would not refuse. Oh, two souls so arrogant and so similar.

It was as if it happened yesterday.

"I'm really sorry. Old Tom scratched his head and said again.

She pursed her lips and chewed on her food, smiling slightly.

Tom swallowed and said thoughtlessly, "It's a good thing for Patrick...... but before he could finish his sentence, his wife stomped under the table and paused strangely.

Lu Ling lowered his head and ate ravioli, pretending not to know what was happening. She squinted at the watch on her wrist, it was almost eight o'clock, she would most likely miss the live broadcast of tonight's game, at least some of it, it didn't matter, she had already recorded it anyway.

This time, no one had a chance to ask her who she hoped would win. She was thinking......

"Christine, do you support Real Madrid or Barcelona?"

Lu Ling raised his head suddenly.

Old Tom looked at her face, laughed, nodded his head and said, "It's Bloody Hell's gaze, okay, I'll tease you, I know you just want it to be a good game." And I'm ...... As Patrick's Academy manager, first of all, I want him to play, I just sneaked a look at the starter, he was on the bench, and secondly, I want it to be a good game. ”

"I'm looking forward to it. Lu Ling said. Then she put down her fork, took a sip of red wine, and finally wiped the corner of her mouth with a tissue, and smiled at the Jones couple with a grateful smile, "Thank you very much, I haven't enjoyed such a good dinner in a long time." 166 Reading Network