The original name of this chapter was "The Trembling Sheep" because

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July 5, 2014. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

It's been five days since the quarterfinals.

Chinese head coach Lippi had just closed the door to his room and walked out of the hotel with his coaching team.

"There are three minutes to go, and the bus will be there soon." Li Tieren, who came later, explained to them.

"There's no hurry, there's still a long time, we'll be here for a while." Lippi waved his hand, then pulled out a cigar.

This is not an indoor place, and the annoying Qin Gude is not there, so he can hurry up and take a sip!

Wait, why...... Do you have to hide from Qin Gude?

Lippi scratched the tip of his nose suddenly, a little confused by the question.

"Coach Lippi," the interpreter coughed, "Vice Chairman Yu has something to say to you." ”

Lippi frowned, muttered "these damn bureaucrats," and turned around.

Vice Chairman Yu of the Chinese Football Association was looking at him with a professional smile: "Mr. Lippi, I'm sorry to disturb you." ”

"Oh, don't bother," Lippi has been dealing with these Chinese for more than two years, and many things are considered to be local customs, he smiled and shook hands with the other party, "There is still an hour before the game starts, what is Chairman Yu's instructions?" We need to bring the players together...... And then a pre-race kick-off meeting? ”

"Haha, Mr. Lippi is very humorous," there was no embarrassment in Vice Chairman Yu's smile, he just took a piece of paper from the secretary and handed it to Lippi with a smile, "A fax from FIFA, they expressed their dissatisfaction with your blatant smoking in the last game, this is a ticket." ”

Lippi was taken aback and hurriedly took it.

Although the coach's bench does belong to the clearly defined non-smoking area, but the Italian silver fox has been in the rivers and lakes for 30 years, but it is rarely offended for smoking, in case FIFA wants to hack China, give him a two-game ban ticket, and now there is no time to appeal!

He glanced at the most important penalty decision column, his brow suddenly relaxed, and then spit out a big eye: "A fine of $1,000...... I admit this punishment. ”

Joke! His current annual salary is enough for him to pay 20,000 such fines!

"No, the Football Association will pay this fine for you," Vice Chairman Yu pushed his hand away, "but we want you to win this game." ”

Lippi took the cigarette holder in his mouth and snorted: "This is what I should do, Mr. President, you can watch it from the stands." ”

"By the way, Mr. Lippi......" Vice Chairman Yu seemed to remember something, and opened his mouth to ask again, but was interrupted by the sound of a bus horn.

Lippi nodded at him: "Goode is in the best form, you can rest assured." ”

Vice Chairman Yu showed a bright smile, he looked at the fax of the ticket in his hand, turned his head and stuffed it to the secretary behind him.

"Let's go, accompany Chairman Cai to the stadium to watch the game!"

-

After nearly 20 days, Jean Goodard returned to El Salvador, the third largest city in Brazil.

It's still the New Water Arena.

Even the locker room was the same one they used 20 days ago, and even the orientation hadn't changed.

Fighting on a familiar court was originally a very advantageous thing, but Qin Gude smelled an ominous smell.

Sun Jihai, who started at right wing-back...... His legs were shaking uncontrollably.

Shao Jiayi, another player who participated in the 2002 World Cup, also seems to be emotionally unstable.

The third-place player in 2002, John Dewey, was also white-faced, even though he was not there

As for the younger players such as Zhang Linpeng, Wu Lei, Hao Jun, and Zhang Xizhe, their faces were not full of nervousness, but those forced smiles exposed their feelings.

After all...... This is already the quarterfinals, it is the quarterfinals, and no one can blame these Chinese players who have not played a major tournament for many years, even if they are nervous.

Yes, in 2013, the players from Guangzhou played in the final of the AFC Champions League, but it was also a two-legged contest, and they had a number of excellent foreign players in their squad, and now they are ...... They can only rely on their own feet to deal with an opponent who beat them to the brink 12 years ago.

The Chinese team 12 years ago was once known as the strongest Chinese team in history, because it was the only Chinese team in history that successfully entered the World Cup, and this title is unshakable.

12 years later, in this Chinese team, if goalkeeper Zeng Cheng was placed at that time, he might not be able to compete with Jiang Jin, Ou Chuliang, and An Qi for a position; Zhang Linpeng, Feng Xiaoting, Li Xuepeng, and Rong Ritian on the back are also difficult to compete with Fan Zhiyi, Li Weifeng, Xu Yunlong, Wu Chengying, and the young Sun Jihai; In the midfield, there are captains Ma Mingyu, Li Xiaopeng, Li Tie, Qi Hong, Zhao Junzhe, Yang Pu, and the fledgling Shao Jiayi; As for the front, the leaders in 2002 were super cannon Hao Haidong, China's top scorer Yang Chen, "China's most comprehensive striker" Yu Genwei, "China's wind-chasing boy" Qu Bo, and even the veteran Su Maozhen as a substitute.

As we all know, from 2002 to 2014, the level of Chinese football has been regressing, but at least there has been no substantial progress, even if they now have five players playing in the European League - in the context of the competition between countries around the world, this kind of slight progress or standing still can indeed be called a regression.

Such an overall team is not even as strong as it was 12 years ago, and they have reason to be nervous against Costa Rica, who are big enough to make Italy, England and Uruguay all raise their hands and surrender.

For five days, the coaches' advice and teachings in the tactical class tumbled up and down in the minds of each player, and the images in the edited video rotated in front of their eyes like a marquee, but everyone seemed to be nervous.

Their muscles were inexplicably tense and stiff, their breathing became slightly rapid, and everyone seemed to have been playing for 120 minutes before the game started, and they were even oozing hot sweat.

When Lippi walked into the dressing room, the experienced Italian coach immediately felt the atmosphere.

He couldn't help but furrow.

He opened his mouth to soothe the emotions of the players: "Relax, it's just a quarter game, I have won all the finals, let alone ......"

The players were stumbled in place, and few people even looked up at him.

And even the players who looked up at him didn't even have a sparkle in their eyes.

Lippi closed his mouth and could only shake his head.

He has coached too many good players, Atalanta, Napoli, Juventus, Inter Milan, the Italian national team......

Maybe the platform is too high, or maybe the players he contacts are too top-level, so he can't understand it at all now, these Chinese team members ...... What exactly are they afraid of?

Costa Rica...... What is there to fear from this team?

That's right, they beat Italy, England, didn't the Chinese team also beat the Netherlands?

And...... Just a year ago in the Confederations Cup, didn't the Chinese team also kick Italy and Spain back to veterans?

What's there to be nervous about?

All Chinese players know that in the past few years, they have indeed won the Asian Cup, East Asian Cup and Confederations Cup, and have beaten many strong teams, but ...... Their bodies are shaking uncontrollably, and their minds are full of things, but they are blank!

They are almost out of breath!

"Coach, I'm asking for a change in tactics."

A voice rang out in the locker room.

It was spoken in English with a slight Manchester accent, and there was not a hint of tremor or nervousness in the voice.

Lippi was stunned.

Now the race starts...... Only 30 minutes!

At this time...... What tactics are still being modified?!

The Chinese captain's gaze was as firm as ever, and he didn't look at the trembling sheep behind him.

"In the first 15 minutes, I retreated completely, I came to play as a striker, and I was the only one to attack."

Some of the sheep who could understand English raised their heads.

Qin Gude told them word by word:

"Costa Rica, what's so scary?!"

"Watch me hit him eleven!"