The game against Middlesbrough was scheduled for Saturday afternoon, and in anticipation of the game, Myburgh began investigating the size, turf condition, sun exposure and wind direction of the day at Fayton Park two days early.

Even their head coach Tony? Mowbray also sent assistant coaches two days in advance to get to know the stadium, dressing rooms, fan stands and surrounding facilities to help the team prepare for the game.

Hydward had to sigh that this was really a coach who was very careful about the details, and all the coaches of the Scottish factions he knew were like this. Mowbray was a very good centre-back as a player, captaining Middlesbrough at the age of 22 and spending the best years of his career here before moving to Scotland for Celtic for four seasons. After retiring as a player, he became the head coach of the little-known small team Hibernian, leading the team to many victories over the old big clubs such as Rangers and Celtic. In '06, Mowbray moved to Premier League relegation side West Brom and re-promoted to the top flight a year later, and he himself won the Manager of the Month in '07 and '08 many times, beating many other famous coaches to win the Coach of the Month, which Ferguson called "difficult". In '09, Mowbray failed to lead the team to relegation due to continued management confusion and the departure of key players, but West Bromwich Albion's tenacity still impressed all Premier League teams, and most fans still wanted him to stay at West Bromwich Albion, a situation similar to Dyche's a few years at Burnley.

Of course, the difference with Dyche is that one chose to stay and hold on, and the other turned away, and after that, Mowbray is familiar to many Chinese fans, he went to Celtic and had a close cooperation with Zheng Zhi. If you are a big advocate of buying a Chinese player and making him the heart of a team like Celtic, you have to admire his courage.

Of course, after Tony left after class, Zheng Zhi's future in the Suzhou Super League became bleak, and he was finally brought back to China by Guangzhou Evergrande, ending a glorious history of Chinese players in international football.

Hydward has done a deep study of the opposing coaches, if the silver fox Marcello? Lippi is the No. 1 target for teams in the Far East, and this Mr. Mowbray is No. 2, and the Chinese have been trying to pry the whole world football in their own way. You can't help but work hard, because in a year or two, when Oriental Capital is crazy to integrate into European football, it will be too late to prepare.

………………………

The day before the game, Heidward used to discuss football with Finnan after dinner and drinks until the early hours of the next morning, even if there was training the next day. Although Chen Xi is now a standard fan, if you keep talking to her about tactics, players, and games, she will get bored and go back to the house to sleep after giving her a roll of her eyes. But he doesn't have to think too much about facing Finnan, who is also a regular in his home as a protégé of former Liverpool defender Rafael Benitez, whenever he wants to discuss some details of the game.

"Look at this," Hydward pulled a scouting report from the table and handed it over, "I want to play a little more aggressively in tomorrow's game, to attack, to establish the advantage of the game as early as possible, and then turn the game into a protracted battle, using our youth and physical strength to drag them down." ”

Finnan took it and flipped through it, and it was a team with some stats from Middlesbrough at home, quick counter-attacking but not conservative, fast on the wings, strong in the centre, and tough.

He didn't speak, he just watched, and Hydward didn't bother. Finnan seems to have a milder personality, but he is also very principled and will point out if he feels wrong, so he often disagrees with Ward, and the sound of the office can be heard in the training ground when the two of them are arguing.

Players like professional, principled coaches, so Finnan has built up his reputation with the team in just a few months. There are likes and hates, the team's goalkeeper coach Jamie is retiring and staying in the team, it stands to reason that this is not the case, but he is a sycophant who will only follow the head coach and do nothing in the eyes of young players. Not only that, but Jamie was also found by Ward to have a habit of drinking heavily, getting drunk to coach the players.

The cruelty of the football world lies in the survival of the fittest, and Jamie was swept away after just a month and a half as a goalkeeper coach, and he couldn't even go to the youth team. Jamie blasted Hydward on social media after leaving the team, claiming that the pink newcomer didn't understand anything and that the team was in a mess, and pointed out that the reason the team fired him was alcoholism, but he only drank two more drinks that day because a friend died in a car accident, and Hydward was a strict and garbage coach.

In the face of accusations and attacks from some of the untruthful Portsmouth fans, Hydward remained as hard-hearted as he did when he pinned striker Benjani into the stands and kicked him out of the ring.

"Don't you have any stats from away games?" After a long time, Finnan asked.

Ward shook his head and said: "No, Middlesbrough's last three league games have been at home, and they have only collected so much. ”

Finnan thought for a moment and frowned, "I don't feel the need to change tactics. ”

“……”

"Why? Middlesbrough are a counter-attacking team and although at home they sometimes play aggressively, but this is away and their style means they will definitely adopt a more conservative approach and it will give us the initiative on the pitch and in our hearts and we have to use it. Hearing his partner's objection, Ward couldn't help but raise his voice.

“……”

After a few minutes, no one was convinced, and Finnan drank some wine, and naturally did not fall behind, and argued.

A similar scene appeared again, the two men fought so blushing and thick necks that they almost didn't fight, and even crooked as they spoke, and Hydward roared loudly: "Listen to you idiot! The team's talent is reflected in the individual's inspiration, the team's efforts come from everyone's dedication, the team's attitude is not negotiable, whether the team is good or bad, if the coach can't pass on his emotions to the players, then how to win? ”

"Hehe" There was a rhythmic knocking sound and the woman's angry voice outside the door of the study: "Hydward, shut up. I've got to go to work tomorrow, you're arguing, I'm going to sleep on the pitch later. ”

The inside and outside of the study suddenly calmed down again, and Ward touched his head and sat back on the bench in frustration, smiling strangely on his face.

Finnan also calmed down, looked at the boss who didn't speak, and said slowly: "Hydward, think about yourself, will you use special tactics away from home?" You'll just say to the guys: Guys, take it easy, make this home, and those boos are our cheers. ”

……

Ward's eyes shone slightly, and he remembered another report sent by the team, Mowbray's team always has its own game routine, when to eat, when to go, who the followers are, who the driver is, there is always no change, such a gentle person who strives to make the game experience the same in every game, will take the initiative to change?

Suddenly Edward laughed, his team has always played home and away, and it won't be easily changed unless there is an injury, yes, he's a person who adapts to change, so why hope that the opponent will change?

He tore up a prepared document on his desk and sent an email to the scouting team, asking them to collect as many away reports as possible from Middlesbrough, even if it was to exchange them with other clubs.

………………

Relaxed, Hydward suddenly remembered something and asked, "Do you know why I came to coach?" ”

Finnan was stunned for a moment, and replied without thinking, "Why?" ”

"Because I love the bloody smell of football."