In fact, Chu Zhongtian himself once thought about such a question: James. Merry is a very good person, as an agent, he has always done his best and there is nothing wrong with him. If there is one shortcoming, it is that as an Englishman, he does not know much about China. After all, he is a Chinese player, and he will have business to carry out in China, and an agent who is completely unfamiliar with China cannot be qualified to deal with Chinese, and he cannot go shirtless and do those very trivial things himself.

Then it is important to find a broker who knows China very well.

This kind of understanding is not only to be able to understand and speak Chinese, but also to be able to understand the human feelings of many Chinese people and know how to deal with a real Chinese.

In addition to this requirement, as an agent who manages money for Chu Zhongtian, he must also gain Chu Zhongtian's trust. Otherwise, someone who doesn't trust him deceived Chu Zhongtian, and he might have to count the money for that person.

Chu Zhongtian didn't want all his hard-earned money to end up in other people's pockets. He is not the protagonist of a tragic drama.

Therefore, he is very strict in the selection of brokers, and would rather lack than excess.

Xu Hongtao, who has now taken the initiative to come to the door, may be a suitable candidate, and he has qualifications -- he has successfully transported Li Tie, Sun Jihai, and Hao Haidong to go abroad and stay abroad, and he is their agent. To be able to become an agent for those bigwigs, I believe that ability is not a problem. He is also famous-this is an agent who is often exposed in the media, at least as soon as he introduced him, Chu Zhongtian remembered that he had seen or heard his name in those media. Famous people are generally trustworthy, at least don't worry about them absconding with donations.

However, when it comes to money, Chu Zhongtian has to be cautious. Whether it is really worth cooperating with or not still needs to be investigated.

First of all, Chu Zhongtian, who returned home, gave a message to James who was far away in the United States. Merry called him and told him about the idea of adding an agent who would specialize in China's domestic affairs.

Merry thought about it for a moment and agreed to Chu Zhongtian's proposal. He also believes that he is not the right person to help Chu Zhongtian open up the Chinese market, which is really attractive, and many clubs want to enter the Chinese market to make money. Since Chu Zhongtian is a Chinese player, this is his advantage, why not make good use of it? Therefore, the Chinese market will definitely enter, but it will not be dominated by him. So far, he can only say "hello", "thank you" and "goodbye" in Chinese, and he can't even communicate, let alone better serve Chu Zhongtian in China.

However, Merry reminded Chu Zhongtian: "That Xu, how much do you know about him, Chu?" ”

"Honestly, I don't understand at all."

"So what you just introduced is completely paraphrasing his exact words?"

"Well, yes, paraphrase."

"Let's get to know him, he is Chinese like you, and you must know some information about him better than I do." Look at his information before making a decision, anyway, we are not in a hurry. You're doing well in Metz right now, and there will be a lot of people like that. Don't worry about signing a few days late to make less money. ”

"I'm not worried about that, Mr. Merry."

"Haha! Good work, maybe I'll call you back in a few days with some good news? ”

Hanging up the phone, Chu Zhongtian thought about it. Mr. Merry asked him to understand Xu Hongtao, but who did he want to understand? First of all, this person must be a Chinese, secondly, he must be in the football circle to be able to know a lot of things about Xu Hongtao, and finally this person must be very familiar with himself and will not deceive himself...... After thinking about it, he thought of Xu Xiaodi.

Xu Xiaodi is a Chinese and a senior football journalist, who must know a lot about things in the Chinese football circle, and finally Xu Xiaodi himself is very familiar and should not deceive himself.

Just look for him!

Chu Zhongtian called Xu Xiaodi: "Brother Xu, have you eaten?" I'm looking for you to ask someone. ”

"You say, you say."

"It's your home, Xu Hongtao. Do you know this person? ”

Xu Xiaodi didn't expect Chu Zhongtian to ask this person, but he did know something about this person. "I know, but what do you ask him for?"

"He came to me out of the blue today......"

"Wait! He's coming for you? Where is it? In Metz? ”

"Outside the Holy Mountain Fulion training base, to be exact. He came to me and wanted to be my agent, specifically responsible for developing the domestic market for me. ”

Xu Xiaodi frowned and listened to these words, and then asked, "Did you promise him?" ”

"No, didn't I come to you first to find out what kind of person he is?"

"Hmm...... I advise you not to cooperate with him. ”

"Huh? What's wrong? Chu Zhongtian was a little surprised, a famous agent with a high exposure rate in the media should be the most famous and excellent football agent in China, right? Why did Xu Xiaodi say such a thing?

Xu Xiaodi thought about it, and definitely couldn't say it clearly on the phone: "Are you at home now?" Is there something wrong? ”

"Well, it's fine. You're coming? ”

"That's right, it's only clear in person. It's a matter of your money, and I think it's better to be cautious. ”

From Xu Xiaodi's serious tone, Chu Zhongtian also felt that Xu Hongtao might not be simple, he agreed to Xu Xiaodi's request to meet, and asked him to come to his home to have a good talk with him.

Fifteen minutes later, Xu Xiaodi knocked on Chu Zhongtian's door.

Seeing that Chu Zhongtian didn't greet him, Xu Xiaodi took a few photos to show Chu Zhongtian and asked him if the person he saw was the person in the photo.

Chu Zhongtian looked at it, his round and chubby face looked blessed, and he was indeed the person who was looking for him outside the Holy Mountain Furian Training Base today. He nodded.

Xu Xiaodi saw Chu Zhongtian nodding, so he asked with a smile: "When he introduced himself, in addition to saying that he was an agent, did he say that he was the chairman of Chengdu Sheffield United Football Club?" ”

Chu Zhongtian was taken aback, an agent or the chairman of a football club? He felt that this was simply unimaginable. So he shook his head vigorously: "No, no, absolutely not." Then he asked: "Is Xu Hongtao really the chairman of Chengdu Sheffield United?" ”

Chengdu Sheffield United He saw it on the Internet, it is said to be a British-owned football club, which is a sub-club of the Sheffield United club in England. However, he did not know more detailed information.

Xu Xiaodi nodded: "Yes, the chairman of Chengdu Sheffield United Football Club." The Sheffield United club in Chengdu was formed by him. ”

"If he's already the chairman of a football club, why should he be an agent?" Chu Zhongtian couldn't understand this. In his opinion, it is obviously better to be the chairman of a club than to be an agent. When he became the chairman of a club, he was very busy all day, how could he go to Europe to be an agent?

"Chu Zhongtian, do you know your influence in Chengdu now?" Xu Xiaodi did not answer Chu Zhongtian's question, but asked another question.

Chu Zhongtian shook his head.

"After this game, what do you think if I say that you are a city hero in Chengdu?"

Chu Zhongtian was taken aback. The hat is really buttoned up...... "Don't be surprised, that's just the way it is." As far as I know, Xu Hongtao's Chengdu Sheffield United, although it claims to be wholly owned by the British side, actually has no money invested at all, and he has to solve all the funds for the operation of the entire club. In the field of football, you are a Chengdu native, which is of great significance to Chengdu. Don't rush to refute, whether you admit it or not, that's the way it is. I think Xu Hongtao may think that if he can win your trust and support, he will be able to talk about cooperation with Chengdu under your banner, and he now needs Chengdu to pay for the club......"

Chu Zhongtian felt that all this sounded like a fantasy, how could he, a person who played football honestly in a small European town, have something to do with the "money scene" of a football club in his hometown?

"Of course, it's possible that I guessed all of this." Xu Xiaodi shrugged, and his words made Chu Zhongtian breathe a sigh of relief. "But his identity is too reverie. But even if he is not the chairman of Chengdu Sheffield United, don't cooperate with him. ”

"Why?"

"Because he's not an agent either."

Xu Xiaodi's words shocked Chu Zhongtian even more than Xu Hongtao's other identity before. An agent who can run Li Tie, Sun Jihai, and Hao Haidong abroad and repeatedly appear in the news media is not an agent?

It sounds a bit awkward, but it's more acceptable than that fact, right?

"Xu Hongtao, as the public knows, is a successful agent and is considered to be the agent of the five major players. But actually, according to what my journalist friend told me, it's all. Do you know who the big five are? ”

Chu Zhongtian shook his head, he lacked attention and understanding of Chinese football in recent years, and he didn't know which of the five international players of the national team these five international players were.

"Wu Chengying, Zhang Enhua, Hao Haidong, Li Tie, Sun Jihai." Xu Xiaodi said to Chu Zhongtian with his fingers.

Chu Zhongtian, these five people, know that they can basically be regarded as the main players in the group of countries that hit the World Cup in 2001.

But Wu Chengying had nothing to do with him at all, and Zhang Enhua was brought to England by Horton and Horton's translator Xie Qiang. Hao Haidong did practice for him, the famous 'one pound transfer', but because of business disputes, he didn't go in time, and he didn't play in the Championship later. Another well-known success story that belongs to him is Li Tie's transfer to Everton, which was actually brought to the UK by Marcos, an employee of Octagon Global. Sun Jihai's agent is not him, but Liu Yi...... You see, which of them is a representative of his success? ”

Looking at Chu Zhongtian's surprised expression, Xu Xiaodi knew that his reaction was normal, because he was telling a "secret story" that is absolutely unknown to outsiders now, if he dares to release these words, he will definitely be able to cause an earthquake in the domestic football world, maybe he can also involve more things, pull up the radish and bring out the mud, there may be something bigger waiting for people to be frightened.

This is part of the inside story of Chinese football, or this is the real Chinese football. So Chu Zhongtian is really fortunate to debut abroad and become famous...... "There is another fact, in fact, Xu Hongtao has no agent qualifications at all, he is just using the resources he has at his disposal to integrate and profit, he has actually been using his cousin's England sports agent certificate......"

"I've heard Mr. Merry say that the broker's certificate can only be held by himself, and cannot be borrowed." Chu Zhongtian raised his question.

"You're right, it's FIFA rules. But the rules are the rules, and the so-called policies have countermeasures. Xu Xiaodi smiled, his smile was very weird, with a little ridicule, disdain and self-deprecation. In China, where the emperor is far away, where does FIFA manage so much? Besides, Chinese football has been professional for so many years, what are the real professionalizations? The delisting system has not been in place for many years, and how many people know what FIFA can and cannot do about the management of agents? Foreign-related part...... Didn't he do nothing? ”

"Do you know what Xu Hongtao relies on to walk on the rivers and lakes?"

"......I don't know," Chu Zhongtian said.

"Help the leader to go abroad on behalf of his children." Xu Xiaodi was shocked again when he saw Chu Zhongtian, and simply laughed, "Ha! Surprised, right? Do you think this has nothing to do with football? ”

Chu Zhongtian was speechless, so he could only nod.

Xu Hongtao used to be a member of the Xi'an CPPCC, and this title was given to a person to study in the UK. That person was a well-known figure in Xi'an, and after Xu Hongtao helped him a lot, he immediately became a member of the CPPCC of that session. It is this identity that has brought Xu Hongtao a lot of benefits, not only in Xi'an, but also in Chengdu, and the identity of this former CPPCC member has also helped him gain a lot of trust. In short, he is a big liar, if you find him as an agent, you will have to defend him even if he is sold in the end! He wants to be your agent, but he just likes your current popularity and reputation. ”

Chu Zhongtian was in a cold sweat when he heard this, and on this mid-April night, he couldn't tell whether he was cold or hot. "In that case...... It's unbearable, why have you never seen these things about him reported in the media? ”

Xu Xiaodi grinned bitterly: "These things are all news that reporters get through various channels in private, but in fact, they can't be sent out at all." Chinese football is a stall...... It's rotten for a long time, but I can't say that if I still want to continue to eat on football, I have to pretend that I don't know anything. Because you expose Xu Hongtao, more things may be involved, including people and clubs, and a lot of mud has been brought out by Xu Hongtao's radish. This is to challenge the collective interests of the whole circle, to be the enemy of everyone, from the leaders of the Football Association, or the bigger officials, down to the coaches and players, from the referees to the investors of the club...... are all tied together by a line of interest. ”

Chu Zhongtian was shocked to hear this, he knew some shady scenes when he was playing in the professional team, it was nothing more than to stuff red envelopes for the coach in order to kick the ball, and to scrap his teammates in training in order to compete for the main position...... It means that he knows the dark side of Chinese football as a whole. Now he found out that Chinese football is far worse than he imagined.

When he thinks of the simply happy fans of Wimbledon, he feels really sad - why in the same sport of football, everyone can enjoy the joy of football in England, but in China it can only make people disappointed and even desperate.

For a moment, he was a little distracted.

“…… If you move your whole body, if you move, you will die. If you still want to live, it's best not to get involved in those bad things......" Xu Xiaodi's voice was still ringing, he looked at the brightly lit night sky outside the window, and muttered. "Maybe only when Chinese football is completely rotten into a puddle of pus, stinks, and maggots in the future, which attracts the attention of people at a higher level, can the ones I told you today be told......"

Chu Zhongtian, who was in a trance, asked reflexively: "How long will this be after that?" ”

Hearing this question, Xu Xiaodi suddenly thought of a very old joke, and the artistic conception of when the joke was originally born is not examinable, but at least it is more than ten years. It is to the effect that the fans of China, Japan and South Korea went to worship the Bodhisattva and begged the Bodhisattva to tell them when their respective national teams would be able to win the World Cup, and the last Chinese fans who asked the Bodhisattva cried, because the Bodhisattva himself did not know when Chinese football would be able to win the World Cup.

He suddenly felt that changing that joke was more in line with the reality of Chinese football:

"Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, I am a Chinese fan, I want to ask you, when will our Chinese football get on the right track and say goodbye to those dark sides?"

The Bodhisattva cried, "I don't know what that day will be, maybe I can't wait......"

Is it ridiculous?

Pathetic!

※※※After sending Xu Xiaodi away, Chu Zhongtian already had the answer in his heart. Xu Hongtao definitely can't do it, judging from the "insiders" that Xu Xiaodi told him, Xu Hongtao's values are inconsistent with Chu Zhongtian, and Chu Zhongtian is unlikely to hand over his image development and operation in China to such a person.

Not to mention the ability to do things, character is the most important. People who have no ability but have character can do things badly at most, but people who have ability and no character can do things very badly, causing very serious consequences, and then it may not be possible to make up for the loss of a little money.

Since Chairman Xu is so busy and has to raise money for the newly established Chengdu Sheffield United, then don't stay in Metz and waste time.

Out of such humane considerations, Chu Zhongtian called Xu Hongtao the next day and told him that he had no intention of seeking a Chinese agent to develop the Chinese market, and that he still put his mind on football, and just wanted to gain a firm foothold in Metz and play football well, and think about anything else when the season is over.

If Xu Hongtao is really a talent, he should be able to understand it, and the subtext is - I'm not satisfied with you, I don't plan to find you to be my agent, so let's not contact him.

Xu Hongtao naturally worked hard, but Chu Zhongtian just didn't agree, no matter what Xu Hongtao said, he didn't agree, even if he hinted that he had an unusual relationship with many leaders in Chengdu, Chu Zhongtian was unmoved.

Chu Zhongtian is a stubborn donkey, and he will not look back when he is killed.

Xu Hongtao, a "famous agent" who was invincible in domestic football, was finally defeated in front of Chu Zhongtian, a "stubborn donkey", and could only leave France by plane with regret and disappointment, and even some annoyance.

And after Chu Zhongtian rejected this big name in domestic football, he also realized that he did not live in a sterile environment, nor did he live on Mars. Although he does not return to China to play football, he also has to make contact with China.

This will bring him a lot of fame and fortune, and at the same time, it will not avoid attracting some flies and mosquitoes.

How to deal with those flies and mosquitoes is really a headache for him......

(To be continued)