It's a pity that four years ago, when Chu Zhongtian was forced to say goodbye to football, he left with all his pockets, and no one could sit around and listen to his cry and his unwillingness to give up football. But he knows the pain of being forced to give up football - it's like a girl who's been in love for ten years suddenly comes up to her and says, "My dad won't let me play with you, let's break up." ”

Chu Zhongtian has never been in love, but he feels that the legendary lovelorn is nothing more than that.

Why?

Because the book says that couples will not think about tea and dinner after falling out of love, they will be heartbroken, and they will wash their faces with tears all day long. And sixteen-year-old Chu Zhongtian was indeed the same in the days when he was forced to give up football - he didn't want to eat, he had no appetite, he was very sad, and he locked himself in his bedroom and secretly cried. He didn't even feel like he had any intention of living.

Fortunately, he has a good father, who has always enlightened him so that he can slowly get through the most difficult days.

But until now, he can still remember how it felt as if something very important in his life had been lost.

So when he heard Russell smile and say "I'm not going to play anymore", his first reaction was surprise, and the second reaction was surprise.

"Stopped playing? What do you mean? What about the invitation from Welling United? ”

"I've refused."

"Wimbledon ......"

"Won't be coming back."

"Why is that?"

"Quite simply, I'm so badly injured that I can't play anymore – if I still want to walk like a normal person." Russell, who said this, had no expression on his face, and his mood seemed to be stable.

But Chu Zhongtian didn't believe that he could really be so calm, unless he didn't like football at all.

"It's just an injury, Ronaldo has been injured twice and is back on the pitch!" Chu Zhongtian retorted. "Looking at his performance at last year's World Cup, how many people regarded him as a third-generation football king?"

Russell didn't speak, just put aside his sneakers and socks and sat barefoot on the grass. Chu Zhongtian noticed a shocking wound on the ankle of his left foot, which snaked diagonally towards his knee, like a centipede.

"Post-operative wounds." Russell noticed Chu Zhongtian's gaze, and he pointed to his left ankle. Then he pulled off the knee pad on his right knee, and there was the same "centipede" on it.

"Did I tell you about me?" He looked at Chu Zhongtian and asked.

Chu Zhongtian shook his head. They didn't have a good relationship before, and he didn't have the habit of inquiring on others, so he didn't know much about Russell, except that he had been trained in the Wimbledon echelon and that his family conditions seemed to be good.

"Hmm......" Russell asked after a moment of silence. I've heard that you used to train in football in your country as well, is that right, Chu? ”

Chu Zhongtian nodded and said, "That's right." I trained in a football school for 10 years because I love football. ”

"I'm about the same as you."

※※※ Alai. Russell was born into a middle-class family, with a father who owned his own company and a mother who was a nurse. Later, after having a younger brother, Luthor, their mother quit her job and focused on being a housewife at home.

Russell showed great talent for football at a very young age, and at the age of six he was able to go through all his peers over and over again like wooden stakes. So his father, who is also a fan, sent him to Wimbledon's junior team for training. He played football while learning and quickly stood out.

So when he was ten years old, he was promoted to Wimbledon under 12 to play against boys a year older than him, and it was at that time that he met Borger.

"Bolger is a year older than you?" Chu Zhongtian was a little surprised.

"Can't you see it, can you?" Russell laughed. "Did you always think I was older than him?"

Chu Zhongtian nodded, in terms of his performance on weekdays, Russell was a little more mature than Borger...... He always thought Russell was older than Bolger, because Bolger looked more like a little henchman.

Russell smiled even more triumphantly, which was a compliment to him - boys wanted to look more mature than they really were.

"He originally wanted me to be his sidekick, but after losing to me in training, he became my ......" Russell paused before continuing, "Friend. ”

Chu Zhongtian knew that when Russell was only ten years old, he was already better than the young players who were one year older than him. This talent is really much better than my own...... Think about what you were doing when you were 10 years old. In addition to being able to run, he is not outstanding in terms of foot skills, let alone playing with several people in a row.

After Russell and Borger became friends, the two cooperated tacitly and repeatedly performed miracles in the game, and soon their two colleagues were promoted to the under-thirteen junior team, when Borger was eleven and a half years old, and Russell had just turned eleven years old.

Russell and Bolger often played football and played together, and went to Shechelst Park to watch Wimbledon games together. On the way back, there will be a lot of excitement to talk about the professional players. My biggest dream is to play in a professional team and become a professional footballer.

Chu Zhongtian also had such an ideal, but he only had this hazy idea much later - Chinese football did not begin to be professional until 1994, and before that, playing football could become a profession, which Chu Zhongtian had never heard of and never thought of.

At that time, many players who played in professional teams just fell in love with the iron rice bowl of the "sports team", and the salary of the sports team was only a few dozen yuan a month at that time. However, the state controls food, shelter and clothes, which is very tempting in the hearts of many children who like football and parents who send their children to play football. At that time, state-owned enterprises were very popular employment units, and the physical work team was almost a state-owned enterprise. And if you retire in the future, you can still be a coach or something, and you will stay in the sports system for the rest of your life, and you won't starve to death.

Later, with the professional league, Chu Zhongtian knew that playing football could not only make money, but also make a lot of money. He just thought of going to be a professional player and make a lot of money.

Compared with Russell's ideals, Chu Zhongtian's ideals are much more rustic.

If the situation continues as before, Russell and Borger will surely achieve their ideals, as they are both among the most technically charged players on the team, and they are extremely talented and the best of their peers.

Problems began at the age of fifteen. As soccer became more and more exposed to physical confrontation with these sports, the technically brilliant Russell and Borger began to find that they couldn't play anymore. Peers who used to be teased casually by them can now easily cut off their balls with their physical superiority, and the head coach doesn't blow for a foul.

They are beginning to realize that football is not a sport that can be played only with skill...... Russell and Bolger have slowed down their progression, and they can't afford to skip the ranks against opponents who are a year or two older than them. From this point of view, the talents of Russell and Borger are only in the upper middle range of world football. Otherwise, true geniuses, even if they are thin and weak, can play with opponents who are several times stronger than them.

Regardless of their talents, the older they get, the more trouble they have. They will often be easily squeezed out of position by their opponents in the game, and thus concede goals. They were no longer the best of their peers, but ugly ducklings.

As they get bigger, the ideals of professional football are moving away from them.

This is a brutal truth.

"I've had many injuries, but this one is the most serious." Russell said in a calm tone.

Finally, when they were eighteen years old, Wimbledon announced their contracts with both of them. Playing for this team for 11 years, spending 11 years of childhood and adolescence, in the end, in exchange for a little compensation and a free agent.

"Do you think we're a failure?" Russell asked.

Chu Zhongtian did not express his position. He just thinks that professional football is cruel, and not every child who loves football can reap good results after stepping into the threshold of a professional club. In fact, Chinese football is even more cruel...... There are very few children who love football and can reap good results after stepping into the door of football.

"After being laid off by the club, my dad asked me if I still wanted to play professional football. At that time, I was not reconciled, so I went to participate in the retirement training...... Do you know what a withdrawal is? ”

Chu Zhongtian shook his head.

"It's the last effort that a lot of seventeen or eighteen-year-olds who, like me, have been abandoned by their original clubs in order not to give up football. Go to the tournament organized by the league education committee, that kind of game usually has a lot of club people come to watch the game, but it is not a good club, it is all a very low-level club. At that time, I didn't care about that, so I just wanted to keep playing. So I went. ”

Russell continued.

It turned out to be a failure, maybe he cared too much, maybe he was too nervous, maybe he didn't adapt to the atmosphere of thousands of troops crowding a single-plank bridge, Russell failed. He behaved like a mess. After the game, no club showed interest in him and he had to accept the harsh reality that football could not continue to be played, so it was better to find another way to make a living.

"I went to college. Originally, my father wanted me to go to Harvard, but there were no Wimbledon games to watch, so I stayed here. I didn't expect to play again a year later. ”

He was referring to the founding of Wimbledon.

The team, which is made up entirely of fans themselves, gave Russell a chance to play again, and Chu Zhongtian was also one of the beneficiaries.

"So you're rekindling the idea of playing football again?" Chu Zhongtian asked.

"Honestly, after meeting Welling United manager Paul. Before Parker, it wasn't that strong. Russell replied. When I got the offer, I thought about it for a few days before I finally confirmed that I still wanted to play professional football. ”

If you follow this line, the final outcome should be Russell's successful entry into Welling United, quickly becoming a core player in the team, leading Welling United to a successful promotion, and being looked upon by more advanced clubs, maybe League Two, maybe League One, maybe even ...... Premier league.

At that time, the childhood dream can be realized.

But fate always likes to play tricks on people.

If it wasn't hurt, it should be like this.

"But I can't play now." Russell spread his hands.

Speaking of this, Chu Zhongtian was also silent, he didn't know how to pick it up. I can only wait for Russell to say it himself.

Russell didn't mean to say anything, he sat on the ground and stared blankly at the goal not far ahead.

What was he thinking? Regret it? Unwilling to do so?

Chu Zhongtian got up from the ground, patted the grass clippings and dirt on his buttocks, picked up the football, and after a few times, he suddenly took a step back, and shot the football that was still in the air towards the goal with his right foot.

He pressed the ball this time, but the shot missed.

The ball arced and flew into the woods from the right side of the goal.

Russell whistled in the back. "It stinks!"

"I've been practicing with you for the past three months, and if you want to say that it stinks, that's what you taught." Chu Zhongtian shot back.

According to past experience, Russell should immediately ridicule him at this time, saying that Chu Zhongtian's own level is not good and his comprehension is too low. But today he just shook his head: "It's a pity we don't have time." ”

There used to be a lot of time, but now it's completely out of time.

His training for Chu Zhongtian ended this afternoon, and at this moment, it was all over.

"Why is there no time? You don't play football anymore, but you still have to go to school, right? How about staying at Wimbledon School of Art and teaching me to play football? ”

The answer Chu Zhongtian got was to shake his head.

"I'm not going to stay in this school either." Russell said as he looked at the campus bathed in the setting sun.

"Why?"

"I stayed here to go to school just because I was closer to Wimbledon, which I liked. Now that Wimbledon is moving, and the new Wimbledon is still at the ninth level, there is no point in staying here. Russell let out a sigh.

"And where are you going?"

"United States. My father wants me to take over his business in the future, and I have to learn something about economics, right? Russell spread his hands.

Chu Zhongtian sketched the distance between Britain and the United States in his mind, and then shook his head: "It's a pity. ”

It's a pity that Russell can't coach him anymore, and he thinks that this person's level as a coach is higher than that of a player.

Russell laughed out loud when he heard him say this, "What? Haven't had enough of me? ”

"I'm really getting the benefit anyway." Chu Zhongtian's answer made Russell unable to laugh, and after thinking about it carefully, although he was Chu Zhongtian's coach, he overwhelmed him in terms of identity and was a little addicted to his mouth, but in the end, it was the other party who really took advantage. This Chinese kid isn't stupid...... Chu Zhongtian looked at Russell, who was still sitting on the ground, "Actually, what I always wanted to say - if you go to be a coach, you will definitely be very good." ”

"It's a pity I don't like being a coach."

"It's a shame indeed."

Russell also got up from the ground and walked barefoot to his own backpack, where it was time to change his shoes and go back.

After changing his shoes, he said goodbye to Chu Zhongtian.

"I'm not at Wimbledon anymore, but I'm still a Wimbledon fan. Hopefully there will be good news in a season's time. I'm your coach, you better behave! He pointed to Chu Zhongtian and said.

Chu Zhongtian took the initiative to stretch out his hand to him: "Hey, I've never behaved badly. ”

Russell didn't shake hands with him, but slapped Chu Zhongtian's palm.

"Good luck, Mad Dog."

Chu Zhongtian didn't hit back that he was a "sissy", he suddenly thought of a question: "Does the blog know?" ”

Russell waved his hand, "I'll tell him." ”

Chu Zhongtian didn't say anything anymore, just stood where he was, watching Russell pass through the gate and disappear behind the wall.

I once had a fight with him, but I was assigned to a group by the coach to be trained and punished because of this. That was exactly a year ago.

At that time, he called himself a mad dog, and he called him a sissy, but now "mad dog" has become an affectionate name, and the world is impermanent, just like Russell will say goodbye to football completely because of this injury.

While teaching himself all those things, is he very unwilling? He doesn't regret it? Did he ever think about how nice it would be if the injured person wasn't himself? How did he feel when he watched himself run back and forth on the field? Is he jealous?

In the face of such a fate, what should be said and what can be said?

Chu Zhongtian sighed, turned around and ran towards the grove, to pick up the ball that had just shot there.

When Russell got home, Mom was preparing dinner while Luthor was alone watching cartoons on TV. I didn't see my father, but Russell knew that my father must be in the study at this time.

He took a shower, changed his clothes, and knocked on the door of his study.

"Coming back?" Dad didn't look up, but continued to look at the book in his hand and asked.

"Hmm." Russell sat down in a chair next to him.

"Are you going tomorrow? Oh, and by the way, tomorrow is the team's game day. And what about the day after tomorrow? ”

"If I don't go, I won't go in the future. Summer vacation is over, Dad. ”

The father finally looked away from his book and looked at his son.

"You seem to have let go of a concern......

"That's because I don't have much to do with playing football anymore, Dad."

"Really?"

Russell nodded, "Well, because I gave those expectations and burdens to others." ”

The father straightened his seat, closed the book in his hand and put it on the table, and asked, "Have you entrusted your expectations and ideals for football to others?" ”

"Yes."

After receiving a categorical answer from his son, the father raised an eyebrow. "Hopefully he won't let you down."

The corners of Russell's mouth curled, "I'm sure he won't let me down." ”

※※※Chu Zhongtian pointed his chin and was stunned behind the bar. The guests who should have come in the evening came, and no one asked him for wine, so he could wander away at this time.

For some reason, after talking to Russell in the afternoon, the words about him and the bits and pieces of what he had carefully taught himself over the past three months had been on my mind.

"Man, we're running out of time." It was Russell's favorite thing to say in three months.

Now that I think about it, why did Russell say that? It's because he doesn't have much time, so why do he say "we" don't have much time?

Because he wants to teach himself as much as he can, right? That's why he's not alone, and he doesn't have much time.

Why did he go to such great lengths to teach himself all those things and help himself? Is it just because we're friends?

"I'm your coach, you'd better behave!" Chu Zhongtian thought of this sentence again.

Found the problem.

Are you using me as your stand-in, sissy? If I don't perform well, does it make you feel like you're not doing well either? Wouldn't that also require me to help you realize your unfulfilled ideals?

Do you want to play professional football?

The question Emily had asked echoed back in her head.

Chu Zhongtian pinched the coin in his palm.

(To be continued)