The summer of 2002 was actually a spring for Chinese players. Although they finished second from last at the World Cup, this is not too shameful considering their quality and the reality of their first World Cup appearance. The most important thing is that through this World Cup, many Chinese players have experienced a spring of staying abroad in the future.

For Chinese fans, since the Chinese national team can't do well enough in the top competitions, it can also make them happy that Chinese players can perform well in foreign leagues.

When Yang Chen played in Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, he attracted the attention of many Chinese fans. Every time the Bundesliga is over, the ratings of the sports news at noon the next day must have soared, because Chinese fans want to see Yang Chen on TV. If Yang Chen scored a goal in the game, then the next day there were reports about him everywhere on TV and in the newspapers.

During that time, Yang Chen seemed to have become the most popular football player in Chinese and an idol in the minds of countless people. Appeared on TV talk shows, participated in the filming of TV dramas, endorsed world famous brands, participated in the World Cup...... This is almost the pinnacle that a Chinese player can achieve.

Now after the World Cup, several more Chinese players have gone abroad to join the Premier League.

Li Tie and Li Weifeng joined the Premier League team Everton under the sponsorship of Shenzhen Kejian Group. Everton's popularity in China has risen greatly, and not only in China, but also among Chinese students in the UK, it also has considerable influence.

"Damn, Li Tie won the best in the game!" When Chu Zhongtian returned to the apartment from the Dons Bar where he worked, Yang Yang was browsing the news on the Internet, and when he saw Chu Zhongtian coming back, he couldn't wait to announce the news to him.

Chu Zhongtian leaned over: "I thought that after watching the World Cup, you were disappointed in Chinese football." ”

"Where can it be!" Yang Yang shook his head, "Although I scolded hard in the stands at that time, I still have to watch the Chinese team's game later......" He turned back to Chu Zhongtian and said, "Who made me a Chinese fan?" ”

Chu Zhongtian glanced at Yang Yang's laptop screen, where the Sky TV webpage was open, and a photo of Li Tie wearing a black suit and holding champagne was prominently listed. It's really the best on the spot. This champagne is a Premier League tradition, whether it is the best of the match or the best of the month, the prize is a bottle of champagne - it can be seen that wine is really ubiquitous in the UK, and the reward for professional players is alcohol, and it is not news that England's players are drunk.

"I started the game, played 90 minutes for the first time! It's not easy, it's not easy to ......."

Yang Yang was muttering an introduction.

Chu Zhongtian saw God.

Same position, different fate.

The Premier League...... It's so far away from me.

Will you be able to have such a day?

He straightened up from his computer, turned and walked out.

Seeing him leave, Yang Yang suddenly asked: "There is a 'Chinese Derby' on the 31st, do you see, Da Chu?" ”

The so-called "Chinese derby" is actually hyped up by the Chinese media themselves, that is, the match between Li Tie's Everton and Sun Jihai's Manchester City, which is the first time that Chinese players have met in Europe's top league, so the excited Chinese media have given it this name, mainly to stimulate Chinese fans. In the UK, not many people paid special attention to this game, it was just a normal report, and it was the Chinese media who were interested in it. Chinese football in England is only an inconspicuous small role, even if Li Tie has just won the first game of the Chinese player in the Premier League.

Chu Zhongtian shook his head: "There was my competition that day. ”

"Huh?" Yang Yang was a little strange. "Your game is the thirty-one?"

Chu Zhongtian nodded.

"I'll go and see!" Yang Yang raised his hand.

"Aren't you going to watch the Chinese derby?"

"Hey, just come back to the sports news. There's no TV or sports news to play your game. ”

Chu Zhongtian looked at his fellow countryman and roommate who had never spoken Sichuan: "Thank you, Lao Yang." ”

"Thanks for what? We're fellow countrymen. Yang Yang waved his hand.

"Hurry up and learn to speak Sichuanese, fellow." Chu Zhongtian pointed at Yang Yang, turned around and walked out.

Back in his room, Chu Zhongtian sat on the bed and thought of Li Tie winning the best thing in the game. Although Li Tie had the opportunity to appear on the stage of Europe's top leagues with the sponsorship of Kejian, no matter what way he used, people came after all. When Chira Miura, a national treasure in Japanese football, first landed at the Genoa Club in Serie A, didn't he rely on the sponsorship of Japanese companies?

It is not important what way to go out, but the important thing is to be able to stand on your feet after going out. He didn't know if Li Tie and Sun Jihai could finally stand up, he actually hoped that they would be able to stand up. As Yang Yang said, they are all Chinese, and they always hope that the players in their own country can perform well.

Chu Zhongtian suddenly thought that these things were too far away from him...... He got up from the bed and got up to take a shower.

※※※ Chu Zhongtian studied the team's future schedule and his class schedule this semester, and found that he would definitely not be able to participate in some match days. He can still participate in the races that are held on the weekend, but he can't do the races that are held in the middle of the week.

Coach Eames will definitely have a headache due to the lack of an effective midfield defender, and Chu Zhongtian has no plans to skip class in order to play games. In his mind, playing at Wimbledon was just a way to regain his joy in football, a good part-time job to satisfy his love of football and make some money, and he had no intention of making it a career.

It's like the gap between himself and Li Tie and Sun Jihai. Although there are many people who disdain Li Tie's skills and think that Chinese players are nothing more than that, but despite this, the current Chu Zhongtian has no way to compare with Li Tie and Sun Jihai, who are "just so". Playing football to earn money to repay your parents for their nurturing grace is simply a pipe dream. Chu Zhongtian is not an idiot, he will not have this kind of fantasy.

The road to professional football was broken as early as when his participation card was detained at that football school, which made it impossible for him to transfer to other football schools.

August 31 is the fifth round of the league, and that day is Saturday. September 2 is Monday, Wimbledon School of Art officially opens, and from that day on, Chu Zhongtian will become even busier than he was during the summer vacation. Tuesday, September 3 is the sixth round of the league, but Chu Zhongtian will definitely not be able to participate in that game, the game time is in the afternoon, and Chu Zhongtian is in school at that time. It's really unreasonable to skip class just one day after school starts...... So when Emily asked him if he was going to the sixth round of the league, he refused. Emily was a little disappointed, she was planning to skip class to watch the game.

"I think you can consider making a career out of football, Chu." At the Dons Bar where Chu Zhongtian worked, Emily ordered a glass of Guinness as usual, and sat down in front of the bar to chat with the bartender Chu Zhongtian.

There are not many opportunities like this, and when school starts, Chu Zhongtian's time to work at the Dons Bar will be reduced, and Emily will not have much time to soak here all day.

"Professional football?" Chu Zhongtian thought of the news that Li Tie won the best on the spot that day, and grinned. "I don't think I'm professional."

"No, you have!" Emily sat up and looked at the bartender in front of her. "Did you hear it on the day the club was founded?"

"What?"

"Our vows." Emily looked up.

Chu Zhongtian remembered that afternoon, in the King's Ranch, he heard more than 4,000 Wimbledon fans in the stadium shouting desperately: "...... Go where you need to go! Go to the top league! Back to where to go, South West London!! ”

"Go back to where you need to go......" Emily muttered. Back in the top flight...... You're Wimbledon's main defensive midfielder, Chu. ”

'When the team is able to go back to the top flight, they won't need me. Chu Zhongtian shrugged. He wasn't deliberately hypocritical, he felt that this was the case. In reality, there are many such situations, those players who follow the team to break through in the lower leagues, are the main players of the team, and have made great contributions to the promotion of the team, but once the team is promoted to the top league, they are immediately packaged and sold by the club. Because they are not strong enough to cope with the higher level of the top league, they are like a fish in water in the lower leagues, and once they get to the top league, they immediately look clumsy and can't keep up with the pace.

Emily also understood the meaning behind Chu Zhongtian's words, and she thought for a moment and said, "Professional players are not only counted by players who participate in the top league. ”

What she said made a lot of sense, but she was refuted by Chu Zhongtian: "If you can't participate in the top league, what's the point of being a professional player?" ”

Emily didn't expect to be refuted by Chu Zhongtian with such a reason, she pursed her lips, feeling that Chu Zhongtian's idea was too wrong. "The meaning of a professional player is to make a career out of football, and to be able to make money is the meaning. Not all professional players are able to play in the top league, so don't those who can't play in the top league have no point in existing? She also retorted without showing weakness.

Chu Zhongtian shook his head: "They are them, and I am me." For me, if I can't play in the best league, it doesn't make sense. ”

Hearing him say this, Emily was a little annoyed: "Should I say that you are very confident, or should I say that you are not self-sufficient?" ”

"Anyway, I can't play in a professional league, just talk about it, and bragging always doesn't cost anything." Chu Zhongtian shrugged. It's just a matter of talking about it, but do you really want to play in the professional league? Daydreaming doesn't do that either.

Hearing him say this, Emily couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Looking at Emily, who was trembling with laughter, Chu Zhongtian suddenly blurted out: "Has anyone ever told you, Emily?" You look good when you smile. ”

He had no idea why he would say such a thing, it was just impulsive. After saying that, he regretted it a little, and hurriedly lowered his head to wipe the cup in his hand, just wiping it back and forth in one position.

Emily was a little stunned, she didn't expect Chu Zhongtian to say this. But soon a smile appeared on her face again.

"You're the first, Chu."

※※※ "August 31! Yang Yang suddenly yelled in his room, startling Chu Zhongtian, who was washing in the bathroom.

It was nine o'clock in the morning on the 31st of August, and he had just come back from a run outside, and was going to work at the Dons Bar in a short time, and after lunch, he would go straight from there to the King's Ranch.

Chu Zhongtian, who was startled by Yang Yang's roar, ran out with a toothbrush in his mouth and a mouth full of foam to see which one Yang Yang was singing.

Unexpectedly, Yang Yang smiled at him instead: "What is the specific time of the game, Da Chu?" ”

Chu Zhongtian swallowed all the toothpaste foam in his mouth: "Kick off at half past four in the afternoon." ”

"Where, exactly?"

"King's Ranch Stadium...... You don't know where you are, do you? ”

Yang Yang shook his head in confusion.

"You go west along Kingston Road until you reach Jack. Goodschild Lane is there. By public bus, 131. Chu Zhongtian pulled out a piece of paper, wrote on it, and said to Yang Yang as he wrote.

Yang Yang looked at the note handed over by Chu Zhongtian, and then nodded: "I really can't find it, just search the map." ”

"And how do you get there?" He asked again.

Chu Zhongtian said: "I'll go directly from the Dons Bar." ”

He didn't say that he was running, because there was no need to say it, he didn't think it was a big deal, and it didn't make sense to say it.

Yang Yang didn't ask anymore, Chu Zhongtian also went back to the bathroom to continue washing, and after a brief breakfast, he was about to go to the Dons Bar. But before he could go to the bar, he had to buy a soccer ball.

After an afternoon of ball control that day, he found himself enjoying the feeling and realised how frustrating it was to run out of time – just practice once and then take a timeout to make way for the team's training and games.

He wished he had practiced every morning, afternoon and evening, but he didn't have that much time. And even if he had time, Russell didn't have it.

He thought of a way, when he was a child, he liked to watch "Football Player". Watch the characters running around playing football, whether to or from school. So he thought that dribbling the ball in this way should improve his ability to control the ball, make dribbling as normal as walking and running, and let the football completely obey his command, so that ball control will not be a problem.

※※※ Colin. John was very surprised when he saw Chu Zhongtian running to the door of the bar with a football at his feet. He pointed to the football: "What's going on, Chu?" ”

"I'm using it to practice ball control." Chu Zhongtian explained.

"Are you going to pour wine for old Bengt while you juggle the ball?"

Chu Zhongtian was amused by the boss's statement, "If I can do that, it's a pity that I can't." ”

"Why are you thinking about doing ball control practice?"

"Hmm...... I want to improve myself. Chu Zhongtian took the football to the back of the bar and began to change his clothes and work.

'You're already at a very high level and if you go to Sunday league you're going to be the number one player there.' Boss John said, but the level he was referring to must be Chu Zhongtian's defensive level.

"I didn't have a particularly good possession of the ball, so I ......"

Boss John nodded, indicating that he understood. "But that's how you came here with the ball from where you live?"

Chu Zhongtian nodded.

Boss John's eyes narrowed: "Are you like this, do you still have the strength to compete in the afternoon?" ”

"Uh......" Chu Zhongtian didn't know how to justify.

At this time, a familiar voice sounded in the doorway: "You don't have to worry about it, Uncle John. ”

The two men turned around and saw Emily standing in the doorway, looking at the two of them with a grin.

"What do you mean by that, Emily? He's just tossing like this now, what should he do when it's time to compete? In case you can't get cramps......"

"You've watched Chu so many games, have you ever seen him cramp or exhausted, Uncle John?" Emily walked in and asked.

Colin. John thought about it carefully, and really didn't find that Chu Zhongtian had any physical problems. "But he wasn't ...... that before"

Emily grinned, "He's been running all the way to the King's Ranch from here before every race, Uncle John." ”

Boss John couldn't say anything later, he stared at Emily with wide eyes, and Emily pointed at Chu Zhongtian, signaling that he should glare at the person. "And it's not just for the game, it's even for the usual training, that's how he runs."

Chu Zhongtian was also a little surprised-how could Emily know?

He didn't have time to ask the question, because Boss John was staring at him as if he wanted to dig up something. He hurriedly raised his hand: "Uh...... Emily's true is true, but that's what I've always cultivated......"

"What a monster you kid!" Boss John glared at him for a long time, and then threw down this sentence and went to his house again.

Emily walked up to Chu Zhongtian with a smile on her face.

"You're so early today...... How do you know? Chu Zhongtian asked.

Russell told me. Emily laughed. "I didn't know you were getting that much better."

"I said I was here to save money, do you believe it or not?"

Emily smiled even more.

Boss John heard Emily's laughter next to him, so he said to Chu Zhongtian, "You don't need to be busy here, Chu." Go and stay with Emily! ”

"Uh......" Chu Zhongtian looked at the bar that had been cleaned up and nodded. All right. ”

"Thank you, Uncle John." Emily waved at Boss John from the side.

"No thanks, Emily. Just come a few more times. Ha! ”

Chu Zhongtian walked to the back of the bar and said to Emily, "Although the door hasn't officially opened yet, what do you want to drink, Her Royal Highness Princess Dons?" ”

Emily grinned, "Get a pint of Guinness, my knight." She jumped on a barstool and lay down on the bar.

Taking advantage of Chu Zhongtian's efforts to give her beer, she asked, "Are you still running to the King's Ranch to participate in the competition today?" ”

Chu Zhongtian nodded. Now that Emily knows about it, there's nothing to hide. It's not something to be ashamed of, and I didn't say it before because it's also not something to be publicized everywhere.

"It's a shame." Emily said suddenly.

Chu Zhongtian raised his head and glanced at her in surprise. What's the shame about that? Is it a pity to waste physical energy?

"Wine." Emily pointed to Chu Zhongtian's hand, "It's going to come out." ”

Chu Zhongtian hurriedly turned off the faucet and withdrew the cup.

Emily pointed to her chin and quietly looked at Chu Zhongtian, who was a little embarrassed.

It's a shame that we can't go to the stadium together...... She sighed inwardly.

(To be continued)