Chapter 12: A gem in the Academy
"Hey, David, what are you thinking, hurry up and get on the bus. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ļ½ļ½ļ½Uļ½Eć info" Reed's urging voice interrupted Chen Zhun's thoughts.
The bus carrying the Southampton players returned to the Southampton club's training base. The players were disbanded on the spot and were about to enjoy a rare day off. When Chen Zhun returned to the base, he asked the team doctor Kevin Phillips about the injury, which was only an ankle sprain and did not hurt the ligament. But it will take three weeks to recover. Chen Zhun breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the news of this misfortune. As soon as Chen Zhun wanted to leave the training base, the club's press director Yang Sen informed him that he would wait for the club's official website to conduct an interview with him.
The interview officially began, and Chen Zhun's expectation of a beautiful reporter did not come true. This made Chen Zhun a little disappointed.
"Hello Mr David, first of all, congratulations on leading Southampton FC to a successful start to the Premier League season, how are you feeling now?"
Chen Zhun thought that reporters were all routines, but he still said meticulously; 'It's very exciting, it's my first game in charge of Southampton's first team.
'We found out before the game that your squad was a big change from the previous Southampton line-up, for example, Peter Crouch. There are also big differences in tactical positioning, are these your own tactical ideas? ā
"Regarding Peter Crouch, this is a very good signing for our club. He's a perfect fit for my tactical system. In terms of tactics, I don't have a fixed routine, I will develop different tactical strategies according to different opponents. ā
"Before this fight, there were a lot of people who questioned you who said you were going to be beaten in this game, but you proved yourself with your performance, do you have anything to say to the people who question you?" The reporter finally threw out a little quality problem.
After hearing this, Chen Zhun just said lightly: "Thank you to these people for making me stronger." ā
"Last but not least, let's talk about Southampton's goals for this year."
Chen Zhun said lightly again: "Relegation." "Chen Zhun thought to himself, I said that you won't believe it when I won the Premier League.
The boring interview finally ended, and Chen Zhun dragged his tired body back to his warm home. He used to turn on the TV and watch sports news. Manchester City, who attracted the attention of Chinese fans in the first round of the Premier League that ended today, was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Fulham. Tomorrow there are two big games to play, with Everton hosting Arsenal, who are unbeaten in 40 games, and Jose Mourinho's first Premier League game against Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United. Chen Zhun recalled the memories of later generations, Arsenal's victory is no longer remembered, but the duel between Chelsea and Manchester United is still fresh in his memory. In the end, it was Chelsea who beat Manchester United 1-0 thanks to a goal from Judjohn Gudjohnsen, and the victory kicked off the invincibility of Jose Mourinho and Chelsea. Of course, Chen Zhun doesn't know if his crossing will change the trend of these scores, and now he doesn't want to think about these football things, and the only thing he wants to do now is to take a shower and sleep well.
Although Chen Zhun wanted to sleep in, the regular biological clock forced him to wake up on time at six o'clock in the morning. Chen Zhun looked at the hazy sunlight outside the window, sat up, washed up and started his daily morning run. Chen Zhun was envious of David Winston, the object of his crossing, during his morning jog. A decent job, a comfortable environment, a good routine of life. This is the life that Chen Zhun yearns for. Chen Zhun thought about his life in the next life, it was simply miserable, forever living at two o'clock and one line, going to work and going home, boring. He also has a question in his mind, that is, where did David Winston's soul go, and it should have crossed over to someone. Hope to have a special meeting in the future.
Chen Zhun went home and watched the movie after breakfast, and felt very bored, looking up at the clock, the time was only 9 o'clock. Chen Zhun decided to go to the training base to have a look, and he remembered that there was a youth team match this morning.
Chen Zhun drove to the gate of the training base and saw the old doorman. Chen Zhun politely greeted the old doorman. Chen Zhun walked to the youth team's training ground, and the game on the field had already begun.
"Hey, old man, how's the game going?" Chen Zhun said to Prost, the leader of his coaching career.
"Oh! David, I didn't expect you to come. The game went well and Southampton led 3-0. Look at these lads, all fearless and alive, and some of them are now eligible for the Premier League. David, I think you could consider taking them to get acquainted with the atmosphere of the Premier League. ā
Chen Zhun heard Prost say this, and replied with a smile: "Old man, tell me about their situation." ā
Prost was interested when he heard Chen Zhun say this, and while pointing to the players on the field, he introduced Chen Zhun, and Chen Zhun himself saw the young Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, and Adam Lallana. In fact, these players David Winston took them in the first two years. Chen Zhun always thought that Adam Lallana was an adult who entered the Southampton Academy. When Chen Zhun had Winston's memories, he learned that Adam Lallana had joined Southampton's academy back in 2000. It's just that now that he has the hotter Gareth Bell and Theo Walcott by his side, people naturally forget about this talented teenager. Chen Zhun only knows these three players, and Prost focuses on these three players. In Prost's words, these three players are priceless gems in Southampton's academy. But who would have thought that in the real world, after these three players were sold to Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Liverpool, the fate was very different.
In his previous life, Chen Zhun specifically studied Southampton's academy. He knows that there are now future stars such as Callum Chambers, Luke Shaw and Ward-Prowse Alex Chamberlain in Southampton's junior academy undergoing systematic football training. Of course, there will be many familiar stars who will come to Southampton's academy in the future and become Southampton's own academy players.
Prost said enthusiastically: "Gareth, Theo and Adam are just geniuses. You must know that the three of them now have teams that want to sign him every day, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and other giants are staring at them and trying to sign them in any way. ā
Chen Zhun nodded affirmatively and said, "Indeed." Rest assured, when they reach the age of 18, the club will sign them with a professional contract immediately. ā
At this time, the first half of the game on the field was over. The young players were delighted to see their mentor and now Southampton first-team manager David Winston came to the pitch.
The young and immature Bell saw that Coach Winston, whom he respected very much, was on the sidelines, and happily ran to Chen Zhun and said excitedly: "Coach, you are here." How did I do on the field? ā
Chen Zhun said happily to the crowd: "Your performances are all unparalleled. The future of Southampton lies with you. I can tell you now. Some of you will be in the Premier League next year. ā
Bell shouted in the crowd at this time: "There will definitely be me!" ā
Chen Zhun touched Bell's head as he spoke, and said, "Gareth, you are the best, but you still need to work harder, understand?" ā
Now Little Bale has not yet grown into the appearance of a great saint, his white face is full of doubts, he didn't hear what he wanted to hear, but he still said firmly: "I understand, coach, I will work hard, I want to play in the Premier League." ā
Chen Zhun looked at Walcott and Lallana, who were quiet in the crowd. In later generations, apart from the great success of Bale, neither Walcott nor Lallana were technically more successful after leaving Southampton. Theo Walcott has been following a downward curve and is now spending his days on the bench and in a hospital bed at Arsenal, while Lallana has not been as brave as he was when he arrived at Liverpool, tending to be mediocre.
Chen Zhun had Winston's memories of these academy players in his mind at this time. Winston's previous job was to take the kids on a daily training basis every day. Among this group of children, Winston himself was very fond of the young players such as Bale, Walcoat and Lallana, and he also thought that these three children would become great things in the future. So after each training session, I have to take Bale, Walcoat and Lallana to practice and improve their abilities. So in the minds of Bale, Walcourt and Lallana, they were grateful to Winston and regarded Winston as the closest person to Southampton.
Chen Zhun chatted with the group of children again, and then left the youth team training base, and he went to the scout's office again.
Rod Rudick saw that it was Chen Zhun and said happily: "I was just about to go to you, you asked me to run all over England to find a genius, and I finally found a genius at Barnsley." I'm going to go to the chairman this afternoon and apply for a few more scouts, and there are no enough scouts right now. ā
Chen Zhun was thinking about his memories of later life in his mind, he didn't come up with the England star from Barnsley, so he had to ask: "Rod, who is it?" ā
"John Stones. Just 10 years old. But he's shown consistency on the pitch as a youth team," enthuses Rod Rudick.
"What? Stones!! Chen Zhun was surprised before Rod Rudick could finish speaking. John Stones, the future centre-back for England in his previous life. Chen Zhun only knew that he played for the "Toffee" Everton team, and it turned out that he came out of the Barnsley academy when he was a teenager. In his previous life, Stones was coaxed by the major clubs of the Premier League every year during the transfer period, and he can be called a representative of high-quality household players. Chen Zhun didn't expect Rod Rudick to find a seedling of a future superstar for him so soon.
"You know him? David? Rod Rudick was a little confused.
Chen Zhun regained his composure and said, "No, no, I heard it wrong. You've got absolutely no problem with the players you've scouted, by the way, did you talk to Arneson? ā
'I talked to him and showed him a video of Stones' fight, and he praised the kid as well, but he lets you decide.
'Tell Arneson to go and apply to chairman Rupert Lowe to bring Stones to Southampton.' Chen Zhun said affirmatively.
"David, don't you just watch the video of the game before you make a decision? That's not the way you used to do things. ā
Chen Zhun smiled: "I don't worry about you doing things." ā