Chapter Fifty-Eight: Time Flows

Time is like flowing water, in the blink of an eye-

One year, one year...... Another year!

Another three years have passed............

Simon? Barcelona under Grayson has always been strong, and after the test of time, the team has only aged in age, but the team has changed a few faces, and the championship ...... It's still theirs!

"Brutal Simon" is like a magnet for all kinds of championship trophies, and in his third season in charge of Barcelona, he still won all the trophies he could get, such as the Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup, La Liga title, Copa del Rey, and ...... In the Champions League final, they swept the revived "old woman" Juventus with a score of 6:0.

This season's Barcelona, if there is any regret, is that the team finally tasted defeat this season, losing a total of three games, but all in the league, October 24, 2020 a small defeat to Osasuna away by one goal, so that Simon Grayson's 84-game unbeaten league unbeaten record in charge of Barcelona, 142 unbeaten in all competitions came to an end.

In addition, the team's attacking power has shown a downward trend, although Shaq still scored 112 goals in 62 games this season, and the average goal per game efficiency of 1.8 makes people inevitably think of Shaq's age, the 28-year-old Shaq is indeed no longer the courage of the year, even if he is the greatest player in football history, but the decline in form is inevitable, but Shak's existence is still the basis of Barcelona's invincibility, and the average efficiency of 1.8 goals per game is still a miracle that no one can surpass.

In addition, in the past three years. Barcelona won a total of ...... Fifteen champions!

In the face of such a brilliant record, who else would be dissatisfied with this Barcelona team!?

Will anyone have anything to do with Simon? Grayson is dissatisfied!?

Will anyone be upset with Shaq!?

In the 2021~2022 season, Simon? In Grayson's fourth year in charge of Barcelona, Barcelona won another six titles, but Shaq's form has declined more significantly, scoring 58 goals in 53 games for Barcelona this season.

Shaq has no choice about his declining form, although he has been practicing very frantically in training, but the "blackfoot" system's rule of -1 for all attributes per season still makes him miserable, and now the only things that can remain at 20 full attributes are shooting, receiving, free kicks, headers, technique, influence, positioning, teamwork and work commitment.

The decline is particularly severe on the physical side. Today, Shaq's explosiveness, flexibility, balance, and physique are only 15 values. Strong, bounced only 16, and speed and stamina dropped to 17.

Considering that he is 29 years old and 30 years old after all, Shaq is still quite satisfied with his current state, after all, he has done his best.

Not to mention all the more. Shaq's personal ability is still top-notch. Still the best of all strikers in the world. It's just that it's not as perverted as it was at the beginning, and the annual salary of 48.5 million euros after tax that Barcelona now pays him is still worth it. And Shaq has also scored 1,250 individual goals.

In the summer of 2022, it is another festival for fans all over the world, the World Cup is here again, this time the "Three Lions" have embarked on the journey again as the defending champions of the World Cup, but the leader is no longer Simon? Grayson, not even Alan already? Shearer, this time the leader of the team has become Spanish coach Benitez.

Alan? Shearer won the European Championship, and then his arrogance was committed, and he was sacked for poor performance when leading LinkedIn Gran to the Confederations Cup, and finally England won the Confederations Cup under the leadership of the assistant coach, and the reuse of Shaq and the use of "solar system tactics" are still the only way for England to win.

This time in the World Cup, Benitez is very smart, he used the "solar system tactics", but also reused Shaq, the "Three Lions" performance in the World Cup is also satisfactory, defeated Algeria 4:1 in the group stage, defeated Australia 3:1, drew 0:0 with Turkey, and then defeated Colombia 2:0, defeated Brazil 2:1, and defeated Germany 4:2 to enter the World Cup final.

However, Benitez is really smart but was mistaken by cleverness, his decision is correct, only forgetting that the current group of players in the England team is no longer the group of players in the prime of the World Cup in Russia four years ago, but a large number of veterans over 30 years old, Joe Hart, Smalling, Valck, Sturridge, Jack? Rodwell, Jonny? Hausen, Wilshere, Ben? Parker, Phil? Jones, these players are all over 30 years old, and even Shaq is 29 years old, and the "Three Lions" team has a physical recovery problem in the case of continuous high-intensity battles.

In the final in Qatar, England lost 0:5 to the French team led by Otala and Varane, and the younger and more dynamic French team completed the revival.

Even if Shaq scored 9 goals in the World Cup finals this time, he was still the top scorer in the World Cup, and he could not prevent the French team from returning to the top.

After the end of this World Cup, the English FA not only sacked Benitez, but also issued a directive to re-emerge, introducing a number of rules that are conducive to the development of young players.

More people are talking about the impact of Shaq's aging, although Shaq still scored 58 goals in 53 games in Barcelona this season, but even a fool can see that the invincible Shaq is really starting to get old now, the 29-year-old Shaq is walking on a downhill road, and the defeat of the England team in Qatar may be just the beginning!

There is not much time left for Shaq to rule European football and world football, and a new Warring States era will come in the near future.

In the 2022~2023 season, this is Simon? Grayson has been in charge of Barcelona for his last season, but he still hasn't talked to Barcelona about renewing his contract, and Rosell hasn't urged him, the club will mention contract renewal every year, but Simon? Grayson himself did not sign, as long as he nodded, a three-year contract with an annual salary of 50 million euros will be sent immediately, which is a secret that Russell has repeatedly opened to the public.

For "Simon the Brutal", the world's number one manager who has brought 21 trophies to Barcelona in four years and achieved the highest goal of "six crowns" for three consecutive years, Rosell has due respect and gratitude. Grayson is already a god, the champion coach is no longer the coach who hugs Shak's thigh, in the case of Shak's state declining badly, Barcelona can still win the "six crowns" steadily, which is the most powerful proof.

However, Russell is really not in a hurry, he already has a suitable candidate for the position of Barcelona coach in his mind, that is, Xavi, who is currently serving as an assistant coach of Barcelona, Xavi, who has accumulated enough experience, what is lacking at present is just an opportunity, and now Barcelona is too diligent and thrifty because of the "brutal Simon". The club already has 720 million euros of transfer funds on its books, which is enough to search for the best players in all positions in the world to rebuild a giant team, so Rosell really doesn't worry about Simon? What happened after Grayson left.

Of course, the ideal outcome is Simon? Grayson can continue to coach Barcelona, so that Barcelona, which has become the world's No. 1 giant, can be more brilliant and dazzling!

The most important thing is that Shaq has not negotiated a contract extension with the club at the moment, and Shaq's personal contract is only one year left, but if you want to renew the contract with the best player in the world, you must first get the "brutal Simon", which is the key.

But Rosell waited for another season, watching Barcelona lose 2:4 to Madrid in the two legs of the Spanish Super Cup, watching Barcelona beat Sevilla 2:1 in the UEFA Super Cup, watching Barcelona win the Club World Cup again, watching Barcelona win the La Liga title again, watching Barcelona win the Copa del Rey title, and watching Barcelona draw 5:5 with Marseille in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and being eliminated due to away goals.

Rosell watched the team's performance for a season and realized that although Barcelona is still strong, it is no longer at the peak of its invincibility, and the Barcelona dynasty is ...... Maybe it's about to fall.

But...... Russell still didn't wait for Simon? Grayson signed a new contract, and even the time entered May 2023, with only four league games left to end the season, Simon? Grayson solemnly told Russell that he planned not to sign with Barcelona again after the contract ended.

Five years, Simon? Grayson is starting to get tired of it, he wants to change the working environment, or simply take a break for a year or two, anyway, he is really not bad now, and hundreds of millions of dollars are enough even if he squanders until he dies.

In this regard, Russell had expected it, but what he was scratching his head most now was not this, but about Shaq's whereabouts!

Shaq did not bother Rosell, but this season's Shaq seems to be rejuvenated, scoring 90 goals in 52 games for Barcelona, and Shaq, who averages 1.73 goals per game, is still the most threatening striker on the planet!

So Russell very much wants to keep Shaq, even if Shaq's annual salary is as high as 53 million euros, but Shack's value cannot be measured by the world's highest annual salary.

No more Simon? Grayson, there can also be Xavi to replace, but without Shaq, Russell doesn't know who else to replace.

Good thing Simon? Grayson quickly gave Russell a relief, he planned to leave football for a while, and rest at home for a year, after all these years he has been constantly fighting and climbing, and now he has reached an unprecedented height, and he is indeed tired, tired, and wants to take a good rest.

Shaq in Simon? After Grayson told him, he began to let Glenn, the most trusted agent in charge of the "Shaq Investment Company", ? Talks have begun between Oxley and Barcelona on a new contract. (To be continued......)