Chapter 55: I Can't Say Goodbye
Lin Yun spread his arms and ran to the sidelines like a glider.
He ran out of an S-shape all of a sudden, and then ran out of an L-shape all of a sudden, and he was as happy as a one-meter-eighty-three child.
The fans in the audience seemed to be infected by him, and their faces were filled with cheerful smiles.
Arsene Wenger applauded and finally pushed Giroud to the fourth official and signalled that he was ready to play.
"Hahaha, Wenger is going to replace Lin Yun with Giroud, but Lin Yun has already scored a hat trick, we used to say that only Wenger can stop Lin Yun, but now even Wenger has no way to take him......
This is Lin Yun's 36th goal of the season and his 27th goal for Arsenal, if he joined Arsenal at the beginning of the season, then it is really unclear who will win the Premier League title this season. ”
After Lin Yun left the game, the game became more intense.
Wayne Rooney was really strong today, threatening Arsenal's door again and again, but he still couldn't score a goal until he was replaced by Hernandez.
Ryan Giggs then came on in place of Nani and United set off another small surge, but Arsenal stubbornly survived.
The game ended when Patrice Evra's corner from Ryan Giggs in front of the six-yard box went over the crossbar.
3-1, Arsenal completely locked in the Champions League place next season, and was able to devote all their body and mind to this season's Champions League journey.
Lin Yun was still thinking about how to snort in front of Rooney, but found that Van Persie was walking towards him.
The two smiled perfunctorily at each other, not knowing what to say for a while.
Lin Yun tugged at his jersey, "Change? ”
"Okay."
After exchanging jerseys and shaking hands again, Van Persie turned around and just wanted to leave, but couldn't help but turn back, "What if...... I mean, if, five or eight years from now, you've won all your individual honours at Arsenal and you haven't won a single title, will you leave? ”
"I'm tempted to tell you that I won't, but I know it's actually that difficult, because when things don't really fall on you, any assumptions are empty, so from my current perspective, it's hard for me to give you a clear answer," Lin Yun said seriously, "So I won't let this happen, what I'm saying is, a champion doesn't have such a thing." ”
Van Persie nodded, "I used to be as confident as you and believed that I could win everything for this team, well, Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Nasri and so on must have thought the same, but then we all know what happened. ”
Lin Yun shook his head, "It's time to turn the page on these things, since you have made a choice, you should calmly face everything after that, at least for now, Henry and you have obtained what you want because of your choice, then, you should let yourself accept the bad ones, nothing can be perfect." ”
Van Persie smiled, probably didn't expect to hear this kind of words from the mouth of a little kid, he stretched out his hand again, and shook Lin Yun heavily, "You're quite interesting, but it's a pity that you appeared too late, of course, this is for me." ”
"From my own point of view, everything is just right."
Saying goodbye to Van Persie, Lin Yun bleeped a few more words to Rooney before leaving the court.
In the post-match press conference, Arsene Wenger first praised the performance of his players, and then was asked about Lin Yun's dependence.
'There's no denying that Lin is a super talent, he scored all the goals for his team and helped us to the victory, but we all know that he can't do it alone, it's the strength of the team...... As for Robin van Persie, I'm glad he didn't celebrate after the goal, it's a sign of respect for the fans...... Will Sarnia leave? Sorry, that won't be answered until the summer transfer window opens......"
When it was Ferguson's turn, everyone thought that the old man would find some excuse to excuse the loss, but he generously said that the game was won by a better team, and then once again sent Champions League blessings to Wenger and his team.
Compared with the sparks flying around on the field, this press conference was simply too harmonious.
At the end of the press conference, this focus battle officially ended.
When Manchester United played at home, Ferguson was very fond of inviting the opposing coach to his office for a drink after the game, and most Premier League managers gladly accepted the invitation, but Wenger always turned him down, and usually his assistant coach did the work for him, and went to have a drink with Ferguson after the game.
But this time, for the first time, Wenger invited Ferguson to sit with him.
Obviously, he also sensed that something was wrong with his old opponent.
took out a bottle of red wine I don't know what brand it was and poured two glasses, Wenger asked directly: "What's wrong with you?" Has the condition returned? ”
Ferguson was diagnosed with heart problems in 2004 and had a pacemaker, and was taken to hospital for a nosebleed at a dinner with Rangers last May last year.
There are all kinds of signs that Ferguson's health has always been unhealthy, and Wenger thinks that this is probably the only reason that can make him so abnormal.
"I do not feel well," Ferguson nodded, "I'm leaving." ”
"Huh?"
When someone says to leave, Arsene Wenger's first reaction may be that the other party wants to transfer, but if Ferguson says to leave, all he can think of is retirement.
Like everyone else, he couldn't imagine Alex Ferguson managing any team other than Manchester United.
"Is it so serious? Danger to life? ”
"Health is only one thing, the main thing is that I'm tired of it."
On the one hand, there is the body, and on the other hand, his two old partners, Manchester United's chief scout, Martin Brown. Alex Ferguson and Manchester United CEO David Ferguson. Gil's imminent departure this summer has caused Ferguson to suddenly lose his enthusiasm for the profession.
"It's not like you," Wenger frowned, "and you said you would stay in the United coaching seat for as long as your body allowed. ”
"yes, what's the point of doing all this when I'm not like me anymore."
"I think you're just feeling down for a while, and maybe in a few days you'll regret your decision."
"No, I'm pretty sure this season is my last," Ferguson took a sip of his glass, "the wine is good, I didn't expect you to have such good goods." ”
"You forgot? You sent it. ”
"Really? I've also given you wine? ”
"Looks like you're really not fit to stay in this position......"
"Are you saying I'm old? You're not much younger than me, either. ”
"Isn't 8 years old too much? It's decided, and I'll not do it for another 8 years. ”
"Hehe, I guess you won't be able to do it that long......"
The two old men were silent for a moment, and then they all fell into memory.
It's a memory of two people, and it's a memory of two teams.
When Arsenal experienced their first heyday in the thirties with Chapman, United were still struggling in the second tier; And while the Busby boys are taking off, Arsenal are out of sight; The Gunners then had another golden period in the early 70s, but the Red Devils were suffering another slump.
Magical and ingenious, these two long-established clubs that established their respective dynasties before the formation of the Premier League almost passed by in their golden periods, and even at the end of the League One when both teams were capable of competing for the title, the young Ferguson was full of thoughts about "kicking TM's Liverpool off the throne" and never regarded Arsenal as an opponent.
But everything changed when Arsene Wenger started the day the Japanese league was airborne to Highbury.
He submitted captain Adams and asked the players to quit drinking, smoking, eating vegetables and drinking plenty of water, fundamentally changing the habits of traditional English football players and making them real professional players.
Ferguson soon discovered that the seemingly well-mannered Frenchman was not a good man, and his instincts were quickly validated.
In the 1997/98 season, Manchester United should have easily won another Premier League title, and they were as many as 12 points ahead of second place, but under the leadership of Patrick Vieira and Pelletti, Arsenal played a wave of ten consecutive wins, and at Old Trafford relied on Overmars's stunner to snatch the Premier League title from Manchester United, and Wenger also won his first league and FA Cup double.
The two teams completely bonded up, and the two began a classic confrontation that was incompatible.
Although there is no direct conflict in terms of region, religion, politics, etc., it has developed into an undying mortal enemy.
1998-1999 was Manchester United's legendary treble and the only English team in their history to win the league, Champions League and FA Cup.
After the treble, United transformed into a superpower, winning three consecutive league titles and thrashing Arsenal 6-1 at Old Trafford in 2001.
Arsenal finished second in the league for three seasons until 2001-2002, when the Gunners were crowned league champions at Old Trafford thanks to a 13-game winning streak and Wiltord's winning goal, but the proud Ferguson insisted that his team was the better one, and then spat out the famous phrase: "Everyone thinks their wife is the most beautiful at home." ”
The 2002/03 season was even better.
Arsenal were well ahead of the table, but the Reds won nine of their 10 games and drew 2-2 with Highbury to set the tone for the league title.
And that's only half the story that season.
The two teams met in the FA Cup in February, with Arsenal beating their opponents at Old Trafford.
After the game, a frustrated Ferguson took all his anger out on Beckham, leaving a bloody wound on Beckham's eyebrow bone with a flying boot.
There is a grapevine that it is because Beckham's words hit one of Ferguson's most sensitive points: Wenger is much better than you......
The 2003/04 season saw the feud between the two sides reach its zeniest, with Manchester United ending Arsenal's 49-match defeat with a penalty kick, before an angry Arsenal and Arsene Wenger quit and the two teams packed the tunnel and Ferguson was hit on the head by a piece of pizza.
It wasn't until the 2004-2005 season, with the rise of Jinyuan football and the arrival of Jose Mourinho, that the feud between the two sides had a temporary end, and the way the two sides even wrote the full stop was full of ritual: the two teams met in the FA Cup final, and Arsenal held the penalty shoot-out in a passive situation at full-time, and finally had the last laugh.
It was also the last title Arsenal had ever won.
Since then, the two teams have taken very different life paths: Manchester United has continued to fight for the title and has become one of the most successful football clubs in the Premier League and the world today; Arsenal suffers from the debt burden and is not competitive, and has become what everyone calls Arsenal.
In a flash, it has been 8 years since the Premier League hegemony years in which the two teams took turns to sit in the house.
And Wenger and Ferguson have also become the best opponents in their lives in the love and killing of each other for more than 10 years.
And now, Ferguson says he's leaving......
Wenger was a little dazed, and he couldn't say goodbye.
(End of chapter)