Let Rivaldo and Allen find seats in the second row first.
Li Shiguang then walked up to Ferguson and Frank, deliberately ignoring Ronaldo, and greeted the two coaches first: "Good afternoon, Alex, Frank, what are you chatting about so happily?"
Ferguson recognized who it was and quickly stood up to hug Li Shiguang: "Hi! Li, what took you so long to get here?"
After releasing Ferguson, Li Shiguang hugged Rijkaard again before finally looking at Ronaldo and nodding to the Portuguese with a smile.
After completing a set of greeting etiquette.
Li Shiguang sat down in the empty seat next to Rijkaard and complained without changing his expression: "I couldn't help it, there were a lot of things going on at the club, I didn't even want to come."
“You’re the one with the most trouble.” After sitting down, Ferguson shifted his body forward and turned to look at Rijkaard and Li Shiguang. “So, tell me, who do you want to draw today?”
Li Shiguang looked at Ferguson with a strange expression.
I thought to myself, "You old rascal, you're being a bit unfair today."
The lottery ceremony is about to begin in half an hour, and everyone has already arrived at the venue, with more than a dozen cameras pointed at the side.
If I were to answer you and those so-called lip-reading experts could figure out what I was saying, wouldn't that be blatant disrespect?
Are you kidding me?!
So Li Shiguang wasn't fooled. He exchanged a wicked glance with Ferguson and was about to say he wanted to draw Manchester United when he heard Rijkaard speak up next to him.
"I want to draw Schalke 04 or Fenerbahce."
Rijkaard's voice was not loud.
But after he said that, Ferguson and Li Shiguang fell silent.
Ferguson, in particular, stared wide-eyed at Rijkaard, thinking: No, I was just joking, are you really going to answer?!
soon.
Rijkaard seemed to realize he might have said something wrong. The Dutchman quickly turned around and looked around. He was relieved to see Rivaldo and Allen sitting behind him.
Li Shiguang had noticed long ago that Rijkaard's behavior today was a bit strange.
He didn't have much contact with Rijkaard.
But it was these few encounters, and the news reports he had seen in his previous life, that gave Li Shiguang a good impression of Rijkaard.
Simply put
In Li Shiguang's memory, Rijkaard was a good person! Or rather, a very kind person!
Li Shiguang clearly remembered reading a report in his previous life, which was said by Claudio, Rijkaard's private secretary, in an interview after Rijkaard was dismissed from Barcelona.
The content is that, starting from the end of 2006, Rijkaard had gradually lost control of the Barcelona dressing room, where cliques formed and there was no unity whatsoever!
The main factor contributing to this situation is Ronaldinho.
This football prodigy neglected training because of his love for nightclubs, but Rijkaard could never bring himself to punish his beloved player.
From 2007 until Rijkaard's dismissal, he spoke privately with Ronaldinho no fewer than fifty times over the course of a year, but to no avail.
Ronaldinho's problem is still not solved.
Players like Eto'o and Motta started having conflicts with Rijkaard over playing time, and then Deco directly criticized the team's management in the media.
One upsetting incident after another eventually led to the disintegration of the Barcelona dressing room.
This summer.
Barcelona has spent a lot of money to bring in players like Henry and Yaya Touré in order to achieve success in the new season.
But look at things now.
They were eliminated by Valencia in the Copa del Rey.
Although they are ranked second in the league, after 27 rounds, they are already eight points behind Real Madrid.
It's worth noting that Real Madrid just went through a period of turmoil in January. If they can't even surpass their arch-rivals under these circumstances, it's no wonder that Barcelona's fans and management are furious.
Before Rijkaard departed for Switzerland today, Laporta privately approached him and issued him an ultimatum.
Regardless of who Barcelona's opponent is in the Champions League quarterfinals, Rijkaard will be sacked if Barcelona is eliminated!
That's why Rijkaard blurted out his wish to be drawn against Schalke 04 or Fenerbahce when he heard Ferguson's question, because on paper, those two teams are the weakest in the quarterfinals...
certainly.
As far as I can remember, Rijkaard was not dismissed because of Barcelona's defeat in the Champions League.
What truly led him to leave Barcelona was the El Clásico two months later.
In this match.
Barcelona suffered a humiliating 1-4 defeat at home to Real Madrid.
The day after the match, Barcelona couldn't wait to announce Rijkaard's departure, and Barcelona entered the Guardiola era.
Thinking about this...
Li Shiguang's heart suddenly burned with passion.
Allen had told him before that the team had too few management personnel and hoped to recruit some people to help him with some of the work.
For example, a professional sporting director is exactly what Leeds United desperately needs.
Li Shiguang used to think that professionals should do professional things.
The main responsibility of the sports director is to buy, buy, buy, but when it comes to buying, who can be more professional than him?
But as Leeds United's performance improved and they played more matches, Li Shiguang felt that he didn't have enough time, and hiring a professional sporting director was indeed something that needed to be put on the agenda.
Li Shiguang had previously discussed this matter with Rivaldo, Simeone, and Tuchel, but unfortunately, both of them were focused on learning how to become head coaches and were determined to pursue a career in coaching.
Li Shiguang didn't want to just find someone who didn't understand football to fill the role.
So the matter was put on hold.
But now... if I remember correctly, after leaving Barcelona, Rijkaard didn't immediately look for another club. Instead, he rested at home for a year and even said in an interview that he didn't want to be a head coach until he was sixty and wanted to try other jobs.
Since you want to try other jobs...
Isn't being Leeds United's sporting director also a challenge in another sense?
Rijkaard's easygoing personality was only a disadvantage in controlling the locker room, but he had a keen eye for selecting outstanding young players. Players like Messi, Bojan, and Iniesta all gradually grew up under his protection!
If he could join their team, it would be entirely beneficial for Leeds United.
Let's do it!
Li Shiguang didn't care how surprised Rijkaard would be after hearing his words. He reached out his left hand and quietly touched Rijkaard's right arm. When he saw the Dutchman turn his gaze to him, he lowered his voice and spoke.
"Frank, has Laporta already given you an ultimatum? If you get eliminated in the Champions League quarterfinals, you'll be fired?"
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