Coach Carter laughed beside him and said, "Old Rice, you are still as good as ever! Ahem... But, let's not keep talking about things that the kids can't understand. Our Gu is a good kid who has never even been to a bar! Let's get straight to the point!"
Gu Ran blushed.
...Shame on me.
Not only did I understand it, I also played it more colorfully than you guys.
"Haha!" Old Rice laughed heartily, "Gu, you really haven't been to a bar yet?"
Gu Ran quickly said: "Yes, I really haven't been there."
Old Rice smiled and said, "Gu, you are so self-disciplined! No wonder you can improve so quickly, you are so self-disciplined! Good, very good, keep it up! The world is in need of good players like you! If all players can be like you, it will be amazing!"
Are they all like me? There aren't enough Hollywood actresses...
I don't even have enough for myself!
Gu Ran cleared his throat and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Rice. I will continue to work hard."
"Good! Good! Really good!" Old Rice couldn't hide his admiration for Gu Ran in his eyes.
Coach Carter cleared his throat and continued to introduce: "Gu, the other one is the former head coach of Scunthorpe, Nigel Adkins. Although he has not been officially announced yet, he has signed a contract with Southampton Club. In another month, he will officially become the head coach of Southampton."
In other words, this person is very likely to be the future head coach.
Gu Ran immediately shook his hands with Adkins, "Hello, Coach."
Adkins shook hands with Gu Ran without smiling, "Hello, Gu."
He has strong wrists, doesn't talk much, and looks very gentle compared to Coach Carter.
He is in his 50s, just like Coach Carter, but he has a lot of hair and his body is more like that of an athlete.
——It can be seen that this is a head coach with extremely strict requirements.
In Gu Ran's memory of his previous life, he did not have a deep impression of the name Nigel Adkins. After all, in his previous life, apart from paying attention to long-legged female stars, he only knew the names and identities of some football stars and coaches from big clubs. Gu Ran really did not pay much attention to coaches like Adkins who came from small teams.
Adkins' emotions were not revealed on his face. After shaking hands with Gu Ran, he stepped back half a body and handed the situation back to old Rice.
Gu Ran's first impression of Adkins was: This guy... is a bit aloof and difficult to deal with.
But no matter what, old Rice brought the future head coach to this meeting to discuss the professional contract in detail.
Yes, from the moment you step into this room, the red carpet for your new journey has already been laid out.
Professionalization is finally about to begin!
Gu Ran tried hard to control his inner excitement and longing, and maintained a confused expression on the surface.
After all, the starting point is important!
The beginning of professionalization must be done with extreme caution!
Keeping a confused look is in line with his age of 17, and allows him to play the pig and eat the tiger on key issues.
Then I heard Lao Lais laugh and say, "Gu, I think you must be wondering why I want to meet you here?"
I'm not surprised. There's a future Chelsea boss standing downstairs. Isn't he trying to rob me? Of course, I have to pretend that I don't understand, otherwise it would be too pretentious.
Gu Ran smiled with a genuine feeling, "I don't quite understand."
Old Rice laughed and said, "Haha! It must be a good thing! A very good thing! Gu! This will be a turning point in your destiny! Your life will take off from now on! Are you happy?"
Holy shit…
You're setting such a high tone? You're just painting a rosy picture for me right away? Coach Carter is a master of PUA, and you, old Rice, are not a master of painting a rosy picture? Did Bell grow up eating the rosy pictures you painted for him when he was a child?
What kind of people did I meet? PUA-type Bole, pie-in-the-sky-type Bole, and there was also a taciturn coach standing over there.
It's so weird!
Gu Ran secretly sighed in his heart, and then said: "So, what is the good news?"
Seeing Gu Ran being so "sensible", Old Rice immediately smiled and pulled Gu Ran towards the sofa, "Come on, let's sit down and talk."
"Okay." Gu Ran smiled innocently and sat on the sofa.
Coach Carter also sat on the other side of Gu Ran, while Coach Adkins sat further away and continued to remain silent.
Old Rice spoke again: "Gu, first of all, I must know, what are your plans for the future? Do you want to go to college? Or do you want to enter professional football?"
Gu Ran said without hesitation, "I want to play football."
I want to be a star!
Going to college? I've already gone to college in my last life! I've been to college for 4 years! I'm almost sick of it! In the next 12 years, there will be no shortage of college students. Not to mention college students, there will be plenty of masters and PhDs everywhere!
I was finally reborn, how could I possibly go back to the old ways of going to college and working for others?
In this life, I want to do what I love to do! "What a wise choice!" Old Rice exclaimed: "Gu, with your talent, if you don't play in the professional league, it will be a loss to the whole world! As long as you choose the right path, you will definitely become a superstar in the future! I even dare to say this to you, your achievements will surpass Gareth Bale!"
This pancake...
Gu Ran asked seriously, "So Mr. Rice, what is the right way?"
Old Rice had been waiting for Gu Ran to ask this question. "Good question! Gu! Very good question! In fact, the most important question in life is to choose the right path. Everyone's path is different, and as an old man who has been through it, I think your path is to start from the low-level professional league and move towards the peak of life step by step!"
Old Rice didn't wait for Gu Ran to speak, and continued: "Gu, do you know? When Lamar Carter first introduced you to me, he said you were a rare talent in a thousand years. To be honest, I thought the old guy must be drunk at the time. But when I watched your game live for the first time, I realized that the old guy was right. And when I walked in and watched your game, I felt that both of us old guys were wrong."
"You are not a genius that appears once in a thousand years, you are a genius that appears once in ten thousand years."
"Gu, you are amazing. I bet that as long as you take the right path, you will become a world-class star in the future!"
Holy shit…
These words are really well said.
He is truly a legend in southern football.
If any other 17-year-old passionate boy heard these words, he would probably ask to sign a contract with Southampton Club on the spot!
but……
I am a reborn person! Moreover, ever since Anne Hathaway praised me, no one in the world can make me feel proud.
Gu Ran was very excited and said with a very real feeling: "Thank you Mr. Rice for the compliment! Oh my God! It's a once-in-a-millennium opportunity? World-class? I never dared to imagine it!"
Let's act together! Life is like a play!
Especially when it comes to such extreme tension, acting skills are even more needed! Only on the court and in bed can you be your true self...
Then old Rice continued, "Gu, your talent is not only in your performance on the field, but also in the fact that you have never received formal youth football training. You have to know that in the UK, and even in Europe, all professional clubs value [professional training] very much. Professional youth training is professional training, because that is the beginning of professionalism."
"You can look at Manchester United's Class of 92, you can look at Barcelona's La Masia, you can look at the two hottest stars right now, Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, you can look at all the famous stars - I dare say that 99.99% of them came up step by step from professional youth training."
"And you don't have that process."
"You are simply born out of nowhere. You have not received any professional youth training, but you are able to surpass professional youth training players. This is your genius, and this is why I say you are a genius picked out of a million."
Old Rice has a clear mind and his analysis is very thorough.
Gu Ran's current shortcomings are not in physical fitness or technology, but in experience.
A high school student just joined the amateur high school team a month ago. No matter how well he performs, he did not work his way up from professional youth training.
Based on this point alone, it is basically impossible to go directly to a top club.
"So," Old Rice continued, "the best path for you right now is to make up for the missing experience of professional youth training. Only in this way can you reach the top of the world."
"The easiest way to make up for the lack of professional youth training is to train in the youth training team of a professional club and then be promoted to the first team."
"But there is another way—"
Old Rice paused deliberately, trying to whet Gu Ran's appetite.
Gu Ran also cooperated and acted like an ignorant boy who was eager for an answer, "What? Mr. Rice?"
Old Rice smiled and said, "That is, play directly in the first team of the lower league! This way is much better than training in the youth team of a big club, because ten training games cannot match the speed of improvement in a professional game! Gu, you are now at the best age and in the best period of improvement. I suggest that you must not go to the youth team, but should train in the lower league!"
Well, we are getting close to the point.
But continuing to talk like this is really too slow. I can tolerate it, but my Annie can't.
I'll give it a push.
Gu Ran sighed and said in embarrassment: "First-team... Unfortunately, I don't have a work permit."
"Hahaha!" Old Leicester laughed triumphantly, with a look on his face that said "everything is under my control."
"Gu, speaking of the work permit, yes, that thing is indeed a bit fucked up." Old Rice said calmly, "But what I want to say is that we, the Southampton club, can solve this problem for you. If you are willing to wear the red and white jersey of our Saints, we can activate the genius clause for you, and then help you get a work permit so that you can play in the professional league!"
This pie is more realistic...
The work permit is indeed the top priority for Chinese people entering the British professional league.
However, as Coach Carter said before, when you are awesome enough, someone will take the initiative to help you build a path through the mountains and build a bridge over the water! It is because you are awesome enough and your value is worth it! Being able to get a work permit and play directly as a first-team player is indeed much better than being unable to play and only being able to train in the youth team of a big team!
Although the road pointed out by Old Rice was full of empty promises, its general direction coincided with what Gu Ran had in mind.
Starting from the lower leagues, from the small clubs, pushing forward all the way, crushing all enemies from low to high, this is really powerful! I like powerful! But... don't rush.
This is actually a game, and now I am not crying and shouting for you to help me get a work permit, nor am I crying and shouting to join Southampton, there is Chelsea outside to back me up! All the nonsense above is just empty talk, and the actual treatment has not been discussed at all! When fighting with an old guy like Old Rice, you must be patient!
Gu Ran then said in a very authentic and confused manner: "It must be very troublesome to apply for a labor permit, right?"
Old Rice said immediately, "Of course not! Gu, let me tell you, you just met me and Southampton! Any other club would not do their best to help you like Southampton does. Don't be fooled by the scouts from those small clubs who boast a lot, they can't make the decision. They have to report your situation to the higher-ups, and the new season will start when their decision-makers have finished studying it!"
"But our Southampton club is different. We make decisions directly from the decision-making level. Moreover, as Coach Carter just introduced to you, I am also a member of the English Football Association. I can help in the hearing of reviewing the work permit! Of course, this does require a lot of manpower and resources. The relationship between the English Football Association members is also very complicated, and it is very difficult to get through."
What old Rice meant was that if even I couldn't do it, no one else could do it either, and the entire Southampton club was very sincere.
Gu Ran immediately said: "It's so troublesome and hard... How about, forget it?"
Old Rice: ???
Carter: ??? Adkins: ...
Old Rice, a master of empty promises, was stunned!
After talking for a long time, Gu Ran suddenly said, "Why don't we just forget it?" This, this, this... boy, why don't you play by the rules? Gu Ran shrugged and said, "I can actually join the youth team of a bigger club, and then be loaned to a small European club that doesn't require a work permit to play."
Old Rice opened his mouth, "...uh, this, ah, um, oh, yes - this is also a way. But how can the level of small European clubs compare with the British professional league? Besides, our Southampton club really wants to get you!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Old Rice immediately realized: Oh no…why did I confess first?
All right! Then there's no need to hide it! Old Rice simply laid it out, "Gu! We at Southampton Club are very fond of you! We want to get a talented player like you! For you, our entire Southampton Club will go all out! We are not afraid of any hardship or trouble, as long as you can join Southampton Club, we can meet all your reasonable conditions!"
Holy shit…
Old Rice, if you had made your attitude clear earlier, it would have been over! Let's hold on to it first -
Gu Ran nodded and asked in confusion, "Is that so... Southampton is a League One team, right?"
Old Rice quickly introduced: "Yes, we are now in the middle of the English League One, but the level of our entire club is definitely not at the level of the lower leagues. Southampton FC is one of the earliest clubs founded in modern British football. Our club was founded in 1885, earlier than many of the so-called wealthy clubs today. We are the founding team of the First Division and the founding team of the Premier League. Although we have only won the runner-up of the top league once and the FA Cup once in our history, we are definitely worthy of the title of a Premier League powerhouse."
"We are in League One now because of the financial crisis in 2008, which caused the club to lose interest in the game and was relegated from the Premier League to the Championship, and then from the Championship to League One."
"But fortunately, the crisis is over now. The finances of Southampton Football Club are very healthy now. The new owner is Miss Katharina from the Liebherr Group. If there is a chance, I will introduce you to her."
"We have the best training ground in the Premier League, the Staplewood Training Base. We also have a very complete and abundant youth training reserve. We have a lot of good players. As long as we make good adjustments, these players can join you in impacting the Championship and returning to the Premier League!"
At this point, Old Rice said excitedly: "Gu, believe me, your starting point should be in Southampton! Just like the Titanic's starting point was in Southampton! You will set sail here! Sail to the top!"
Holy shit…
Old Les, your metaphor...
Was the Titanic heading for its peak?
That's crashing into the peak and sinking to the bottom of the sea!
Gu Ran was suddenly at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
However, Gu Ran could understand old Rice's feelings. After all, the people of Southampton were very proud of the fact that they were the starting point of the Titanic.
As for whether the Titanic sank or not, of course it has nothing to do with the people of Southampton, because it set out from here anyway.
At this time, Coach Carter next to him also said: "Gu, Old Rice has said so much, you should listen to me too."
Gu Ran immediately said, "Okay, coach."
Coach Carter cleared his throat. "As a native Southamptonian, I would definitely recommend you to go to Southampton. Of course, there is a lot of selfishness in this. After all, who doesn't want talented players to stay in the team they support? But I must say that Southampton is really suitable for you, in every way."
"This time, other small clubs sent out scouts, but Southampton sent out seven top decision-makers. Just for this reason, they are full of sincerity."
"As for the labor permit issue, you basically don't have to worry about it with Old Rice here. Just let them handle the difficult chores and you just need to focus on playing football."
"Old Rice just said that you lack professional youth training experience. This doesn't mean you are bad, but it's based on the actual situation. If you want to join a big club, your lack of professional youth training will make it difficult for you to find your place in a big club. Forget about playing. I'm afraid you can only help others pick up the ball during training."
"So, I really hope you start with Southampton and use your experience in the lower leagues to make up for your lack of professional youth training. This is definitely the best way."
Gu Ran nodded slightly.
Coach Carter's words are indeed very convincing.
Moreover, Gu Ran's own rating system does need to play in the professional league in order to be upgraded faster and better.
But... speaking of it now, we haven't entered the actual stage yet.
I want to be practical! I want to know what you can give me! Gu Ran took the initiative to ask: "So, if I join Southampton, what kind of contract can I get?"
(End of this chapter)
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