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Chapter 301 He is indeed unworthy

“I told you long ago, Wang has gone mad! He's no longer the guy we know. He's completely consumed by hatred now, and he's still resentful about being released by the club…”

"But isn't what he said the truth?"

"What part of the 'facts' are you referring to?"

"Let's be frank, man, we're in trouble right now. I do have doubts about our head coach; I don't think he can lead us to victory..."

"So you also think the boss isn't qualified to coach the team?"

"I don't know if he's qualified, but our current behavior at the very least shows that someone should be held accountable for this..."

"Who should be held responsible? In my opinion, we should be held responsible! Our performance was absolutely terrible!"

"I admit I haven't performed well enough, but is that my fault? I've tried three different positions this season, and each position demands completely different things from me. I have no idea what the boss wants me to do. In the last game, he told me he wanted me to increase the team's ball control in midfield, and in the next game, he wants me to push forward into the penalty area and shoot... Damn it! I have no idea how I'm supposed to play in accordance with his vision!"

A heated debate, or rather an argument, is taking place in the first team dressing room at Heaton Sports City.

The argument was sparked by Wang Lie's words.

At first, everyone was just discussing what Wang said, since the matter had already caused quite a stir.

After finishing half a day of training, the Sofia players returned to the locker room, took out their phones, and found themselves bombarded with messages.

Reporters messaged them asking if they knew what Wang Lie had said and how they viewed his remarks.

Many people are also tagging them like crazy in the comments section of Wang Lie's interviews, seemingly enjoying the drama.

In addition, many of their relatives and friends came to ask them for their opinions on Wang Lie's words.

Contrary to popular belief, the Sofia United locker room did not unite in solidarity and camaraderie despite Wang Lie's criticisms; instead, disagreements arose.

Some people were naturally very dissatisfied with Wang Lie's actions, but surprisingly, there were also people who supported him.

The two sides then began to argue.

Team captain Tyler Murphy had to step in to mediate: "Alright, alright! Stop arguing! Why are we arguing over the words of someone who has already left the team?"

But nobody listened to him.

After all, the reason everyone voted for him as team captain was clearly not because he had more authority, but simply because he was a "nice guy" who didn't offend anyone...

Murphy was clearly aware of this, so after several unsuccessful attempts to persuade him, he simply kept quiet.

The argument continues, but it's not just between two people; it involves many people.

A corresponds to B, C, D...

B against A, D, E...

D also applies to C and A...

Everyone's opinion is different. Some people support one point in Wang Lie's long speech but oppose others; some people completely support Wang Lie, while others completely oppose him...

The relationships are complicated and very messy.

Stephen Travey sat in his seat in the locker room, looking at the mess in front of him.

Then he turned to Stanley Harris, who was sitting next to him, and asked, "Was the team... like this last season?"

He only transferred to Sofia this summer and is unaware of his previous situation.

Harris shook his head: "No, there weren't that many public arguments last season."

Travis sighed. "Why is this happening? Wasn't everything supposed to get better after Heldon left?"

"Is that what your agent told you?" Harris turned to ask him.

Tel Aviv chose the default option.

Harris laughed. "He wasn't exactly lying to you, because that's what we thought too—the culprit was Heldon; he drove Wang away, he caused the team to fall apart. Once he was gone, the team would quickly get back on track. But…"

"So what the king said is right?" Travi asked tentatively.

He didn't say it directly, but Harris knew what he wanted to ask: "You mean 'poisonous fish tank'?"

Travi remained silent, tacitly agreeing once again.

Harris then replied:
"I don't know if he's right or not. Whether it's a problem with the head coach or the club's management... that's not something we should be thinking about."

"So what should we be considering?"

"Give it your all on the court and help the team win the game," Stanley Harris answered decisively.

Travis then asked him, "Can we beat Tyne in the next game?"

Harris laughed upon hearing this: "I'm not a king, how can I predict victory before the game? In short, we'll just give it our all."

Travi didn't ask any more questions; he turned his attention back to the locker room where the argument was still going on.

The only good news is that although everyone is arguing, the conflict has not escalated to the point where physical violence is necessary.

It's just that everyone's voice is a bit louder...

If it really was just because of Wang Lie's words that a fight broke out in the Sofia United locker room, then Travi must really regret coming to this elite team.

After all, there were quite a few European powerhouses who were interested in him back then.

Besides Sofia United, there are also London's Hackney Knights, La Liga's Atlético Barcelona, ​​and the Bundesliga's Ruhr United.

He ultimately chose Sofia United, partly because the club offered a higher salary, and partly because Sofia United was, after all, one of England's top clubs. He was only thirteen when they achieved the seven-title feat, which deeply impressed his young mind. From that time on, Sofia United had a special place in his heart.

However, since his transfer to Sofia United, that positive impression has been rapidly fading.

He still remembers when he first joined the team and was led on a tour of Heaton Sports City. He frowned slightly when he saw the rust and wear on some of the training facilities, and that's how his general manager, Jonathan Hall, introduced them to him.

"These are all hallmarks of Sofia's status as a powerhouse! Sofia's history is intertwined with the history of English football. That's why Sofia best represents the history of football in this country!"

His tone was quite proud.

But what Travi was thinking at the time was:

Has the training facility not been updated in so long?

Of course, he only thought about this question in his mind and did not ask it aloud.

Although he was only twenty years old, he was not a clueless naiveté.

He has now been with Sofia United for three months. In these three months, if you ask me if I regret it, I would definitely have some regrets, but it's not too bad.

After all, this is his first time playing for a top team, and he is only twenty years old with a promising future. Therefore, he is quite open-minded about the team's current poor performance and can accept it completely.

However, compared to the poor results, the atmosphere within the team was something he was more concerned about.

For any team, internal strife is often the most terrifying thing.

He then turned his attention to captain Tyler Murphy, choosing to relinquish control of the locker room and let everyone argue amongst themselves.

The other two vice-captains were also unable to stop the riot in the locker room.

To outsiders, this scene would certainly seem strange—why is no one listening to what the captain is saying?
But for Travi, who was already familiar with Sofia's voting-based captain selection process, this was not surprising.

When people vote, they do so based on their own selfish desires. Nobody wants to find a "father" who can control them, so the top three vote-getters are usually easy-going "Mr. Nice Guy".

What authority can a captain like that have in the locker room?
Stephen Trave couldn't help but think of what Wang Lie had said.

He said that Meler Shapman was not qualified to coach a powerhouse like Sofia United.

Travi didn't know if the boss was qualified to coach Sofia United, but he sincerely believed that some people in the current dressing room didn't deserve to wear the Sofia United jersey...

※※※

"I thought that as Wang achieved success in Tyne, he had gradually let go of his temper and become more restrained, but I didn't expect him to still be so explosive..."

Assistant coach Cesar Varo said to head coach Sam McNeil.

They only learned what Wang Lie had said before coming to training after the training session ended, through media reports.

The commentary on Sofia United not only went into the topic of the club itself, but also specifically named Sofia manager Meler Shapman. Many people feel that Meler Shapman is completely innocent…

McNeil chuckled, "Actually, it's much better than before. He's much gentler with his own people now—he used to treat everyone equally, but now at least he can distinguish friend from foe. He's still the same with his opponents, showing no mercy whatsoever. That's why we say, no matter what, never become the king's enemy..."

Varo asked him, "Do you think what Wang said makes sense? Is Shapman really unqualified to lead Sofia United?"

McNeil pointed at Varro and said, "If we weren't in the office, I certainly wouldn't have answered your question."

Varo laughed: "Don't worry, I didn't record it."

After joking with his assistant, McNeil answered the question seriously: "Before Shapman took over as manager of Soford United, it was indeed difficult to say whether he was qualified. After all, no one stipulates what kind of results a manager must achieve to manage a top club. But judging from his current performance, I think he is at least incapable of leading this team..."

There is a difference between "not qualified" and "not capable".

McNeil cleverly chose a less aggressive description, even though it was just a private conversation between him and his partner.

That's just his personality.

"...I'm not talking about his tactical ability, I'm saying he really lacks initiative. When he first joined Sofia United, he always practiced a three-defender formation, but after the league started to be unstable, he started adjusting the tactics back and forth, sometimes a three-defender formation, sometimes a four-defender formation, sometimes a diamond midfield, sometimes a flat midfield...making his players all confused."

Varo nodded repeatedly: "That's true... Otherwise, why would Hall have chosen him to coach Sofia United? He's obedient and easy to control. If someone is stubborn and insists on their own way in terms of tactics, it means they will also have their own principles in other areas and won't be so easy to listen to Hall."

"So... I think Wang might be judging Shapman from this perspective as unqualified to coach a top club like Sofia United. A coach who can succeed at a top club must have a strong personal style. Without his own opinions and the ability to stick to his own principles, he definitely won't succeed."

Varo joked, "So, you're already capable of coaching Soforth, Sam. At least you withstood the pressure at the beginning of the season and stuck with the new tactics..."

McNeil gave an awkward, dry laugh: "Don't be ridiculous, Cesar. Don't you know? Without the King, I might not have had the guts to keep going. After all, all courage is built on victory. If you can't win, no matter how nice your words are at the press conference, it's useless."

※※※

Mailer Shapman's phone was ringing off the hook.

He has received numerous messages and calls from reporters seeking interviews with him.

They all asked only one question:
What is his opinion on Wang Lie's words?
To be honest, Shapman only found out what Wang Lie had said through these media reporters.

When he first received the message from the reporter, he was completely confused:
What's your opinion? What did Wang say? What does it have to do with me?
When he learned that Wang Lie said he was not qualified to coach Sofia United, his first reaction was, "Is that a rumor?"

Because he didn't remember ever offending Wang Lie.

After confirming repeatedly that it was not a rumor or a media prank, Shapman felt a surge of anger.

After all, he didn't provoke Wang Lie on his own initiative.

Why should Wang Lie publicly humiliate them?

It's understandable that Heldon was chased and beaten by Wang Lie because he drove Wang Lie away, since it was revenge after all.

But what grudge do I have against Wang Lie?
But this anger only lingered in Shapman's mind for a moment before dissipating.

It wasn't that he was of noble character and repaid Wang Lie with kindness for his evil deeds.

It was because he realized the consequences of angering Wang Lie...

As he tried to convey his strong response to the reporters, the fates of those who had angered Wang Lie flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

Former Ruhr United center-back Cohen Jacob, former Scots legend Joe Wesley, his predecessor Sven Heldon, as well as Atlético Barcelona, ​​FC Madrid, Scots, Clayton Athletic... those are all household names.

Which one isn't more important than him?

Didn't they all succumb to Wang Lie's rage?

So if I respond to Wang Lie in a tough way this time, will it completely enrage him?
This led to him marking me and then treating me like Sven Heldon...

If that's the case, wouldn't we have to go through another 0:9 situation?

Last time, Sven Heldon set the record for the biggest defeat by Sofia United in the English top flight away from home. Is it going to be his turn to set the record for the biggest home defeat by Sofia United this time at home?
Shapman didn't watch the live broadcast of that match; he only found out the score after the game and then watched the highlights.

Then he put himself in Sven Heldon's shoes and felt a chill run through him, a deep sense of despair.

If he were in front of the Sofia United bench for that game, he doesn't even know if he could remain calm in his chair—or at least appear calm on the surface.

So, to avoid becoming the next Sven Heldon, Meler Shapman felt it was best to keep a low profile and remain silent before the fight.

Anyway, there are plenty of people outside who are speaking out for him, and that's enough. Justice resides in the hearts of the people...

Most importantly, never provoke Wang Lie.

Wang Lie already had a lot of anger towards Sofia that he wanted to vent, and he didn't want to run into their trap at this time.

Thinking of this, Shapman replied to each of the reporters on his phone who had asked if he could be interviewed and what he wanted to say to Wang Lie:

"I will not give interviews, nor will I respond to Wang."

After composing the message, he didn't send it immediately. Instead, he pondered it for a moment and added a sentence at the end:

"I will only focus on my own things."

This way, it won't seem like he's keeping silent out of fear of Wang Lie.

※※※

"...Meller Shapman declined our interview request, stating that he would not respond to Wang and would only focus on his own work. Perhaps that's his entire response to the whole matter..."

Upon seeing this news, Matt Perkins, sitting on the sofa, cursed:

"Foolish! This is blatant surrender! Wang is right, this guy is completely unfit to coach Soforth United!"

The nanny sitting next to him, who was responsible for taking care of him, was puzzled: "But sir, isn't it normal to focus on your work before a competition?"

“Building confidence in your players and helping them shield themselves from external distractions is also part of the head coach’s job,” Perkins explained to the caregiver who had looked after him for five years.

"Back when I was still working at the club, Giannas was very good at this kind of thing. He loved to battle with the opponents before the game, undermining their confidence and morale, while also drawing media attention and criticism to himself, thus relieving the pressure on the players. As the team's general manager, I was responsible for cleaning up his messes, allowing him to cause trouble and create chaos without worry. Our excellent teamwork was what made Sofia United the team that achieved the miracle of winning seven titles..."

At this point, Perkins seemed to drift into memories of the past.

His Sofia United team was practically a "devil" in English football during that period, and was extremely unpopular.

After all, they always win, and they've become public enemy number one.

It's perfectly normal that nobody likes it.

"...In the world of football, especially professional football, being a nice guy doesn't work. You have to be aggressive and assertive..."

Perkins murmured with emotion.

It's clear that he's also dissatisfied with his head coach, Mehler Shapman.

This time, when the club was deciding on the head coach, they did not consult him again, but made the decision directly and announced it officially.

He himself only learned through the news that Jonathan Hall had found such an unknown new manager for Sofia United...

Although dissatisfied with the choice, Matt Perkins did not publicly express his dissatisfaction out of love for Sofia United and professional ethics.

He even appeared at the training ground in front of the media to shake hands with Meler Shapman and welcome him to coach Sofia United.

It can be said that enough face was given.

If you weren't close to Perkins, you probably wouldn't know that his opinion on the current Sofia United manager coincides with Wang Lie's.

His wife, who had been sitting silently beside him, suddenly spoke up: "Why don't you skip the game the day after tomorrow?"

She already had a feeling it wouldn't be a pleasant match.

But her husband still gave her a negative answer:

“No, I have no reason to miss a game – I never miss a game at Redstone Stadium unless it is for health reasons.”

The wife continued to persuade him, "It's just a 'health reason'."

"But I am very healthy."

The old man was very stubborn, and his wife just sighed and didn't try to persuade him any further.

"Then you should prepare yourself mentally..."

(End of this chapter)