I build a giant in the Premier League

Chapter 53 I need your help, Lukash!

Milan Mandaric, a 66-year-old American-Serbian businessman, is a very low-key person.

In fact, many fans have never heard of this name.

But his experience serves as a template for many football investors.

In 90, he seized the opportunity and took over the French team Nice in a low-key manner. Five years later, he cashed out and earned his first pot of gold in the football world.

A year later, he aggressively acquired Charleroi in Belgium, and just two years later, in 2, he cashed out again.

Because in this year, he bought Portsmouth, which was still in English League One at the time, for a low price of 500 million pounds.

Portsmouth was plagued by financial deficits at the time and declared liquidation in December.

Milan Mandaric made a very smart move.

In 02, he cordially invited Harry Redknapp, the famous coach who was then coaching well at West Ham United, to coach Portsmouth.

With little investment in transfers, Redknapp relied on his connections and channels in the Premier League and European football to loan and poach many players for Portsmouth.

This includes famous players like Shelingham.

This allowed Portsmouth to be promoted smoothly from League One to the Premier League and successfully stay in the Premier League.

But it is clear that the two have different philosophies on running Portsmouth.

This difference will continue to intensify over time and lead to conflicts.

In Yang Cheng's previous life, Milan Mandaric had always adopted a profit model of buying low and selling high. He had no feelings for football or the club.

For example, he sold Portsmouth in 06 and joined Leicester City, which was relegated at the time, at a low price.

In 2010, he sold Leicester City and bought Sheffield Wednesday for a symbolic £1.

Of course, judging from his subsequent experiences, with the advent of the capital era, Milan Mandaric's way of playing has become less and less effective in the Premier League.

But at the moment in 2004, it was still a dimensionality reduction attack.

Milan Mandaric's goal is to cash out. He has always been thinking about selling Portsmouth quickly while its value is still high, so he is very careful about his investment in the club.

Redknapp hopes the team will be more competitive in the Premier League.

In 2004, the British media once again broke the news of black gold.

The first to be affected is Ferguson, whose son is involved in running a company called Elite Agency, which handles Manchester United's transfer transactions worth tens of millions of pounds.

For example, Howard's transfer fee was 230 million pounds, but Manchester United paid a commission of 70 pounds to the agent.

Also involved in this black gold rumor was Redknapp.

When he was coaching West Ham United, he sold Rio Ferdinand to Leeds United and received £30.

His close agent Hauge took £1800 million from the £180 million transfer fee.

The black gold rumors caused quite a stir in the UK.

When everything is going well for the team, everyone gets what they want and lives in peace.

But once a problem arises, they start to fight against each other.

In November, Milan Mandaric invited Croatian Velimir Zajec to serve as Portsmouth's sporting director.

In the past two or three years, due to more and more insider information about black money, Premier League teams have become increasingly wary of their head coaches.

The power of the head coach is gradually being divided, and the sports director, technical director or football director plays such a role.

Judging from the overall trend, this is a sign that the Premier League is gradually moving closer to continental Europe in terms of club management.

This is a good thing.

But at this sensitive time for Portsmouth, Zajec clearly wants to reduce Redknapp's power.

The England coach is also a tough and ruthless character, and the two sides are in a fierce dispute.

He just won the Premier League Player of the Month award in October, beating Tottenham and Manchester United in a very beautiful win.

可扎耶奇刚来，从11月开始，0比3输给阿斯顿维拉，1比2输给南安普敦、1比3输给曼城……

Three consecutive defeats ruined Portsmouth's good situation.

After losing to Manchester City, Redknapp resigned on the spot and announced his departure.

This is tantamount to a trick for Portsmouth and Mandaric.

Who can take over Portsmouth at this sensitive time point?
Not only that, in retaliation, Redknapp began to contact Southampton in the relegation zone.

This is Portsmouth’s mortal enemy!
Caught off guard, Portsmouth temporarily arranged Zajec to serve as the team's interim head coach.

Although Zayec started out as a professional player, there is nothing commendable about his coaching career.

His last coaching job was at Panathinaikos in Greece, but he was fired after just 34 games.

Moreover, that was already the 96/97 season.

However, although he was rushed into the game, he defeated Bolton 1-0 away from home in the first game, which was a good start.

But the league is not a cup competition!
……

On the evening of March 11th, Loftus Road Stadium in London.

In the League Cup quarter-finals, Bayswater Chinese will face Portsmouth at home.

The first half is about to end and the score is still 0-0.

Yang Cheng stood in front of the home team's coaching booth with a frown on his face.

"We are still not strong enough." Brian Kidd sighed and said.

This was not the result Yang Cheng expected.

Portsmouth has just changed its coach. Zajec is not familiar with the Premier League, the players, and has not had any front-line coaching experience for many years.

There was panic within the team.

Such an opponent is simply a gift to Yang Cheng.

He even gave up the league just to make a breakthrough in the cup competition.

But now?

Aaron Lennon was rested, and Yang Cheng arranged the combination of Ribery and Ashley Young for this game.

Both of them can play on the left and right wing.

After Zayec took office, he adopted the 4411 tactics, but Faye, a midfielder with stronger defensive ability, could not play.

Yang Cheng hopes to use them to attack Portsmouth's flanks.

Ashley Young is very fast, but his breakthrough ability is not strong.

Yang Cheng's original intention was to let the full-backs actively participate in the attack.

Therefore, before the game, he had been encouraging Capaldi and Kevin Fury to press forward and create threats from behind.

But in the game, both full-backs didn't dare to go up.

Capaldi's ability is limited, and Kevin Fury has always been too cautious.

Another left-back, Danny Collins, focuses on defense.

In this situation, both flanks of Bayswater Chinese were silent.

When Ribery was restrained and Modric was blocked, the attack in the midfield and frontcourt lost its threat.

"Right now, the most stable player in our team is Las Diarra."

Even Brian Kidd couldn't help but laugh.

This guy is crazy about making money.

After each game, we have to find Yang Cheng to settle the bill.

This is no secret in the Bayswater Chinese dressing room. Every time you steal the ball, you will be rewarded with 100 pounds, and every time you lose the ball, you will be fined 200 pounds.

Brian Kidd really didn't expect that Yang Cheng would use money to lure this guy.

But let it be said that Las Diarra's progress this season is obvious to all.

Just like in this game, he was truly everywhere.

It is precisely because of the presence of Las Diarra and his amazing running coverage that Yang Cheng dared to boldly press forward on both flanks.

"How about, let's replace Lennon during the half-time break?" Brian Kidd suggested.

In terms of impact on the wing, Lennon is still stronger than Ashley Young.

But the latter is also very fast and has better technique and passing.

Yang Cheng turned his head, glanced at the bench, and began to think.

Soon, he shook his head.

"I'll talk to Lukash."

Piszczek?

"Isn't it a bit risky?" Brian Kidd was a little worried.

Although he is willing to trust young players, what can really change in a game like this by letting Piszczek, whose performance has been unsatisfactory this season, play?
Brian Kidd felt that Piszczek should play as a winger.

"His speed and explosiveness will be a great weapon on the court."

Yang Cheng's words made Brian Kidd very confused.

speed?

Ashley Young is also very fast.

Why replace Ashley Young with Piszczek?

Yang Cheng didn't explain any further.

Many times, the head coach does not need to explain.

What is needed is obedience and execution from those around you.

Moreover, he believes in one thing very much, that is the psychological quality of the players.

Anyone who can play in a top team is a player with strong psychological qualities.

If they cannot do this, they will never be able to stand out from the competition among so many players.

So, there is no problem in replacing him with Piszczek.

The key is how to make the players listen to him.

Thinking of this, Yang Cheng couldn't help but smile bitterly.

He took great pains to get Piszczek to change his position.

……

The first half ended 0-0.

The Chinese from Bayswater created a lot of opportunities and suppressed Portsmouth on the field.

Although Pompey is a Premier League team, the only threatening attack in the entire first half came from their free kick in the frontcourt.

Czech left winger Borg committed a foul on the left and after the free kick was awarded, center back De Zeeuw competed with Koscielny for the header, but the ball went wide.

Apart from that, Portsmouth had few chances.

But the Chinese attack in Bayswater was also contained.

When summarizing the first half, the live commentator felt helpless about the stalemate of the game.

“I hope the second half of the game will be more exciting.”

But for the Chinese fans in Bayswater, a 0-0 draw with a Premier League team and the advantage in the game are already very good.

So, they welcomed the players leaving the field with warm applause.

Yang Cheng welcomed the players down one by one and sent them into the player tunnel.

Then he turned and looked towards the sidelines.

"Lukash."

Yang Cheng shouted loudly.

At this time, Portsmouth's coaches and players had returned to the locker room.

Piszczek was about to warm up with his teammates, but when he heard the head coach's call, he immediately ran over.

He has been learning English for a few months since arriving in the UK and has no problem communicating in daily life.

But since it was a private communication, Yang Cheng still used German.

"You see the situation we are in now, right?"

Piszczek nodded heavily. "It's not a good situation, Boss."

"We couldn't open up the flanks."

After hearing this, the 19-year-old Piszczek's eyes were filled with burning desire.

"What can I do to help you?" Piszczek's voice trembled slightly.

He knew that this was a critical moment.

Also sitting on the bench was Aaron Lennon.

The head coach called him over, and the hint was obvious enough.

This excites Piszczek.

Yang Cheng did not answer directly, but stared at Piszczek with a very serious look.

"I need your help, Lukash."

Piszczek nodded excitedly, "I'm ready, I will try my best."

"But I need you to make some changes."

"You say." Piszczek answered without hesitation.

Over the past few months, he has gradually gotten some playing time, either as left wing or right wing, but his performances have not been ideal.

Yang Cheng always comforted him that this was because he had not yet integrated into the team.

This is how Piszczek comforted himself.

Therefore, every time he appears, he is full of expectations.

"I need you to promise me that after you go on stage, you will obey my arrangements unconditionally and perform the tasks I give you without any discount. Can you do it?"

Yang Cheng stared into Piszczek's eyes and immediately added another sentence.

"This is related to our victory or defeat in this game, our impact on the League Cup, and even our Championship title and promotion to the Premier League!"

The pressure from Yang Cheng was like a mountain, making Piszczek's breathing become rapid.

Is this game so important?

But the Pole quickly gritted his teeth and looked directly at the head coach with gratitude, "Thank you for your trust in me. I promise you that I will never let you down!"

Only then did Yang Cheng nod with satisfaction.

"After you warm up, go back to the locker room and replace Kevin Fury in the second half."

Piszczek was stunned.

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(End of this chapter)