I build a giant in the Premier League

Chapter 9 Business Wizard
"This is the political heart of English football!"

When Yang Cheng stood in front of the six-story office building in SOHO Square in central London, his heart was filled with sighs.

He had heard too many stories about this office building.

The most talked about among fans is probably the love triangle that will take place in the first half of 04 between FA CEO Palios, England national team coach Eriksson, and FA secretary Faria Alam.

This zipper gate incident that shocked the world got rid of Palios and almost cost Eriksson his job.

At the same time, it has brought discredit to the English Football Association.

In his previous life, Yang Cheng once heard the employees of the English Football Association talk about a term.

Flirters Anonymous.

The abbreviation of the English Football Association is also FA.

Because of this, he remembered another name, Adam Crozier.

In private, Yang Cheng heard many people mention this young Scotsman, and different people had different opinions about him.

But almost everyone thinks that he is a business genius!
In 1990, the 26-year-old Crozier officially became the managing director of the British advertising giant Saatchi & Saatchi Group, and at the age of 30 he became one of the two co-CEOs.

At the age of 36, Adam Crozier chose to leave Shengshi and joined the English Football Association as CEO.

He is the youngest CEO in the history of the FA!

As soon as he took office, Adam Crozier did something that shocked the whole of Britain.

He announced that the FA's headquarters would be moved from remote Lancaster to central London, where land is extremely expensive.

In the past, the English Football Association has always given people the impression of a decadent image controlled by a group of bald old men.

In order to change this stereotype, Adam Crozier not only relocated the headquarters, but also spent two years reducing the average age of FA employees from 2 to 51 years old.

Among the 250 employees, the proportion of female employees has increased from less than 10% to 60% now.

In addition, Adam Crozier began a very radical reform of the English Football Association.

This includes hiring the famous coach Eriksson at a high price; reforming the English Football Association's executive committee, reducing the number of members to 12; establishing a training and qualification system for English coaches; and introducing the club financial evaluation mechanism promoted by the German Football Association...

In just two years, Adam Crozier completely overturned the old English Football Association.

Under Crozier's management, the FA's revenue soared from 2000 million pounds to 1.2 million pounds, like riding a rocket.

But soon, he hit a wall.

With the support of FA Chairman Geoff Thompson, Adam Crozier ambitiously wanted to bring both the organizational and financial management of the Premier League back to the FA.

As a test of the water, the FA plans to sign a £500 million contract with sponsors for the England international's image rights.

Once successful, the money will be divided entirely among the national team players, and the FA will only charge necessary operating expenses.

Of course the Premier League and club bosses won't agree to this.

If the English Football Association sets this precedent, will the players' image rights still be the private property of the club in the future?
So, in retaliation, led by former Chelsea chairman Bates, with the tacit approval of top clubs such as Manchester United and Arsenal, the Premier League proposed to set up a Professional Competition Management Committee in the FA to deprive the FA of its management rights over the Premier League and cup competitions.

The two sides were in a fierce quarrel.

Finally, at the end of 02, Chairman Geoff Thompson defected and Adam Crozier, who was stabbed in the back, stepped down.

In July 03, Palios succeeded Crozier as the Chief Executive Officer of the English Football Association.

Since then, Crozier's two-year, grand reform of English football ended in failure.

But whether it is the relocation of the FA's headquarters, the reform of internal office management, the increase in revenue, or even the coach training system, all have brought earth-shaking changes to English football.

Yang Cheng had never seen Adam Crozier in his previous life.

Because after leaving the FA, he never returned to football.

But he has long admired this "hero" who is criticized in public but praised by countless people in private.

Many people even joked that if Crozier had not made the reforms and vigorously recruited female employees, there would not have been the subsequent love triangle, and there would not have been the nickname "Anonymous Flirt."

After leaving the FA, Adam Crozier went straight to the Royal Mail and turned the old business around.

In his previous life, Yang Cheng served as CEO of independent television, BT TV and other companies, and achieved amazing results, which confirmed the outside world's evaluation of him.

Business wizard!

……

When Yang Cheng walked into the English Football Association's office building, Dinamo Zagreb's CEO Damir Vbanovic was already waiting.

With him, in addition to the young player Luka Modric who flew in from Croatia, there is another famous world-class legendary superstar.

Boban.

When Yang Cheng came in, he saw Modric standing beside his idol with a serious expression.

Instead, the Croatian midfielder was chatting and laughing with FA Chairman Geoff Thompson, CEO Palios, and England national team coach Eriksson.

This is the influence of a legendary star!
"Sorry, something delayed me."

As soon as Yang Cheng entered the door, he smiled and confessed his crime.

Whether it was Boban, Thompson or Palios, they were all a little surprised at Yang Cheng's youth.

Under Vbanovich's introduction, they all maintained their composure and did not show contempt.

But soon, Eriksson's words surprised everyone present.

"I came here specially this time. In addition to my old friend Zvonimir, I also wanted to see who dared to come to our national team to poach our players."

The Swede said this in a smiling, relaxed, and even amusing tone. "What's going on?" Geoff Thompson asked hurriedly.

The England national team is his main concern.

"Brian Kidd told me that a third-tier league team recently contacted him and offered him an annual salary of 30 pounds, trying to persuade him to coach." Eriksen looked at Yang Cheng and laughed.

"30 pounds?" Palios was surprised.

His annual salary is only £45.

Yang Cheng, a third-tier club, offered Brian Kidd an annual salary of 30 pounds?

This is much higher than the salary in the national team.

Modric was just a young boy, listening to the incident, feeling shocked, happy, and worried at the same time.

He was delighted because he had heard of the name of Brian Kidd, England's most famous assistant coach, Ferguson's assistant for many years, and the founder of Manchester United's Class of 92.

If he had not fallen out with Ferguson back then, he would have been crowned with the halo of being the hero of Manchester United's treble.

This is enough to prove that the promise Yang Cheng made to him before is turning into reality.

The worry was for Yang Cheng.

After all, poaching players from the national team is no joke if it angers the chairman and CEO of the English Football Association.

Not to mention Modric, even Boban and Vbanovic couldn't help but look at Yang Cheng.

Although Eriksson was joking, did he really have no grudges in his heart?

Yang Cheng was neither surprised nor nervous. Instead, he glanced at everyone leisurely, feeling particularly satisfied with the concern that Modric showed him.

This proves that Modric has begun to identify with the Chinese in Bayswater.

"Ha, Sven, you're exaggerating."

Yang Cheng did not face any pressure from the world's top coaches and seemed particularly calm.

"Brian is one of the best coaches in Europe. Under the training of the English Football Association and Manchester United, he went to Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and other European countries and giants to learn and gain experience. Whether it is training players or understanding British football, he is the best."

Brian Kidd is a direct descendant of Manchester United, from player to coach.

But now, Yang Cheng mentioned the English Football Association, which also benefited Thompson and Palios a lot.

"To be honest, I would never have dared to think about it, but now that he has left Elland Road, I would like to invite him to Bayswater Chinese to give us some pointers on our work and act as a consultant to help us improve our training and technical and tactical levels."

In December 98, on the eve of Manchester United's treble, which was also the team's most difficult time, Brian Kidd left Ferguson.

In addition to the fact that Blackburn, another Premier League team, invited him to coach alone, his conflict with Ferguson also intensified.

But after one year as coach at Blackburn Rovers, Brian Kidd was sacked in November 99.

This also made him clearly realize that he was not suitable to be a head coach at all.

So, in January 2000, he accepted the invitation of Leeds United head coach O'Leary to serve as assistant coach.

With O'Leary and Brian Kidd working together, Leeds United reached the peak of the club's history and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

But at the end of last year, O'Leary was sacked by Leeds United, which was in deep financial crisis.

In January this year, Eriksson's assistant McLaren went solo to coach Middlesbrough. Brian Kidd joined the England national team at the recommendation of Beckham and other members of Class 1.

Throughout the first half of the year, he was busy with both the national team and Leeds United.

This is also very common in European football.

After all, in the absence of major competitions, the national team has very few game tasks.

Therefore, coaches’ salaries are very low and many of them are part-time.

Of course, there is one exception.

"Sven, you don't have to worry. Even if Brian comes to work in our team, he will still focus on the national team. We will definitely do our best to cooperate with your work."

Eriksson couldn't find any fault with Yang Cheng's statement.

Afterwards, Yang Cheng praised Geoff Thompson and Palios in a neither too light nor too heavy manner, which made the two FA bosses quite pleased.

This made Yang Cheng believe that even if Brian Kidd really accepted the invitation from the Chinese in Bayswater, there would be no conflicts.

As for Eriksson...

Well, does anyone really believe that this guy is coaching England not for the sky-high annual salary?
As the conversation gradually deepened, Boban and others gained some new understanding of Yang Cheng.

Don't be fooled by his young age, whether talking about professionalism on the football field or gossip outside the football field, Yang Cheng can handle it with ease, and he always makes witty remarks and cites extensively, which makes people feel like spring breeze.

Vbanovich, who felt Yang Cheng's ability for the second time, had the deepest understanding of this.

Whether it was Thompson and Palios, or Boban and Vbanovic, they all found that Yang Cheng didn't seem to care about the upcoming hearing at all.

This is the first time the UK Home Office has held a hearing for a football player.

In other words, if he passes the hearing and obtains a work permit, Luka Modric will become the first professional player in history to land in the Premier League through the [Special Talent Clause].

Whenever this is thought of, not to mention Boban and Vbanovic, even the English Football Association is quite cautious.

On the contrary, Yang Cheng always looked confident.

This also made people around him look up to him even more.

　Wow, I have lost a lot of votes in the past few days, I am begging for more!! Thank you so much!!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)