Football: Starting from the Ronaldinho template

Chapter 192 Returning Home! Perrin's New System: Qin Ming Transforms from Winger to Attacking Midfielder! Heading to Qatar!
9 month 30 day.

Qin Ming has returned to China from London and participated in the pre-competition training camp.

Since the previous few games were not important, Perrin let him stay at the club, but this time he definitely cannot miss it.

Qatar.

The last time the two teams met was in the 2011 Asian Cup.

It's been four and a half years since I last encountered it.

Historically, China has a slight advantage with a record of 6 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses.

However, if we only look at the World Cup qualifiers...

China has a record of 1 win, 3 draws and 4 losses against Qatar, putting them at a significant disadvantage.

No one can guarantee that they can still win away from home even if Qin Ming is absent.

"Everyone's physical fitness has improved a lot!"

After completing three sets of interval training, Qin Ming was panting heavily, looking at his teammates in surprise.

"It's not like you're the only one making progress."

Zheng Zhi was also panting heavily; it's because he's too old.

"Let me tell you all, when we play Qatar away, we need at least a draw."

Zheng Zhi rested for a while before he started speaking.

The World Cup qualifiers consist of 10 rounds, with the match against Qatar being the fifth round, seemingly only halfway through.

However, to secure first place and qualify, it's crucial to establish a significant lead early on.

Otherwise, who knows if something unexpected might happen?

Moreover, for the Chinese team, the sadness brought by Qatar was not just about those statistics.

In the 1989 World Cup qualifiers, the Chinese national football team suffered a disastrous three minutes, losing 2-1 to Qatar and missing out on a World Cup spot.

In the 1997 World Cup qualifiers, the Chinese national football team lost 2-3 to Qatar at home in Jinzhou, and the saying "Jinzhou doesn't believe in tears" spread from then on.

In the 2008 World Cup qualifiers, the Chinese national football team, playing at home in Tianjin, suffered another 0-1 defeat, and their chances of advancing from the group stage took a sharp turn for the worse, ultimately resulting in their elimination.

In the group stage of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, the Chinese national football team, led by Gao Hongbo, was defeated 2-0 by Qatar, who were playing as hosts, and was eliminated from the group stage.

Every game has a significant impact.

Qin Ming still remembers the blog post titled "Dalian Jinzhou Doesn't Believe in Tears".

At that time, the national team was hailed as the strongest, but it was besieged by the wolves of West Asia and ultimately lost that crucial match.

A fan with the online name "Lao Rong" wrote a 2,000-word article about his experience watching the game with his son and posted it on Sitong Lifang's sports forum.

"We got tickets! We're going to watch the game tomorrow!"

"Let this southern child go first!"

"Child, they are afraid to come out and see you. Let's all hurry up and leave!"

"."

"Son, I shouldn't have brought you to this game!"

Qin Ming found it hard to describe his feelings after seeing it; he only felt a lump in his throat and sadness for the child.

But actually, he was also feeling sad for himself.

Now he has the ability to do something, at least to ensure that children who love football will no longer be disappointed in the national team.

"After the physical training, let's play a scrimmage to get back into the swing of things, since it's been a long time since we've played together."

Perrin walked over and said in English.

Finally, he waved his hand and said, "Qin, come with me for a moment, let's talk about tactics."

After the two of them entered the conference room.

Perrin then smiled and said, "You've been playing brilliantly for Arsenal lately. I've watched every game you've played and even had a long chat with your coach."

"I have some initial ideas on how to build a tactical system around you, although the national team is not as good as the club team."

Perrin has been laying the foundation for the national football team for much more than just this period.

He also did his best to build a suitable lineup based on the technical characteristics of each player.

The previous defeat in the Asian Cup, which resulted in a third-place finish, made him realize the shortcomings of the national football team and knew what he should do to ensure that the team could go further.

Qin Ming's organizational abilities have not yet been fully explored. Just because it doesn't work at the club level doesn't mean it won't work at the national team level.

Perrin, however, felt it was enough.

Currently, among the outstanding domestic players, besides Zhang Linpeng and Wu Lei, Zhang Xizhe is also preparing to move to the Bundesliga after the end of this season's Chinese Super League.

If Qin Ming can play as an attacking midfielder, there will be a vacancy on the left side, allowing for more diverse attacking combinations.

"Mr. Perrin, I played one game as an attacking midfielder for the club, but I've trained for more than one game in private. How about we give it a try later?"

Qin Ming still felt that talking wasn't enough; they needed to see how the game unfolded.

Moreover, he hadn't been back to China for nearly four months since the World Cup qualifiers in June, and that match was against the weak team Bhutan, so it didn't serve as a chance for him to gel with the team.

I understand your concerns, but I still believe in you, after all, you're my teacher.

Perrin was much more confident than Qin Ming.

Throughout his football career, Wenger was his initial mentor, teaching him so much.

Therefore, Qin Ming was highly praised by his teacher.

He has absolute trust.

Perrin suddenly turned his head to look out the window at the group of athletes who were training.

In fact, he knew that his task in the national team was to rebuild a solid foundation for the team that had been brought down by Camacho.

Then he will likely retire gracefully and be replaced by a renowned coach.

It will most likely be Lippi.

He didn't feel like he had been taken advantage of; if he could lead the national football team to the World Cup, his reputation would also be established.

His ultimate goal is to coach a team in one of the top five European leagues, just like his teacher.

soon.

The team's intra-squad training match started in full swing.

"Brother Cai!"

Qin Ming did not experience much discomfort after switching from winger to attacking midfielder.

Because their strength speaks for itself.

Upon hearing this, Cai Huikang stepped aside to block Wu Xi and delivered a straight pass.

Qin Ming felt Zheng Zhi's interference from behind, received the ball and pretended to walk inside, but actually flicked the ball to Zhang Xizhe with the outside of his foot.

The latter was unable to go abroad due to some force majeure reason.

But it didn't affect his abilities; instead, it gave him an extra year to hone his skills.

After Qin Ming solidified his reputation as a Chinese player, he has once again attracted the attention of a Bundesliga club, and it is rumored that he will transfer during the winter transfer window this season.

Celtic, a Scottish Premiership club, was also interested in him.

However, considering the style of football in the Scottish Premiership, he still chose Eintracht Frankfurt.

After receiving the ball, Zhang Xizhe dribbled past Ren Hang and was about to accelerate towards the baseline when he was thwarted by Zhang Linpeng who arrived at the scene.

"Well done! You've made great progress abroad, you've clearly improved a level!"

Zheng Zhi praised.

"Haha! Not bad, Qin Ming, I've avenged you!"

Zhang Linpeng raised an eyebrow.

In the recent Eredivisie Round 6, PSV Eindhoven defeated Utrecht 3-0 at home.

Zhang Linpeng had a chance to head the ball, but unfortunately it hit the post.

"I saw it! Ten Hag even turned the score around at the post-match press conference!" Qin Ming smiled happily.

Teng Hai won't let me into the cafeteria, so I'll chase him down and beat him up.

If Utrecht now, or Ajax in the future, dare to come to the Premier League again, they'll be beaten to a pulp.

The training matches continued.

When Qin Ming received the cross from Mei Fang's forward run, he pulled the ball back and flicked it straight at Zheng Zhi with a powerful cross.

With an even more exaggerated range than before and effortless control of his center of gravity, he completed the breakthrough in an instant.

"Do it!" Then he bumped into the wall with Hao Junmin, getting rid of Ren Hang who was trying to snatch the ball.

Whoosh! Since Zhang Linpeng went to the Dutch league, his defensive awareness has improved, and he pounced on the ball ahead of time.

But Qin Ming was faster.

*Snap!* With a gentle flick of the toe, he and the ball soared into the air.

Zhang Linpeng's tackle was thus broken.

After landing, Qin Ming made a slight adjustment, observed Yan Junling's position, and took a shot at the far post.

Bang! The tricky shot left no room for an effective save.

Pop, pop, pop!

Perrin, standing on the sidelines, clapped lightly and said to his assistant coaches, "Qin has greatly improved our attacking efficiency, especially his ability to carry the ball forward, keep the ball in complex situations, attract the attention of defenders, and pass the ball to open teammates."

"When Mr. Wenger placed him in the attacking midfield position, he wanted to use this quality to make him a core player who could combine the responsibilities of organizing, finishing, and breaking through. Now we only need to make a slight modification and we can use it directly."

"Also, set pieces are our main scoring method. Qin scored a few beautiful free kicks when he was at Arsenal."

Perrin suddenly thought it was really good that Qin Ming went to Arsenal.

The training match ended shortly afterward, and the two, who hadn't seen each other for so long, rediscovered some of their former chemistry.

The people who were resting on the ground started chatting.

"There are only two months left before the winter transfer window opens. Are you planning to go to Mainz or Augsburg?"

Qin Ming asked, taking a small sip of his energy drink.

"Personally, I prefer Augsburg. Their main tactic is counter-attacking, which suits a player like me who is good at making runs."

Wu Lei didn't hide anything either.

"If anything happens to you in Germany, just let me know!"

Qin Ming patted his chest, pretending to be a big shot.

He has maintained contact with the editor-in-chief of Bild, the chairman of the Bundesliga, the Volkswagen Group, and others to this day.

Of course, those people might be looking out for their own interests.

But it doesn't matter; people come and go, all for profit.

As long as connections are useful, that's fine.

"Sure!" Wu Lei smiled.

He has been studying German in his spare time recently and is looking forward to his upcoming Bundesliga journey.

"However, you need to be able to endure loneliness over there. The competition is much fiercer abroad than in China," Qin Ming kindly advised.

Although I didn't experience many setbacks, I became a key player early on.

But the hundreds of days of training, the countless practice sessions of shooting, passing, dribbling, and bicycle kicks, are not something an ordinary person can endure.

If I were really like Ronaldinho, smoking, drinking, and going to bars, would I be where I am today?

He didn't know either.

But he doesn't romanticize the path he didn't take; he firmly believes that the path he's on is the right one.

"Don't worry, since we've chosen to go out, we'll definitely make a name for ourselves."

Wu Lei nodded vigorously.

If he really wants a good life and better treatment, staying in the domestic league is perfectly sufficient for him.

The Chinese Super League, fueled by massive financial investment, spends far more money than the Bundesliga.

It's all about pursuing dreams, that vague and ethereal concept.

Qin Ming and his teammates spent 10 hours finally landing in Dubai from Shenzhen.

In 1966, Dubai discovered oil 120 kilometers from its coastline and obtained the rights to exploit it.

This directly transformed Dubai into an international city.

They will then settle in Dubai before heading to Doha, the capital of Qatar.

"Don't wear shorts and tank tops for the next few days."

Back at the hotel, Perrin offered a reminder.

Qatar is an Islamic country, and women should avoid wearing sleeveless, miniskirts, or transparent clothing in public.

Men should avoid wearing vests and shorts.

Also, you can't be like people in China, flirting in the street, otherwise you might be considered disrespectful to Islam and detained.

"A temperature of 40℃ can be unbearably hot; we'd better get used to it beforehand."

Qin Ming glanced at the heatwave outside the hotel.

"I wonder if the stadium has air conditioning?"

Wu Lei also asked the question.

The Khalifa International Stadium, where they played, was renovated and features a movable roof and an advanced cooling system.

"I think we negotiated before, but they were unwilling to open it."

Zheng Zhi's expression was solemn.

Qatar's choice is understandable, as the high temperature is a home advantage.

"Then let's take this week to get used to it."

Qin Ming knew that it was better to rely on himself than on others.

Thanks to Perrin's connections in West Asia, they were able to borrow a venue.

Hmm. A certain crown prince's private football field, the grass is like a carpet.

The young crown prince would often drag Qin Ming along to tour his luxurious garage and even his family's zoo.

All I can say is that the person wearing the white headscarf is indeed wealthy.

Qin Ming didn't act like a big shot; he interacted with people in a humble yet respectful manner.

However, he was still somewhat helpless.

Because the young crown prince always hinted to himself that if he got tired of playing in the top five leagues, he could come and play in their league.

The guaranteed salary and benefits far exceed those of the top five European leagues.

This reminded Qin Ming of how, after 2023, Saudi clubs seemed to be on a rocket launch, signing world-class superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Benzema, and Firmino one after another.

no way.

Make money!
Should I come?
Not coming.

Eight years later, he was only 26 years old, at the peak of his career, so how could he possibly leave one of the top five leagues?

As for money...

No matter how much he earns, it's not as much as other people's oil.

Enough to cover my own expenses.

During their break from training, they also visited the Burj Khalifa, the top of Dubai's iconic landmark.

The young crown prince is indeed very considerate.

Looking at the scenery outside, Qin Ming thought of Mission: Impossible 4.

Tom Cruise played Spider-Man here.

They didn't indulge in a life of luxury for long and returned to the hotel early.

After all, they came here to play football, not for tourism.

China Sports Daily: After arriving in Qatar, the Chinese team used a confusing strategy during training, with captain Zheng Zhi repeatedly dropping back to center-back, while Qin Ming, Wu Lei, Huang Bowen, and others played important roles in the attack.

Pengcheng Daily: This crucial group stage match will be the best opportunity to widen the gap. Can the Chinese national team win with all their might? We believe Qin Ming can bring surprises to Chinese fans just like he did in the Asian Cup.

China Football News: Since Perrin has coached the Qatar U22 national team, even though the Chinese national team is staying in their hotel in Dubai in 40°C heat, Perrin can use his resources to help his players find first-hand preparation materials for the opponent. In addition, assistant coach Ali is also good at capturing West Asian football intelligence and editing various image materials. Regardless of the outcome of the away game against Qatar in Doha, the Chinese national team can at least practice "knowing themselves and their enemy" in the preparation process.

Dongqiudi: The Premier League top scorer and assist leader, the Premier League Player of the Month for September, and Arsenal's key players are coming. Can Qatar withstand this?
The match was widely reported by domestic media before it took place.

There's also a poster that's been pinned to the top of Dongqiudi (a Chinese sports betting platform).

Chinese fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the match.

10 month 8 day.

After the National Day holiday.

Qin Ming and his teammates arrived in Doha, at the Khalifa International Stadium.

(End of this chapter)