Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 265 Lessons Learned

Chapter 265 Lessons Learned
"Brother, you're famous now!"

Wei Lai, He Chaoyue, and Xiang Ming are having a video call. The latter exclaimed with an exaggerated expression:

"L'Équipe, Telegraph, and Sky Sports have all reported on you; you're incredibly popular!"

Wei Lai shook his head; "It's all hype, just propaganda!"

Xiang Ming: "Then you have to have some value for publicity. If you just push me out there, nobody will care!"

"It's even crazier in China; they pushed you straight to the top of the trending topics list!" Xiang Ming exclaimed.

Wei Lai has truly made a name for himself; his performance has been outstanding in both the league and European competitions.

This also put a lot of pressure on them to study abroad.

They had tried their best to catch up, but they still couldn't quite catch up.

"How's Ziza doing on your end?"

He Chaoyue chewed her food and looked at Xiang Ming, asking a question.

"I just joined the first team and I'm still adapting. My current goal is not to be relegated to the reserve team, so I'll train like crazy."

Wei Lai: "Tactical positioning is very important. Don't just practice your skills; understand your role in the team. This will make your efforts twice as effective!"

He also summarized some experiences.

While excellent technical skills are certainly a plus, tactical characteristics are more important than technical strengths in a head coach's tactical vision.

“Liege plays attacking football as a whole, and their attacks are very intense. I need to play the role of a dribbler on the left wing, and my job is to break through and cross the ball!” Xiang Ming said.

He Chaoyue nodded; "It suits your characteristics quite well, but it depends on whether you can seize the opportunity. How long will your main players be out injured?"

"It will take some time, it's still unclear, and I haven't started training again yet," Xiang Ming said, pursing his lips. "But it's too difficult to take over a starting position. I'll focus on being a substitute first, and then try to rotate into the starting lineup to get more playing time in the Belgian cup competition. That's my current plan!"

Wei Lai nodded; "Very good. Your key player has recovered from injury and is returning, but he still needs to find his form. You still have time, so don't rush it."

He Chaoyue swallowed her food and licked the grease from the corner of her mouth: "Agreed!"

"Old He, how's it going over there?" Xiang Ming asked.

He Chaoyue lowered his head, ate a mouthful of rice, and muttered, "I'll definitely transfer to challenge the Segunda División next season. The Segunda División is no longer of much training value for me. There are several Segunda División teams that are currently interested in me."

Wei Lai swallowed hard; "It's great!"

Xiang Ming: "Damn! Lao He, what are you eating? You look like you're enjoying it!"

He Chaoyue looked up; "Would you like to see the food my mom made?"

After saying that, he turned the camera upside down.

The dish included sizzling braised pork belly, rich and sweet cola chicken wings, a tomato and egg stir-fry with lots of eggs, and a stir-fried vegetable dish.

Even through the screen, the aroma is irresistible.

Wei Lai and Xiang Ming both swore at the same time.

"Brother, you can eat something good, but you're eating way too well!" Xiang Ming's mouth watered, and he kept swallowing.

"I'll come visit you during the winter break!"

Wei Lai: "I'm going too!"

He Chaoyue: "You two are just craving my mom's cooking, aren't you!"

"No!" they both said in unison.

Xiang Ming: "Auntie, are you going back home for the Chinese New Year in winter?"

He Chaoyue rolled her eyes; "Come on! All you can eat!"

Wei Lai glanced at the time and said, "You guys chat, I need to go out for a bit?"

"Where to?" Xiang Ming asked.

"Participating in youth training activities!" Wei Lai said casually, waving his hand and saying, "Talk to you later!"

After hanging up the phone, Wei Lai got up and started getting dressed. Wearing casual clothes, he rode his electric bike towards the training base.

This event, compared to other events, should be considered a major trial run.

Atlético Amsterdam selected 20 young players aged 10-15 from China and brought them over for trials.

Those who succeed in the trial will stay in the Amsterdam Athletic's youth academy.

Wei Lai's commercial value has gradually become apparent. Atlético Amsterdam has made a fortune this season, which makes them increasingly interested in the Chinese market.

But given Wei Lai's current trajectory, leaving is inevitable.

Therefore, Atlético Amsterdam must develop a sustainable development plan before Wei Lai leaves, which basically means finding more Chinese players and putting them in the first team.

This is the first batch of young players selected so far, all of whom come from different youth training programs, school football programs, and even those discovered from the wild.

In the future, such large-scale trials will be conducted every year.

They are aware that the success rate of Chinese football players is not high, so they mainly focus on children around 10 years old.

Currently, all 15 people in this group are between 10 and 12 years old.

The remaining five people are a bit older, but none of them are over 15 years old!
When Wei Lai arrived at the youth training base, it was already packed with people.

Media reporters, players' families, online streamers, and some fans were all present.

Wei Lai's appearance immediately sparked enthusiastic applause.

*Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!*
Amidst thunderous applause, fans and players' parents were shouting loudly.

"Wei Lai! You're the best!"

"His performance in the game was outstanding!"

"Keep up the good work! Bring back a great honor for your hometown folks!"

"Go for it, Wei Lai!"

Facing his enthusiastic compatriots, Wei Lai clasped his hands together in gratitude.

"Wei Lai!"

When someone called his name, Wei Lai turned around and saw two people who were milestone figures in Chinese football.

Sun Chengtao and Fan Zhenghao.

"Coach Sun, Coach Fan!"

Wei Lai quickly ran over.

"Good job, lad!" Fan Zhenghao patted Wei Lai on the shoulder and exclaimed, "You've got a really impressive performance!"

"It's alright!" Wei Lai smiled. "Are you two also participating in this event?"

Fan Zhenghao: "Let me take a look!"

Sun Chengtao: "Someone of my people has been selected, so I came over to take a look and learn something from them."

At this moment, an Amsterdam staff member came over and called Wei Lai.

"I should go speak now!" Wei Lai scratched his head; "I'm not very good at these things."

Sun Chengtao and Fan Zhenghao burst into laughter.

"Don't feel pressured. Your presence here is already an inspiration to the young players!"

Fan Zhenghao pointed to his eyes; "They can see role models!"

A role model!
Wei Lai grinned; "I'll keep working hard!"

"Go!"

Sun Chengtao nodded with a smile.

The two watched Wei Lai leave, and the latter couldn't help but exclaim, "Little Wei, you played really well!"

"It's obvious to everyone that his skill level is improving too fast. At this stage, the current batch of domestic players simply can't keep up with Xiao Wei's playing pace!"

"So, you still need to study abroad. After returning, your overall abilities have improved a lot, and your awareness has become sharper."

"But how many people like Wei Lai are there?"

"Those who studied abroad are also quite good."

"Let's kick him out first!"

Wei Lai stood in front of a group of young players, led by staff members.

Twenty people, arranged from left to right by height.

With eyes fixed on him, Wei Lai could see the longing and enthusiasm in their eyes.

Several days ago, the club informed me that they would be giving a speech to motivate the young players.

The club's idea was to just say a few words, consider it a shot of adrenaline, and for that, the club even prepared a speech for him.

To be honest, that article was just a motivational speech, completely devoid of any substance.

If it's a regular event, he'll just do his job.

But looking at these children, with their expectant and longing eyes, Wei Lai simply couldn't bring himself to say it.

Ha~~~
Let's help if we can!

Wei looked at everyone and shook the manuscript in his hand.

"I don't plan to follow what's written here, because it's not very practical! This isn't really a speech, just some advice I've heard from others!"

This is something the Rogues' coach said.

Don't rush to love football!

Everyone was stunned; this contradicted the passionate slogans they had heard.

“Love is too grand, and too easily becomes a burden. I hope you first become ‘familiar’ with it, so familiar that even in your dreams you can accurately tell which patches of grass on the ground are bare, which patches are too watered and slippery, so familiar that with your eyes closed, you can tell whether you’ve kicked a dipping shot or a curved shot just by the sound and touch of the ball hitting your shoes!” Wei Lai picked up the ball from the ground and stroked the leather.

"You need to know it like the lines on your palms, like the curve of the smile of the girl you secretly admire!"

Several older boys burst into laughter, even winking at the boy on the far side, whose face was flushed with embarrassment.

Wei Lai observed all of this and smiled, "Get to know this ball's temperament. When it obeys, when it rebels. Once you truly understand it, whether you love it or not, it will already be a part of you. That's what you can't truly get rid of!"

"Second point!"

Wei Lai held up two fingers.

Learn to befriend loneliness!

"In the future, no matter what level you reach, the applause and cheers will be for the team, for victory. But mistakes are your own responsibility."

The atmosphere suddenly became serious.

These young people may not fully understand these principles, but they have all experienced them.

"The most painful moments—the missed one-on-one chances, the unmarked players, the missed penalties—you have to swallow them all alone. The media, the fans, even some teammates will leave you at that moment."

Wei Lai's gaze swept over those young faces, with an almost cruel honesty.

"So, from now on, you need to build yourself a locker room in your mind. A locker room that belongs only to you, and is absolutely soundproof. If you win, sit quietly in it for five minutes and think about which pass could have been better. If you lose, allow yourself to cry in it for ten minutes, then push open the door and leave your tears inside. Never expect others to bear your pressure; that's the only difference between a star player and a superstar."

The head of Amsterdam Sport's youth academy turned his head and said, "Call our little guys over here too!"

He looked at Wei Lai, his gaze unfocused.

“Well said!”

This is based on real, hard-earned experience!
Wei Lai's voice brought the entire stadium to a silence.

"What impressed me most was not a particular game, but a regular team practice. I was so tired that my lungs felt like they were on fire, and I felt like I was pushing myself to my limits with every step. I made a mistake with a very simple pass, and I immediately bent over, put my hands on my knees, and felt like I was a piece of trash, unworthy of this jersey."

"And then?" a young player, who was listening intently, couldn't help but ask.

"And then?" Wei Lai looked away and smiled. "Then I straightened up and ran to the next receiving point. That's all. No epiphany, no miracle, just keep running. Ninety percent of a professional career is made up of these 'and then' moments. The glory lasts only a few tens of minutes; the rest is all about struggling with that version of yourself who thinks you're worthless!"

Sun Chengtao looked at Wei Lai with a very conflicted feeling.

Even though he was only 17 years old himself, his experiences resonated with them.

He was like an old sailor who, after the storm had passed, described to these young sailors who were about to set sail the seas the undercurrents and storms that were not on the nautical charts.

He didn't teach them how to pass the ball or how to shoot, but he told them how to breathe so that their calves wouldn't tremble when they walked to the penalty spot in front of 100,000 people.

He didn't teach them how to read the game, but he told them where to look when they got up after being fouled maliciously, so that they could maintain their dignity without angering their opponents.

These are the real 'insights'.

What those flashbulbs and highlight reels can never capture is the skeleton and viscera of a football—the rough and real texture behind this beautiful sport.

"Finally, I want to say that no matter what you do, courage will help you take that crucial step. Be brave, persistent, and smart. Don't lie down after you fall; get up and keep chasing. Perhaps the door to victory is just ahead?"

Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa!
Amidst enthusiastic applause, Wei Lai concluded his speech.

"Well said!"

The staff member gave Wei Lai a thumbs up.

Wei Lai grinned; "Hopefully, there won't be another event like this next time!"

Gone!

It's really been emptied out completely.

Even if you ask him to explain further, he can't give a coherent answer.

"Sorry! Sorry! I'm late!"

A hurried voice came from behind, and everyone turned to look.

Wei saw a tall, slender guy running towards him.

He was wearing a black tracksuit, had a buzz cut, and a youthful face, but was tall and slender, roughly estimated to be 190 centimeters tall.

When Wei Lai saw this guy, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.

Truman!

The starting goalkeeper of the future golden generation will have a wingspan comparable to that of a basketball player, and with a future height of nearly two meters, he will be like a wall protecting the Chinese team in front of the goal line.

Sun Chengtao is teaching this guy a lesson.

Truman kept saying "I'm sorry."

"I went to the restroom and then got lost. This training base is huge!"

Wei Lai couldn't help but smile.

He really has no sense of direction!

However, Truman was supposed to join the Chinese Super League first before starting his overseas career, but unexpectedly he came directly to Atlético Amsterdam for a trial.

Wei Lai shook his head, preparing to leave; he still needed to prepare for the Europa League match.

He had barely taken a step when Truman suddenly appeared in front of him.

Despite his slender, lean frame, Wei Lai isn't short, but he still needs to tilt his head slightly.

"Senior Brother Wei Lai!" Chu Men looked at Wei Lai shyly and pointed to his jersey; "Can I get your autograph?"

"Huh? Oh! Okay!"

Wei Lai took the marker and simply signed his name.

He capped the pen and handed it over, but Truman grabbed his hand.

"Senior! You're amazing! I've watched every single one of your games. Your precise long passes and the effortless, masterful ball handling are simply incredible. I started out as a midfielder, wanting to become a player like you, but I just keep growing taller and taller, my development just won't stop, and..."

Truman held Wei Lai's hand tightly, unable to pull it away, leaving the latter only able to smile wryly.

Just then, Wei Lai noticed that Truman's eyes were drifting to the left.
"careful!"

As Wei Lai turned his head, a ball appeared to be expanding in front of him, and his pupils contracted slightly.

He stood frozen.

The next second, with a loud thud, Truman punched the ball away, turned his head and roared:

"Be careful, don't spread it if you don't know how!"

After shouting, he looked at Wei Lai and continued to express his admiration.

Wei Lai stared blankly at Chu Men.

Well-deserved reputation!
Exceptional dynamic vision and reaction speed!
"Senior brother, I'll come find you after I finish the trial. Wait for me!" Chu Men waved vigorously at Wei Lai, as if he had the trial completely under control.

Wei Lai couldn't help but shake his head; "He's just naturally outgoing!"

To be honest, Truman's enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming for him.

Just as Wei Lai stepped out of the youth training base, Chu Men's furious roar suddenly rang out.

"You son of a bitch! I'll make sure your eyes are lit up for me. Luckily, your dad is awesome. If I had lost them, I would have shoved the ball into your mouth!"

"Look at this! Run! What the hell are you all standing there for?"

Wei Lai grinned, a master of language, a master of birdsong and fragrant flowers!

During Truman's matches, the cameras didn't dare to give him close-ups. He was either cursing or on his way to cursing someone.

This is a tough nut to crack!

He got into a fight with Yang Fan on the very day he joined the national team.

At that time, Miyako organized a drinking party to ease tensions.

The two got so drunk that the next day they were inseparable, like they'd grown up wearing the same pair of pants.

And these two will become the black and white duo behind He Chaoyue in the future!
Afternoon training session.

Mr. Morton has laid out the tactics for the Europa League match, and they will be traveling to England tomorrow for the fifth round of the Europa League.

This match will be crucial in determining the group winner in the Europa League.

Brighton were naturally prepared; playing at home, they were not going to hand over the victory so easily.

With the absence of Konrad Lehmann, a key player for Atlético Amsterdam, their goal has become to at least secure a draw and strive for a win.

Of course, the core system of Atlético Amsterdam requires that they cannot adopt defensive tactics.

After all, this doesn't align with their football philosophy.

After training ended, Wei Lai received a friend request on his phone.

Nickname: Dazhuang!
The profile picture is of a muscular man!

'Friend request accepted!'

Truman: [(Crying) Senior, Coach Sun told me not to bother you. I'll come find you when you have time!]

Wei Lai: [How did the trial go?]

Truman: [Passed! Absolutely! (Happy)]

Wei Lai: [Well done! Keep it up!]