World Cup of Great Powers

Chapter 58 Football is for you young people

Zeng Zheng took a sip of water and cleared his throat.

"Players, let me tell you the truth. This Toulon Cup final is very likely to be the last chance for the 20 or so of you to play football together."

Everyone at the scene heard that those players who hadn't even made it to the roster, but still came to Toulon at Zeng Zheng's own pocket, couldn't hold back their tears anymore, and the tears flowed down like a dam burst.

"After you return to your country, what you will face is going back to your country of origin and joining the local provincial teams. Oh no, it's now called a local club."

"But it's not without good news, and some players may have known it earlier."

"Coach Zeng's hard work for so many years was not in vain, and he finally won half of the places."

"This half of the people will compete with me in A-B in the coming year. If we are lucky, we will succeed in A-A."

"If you are unlucky, the club will disband, I will go to other places to seek a living, and you will sell it on the transfer market."

Zhuxie stipulates that Jianlibao players are not allowed to play in the second division.

If he hadn't led Jianlibao to A success in a year, Zeng Zheng probably wouldn't have the mind, energy and courage to continue leading the team.

So for Zeng Zheng himself, the only hope is to hit A.

"Maybe some people are lucky enough to find a good boss and even go abroad."

"But so what?"

"Our country is different from other European and American countries."

"They play football, it can be said that they are happy, enjoy life, and are interested in Barabara. You have seen this on the streets of Brazil. They can play a cabbage gang with relish."

"But we are different."

"Our nationality is different, and the blood flowing in our body is also different from theirs."

"We are too late in professionalization, football knowledge and football education can't keep up with the world's advanced level."

"If we want to compete with others in the field of football, we must first abandon ideas such as hobbies, personal likes and dislikes, and what we are good at."

"So when other people's children play football, they are enjoying life; when you played football, which one didn't you want to enter the national team and put on that dress to win glory for the country?"

Speaking of this, Zeng Zheng put away his legs and stood up.

"But as long as I put on these clothes, the environment and occasions that Coach Zhu described before will become more numerous."

"Can't you handle this little thing?"

"Could it be that you are nervous and weak every time the leaders come?"

"How about playing football? Go home and farm!"

"Zhang Xiaorui, I know you are not convinced. Relying on your three-legged skills, you feel that the seniors in the national team are not as good as you."

"But let me tell you, in terms of psychological quality, those seniors are much better than you!"

"If you really come to the international A-level arena, you don't even have to be a substitute!"

"If you continue to have this temper, you will never even think about joining the national team!"

After taking a deep breath, Zeng Zheng's voice gradually softened.

"The general environment is not good, so we must first change ourselves; after we become stronger, we can find a group of like-minded comrades to change the general environment!"

"Don't be unconvinced, who let you be born in this stall?"

"That's what the torrent of the age is."

"Think about it, did the martyrs who fought the enemy bravely and died on the battlefield during the Anti-Japanese War complain about their fate?"

"Didn't they trade their lives for our peaceful era?"

"Now that there is peace, competitive sports is war."

"What your generation needs to do is to keep narrowing the gap with the world's top teams in terms of performance in the field of football, and always maintain the leading position in Asia, so as to set a correct example for future generations."

"I Zeng Zheng never asked you to win a certain championship, but the championship is definitely the best way to improve your ranking and show your strength."

As he spoke, Zeng Zheng opened the laptop he carried with him, and clicked on the photos one by one.

"Look, this is the newly opened Huayuankou Youth Training Camp by Boss Zeng."

"These are students in their teens, about the same age as you when you entered Jianlibao."

"This is a photo of all the team members and coaches of the first winter camp."

"This is a photo of all the team members and coaches of the upcoming summer camp."

"Look at this kid."

"He's the youngest kid in the academy."

"His name is Wu Lei. He is only 7 years old this year and has not yet entered elementary school."

"After all, this youth training school has just opened, and it has not yet recruited students of this age group."

"Before we set off, his father brought him and Santiao Zhonghua from Jiangsu to find me, and he begged me to accept him."

"Don't look like he has a snotty nose, this kid's ambition is no less than yours."

"The first thing you say when you see me is to join the national team I lead and help the Chinese team win the World Cup."

"Don't laugh too, think about what you said when you joined the team in 93?"

"Zhang Xiaorui, I remember that your dormitory is full of pictures of Maradona, right? Don't you want to be Maradona too?"

"And you, Li Tie, don't you also want to be Rijkaard? Sui Dongliang, don't you want to be Mateus?"

"If your generation will become Jike, Blanco, Bebeto, Romario, Rai, who will become Cafu, Carlos, Ronaldo?"

Looking at the Jianlibao players in front of him who were lost in thought and memories, Zeng Zheng looked at the time.

"The second half is about to start."

"I will still be the same as the first half, watching you play."

"Except for substitutions and adjustments and some simple on-site command, I will no longer serve you as a nanny like before."

"When to shoot and when to pass, you decide for yourself."

"The oldest of you is 21, and the youngest is 19."

"I'm an adult, it's time to learn to be on my own."

"Don't forget that there are also live broadcasts in China."

"The last 40 minutes is a dragon or a worm, you can figure it out."

After finishing speaking, Zeng Zheng waved his hand.

Just as the dazed players stood up and slowed down, the bell rang for the start of the second half.

The starting 11 looked at each other and walked onto the court without saying a word.

"Li Jian, come here, let's shout together!"

After playing, Li Tie yelled loudly.

Li Jian ran over and put his gloved hand at the bottom.

Next came Li Weifeng, and then Wang Wenhua.
The hands of the players piled up layer by layer until Li Tie's hand capped it.

"1, 2, 3"

"The Chinese team must win!!!"

The Jianlibao team roared loudly.

Zeng Zheng glanced at it, and everyone's status became "unwavering".

At this moment, Zhu Guanghu also came back, came to Zeng Zheng's side, looked at the roaring Jianlibao players on the field and said softly:

"Xiao Zeng, how are you? Have these boys made up their minds?"

"It's okay, winning or losing is not determined by determination."

"As long as you have determination, at least don't play like you played in the last ten minutes of the first half. It's just too shameful!"

"Coach Zhu, can you not be so serious in acting next time? Tell me so much that I get goosebumps."

"What kind of acting? How can there be acting? I'm telling the truth! Why don't you give these brats a good schedule, so that when they return to the country, the scattered players won't be eaten by others?" Zhu Guanghu folded his arms, Turn your mouth like [-].

Zhu Guanghu sang bad faces, Zeng Zheng sang bad faces.

This trick has been tried and tested for five years.

Looking at the Jianlibao players who had rekindled their fighting spirit, the four coaches stood in a row on the sidelines, full of relief and appreciation.

To paraphrase a great man said.

Football is ours and yours, but in the final analysis, it is still these young people.

(End of this chapter)