Chapter 281 Game of Thrones
Professional players are undoubtedly a high-income group, but their training and living environment since childhood are relatively monotonous. At the same time, their cultural learning and social practice are also very different from ordinary people.
It is easy to imagine that when a 22 or 23-year-old Italian university graduate gets his first job in life with an annual salary of about 30,000 euros, it is actually very difficult to prevent Zaniolo, a player who is not even among the high-paid players in the football world, from earning 60,000 euros a week.
At the same time, this is also an important reason why the club locker room is somewhat similar to, yet very different from, a general workplace office.
In the office, ability is of course important, but emotional intelligence is indispensable. A person who is not good at socializing and cannot get along well in the organization will find it difficult to be adept at office politics and have a bright future.
In the locker room, as long as you have outstanding abilities, even if you are a fool, a childish ghost, a game king, a narcissist, or a life thinker, the head coach will write your name on the starting list without hesitation.
Zaniolo obviously has not reached this point, but he has this kind of temper.
He didn't want to spend time competing with Dybala for a starting position, just like those young people in the workplace who resign from their company as soon as they are unhappy, naively thinking that they can meet a head coach who appreciates them by changing teams.
But the fact is that Zaniolo is not the only player in Roma who has such naive ideas, and this was fully demonstrated in an embarrassing situation in the match against Atalanta.
That's impatience.
At the end of 90 minutes, the shot ratio between the two sides was 27 to 4, the shot on target ratio was 5 to 1, the ball possession was 59% to 41%, and the corner kick ratio was 9 to 1.
If you don’t look at the final score, nine out of ten fans would think it was another massacre in Rome.
However, it was Atalanta's only shot on target. In the 35th minute of the first half, Scalvini, a young player who was chosen by Gasperini to become the team's main player this season and played as a defensive midfielder in this game, shot the ball into Roma's goal with a low shot from outside the penalty area.
Afterwards, all that was left for Roma was wasted shots, and more wasted shots.
Dybala received the ball and cut inside to force a shot, Pellegrini broke through and shot from a small angle, and Abraham shot without passing the ball in the counterattack.
The starters want to prove that they deserve to be the starters by leading the team to victory, while the rotation players want to turn the tide to win a chance to continue to start.
So much so that Mourinho's angry scolding of the team during the half-time break was unable to change the status quo. In the 59th minute, after Dybala fell in the penalty area, the referee did not award a penalty. He ran to the sidelines to argue with the referee, and then was once again sent to the stands with a red card.
This was the first time that Chen Xiaoliang felt that the team was out of control on the field. After the game, although he didn't know what Zaniolo had done, he decided to resolve this landmine for the team before the next game.
On the morning of January 20, surrounded by a group of media, Zaniolo's agent drove him to the parking lot outside the Trigoria base.
This is great. Even few of the club’s own players knew about the scheduled player interviews, but the media knew about it in advance and were waiting outside early, as if they were waiting for a big melon to explode today.
Pinto, Mourinho, Forti, and Chen Xiaoliang, the four of them sat on one side, and Zaniolo and his agent sat on the other side.
Obviously, Pinto and Forti have left a lot of room for each other, hoping that Zaniolo can back down, apologize, and return to the team for training as soon as possible after recovering from his injury. As for the transfer, it can be resolved through reasonable communication without affecting the team's normal game.
But the agent was very stubborn and insisted that Zaniolo's request was to leave the team, and if Roma refused to let him go, the player would also refuse to play for the club.
Obviously, Mourinho was very disappointed with this answer, but he still patiently explained the simplest truth to Zaniolo.
If a professional player publicly expresses his desire to leave the team in such an unprofessional manner, it will have a serious negative impact not only on his own reputation and public opinion, but also on how he will be viewed in the locker room . Many coaches will also hesitate to buy him, as no one wants to buy a thorn in the team.
Then everything was of no avail. The agent seemed to feel that he could make a concession and made a request that seemed incredible to Chen Xiaoliang. He said that Zaniolo would attend training on time, so the club could not refuse to pay him a basic salary.
Seeing that the negotiations had reached an obvious deadlock, the club's warm attitude was completely rejected by the other party. Chen Xiaoliang said coldly from his seat:
"I hope everyone here can hear me clearly. If Mr. Nicolo Zaniolo appears on the training ground again, I will lead all the first-team players to refuse to train with him."
"If the coaching staff wants to send Mr. Nicolo Zaniolo to play in the game, I will call on all the participating players to refuse to cooperate with him on the field."
Those two seemingly calm and leisurely sentences made the other five people present turn their heads to look at him with their eyes wide open in surprise.
Mourinho crossed his arms over his chest.
The agent realized that this was a strong statement and immediately hit back: "Please be careful with your words. We can sue you for workplace bullying."
Chen Xiaoliang stood up, not bothering to pay attention to the agent who looked like he had a bad face, and pointed at Zaniolo who was obviously angry: "Since you refuse to play for the team, don't show up here again. I don't care what other people in this room think. Anyway, as long as I am here, this club can no longer have you."
He glanced at his agent and then at Zaniolo: "I don't know who came up with the idea of calling them in from the media outside the base, and I don't know who made up those exaggerated stories and told them to the tabloids. In short, your despicable behavior has seriously disgusted the team."
"So, please leave the club now and go back home to wait for your transfer results. If you, a scumbag agent, can't sell your client, I can find someone to teach you and I won't charge you any commission."
The agent did not expect that the team captain would take control of the negotiations and completely block the door to his sky-high asking price. He stood up and left with Zaniolo.
Before leaving, he did not forget to say to Chen Xiaoliang viciously: "Wait for the lawyer's letter."
Chen Xiaoliang: "I'm always at your service."
Mourinho sighed and took Chen Xiaoliang to his office.
"He was just bewitched by his agent. It's only September now. We can change the situation with some effort and time. The team cannot be short of players at this stage. I would rather wait until the winter window to sell him."
Chen Xiaoliang has not sat down since he entered the office: "Coach, if I knew that the temporary suspension of the past few days would lead to the last game against Atlanta being played like a dog, I would definitely solve this matter as soon as possible."
"There's no need to talk about being rational or calm. The way you looked the night before yesterday, including your own behavior, was seen by all of Italy. How could you have remained calm in that situation?"
"If we don't deal with it now, other players will think that there is no harm in doing so, and in the end they can just put the blame on their agents. Then what are we waiting for? Are we waiting for the next person to challenge the club?"
"If this one doesn't transfer, he won't play. What about the next one? If he doesn't play, he won't play? If he doesn't get a pay raise, he won't play?"
Mourinho frowned: "Have you talked to the locker room?"
Chen Xiaoliang nodded without hesitation: "Yes, when you went to the press conference last night, I said that there would be no Zaniolo in this team. If such a black sheep can stay, then I will leave."
Mourinho: "How did the dressing room respond?"
Chen Xiaoliang walked to the bedside and quickly pulled up the sunshade blinds.
Mourinho looked at the players who were warming up on the training ground. When they saw Zaniolo and his agent walking out of the office building, they all turned their backs immediately. No one wanted to have any eye contact with this troublesome teammate.
Mourinho was overwhelmed with emotions for a moment.
He nodded silently and asked Chen Xiaoliang to return to the training ground to participate in training first. He made a cup of coffee and sat in the office silently.
It is September now, and he will be 60 years old in 4 months.
As people get older, they tend to take things as they please. Although their passion remains, their energy is no longer as wild and aggressive as when they first joined Chelsea.
He has caught traitors at Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United. Although he did not have enough time to repeat the story at Tottenham, he was well aware of the open and covert fighting in the locker room between the faction led by Lori and the other faction of English local players, as well as the fact that relatively independent players without factions such as Son Heung-min were innocently affected and were often used as punching bags by Lori.
For a moment, he felt that Chen Xiaoliang was terrifying, so terrifying that he could completely control the locker room on this matter before the head coach took any action.
Of course he knew that this reality was caused by his delegation of power, but it was impossible to take it back now unless he really sold it out.
Chen Xiaoliang is no longer the fledgling eagle when he first entered Rome, but a dragon that has grown fangs and a sharp beak. If he is given some time to spread his wings, the entire European football world will be shrouded in his shadow.
On the other hand, as a head coach, being able to train such a player is something worth celebrating for a lifetime.
If Chen Xiaoliang was in Real Madrid, Manchester United, or Chelsea during Mourinho's second season, how could the dressing room collapse? How could the infighting seriously affect the performance of the game?
He himself had not expected that at this age, when he no longer had the energy to catch the traitor, there would be this person who would help him iron out the entire locker room.
He knew that Chen Xiaoliang was right. He thought back to the time when he caught the traitor again and again just to defend a principle of the head coach - no player can be above the club.
And this is exactly what Chen Xiaoliang is doing now.
Looking out the floor-to-ceiling window at Forti and the coaching staff leading the players in training in an orderly manner, Mourinho simply did not participate in the morning training. He waited until a suitable time, which should be the time before the elderly sat down to prepare for lunch, and made a phone call.
On the other end of the line, a thick Scottish accent that was old, friendly, and yet impossible not to be disrespected spoke up: "Jose, are you in trouble? You're not the kind of person who would call me in the middle of the day to check on an old man like me."
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Seeing his secrets exposed, Mourinho couldn't help laughing.
If there is anyone in the football world who can convince a madman like him, Sir Alex Ferguson must be one of them.
Perhaps the young and strong Mourinho at the age of 40 really did not admit defeat to any of his peers, but the closer he gets to the twilight of his career, the more he admires everything Sir Alex Ferguson has done at Manchester United in his 27 years.
He told the elder what happened today, just to verify a question in his mind.
Sir Alex Ferguson smiled and replied: "It sounds like he is better than Roy Keane was. At least he won't talk back to you or bully the young players. Congratulations, Jose, you have found a perfect employee."
Mourinho was very pleased, but a little confused: "Sir, are you sure?"
Ferguson said firmly: "Of course, I have met this kid before, his desire to win and his humility are both revealed on his face. He is right, Jose, you have the capital now, and I would do the same if I were in your place."
Despite the phone call, Mourinho nodded: "Thank you, sir, and I wish you good health."
After hanging up the phone, Mourinho walked out of the office and came to the field with a determined look on his face.
Chen Xiaoliang had just observed that his head coach had been sitting alone in the office. Seeing that there was no hesitation or confusion on his face, he felt happy and said to him, "Welcome back, coach."
Mourinho nodded knowingly, and Chen Xiaoliang returned to training.
Mourinho said to Forti: "Let Pinto tell the bastard agent who wants to encourage players to transfer to collect more commissions, tell him that before they apologize to the club thoroughly, Zaniolo can't go anywhere before the summer transfer window opens next year! I will let him rot at home and won't give him a chance to leave! I want to see who will want him after a year of rottenness!"
Futi was filled with surprise and thought, "What the hell! What just happened? How come Jose suddenly became like a different person!"
But Forti was also extremely happy in his heart. He knew that Mourinho was right at the moment, and such a resolute approach would surely dispel the concerns of the players and fans.
However, Mourinho's voice became softer when he spoke next: "Pinto needs to think about it. That bastard called so many media here. They must be trying to stir up trouble. The board will definitely be dissatisfied when they know about it. Let Pinto contact the media and spread the word."
Forti couldn't help but smile, then he picked up the PAD in his hand and opened the web pages of several well-known football media.
"Zaniolo threatened not to play unless he was transferred, completely angering the entire Roma team"
Chen Xiaoliang angrily rebuked Zaniolo and said that the locker room would never accommodate him again.
Mourinho issues a ban, completely banning Zaniolo
"He was supported by the team for two years for nothing, but now he has become an ungrateful ungrateful wolf in Italy"
Zaniolo: The Peasant and the Snake in Ancient Rome
…
Forty read more than twenty reports in a row. Mourinho looked at the release time and found that almost all of them were uploaded to the Internet when he had just drunk coffee or made a phone call.
It is obvious that the prepared article was posted after someone gave the order.
In the comments below, the vast majority of people stood on Roma's side. After all, fans of any club would not want such an unprofessional and unscrupulous player to appear in their club.
But the more he watched, the more shocked Mourinho was.
Why was the media able to publish what had just happened so quickly? Looking at the length of those articles, it was obviously impossible to prepare them in just a few dozen minutes. They were obviously pre-written the night before. But how could these reporters predict what would happen the next morning? And what Chen Xiaoliang said in the conference room?
Mourinho suddenly understood! He looked up and asked Forti: "Who did this?"
Forti looked at Chen Xiaoliang who was training with his teammates. "I saw him walk out of the meeting room and call Riise to ask him to tell the media to start taking action. You know those writers, they will start writing if they are paid. Those with some authority will look more neutral, while those without taste will just exaggerate."
After hearing this, even though he already had the answer in his heart, Mourinho was still so surprised that he couldn't help but open his mouth.
So he had planned everything last night? He even calculated the head coach's reaction in advance?
And the scary thing is that even if he still wants to keep Zaniolo today, after these articles are published, under the criticism from fans and the board of directors, and under the overwhelming public opinion, he will be forced to make a tough statement.
Mourinho was so shocked that he couldn't say a word.
He thought to himself, "I wonder if old man Ferguson will still say he is the best employee after hearing this?"
"What does this kid usually do at home? Watching Game of Thrones? The Tudors? Or House of Cards?"
As he thought about it, even though there was no answer, Mourinho became more and more interested and excited.
He was originally considering whether to coach a national team after he turned 60, or to coach a club for a few more years and then retire to enjoy a stress-free life. Now, he doesn't even think about it.
He has to keep going, no matter if he is the head coach or becomes an opponent in the future, he wants to see what kind of monster this kid Chen Xiaoliang will grow into.
But the fact is that with the catalysis of external public opinion and the release of internal atmosphere, the team returned to normal track.
Although owner Dan Friedkin is in the United States, he fully supports the actions taken by the team. He even said more strongly that if Zaniolo gives in, he will be left sitting on the bench until next year. If he sends a lawyer's letter to try to wrestle the issue, the club will not only fight him to the end, but will also not allow him to participate in any training or game before his contract expires in June 2024!
Two days later, Zaniolo quickly admitted his mistake and published another public article on social media, saying that most of the media reports were untrue. He also said that the communication in the conference room that day was very harmonious. He also stated that he was still a member of the Roma family and would respond to the team's call at any time.
But now it's too late.
Faced with his hypocritical and insincere statement, no one in management or coaching staff was willing to forgive him.
The death-like treatment of Zaniolo also completely dispelled any remaining thoughts of lack of professionalism among the other players.
Among the fan base, there is also overwhelming support for the club, and even the Turin Sports Daily, which has always been at odds with Roma and Chen Xiaoliang, has rarely chosen to low-key support for Roma's tough measures.
Chen Xiaoliang did not ask Riise to buy reports from them, but the Juventus team, which is in a bad situation now, is also full of contradictions. At this time, if Turin Sports Daily continues to fan the flames of other people's grievances, it will easily bring disaster upon itself.
In the 7th round of the league, Roma's loss to Atalanta, who were in excellent form, after wasting the entire game was only a minor upset. Inter Milan's 3-1 away loss to Udinese was a medium upset. The 1-0 home win over Juventus by Monza, a newly promoted team that had not won a single game and was at the bottom of the table, was a major upset.
Mourinho was also fortunate that when his team lost, his competitors did not take the opportunity to soar. Not only did the score gap not widen, but it also indirectly pushed the public opinion environment in a direction that was favorable to him.
After 7 rounds, Napoli, who defeated AC Milan 1-2 away in this round, ranked first with 17 points. Atalanta, who also remained unbeaten with 5 wins and 2 draws, ranked second with 17 points. Roma ranked third with 16 points, Lazio ranked fourth with 14 points, AC Milan ranked fifth with 14 points, Inter Milan ranked seventh with 12 points, and Juventus still ranked ninth after losing.
For a full 10 days, the players who did not have national team missions focused on training at the Trigoria base, and the players who had national team missions also performed well and did not suffer any injuries.
After the team gathered, everyone set out on the journey to Milan. Their next opponent was the Nerazzurri, Inter Milan, who were also seeking to get back on track to victory.
