Chapter 84: Another battle against Manchester United at the Theatre of Dreams!
Ferguson, who had seen countless players in his life, could tell at a glance that Chen Xiaoliang was very nervous.
"Hey, kid, don't worry, I won't eat you. If God hadn't refused to take me in, I would have died three years ago."
"Sir, it is such an honor to meet you..."
"Don't call me that. Just call me Fergie."
Ferguson welcomed Chen Xiaoliang into the house with a smile on his face and made jokes in his fast-talking Scottish accent to put Chen Xiaoliang at ease.
Chen Xiaoliang could understand a little at first, but later Ferguson spoke faster and faster and he could no longer keep up.
【Dong Dong Dong】
[Host language difficulties detected]
[System language pack (Scottish English) unlocked]
Suddenly, countless letters and words passed through his mind like electric currents, and Chen Xiaoliang mastered this difficult accent in an instant.
Holy shit! Is this even possible!?
If this function had been available back then, wouldn’t I be able to understand the plot when watching those Japanese… movies?!
At first, Ferguson asked about Chen Xiaoliang's situation, and also asked about his views on next season and Manchester United.
After that, it was all Chen Xiaoliang who asked questions, about tactics, experience, players, opinions on certain things, and so on.
The more they talked, the more Chen Xiaoliang agreed with what Gerrard said about Ferguson's qualities.
Humble, terrifyingly humble.
Ferguson also became more and more appreciative of this young man who represented the future in his eyes.
"Sir, I have one last question. If there is a game that you really want to fight for, but the price may be your entire career, what do you think you should choose?"
Ferguson pushed the frames of his glasses over his red nose:
“I’ve asked myself this question before, both as a player and as a coach. To be honest, the answer to this question when you’re young is different .
I can't answer you with a vague yes or no, that would be meaningless, but I can name a few people for your reference.
Ben Thornley and Adrian Doherty, you have certainly not heard of these two names. They are both members of Manchester United's Class of 92. Giggs often tells others that their talents are higher than his.
Ben had a serious injury in 1994 and was out for six months, but we found he would never be able to return to his previous level. He persisted for four years and I had to sell him in the end.
As for Adrian, I brought him into the first team when he was 16, earlier than David Beckham, and then he ruptured his cruciate ligament in training before his first-team debut. He spent seven months recovering, then sprained it again, and that time he was out for more than a year. ”
Later he simply gave up football, until one day when he fell into a river while rushing to the company by train. Unfortunately, he was aquaphobia, and he passed away forever after being in a coma for a month.
And Alan Smith, you must have heard of this person, what an outstanding young man, he has the same incomparable willpower as you, I once planned to train him to be Roy Keane's successor.
February 18, 2006, I will always remember that day, his leg was broken by a free kick from your Norwegian agent.
He was an absolute fighter, and he sacrificed what could have been a more successful career for an FA Cup match against Liverpool that he thought he could not lose.
It was a shame that Liverpool won that game at Anfield and we were eliminated.”
Having said that, Ferguson stopped and pointed at Chen Xiaoliang's left foot.
The two were silent for a while, and then Ferguson raised his left wrist, as if he was still on the sidelines, and made his signature watch-checking gesture.
“Kid, it’s getting late, and an old man with half a life has to go to bed.
You may be wondering why I came to talk to you tonight.
That Gerrard guy must think I want to take you to Manchester United. Of course, I would be very happy if you wanted to, but it depends on you and your Norwegian agent, not me.
In fact, this is not the real reason.
Kid, you may not know this, but I was born and raised in Glasgow and if it weren't for my 26 years at Manchester United, Rangers would definitely be the most important team in my heart .
What you and Gerrard have done for Rangers this season has been fantastic and he probably doesn't realise the help I've given him, and that's largely why I've helped him, and the same goes for you.
I also saw the video of you and Gerrard talking at halftime against Leicester City. The words "Let these Premier League nobles see what Glasgow is like!" made me feel like I was back in the days when I played against Celtic for Rangers.
As a Rangers fan, I am grateful to you.
Whether you are the head coach or the players, always don't forget that the fans are our bread and butter. Bringing them happiness and repaying them with actions are the most important things.
You still have a long way to go in your future. Take the right path and protect yourself. If you need anything, kid, you can always call me as long as this old man is still alive."
Chen Xiaoliang stood up and bowed deeply to this legend among legends.
The old lord hugged him, and not only gave him a bottle of red wine from his collection as a souvenir, but also introduced a racehorse he raised to him so that he could have another hobby in his spare time.
Then she watched him leave and slowly closed the door.
That night, Chen Xiaoliang returned to his room and fell asleep very late.
He looked over and over at the text message Helena sent him. Below the long list of rehabilitation details, there was a warning.
He looked at it for a long time, then pressed and held it, and then clicked delete.
April 16, 2021, 20:00, Old Trafford.
After several days of hard thinking, Gerrard decided at a tactical meeting a day in advance to let Aribo and Davis play as double defensive midfielders, and let Kamara run and fight in front of them.
On the left and right flanks, Uglumba and Tavernier played as full-backs, and in front of them were no longer forwards such as Kent and Hagi, but two defenders Barisic and Patterson who played as wing forwards.
At the forefront is still the hot-tempered Morelos.
This is all Gerrard can do.
As for Manchester United, Pogba was injured and did not appear in the roster. McTominay was on the bench and was replaced by the double defensive midfielder combination of Fred and Matic.
At centre-back, Maguire and Luke Shaw were replaced by young player Tuanzebe and Brazilian full-back Telles due to their heavy consumption in the midweek league.
The rest of the personnel are the same as in the previous game.
However, the biggest change is Old Trafford, Manchester United's theatre of dreams, which is like a Shura field for visiting teams.
The fanatical sight of 70,000 diehard fans shouting in unison can inevitably make even the most experienced and knowledgeable players feel a little bit of fear.
Chen Xiaoliang sat on the bench. Although he had removed his protective gear and was included in the squad, Gerrard had no intention of arranging for him to play.
In fact, they both had that thought in their minds, but neither of them said it out loud.
Because they all know that the cost could be high.
However, after 45 minutes, the reality of being 1-0 behind forced them to make a decision.
