this man is not calm

Chapter 442 Different Positions
After spending a relatively fulfilling leisure time, the next day, January 21st, was the Northern New Year's Eve. There was a light snow the night before, and early the next morning, after the sun came out, the temperature rose and the ice and snow on the road quickly melted.

Around ten o'clock, the Football Park Stadium was reopened after a long absence to show the fans the first training session of 1998. There were quite a few people interested in it, not only fans of all ages, but also many reporters with cameras came to report, among whom there might have been some scouts, agents and spies from competitors.

Xiao Jinfeng, who was so tired that he went to bed early yesterday, came to the stadium today under the guidance of his parents to experience the atmosphere.

Many years ago, Jin Shang, who was about the same age, played on the grass field with a group of older kids with his short legs.

As one of the football clubs with the best fan atmosphere in the country, it has always had a tradition of cultivating young fans and young players. As the son of the team owner, Master Jin is also the most talented among the same batch of youth training players. It is no exaggeration to say that he is a natural "prince".

Unfortunately, Old Jin had only this one son at the time. Although his family was not wealthy, it was a well-off family that had fallen on hard times. After all, they were Beijing natives with a fortune, so it was impossible for them to let Jin Shang become a professional player.

It is not yet the time when the trend of money-driven football has swept the world. You can't make much money by playing football, and it is a short-lived career that relies on youth. It is still a long way from the time when you can earn hundreds of millions by becoming a fringe national team player for two or three years.

After Jin Shang was admitted to university, he withdrew from the club's youth training and only came back to play occasionally.

Many years later, the boss's youngest son also started coming to the stadium to meet everyone.

In the other half, a mixed combination of the first team and the youth team were practicing multiple offense and defense drills. Here, Xiao Jinfeng, under the care of an adult, was running forward crookedly and playing with a few sheepdogs. The football... was just a prop to add to the fun.

On the sidelines, Jin Shang, Basang Tsering and acting head coach Yan Xiaohong were discussing something.

"In four warm-up matches, we had three draws and one win, which was a decent performance. It's reasonable to have such a record during the team's running-in period."

During the season intermission, all teams are reorganizing. The changes in the Beijing Northern United Football Team are not particularly big. Their strength is relatively well preserved, and the coming and going of players is also a normal metabolism. Only the departure of the head coach has a big impact.

The meritorious coach who coached for eight years, promoted four levels and then managed to avoid relegation was poached by the National Youth Team. It can be said that he has completed his career and retired successfully, and will go to another platform to showcase his talents.

After so long, this team has been deeply branded with the "Zhang" imprint. From the technical director, scouts, field staff and various auxiliary personnel to the youth training selection, team building, first-team skills and tactics, etc., they have long been accustomed to this set of rules.

It is normal that everyone is unsure about the new head coach now.

Even with the recognition and encouragement from the boss, childhood friend Yan Xiaohong still felt a little nervous.

"It's not about team building or technology, but... lack of prestige! Ah Shang, I'm only a little older than you, and I'll only be 25 in a few months. Most of the main players in the first team are older than me. I can't find a way to get along with everyone..."

"How to say?"

Jin Shang asked in surprise, and Yan Xiaohong replied shyly:
"You also know that I am not a successful professional player. My performance during the youth training period was mediocre, much worse than you who were younger than me. I struggled in the first team for two years and only became a rotation substitute..."

That was five or six years ago. At that time, the Beijing Northern United Football Club was still playing in the low-level leagues, and its own level and that of its competitors were stuck between professional and semi-professional. The fact that they couldn't even play this well proved that Yan Xiaohong's talent was indeed quite average.

Fortunately, after switching to the coaching position, Yan Xiaohong showed extraordinary talent. After taking charge of youth training, he supplied a large number of young players to the first team for several consecutive years, and achieved a good result of third place in last year's youth team league.

Even so, his qualifications are still too shallow.

There are almost no head coaches under the age of 30 in professional football clubs, and those under the age of 40 are extremely rare, especially in the mainstream top leagues.

but……

"Is it not possible with the support of the club, me, and the captain?"

When his name was called, Basang Tsering smiled bitterly and said:

"This is even worse. Professional players... to be honest, most of them are not well-educated, their knowledge and IQ are not outstanding, and they are easily impulsive. The professional league is not a warm and reasonable place. In the final analysis, the club is a commercial entity, and the football match... is a competitive sport..."

Jin Shang, who listened quietly to the two people's explanation, probably understood a lot.

After all, Jin Shang is not an outsider, so he also understands the twists and turns involved.

In theory, the head coach of a professional football team is fundamentally different from the head coach of basketball, volleyball, tennis, and table tennis teams.

In the Chinese environment, people are accustomed to calling elders who teach and answer questions teachers. Head coaches who teach and train in competitive sports are respectfully called "coaches." For example, former head coach Zhang Lin is often referred to as "Coach Zhang" by mainstream media.

Whether it is a teacher or a mentor, they are essentially the same. Everyone respects them as experts or professors, and regards themselves as students who need to be taught.

In the European and American context, the most orthodox title for the head coach of a football team should be Manager, which literally means manager.

There is a very popular sports game called Championship Manager, and this is how it came about.

Because of translation and cultural differences, everyone calls him the head coach, but in fact, manager and coach are two completely different professions. The latter is just a hired technical worker, and the big-name players in the team will basically not take you seriously. The former is very special. Except for the boss or the board of directors, basically everyone in the team has to listen to him. He is quite authoritative.

For example, Ferguson is the manager of Manchester United who has the final say and his words are law, even though he has not obtained a formal coaching certificate; Moyes, who came later, is a typical technical coach. Even though he has many supporters, he still could not resolve the conflicts within the team and was finally kicked out in disgrace; as for Mourinho, he is a mixture of a manager and a coach, a specially appointed executive CEO who is appointed to save the team in times of crisis. He has a certain degree of autonomy, but it is limited. He can keep his position as long as he can achieve results, but if he cannot resolve the biggest star in the team (Pogba), he will still be forced to leave.

Back to the Beijing Northern United Football Team, the current Yan Xiaohong cannot convince everyone to be a manager or coach, let alone a technical coach.

If it weren't for Basang Tsering's support, he would have lost his position as head coach long ago. However, this is not a good thing either.

"Boss Jin, according to common sense, the team should have a single voice. In a football match, losing is losing, winning is winning, and the score is clear at a glance. There is no ambiguity. This is very different from commercial competition. The same group of people, a united team and a disunited team, have very different strengths. And we... happen to be the 'Iron Chariot' known for strict discipline, united fighting spirit and unyielding spirit. The authority of the head coach is crucial..."

Jin Shang listened to the captain's words. They are all top league teams and the difference in strength is not that big. The level of the head coach, the morale of the players, and whether they have good cooperation can largely determine the outcome. Especially in a long league, being in high spirits and being sluggish are two completely different things.

In addition, with the greatest malicious speculation, if most of the players in the team are dissatisfied with the coach, they may secretly play against each other, or lose a key game, and "get rid of" the head coach, it is not impossible.

"So, the players may think that the club's support is willful. They didn't keep the meritorious coach Zhang Lin, nor did they seriously select a head coach with strength, achievements and prestige. Instead, they appointed people based on personal connections and promoted a young man who had not proven himself to be the head coach..."

To put it bluntly, my childhood friend has no qualifications and is clearly unworthy of his position, making it difficult for him to win the support of others.

Even with the support of captain Basang Tsering, who is committed to transitioning to coaching, a more serious problem will arise.

"A 'coach' on the field and a coach on the sidelines, who do you listen to?"

Even though Basang Tsering and Yan Xiaohong seem to have no differences now, if any problems arise, there will be no joint mediation. It is even inevitable that some players will add fuel to the fire. For example, young players from youth training will recognize Yan Xiaohong, and older veteran players will listen to Basang Tsering.

"I didn't think well enough."

After thinking about it, Jin Shang did not insist on his own opinion.

Although the commercialization of competitive sports is in full swing, football clubs are not pure companies after all. Commercial development is a means, winning is the core competitiveness, and players are the most valuable assets.

In the future, professional players will become more and more valuable, and the entire club will revolve around them.

"What's the atmosphere like within the team right now?"

"Fortunately, there's nothing wrong on the surface, but privately... a little restless."

Yan Xiaohong paused and continued,

"There is one more thing, Ashan. We need to pay special attention. The current star player in the team is Ajima, and there are several rising stars with good potential. If the club does nothing, I'm afraid they won't be able to stay. The salaries of players in the top leagues have increased dramatically, and transfer fees have also risen. They have signed contracts with agencies, handled their personal affairs, and obtained image rights... It's not as easy as before."

Money-driven football is on the way, and the old model of paying two to three thousand yuan a month, with bonuses depending on how generous the boss is, is gradually failing to keep up with the times.

In the past, a transfer fee of 300,000 or 400,000 yuan in China would cause a lot of excitement for a long time. Now, unless it is a million yuan, it will not cause any excitement at all.

"It's not advisable to change orders every day. For now, you should train and warm up as needed, and don't fall behind in finding foreign aid. As for the head coach... it's just an acting position at the moment. It's not like no one has volunteered, but I don't want to change it so casually."

"No change?"

You clearly understand it, but you are not prepared to correct the "mistake"?
After considering the wording, Jin Shang explained:
"If we consider it from the perspective of the team, players and coaches, it is true that we should find a respected old coach as soon as possible to stabilize the overall situation. But the problem is that the one who suits our wishes may not be willing to come, and the one who takes the initiative to come to us is not a good choice. From the perspective of the club, temporary gains and losses are not important. The structure of a century-old club is different from that of an ordinary professional team. Of course, the interests of the players may not be completely consistent with ours..."

For a professional player in his prime years, his peak period is only about three to five years, and it is rare for him to maintain his peak performance for ten years. If he does not make more money and become famous when he is in the best physical condition, it would be a great loss.

Just like this year, if the team does not make big signings, cannot hire a famous coach, and then has poor results, Ajima, who has already made a name for himself in the national team, will most likely ask for a transfer.

This has nothing to do with loyalty or not. The club and the players are not strictly on the same side.

"So... what does Mr. Jin mean?"

"More money! Our team is an internationally renowned club. Our exposure is totally different from that of other teams. We have the money and fame. As for the results, as long as they are not particularly bad, there shouldn't be any problem. Besides, the proper flow of professional players is not a bad thing..."

A great club will never lack great players. Jin Shang is very confident, and with the natural advantages of the club, he is not particularly worried about future developments.

"Thank you two for your hard work. The main thing is to seek common ground while reserving differences and be guided by the interests of everyone. Later... I will ask the club to introduce a new reward plan. The basic salary cannot be changed drastically because we need to consider the overall balance, but more incentives can be given, such as goal awards, winning awards, clean sheet awards, winning streak awards, championship awards, and the like. There will always be brave men under great rewards. The boss is rich and not stingy. If everyone performs well, they will definitely get more..."

No matter how much empty talk you use, it is useless. Real money and real gold are the most convincing.

Victory and extra money can overcome most difficulties!

As for why he did this, Jin Shang looked through the void perspective at the clouds swirling above the two people's heads. Although Basang Tsering is in good shape, especially after strengthening the team's "sweeper" defense in the middle and adopting the strategy of organizer on the wing, he can still play his remaining heat, but he has already slipped from the peak. It is hard to say whether he can keep the main position next year.

Compared with the captain's unclear future, a bird flapping its wings and ready to fly appeared above Yan Xiaohong's head, which looked like a shrike from a distance and as sharp as a falcon from a close distance. It was completely different from before.

Judging from the feedback from "Golden Finger", the future of "Young Marshal" seems to be quite bright.

The charity match was held as scheduled in the afternoon. The home team defeated the strong opponent 3-1, proving that the team seems to be in good shape and Yan Xiaohong's performance was also remarkable.

(End of this chapter)