Football: Starting with managing Manchester United

Paying money to buy a reputation?

Maybe.

However, Randy Lerner quickly realized that these actions had limited effect, and that to win over Premier League fans, he had to be willing to spend money on big-name stars.

So he started spending money.

The initial results were okay, but they got worse and worse over time.

He even felt that things that used to excite him had lost their appeal.

He no longer enjoys the cheers at Villa Park.

I no longer look forward to traveling with the team to away games.

The current desire to have Zhang Yang coach Aston Villa is a gamble, a huge risk.

If it really doesn't work out, then sell the team.

"Mr. Lerner, let me take a look at the contract first. If there are no problems, then let's start the new season's recruitment work."

Zhang Yang felt Randy Lerner's sincerity.

Moreover, it is very challenging to bring a fallen wealthy family back to its former glory.

"You've started to give me hope again."

Randy Lerner initially thought Zhang Yang would refuse, since without additional investment, it would be impossible to buy good players.

Moreover, he heard that Zhang Yang had been rejected by many clubs.

But Aston Villa's mess might not even be as good as the Championship.

The team has overpaid but underperforming players, a growing dissatisfaction with the board of directors, and utter disappointment in himself.

Randy Lerner had no idea what to do with the team.

Zhang Yang's straightforwardness surprised him.

"it is good."

Randy Lerner nodded.

Zhang Yang called his agent to come to Birmingham, and then followed Randy Lerner back into town for a hearty lunch.

have to say.

The wealthy still know how to enjoy life.

At the dinner table, Zhang Yang talked a lot with Randy Lerner, mostly about his team-building ideas.

"I need to deal with a few overpaid but underperforming players on the team."

Zhang Yang picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, then suddenly dropped a bombshell.

Any team needs to be very careful when dealing with high-paid players.

Because it involves many aspects, such as locker room stability and salary structure.

"for example?"

Randy Lerner is already prepared.

"For example, Darren Bent," Zhang Yang emphasized.

He had studied the Aston Villa team with Chris Woods before he came.

Currently, the players on the team who are earning high salaries are not performing as expected.

Just like Darren Bent, he's a very impressive player. He not only won the Premier League Bronze Boot twice, but also became the most expensive signing for three Premier League teams.

By the way, he has Jamaican ancestry.

So I run very fast. When I was a child, I was torn between track and field and soccer, but in the end I chose soccer.

2005-06 season.

He scored 18 league goals throughout the season.

He won the Premier League Bronze Boot, trailing only the then-dominant Henry and Van Nistelrooy in the top scorer rankings.

He then became the most expensive signing for three clubs: Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, and Aston Villa.

He just wasn't very lucky.

When he first started his career, he encountered Henry and Van Nistelrooy, and when he joined Tottenham, his competitors were tough guys like Berbatov, Robbie Keane, and Defoe.

Moreover, no matter how well he performs, he seems unable to win the favor of the England national team.

He maintained a good form in the early stages after arriving at Villa.

But for speed-type players, like Bale in the future, once they start to decline, the speed of their decline will be the same as their running speed.

It's frighteningly fast.

There's no need to stay on the team anymore. It may sound heartless, but that's the reality.

Even powerhouse clubs like AC Milan and Real Madrid can't afford to support veteran players.

Where did Vera get the money?

"Okay." Randy Lerner still felt a bit sentimental.

When Aston Villa were teetering on the brink of relegation, it was Darren Bent who helped them avoid it.

"Actually, he couldn't even get a starting position at Villa."

Zhang Yang was telling the truth.

He's an honest person and never lies.

Unless he needs to lie.

And it won't fetch a good price, probably only a few million?

"Anything else?" Randy Lerner nodded resignedly.

"Stephen Ireland"

Zhang Yang blurted out another name without hesitation.

This guy is even worse than Darren Bent, who earns a high salary at Aston Villa but has an incredibly lax attitude.

Moreover, he has a criminal record.

The infamous "Grandma Gate" incident.

2007 October.

Zhang Yang remembers that he was still in the Villa youth team.

Stephen Ireland has been called up to the national team to prepare for two crucial European Championship qualifiers.

Before the start of the second game, he approached head coach S and reported that his grandmother had passed away.

Therefore, I need to take leave to go home and handle the funeral arrangements.

How could the head coach not grant him leave?

That's not even as good as being a university counselor, who might also be subject to cyberbullying.

The head coach gave him the green light on the spot.

The Irish national team even arranged a private plane to send him home.

He was allowed to miss the upcoming national team matches.

But the scam was quickly exposed.

Irish media discovered that this guy's grandmother was not actually dead.

It seems that he lost face because the scam was exposed.

In a subsequent media interview, he stated that it was his grandmother, not his maternal grandmother, who had passed away.

The media later discovered that his grandmother was still alive.

This is truly a display of filial piety.

However, this is not the end.

Stephen Ireland's father's family even believed it was fabricated by the newspaper and planned to sue the media outlet.

Ireland then stubbornly insisted that his grandfather had been divorced and that his second wife had passed away.

It's clear that the media has exposed him once again.

Zhang Yang initially dismissed the incident as a joke, never expecting to actually meet the person involved.

Zhang Yang objectively recounted the story of Stephen Ireland.

Randy Lerner leaned back in his chair. "Zhang, why don't you just tell me everything at once? I'm increasingly convinced that coming to you was definitely the right choice."

"I won't keep the more senior players on the team, such as Shea Given, Alan Hutton, Charles Nzobia, etc. My philosophy has always been to use young people, young people with fighting spirit and drive."

Zhang Yang stopped keeping everyone in suspense.

Randy Lerner, intrigued, leaned forward and asked curiously, "Which young players do you think have the most potential?"

"Fabian Delph and Jack Grealish are both pretty good," Zhang Yang replied.

As a time traveler, he naturally knew very well which players had talent.

Moreover, he felt he could try to change those players who had failed to live up to their potential.

Raising simulation games are so interesting!

"Jack Grealish? You know, that... uh."

Randy Lerner originally wanted to say "has a nice butt", but felt that it didn't suit his status and could easily be misunderstood as his hobby by Zhang Yang.

So he changed his tune, saying, "He's a very handsome young man. I've watched his matches before; his offensive abilities seem average, right?"

"His shooting feels weak, and his dribbling always falls short at the final touch. He can't carry the wing alone."

Randy Lerner wondered if Zhang Yang had misjudged him.

"No, no, no, Mr. Lerner, you're looking at whether he can break through; I'm looking at how many people he can get around him."

Zhang Yang pulled out a napkin and drew a simple diagram.

PS: Begging for favorites and votes, godfathers!