“Why?
Mr.
Chairman, those are all players I carefully selected.
They can absolutely strengthen our Crystal Palace.”
Dowie’s eyes were wide with a mix of surprise, confusion, and a hint of anger.
“Is that so?
Mr.
Dowie, then can you explain to me why the dozen or so players on this list all belong to the exact same sports agency?”
“This…”
Dowie was instantly left speechless, unable to find an answer for a moment.
In the past, he would usually find players from three or four different agencies and then submit the list to the club owner.
But doing that was troublesome, and secondly, the more people involved in splitting the money, the less he naturally received.
So this time, he simply tried to bully Chen Ran, thinking he was a rookie from the East who didn’t understand the hidden rules of the trade.
But clearly, he had miscalculated.
“You can’t answer, can you?
Colluding with agencies to siphon money from the club.
Mr.
Dowie, if I were to tell the media about this, do you think you could ever find a job in English football again?”
Chen Ran’s tone was incredibly calm, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.
“Well…
Mr.
Chen, you might have misunderstood.
Actually, in English football, it’s a common practice for managers to receive a little kickback during transfers.”
The calmer Chen Ran was, the more nervous Dowie became.
Sweat was already beginning to bead on his forehead.
“Oh, is that so?
Then let me ask a reporter from The Sun if this kind of behavior is normal.”
With that, Chen Ran took out his phone and started scrolling through his contacts.
“Don’t!”
“Mr.
Chen, I was wrong.
I had a moment of foolishness.
I beg you to forgive me this once.”
Dowie hastily pleaded for mercy; he didn’t want his reputation completely ruined.
Because English club managers hold immense power, taking kickbacks during transfers was indeed an unspoken rule.
But how could such a thing ever survive the light of day?
Exposure meant certain death for his career.
Dowie still wanted to make a living in English football, so he absolutely couldn’t let Chen Ran expose this.
“Then resign on your own accord, and I’ll waive the breach of contract penalty.”
“What?
Resign?
Mr.
Chen, I am the person who understands this team best.
I can definitely lead Crystal Palace to the Premier League.
I hope Mr.
Chen will give me one more chance.”
Dowie was filled with immense regret now.
Not only had he failed to get the kickbacks, but he was also about to lose his job.
“Mr.
Dowie, do you think I can continue to trust you now?”
Seeing Chen Ran’s continuously placid expression, Dowie’s heart sank.
He was finished.
Recently, with the public fallout between Beckham and Ferguson, the “flying boot” incident heavily hyped by the media, and rumors of Beckham’s transfer to Real Madrid, the attention of the English media had been entirely captivated by Beckham.
But today, an official announcement from Crystal Palace yanked everyone’s attention right back.
“Manager Iain Dowie has tendered his resignation due to personal reasons, which has been approved by the club.
We thank Mr.
Dowie for his contributions to the club and wish him all the best in the future.
Additionally, the club has decided to appoint Mr.
Chen Ran as the interim manager to lead the team in the upcoming Championship season.”
The club chairman appointed himself as the team’s manager?!
Everyone was dumbfounded by Chen Ran’s audacious move.
“Surprise or shock?
That Chinese man always brings us something new.” “A complete farce.
The future of Crystal Palace is worrisome.” “Mr.
Chen, you should apply for a Guinness World Record.” “Exclusive scoop: That Chinese man actually holds a UEFA A coaching license.
He is indeed qualified to manage a Championship team.” “Did that Chinese man fire Mr.
Dowie just so he could be the manager himself?” “A sudden managerial change right before the pre-season.
Crystal Palace’s upcoming season looks grim.” “Latest news from betting companies: Funds betting on Crystal Palace’s relegation next season have surged.”
Suddenly, the number of reporters tailing Beckham 24/7 decreased significantly.
This finally allowed Beckham to breathe a sigh of relief, and he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of gratitude toward Chen Ran.
On the flip side, facing reporters swarming him like the Qiantang River tidal bore, Chen Ran had the foresight to hide away, leaving Stephen to deal with them.
“Journalist friends, please don’t be impatient.
In three days, Mr.
Chen will hold a press conference at the club to introduce Crystal Palace’s new signings for the new season.
You are all welcome to attend.”
At that moment, Chen Ran was in his office taking a transoceanic call from Luis.
“Chen, Thiago Silva for 500,000 euros, Maicon for 1.5 million euros.
The contracts are all signed.”
“Beautifully done, Luis.
Hurry up and bring them back.
I’m holding a press conference in three days to introduce the new players; you guys can’t miss it.”
“Understood.”
Because Dowie had been fired by Chen Ran, the assistant coaches who followed him also left.
So now, Chen Ran had to step up and take over the team’s training and other affairs.
Fortunately, he had the Football Manager system.
Through it, Chen Ran selected a fitness coach and a goalkeeping coach—both had good ability ratings but no fame.
These kinds of people, who hadn’t yet had the chance to prove themselves, were cheap and highly effective.
When Chen Ran sent someone to recruit them, they immediately agreed and came over.
At the same time, he gathered Guardiola, Simeone, and Southgate together ahead of schedule.
“Alright, you all know what happened.
For the upcoming season, I will serve as the team’s interim manager, and you three will be the assistant coaches.
Any questions?”
“Uh…
Mr.
Chen, aren’t you planning to hire another head coach?” Southgate hesitated for a moment but finally asked.
He was already slightly regretting his return to Crystal Palace; he didn’t expect Chen Ran to be this unreliable.
He felt like he had boarded a pirate ship.
“Actually, I did try to hire someone, but he declined.
You guys know Crystal Palace’s situation: top-tier managers look down on us, and I look down on second-tier managers.
So I thought, why not leave the opportunity to you three?”
“Us?” The three men looked at each other.
“Mr.
Chen, are you saying…”
“Yes, it’s exactly what you’re guessing.”
“My plan is to observe your performances over this season, and then select the most suitable candidate among you to take over as the team’s permanent manager.”
“After all, as the club chairman, it’s really unconventional for me to serve as the manager.
It’s just that, firstly, you don’t have the appropriate coaching licenses yet, and secondly, I don’t know which of you is the most suitable right now.
So, I have no choice but to step in as interim manager for now.”
“So that’s how it is…”
Hearing Chen Ran’s explanation, the three men were instantly thrilled.
It seems the Chairman really values us heavily.
This managerial seat was reserved for us all along!
Thinking of this, the dissatisfaction that Guardiola, Simeone, and Southgate previously harbored over Chen Ran’s absurd actions vanished into thin air.
The three men exchanged glances again, and in each other’s eyes, they saw a blazing fighting spirit.
This managerial seat is mine; you two can step aside.
Seeing the three men now brimming with fighting spirit, Chen Ran picked up his coffee and took a sip.
Delicious!