The Crystal Palace training ground wasn’t large, and its facilities were simple and unadorned.
Accompanied by manager Iain Dowie, Chen Ran cordially shook hands with every coach and player, occasionally chatting with them in a very harmonious atmosphere.
Because Chen Ran had interned here for three months prior, even though many weren’t closely familiar with him, he at least wasn’t a stranger.
As members of the club involved, everyone was full of curiosity about this new boss who had become an overnight sensation.
“Ahem, alright, have you all looked enough?
Your new boss is a megalomaniac, a fantasist, and maybe even someone with psychological issues.
Fine, I admit to all of it, okay?”
“Hahaha…”
A burst of laughter erupted; Chen Ran’s exaggerated expression amused everyone.
Waiting until everyone had their fill of laughter, Chen Ran continued:
“Napoleon once said: A soldier who doesn’t want to be a general is not a good soldier.
So, is it wrong for me to want to build Crystal Palace into the strongest club in the world?”
“No, it’s not!” “The boss is right!” “That’s how it should be!”
Looking at the players whose emotions had been stirred up, the corners of Chen Ran’s mouth curled up slightly.
“Good.
Since everyone also thinks I’m right, then next we have to prove it to those guys.
We aren’t whimsical megalomaniacs; we are truly fighting for this great goal.”
Watching these players being easily whipped into a howling frenzy by Chen Ran, manager Dowie secretly curled his lip.
These guys with muscles for brains are so easy to fool.
However, this young new boss didn’t seem simple either; he had underestimated him before.
Managers of English clubs are different from those elsewhere; here, the head coach is called a “manager,” whereas in other countries, they are a “coach.” In the UK, besides the club chairman, the manager holds the most power and oversees everything.
In other countries, the head coach is only responsible for training and matches, which is simpler and purer.
The former Chen Ran was just a lowly intern, how could he catch the eye of the high-and-mighty Dowie?
In the manager’s office, Chen Ran and Dowie discussed the team’s signings.
Dowie was not polite at all; he directly pulled out a list of transfer targets and handed it to Chen Ran.
The previous owner had business problems and only thought about selling the club for cash to save his business, so he had no mind for bringing in players.
Now it was great—a new boss had just taken over, so surely he had to buy a few players to show his commitment, right?
What was especially exciting was that this new boss was a rookie from the distant East.
When Dowie got the news, he stayed up overnight drafting a new list of targets.
Right now, he was simultaneously thinking about how to guide Chen Ran to buy more players while calculating how much kickback he could get from these deals.
Yes, the players on the list were all from an agency Dowie was familiar with, making it very convenient to manipulate.
Looking at the list in his hand, Chen Ran had already secretly handed Dowie a death sentence in his mind.
According to the player information provided on the list, Chen Ran searched their stats one by one in his system.
Not to mention their mediocre abilities, they all shared the same agency.
This was insider collusion, trying to butcher him like a fat sheep!
“Mr.
Dowie, there are quite a few people on this list.
I need to go back and study it before I can make a decision,” Chen Ran said calmly with a smile.
“Of course.
But the sooner the signings are finalized, the better, so we have plenty of time for the team to gel.” Dowie noticed nothing unusual; this was standard procedure, and he didn’t expect Chen Ran to immediately agree to his transfer requests anyway.
Returning to his residence, Luis and Stephen both noticed Chen Ran’s complexion wasn’t looking good.
“Chen, what’s wrong?
Is there a problem with Dowie?” Stephen’s reaction was sharp.
“Yes.
Luis, use your old man’s connections to check if these players belong to the same agency.”
The chubby guy finally caught on and immediately took the list to make calls on the side.
“You suspect Dowie tampered with the transfer targets?” Stephen was a native Brit; he knew plenty about the dirty dealings in English football.
“We’ll know the results soon.
If it’s confirmed, then this manager must be replaced.”
“Chen, I checked.
These players indeed all belong to the same agency.”
In less than half an hour, Chen Ran got the result.
For a giant in the football agency world, checking up on a small agency was too easy.
“Luis, book two tickets to Mainz, Germany for tomorrow.
You’re coming with me; we need a new manager.”
“Mainz, Germany?
Is there some famous coach there?”
“Contact the Mainz manager, Klopp, for me.
Tell him we want to visit him.”
“Uh…
if I remember correctly, Mainz is a 2.
Bundesliga team, right?”
“Stop nagging and do as I say.”
“Alright, you’re the boss, you have the final say.” Luis shrugged and ran off to make more calls.
“Stephen, while I’m away from the club, stay here and help me keep an eye on Dowie.
Notify me immediately if anything happens.” “Understood.” “Also, hurry up with the loan.
That money is the foundation for all our signings.
Let me know the moment there’s progress.” “Will do.”
In a restaurant in Mainz, Chen Ran met Jürgen Klopp.
Not yet 40, “Uncle Klopp” was already sporting a full beard, looking a bit scruffy in his tracksuit.
Looking at him, Chen Ran recalled a rumor from his previous life.
It was said that after Klopp led Mainz to the Bundesliga, Hamburg SV wanted to invite him to coach but backed out because of his scruffy image, a decision they later deeply regretted.
“Excuse me, what business do you have with me?” Klopp looked at Chen Ran and Luis with a curious face.
Someone had contacted his agent, hoping to meet him.
He was just the manager of a 2.
Bundesliga team, and a rookie with only two years of coaching experience at that; he didn’t think he could attract the attention of an English team.
However, because a heavyweight figure in football had pulled the strings, he came.
“Hello, Mr.
Klopp.
I am Chen Ran, Chairman of the English club Crystal Palace.
We would like to invite you to manage Crystal Palace Football Club.”
“Crystal Palace?
I think it’s a Championship team?” Klopp asked with some uncertainty.
“That’s right.
We hope to invite Mr.
Klopp to lead us into the Premier League.”
“But I have no intention of leaving Mainz.
My goal is to lead Mainz to the Bundesliga.” Klopp decisively rejected Chen Ran’s invitation.
“As far as I know, Mainz has failed to reach the Bundesliga for two consecutive years.
Doesn’t Mr.
Klopp want to change environments and give it a try?”
(END CHAPTER)