As Adrian Vandenberg’s provocative remarks toward Ancelotti at the press conference spread, major German media outlets quickly swung into action.
The headline of the Munich Sports Daily read boldly: “Adrian Vandenberg: Bayern’s Tactics Are So Bad I Should Teach Them!”, accompanied by a photo of Adrian Vandenberg’s confident smile at the press conference, looking exceptionally provocative.
Meanwhile, Kicker used an even more explosive title: “Ancelotti’s Boring Tactics?
Munich 1860 head coach Fires Away, Saying Guardiola Is a Better Fit for Bayern!” Even foreign media joined the reporting frenzy.
England’s Daily Mail ran the headline “2.
bundesliga’s Adrian Vandenberg Issues Challenge: I Am the King of Munich,” pushing this “war of words” further onto the international stage.
Public opinion in the media became polarized for a time.
Some believed Adrian Vandenberg was young and impetuous; though his results leading the team were excellent, such high-profile remarks seemed lacking in composure, even somewhat oblivious to the heights of sky.
Others stated that Adrian Vandenberg’s words were not only bold and straightforward but also hit the mark, particularly his well-placed criticism of Bayern’s tactical issues this season, which was met with cheers of approval.
Adrian Vandenberg closed his phone and sighed.
External attention was not unfamiliar to him, but over the past few days, the media’s praise for him and the team had almost become suffocating.
He knew in his heart that he was simply using every match to steadily drive the revival of Munich 1860.
All the glory and attention seemed to be waiting for him ahead, right before that distant championship trophy.
Although the external spotlight made him increasingly prominent, Adrian Vandenberg always maintained his calm and rationality.
He knew well that these reports were merely temporary hype; only consistent results could allow him to gain a firm foothold and maintain this brilliance.
He already felt the pressure on his shoulders, but he was not afraid.
Every match victory and every tactical refinement would bring him one step closer to his goal.
He would accept the debates surrounding him, whether good or bad.
At the same time, this controversy also caught the attention of the Munich 1860 upper management.
That afternoon, the Club management summoned Adrian Vandenberg for an informal talk.
Inside the conference room, the Club’s sporting director, Jochen Meyer, had a calm expression, but his tone carried a hint of admonishment.
“Adrian.
We highly recognize your recent results leading the team; your performance has significantly boosted the morale of the entire Club.
However, as the head coach, your words represent not only yourself but also the image of 1860.
While the media coverage this time is lively, it may not necessarily be beneficial to us.
It’s true that Bayern is our cross-town rival, but directly calling out Ancelotti and even mentioning Guardiola—such remarks are indeed prone to causing unnecessary disputes.” Adrian Vandenberg listened and nodded, maintaining a proper smile on his face.
“I understand, Mr.
Meyer.
My original intention was just to express some views on football; perhaps my wording was indeed a bit excessive.
I will be more careful in the future.” Meyer nodded slightly, his tone softening a bit.
“Your passion is a good thing, but being a bit low-key isn’t necessarily bad.
As long as the results are there, people will naturally see our strength.
While media hype can bring temporary heat, we at 1860 still need long-term, steady development.” “Understood, I will take this lesson to heart,” Adrian Vandenberg replied calmly, though a hint of a sly smile flickered in his eyes.
While he outwardly accepted the management’s suggestion, he clearly had no intention of fully reining himself in.
In his view, this media frenzy had not harmed the team; instead, it had brought Munich 1860 unprecedented attention.
This level of exposure was undoubtedly beneficial for his goal of achieving even greater things with the team.
After the talk ended, Adrian Vandenberg left the Club, only to find his phone already flooded with reports from various media outlets.
He clicked on a few articles to browse, seeing many commenting on his “bold remarks.” A few even directly linked him to Bayern’s top brass, speculating whether Bayern would truly extend an olive branch to this rising star coach.
“How could Bayern’s management possibly contact me?” Adrian Vandenberg chuckled to himself.
“But if the media writing this makes Ancelotti more irritable, then I don’t mind giving it another push.” He then called a journalist he knew well and said in a joking tone, “Want to add some more fuel to the fire?
For example, I’m planning to write a letter to Guardiola, suggesting he return to Bayern.” The journalist was stunned for a few seconds on the other end before bursting into laughter.
“Coach Adrian, you’re really not afraid of completely infuriating Ancelotti!” Adrian Vandenberg raised an eyebrow, his tone relaxed.
“What does him being infuriated or not have to do with me?
My task is to lead 1860 well and, in the process, give the fans some talking points and fun.
That’s part of the game too, isn’t it?” Of course, he was just saying it; he didn’t actually do it.
After hanging up, Adrian Vandenberg stood at the Club entrance, watching the sky dyed red by the setting sun, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He knew that his every move was no longer just an internal matter for 1860 but was gradually becoming the focus of the entire German football world.
Although the management advised him to keep a low profile, he knew in his heart that in the world of football, only those who showed their sharpest edge could truly stand at the peak.
The next match was at home against Aue.
This team was very weak.
How weak?
Put it this way: in his previous life, even a relegated Munich 1860 could beat Aue 6-2.
One could imagine Aue’s strength.
This season’s Munich 1860 had already made great progress; Adrian Vandenberg believed he could lead them to an even more impressive scoreline.
Adrian Vandenberg already had a clear assessment of Aue’s strength.
In his memory, although Aue was a regular in the 2.
bundesliga, their overall strength was mediocre, with no star players and no established tactical system, mostly relying on grit and sporadic individual performances to win.
In his view, such a Club was like a backdrop in the pyramid of German football, an opponent most teams used to pad their points.
And now, after his training, Munich 1860’s combat effectiveness was far from what it used to be.
Facing such a team, Adrian Vandenberg wasn’t worried about the outcome at all.
“If even Aue can threaten us, then what’s the point of my coaching?” he joked to the players during the pre-match tactical meeting.
“Show our dominance and don’t even give them a chance to counterattack.” After the match, the result was just as he had predicted: another massive 7-0 victory once again pushed Munich 1860 to the forefront of public discussion.
Florian completed a hat-trick, while Saša, Ivan, and Stefan each scored as well.
Stojković, meanwhile, brought the midfield to life with two precise assists.
The entire team coordinated smoothly, and their transitions between attack and defense were nearly flawless.
Post-match statistics showed that Munich 1860 had over 70% possession and as many as 22 shots, making it a perfect victory.
With the team’s consecutive big wins, combined with the previous dispute with Ancelotti, Adrian Vandenberg’s name was now known to almost everyone in Munich.
Several local TV stations even proactively contacted Adrian Vandenberg, hoping to conduct an exclusive interview with him to discuss the secret behind his rapid improvement of Munich 1860’s performance.
Facing this situation, Adrian Vandenberg knew very well that his fame had far exceeded that of an ordinary 2.
bundesliga coach.
However, he did not become arrogant because of it.
At the post-match press conference, he said in a calm tone, “Aue is a team with some strength, but they were unlucky today.
Of course, I am more pleased to see our players’ performance; they are gradually implementing what we do on the training ground into the matches, which is very important for our upcoming season.” By now, Adrian Vandenberg’s phone was filled with messages from the media.
A faint smile played on his face; this level of attention, in his view, was just the beginning.
Adrian Vandenberg sat in his office, having just finished a day of training and tactical analysis.
The League table on the screen showed that Munich 1860 had achieved three consecutive wins, firmly occupying a spot in the lower-middle of the table, having at least escaped the relegation zone.
He breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Just as he picked up his coffee cup for a sip, the system’s notification sounded in his mind.
“Winning streak reward activated.
Congratulations to the host for achieving the three-game winning streak achievement!” Adrian Vandenberg stopped his movement, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“Oh?
What is the reward?” The system’s voice carried its usual mechanical tone: “This winning streak reward includes three Excellent-quality training packs, which respectively improve the players’ speed, physical confrontation ability, and passing accuracy.
Would the host like to claim them?” Adrian Vandenberg’s brow quirked as a flash of interest crossed his mind.
He knew the rewards provided by the system were always very practical, especially in terms of training, as they could significantly boost specific abilities of the players.
But he quickly realized that this reward might not be a one-time opportunity.
Sure enough, he soon asked, “Can this reward be accumulated?” The system replied, “Yes.
As long as the host continues the winning streak, rewards will gradually accumulate.
Five-game and ten-game winning streaks will unlock higher-level rewards.
The longer the streak, the richer the rewards.
However, please note that once the winning streak is broken, all unclaimed rewards will vanish immediately.” Adrian Vandenberg nodded, leaning back in his chair and tapping his fingers lightly on the desk as he began to calculate.
The training packs provided by the system were undoubtedly a great temptation, especially now that the team’s morale was high; such rewards could further strengthen their existing advantages.
But he also knew that this was just the reward for a three-game winning streak.
If he continued to accumulate, the higher streak rewards later on might provide even greater assistance, perhaps even directly improving the overall level of the entire team.
“If the streak is broken, the rewards vanish…” he repeated the words softly, a look of deep thought flashing in his eyes.
This meant risk and reward coexisted.
If the team didn’t win the next match, the current rewards would go down the drain.
But if he continued to accumulate, the future gains would be massive.
A faint smile appeared on Adrian Vandenberg’s lips.
“System, you’re trying to get me to gamble.” The system responded, “The host can decide whether to claim them.
The current rewards can be used immediately or continue to be accumulated.” Adrian Vandenberg continued to ask, “If I get a draw in the next match after a winning streak, do I still get a reward in that case?” “Yes.
In this case, the system will provide the host with two choices.
One is to claim the winning streak reward from before the draw and restart the streak count from the draw.
The other is to convert the winning streak goal into an unbeaten goal.
The reward for the unbeaten task is 90% of the winning streak reward.
Overall, as long as you don’t lose the match, there will be a reward.” “Hmm…
looking at it this way, it’s quite humane,” he thought to himself.
Adrian Vandenberg stood up and walked slowly to the office window, overlooking several young players still putting in extra work on the training ground.
His mind flashed through the team’s current state: the team had indeed made good progress after he took over, especially the explosive performance on the offensive end, which was a pleasant surprise.
However, defensive issues still existed; particularly when facing stronger opponents, the stability of the backline remained a hidden concern.
He knew very well that the current three-game winning streak didn’t prove much; it was just a good start.
His goal was not just to win a few matches but to lead this team to a higher platform.
If he rushed to claim the rewards now, while it could provide a short-term boost in certain areas, it would be somewhat short-sighted.
“System, tell me, what is the reward for a five-game winning streak?” he asked suddenly.
The system was silent for a second, as if analyzing its database.
“In addition to training packs, the five-game winning streak reward includes a Team Status Boost Pack.
Specific details will be announced after the reward is activated.” A Team Status Boost Pack?
Adrian Vandenberg’s heart stirred slightly.
This meant it wasn’t just individual players but the entire team that could benefit from it.
A team-wide status bonus would be beneficial for the training and match status of all players—for instance, making Stojković’s passing more precise or Saša’s shooting more stable.
He gave a light chuckle.
“System, you’re quite good at playing with people’s minds.” The system did not respond, simply waiting for his choice.
Adrian Vandenberg stood by the window, watching those hard-working players, as the next opponent and tactical ideas surfaced in his mind.
He knew that the team’s current morale was high, which was the perfect opportunity to pursue higher goals.
Rather than rushing to claim the rewards, it was better to take a gamble for greater gains.
A few minutes later, he turned around, returned to his seat, and said with a firm tone, “I won’t claim the rewards.
Continue to accumulate.” The system responded, “The host has chosen to forgo claiming the rewards; they will continue to accumulate.” Adrian Vandenberg leaned back in his chair, the smile on his lips gradually deepening.
“If I’m going to gamble, I might as well gamble big.
However, the possibility of the streak being broken exists…
I cannot afford to be careless in any of the upcoming matches.” The system issued no further notifications, and the office returned to silence.
Adrian Vandenberg picked up his coffee cup, took a light sip, his gaze resolute.
He knew his decision carried risks, but without risk, where would the breakthrough come from?
What he wanted wasn’t a short-term boost but a truly strong team capable of establishing itself in a higher-level League.
“Next, a seven-game streak, a ten-game streak…” he murmured softly, a hint of sharpness in his eyes.
“Not just for the rewards, but also to tell everyone that this Munich 1860 will no longer be a mediocre side in the 2.
bundesliga.” That night, he carefully studied all the match recordings again, formulating more detailed tactical arrangements for the next game.
He knew in his heart that as long as the team maintained its current form, a five-game winning streak wouldn’t be difficult, but every match after that would be a test of his tactical adjustment skills.
At dawn, Adrian Vandenberg archived the last tactical plan.
Looking at the slightly brightening sky outside the window, he gave a weary but excited smile.
“System, your game rules are very interesting, but I’m going to play them even better.” — T/N: DONATE POWER STONES