Coaching legend

"Evan, it's rare. How come you have time to call me?"

The Champions League group stage appeared. George was in a very good mood. Unfortunately, the good mood disappeared immediately after the league.

On December 14, Blackburn challenged Leicester City away.

Leicester City should be an easy team to win. But the game was not that easy.

Although George replaced some main players, Blackburn's overall strength was still much better than Leicester City. It's just that football games are not a simple mathematical formula of one plus one equals two. The powerful Blackburn was defeated by Leicester City 2-1 away.

This made George curl his lips.

Damn, it's too unlucky. Lost to Leicester City.

Damn, what's more annoying is that Leicester City jumped out of the relegation zone by defeating Blackburn. This made George laugh and cry.

Today is the second day of the game, and George is looking at the information of the next opponent. Evan called George here.

It has been a year and a half since Evan left Blackburn and coached alone. The club Evan coaches is Stoke City in the English League One, which is a club with a very long history.

At present, the world football believes that Stoke City is the second oldest football league club after Notts County. Of course, there are some objections in the English football world about the specific time when Stoke City was founded, but it is recognized that Stoke City has a long history.

A long history does not mean excellent results. Because even some amateur clubs in England are founded a hundred years ago.

But Stoke City is really embarrassing. As a football club that has been established for nearly 150 years, there have been no good results for so many years. In 150 years, if there is a championship that can be taken out, it is the League Cup championship. Most of the time, they are mixed in low-level leagues.

Even Blackburn and Burnley, which George coached, are much inferior.

How to say Blackburn and Burnley were still strong teams in the English league a hundred years ago. There have been many championships. But Stoke City’s history is really poor.

In the past few seasons, they have been wandering around in the second and third leagues. When Evan went there, Stoke City was playing in the second league.

But it was only a short time since they were promoted from the third league, and the team's strength was very poor. Every year, they had to fight for relegation.

But after Evan arrived at Stoke City, he turned Stoke City into a strong team in the English League One in just one year. In particular, Evan emphasized speed, defense, and physical strength in Stoke City. Stoke City has become a force that cannot be ignored in the English League One.

Although it cannot be promoted due to the team's strength. But now Stoke City can even create enough trouble when playing against Premier League teams.

During this period, Evan is probably very busy.

George and Evan have not been in touch for nearly two months. Suddenly, Evan called George, and George was surprised and very happy.

Evan and George have worked together for seven years, and the personal relationship between the two is very good. This is a friendship forged at work.

"George, congratulations to Blackburn for appearing in the group stage."

Evan's hearty voice sounded again on the other end of the phone.

George shook his head. "Evan, you have narrowed your vision after coming to Stoke City. I can easily win the group stage."

"Haha, George. You haven't changed at all."

"Okay. Stop talking nonsense, Evan. You are a busy man. What's the matter with calling me?" Although Blackburn is a Premier League team and has to play in the Champions League. And Stoke City, which Evan coaches, is a League One team.

But in terms of Evan, it is not easier than George.

League One, 46 games a season. And Evan is a man with great ambitions, so he will not give up the League Cup and FA Cup, which can show his strength. Adding these games together, Evan actually has not much less games in a season than George's Blackburn. Maybe even more than Blackburn.

"George. When I left, you said that you would definitely support me and let me choose any player from the youth team. I am asking you for help now."

Hearing Evan's words, George understood what Evan meant.

Evan wanted to rent a few players or buy a few young players at a low price. But George would not object, but would be even happier. After all, many players in the youth team are to be loaned out.

In addition to some truly talented players who can directly enter the first team to play games, some other promising players are to be loaned out for training.

It doesn't matter who they are rented to, it's better to rent to Evan.

Evan is very good at training young players. George, who has worked with Evan for many years, knows this very well. Moreover, Evan and George's coaching ideas are not much different, so George is more assured to rent to him.

"Tell me, Evan. Who do you like? As long as they are not important players in the first team, I will give you the green light."

George is very generous.

"George, rent Frank Ribery and Yang Feng to me."

"Frank? Yang Feng?"

Ribery came to Blackburn last season, and it has been a year and a half now, and he has not had a stable playing time. Although Ribery's growth rate is very fast, he still can't find a stable position in the current Blackburn.

George is really worried sometimes. He is really afraid that Ribery will be ruined by himself.

He will not be able to find a place to cry when the time comes.

As for Yang Feng, he is still young now. He is only 17 years old. Although he trains with the first team, he plays more games in the youth team. However, Yang Feng is now the biggest star of the youth team. Almost all Blackburn fans know that there is a very outstanding player in the Blackburn youth training camp.

Now Evan wants to rent them both, which is actually not bad.

But George is a little hesitant.

"Evan, to tell you the truth. I have high expectations for the two of them. I rent them to you, how do you plan to use them?"

It's not that George doesn't believe Evan. It's that Ribery and Yang Feng are the two future Blackburn wingers that George has reserved. George is more anxious about them than anyone else.

"Well, George, don't worry."

Evan smiled on the other end of the phone when he heard what George said. Stoke City is a small club, not even a big club in the English League One. Evan doesn't have the conditions to train young players, or to be luxurious enough to let two talented players play as substitutes.

Evan is very careful when renting players.

Evan wants to let the young talents of the Premier League teams play in the games. It is impossible for him to rent those young talents and then put them aside. Because it would be a great waste for Stoke City.

"George, I want to be promoted. Even if I can't be promoted directly, I should at least get a place in the play-offs. And the FA Cup is a chicken rib in your eyes. But I attach great importance to it. So don't worry, I will make good use of them."

Hearing Evan's promise, George thought about it and agreed.

Now Ribery and Yang Feng, even if they stay in Blackburn, will not get many opportunities to play. It is better to put them in the English League One for training. It is better than staying in the club to play in the youth team. There is more development prospects.

But both of them are rented out.

Then if there is a problem with Blackburn's wing, there will be no suitable substitute. Pires will be 31 years old soon, and he is not young anymore. Minor injuries and major injuries will come easily. Arshavin and Hleb's physical condition is not very good.

There are not few games in the second half of the year.

So George thought for a while. "Evan, I can rent them to you. But Frank, I can only rent them to you for three months. After three months, you have to return them to me. Of course, if our team is not in a hurry at that time, I can continue to rent them to you until the end of the season."

George thought about it and it was the safest.

It would be best if there were no problems with the team. Once the team has any problems, George can let Ribery replace him at any time.

"Okay, George, no problem. You are the boss now, what you say is what it is."

Evan said with a smile.

"You call Carl and you can discuss it between you."

Ribery and Yang Feng's salaries can't be lower. This little money is really not in Blackburn's eyes. Even if you give Evan, a hero of Blackburn, a face, the lease terms can be very loose.

"Got it, George."

…………

"Carl, did Evan call you?"

George looked up and asked when he saw Carl the next day.

"Well, the formalities have been completed. I have talked to Frank and Yang Feng, and they are willing to go to Stoke City."

George nodded.

Do they have any choice? George has already nodded, so they can only go obediently. Moreover, they have no chance to play in Blackburn, and Blackburn has world-class players in all positions.

It is not easy for young players to find a position in Blackburn.

Even Kaka, who is now very popular, has been trained for two seasons before he got his current position in Blackburn.

Taking this opportunity to go out and train, it may not be a bad idea. Maybe there is a way out.

"Carl, ask Richard to make arrangements. Send someone to stay in Stoke City. Whether it is their training, internal games, or actual games, they must be recorded. I will call Evan and ask him to cooperate. Send me a copy of Frank and Yang Feng's status every half a month. I need to clearly understand their development status."

After all, Ribery and Yang Feng are both very important players in George's future plan.

George has to keep an eye on their situation at all times. George must be aware of every change in them.

Generally, players who are loaned out will have someone to follow them and observe their status. However, it is rare in the football world to send someone to follow the loaned players like this time. And George asks for a report every half a month, which is unique. Of course, this also shows how much George values ​​these two people.

"Okay, I understand."