six finger demon

Chapter 408 Owen and the Big Movie
For some young domestic fans, the Magpies Newcastle is an unfamiliar team.Coupled with the fact that it has not achieved any decent results in recent years, fans know it because of its two league rounds against Liverpool.

Is Newcastle really worth mentioning?
Sir Busby once said that 11 Newcastle fans would buy tickets if 3 black and white shirts were placed on the St. James' Park grounds.

The Highlanders, who are so infatuated with football, brought the most solemn welcome ceremony to the new hero who was hailed as the "Highland Galaxy Warrior" by Newcastle Club Chairman Shepard on this day.

Michael Owen officially started his Magpies career after wearing the No. 10 jersey in front of more than 1.5 fans at St. James' Park.

After signing a four-year contract with Newcastle, Owen revealed to The Times his mental journey before and after he decided to join Newcastle.

A week ago, Newcastle was still his last choice, but Owen deeply felt that "things are changing fast".

Real Madrid is not a place to stay for a long time. Although Owen has the highest scoring efficiency in Real Madrid this year, neither Ronaldo nor Raul can be replaced by him.

Continuing to stay in Real Madrid is Owen's worst choice.

The Magpies showed great determination to introduce Irving. The team leader Shearer kept doing his work on the phone, and even offered to give him the No. 9 jersey.Of course, Irving is only attracted to No. 10.

Irving revealed that Monday was his 24 hours of "disturbed mind."

Early in the morning, he arrived in Liverpool by private plane, his agent went to discuss the contract with CEO Parry, and he chatted with Benitez in the lounge.

Two and a half hours later, they rushed to Newcastle, and the meeting with Newcastle left a "deep impression" on Owen.

After talking with both of them, Irving was still fighting ideologically. Everton coach Moyes even called Irving, who supported Everton as a child, to test the situation.

After returning home, seeing that Liverpool was still arguing with Real Madrid, neither the Red Army nor Real Madrid showed due sincerity.

The Red Army never planned to spend all their money because of Irving. Their offer was only the 800 million pounds that Real Madrid paid when they introduced Irving last year. It is even reported that Anfield's initial intention was to rent for a year before considering whether to buy out.

So far, Owen has basically made up his mind.

Prior to this, Liverpool had internal news to Owen, saying that he was no longer suitable for today's Liverpool, and naturally he would no longer be valued by the team.

He didn't know whether such an idea came from Benitez, but it was obvious that Liverpool, except for the fans, whether it was a player or a coach, did not miss him, the former spiritual leader.

In addition to the fans, it seems that even his good friend Gerrard has forgotten him.

Is it a new love?
Owen didn't bother to think about such things.

At 1:30 am this Tuesday, Owen officially decided to accept Newcastle.

When meeting with the fans on Wednesday, Irving's wife Louise watched the heated scene and couldn't help wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Is she regretting that this is not Anfield?" Some media teased after the game.

Returning to the Premier League, it is no longer a red jersey.Incarnate as a magpie, can you still chase after the wind?

Accompanied by U2's "Beautiful Days", Owen's 2-year-old daughter Gemma said loudly after her father picked her up: "Come on, wave to our new friend."

The generous Gemma showed the temperament of a "leader" prematurely.It has made about 600 million Newcastle fans all over the world excited.

After the ceremony, Owen waved to the fans and gave a brief speech. He was so excited that he said incoherently: "I have never seen such a spectacular sight in my life."

After showing off a highland dialect, "Well done guys," Irving promised: "The one thing I can guarantee is goals. I hope the fans will see me play here for four years."

Afterwards, the "Mirror" likened that the combination of Irving and Newcastle was a "marriage without love", but after experiencing the love of the fans, the two parties at least had a "beautiful friendship".

Prior to this, Irving participated in the signing ceremony and press conference.Facing reporters, Owen was not easy. Among the many tricky questions, the most difficult to answer was about Liverpool.

"Why not choose Liverpool?" This is the first question that the media and fans want to know the most.

Owen was honest, admitting that Liverpool was his first choice. "Obviously, I have a lot of affection for Liverpool, but with the change in Liverpool's attitude towards me, I realized that going back to Liverpool was impossible."

"In other words, is it your last choice to come to Newcastle?"

"No, of course not!" Owen shook his head, "I need to find a club that needs me, and I will finally realize how much I am needed here."

"Is Benitez the stubborn force against you at Anfield?"

Owen does not admit this: "I know what he thinks of me. I am very satisfied after talking with him. He is an excellent coach. It has nothing to do with him not being able to join Liverpool."

"Then who do you think it's related to?"

Owen shrugged, "Maybe it has something to do with me! Liverpool already has their own system, and they don't need the same type of striker."

"Why didn't you go to another rich family?"

Owen's answer is decent: "If it is not already a great striker, it will not be a top team. But after Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rooney, Henry, Bergkamp, ​​they no longer need me to play. gone."

Just like Real Madrid this year, no matter how good Irving performed, he couldn't escape the consequences of being left behind.At the press conference, he always emphasized that he has no regrets, at least "experience the taste of playing abroad".

"Will it be difficult to win honors at Newcastle?"

Owen said: "I love the Premier League, I belong here. Newcastle is a big club and it's going to get bigger. Newcastle hasn't won a trophy in a long time, but that means, when we finally win something, it will be like It’s like winning the World Cup.”

At the same time, Eriksson, the coach of the British national team, stated that Owen's joining Newcastle can benefit the England team.

Interestingly, Irving's "official signing ceremony" was shown twice, once for the cameras and once for the other reporters at the press conference.

The media joked: "In this case, Irving will stay in Newcastle for 8 years?"

What's even more amusing is that every word that the Sky TV reporter White said into the microphone during the live broadcast can be heard directly by the fans in the stadium through the big broadcast.

When White said, "Ask Owen why he didn't go to Liverpool", there were boos at the scene.

In order to cater to the public, White had no choice but to flatter and say: "No matter what, Newcastle can now rival Chelsea!"

"Yeah!" This is the loud voice from the scene.

When Newcastle coach Souness was in charge of Liverpool, Owen had already entered the youth training system.

Suo Shuai revealed that he started calling Irving since December last year. At that time, people inside Newcastle did not believe that this could be done. "I always use the excuse of asking other players as an excuse to try to keep in touch with Irving." The pursuit is: "If we can keep the players healthy, the Champions League place is still our goal."

Of course, Real Madrid knows which side they should satisfy. While confirming the Red Army's bid on Monday, the club's vice-chairman Butragueno said: "If Owen is not willing to join the club that has reached a price agreement with us, then he can only stay. At Real Madrid, then we will think about the solution in January and in the summer."

The Spaniard's threat is certainly risky, but they seized Owen's eagerness to return to the Premier League and made Newcastle have the last laugh.

"Just like the time when I signed Shearer, the successful introduction of Irving is also the moment I am most proud of as the chairman of Newcastle." Shepard disclosed his feelings through the club's official website as soon as the transfer news was confirmed, " Our fans have always loved forwards and Owen is a fantastic goalscorer. We will be delighted to build our team around him and look forward to the success he brings to the club."

Although Spanish media disclosed that Newcastle will eventually pay Owen a transfer amount of up to 2800 million euros (about 1850 million pounds), but the British generally believe that the actual transaction amount will not exceed 1700 million.In any case, this has broken the club's 1996 million transfer fee record for the introduction of Shearer in 1500.

The work contract between the two parties is initially set to last for 4 years, and Irving's weekly salary will be maintained at the level of 9 pounds at Real Madrid.

Liverpool fans were arguing about Owen not returning to Liverpool but joining the Magpies.

Owen has made it very clear that his first choice is Liverpool, but Liverpool has no place for him.

Barosch left, but the team bought a high center forward Crouch.Cisse was originally bought as a "Owen substitute". Now that the Frenchman has become a genuine product, the team naturally does not need two forwards with the same attributes.

So the direction of the fans' quarrel is not "whether Irving betrayed Liverpool", but "whether Irving is good for Liverpool".

Who turned down Irving?
Is it Benitez?Or Gerrard?Or Tom?

Or are all three of them thinking the same way?

Some nostalgic fans complained why the club didn't seize the opportunity to buy Irving back, so that the "feelings" and "champions" could become perfect; another part of the fans felt that Liverpool no longer needed Irving. "He left Liverpool at the most difficult time. Now that Liverpool have won so many titles, why bring him back?"

Fans debated endlessly about this until early August, when a football movie co-produced by a Sino-US joint venture was released.

On the first day of "Fame" was released, Tang Wu took his girlfriend, director Danny Cannon, and domestic and foreign actors such as Star Master and Wu Lei to watch it in the cinema.

In order to obtain first-hand live effects, the leading actors and staff of these films did not disclose their identities, but entered the venue with other ordinary movie fans and sat in random positions.

When the cinema became pitch black, Tang Wu and Zhou Haohao grabbed each other's hand at the same time.

"You are not allowed to move!"

"You too!"

After the two reached an agreement, Zhou Hao snuggled into Tang Wu's arms and watched the movie with great interest.

The beginning of the film is in a small town in Northeast China. Liu Xiaole, played by the snotty and blind Wu Lei, is a rural kid in the countryside. He doesn't even have a piece of skin in his football, but he is still a treasure, and you can often see him Entertain yourself on a country road.

One day, his teacher told him that it was time to pay tuition fees, but his family had to drop out of school because they had spent all their money on medical treatment for their mother.

Until one day, his uncle and other people in the village came to find his father and asked him if he wanted to organize a group to work in England.

Because he had to take care of his wife, Liu's father gave Liu Xiaole to his younger brother.In this way, Liu Xiaole took a World Cup poster and the leatherless football on the flight to England.

After arriving in the UK, Liu Xiaole's uncles realized that they had been fooled.

The black intermediary did not introduce them to the promised jobs. They could only hug together and do the hardest and most tiring physical work at the bottom of the UK.Not to mention sending money to my family, I don’t even know that it will take years of monkeys to save money for a plane ticket to return home.

But Liu Xiaole still did not give up his football dream. After work in the middle of the night, he often kicked the leatherless ball and performed fairy dance steps under the night lights.

"Tang Tang, is there no special effect? ​​He kicks really well!"

Wu Lei's continuous dribbling in this section uses a one-shot shooting method. With continuous fake movements and body swaying, Wu Lei took the ball and passed all the obstacles under the night light.

"What's the matter, I can do it too!" Tang Wu said not to be outdone.

Wu Lei is an outfield player, and he needs to use his feet to pass these obstacles; but Tang Wu is a goalkeeper, he only needs to hold the ball and run through the obstacles!

One day, a drunk Magpie scout who strayed into the slums spotted Liu Xiaole's talent and brought him to Newcastle.

But Liu Xiaole, who has just arrived, not only has not received professional football training, but his body is also emaciated.

His skills couldn't be used in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's Newcastle draft team, and the team's coaches and scouts were very disappointed with him.In the end, under his begging, the team reluctantly kept him.

This time, he realized that in addition to talent, diligent practice is the key to gaining a foothold in professional football.

After learning that Liu Xiaole was selected by Newcastle, his uncle and more than a dozen fellow villagers saved up enough money for his living expenses and nutritious meals, and several years passed like this.

On the other side, Liu's mother died of a serious illness, and Liu's father came to England alone to find his younger brother and son.

The two lines alternated. Liu's father asked for news while begging, while Liu Xiaole, carrying the expectations of more than a dozen people in the village, practiced hard day after day, and even rejected the date invitation of the beautiful team doctor.

With the help of his uncle and uncle who lived frugally, Liu Xiaole quickly grew tall and strong, and his physical strength was not weak among his peers.

After giving full play to his potential, Liu Xiaole's performance in the club was invincible, no one could resist, and some even called him Newcastle's "Owen".

On this day, Liu Xiaole, played by Master Xing, broke through the gate guarded by Tang Wu with a free kick with a round moon scimitar at the last countdown of a four-point match against Liverpool.And Liverpool's 'hero' Tang Wu could only stand still and watch the ball sigh.

After winning four, Liu Xiaole completely became the hero of Newcastle.

Seeing Master Xing who was kneeling on the ground in the camera, holding the photo of his parents on the necklace in his arms, and crying like tears, the audience stood up together, and there was endless applause.

In this country where football is even higher than life, everyone is infected by Liu Xiaole's tenacity and resilience.

Liu Xiaole not only changed himself with a golden free kick, but also changed the fate of the whole family.

"Oh Shet, the damn 'American Dream'!" A teary-eyed front row spectator stood up and clapped his hands.

"Damn football! Oh my god, I'm going to watch it a second time!"

Afterwards, many spectators stood up and ran to the front desk to buy tickets, shouting twice.

A young fan asked curiously, "Dad, this uncle is so good that he can score into the goal guarded by TOM!"

"That's right, that's why he's great!" The father knelt down and pinched his child's face, "So far, there is no player who can make TOM bewildered with free kicks!"

The actors, the director and others in the theater looked at each other, and they all saw satisfaction in each other's eyes.

How can such an inspirational sports movie not sell well?

The next day, the "Mirror" even published such an advertisement in order to promote the film: "Newcastle's Irving VS Liverpool's TOM".

It wasn't until then that people realized it.Owen's joining the Magpies may have another factor: he wants to go back to the rainy day two years ago to complete his own redemption.

(End of this chapter)