Football: The immortal legend on the green field

"It seems this is a problem that must be solved." Albert Martins looked at Shen Bin who was walking away.

Bruel echoed the old coach's words: "Shen Bin is our best player. People have always been surprised that he is playing in the Dutch second division, because he should obviously be on the roster of a top team, at least in the upper middle of the top five leagues."

Martins still had a non-confrontational look on his face: "John, can you solve this problem? The Golden Boy Award has already had a negative impact on him psychologically. Among the top ten young talents, only Torres did not appear in a top team. Even so, Torres plays for Atletico Madrid, which is at least a top five team in La Liga. We can't keep him. There are less than three months left until the end of the season. We have to prepare to lose him in advance for next season."

“We’ll be fine,” Neeskens said.

"Of course, I believe you."

Whether it was public opinion from the outside world, the boss's wishes, or pressure from Shen Bin himself and his agent, this matter had reached the point where it had to be resolved.

Neeskens was annoyed. This team had never really fulfilled his wishes perfectly. It always let the conflicts walk on the edge of breaking out through compromise. His wish to naturalize Shen Bin was completely dashed. For the first time, he considered trading Shen Bin.

But if he trades Shen Bin, it would be tantamount to admitting that he cannot control this young wild horse. This would be a disguised admission of defeat and a result he cannot accept.

"Using the excuse of being tired from traveling, I made him watch the entire game in the stands. This is the price he should pay for disobeying discipline." Neeskens said: "Put Junior on the bench in the next game and let that kid start. If he messes up, I will shut him up completely!"

"What if you screwed up?"

Martins did not say this because Neeskens had already made his decision.

He did not and could not object.

Neeskens pouted, as was his wont, "Tell him what we've decided."

"Is this really our decision? Not your personal decision?" Martins complained in his heart again.

Martins thought so and walked towards the gym.

On this not-too-long-nor-short journey, Martins recalled the question he had just asked: When did he start to lose the right to speak in front of Neeskens?

It had been so long that he couldn't remember it.

Shen Bin's words just now, his disrespectful attitude towards the coach, and his arrogance of being the only one who thinks he is the only one, opened up memories that the old man was unwilling to reveal.

Martins remembered it all.

It started on the day old Horst gave up part of his shares in Haarlem Athletic.

As a coach, he dare not express his own opinions, even if they are the right things, but as a player, he can stand up. What a weird group is this? Those who have the ability to speak choose to remain silent, while those who should absolutely obey go out of their way to challenge the authority. Martins shook his head.

For a rebellious player, I have to go to the gym to comfort him and inform him that he will start in the next game.

In the living room of an old house in Amsterdam with a magnificent interior, old Horst sat on the sofa and listened to his son's complaints.

In front of his son, old Horst is a tolerant and kind old man, but in the eyes of the company employees below, he is a majestic superior.

"Basically, Shen Bin's reputation among the players is much higher than that of Neeskens, especially among the young players introduced this season. Neeskens has lost control of the team, and the coaching staff often complained to me secretly."

Old Horst recalled the scene of his first meeting with Shen Bin.

Shen Bin did not give him a particularly good impression. Although he was honored by the "praise" he received, he was by no means like Brewer and Weiss, players who had played football for Haarlem SC all their lives. They were pragmatists who respectfully called him "Mr. Horst" and regarded the club as their home and served him wholeheartedly. They entered the Haarlem SC youth training camp at a very young age, and some had even played for Haarlem SC for nearly 20 years.

"Do you think he will bow to Neeskens?" asked old Horst.

"If he wanted to bow his head, he wouldn't have to wait until today," Horst said. "His performance today just proves that he is determined to draw a line between himself and Neeskens."

This made old Horst fall into deep thought.

Of course he knew that conflicts in the locker room existed in every club, but this was the first time he had encountered a player giving orders to the head coach after playing football for decades.

Shen Bin's behavior disgusted old Horst.

But Horst Jr. doesn't think so. Whoever can bring him US dollars is justice. Neeskens' entry into the club has ruined his plans to get rich several times. Horst Jr. has given up a lot to keep the club running normally.

The right to build the team, the right to advise the management, the right to supervise the executives, as a boss, the only way he feels that this is his team is that every time he enters the training center, everyone knows that in addition to Neeskens, Haarlem Athletic has another big boss.

Although he has repeatedly emphasized to the outside world that Haarlem is not a one-man show by Neeskens, and so far this is the only time he has vetoed his purge of Link, the club's managers all believe that their actions are just an excuse for him to save his face.

In the Dutch football world, whether practitioners or fans, almost everyone thinks that Haarlem is Neeskens' team.

Little Horst lost a lot, but also gained a lot. Shen Bin, who brought him huge wealth, was chosen by the expert Neskens. But the situation is different now. If the master and apprentice continue to confront each other for a long time, he will not be able to make the most of Shen Bin.

Since the new season, Hallam Athletic has achieved its first peripheral profit in 7 years. It has to be said that this is the result of Neeskens' joining.

As long as he can continue to make money, Horst really doesn't mind letting someone manage the team instead of himself. In order to repay him, the team has given him 20% of the shares. He not only gets a high salary, but also takes 500 million euros in dividends. But the problem is that Neeskens has no gratitude at all. He takes his tolerance and retreat for granted, and allows people around him to insult their colleagues at will, and calls himself a "Wall Street vampire."

But his father told him to be patient because the team still needed Neeskens as a signboard.

As long as the team keeps winning, God will still be God, but yesterday, Haarlem lost shamefully to Venlo, which is in the relegation zone.

Little Horst looked at his father and asked, "Should we arrange for you and Shen Bin to meet in private?"

"Don't worry about it," said old Horst. "Wait until he comes back from tomorrow's game. He will only be valuable to me if he performs stably, and this is what he must prove. If he has no ability but wants to make trouble, he is a fool. I won't expect to get anything from such a person.