The Young Lion

The moon was bright and the stars were thin, and in the back garden of Nifflin's mansion, Aldrich was sitting on a swing woven with flowers and vines, smoking in one hand and drinking in the other. In two hours, dawn will come, and there are already many people in the villa staggering around. Falling asleep, and he, drowsily thinking about the past season when the tiredness hits.

Suddenly someone sat down beside him, on the double swing, two big men sat down, wondering if there was any problem with the weight bearing, the hanger made creaking noises.

Andrew lit a cigarette with Aldrich's butt, and asked with a smile, Why do you feel like you've been drained?

Aldridge smiled wryly, and said: I originally thought that this season would be easy, and I could devote my energy to serving as the coach of the national team, but many unplanned things happened.

Nedved was seriously injured at the beginning of the season. Although Aldridge replaced him with Klose, Klose and Nedved were not the same type of player, so he had to spend energy to rebuild an offensive system. Gattuso stopped halfway. A month into the game, the weak position of the midfielder also made him dare not take it lightly. Coupled with the work of rebuilding the England national team, this season, Aldridge is more difficult than in previous seasons, and he will wake up one day like never before. Puffy bags under the eyes, or getting up late, and even have the idea of ​​staying in bed to avoid work.

Success in football is no different from the rules of success in all walks of life in the world. Hard work is one of the basic conditions.

Just like those hopeful stars with extraordinary talents, if they are talented and don't work hard, they may end up not even hurting Zhongyong.

The same goes for the head coach.

Andrew couldn't understand the helplessness expressed by Aldridge. Although he worked hard, he had a lot of room for flexibility. Tired and tired. You can arrange a short-term vacation to relax at any time.

What are your plans for the future?

Aldrich kicked the ground slightly with both legs. The swing started to shake, and he said softly: Try to reach a new level of glory next season. If the league and the Champions League can continue to defend, I will take the England national team to Asia to play a World Cup. As long as the club's goal is achieved, no matter what the national team's performance is. , I plan to retire from the position of head coach, and spend more time with my family in the future.

Andrew looked surprised, but after thinking about it, he also felt that it was reasonable.

If Millwall can really continue to maintain the glory of these two seasons next season, Aldridge has won five Premier League titles, four Champions League titles, four consecutive Premier League titles, three consecutive Champions League titles, and others. There are countless trophies, these eight years of glory. Enough to be recorded in the annals of history, the next hundred years. When people recall the years at the turn of the century, they will remember that this is the era of a team and the era of a head coach.

As for Aldrich saying to accompany his family,

Is this an excuse?

Andrew still can't understand it, but Aldrich has been reborn as a human being for more than fifty years. He really wants to be with his family in the next few years, especially his two sons are not like a year ago. Adults take care of them. They can talk and run now, and they need more care and education from adults. Aldrich doesn’t think this is a burden, because being with his family is really carefree and happy.

Hearing what Aldridge said, Andrew couldn't speak.

Seeing Andrew's hesitant expression, Aldridge smiled and said, Just say what you want, it's just another giant trying to poach my players.

Andrew nodded, it is indeed not difficult to guess.

Many of Millwall's players are players who have dominated Europe for two or three times, and their strength has reached an absolutely undoubted height. Other giants may have concerns before. Now, the only question is: can they buy it or not? !

Aldrich, did you foresee this day long ago? You and I will have conflicts of interest and stand on opposite sides.

Aldrich tilted his head and smiled, but said nothing.

Andrew has been helping him search for players, but one day, the two brothers will confront each other clearly at the negotiating table. This day has finally arrived, and in the future, such confrontation will become more intense.

Real Madrid will offer 40 million pounds in the summer. Henry and Ronaldinho will choose one of the two, with a weekly salary of 100,000 pounds. Pirlo, the top three in northern Italy will offer 30 million pounds, with a weekly salary of 80,000 pounds. Between £100,000 and £100,000. I won’t talk about other players, regardless of the transfer fee or salary, I have to talk to you, otherwise, I won’t be able to survive in the agent business.”

This conversation made Andrew feel uncomfortable inside.

As an agent, he just wants to ask for higher income and better treatment for the players.

Brokers also have to be very realistic.

It cannot be said that winning the championship at Millwall will cancel out all the gains and losses. If he really does this, the player is not stupid. He will earn less than one million pounds a year, and five million pounds in five years. Probably less for a contract. Four or five million pounds, who would be happy?

A champion is a champion, and revenue is revenue.

What's more, if you win the championship in Millwall, your desire for the championship will decrease compared to before. Of course, you want to get a higher return in income, which is natural.

Millwall's salary expenditure is already the highest in the Premier League, but they cannot give the highest salary to all the main players. If that is the case, the club's operating income throughout the season will not be able to cover the salary expenditure.

Aldrich is rich, but not to the point of being invincible. His eldest brother's company has his shares, and if it is converted now, it is almost more than 4 billion pounds.

But if he runs a club and pours money into it every year, will he be happy? No one wants to have less and less money in their hands.

And other giant clubs, even if they can't do the top salary for all the main players like Millwall, but it is still no problem to poach a good player from Millwall and give the top salary.

The top three in northern Italy are willing to give Pirlo a weekly salary of 100,000. If Millwall wants to raise Pirlo's salary to 100,000, the entire salary system must be greatly improved, and Nedved and the others must also raise their salary, otherwise Woolen cloth? The soul of the team, the spiritual leader on the field. But not the highest paid player. reasonable? The disparity in the internal salary structure is even greater. This can easily cause chaos in the locker room.

Andrew cannot turn a blind eye to the offers made by these clubs.

Pirlo's weekly salary at Millwall is only 50,000 pounds, which is less than 70,000 pounds including loyalty rewards. As an agent, how can he persuade players not to be tempted? If you change one hundred agents, all one hundred agents will put pressure on the club to either raise the salary or let them go!

Henry's transfer turmoil before the season. It also stems from this. Juventus privately paid Henry more than 70,000 pounds, and the information Henry got from the original agent was that Millwall only paid 30,000 pounds. How can this not chill him?

The current situation of Millwall can be divided into two situations. One is that the players have absolute loyalty to the club. As long as the club does not do things to the extent that they are merciless, the players will refuse the temptation and stay at the club with peace of mind. Such as Nedved, Larson. Players like Ronaldinho, they can dedicate their loyalty without reservation.

Another situation is that players do not have a firm determination to stay for a long time due to competition or life reasons. Then when an olive branch that meets the player's future long-term life plan is presented to them, it is a reasonable opportunity for them to leave.

Aldridge never thought that Italian players such as Pirlo and Gattuso could end their careers at Millwall. When they got married and started their own businesses, they would return to Italy and develop in a more familiar environment. This is also human nature. It's a pity that it is not ten years later, when Serie A has declined to the stage where the stars have fled, Italian players will go abroad to earn money and get more generous returns.

When Milan signed up and shouted Mr. X before, Aldridge heard the wind from Andrew that Italian players such as Pirlo, Gattuso, and Zambrotta were already considering returning to play for their country.

Starting from the long-term construction of the team, the growth of Lampard, Ashley Cole, Alonso and other players can fill the vacancies after their departure. Although it cannot be seamlessly connected, at least it is not a situation where there is no shortage.

The only worry is the central defender position.

Since I have considered retiring after the end of next season, next season, I need the team to be absolutely stable. Andrew, this summer, I can't sell any of the main players. They only renewed their contracts last year. If they want to leave, wait another season. I arrange a preparation process for the future of the club, I will not make it difficult for you, individual players, I will persuade them.

I'm afraid if you leave your position as Millwall manager

Afraid of what? Millwall's record will plummet?

Ok.

I don't think so. In the past seven years, the club has established a comprehensive youth training system, and there are channels to attract young players from all over the world. The club's finances are healthy. As long as we stick to the tradition I created, the record will fluctuate a lot. Normal, but definitely stable among the giants.

Aldrich is still confident about this.

Millwall continues to operate in a virtuous circle. As the football market becomes more and more mature, Millwall can obtain more and more commercial benefits. The financial foundation for the club's long-term development is relatively stable, although it is still not as good as that of local tyrants who spend a lot of money. It is an investment, but it is better than health, and the water will flow for a long time.

As for Aldridge retiring from the head coach and only being the boss, he does not expect to make money from the club, as long as he does not invest money himself, he is satisfied.

It sounds unbelievable. If you don't invest money, is the team's record guaranteed?

Yes, contemporary football is suffering from the madness of money.

Few of the clubs themselves make money, but businessmen make a lot of money, that is, financing and listing, using the financial circle to collect money.

And only clubs with a certain scale of commercialization can realize their own profits. For example, Manchester United, and now Millwall, even Real Madrid can't compare. New Real Madrid brand value.

British fans have scolded the Edwards family for nearly half a century, thinking that it has turned Manchester United, a pure football club, into a nondescript investment commodity. The market value is inseparable, otherwise, how can a family that started selling pork be the boss of Manchester United? Astronomical wealth has been earned from Manchester United, and Manchester United also has a good record.

Millwall has been among the top European clubs in terms of annual revenue over the past few years, reaching the top several times.

However, the outside world believes that Millwall's income is extremely high, and it is all earned by selling players.

This phenomenon will be greatly reversed this season. Millwall itself did not sell many first-team players. Only Makelele left the main force last season, and they still have signing expenses.

The income statistics for this season have not yet come out, but there is no suspense for Millwall to reach the top.

They have a new stadium, ticket revenue has increased significantly, and the operating income generated by the business chain around the new stadium is almost a new part of the income. In the past, there was no industry belonging to Millwall around their stadium. Broadcast fees, European tickets, bonuses, new season and new level of top sponsorship income, etc., Millwall's net operating income is enough to ensure that they will win the first place in European and even global club income.

As the whole society is about to enter the Internet age and the era of information dissemination is exploding, Millwall seized the opportunity. Combined with the field record, Aldridge spent 7 years and made a difference that surpassed other clubs in ten or twenty years. Even the achievements of market development accumulated in the past 30 years, grabbing the cake, dividing the cake, laid a solid foundation for the club's long-term development.

Having feelings for Millwall, Aldridge not only wants to become famous, but also builds the cornerstone of Millwall's giants. (to be continued...) ()