The Young Lion

There are many young coaches here in Ajax who hold temporary contracts, especially in the youth team echelon, so it is not difficult to poach people.

Most of these young coaches are formerly selected by Ajax but have fallen behind in training and growth. The inability to become professional players does not mean that their tactical literacy and football knowledge are not up to standard. On the contrary, in Ajax, which is full of Where there are football genes, even a piece of turf seems to be full of football wisdom.

Jansen contacted a lot of people of the same age. They lived very close to each other in Amsterdam. When Aldridge came to study here a few years ago, he had friendship with many people, but they were not as deep as Jansen who shared the rent.

Under Jenson's persuasion, many people were tempted. Apart from the substantial increase in salary, what made them even more tempting was that they would work in the first team of a club.

Although Ajax is a giant in the Netherlands, their work in the youth team is not as good as the first team. Even under the fierce competition, many people are at risk.

Aldrich was in a hurry, so he met these people in a hurry at night, made a promise, and flew back to London the next day.

Millwall has exploded, and the fan group is waiting outside the club for an explanation from the club.

The head coach has resigned and the club has issued an announcement.

The team seems to be entering an unprecedented turmoil.

But because the Hall family, which is well-known to neighbors and neighbors, entered the club, there were no fan disturbances.

Accompanied by Adam, Aldridge visited the club's facilities.

The club is very old from top to bottom, and the facilities are not perfect, even similar to football clubs decades ago.

The training grounds for the players are shabby. It seems that the players come to the team to practice together and play games, and then no one cares about their daily life. This can be regarded as the mainstream of English football today. Even the members of the national team drink unrestrainedly and don’t pay attention to it at all. Sports life.

The Lion's Den Stadium can still be used, although it is a little smaller, but Aldridge can't get everything in place in one step.

But he still shook his head in disappointment, and said to Adam: It will take a month and a half to renovate the training ground, and besides, help me see if there are any hotels with modern facilities around the training camp.

Huh? Hotel?

Well, there must be a gym, meeting room, swimming pool, sauna, restaurant, etc. Starting next season, the team's daily training, in addition to the training ground, will be in the hotel.

In that case, expenses...

Before the new training base is built, I am afraid that such a hotel will be used for a long time. If it is not cost-effective to rent, then buy it. Whether it is the name of the club or the name of the Hall family, the money will be taken from the club account. expenditure.

The price of land in London is very high, and East London is a relatively cheap area, which is why there are mixed dragons and snakes here.

However, a hotel, in the context of the current era, is not necessarily very expensive. It must be won within a million pounds. If it is not in a hurry, Aldridge would rather build a hotel by himself. Of course, when he has that time, he Definitely build a new training base.

Adam took out his notebook and wrote down Aldridge's instructions. At the end, Aldridge turned to him and said, Where is the transfer negotiation team in the club?

Adam said at once: Everyone is out,

According to your request, after the player's listing, many clubs have sent transfer intentions, and some made direct offers.

Aldridge nodded, and said in a deep voice: After they finish their work here, let them come to me. Next, it will be a busy time. In addition, the club needs several new departments. The first one is the medical department. Department, you go to find experts in sports medicine. The second is the diet department. During the period when the players are in the club, the club is responsible for controlling the diet. I need scientific and nutritious catering talents. Traditional French fries, puddings, and fried fish are not allowed. Show up at the dinner table.

Adam wrote down these requirements again, and then asked: The team's coaching staff and scouts, what should we do?

You don't have to worry about this, I will arrange it.

In the following days, Aldridge met every staff member in the club, allowing the chaotic club to quickly stabilize from within, and the work of the transfer department also came to an end for the time being.

More than ten players from Millwall's original first team were sold for only 1.8 million pounds. This is not only due to the club's active selling, but also to the current players' low value.

You must know that Crystal Palace's top scorer Ian Wright transferred to Arsenal for only 2.5 million pounds three years ago, and the famous Sheringham was only worth 2 million pounds three years ago.

When the World Cup in the United States is about to kick off, Aldridge and Andrew are screening players in the club.

Next, he will start looking for candidates in the transfer market.

Andrew looked at Aldridge anxiously, and said in a deep voice uneasily: Aldridge, there are only a few members in the club's first team now, and the outside world is not optimistic about Millwall. Adam went to buy a hotel. Under remodeling, you know what the papers say about you? That you're joking, the football club sells out their players and buys a hotel to turn Millwall into a holiday destination?

Aldridge scanned the list on the table without raising his head, ignored Andrew's words, and said calmly, I've introduced players, will anyone come?

Andrew shook his head frankly, and said: Millwall has no background, and it is a second-tier team. In addition, the club is currently in turmoil. Who would want to jump into this pit of fire?

What if I give a player £1,000 a week?

That's a lot.

Three thousand pounds.

There are less than five players on this list who deserve this kind of salary.

No, I'll give these players a minimum of 3,000 pounds and a maximum of 8,000 pounds!

You are crazy! This is the salary of the top giants in the Premier League!

Andrew looked at the calm Aldridge in disbelief, and even he wondered if the younger brother was playing a fool like crazy!

Aldridge raised his head and said frankly: I borrowed 30 million pounds from my elder brother, 10 million pounds is the transfer fund, and the other 20 million pounds is the club's salary guarantee for the next two years. In the third year, if you still There are no good results, but the income of the club in the first two years is enough to pay the salary for the third year. If I can’t get Millwall into the Premier League in three years, then I will give up my childhood dream and become a dandy who eats and waits to die. son.

Andrew was speechless in astonishment, and he sighed after a long while: Well, if you plan to lure these players with high salaries, I think no one would refuse, who would refuse to earn a salary of ten or twenty years a year Woolen cloth.

Aldrich knew very well that Millwall's poor background and background, and even his reputation as a football hooligan, were not conducive to his recruitment of players.

However, in this blank period of football reform, when the outside world has not yet realized the value of stars, and even the player community has not realized how much money they can make, Aldridge has the opportunity to be tempted by high salaries.

The minimum weekly salary is 3,000 pounds and the maximum is 8,000 pounds. What is this concept? With a player of three thousand pounds a week, the club only needs to pay less than two hundred thousand pounds in salary every year, and the salary is pre-tax and has nothing to do with the club.

Even with a weekly salary of 8,000 pounds, the annual club expenditure does not exceed 500,000 pounds.

But in 1994, it was definitely a jaw-droppingly high salary.

What was England's top star Lineker's weekly salary before the Bosman bill?

Five thousand pounds.

Even after the Bosman Act, Manchester United's Beckham was selected for the British national team. How much is his and Keane's weekly salary?

Not to exceed £4,000.

Even the salary of stars is only such a pitiful few thousand pounds, so how low is the weekly salary of ordinary players, especially the unknown players?

Most of the players that Aldridge will introduce this time may not even have a weekly salary of 100 pounds!

In other words, the question that these players will think about when facing a contract is very simple, how much money will they make!

It is really what Andrew said in his mouth: playing for Millwall for one year can earn ten or twenty years of money!

Although this description is not appropriate, especially compared with the gold dollar football of later generations, but at this moment, Aldridge does intend to play a pseudo-tyrant wielding pounds.

Maybe some people will despise and ridicule Aldridge's behavior now, but when the era of rapid development of commercial football is coming, especially when the Premier League is the vanguard, the first to taste the sweetness must be the English team. Naturally, Aldridge will not In this stingy age, we will uphold England's traditional stinginess.