SWR: Chapter 820/821

Chapter 820: The No.1 Internet Celebrity in Football

Sometimes, Gao Shen genuinely felt that the most interesting part of being a transmigrator was taking things that happened to others in the future and testing them on himself.

The reason he wanted to make a documentary was because, before he transmigrated, he had seen a film called Sunderland 'Til I Die.

The intriguing part of that documentary was that Sunderland had already been relegated from the Premier League to the Championship. Its owner at the time wanted to make a documentary showcasing the club's revival and return to the Premier League, hoping to enhance the club's image and attract investors.

But what made it fascinating was that the documentary didn't depict a glorious return to the top flight. Instead, it chronicled the painful downfall of Sunderland as it spiraled into the depths of despair, eventually being relegated again—this time from the Championship to League One.

This led to a second season, covering their battle in League One.

That time, things went a bit better. Sunderland didn't suffer another relegation and finished fifth in League One, earning a spot in the promotion playoffs. In the first round, they beat Portsmouth 1-0 over two legs.

But in the final, they lost 2-1 to Charlton and missed out on promotion.

The most remarkable aspect of the documentary was its first season, which used a subtle lens to capture many emotionally powerful moments. Its original purpose had been to document a triumphant comeback.

In the end, it became a story about failure.

That was rare even for documentaries.

But the aftermath was even more unexpected.

Humphrey Ker, a playwright and actor who was also a Liverpool fan, had moved to Hollywood in 2013. In 2018, he joined the production company of director Rob McElhenney.

In 2020, during the pandemic lockdown, they were stuck at home and wanted something to watch. Ker recommended Sunderland 'Til I Die to McElhenney, who became obsessed with it after the first episode.

After watching it, McElhenney made a bold decision—he wanted to buy a British football club.

His budget was just a few million pounds.

As a longtime Football Manager player, Ker opened his game, and using its extensive database, along with resources like Wikipedia, he compiled a shortlist of clubs that could be acquired, ranging from the sixth to third tiers of English football.

McElhenney then brought in his good friend Ryan Reynolds—yes, the same Ryan Reynolds known as a box-office charmer.

Their requirements were simple. First, the club had to have a long and rich history, full of stories worth telling. Second, there had to be genuine ambition to get promoted. Third, there needed to be a solid fanbase.

After weighing several options, they ultimately chose Wrexham in the fifth tier.

After the acquisition, the two Hollywood stars kicked off a massive publicity campaign. They promoted Wrexham on talk shows in both the UK and the US. As a result, the club's shirt sponsorship value skyrocketed by ten times.

TikTok became Wrexham's front-of-shirt sponsor. Big international brands came flocking in, and with collaborations and traffic from celebrity exposure, they turned themselves into internet sports sensations by 2021.

And all of this happened in just a few months.

Gao Shen wasn't sure whether Wrexham would get promoted to League Two in 2022, but they were definitely popular.

At the time, even back in China, he often came across news about them—which showed just how viral they had become.

Now, Gao Shen was doing something very similar.

The difference was, he was more grounded and less impulsive than those two.

On December 26, Boxing Day afternoon, Round 18 of the Premier League.

Gao Shen left his wife early in the morning and led the team to an away match against West Bromwich Albion.

Just as he had said before, Boxing Day fixtures were particularly difficult. On one hand, they were away games, and on the other, players were still caught up in the festive mood. To play away on Boxing Day—even for the head coach—wasn't something anyone looked forward to.

Honestly, who wouldn't rather be cuddled up with their wife during the holidays?

With experience from the past two years, Gao Shen and his coaching staff had put in a lot of effort. Team psychologists also provided mental support, and players returned in good physical condition after the Christmas break.

In the end, Manchester City managed a narrow 1-0 win away at West Brom, thanks to a goal from David Silva.

It wasn't that City played poorly.

Chelsea drew 1-1 with Fulham at home.

Liverpool drew 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers at Anfield.

Arsenal also drew 1-1 with Wolves at home.

By comparison, City's 1-0 away win was a solid result.

But the bad luck was that Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic 5-0 at home.

That made City's narrow win look slightly underwhelming.

After returning to Manchester, Gao Shen immediately gave the players a day off.

That evening, Channel 4 officially aired the first episode of Elland Road, the documentary directed by Louise Osmond: The Rose Derby.

The episode centered on the League Cup knockout match between Leeds United and Manchester United.

As expected from a renowned director, the production quality was top-tier. The storytelling and atmosphere drew viewers in from the very beginning. The fervor of Leeds United fans, the anxiety, bravery, and passion of the players—everything was captured vividly and realistically.

In particular, when Pogba opened the scoring for Manchester United and celebrated with a roar, the immediate response and fiery determination from the Leeds United players were portrayed powerfully. The entire scene was incredibly immersive. Even seasoned players and coaches watching would feel as if they were right there at Elland Road.

And when Leeds United eventually beat Manchester United, emotions peaked. It was exhilarating.

It made people want to stand up and cheer.

That's what a great director can do—make even a documentary feel passionate.

But it wasn't just about passion. The episode also delved deep into human emotions. It showed Leeds fans' loyalty to the club, their intense hatred of rivals Manchester United, and even captured heated discussions and arguments between players in the dressing room.

Everything was presented so naturally that viewers could truly feel the essence of football.

Gao Shen watched the premiere on Channel 4 and then immediately reposted it when it went online, calling it the best football documentary he had ever seen.

The next day, major British and European media picked up the story of the Elland Road documentary's release.

Telling a club's story through a documentary wasn't new, but Leeds United chronicling its push for Premier League promotion—and doing it so well—was a first.

Not to mention, it was directed by an Emmy-winning filmmaker.

Thanks to Lucas' media savvy, Leeds United had built a strong relationship with the press. With the media spotlight and positive reception, the documentary quickly became a trending hit.

While the buzz around Elland Road continued to build, Gao Shen led the team to another away trip, this time to face Sunderland.

At the moment, Sunderland were still a solid Premier League side and hadn't filmed any documentaries. In fact, some media outlets even mocked Leeds United's efforts, calling it a distraction.

"You're a football club. Why are you making documentaries and spending so much on social and video platforms? Wouldn't it be better to spend that money on two or three players?"

But Su Qing and Lucas had full confidence in Gao Shen. They firmly believed in his judgment.

If Leeds United kept building like this, it would eventually explode into something huge.

And by then, it would be a completely different club.

Although the documentary was still airing, Sunderland were a tough opponent.

At home, facing a travel-weary Manchester City, the Black Cats didn't pull any punches.

To be fair, City had terrible luck with the schedule—two straight away matches after Christmas. Who could Gao Shen even complain to?

Suárez scored to put City ahead, but in the 93rd minute, Sunderland snatched a goal back.

There were clear defensive errors, especially from Jerome Boateng and Cahill, who were both caught napping. But what could anyone do? This kind of holiday schedule was brutal.

The 1-1 draw wasn't a bad result.

Tottenham Hotspur also drew 1-1 away at Swansea.

Chelsea were in disarray, losing 3-1 at home to Aston Villa.

Manchester United conceded two goals at home. Although Berbatov scored twice to equalize, Blackburn scored again to win 3-2 at Old Trafford.

Liverpool and Arsenal both won their home games.

On the evening of January 3, in Round 20 of the Premier League, Manchester City hosted Liverpool.

Liverpool, already stretched thin, were under serious pressure with such a packed schedule, especially having to play away again.

Two matches in three days—one on the 31st, the other on the 3rd—was incredibly taxing.

But Manchester City were different. Their squad depth was unmatched.

Van Persie opened the scoring ten minutes into the game, and Yaya Touré added another in the 33rd minute.

After that, the match settled into a stalemate until the 75th minute, when Gareth Bale's goal sealed the win.

Manchester City defeated Liverpool 3-0.

The biggest upset of the round was Manchester United.

Ferguson's team traveled north to face Newcastle and were thoroughly defeated at St James' Park.

0-3. The Red Devils suffered a crushing loss.

French midfielder Cabaye put in a brilliant performance, and United's center-back Phil Jones scored an own goal.

Ferguson was left fuming with the team's display.

Arsenal lost 2-1 to Fulham away in a London derby.

Their Christmas run had also been rough.

In the end, Manchester City once again emerged from the grueling festive schedule with their heads held high—two wins and one draw.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 821: We Want Four

The whole world said that Gao Shen had found the secret to winning on the football pitch.

That was why his teams always won.

The British media even described him as a wizard from Hogwarts.

But only he knew that the wand in his hand sometimes malfunctioned.

Like this afternoon, January 7, 2012.

When Gao Shen walked into the home team's dressing room at the Etihad Stadium, he could clearly feel the panic in the players.

It was fear.

In fact, people often forget that the more a team wins, the more afraid they become of losing.

And the more you're afraid of losing, the easier it is to lose—and the more painful the loss will be.

That's why they had to approach every match with caution, work harder than anyone else, and give everything, just to have a chance to win the next one.

The beauty of football is that it's never just about skill or tactics. It's a competition between people.

It's like war.

Gao Shen understood this very well. Over the years, he had seen the core thoughts and philosophies of countless great managers.

In the end, he discovered that between the lines of every book in every tactical library, two words appeared again and again.

Human nature.

Ferguson had held back a big trick in the away match against Newcastle.

That was why Manchester United were crushed by Newcastle at St. James' Park.

In truth, that result showed that United were strategically giving up on the league in favor of chasing the FA Cup.

Especially in a match against Manchester City.

This game wasn't just a simple FA Cup knockout—it could very well be a turning point in the season.

Manchester City were in a tough position, not just because of the schedule, but also because of the pressure.

Premier League, Champions League, League Cup, Club World Cup, and now the FA Cup.

City had more on their plate than any other team this season. Even though they kept winning, every player was carrying immense psychological pressure.

Ferguson was a master of psychology. He knew better than anyone that in a situation like City's, a loss in just one competition could trigger a total collapse.

Mid-season collapses had happened to plenty of clubs in top European leagues.

No one was immune.

Because this was human nature.

Everyone fears, dreads, and resists failure.

So, Ferguson had been saving this trick. And in the first half of this FA Cup third-round tie at the Etihad, he stunned Manchester City.

0-2. That was the score at halftime.

The first goal came from a tackle by Kompany inside the penalty area.

Clearly, he didn't touch Nani. It was a clean, successful tackle, but the referee pointed to the spot and gave a yellow card.

The second goal was City's own fault.

Valencia exploited the space behind Leighton Baines after his forward run, latched onto Sneijder's pass, surged down the flank with pace, reached the byline, and sent in a low cross.

Rooney slid in and finished from close range.

Those two goals left City reeling.

"Sorry, Jordan. We need to adjust the tactics. Take a break in the second half and leave it to your teammates. Go take a shower first."

As soon as Gao Shen entered the room, he walked straight to Jordan Henderson, crouched down, and spoke softly.

Then he patted Henderson's thigh and said, "Don't worry. In the next round of the FA Cup, I'll let you start and play the full 90. Consider it compensation!"

Gao Shen even flashed a confident smile.

Henderson was stunned. How could the boss still be smiling at a time like this?

But Gao Shen's words carried unquestionable authority in the Manchester City dressing room.

Everyone trusted him.

"Got it, boss," Henderson replied as he stood up.

The England midfielder looked around the room and nodded. "I'll leave the rest to you. I'm still with you guys!"

Then he walked out to the applause of his teammates.

Gao Shen still didn't say a word. He simply stood there and waited.

One of the key reasons he had started Henderson, David Silva, and Fernandinho in midfield tonight was because the last few matches had been so intense that City's normal rotation had been disrupted.

Rakitic was injured, and Javi Martinez had picked up a knock. Both needed rest.

It was the coldest time of the year, with matches coming thick and fast. Gao Shen couldn't afford more injuries.

Originally, he had planned to start David Silva and De Bruyne, but given United's midfield, and Ferguson's looming tactical trap, he had opted to start Henderson over De Bruyne.

To be fair, Henderson had played well.

The midfielder was progressing rapidly at City and had already become a key figure in many matches.

The 0-2 scoreline felt more like a fluke.

Especially the penalty—that was a killer blow.

The intense Christmas schedule had already put a huge mental strain on the players. That penalty just made things worse.

But now, they had no choice. They had to go on the attack.

De Bruyne walked into the dressing room.

Even before the first half ended, he had been told to warm up.

As he entered, he greeted his teammates and sat down.

Still, Gao Shen said nothing.

The dressing room was silent.

The heavy breathing gradually faded, and players wiped away their sweat.

Some even closed their eyes to rest.

They had worked under Gao Shen for nearly three years. They understood exactly what he was doing right now.

He was helping them calm down.

Only when Carlo re-entered did Gao Shen take a deep breath and start walking across the room.

He moved from one end to the other, thinking.

Everyone could tell that he was calculating, adjusting.

Gareth Bale pulled a jersey from his locker, slipped it on over his muscular frame, and stared at Gao Shen.

Suárez, David Silva, Robben...

The same went for everyone else.

Once all eyes were on him, Gao Shen finally stood in front of the tactics board.

Carlo had already arranged both teams' lineups and formations.

Gao Shen didn't even need to look. He already knew. But he still examined it carefully. After confirming everything was correct, he turned around to face the players.

Carlo was always meticulous. He rarely made mistakes.

"Everyone," Gao Shen began.

The air in the dressing room instantly tightened.

"You all know me. I'm a Virgo. I even suspect I have a serious perfectionist complex. I hate flaws. They feel like needles, constantly pricking me. It hurts."

"Like losing a game."

"I don't like to lose. You all know that. I love to win. I want to win every single match."

"When I enter a competition, I give it everything. I do whatever I can to reach the final and win."

"So, you can understand that my belief is simple: winning. Winning titles!"

"This is going to be tough, guys."

"I know. I've always known. It's very, very hard. No team can win every match, or every title. That's impossible. There will always be losses."

"But that belief pushes me to give everything in every match."

Everyone in the dressing room nodded.

He had lived by that belief since day one. It had never changed.

"I told you at the start of the season, after we won the Champions League, that we had only one enemy left."

"Not Manchester United. Not Chelsea. Not Barcelona. Not Real Madrid. No one else."

"Just ourselves!"

"Yes. After winning the Champions League, our only opponent is ourselves."

"On the road to European glory, we proved to the world that we're the best team on the planet. We don't have to prove anything else."

"What we need now is to keep challenging ourselves. Keep breaking our limits. Keep beating the versions of ourselves from yesterday."

"That takes courage. That takes resolve."

"I told you. Our goal this season is four trophies. We want four titles, guys!"

"I need you to show your courage and your belief. Show your strength!"

"In the second half, we need to push up and put more pressure on them."

"United will press for the ball. They don't have our ability to hold possession. They won't let us keep the ball for long. They'll go hard after it."

"When they press, we play it to Kompany or Boateng."

"The full-backs push up and help control the middle. Silva and De Bruyne, you must be proactive. Attack both flanks more often. If the ball's on the right, hit the left side. If it's on the left, hit the right."

"When Silva or De Bruyne get the ball, move forward with purpose. Play the ball forward. Create danger. Make the opponent feel our threat."

"Make them fear us!"

By the end, Gao Shen was nearly shouting.

But quickly, he regained his composure.

"I have no doubt we have the strength to turn this around. Even though it's difficult, I believe in you. I know you can do it!"

At that moment, the whistle blew, urging players to return to the pitch.

Gao Shen clapped his hands hard. "Alright, that's all."

"One last thing."

"Show your belief. Show your courage. You are Champions League winners. A team chasing the quadruple. We should fear no one—because you are the strongest!"

"I'll be watching from the touchline. I know you won't let me down."

With that, he clapped again, signaling everyone to get ready.

Before heading out, each player came over and hugged Gao Shen.

(To be continued.)