SWR: Chapter 796/798

Chapter 796: He Will Become the Best Center in the World

After rejecting Florentino, Gao Shen poured all his attention into Manchester City.

To be honest, there wasn't much to say. It was the seventh round of the Premier League, and Manchester City were playing away to Blackburn.

Given Manchester City's current tactical system and overall strength, it was genuinely difficult for other teams to even stand a chance.

For example, Blackburn manager Steve Kean had set up a defensive strategy, hoping to drag Manchester City into a war of attrition.

How determined?

Simmer slowly. Simmer steadily. Simmer patiently.

The first half ended in a 0-0 draw, which made it look like a tough match. But what was the reality?

The match was under Manchester City's complete control from the start. Blackburn's defense was weak, relying solely on numbers to make up the difference.

But no matter how hard they tried, by the second half their energy began to drain, and the result was inevitable.

After all, the difference in overall strength was too great.

In the 61st minute, Robben opened the scoring.

Three minutes later, in the 64th, Van Persie found the net again, this time assisted by Hazard.

Then in the 73rd minute, Hazard received a superb through ball from De Bruyne and scored Manchester City's third goal.

This was a result of De Bruyne's string of excellent passes. The Belgian midfielder's performance was outstanding.

In the final stages, substitute Gary Cahill capitalized on a corner kick and scored.

In the end, Manchester City defeated Blackburn 4-0 away from home.

All four goals came after the 60-minute mark.

That's Manchester City's strategy.

Or more accurately, that's the way of a true king!

In this seventh round of the Premier League, most of the teams that were expected to win got the job done.

Liverpool defeated city rivals Everton 2-0 away. Manchester United beat Norwich 2-0 at home.

But Mark Hughes, who had big ambitions and little luck, suffered a humiliating 6-0 loss to Fulham in the West London derby.

That was truly unexpected.

And poor Wenger lost 2-1 to Tottenham in the North London derby.

Even Chelsea, in the middle of internal chaos, beat Bolton 3-1 away.

But the real story wasn't the win. It was Lampard.

Yes, Lampard, who had reportedly fallen out with Villas-Boas last round, played the full 90 minutes and scored a hat trick.

Everyone was delighted.

Chelsea-friendly media rushed to applaud the performance. Many pundits now claimed, in hindsight, that their predictions had been right all along—once the veterans were back, Chelsea would bounce back.

When Carlo, Brian Kidd, and the others teased Gao Shen with the news of Chelsea's win over Bolton, Gao Shen not only stood by his previous view, he became even more convinced that Villas-Boas was done.

"Boas is more my type tactically than Mourinho, but when it comes to managing the locker room, especially dealing with players, he's still green. He's not even close to Mourinho's level."

Gao Shen sighed. He was truly disappointed.

Is winning a game always a good thing?

Not necessarily.

Especially for Chelsea at this moment. The better Lampard, Terry, Drogba, and the others performed, the more awkward Villas-Boas's position became. The less authority he held in the dressing room.

What the media and fans saw was Lampard's hat trick and Chelsea's three points. What the head coach saw was three hard slaps to the face.

Lampard had openly clashed with his coach last round, but now he played the full game and scored three.

What does that say? That Drogba, Terry, Malouda, and the rest can do the same?

Boas had previously declared that the veterans had no place in his plans. Now, he was relying on those same veterans to survive and win. How was he going to explain that?

If he had no conflict with the veterans, no one would care whether he stuck to his previous stance.

But now, the tension was already public.

And clearly, Chelsea couldn't win without the veterans. So what could Boas do?

On the other hand, Mourinho had been ruthless with Casillas.

The Portuguese manager's stance was crystal clear: unless Casillas apologized and backed down, he would not lift the suspension.

So what if the team's results suffered?

If Mourinho could still improve Real Madrid's form without Casillas, then he'd have proven his point.

If he failed, then fine, he'd be sacked.

But what about Boas?

If he didn't improve results, he'd be sacked. Even if he did, he'd still be sacked.

Why?

Because he had lost his authority. No one in the dressing room respected him anymore.

Gao Shen still remembered when he first started coaching, from Sacchi to Valdano, from Ancelotti to Capello, everyone told him: you must be the boss in the dressing room.

But now, it was obvious that Boas was no boss. He was being stepped on and walked over repeatedly.

How could a team like that not have problems?

"Let's bet a meal. Villas-Boas will be fired by the end of the winter break at the latest. And at the earliest? Before Christmas."

Gao Shen made the challenge with full confidence.

Based on the current situation, Boas was definitely going to be dismissed even earlier than in his previous life.

Carlo and Brian Kidd looked at each other, then turned around and left without saying anything.

"Tsk! You just want a free meal and now you're pulling this 'confident bet' routine?"

"Right? I've never seen a boss so stingy."

The two old men walked off, chatting and complaining, leaving Gao Shen standing there speechless.

Damn, do I look that obvious?

After the seventh round of the Premier League, there was a two-week international break.

But this time, Gao Shen requested extended leave from Manchester City.

The reason was simple—he had returned to China to get married in September, but never had a proper honeymoon.

As a man, Gao Shen admitted he wasn't big on ceremony, and his wife wasn't the type to insist on it either. The two had gotten married without even taking wedding photos.

You know, a luxury bridal brand had even wanted to sponsor their wedding, but it all fell through.

Still, now that he was married, he couldn't treat his wife too casually. So Gao Shen applied for another long vacation, leaving all club affairs to Carlo and Brian Kidd.

The two old guys also blackmailed him into treating them to a meal.

No bet needed. They won anyway.

Once everything was arranged, the players returned to their national teams, and Gao Shen took Su Qing on their honeymoon to Northern Europe.

Su Qing was full of excitement for the trip and had done her research in advance.

Their first stop was Iceland.

Not only for the Northern Lights, but also the unique glaciers, waterfalls, and stunning natural landscapes.

Gao Shen loved sci-fi and fantasy films in his previous life. Movies like Interstellar, Prometheus, and series like Game of Thrones had all been filmed in Iceland. He had long dreamed of visiting, but never had the chance.

They also visited the Blue Lagoon for a relaxing soak.

After several days in Iceland, they flew to Norway, landing in the southwestern city of Stavanger.

Gao Shen and Su Qing soon realized their ten-day travel plan was far too optimistic.

At their pace, slowly exploring and enjoying everything, how could ten days possibly be enough?

For example, after arriving in Stavanger, they rested briefly and then spent an entire day exploring the old town.

Next, they headed to Lysefjord and climbed Pulpit Rock to take in the breathtaking view.

Mission Impossible 6 had been filmed there. Tom Cruise even dangled off the cliff barehanded.

Funnily enough, Tom Cruise had also climbed the Burj Khalifa in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Gao Shen had visited the tower himself—just looking at it made his legs shake, let alone climbing it.

Of course, it was all movie magic.

After several days in the Stavanger area, Gao Shen suddenly remembered someone. He became excited and rented a car to drive south along the E39 to the coastal city of Sandnes.

From Sandnes, he turned west onto Route 444 and continued southwest for a while.

The Norwegian countryside along the way was truly charming.

But Su Qing was curious and kept asking why they were making this sudden detour.

"That's a secret I can't tell you yet," Gao Shen replied with a mysterious smile.

The driver said the destination was a place called Bryne, a small town with a population of just over 13,000.

Gao Shen used his phone map to locate a large football field in town.

It stood out because the other fields in town were either too small or isolated. Here, two fields sat side by side, making them easily identifiable on the map.

There was a football club here called Bryne FK.

When they arrived, they discovered it wasn't just two football fields.

There were also indoor pitches, small football courts, a bowling alley, and a gym. This was Bryne's sports center, though it looked a bit dated.

Gao Shen had deliberately chosen a weekend afternoon to visit. As expected, both main pitches were bustling.

One field was for adults, the other for youth teams. Nearby, there were smaller pitches for kids.

Some of them were only four or five years old, running around and kicking oversized footballs. Their clumsy moves drew laughter and applause from onlookers.

You had to admit, the football culture in this part of Europe was deeply rooted.

Gao Shen looked around and estimated there were at least a thousand people here—not counting the other venues like the rugby field and bowling alley.

Then again, they didn't need to work overtime.

With money, time, and no academic pressure, families could easily bring their kids here every weekend.

Gao Shen checked around the smaller fields but didn't find what he was looking for.

"That's strange. He should be here," he muttered, puzzled.

Then he walked over to the youth team pitch and immediately spotted him.

There was no mistaking it. This boy stood out instantly.

"Do you see that blond boy?" Gao Shen pointed to a tall, lean figure on the pitch and said to Su Qing.

"What about him?"

"That kid will become the best center forward in the world!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 797: He Is the Future of Leeds United

"Him?" Su Qing was stunned.

Gao Shen had just called him the best center forward in the world.

She had never heard Gao Shen use such a seemingly exaggerated phrase before, which only showed how highly he regarded this player.

But it didn't seem realistic. After all, most of the kids playing on this field looked like they were around 15 or 16 years old, maybe 17 or 18.

Even though Su Qing didn't know much about youth training, she understood some basics.

For example, youth players generally begin to show their talent by the time they are 15 or 16. If not, it's usually too late.

Those so-called "late bloomers" often weren't lacking in talent—they just got left behind because of certain limitations or shortcomings.

Take Vardy, for example. His biggest problem early on was being small and skinny.

But later it turned out, he had simply developed later than most. If his bone age had been properly tested back then, it could've changed everything.

But for smaller clubs, they often don't go to that trouble.

Before Vardy began to shine, who would've guessed he had what it took?

And this wasn't just about him—many players in youth academies fall through the cracks.

Clubs often don't think it's worth spending resources on bone age tests or scouting based on a long-shot chance.

As for the blond kid Gao Shen pointed out, he didn't look like anything special.

His physical condition wasn't great, and he wasn't particularly tall either. That gave him a disadvantage on the pitch.

He seemed a little nimble with his feet, but his body wasn't strong enough. He'd lose the ball the moment he was bumped.

"Are you sure he'll become the best center forward in the world?" Su Qing asked skeptically.

Gao Shen answered confidently, "He has that potential."

Su Qing was baffled. This kid didn't look all that powerful to her.

But how could she know that all the other players on the pitch were at least 15, while the boy Gao Shen was watching was only 11?

The fact that he was even able to play at this level, against kids four years older, was already impressive.

And to be honest, if you didn't know his age, he wouldn't look very good on the field.

In youth development, a one- or two-year age gap makes a huge difference. A four-year difference? That's an entire developmental level. Of course he wouldn't stand out.

Gao Shen didn't care about his current performance at all. He was debating in his heart whether to go and talk to him.

But it was frustrating. Leeds United's youth academy still wasn't fully established. Even if Gao Shen did meet him, what could he do?

After thinking it over, Gao Shen decided not to act.

"Let's go," he sighed.

Su Qing was confused. After coming all this way, he just wanted to leave without even talking to the boy?

That didn't make sense.

"Didn't you say he'd be the best center in the world?"

"Yes."

"Then what are we waiting for? Shouldn't we act?"

Gao Shen turned and looked at the beautiful woman beside him. How could someone so stunning sound so much like a bandit?

This was all his fault.

He had corrupted her.

"We need to build a proper youth academy first. Right now, we don't have one. Even if we recruit him, without good training and match experience, he'll never reach his potential. Instead, we'd be holding him back."

Su Qing paused. What Gao Shen said made sense.

"But you're just going to let him go like this?"

"Don't worry. This place is remote and underdeveloped. Scouts don't usually come out here. Give it two or three years, when our youth academy is complete, then we'll come and poach him. We'll give him the best resources and training. Who knows—our new stadium, or even our future championship, might depend on him one day!"

Su Qing looked back at the field every few steps, reluctant to leave.

That wasn't just a youth player.

That was the future of Leeds United!

"Gao Shen?!"

As the two walked through the crowd, leaving the training ground and heading toward the parking lot, they suddenly heard someone call out.

The voice carried surprise and uncertainty.

Gao Shen and Su Qing turned around instinctively and saw a blond middle-aged man hurrying toward them.

"It really is you, Gao! I didn't expect to see you here!"

The man reached out enthusiastically, shaking Gao Shen's hand with great excitement.

"You are…" Gao Shen was sure he didn't know him.

"Alf Haaland."

"Oh!" Gao Shen suddenly realized—this was the father of the blond boy he had just pointed out.

"I watched your matches at Manchester City. When the team won the league, the club invited us over. I saw you from a distance, but there were too many people around, and I didn't get a chance to say hello," Alf Haaland said warmly.

"This is…"

"My wife," Gao Shen introduced.

Alf Haaland had guessed it, but was still a little surprised. "I used to play for Leeds United. I'm a former Leeds player."

It really was fate.

Alf Haaland had once clashed with Roy Keane while at Leeds. Later, when he moved to Manchester City, Keane famously took revenge.

His son, the blond boy on the field—Erling Haaland—was born in Leeds.

Strictly speaking, Alf Haaland wasn't a Manchester City legend. By the time he joined City, his career was already winding down. He was 30, couldn't compete with younger players at Leeds, and left for Manchester City.

At the time, Leeds were title contenders. City were fighting relegation.

But how the times have changed. Now, Manchester City were the most dominant and successful club in the Premier League.

With this connection, the conversation flowed easily.

Gao Shen explained the reason for their visit.

They had gone to Iceland to see the Northern Lights and then traveled through Norway. He wanted to experience the countryside, so he rented a car and ended up in Bryne, where he just happened to see the kids playing.

"He's only 11," Alf explained his son's underwhelming performance.

Gao Shen feigned surprise. "My God, he's 11 and playing against 15- and 16-year-olds?"

"Yes, I've always believed he has real potential, so I've been looking for someone to help train him."

Hearing that, Gao Shen immediately changed his mind.

This was a golden opportunity. How could he let it slip by?

"I think, if it's as you say, keeping him here would only hinder his development. He needs to go to a more professional environment to receive the best, most scientific training. That will be crucial for his future. What do you think?"

Alf nodded repeatedly.

He had come through Bryne himself. He knew what the youth system here could offer.

And to be honest, his own career wasn't exactly stellar.

Though he was a Manchester City player, the club got relegated during his time there. He was already aging and couldn't do much.

He had also spent time at Nottingham Forest and experienced both promotion and relegation with them. But at Leeds United, he had performed well, and the club had stayed among the Premier League's best.

Su Qing, having grown up with Gao Shen, could tell exactly what he wanted just from a small gesture.

"Alf, as you know, Leeds United has been through a lot in recent years. The club went bankrupt, got relegated, and its youth system fell apart. But things are different now. Our new leadership is committed to rebuilding, and we're reforming our youth development from the ground up. This season, we're leading the Championship and have a great chance of promotion to the Premier League."

Even though they were in a small town in Norway, this was a connected world. Alf had kept up with Leeds' situation.

"We welcome veterans like you. We're assembling a complete youth system, and our technical director is Rodolfo Borrell, who used to be Barcelona's best youth coach at La Masia. Later, he worked as technical director under Gao Shen. Now, he's fully in charge of youth development at Leeds."

"Not only that, we've also hired two more outstanding youth coaches from Barcelona to build a scientific training program. This season alone, we're investing more than £5 million in youth development."

Alf kept nodding. "I've read about this in the papers. I'm really happy for Leeds United."

"We also welcome former players like you, who contributed to the club's history, to put your trust in us. Let your son join our youth academy. We'll provide the most rigorous and scientific training possible. One day, we hope he can wear the Leeds United jersey and play in the Premier League—just like his father once did."

After hearing Su Qing's words, Alf Haaland was genuinely moved.

Right now, he didn't know exactly how far his son could go. He just believed the boy had great potential.

But in today's European football scene, potential alone wasn't enough.

Alf had already made up his mind. It was time to leave this small town and bring his son to England. To a top Championship club, on the verge of returning to the Premier League, where he could receive proper training.

He even felt like this was fate.

Otherwise, why would Gao Shen show up here, out of all places?

As for what Su Qing said—it wasn't a sales pitch. Since taking over at Leeds, she really had brought back many former players, including former captain Lucas Radebe.

Radebe still kept in touch with Alf and spoke highly of the new Leeds ownership. He openly supported the club's new direction.

"You can take your time to consider it, Alf. If you're interested, bring your son to Leeds for a visit. You'll see for yourself that, while we've just started rebuilding, our goal is to make Leeds United's youth academy one of the most respected in European football again."

Back in the day, Leeds United's youth generation had conquered Europe and reached the Champions League semifinals. Their youth development was among the best in the Premier League.

Now, Su Qing wanted to bring that glory back.

More importantly, Gao Shen was known for his ability to develop young talent. If he was making this recommendation, it was worth serious thought.

Would staying in Bryne really help Haaland Jr. fulfill his potential?

(To be continued.)

Chapter 798: I Will Continue to Criticize It

Brune is a small town, but Alf Haaland is a local celebrity.

His entire family is well-known here.

Alf himself was a Premier League player and a Norwegian international. Even after returning to his hometown following retirement, he remained a prominent figure.

His wife is also an accomplished athlete, having been the Norwegian heptathlon champion.

Young Haaland is the third child in the family, with an older brother and an older sister.

But that wasn't the interesting part.

What stood out was that playing alongside young Haaland was his cousin, Jonathan Braut Brunes.

They were the same age, both born in 2000, just a few days apart.

In one of the smaller pitches that Gao Shen had previously searched, another cousin, Albert Tjåland, was playing. He was born in 2004 and wasn't even eight years old yet.

Just like many extended families in China, their relatives and friends also lived nearby in Brune, growing up together, receiving football training together, and—coincidentally—all playing as center forwards.

In his previous life, Gao Shen had read reports on Haaland's two cousins. Both were considered promising talents in Norway.

Alf Haaland was very warm and insisted on inviting Gao Shen for a meal.

After the players finished their session, everyone walked to a Chinese restaurant located just north of the pitch, diagonally across from City Hall. It was a favorite spot for the kids and a frequent gathering place for their families.

The restaurant was called Hualou.

From the outside, it looked like a traditional Norwegian-style building. But once inside, the décor was a fusion of Chinese and Western styles.

The owners, dressed in traditional Chinese attire, greeted them warmly.

They immediately recognized Gao Shen and Su Qing. In a small town like this, it was rare to see Chinese people, let alone someone famous.

After some conversation, Gao Shen learned that the owner's name was Yang Hua, and his wife was Wang Huizhu. They were Chinese expatriates living in Norway.

"We all know who you are in the Chinese community across Europe," Yang Hua said proudly.

They took photos with Gao Shen and Su Qing to commemorate the occasion and said they would hang them in the restaurant so others would know that Gao Shen had visited.

Young Haaland and the other kids were all outgoing and didn't shy away from strangers. They gathered around, chatting happily.

Not long after, Alf Haaland's extended family arrived in a large group.

Gao Shen usually felt overwhelmed in such social settings, but thankfully, the group was very welcoming, which put him at ease.

During dinner, the topic of Leeds United came up, and reactions were mixed.

This was understandable.

Brune was their home, where they had lived all their lives.

If the children were to grow up to become successful players like Alf and eventually play in Europe, then they would leave. But sending their kids away so young, to a faraway place like England for formal football training, was not an easy decision.

For many families, football wasn't necessarily a guaranteed path to success. It wasn't always a viable or reliable career choice.

Su Qing expressed understanding. If they wanted to come, Leeds United would fully support them—arranging everything from living conditions to education. But if they weren't willing, that was understandable too.

"We can stay in touch," Su Qing said sincerely. "You can also bring your kids to Leeds every year for our summer camps and other activities."

Gao Shen wasn't as thorough in his thinking as Su Qing. He had been thinking quickly during the dinner, hoping to lend a helping hand. If it worked out, great. If not, there would still be time in the future.

This dinner effectively established a connection between Su Qing and the Haaland family. Now she could maintain communication, invite Alf to club events, and gradually strengthen the relationship.

With that kind of rapport, there was no need to worry about Haaland slipping away.

Gao Shen gave his wife a secret thumbs up.

After the meal with the Haaland family, Gao Shen and Su Qing retraced their route and returned to Stavanger.

Along the way, Gao Shen talked to Su Qing about young Haaland.

He explained that Manchester City had information on Erling Haaland.

"He was born in late July. Not long after his birth, Alf moved to Manchester City. Some people even joke that the kid was born for City," Gao Shen said, smiling.

He had heard about Haaland and came to check him out.

"An 11-year-old who can play against 15- or 16-year-olds without being out of place—he's definitely something special. The future is wide open for him!"

To make his case more convincing, Gao Shen also brought up another young Norwegian talent: Martin Ødegaard.

"Have the scouts keep an eye on him too. He's at Strømsgodset in Drammen. Born in 1998, not even thirteen yet. I've heard he's a genius, though I haven't seen him in person."

Gao Shen said he had planned to stop in Oslo, and from there head to Drammen. The two cities were close.

But now, time wouldn't allow it.

Su Qing was confused. Why wouldn't time allow it?

She found out soon enough.

After returning to Stavanger and resting for the night, the next day Gao Shen took Su Qing south to Amsterdam.

Flying from Stavanger directly to Manchester didn't require a layover, but Gao Shen had deliberately booked a flight to Leeds, which included a stopover in Amsterdam and a one-day gap between flights.

They arrived in Amsterdam in the afternoon. Gao Shen took Su Qing out for a meal and visited Ajax's stadium and training ground from afar in the southeastern part of the city. Then, he led her into the famous Red Light District.

Only when they got there did Su Qing realize what Gao Shen had planned. She was so furious, she wanted to tear him apart.

There are strange men in the world—but who brings their wife to a red-light district?

"I'm serious. I'm just curious. I had no other intentions," Gao Shen explained quickly, sensing danger.

"You know, with my status, I can't visit this kind of place alone. I'd get misunderstood, right?"

"But I really wanted to see it for myself, so…"

Very clever!

Su Qing didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Bringing your wife to the red-light district—even if the media caught wind of it, no one could say anything.

But did you even consider how I would feel?

"I'll deal with you when we get back to the hotel!" she said, threateningly.

Gao Shen burst out laughing.

Truthfully, Su Qing was also curious.

So the two of them wandered into the De Wallen area of Amsterdam, hearts full of anticipation.

They had imagined seeing something wild or outrageous, but in the end, it wasn't much.

Just a few scantily dressed women posing behind glass windows to attract customers. Others called out seductively from alleyways. But nothing more.

As a man, Gao Shen was… disappointed.

When Su Qing saw the look on his face, she snorted. "Disappointed, are we?"

"No," Gao Shen replied in a solemn tone. "I'm heartbroken! Seeing so many young women reduced to this… I feel deeply saddened. Capitalism is truly evil!"

Su Qing burst out laughing. "And yet you haven't left the district."

"Exactly. That's why I'll continue to criticize it!" Gao Shen declared.

Su Qing laughed so hard she almost slapped him.

Men!

The Amsterdam trip was just a short episode in their honeymoon.

The next morning, they flew directly from Amsterdam to Leeds.

Fernando Lucas personally picked them up at the airport and drove them straight to Wetherby.

Gao Shen had already called Sarri in advance, saying he wanted to visit the Thorp Arch training base and meet with players who didn't go on international duty or who had already returned.

When they arrived, Sarri was conducting training.

Gao Shen met up with Rodolfo Borrell. Together, they went straight to the methodology department to speak with Paco Seirul·lo and Juan Villa. There were now five people in that department, all highly specialized in their fields.

Leeds United's stance was clear: they would resolve issues as they came and continue prioritizing youth development.

Gao Shen shared that philosophy. He first asked about their current progress, then addressed challenges. For some issues, he made decisions on the spot. For others, he asked for more research.

He valued the methodology department greatly.

He also visited the big data and scouting departments—both of which had received significant investment.

All hardware and software for the big data department had been supplied by Huawei.

Not because of favoritism, but because Huawei offered sponsorship. It wouldn't make sense to take their money and buy from a different foreign brand, right?

The scouting department was also coming together. The local scouting network was mostly in place. The club had a good foundation, but building a complete global network would take time.

That couldn't be rushed.

By the way, the WiFi system at Elland Road was fully operational.

It had been reported that Leeds United was the first club in Europe to offer full-stadium WiFi, using Huawei as the provider. On-site fan testing showed it was fast and stable.

Leeds United also announced there were no plans to charge fans for using it.

Huawei UK revealed that other clubs had already contacted them. Of course, competitors like Cisco and Ericsson were also capable in this space. A bidding war was likely.

Still, after their success with Leeds United, Huawei was confident they could capture the broader market.

Their wolf spirit was no joke.

After Gao Shen finished his inspection, Sarri wrapped up training.

Gao Shen had just finished greeting the players when Sarri immediately began "crying" to him.

(To be continued.)