SWR: Chapter 645/646

Chapter 645: The Greatest Central Defender

Gao Shen once said that Mourinho wasn't good at utilizing technically gifted players.

In fact, that's only half the story.

Mourinho also isn't great at developing young players.

His strongest coaching ability lies in management.

He excels at managing mature or nearly mature players, uniting them, and forging a competitive, cohesive squad.

But developing young players requires more than just management. It requires patience, guidance, mentorship, and time.

Every head coach has strengths and weaknesses.

Take Wenger, for instance. He's outstanding at developing talent, but poor when it comes to managing the locker room and motivating players.

In contrast, Ferguson is a manager who excels across all areas.

The same applies to clubs as a whole.

Why do people often say that Real Madrid lacks an environment for nurturing young players?

Isn't that strange?

If that were truly the case, how did Raul emerge back then?

How did players like Casillas and Guti rise through the ranks of Real Madrid's youth system?

To put it bluntly, it's not about the environment. It's about the club's operational philosophy.

Just like Wenger's Arsenal—before the plan to build a new stadium, the club was spending freely. Later, when money dried up, they began focusing on developing youth talent—quality players at a lower cost.

The same thing happened with Real Madrid in Gao Shen's previous life.

When transfer fees soared to insane levels and even Real Madrid struggled to afford top stars, Florentino turned to gambling on young talent—expensive scratch-offs, essentially.

And despite the gamble, Real Madrid had a high hit rate.

Vinícius, Rodrygo, Valverde, Camavinga—these "lottery tickets" all paid off.

So it's never about lacking the right "soil." It's about the club's management model.

…

Jerome Boateng's current issues could be seen as a case of talent bottleneck.

At 15, he was fast-tracked into the U17 age group.

At 17, he was promoted to the U19s.

At 18, he joined the reserve team.

At 19, with the first team struggling and the head coach dismissed, the reserve team coach took over and promoted Boateng to the senior squad. After just half a season, he made a name for himself and was sold to a struggling Bundesliga giant—Hamburg—for €1.1 million.

It sounds like a typical protagonist script.

If this were an online novel, this rising star would've led the fallen giant to a dramatic comeback.

But reality isn't a web novel.

The truth is, when this "prodigy" arrived at Hamburg, he experienced four head coaches in three seasons.

At a stage when he most needed training and development, there was no coach to teach him how to play properly. He had to figure things out himself, relying on instinct and self-exploration.

And yet, he still made it into the national team and youth squads, played at the World Cup, and won the UEFA U-17 Championship.

Frustrating, isn't it?

Just because you're talented, you can wing it?

But clearly, if a genius isn't properly coached, no matter how gifted or self-driven they are, their ceiling will be limited.

Over time, unaddressed issues accumulate and severely hinder progress.

Thankfully, Jerome Boateng was still just 21, turning 22.

This is prime development age for a defender.

Gao Shen had told Boateng over the phone that he wanted to give him a "gift." What he meant was a tailored training program to rapidly boost his level. But now it was clear—there could be no shortcuts.

Especially not in defense.

Boateng had told Gao Shen that he always believed defending was instinctual. No one had ever taught him how to defend systematically.

But Gao Shen assured him that in Italy, there's an extremely detailed, systematic way to train defenders. From technique and positioning to organizing the backline, these are advanced skills.

"You know, when Cannavaro first started, he was reckless too. When I was in Naples, I even heard stories about him and Maradona. But he kept progressing, refining his game. He went through injuries and setbacks. Then in 2006, he reached the pinnacle of his career—and the pinnacle of central defending in world football!"

Whether in his past life or this one, Gao Shen had always believed that Cannavaro's 2006 version was iconic.

Many people believed that his Ballon d'Or and World Player of the Year awards gave him a special aura.

Gao Shen didn't deny that, but purely from a performance standpoint, Cannavaro was unmatched at the 2006 World Cup.

You could even say he used flawless defending to lead Italy to a world title.

In terms of his entire career, Cannavaro had highs and lows. Compared to legendary figures like Nesta or Maldini, he might be slightly behind.

But that didn't take away from his peak performance in 2006.

From his debut up until that World Cup, Cannavaro had been growing, evolving, and adapting—especially after dealing with injuries.

To reach that height as a 1.75-meter-tall center-back was an incredibly difficult feat, let alone doing so while delivering a perfect World Cup campaign.

Gao Shen used Cannavaro's example to tell Boateng that being rash or over-aggressive wasn't the problem. What mattered was a consistent drive to improve, and maintaining a learning mindset.

During his three years in Italy, Gao Shen had developed a deep understanding of defensive systems. He and his coaching staff were experienced in teaching defenders and clearly understood Boateng's issues.

For example, center-backs used to love going to ground with slide tackles.

Like the famous case in the World Cup where Cannavaro tackled three times in a row.

But Gao Shen told Boateng that the role of center-backs had evolved. You can't just throw yourself to the ground anymore.

"Cannavaro is only 1.75 meters tall, so he can get back up quickly after sliding. But can you?"

"More importantly, when you go to ground, it's a one-shot move. Either you win the ball or you're beaten. The risk is too high. Modern defensive systems don't support that kind of risk."

Defending today—and going forward—is all about positioning!

It's like when Gao Shen used Biglia and Rakitic as double pivots at Napoli. Many questioned it, thinking they were too technical and not true defensive midfielders. But they didn't get broken through—why?

Because their positioning was excellent. When the team needed them, they were always where they should be.

For center-backs, winning the ball is no longer the first priority.

Once the opponent has launched their attack and you're the last line of defense, your primary responsibility isn't to win the ball—it's to protect the goalkeeper and the goal.

So what's the biggest difference between attackers and defenders?

Defenders are defending on their own turf.

If an attacker loses the ball, their chance is gone. So possession is crucial.

But if a defender loses the ball, they're putting the goal at risk. There are no more teammates behind them.

This conceptual shift was huge for Boateng.

He had excellent physical attributes—strength, speed, agility. As long as he could master positioning and suppress his opponent's space, he could shut down most attackers.

…

Jerome Boateng was stunned.

From Hertha Berlin to Hamburg, he'd worked under several managers, including Martin Jol, a well-known Premier League coach—but none had broken down defending like this, let alone given him such specific guidance.

In short, Gao Shen gave him three rules:

If you can stay on your feet, don't slide.
If you can block the angle, don't swing your leg.
If you can control the situation, don't rush to tackle.

It was like Gao Shen was tapping the chalkboard, reminding him: Pay attention, this will be on the test!

Not only that, Gao Shen also instructed Lucas to prepare a personalized video set for Boateng—carefully edited clips showing his common defensive issues—to help him watch, learn, and improve.

Most importantly, Gao Shen wanted to reshape Boateng's mindset.

In the past, Boateng believed he defended through physical strength. But Gao Shen told him that his method was inefficient and wasted his physical gifts.

Strength, speed, agility, height—these were all top-tier.

The key was to use them wisely. Stop making rash challenges. Don't dive in unnecessarily. Don't collapse at the slightest sign of pressure.

"As long as you stay on your feet, hold your position, and control your opponent—with your physical tools—who can get past you?" Gao Shen asked.

Those words hit Boateng like a bolt of lightning.

Suddenly, things clicked.

All the confusion and doubts from before now had answers.

He might not fully understand everything yet, but one thing was clear.

This was the path he wanted to follow.

"Boss, I get it!" Boateng jumped up from the sofa.

Given his size, the sudden movement startled Gao Shen.

"From now on, I'll do exactly what you say!"

Boateng had once thought that Germany manager Löw was an excellent coach. But now, he realized Gao Shen was on another level.

Gao Shen was very pleased with Boateng's response. He gave him a few encouraging words, some motivational "chicken soup," painted a promising future, and sent the German off to review his "homework."

Ah, these players… such a handful!

(To be continued.)

Chapter 646: Premier League, Are You Ready?

As August approached, the European transfer market was gradually coming to a close.

Especially in the Premier League, nearly all transfer business had been wrapped up.

This was also due in part to this season's Premier League schedule.

At noon on August 14, the season would officially kick off at White Hart Lane in London.

The opening match: Tottenham Hotspur at home against Manchester City.

Undoubtedly, a highly anticipated showdown.

But six days prior, the mighty Manchester City would face city rivals Manchester United in an away derby at Wembley Stadium.

This was the Community Shield—an annual match in the Premier League calendar where the league champions face the FA Cup winners.

You could say that the Premier League season was entering the fast lane from the very start. Big clubs clashing right out of the gate. The schedule was enough to get fans worldwide fired up.

In the second round, Manchester City would return to the Etihad to host another major opponent: Benítez's Liverpool.

This season, Manchester City would be playing in the Champions League and competing on multiple fronts. On top of that, the Premier League itself was intensely competitive. It would be a serious test for City's squad rotation and overall depth.

Following the Van Persie signing, Manchester City's total transfer spending reached €122 million—making them the highest-spending club in all of European football this summer, by a wide margin.

Among the traditional top four, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea had also ramped up their transfer activity, clearly sensing the heightened level of competition this season. Only Arsenal seemed stagnant.

Having failed to qualify for the Champions League, the Gunners lost tens of millions in revenue, forcing an already cash-strapped club to sell Van Persie. And just as August began, Arsenal announced yet another surprising departure.

Adebayor finally got his wish and completed a move to La Liga side Real Madrid.

The transfer fee: €25 million.

This made Real Madrid the third-biggest spender of the summer, behind only Manchester City and Barcelona.

The financial impact of the global economic crisis could be felt across world football.

But as The Guardian noted in its transfer market analysis, Manchester City had become a disruptive force, like a catfish stirring up the entire Premier League, forcing clubs like United, Chelsea, and Liverpool to grit their teeth and follow suit.

"No one wants to become the next Arsenal!"

More importantly, Tottenham Hotspur was showing serious ambition too.

Last season, Spurs lacked a clinical striker. Their top scorer was winger Damien Duff with 18 goals, while forwards like Robbie Keane and Crouch failed to hit double digits. This was widely considered the reason they couldn't break into the top four.

Early in the summer, Spurs were linked with several notable strikers, including Huntelaar and Džeko.

Redknapp even boldly stated that solving the striker problem was Tottenham's top priority this summer.

After signing Van der Vaart from Real Madrid, Spurs turned their attention to Wolfsburg's Bosnian center forward Edin Džeko.

In August, on the same day Arsenal announced Adebayor's €25 million transfer, Tottenham, Arsenal's North London rivals, announced the signing of Džeko from Wolfsburg for the same amount.

Redknapp was ecstatic, stating that Džeko's arrival would significantly enhance Tottenham's attacking firepower and, alongside Van der Vaart, would help Spurs mount a serious top-four push.

It was clear that after years of building, Tottenham saw their chance and were finally ready to go all-in for a Champions League place.

After all, once a club enters the Champions League zone, the annual tens of millions in revenue becomes impossible to ignore.

Džeko, Van der Vaart, Gallas, Sandro, Micah Richards...

Tottenham had made serious investments this summer and significantly improved their squad.

In its pre-season analysis, The Guardian predicted that Manchester City had a strong chance of finishing in the top four and even defending their title thanks to their deep, talented squad.

Based on their transfer activity, Tottenham also had a good chance of breaking into the top four.

But here came the dilemma.

Only four Champions League spots exist. Arsenal may not have spent much, but Wenger's coaching ability remains strong, and they still had a chance to sneak into the top four. With Tottenham joining the fray, someone would have to miss out.

Four spots. Six contenders. Plus potential dark horses.

The new Premier League season was shaping up to be the most competitive in years. No one could predict how it would unfold.

…

Gao Shen wasn't overly concerned with the external predictions about the Premier League.

For him, there was no point in paying attention to that. He preferred to spend his time resolving internal issues and helping players improve.

In his view, as long as Manchester City gave their best, that was enough.

He had always operated this way.

Despite being criticized every year for poor results in pre-season friendlies, Gao Shen never changed his approach.

They played four games in the U.S., recording one win, two draws, and one loss.

And these weren't exactly powerhouse opponents, Gao Shen had simply been too focused on testing tactics.

After returning to Europe, Manchester City played three more warm-up matches, including against strong teams like Dortmund and Valencia.

The result: three straight losses.

Even Gao Shen began to feel a bit guilty, joking on Twitter, "Usually, the worse we do in warm-up matches, the better we do in official competitions."

Compared to last year, the British media seemed to have learned their lesson. They didn't bother roasting Gao Shen over pre-season form.

But as Martin Samuel of the Daily Mail put it, "Everyone is just waiting for Gao Shen to slip up. The moment Manchester City loses, the backlash will be immediate and overwhelming."

Back in Manchester, City entered the final stages of preparation for the new season.

Next up, the squad would travel south to London to take on Manchester United at Wembley.

…

The Community Shield is not considered a major title, but it's often viewed as the curtain-raiser to the Premier League season and is always held a week before the league's first matchday.

Still, Manchester City opted to travel to London one day early.

At the pre-match press conference, Gao Shen explained that the decision reflected how seriously he was taking the Community Shield.

"Actually, we are very interested in every competition!" Gao Shen said with confidence.

The last time Manchester City won the Community Shield was in 1972—38 years ago. A long, long wait. Naturally, the fans were hungry for this trophy.

As for the new season, Gao Shen said City remained the most competitive title contender.

"We are the defending champions. This season, we'll still be the team to beat. I believe even our opponents wouldn't doubt that, and we certainly believe it ourselves."

He stated that Manchester City would compete on all fronts and wouldn't casually drop any competition.

"Everyone who knows me knows that's not how I operate. My team and I will give everything for every title!"

Though the new Premier League season would be fiercely contested, Gao Shen narrowed the true title race to four teams.

Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea.

As for Arsenal, he said Wenger's team had suffered significant losses in the transfer window and were slightly weaker than last season. They might still challenge for a top-four spot, but winning the title would be difficult.

Regarding the new campaign, Gao Shen made it clear that the Champions League was Manchester City's top priority.

"I've won the Champions League with two different teams, so I know what kind of team it takes to win it."

"I have a strong feeling and complete confidence that Manchester City has what it takes!"

Gao Shen made no secret of his desire to win the Champions League.

He wanted his third title. That would allow him to surpass Ferguson and others and become the most successful active coach in the world.

More importantly, there's no better stage than the Champions League to prove a coach's worth.

This ambition was not only Gao Shen's. It was shared by his coaching staff, the players, and most importantly, by Mansour and Mubarak.

Because only by winning the Champions League could Manchester City truly be considered among the elite of Europe.

Just like the once-famous G14 group.

Although the G14 was now defunct, the unofficial "entry ticket" had always been a Champions League trophy.

What?

Why did Arsenal qualify for G14 without a Champions League title?

Well… who knows? Maybe the Cup Winners' Cup counted?

In any case, the status of the Champions League in European football is unquestionable.

Even a club like Chelsea has chased it relentlessly.

It's said that Abramovich's demand for Ancelotti this season was simple: win the Champions League.

Though Gao Shen and City were focused on the Champions League, he emphasized that they wouldn't neglect the Premier League either.

"We're confident we can defend our title!"

As for the so-called Community Shield curse, Gao Shen scoffed at the notion. He didn't believe in it, nor did he think that winning the Shield meant they'd lose the league.

"These so-called curses don't really hold up."

"But it doesn't matter. I believe this team will show just how unreliable those curses are—both in the Community Shield and the league."

"No spell or jinx applies to Manchester City."

"We're strong enough to break all of them!"

On the topic of Manchester United's warm-up matches, Gao Shen admitted he hadn't studied them in detail.

"Of course, that's not because I'm blindly confident. It's because I believe that if we play our own football, our opponents will be the ones with the headache."

"A word on the new season?"

Gao Shen smiled, then turned serious.

"Premier League opponents—are you ready?"

Even the reporters at the press conference could clearly sense Gao Shen's unwavering belief in his team.

(To be continued.)