"It can be clearly seen from today's training that all the players on the team are indeed working harder than before when training..."
It was the end of another day of training. In the tea room at the Leeds City Club training base, the coaches had just finished training for the day. They were having tea and discussing today's training situation.
Having said this, everyone turned their attention to head coach Tony Clark.
"Obviously, the entire locker room knew that I was going to treat Lasky to dinner, ha!" Clark was also very satisfied with the result.
As an "unlucky guy" who had to treat the whole team to dinner, Clark seemed very happy.
Because this means that the team's results are worth looking forward to.
How much does it cost to treat them to a meal?
It's a drop in the bucket compared to Clark's current annual salary.
And the key is that when the team's morale is high, the team's performance will be better. Trading one meal for better results is a very cost-effective business.
If the head coaches of other teams knew that Tony Clark could give his team a morale-boosting BUFF with just one meal and achieve results beyond expectations, they would be jealous to death.
Clark even plans to show off in his future memoirs:
"...I didn't rack my brains to encourage them, I just told the players that after the season is over, if we can achieve any goals, then I will invite them to go to the Red Hot Chili Peppers for a meal... By the end of the season, we are indeed in the Red Hot Chili Peppers..."
Had a great night at Chili’s…”
"Now it seems that we have initially solved the problem of activating Lasky. I believe that with the full help of all the players on the team, coupled with his talent, his performance will not let us down..." Clark watched
Ask the whole team, "So, what do you think about the suggestion I made yesterday?"
The coaching staff looked at each other.
During yesterday's tea break, when Clark revealed his "immature opinions", everyone's first reaction was the same - you look at me, I look at you.
So after seeing their expressions, Clark spread his hands and said, "Isn't it? Guys, you went back and thought about it all night and this is the result?"
Assistant coach Sam Landier coughed: "This...Tony. Indeed, winning the Europa League will automatically qualify for the Champions League next season...but the Europa League is not what we said.
You can get it if you take it!”
Yesterday, Tony Clark's so-called "immature opinion" was actually to qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League, which can be called "saving the country through curves".
According to the Champions League qualification regulations, in addition to the league champion and the top few, the defending Champions League champion and the Europa League champion will qualify for the Champions League next season.
There was no such regulation before, and it was only changed in recent years.
"...Now that winning the Europa League will qualify for next season's Champions League, the competition in the Europa League has become much more intense than before, not only for those teams that already have an advantage in this competition.
, just the strength of a team like us that moved from the Champions League group stage to play in the Europa League should not be underestimated..." Sam Randill analyzed for Clark.
"Isn't this normal, Sam?" Clark asked, "Isn't it inherently difficult to compete for an honor like the Europa League?"
"Uh..." Sam Randall was speechless when Clark asked.
"I just set the Europa League championship as a season goal and work hard towards this goal. I didn't say we will definitely win the championship. It is normal for those wealthy teams to set some championship goals before the season.
The thing? So many giants have the goal of winning the championship, but there is only one championship, so the goals of other teams that have not won the championship are meaningless?"
Clark didn't ask Randall back this time, but asked the coaches in the entire tea room.
Everyone was silenced by his question.
The answer is self-evident.
The efforts put in to achieve the goal of championship are not meaningless, everyone knows this.
Seeing that everyone was silent, Clark continued, striking while the iron was hot: "Besides, I don't think we have any hope in the Europa League. Gentlemen, you should all remember the Champions League game that just ended. We were in
We defeated Catalonia 4:2 away from home. And it was the victory in this game that gave me confidence and made me realize that Leeds City is actually stronger than we thought. I believe that after this game, our players will also
It should have increased a lot of confidence and will be more calm when encountering strong teams - to be honest, this is the meaning of our participation in high-level competitions such as the Champions League. This Leeds City is different from the previous Leeds City!"
The colleagues on the coaching staff did not say a word, but recalled the game that had just ended.
Leeds City defeated Catalonia 4:2 away from home. Was it a lucky victory?
It's understandable for outsiders to think so, but none of the coaches at Leeds City think so.
Because they know the strength of this team.
With Hu Lai here, scoring the opening goal, falling behind and then tying, tying and overtaking, overtaking and then expanding the lead... none of these things can be explained by "good luck".
Leeds City's offensive system ensures that they can create a large number of opportunities, and Hulay's existence ensures that the opportunities they create can be utilized efficiently.
The two complement each other and complement each other.
Leeds City made Hulay, and Hulay made Leeds City what it is today.
If the Leeds City team can use the momentum from the Catalan United match to the Europa League... it may not necessarily be impossible for them to win the championship!
Seeing everyone's thoughtful expressions, Clark knew that they must have thought of the key point, so he kept silent and let them think. It would be much more effective for them to figure it out on their own than for him to persuade them from the side.
Randhir was thinking about it too.
But he was thinking about what problems still need to be solved with Leeds City's current lineup and tactics...
"But there's a problem, Tony. If we want to win the Europa League, we can't perform well in the league... The current team's lineup can't perform well on both fronts." He raised his head.
Said to Clark.
"Of course. Moreover, the reason why we are working hard in the Europa League is because it is difficult to make breakthroughs in the league. Other teams in the league this season have worked very hard against us, and it is not easy to achieve good results in the league.
But the Europa League is completely unfamiliar to us..." Clark explained. "The goal of the league is one, very simple - to avoid relegation."
The coaches nodded one after another, thinking that if it was just relegation, it wouldn't be a big problem.
"One more question." Randhir raised his hand again.
Clark motioned for him to speak.
"If we aim at the Europa League, we need to recruit reinforcements in the winter transfer window. The focus is on midfield defense. Seydoux...can't do it," said Landil.
"Actually, regardless of the Europa League, I also plan to introduce new players to replace Seydoux in January next year." Clark said here and turned to look at Matt Dawn.
The latter stood up and said: "Yes, our scouting team has inspected multiple targets."
Randhir nodded.
Seeing this, Clark asked everyone again: "Who else has any questions?"
No one raised their hands anymore.
But just when Clark was about to finalize, Matt raised his hand: "Me!"
Clark turned to look at him and frowned: "What's your problem, Matt?"
Matt said with a smile: "I just want to remind you, Tony. If the goal is to win the Europa League, it is obviously not possible to rely on Hu alone to score. Do you want to reconsider the plan for Laski?"
Season goal?”
Clark was stunned for a moment, and then realized that his friend was indeed right.
If the goal is to win the Europa League, then of course the whole team needs to perform well in the Europa League. What if they just work harder in the league? Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?
Thinking of this, Clark smiled and said: "You're right, Matt. I need to update Lasky's season goals..."
※※ ※
"Boss, are you looking for me?" Laski knocked on the door of the head coach's office and saw head coach Clark sitting in his chair.
Seeing Lasky come in, he stood up and came over: "Ah, Dominic, yes, I'm looking for you. There is something I went back to think about for a long time yesterday, and I think I should talk to you again."
"What's the matter, boss?" Hearing the head coach say this, Lasky suddenly became anxious.
"Didn't I make an agreement with you yesterday? That is, as long as you can score ten goals in the league, I will treat you to red peppers... I went back yesterday and thought about it carefully, and I didn't think it was good...
…”
Hearing the head coach say this, Lasky's eyes couldn't help but bulge - the morale of everyone in the locker room was high, and they were just waiting for the end of the season to go to Red Hot Chili Peppers for a big meal. But now I heard the boss said it was not good... Why is it not good?
?That's great, boss! It will be difficult for me to do this if you do this!
Laski just thought so in his heart, but didn't dare to say it out loud. He was afraid that the head coach would think that he was an unprofessional person who only wanted to eat Chinese food. After all, he couldn't tell the boss that it was not him who wanted to eat Chinese food.
But the whole team wants to eat... He is afraid that the boss will regret it after knowing that he wants to invite so many people.
Clark noticed the sharp change in expression on Lasky's face. He suppressed a smile and continued to say seriously: "I think it's just ten goals in the league, which is too easy for you... I am very optimistic about your talent.
Yes, ten goals in the league should definitely not be your limit. If you only regard this as a goal, it will... underestimate you."
Lasky's eyes widened, he didn't expect his boss to say that.
"What do you think about yourself, Dominic? Regarding this goal..."
Lasky, whose name was called, said quickly: "I... uh, I will try my best to score more goals and I will not let the boss down!"
What else could he say? Could it be that "Boss, I think ten goals in the league will be enough. If there are more, I'm afraid I won't be able to complete the goal, which will make all the teammates in the team unable to eat red peppers"?
Clark seemed to be satisfied with Lasky's answer. He smiled and nodded: "Very good. I know you are an ambitious player and you will never let me down. So I don't want us to make the agreement
Change the conditions?"
"ah?"
"Ten goals in the league is too easy for you, so I hope you can score in all competitions this season and strive...to reach twenty goals in total! League, Europa League
Add up the number of goals in all competitions and score at least twenty goals. As long as you can achieve it, I will treat you to red pepper! You know, Ms. Schmidt does not approve of me doing this, but I think if you
If you can show your abilities and talents, then even if Ms. Schmidt disagrees, I will agree to it!"
Clark said it with an awe-inspiring tone, as if he was taking a big risk by inviting Lasky to a Chinese meal...
All events add up to twenty balls...
Laski thought for a while, and it was not like he had never achieved such a result of more than 20 goals in a season. When playing in Poland, he scored 18 goals in the league alone last season.
Including the number of domestic cup goals, the final score was 22 goals.
But that was the Polish First Division, and now he is in the Premier League, playing in competitions such as the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, and Europa League.
The higher the level, the more difficult it is to score goals.
If he was the only one who could not do it, he would not be able to do it. But now everyone is placing their hopes of eating red pepper on themselves. If he can't do it...
He didn't dare to think any further.
Seeing Lasky's hesitation, Clark asked in a slightly more serious voice: "What's wrong? Is there any problem?"
"Ah, no, no, boss, no. Twenty balls... I will work hard for this goal!" Lasky quickly came back from his thoughts and nodded repeatedly to express his agreement.
Clark smiled again and nodded: "Very good, come on, Lasky, you can do it, I believe in you. Because you are a player I like, just like I liked Hu back then!"
※※ ※
When Laski returned to the locker room, he was immediately surrounded by his teammates: "What business does the boss have with you this time, Dominic?"
Lasky told everyone all about his experience with Clark.
"Twenty goals in the season?"
Lasky nodded and confirmed to his teammates: "Yes, the total number of goals in all competitions is at least twenty."
But what surprised him next was that his teammates did not look sad, thinking that this was a difficult task to complete, but instead started making noises one after another.
"Hey, what did I think it was! Isn't it just twenty goals in the season? Dominic already has four goals, which means he can score sixteen more goals in the next half of the season!"
"It's just sixteen balls. We are all united and working together, can't we complete this task?"
"That's right! With our offensive firepower, if we can't let Dominic score another 16 goals, then Leeds City can't be considered a good offensive team!"
"And we will also participate in the Europa League in the second half of the season, so there will be more games for Dominic to score goals!"
The crowd in the locker room was excited, which also aroused the pride in Laski's heart.
"Don't worry, everyone, I will definitely let you eat 'red peppers' after the season is over!"
"Well said, Dominic! You just have to have such a fighting spirit! For the red pepper, let alone twenty balls, thirty balls will do!"