On the plane flying back to Andong Jincheng from Hongchang City, Youjiang Province, Qin Lin found the head coach Zhao Kangming sitting in front and wanted to talk to him.
Seeing this, Chen Mo stood up and left, giving up his seat to Qin Lin.
"I was just looking for you. What's going on with the penalty kick?" Zhao Kangming asked first as he waited for Qin Lin to sit down.
"Old Zhao, I came to you just to talk about this. I already told Hu Lai on the court, not only the penalty kick in this game, I will let him kick all the team's penalty kicks in the future.
Already."
Zhao Kangming opened his mouth in surprise: "Why? I remember you said that taking penalty kicks is your responsibility..."
Zhao Kangming was talking about the 2010 World Cup Asian Qualifiers. At that time, it was a key match for the top 40 to advance to the top 12. The Chinese team had to win their opponent to ensure that they could get the first place in their group.
One, thereby qualifying for the top twelve.
The opponent in that game, Qatar, was also qualified to enter the top 12. The two sides played very close, and the 0:0 score remained until the 85th minute.
At this moment, the Chinese team got a penalty kick!
At that time, the stadium in Jiu'an City was in a state of excitement.
As long as the Chinese team can score this penalty kick, it is possible to defeat Qatar, win the first place in the group, and advance to the top 12.
As a result, the forward Liu Yunfeng who was responsible for taking the penalty kick kicked it away under tremendous pressure, causing the Chinese team to miss the top 12.
After the game, Liu Yunfeng was scolded so much that some people even came to the door of his club’s training base and threw paint on him and threw eggs at him...
After that game, whenever the Chinese team had a penalty kick, Qin Lin would take it. Later in the club, Qin Lin also took over the penalty kick.
Although he had never taken a penalty kick before.
For this reason, he spent two years practicing penalty kicks for himself after each training session.
Later, a reporter asked him why he suddenly wanted to take all penalty kicks. He said what Zhao Kangming mentioned: "It is my responsibility as the captain to take penalty kicks."
Although he didn't say it explicitly, everyone speculated that he said this because of the incident in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
Of course he is not complaining about Liu Yunfeng's kick in pushing the Chinese team into the top 12. He just hopes that if a similar situation happens one day, he will be the one being scolded instead of someone else.
That's why he said that this is the captain's responsibility. It is the captain's responsibility to take penalty kicks under pressure. If the penalty is missed, it is also the captain's responsibility to be despised by thousands of people.
The captain's armband is definitely not only a symbol of glory, but more often than not it also means having to bear more infamy, especially being the captain of the Chinese national team.
"I now want to hand over this responsibility to Hu Lai." Qin Lin said.
"Do you think he can bear it?" When he asked, Zhao Kangming laughed to himself, "That's right. Shi Wuyin told me that that kid is a shameless two-skinned person. If he is really despised by thousands of people,
He should be able to withstand the treatment."
"Yes, whether it was talking about winning the World Cup in front of the media, or the online violence he encountered before the game against South Korea... it fully shows that Hu Lai has a very big heart, and his shooting skills are also very superb.
With his excellent shooting skills and strong psychological quality, I think there is no one more suitable than him to be the person who takes responsibility. Another thing is that I want to sign up for a coaching course..."
Zhao Kangming's eyes widened: "Are you planning to retire?"
Seeing the nervous Lao Zhao, Qin Lin smiled: "Don't worry, I will fulfill the contract with Flashing Star. I have not made a final decision. I will see my situation at that time... I just feel that it is a bad move for myself."
This period of life should be planned in advance."
Zhao Kangming looked at this former teammate who had played alongside him in the national team. During the 2004 Asian Cup, he was just a young player under the age of 21. Although he had become the main force in the Chinese national team,
It's still hard to hide the childishness and youthfulness on his face.
Today, every wrinkle on his face seems to record the history of Chinese football.
He is the witness and recorder of Chinese football for nearly two decades... and even from some perspectives, he is the history of Chinese football itself.
"You can still play for a few more years, Da Qin. You are so self-disciplined, professional, and sober-minded."
"If I'm not injured, maybe." Qin Lin smiled.
"Then you can stay for two more years and help these young people on horses and give them a ride..."
"They don't need me, Lao Zhao. They have already mounted their horses and started running. I can't catch up."
Seeing that Qin Lin had decided to leave, Zhao Kangming could only sigh: "Okay, I respect your personal choice. I will let the club help you sign up for the coaching training class."
"Thank you." Qin Lin stood up and said goodbye.
After he left, Chen Mo sat back again: "What did you talk about?"
"He told me that from now on the team's penalty kicks can be handed over to Hu Lai, and he also wants to sign up for a coaching training class."
Chen Mo was stunned for a moment, and then said in shock: "Does he want to retire? That's why he handed over the right to take penalty kicks..."
"Not so fast. He said he would fulfill his contract with the club."
"It won't be two years, let's say next year. The contract will expire after the season next year... Didn't you persuade him?"
"I tried to persuade him, but it was useless. He was very determined. The injury had a greater impact on him than all of us thought." At this point, Zhao Kangming sighed.
"If Qin Lin really retires...an era of Chinese football may have come to an end." Chen Mo said with some regret.
"It doesn't matter if it's over, there are no good memories." Zhao Kangming shook his head. "How did the media evaluate Qin Lin back then? The last big boss of Chinese football, the only face of Chinese football. Listen, Chinese football needs a three-man star.
A thirteen-year-old man is trying to save his face...it's so sad."
At the age of 33, Qin Lin helped the South China Tigers win the AFC Champions League, and he also won the Asian Footballer of the Year award.
Therefore, it is praised by the media as "the only face of Chinese football".
This sounds like he is praising Qin Lin, but more people probably feel that he is mocking Chinese football.
Because as Zhao Kangming said, dignified Chinese football actually has to rely on a veteran in his thirties to protect face.
This is ironic!
"I even hope that it is the end of an era. In this case, Hu Lai and the others may be in a new era, an era created by them... Wouldn't that be great?" Zhao Kangming turned to Chen Mo.
smiled.
※※※
When the Zi Flash Star team resumed training, head coach Zhao Kangming informed the team of the arrangements for adjusting the penalty kick takers.
Everyone seemed surprised when they heard that Qin Lin not only gave up the penalty kick in the last game to Hu Lai, but also gave up all penalty kicks to Hu Lai in the future.
Many people simply turned their attention to Qin Lin and Hu Lai in front of the coach.
Many people have heard and know a little bit about the reason why Qin Lin took penalty kicks.
Because of this, I was so surprised after learning that he suddenly gave up the right to take penalty kicks.
This is not simply to give Juledo an extra scoring method or a few more goals in a season.
This means a transfer of responsibility.
At the same time, some people have guessed that Mr. Qin Lin’s career may not last too long...
Under everyone's gaze, Qin Lin did not stand up and explain why he did what he did.
In other words, even if there is an explanation, it will not be explained to the whole team, but to Hu Lai alone. Then there will be too many opportunities.
Before the game, when two people live in the same room, they can explain it.
Then Zhao Kangming said to Hu Lai in front of the whole team: "From now on, after every training, you have to do one more set of penalty kick training, Hu Lai."
Hu Lai nodded: "No problem, Director Zhao."
When he was still on the Dongchuan Middle School team, he briefly received special penalty kick training in order to prepare for penalty shootouts in national competitions.
So I practiced unexpectedly before and during the national competition.
As a result, there was no penalty kick at all in the national competition, and Hu Lai's penalty kick skills were completely useless.
When the national competition is over, he will naturally no longer need to practice penalty kicks.
After all, whether in the Poseidon Youth Team or the Flash Stars, there is no need to use his penalty kick.
Now that he needs to take all the penalty kicks from Flash Star, he should really take penalty kick training again.
Seeing that Hu Lai agreed simply, Zhao Kangming nodded: "Work hard and don't let down this responsibility..."
Penalty kicks are not the easiest way to score, but a duel with oneself under the greatest pressure. Some people can defeat themselves in such an environment and achieve legendary feats. And some people... are under heavy pressure.
He was defeated and despised by thousands of people.
Sometimes penalty kicks are still the team's hope of victory and are the knock on the door for Chinese football outside the World Cup.
As Qin Lin said, taking penalty kicks is a responsibility.
That responsibility has now been passed on to a young player.
This is a high expectation for him.
But no one in the Flash Star team thought at this time: Can he bear it?
On the contrary, their thinking is: If someone must be found to take on this responsibility, then he is indeed the most suitable candidate!