All coaches in the Naples team admire Gao Shen's way of getting along with his players.
This is actually a very interesting thing.
In many teams, there will be a special area for players that coaches are not allowed to enter, which is a leisure and entertainment venue specially provided for players. They can even curse the coach there and conspire to subvert the head coach.
This is actually like a space to vent.
Coaches generally follow this principle and try not to enter this space as much as possible. Even if they know clearly that players are discussing how to deal with themselves inside, they will not enter.
At most, they can support one or two of their own people inside who can tell the truth.
Gao Shen was no stranger to this, because when he was working in a company in his previous life, he discovered that the leaders were not able to get along well with the employees. Every time there was a team building gathering, the leaders would come in a hurry, say a few words, and buy something.
Just excuse me and leave beforehand.
Any gathering where leaders are present will have a very depressing atmosphere.
But in Naples, the situation is somewhat different.
There are only twenty or thirty people in the first team, and each of them is a confidant selected and brought in by Gao Shen. Everyone loves him very much, but they are all of the same age.
Many of Gao Shen's practices are completely different from other older head coaches. He can accept criticism, even in person. As long as what he says is meaningful and right, he can accept it.
Of course, whether to change it or not is another matter.
Players look at Gao Shen a bit like they look at a big brother, but Gao Shen maintains a comfortable distance and doesn't get particularly close to them. He chats with them every day and talks about everything.
Naples also has a leisure and entertainment area exclusively for players. Coaches basically don't go in. If you want to find someone, just call or shout out. But Gao Shen is an exception.
He didn't go in by himself, but the players invited him in.
After Gao Shen purchased game consoles, computers and other equipment for the players, he also organized an internal live football league within the team and provided bonuses and prizes at public expense. Then one day, the players unanimously proposed that Gao Shen participate as a special guest.
Because he is the best player in the team.
As the saying goes, there is no such thing as big or small on the playing field.
Anyway, that's how it started, and gradually, everyone became accustomed to Gao Shen entering and leaving the players' rest area.
I even went in a few times and encountered players complaining about something about the team. Gao Shen immediately solved the problem without saying a word.
This is equivalent to giving players a direct feedback channel.
But when it comes to listening to players’ truest thoughts, it still has to be in the senior office.
The two of them sat down and chatted leisurely amid the ethereal aroma of tea.
For this reason, Gao Shen also asked people to change the sofa in his office. Because some players reported that the sofa in his office was too hard to sit on, Gao Shen consulted the team's psychologist and directly changed it.
Even the layout of the office has been changed.
According to the team's psychological experts, Gao Shen has the potential to be a psychological counselor.
Needless to say, he has actually studied courses and knowledge in this field on his own.
…
No matter before or now, Gao Shen has a very good advantage, that is, he is good at chatting.
I can have a good conversation with anyone.
In Zidane's words, profundity is like a kind of magic that can unknowingly bring out the secrets hidden deep in your heart.
But this time, Gao Shen chatted with the players just to know whether they had any confidence in their hearts.
For example, he asked David Luiz how he planned to deal with the impact of Berbatov, Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo if Napoli adopted a high-pressing tactics when meeting Manchester United again.
He also asked Vargas if Cristiano Ronaldo gets that opportunity again, even further away from the goal and sprinting longer, will he be sure to keep up with the Portuguese?
He will ask Sanchez, does he feel better playing on the left? Or on the right?
He will also ask Di Maria, is Evra easier to deal with? Or is O'Shea more confident?
When Cavani faced Vidic and Ferdinand in the first round, he hardly took any advantage. Gao Shen would ask him if he had summarized and analyzed it after the game? What was the problem? What would he do if they met again?
How to do it?
Gao Shen asked many, many questions, and the players also gave some of their own thoughts and feedback, as well as some observations and experiences during the game.
For example, Rakitic felt that there was no need for him to stay as deep as he did in the first round in the second round.
The Croatian midfielder thought he had the ability to press forward and then pulled back in time.
Because of Rooney, Lichtsteiner is always following him, and he mostly intercepts Rooney's passing route.
Moreover, there is Thiago Motta behind him.
Biglia revealed that he felt very uncomfortable when he stepped forward to mark Carrick in the first round. He felt that he was not suitable to be so forward. He even felt that he could switch positions with Rakitic.
He went to see Rooney.
Gao Shen feels that this is also a train of thought.
…
Originally, Gao Shen planned to spend two days collecting feedback from players.
But as a result, I couldn't stop talking, and it took three days to complete.
On the afternoon of May 3rd, Naples ushered in the 34th round of Serie A, an away game against Siena.
Gao Shen directly arranged a full substitute lineup for this game, and even the goalkeeper asked veteran Jezzo to replace Handanovic.
Everyone can see that Gao Shen wants to gather all his forces to prepare for next week's battle at Old Trafford.
In the previous week, they played Inter Milan first and then Manchester United. Naples' main lineup was very depleted.
Now, Gao Shen lets them all rest and recharge their batteries.
But because of this, Naples encountered Siena's tenacious sniper attack on the road.
This Serie A team, which has not yet completely succeeded in relegation, performed particularly hard at home. In the first half, they seized the opportunity of Napoli's unsteady foothold, scored two goals in a row, and took the lead.
It was not until the second half that Naples used Pastore, who came on as a substitute, to assist Insigne, who also came on the bench, and scored a goal. This was also Insigne's first Serie A goal in his career.
But in the end, Naples still lost to Siena 1-2 in an away game.
Former Napoli player Karaio did not score a goal or assist in the game.
Although the counterattack against his old club was successful, Karayo was not happy at all, but rather frustrated. In an interview with the media after the game, he expressed his encouragement to Naples and hoped that his old club could reverse Manchester United in the Champions League semifinals.
Everyone could see that he regretted his decision to leave Naples.
They lost to Siena 1-2 away from home, which was Napoli's second defeat this season.
It was only at this moment that everyone was surprised to discover that Naples had only lost two games on all fronts so far this season.
Gao Shen and his young team Naples also performed at a very impressive level.
At the post-match press conference, Gao Shen believed that Naples was ready.
"The battle at Old Trafford will be our most important battle so far this season."
"It will be the most difficult game that Napoli and I have experienced in the past three years, not only because it is the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals, but also because we are facing Ferguson and his Manchester United."
"We made a mistake in the first leg, so it was a pity that we failed to win Manchester United at home, but in the second leg, my players and I will do our best to fight hard at Old Trafford.
Come out with a victory!”
"We have no retreat!"
Gao Shen even quoted a famous quote from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
"If you want to try what it's like to be a brave man, you must act like a true brave man and use all your strength to act. At this time, your fear will be replaced by bravery and courage."
…
When Naples lost 1-2 to Siena away from home, in the 35th round of the Premier League, Ferguson's Manchester United also challenged Middlesbrough away.
Manchester United's situation in the Premier League is more severe than that of Naples. They are only three points ahead of second-placed Liverpool and cannot afford to lose a game. However, Ferguson actually put together an incredible lineup in this game.
.
Four thirty three.
Goalkeeper: Foster.
Defense: Evra, Evans, Vidic and O'Shea.
Midfielder: Giggs, Scholes and Park Ji-sung.
Forwards: Rooney, Berbatov and Macheda.
When Gao Shen saw this lineup, his first reaction was, awesome!
Sincerely, he is a genius.
Thirty-four-year-old Scholes, 35-year-old Giggs.
Who would have thought that Ferguson would put these two "old goblins" in the middle of the midfield.
But it turns out that Ferguson really knows his Premier League opponents too well.
Almost the entire game, Middlesbrough was defending, while Manchester United was free to attack, but it was always difficult to break into the opponent's penalty area. It was not until the 25th minute that Vidic took advantage of a corner kick opportunity and assisted Giger.
Si scored a goal.
After the start of the second half, Manchester United launched a wave of fierce attacks. In the 51st minute, Rooney sent a direct pass, and Park Ji-sung scored again.
In this game, Rooney was placed on the left wing, and his performance was remarkable.
After defeating Middlesbrough 2-0, Manchester United seized the advantage of possession of the ball. Ferguson also talked about possession of the ball at the post-match press conference, believing that in today's European football, if you want to win, you must possess the ball.
"Only by controlling the ball can you control the game."
Berbatov is proof of Ferguson's thinking, so he originally thought that the Bulgarian center would pay a high price.
Some reporters also asked about last week's Champions League semi-finals and next Wednesday's second leg. Ferguson emphasized that now is the heyday of the Premier League.
"Judging from the situation this season, only Barcelona can compete with us."
As for what Gao Shen said after the 1-1 draw with Manchester United that he had made a mistake, Ferguson laughed and said it was normal.
"He is still too young. I made a lot of mistakes when I was young. Once at St. Mirren, I made a substitution within 12 minutes. After I made the substitution, I thought, this is wrong, but there is nothing I can do about it. Young people are like
so."
Regarding the Champions League next Wednesday, Ferguson said with a smile, "Gao Shen is still very young, and he will have many opportunities in the future, but now, this season, in this game next Wednesday, victory will belong to us!"
