Taking advantage of the suspension of the La Liga season, Gao Shen made a special trip to the Thorpe Arch training base to meet with everyone at Leeds United.
He highly praised the team's recent performance, but also reminded the young players in the team to guard against arrogance and impetuosity.
“The second half is the real test!”
Gao Shen combined some of his past experiences and put forward a lot of advice to the players and coaches.
In a situation like Leeds United's, the biggest problem in the second half is how the team will respond when the opponent becomes familiar with your tactics and style of play?
Gao Shen feels that Sarri should develop two more plans as the team's Plans B and C.
Especially on the offensive end.
Gao Shen believes that Harry Kane, Mane, Felipe Anderson and Mahrez should all get more opportunities.
Leeds United now has a trident of Coutinho, Incardi and Salah, and the midfield is composed of Pogba, Alan and Jorginho. The overall style is still determined to play fast.
But in the second half, many teams will definitely adopt tactics of shrinking defense and precise counterattacks when encountering Leeds United.
This puts forward requirements for Leeds United's ability to attack tough problems.
But everyone knows that in the center position, Yin Cardi mainly focuses on scoring goals.
On the contrary, Harry Kane, with his tall stature, can play a better role in tough battles, and Mane is also very strong and his impact power is quite amazing.
Felipe Anderson and Mahrez follow the technical stream. Both players have very delicate skills and strong dribbling ability.
Gao Shen also specifically asked about Vardy.
But what surprised him was that the hapless England striker had made six appearances this season.
Sarri spoke very well of him and believed that he has been working hard and making progress.
The player Vardy is actually a bit similar to Mane.
The same is true for Mane now. He entered the professional game too late, which resulted in Mane's basic skills not being solid enough. However, this player's talent is really good and he is willing to work hard, so he has been practicing and strengthening.
As for the suggestions put forward by Gao Shen, Sarri has actually already begun to implement them, but because the Premier League does not have a winter break, he does not have enough time to train.
But after entering 2013, because of the cup competition, he will get a chance to breathe for about 10 days, during which time he can polish the team's tactics.
…
After talking with Sarri and others, Gao Shen specially took Pochettino to visit the methodology department, big data center and scouting department, which are the core of the Thorpe Arch training base.
The training base is small but fully equipped.
In Pochettino's words, it is more advanced and more complete than most La Liga teams and even teams in the five major leagues.
Even for a club like Espanyol, the youth training is more of a window-dressing effort.
But Leeds United are really making great efforts to develop youth training and are really invested in it.
If we don't talk about anything else, let's just talk about the methodology department and the research on youth training. It is not comparable to other teams, even teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Gao Shen also made no secret of the fact that this plan was originally Barcelona's, but Russell laid off employees, so Leeds United took over.
There is another proof that Leeds United is not willing to invest in youth training, and that is competition.
In order to provide youth team players with enough training opportunities, Leeds United not only participates in youth team leagues and cups organized by the Football Association, but also organizes competitions with other big teams, and even goes abroad to participate in some exchanges and invitational tournaments.
These may seem inconspicuous, but they are all real investments.
According to Borrell, Leeds United’s investment in youth training this season will exceed 10 million pounds.
What concept is this?
Borrell is not familiar with other teams, but he is familiar with Barcelona.
Starting from the 2000/01 season, Barcelona claimed to have invested 130 million euros in ten years. However, as the head coach of Barcelona's youth team, Borrell believes that Barcelona's investment in the previous years was only half of Leeds United's. However, later Dream Team 2 and Dream Team 3
After the success of the team, Barcelona tasted the benefits of youth training, so they increased their investment in youth training.
No, after Russell came to power, investment in youth training was reduced again.
But Barcelona has always been doing one thing, which is to search for talents from all over the world, and this is how Messi was born.
What Barcelona has gained is a dream team, including Messi, Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Pique and other talents from their own youth training, as well as an endless treasure trove of talents.
This is the goal of Leeds United now.
Leeds United's current scouting network has spread all over the world, with more than 700 part-time scouts who are digging and providing talents for Leeds United anytime and anywhere. At the same time, there are more than a dozen full-time scouts who are looking for talents around the world.
In addition, Leeds United's youth training echelons are all equipped with the highest level coaching team, as well as a scientific training team.
Since establishing a complete youth training system last year, Leeds United has never stopped poaching young players from all over the world.
An annual budget of 10 million pounds is indeed inconspicuous when placed in the first team, but when placed in the youth team, it is absolutely arrogant.
As a result, Leeds United has one, two, or even two or three foreign players for each age group.
According to Borrell, among the current Leeds United youth teams, the most anticipated one is the U12.
That is the age group that Majin Booharand is in.
How strong is this age group?
Haven't lost a game so far.
In addition to powerful players like Harland, Gao Shen also took a special look at the list and found that most of them were unknown to him, but there were two people who seemed familiar to him.
One is Portuguese young player Joao Felix, who was highlighted by Borrell, saying that the team tried every means to contact him, but in the end it was him who personally took action and agreed to many conditions before signing him from Porto.
The reason is that Porto doesn't pay attention to him and thinks he is too thin.
But Leeds United is experienced in this regard.
Another one is Aureliano Joan Armene.
At first glance, Gao Shen felt that this was the talented defensive midfielder who emerged in France before he traveled across time. He looked about the same age, but the problem was that the Leeds United player played as a center forward.
Yes, he is now paired with Harland as a double center, and he is simply invincible.
This is actually not surprising. Two precocious tall men are really powerful weapons in the youth team.
Gao Shen was not sure for a while, whether he was the same person or not?
Borrell also regretfully said that there was actually a young French forward he was very optimistic about, but unfortunately, he and his family rejected Leeds United's invitation.
"His name is Kylian Mbappe and he is currently training in Clarefontaine."
Gao Shen was stunned when he heard this, "Who?"
"Kylian Mbappe." Borrell is a little strange. Does he know him well?
The profound surprise was fleeting, but it was like a tumble in my heart.
You already have Haaland, do you want another Mbappe?
Is this a plan to put the future "Cristiano Ronaldo" and "Messi" together in a team?
"His father is a football coach who is very knowledgeable and demanding. We are currently working hard to convince them to join Leeds United after completing training in Clarefontaine," Borrell said.
[To be honest, I have been using Yeguo to read and catch up on books recently. I can switch sources and read aloud with many sounds. www. Android and Apple are available.]
Gao Shen couldn't help but start to long for the scene where Mbappe and Haaland would partner up, but on the surface he was still calm, "I believe in your vision, Rudolf, if you think it's suitable, then try to sign it.
It’s acceptable to pay a price!”
Playing football still depends on talent.
You may not become a star if you have talent, but you definitely won't become a star if you don't have talent.
Therefore, talents like Haaland, Mbappe and Felix are definitely the best.
Leeds United is not always victorious. For example, Danish youngster Odegaard rejected Leeds United's invitation. He wanted to go to a big team. There are also several other young talents who have already made a name for themselves. Leeds United
Liandu can't dig it out.
Not to mention some young players who have long been recruited by big teams.
But Borrell also focused on another age group, which is U9 and U10, which is the age group where Ansu Fati belongs.
As the FA's ban on youth training selection was lifted, Leeds United began to search for talents all over the UK, and among the U9 age group there was a name that Gao Shen was very familiar with, Jude Bellingham, from Birmingham.
There is absolutely no way to escape.
Gao Shen is very sure that this is the one who will shine in Dortmund in the future.
There is also a young player Pedri from David Silva's hometown, the Canary Islands of Spain, who has just turned ten. This is another player who was kindly invited by Borrell himself. His goal is
Be like Iniesta and David Silva.
The other one is Jamal Musiala, who was poached from Chelsea.
It is also interesting to say that Musiala was recruited by Chelsea from the Southampton youth training camp, but the mantis stalked the cicada and the oriole was behind. Leeds United arranged a job for Musiala's parents, so he came naturally.
Leeds United.
These are all recognized by advanced people. Among those who don’t recognize them, are there no geniuses?
Gao Shen doesn't believe it.
…
I have to say that Leeds United's scouting and youth team team-up work really exceeded Gao Shen's expectations.
At least now, he can clearly see what kind of effect it will have if ten million pounds are poured into the youth training camp every year.
Not only Leeds United, but other teams as well.
The difference is whether to invest or not to invest.
But gathering talents is only the beginning. How to cultivate talents is the key.
Just like Chelsea, they searched all over the world for talents in the early years. There was no shortage of talents, but who kicked them out?
This proves that there must not only be soil for cultivating young people, but also opportunities for young people to compete and exercise.
Leeds United has also spent a lot of money and increased investment in this aspect.
Gao Shen is also full of expectations now.
Perhaps as Lucas and Borrell outlined, when players like Haaland come out, and then Ansu Fati comes on top, Leeds United will truly usher in a harvest period that is ripe for success.
Afterwards, Gao Shen and Su Qing, accompanied by Lucas, Borrell and others, visited the Elland Road Stadium and the land of the new training base to the north of the stadium.
Now all the procedures have been completed, the government's joints have been opened, Norman Foster's design is being advanced in an orderly manner, and the Chinese construction company has also begun preparations, and construction is expected to start in May.
In the large open space to the west of the Elland Road stadium, Leeds United specially spent money to clear out a large piece of land as a temporary parking lot for fans who drive on match days.
There is currently no money to build a new stadium, but the land must still be used as much as possible.
Everything started to go on track, Gao Shen was very relieved.
But Pochettino is different.
What he saw was a team that was thriving.
He even had a very strong premonition that this team would completely change the Premier League structure.
He hopes that he can become a part of it and contribute.
