Millwall is on the track to compete for the third tier championship. The atmosphere within the team is very good. Substitute players will have more and more opportunities to appear in the league. The main players are also fully preparing for the remaining key battles.
During this period, Aldridge was still working hard in training. He was very happy to see the state of the team and lamented that this was a relatively simple era. The players did not have so many distractions and focused entirely on football.
I know when this wonderful time will end.
The player that concerned Aldrich most during training was a player who had been out of sight of fans for nearly a year: Lucas Neal.
In March, Neal finally returned to the training field. As the head coach, Aldrich felt very sorry and sorry for him.
After spending a year recuperating from his injury, Neal's wasted time is the most precious time for a player. Not only did his skills not improve, but his physical fitness also declined.
Destiny is unpredictable, and sometimes we have to lament that fate plays tricks on people.
A year ago, he was the team's main full-back, but a year later, he seemed unable to even play as a substitute.
Capdevila grew rapidly and occupied the main position. Zambrotta shared playing opportunities with him. The competition between the two was very fierce. When Aldridge used the two, he would treat them differently according to the tactical requirements, focusing on
For offense, use more delicate footwork and cooperate with the more aware Capdevila. For defense, use the stronger Gianluca Zambrotta.
On the right back side, Schneider firmly occupies the main position. Mills's strong defense and weak attack characteristics cannot shake Schneider's main position.
In any case, four full-backs are obviously better than Neil, who is recovering from a serious injury.
Therefore, Aldridge will be more patient and attentive to Neal during training, and also designs a special training plan for him.
But Aldridge still feels a sense of debt. Neal's comeback was a bit late. Even if he is given the opportunity to play in the rest of the league this season, it will not be enough to distribute championship medals.
Privately, Aldridge discussed with Neal that he would let him come on as a substitute in every game in the last eight rounds of the league, playing ten to twenty minutes, and then wait for the end of the Premier League to apply for a medal from the FA.
Give him a championship medal.
To Aldrich's surprise, Neal refused.
This Australian young man seems to have matured a lot in the past year after experiencing a serious injury. The scenes of laughing and joking with his teammates in the past can no longer be seen. At the age of nineteen, he has begun to grow a beard. He looks more like
Young people in their early twenties.
The serious injury wasted his youth, delayed the improvement of his skills, and hindered the strengthening of his physical fitness, but it allowed him to hone a strong willpower that ordinary people cannot imagine.
He is the first player to come to the training ground and the last one to leave. If you can't see him in the training ground, then you can definitely find him in the gym. He is silently chasing the passing time and sweating.
Make up for the gap of the past year.
In the past year, Aldridge visited him at least twice a month. He had started to develop a light training plan for him six months ago, so Neil was able to talk to Aldridge about everything.
He said frankly: This year's Millwall championship has nothing to do with me, and I don't deserve the championship medal!
Objectively speaking, his words are fair.
Judging from the outside world, naturally they will not think that Neil made any contribution to Millwall's league championship.
Aldridge's proposal was only out of human touch. He cannot be as ruthless as a bystander, especially towards his own players.
But Neil was grateful for Aldrich's care, but he also had his own pride.
He even used Aldridge's original rhetoric to retort: I'm not here to win the title.
Just like David Batty, who played for Blackburn two years ago, he refused to receive the Premier League championship medal because he was injured and did not play most of the time. The honor is good. But the strong self-esteem of the players makes them want to get their honors openly.
.
In this regard, Aldrich could only continue to maintain an attitude of encouragement and support for Neal, while also warning him not to overtrain and exceed the physical load.
Aldridge admired Neal's strong will. Before the league started on the weekend, Aldridge was in the office thinking about the summer player contract renewal plan.
It is imperative that veterans and absolute main players in the team such as Larson Nedved, Southgate, Makelele, Schneider, Trezeguet, etc. increase their salaries and renew their contracts.
At the same time, Pirlo, Shevchenko, Capdevila and other players who have established themselves this season will also have to renew their contracts, and their salaries will be ranked third in the team.
Aldridge has a pyramid-like structure for the team's salary structure.
At the top are the three captains Southgate, Nedved and Larsson.
Firstly, it is the status of the team. Secondly, it also means that he will not only value offensive players. There are representatives of the three lines. Thirdly, they have played for the longest time. This is the qualifications of the team. Their playing time reflects their influence on the team.
The sense of belonging is, to some extent, a loyalty reward, and Aldridge also plans to add a loyalty clause to each player in the new contract.
For example, if Nedvěd plays for the team for more than 5 years, he will receive a reward of 1 million pounds per season starting in the sixth year. If he plays for more than 10 years, he will receive 1.5 million pounds per year thereafter. If he retires at the club,
On the day of retirement, Millwall is willing to pay a loyalty bonus of 5 million pounds!
Although it is vulgar to talk about money, the capitalization trend of football has been reflected, and the rapidly growing football bubble is the best evidence.
Millwall is currently unable to offer players the maximum salary in the Premier League, but Aldridge still played some tricks in the contract. The loyalty clause can be regarded as one. For example, if Nedvěd stays in the team, then in 2000
At that time, in addition to his salary, he could also get extra
Getting a bonus of one million pounds is simply not worth mentioning, because as long as he transfers, the signing fee given to him by other teams will probably exceed this figure, and his salary will also skyrocket. But now, Aldridge has joined
This clause is undoubtedly very tempting.
Although this makes him look like a philistine businessman, how can the great game of football go to great lengths to win over players financially? Doesn't this tarnish Nedvěd's loyalty?
But Aldridge has no choice. He can only overdraw the future of the club. Moreover, he does not want to mistreat the players. If he is a philistine businessman, he will hope that every player under him is an outstanding player who will actively renew his contract without a salary increase.
Ladd... But that's too disappointing. How can we attract more outstanding players to come here?
Players in the team's second salary bracket will be based on their playing time and status in the team, such as Makelele Bute, Schneider, Trezeguet and other players. The gap between their salaries and the first bracket will not be too big.
.
In the third gear, outstanding young players and main substitute players emerge, such as Helguera, Materazzi Pirlo, Shevchenko, Capdevila and other players.
Further down are the other players.
Aldridge hopes to build a healthy salary structure because there are grades and players can advance through their performance on the field and loyalty to the club.
He adjusted Neal's contract to the third level. Based on Neal's current strength and status, it would definitely be at the bottom. But Neal is a veteran of Millwall after all. Even if he is not old, his qualifications are there.
Now, he is not resting on his laurels in the club. On the contrary, he is actively restoring his condition and improving his strength. He is still an important member of the club's future plans. Aldrich cannot chill his heart, but also let other players
Seeing how Millwall treats players who have been seriously injured for a year, I will never give up!
After Aldridge clearly divided the team's salary structure into categories, he printed out the document and prepared to give it to Adam. The specific content of the contract should be handled by others.
At this time, Dr. Thompson, the director of the medical department, knocked on the door of his office.
Aldrich looked at the time and saw that it was already 7:40 pm. He had forgotten the time while working, and he didn't expect anyone to still be there.
"Doctor, haven't you left yet?"
Aldridge is now used to calling each other DR directly. This is an honorific title in the UK, because not many people can obtain the title of Doctor. It can even be said that becoming a Doctor is a hundred times more difficult than getting a diploma from a prestigious school.
Thompson sat down with a report in his hand and looked embarrassed. He remained silent, and Aldrich's heart suddenly sank.
When a doctor comes to you with a bad look on his face, ordinary people will have a premonition that what happens next will definitely not be a happy event.
Thompson stroked his glasses and said with difficulty: "Mr. Hall, I'm sorry, one of the players has a physical problem, but we can't find the reason."
Aldrich raised his hand to ask for the report in the other party's hand. After Thompson handed the report to him, Aldrich opened it and looked at it, and his face suddenly became ashen as water.
Dean Richards.
The central defender played some games in the first half of this year, but has not been able to play since the New Year because he felt unwell in training. Aldrich let him rest out of caution and went for a check-up.
The medical department has not sent his examination report for a long time. As time went by, Aldrich never got an accurate answer every time he asked the medical department. They just said: the detailed examination report has not been released yet.
"what is going on?"
Thompson said solemnly: "We don't know either. Originally he was just a little dizzy and recovered after a short rest. However, to be cautious, we did a detailed examination and found that there were abnormalities in his brain, especially after strenuous exercise. We originally thought it was due to excessive exercise."
It was caused by multiple headers, but it didn't seem to be the case, because in the past three months, he only felt uncomfortable after training twice. The symptoms were dizziness and vomiting. It basically did not affect his training and competition, but he could not predict the next time.
When will he have this symptom again?"
Aldridge frowned and thought about it. He originally introduced Richards because in his memory, Richards was a center back who played for Tottenham. He was very brave, but later, he gradually disappeared from sight. He went
Aldridge doesn't care where he is. After all, as a fan in his previous life, his attention was all on the top league.
"Can't you find the reason?"
Thompson shook his head in embarrassment, feeling that this was a dereliction of duty.
"Although the cause has not yet been found, our suggestion is that he should no longer engage in strenuous exercise, because if the root cause of the disease cannot be found, once this abnormal physiological condition worsens, it may endanger his health."
Aldridge held his chin and fell into deep thought, while Thompson continued: "Mr. Hall, I know that the club spent money to bring in Richards and gave him a good salary, but first he is a person, and then
He is the player. If the club insists on letting him engage in the intense sport of football, which ultimately leads to irreparable consequences, then this is an unforgivable act by the whole society."
Aldridge waved his hand and said: "I know, I'm just thinking about how to tell him that I don't want to be an executioner, but you may not understand that for many players, playing football is their life.
It has nothing to do with ideals and everything to do with survival.”
Thompson was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said: "If you think so, I feel relieved. In addition, I hope the club can let Richards stay in the medical department. We will follow up and observe his strange disease as much as possible, even if it is impossible."
Find a radical cure and at least let him get the best care."
Aldrich sighed and agreed. After Thompson left, he held the medical report in his hand and felt heavier than a mountain.
