Millwall's match team, coaching staff, players, team doctors, team managers, etc. who came to Manchester have all returned to London, except the head coach who stayed.
Ferguson's office is not large and has a strong reception room feel. There is a transparent coffee table in the middle of the room. There are leather sofas under the three walls surrounding the coffee table. Photos or meaningful famous paintings are hung on the walls above the sofa.
Aldrich came here as a guest, and when Ferguson went to pour the wine, he stood by the wall, looking up at one of the photography works: "All Beings on the Beam"
It is a photographic work created in 1932 during the construction of the Rockefeller Building in New York.
The picture shows 11 construction workers sitting on steel bars working at high altitude. Under them are New York's bustling high-rise buildings hundreds of meters above the ground.
In a sense, this reflects the actual status of the 11 people on the football field, the dangers of the occupation, the courage and professionalism at high altitude, as well as the trust and communication with colleagues and other qualities. If they can do all this, then,
You can see the mountains and small mountains at a glance, and build a magnificent foundation that symbolizes the American spirit like Rockefeller Center. This painting condenses the spirit of the Red Devils.
"Aldrich, you almost gave me a heart attack today."
Aldrich turned around and saw Ferguson sitting on the sofa at the other end of the coffee table. He was holding red wine in his hand. The red wine he had poured for Aldrich had been placed at the other end of the coffee table.
Sitting opposite Ferguson, Aldridge took a sip from his wine glass and thought about it without thinking too much.
"What? You don't like it?"
Ferguson had a slight smile on his face. The battle was over. At this moment, the two coaches, one old and one young, could sit down and talk and laugh. This is also a enjoyment of life in the football circle.
Aldrich shook his head and said with a frank smile: "To be honest, my father worked as a street gangster when he was young, and my eldest brother was a glassworker when he was just an adult. Therefore, my family does not have a high taste for red wine. Sometimes,
To add to the fun, there is no difference between drinking red wine and drinking beer. It’s not about whether I like it or not, it just doesn’t make me happy. If Millwall wins the game today, I will treat you to a barbecue and drink all the beer you want.”
Ferguson burst out laughing when he heard this. He raised the glass in his hand and said: "This is port wine. It comes from Portugal and has a ceremonial color in the UK. I don't know your preferences, so I thought that students would drink this kind of wine and soldiers would drink it."
Drink, the red wine that nobles also drink, should be able to cope with you. It seems that I was wrong. So, tell me, what is the best red wine you have ever drunk?"
Aldrich thought for a moment and then said: "82 Lafite is actually not the best tasting. I'm just a layman. I drink red wine just to join in the fun."
In fact, Lafite is not the top winery in Europe where there are many wineries, but Aldrich was in China in his previous life, and Lafite was very popular. It was just an arty product of the nouveau riche, so Aldrich had a lot of wines in his life.
When he had enough money, he bought a bottle of 82 Lafite. In the 1990s, this bottle of wine was not as expensive as it would be more than ten years later, so he could afford it. After drinking it, he felt that it was not worth it.
Ferguson nodded and said: "Well, the 1982 red wine is indeed the best in recent decades. The grape harvest that year was very good."
"Something to do with grapes?"
"Of course, grapes are the main raw material for making wine. Therefore, good wine depends not only on brewing technology, but also on God's mood. If he is in a good mood, he will have a bumper harvest of grapes in 1982, with top quality. If he is in a bad mood, then he will have a good harvest.
Even if there are too many ordinary grapes, classic red wine cannot be produced. Well, this is very similar to football matches. Classic matches are always born by accident rather than through careful planning."
Aldridge nodded seriously. Ferguson took a sip of wine and said curiously: "Aldrich, can you tell me the secret of your success? You have never played football, but your research on football tactics is eye-catching.
The performance of Millwall's players on the field today is top-notch, but it is absolutely inseparable from their usual training, even though football games are not repetitive drills and training.
Tactics can be replicated on the football field, but being able to play such smooth football in irregular football matches is inseparable from the coaching of the coach. Also, many Millwall players were followed and observed by Manchester United scouts
Tell me, there are many young players with star potential. How did you select these players? And where did you get information about them?"
Aldridge agreed with Ferguson.
There are no rules to follow in the football game itself. Unlike basketball or rugby coaches, who will use a tactical board to specify offensive or defensive tactics into the running trajectory of each player.
"I left London when I was less than thirteen years old and went to all over the world, no, actually just in Europe, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Portugal, and even Northern and Eastern Europe. I have been there several times.
Since then, I have been observing the football culture in different regions of the European continent, and then put it all into my head. To be honest, I am not a tactical geek. I will not study how to use the tactical board all day long.
What do they achieve through complex movements, have you ever heard of Laconian thinking?”
Ferguson shook his head seriously. Even though he was a tasteful wine taster and a successful football coach, his knowledge was about the same as that of a normal person. This was probably one of the reasons why he later went head-to-head with Wenger. Wenger always
He has a knowledgeable demeanor, but in front of Wenger, Ferguson will always inadvertently think of himself with a background as a dock worker in Glasgow.
"Lagonian thinking is actually simplistic thinking, conciseness, which is the real richness, because all concrete things are limited, and only the simplest things can have the greatest fertility and imagination space. I will let the players in training
Playing the ball simply and quickly trains their movement awareness and teamwork awareness. When these become more and more mature, they will naturally play smooth cooperation on the court. The same is true for defense. Instill in them the simplest awareness, and the rest is
They will try to use their own characteristics to do their best.”
Aldrich said nothing to hide.
"Why are you so honest? Don't you want to keep it secret?"
Ferguson pondered for a moment after hearing this, and then asked more curiously.
Aldridge laughed and said: "Secret? There are no secrets in football. Any tactical framework is simple, and the efficiency of tactical execution depends on the player's ability. All the teams in the Premier League know that Manchester United will play on both wings, but why still
Will you be beaten through the wing repeatedly? A big factor is determined by the player's ability, not whether the tactics are restrained or how mysterious the tactics are. The strength of the players' direct confrontation directly affects the trend on the court, even if the number of people is used to make up for it.
If you defend the wing, then other places will be exposed
Flaws. For example, even if Manchester United returns to England's original long-passing style of play, the team's record will not necessarily plummet, because your long passes will be more accurate, and you can buy a top-notch powerful center in the middle.
Grab points, same tactics
, used by different teams, the effects are different. Real changes in tactical trends have occurred no more than ten times in football in the past century. With the development of television broadcasts, there are no tactical secrets on the football field. Some are just
Match between players and tactics.”
Ferguson sighed with deep understanding: "You are right. The key is whether the characteristics of the players are consistent with the tactics. Putting the right players in the right positions will bring out the best results. Otherwise, it will be a disaster."
Aldridge builds the team with this idea. He needs a strong center, and Trezeguet is very suitable. Although Solskjaer is excellent, he cannot replace the young Trezeguet. He needs a midfield commander, maybe Barca.
Luck, Nedvěd, and Vieira are all competent, but in terms of effectiveness, they are definitely not better than Pirlo. England's defenders need a high degree of aerial dominance, and players like Stam meet the requirements, etc.
However, tactical incompetence also exists, but it is only deeply reflected in the competition between top teams. In a game with a huge disparity in the strength of the team's lineup, even if the weak team's tactics can restrain the strong team, it will be very difficult.
Hard to upset.
Ferguson stood up, gave Aldridge a glass of wine, and continued to ask: "So, where do you find these players?"
Aldridge chuckled and said: "Didn't I just say that? I have been to so many countries, watched a game every week, and left many players' names in my notebook. Moreover, my second brother opened a
An agency, he hired scouts all over the world."
Ferguson suddenly understood. After a moment of silence, he raised his head and said solemnly: "Sell Larson to Manchester United for seven million pounds, or sell that French young man, Trezeguet, for five million pounds."
Aldrich's happy mood disappeared in an instant, and the old fox finally took action!
He was uneasy. This was not the first time Ferguson had inquired, and he had given up three months ago. But after today's game, he still made up his mind.
Now that he has spoken, salary will definitely not be a problem.
Moreover, the outstanding performance of Trezeguet and Larsson today is enough for them to earn high wages at Manchester United without being questioned.
In terms of transfer fee, seven million pounds is a very sincere price.
It's half a million pounds more than Andy Cole's transfer fee this spring, but half a million pounds less than Bergkamp's move to Arsenal. This is the second-highest transfer fee in English football history.
, the latest record was created by Bergkamp.
Trezeguet's five million pounds is considered sincere.
Aldrich put down his glass and said calmly: "I need to think about it."
"Whether the deal is successful or not, Aldridge, next time you come to Manchester United as a guest, I will open a bottle of 82 Lafite."
Ferguson stood up and shook hands with Aldridge solemnly. Aldridge cheered up and smiled before turning and leaving.
