Chapter 251: Wood’s Struggle Part 2
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Think about it from the moment you stood in front of my home and told me, 'I think you should sign on the best player in all of England' to now. You have become Forest team's main player and played in all the matches of the season. What changes have occurred in you? You've become stronger – countless times – stronger than the silly lad you were then. It's been two years. Time passes quickly, but your improvement is even quicker. If you can't accept losing like this to Riquelme, being completely at his mercy, don't just sit here and stew. You need to work even harder. If you want to attain victory over your opponents, you need to work hundreds of times harder, even more than usual! Do you understand me?"
Wood nodded and said, "I understand."
Tang En laughed. "That's right. The match is already lost, so just let it go. Don't keep looking so upset, as if someone died. It'll drag everyone else into a lousy mood. If you can't accept it, then vent your grievances on the training ground. Demi is a greatly experienced Defensive Midfielder. You can learn many things from him that will last you throughout your career."
"I know. He… is really great." Wood, who was a little arrogant, would rarely have admiration for someone else; but he would willingly complement the Italian man whose face was constantly adorned with a smile.
Hearing Wood speak two sentences in a breath, Tang En knew his mood had gotten better. He rubbed his hands together and indicated with two fingers, saying, "Just before I came to speak to you, I had two options in mind for the next match. A, to let you rest for a round—tell the media that your body is exhausted, and rotation is needed—or B, to let you continue as a starting player without making any comment to the media."
"My body is fine." Wood said, making the decision for Tang En.
"I thought so, George." Tang En nodded. "Even if I said you needed to rest because of an injury or exhaustion, I wouldn't believe it myself. So, there's only option B left. But, there isn't much time left for you. You won't have the chance to work harder, a hundred times harder, on the training field to improve yourself. Three days after, we will be heading to Old Trafford to go against Manchester United. Are you ready to deal with the people who will question you first thing in the morning and shut them up?"
The two looked at each other, and Wood took his time to respond. After a while, he asked, "Is Manchester United strong?"
This was not Wood acting stupid. He did not have such humor yet.
Before being promoted to the English Premier League, George Wood had never been concerned about the situation there. Furthermore, he was the same way before playing soccer, and Manchester had started on the low in the current season. It was normal for Wood not to know about the might of Red Devils.
Tang En started laughing. "Don't you ever read the news or watch television? Villarreal CF had only one Riquelme, but Manchester United has several players like him."
On hearing that, Wood's eyes brightened.
※※※
Tang En was right on the money. They awoke from their sleep to much commentary and remarks about Forest's match that day. Most of it had to do with Wood, and of those, 99 percent were criticising his performance.
Comments about his youth and lack of experience could not even be considered criticisms any longer. England's media had always been harsh and critical with no heed to "being discreet". Some of the commentaries even slammed George Wood for being as stupid as a pig before the Argentine.
"Riquelme's pace was already slow enough, but George Wood's reactions were even slower."
"… Yes. The rest period for Spaniards has always been late. Notice that the kick-off for this match is not 12 midnight; El Madrigal is not selling supper to satisfy hungry fans. But George Wood is playing sleepily; it's as if it's already late at night!"
"Look at him being played by the Argentine. I couldn't bear to watch and turned off the television…"
"Why not use Brynjar Gunnarsson who is much more experienced? George Wood's player resume is a great big blank slate. It's so clean, it's unbelievable. Against a player like Riquelme in an away match, why choose to let such a child defend? The two of them are just not on the same level!"
"We all know that Tony Twain's strategy is to let George Wood protect the space behind Albertini. This allows Albertini to organize the offense. With Nottingham Forest playing as the away team in El Madrigal, playing defense and counterattacking needed precisely the Italian's expertise in long passing. But George Wood could not even complete his mission. In the end, Albertini had to give up on the offense instead to assist him with the defense…"
"… to tell the truth, this is just Tony Twain's biased trust of George Wood. It's incomprehensible. Let's review the appearances of Nottingham Forest's players in this season. Other than player number one, goalkeeper Darren Ward, who else appeared in all matches, league or otherwise? It was George Wood, without even a minute of absence. The problem, then, is obvious. How can it be solved?"
It was practically a one-sided "George Wood Criticism Fest." If the criticized player was weak-hearted, he would probably have already drowned in the heartless media.
Coincidentally, they had met with a professional player who cared little about the news or anything that happened in the football scene.
The match with Villarreal CF ended on the night of 25th November. There were only two days left for the Forest team before they challenged Manchester United on their home ground. It would be too silly for them to spend this precious time waging a spit battle with the media.
The gates of the Wilford Training Ground continued to be surrounded by reporters, but they had no hope of interviewing any player from Forest. Tony Twain had also rejected all interviews and instructed the club to cancel the routine press conference on the 26th. Just when the English Media had begun stirring up the topic, Forest team shut their doors to them. No one knew what was happening on the team.
Even after arriving in Manchester from Nottingham by car, at the front door of the hotel the team was staying at, Tang En did not say a word to the flock of media around him. The disappointed media could only wait until the pre-match press conference on the day before the match after the teams had settled in. Both managers would be attending on that day. They refused to believe they would fail at prying Tony's mouth open by then.
The media, with no real news to report, could only write with their imaginations, fulfilling the desire of the public to sneak peeks. Their articles all began with, "according to a certain Forest player who had disclosed," or "based on what certain high-ranking personnel of Forest has said..."
Whatever it was about, such as chaos happening in the locker room, Gunnarsson accusing George Wood of playing like he was sleepwalking and appealing for an opportunity to be a starter, the club's higher-ups being displeased with Tony for his stubbornness in player usage, and George Wood explosive clash with Albertini during training involving punching and kicking.
These reports were as bizarre as the readers wanted them to be, fulfilling their obscene desires.
So, when Ferguson saw his assistant at Old Trafford completely engrossed in reading the newspaper with Tony's photograph on it, he said disdainfully, "What are you doing, reading that? Are you collecting the latest information on our opponents? Don't believe a word of what the media says. In fact, you can't even believe some of the things you say to them."
Queiroz grinned as he looked up at the old Scot, saying, "No, Boss. I'm reading a novel."