Although Tang En had told Sun Jihai over the phone that the team was going to play on a rotation, his first choice of candidate for the right back would still be Chimbonda when the new season began. Buying Sun Jihai was to increase the depth of the team, not create problems for Tang En when deciding on his deployment and strategies.
The reformation of the defensive line had yet to end. Left back had Sun Jihai and Chimbonda rotating; Center back had Piqué, Matthew Upson, Pepe, Wes Morgan, and Clint Hill. Many options. But left back still only had Leighton Baines.
It was difficult to find a left back on the transfer market and even harder to find an outstanding one.
The good mood brought about by Sun Jihai joining the team lasted only a day. Tang En began to fret over the rotation candidate for the left back.
Dunn knew what Tang En was worrying about. Over dinner, he intended to recommend someone to Tang En.
“You only looked at the transfer market. Why not look downwards?”
“Downwards?” Tang En asked, confused.
“The Youth Team,” Dunn said, rising from his seat to walk to the television.
“Are you going to show me some recordings again?” Tang En had found Dunn’s favorite hobby: not shopping, pursuing girls, or drinking; he just liked to watch those football recordings of his.
“Recordings are good. They allow you to directly see a player’s growth.”
Dunn walked to the shelves just behind the TV. Several rows of videotapes and DVDs were neatly arranged on them. Brushing his finger across them, he picked one and removed it, putting it into the DVD player.
Dunn treated these videotapes and DVDs like they were his children. Not only did he categorize them and give them sequential labels, he even made an introduction for each of them. At its moment of play, the introductory recording would display the footballer’s name, time of the shooting, location of the shooting, age at that point, team, and position played.
Such an introduction appeared on the screen:
Gareth Bale; 16 years old; Nottingham Forest Youth Team; Left midfielder, left back; 23/04/05; Filmed on Wilford North Training Grounds.
It was him! Tang En recalled him the moment he saw the name; if it was the position of left back, Gareth Bale would be able to play, but…
“Isn’t he a little too young? He’s not even 17.”
Dunn did not answer Tang En’s question, instead stepping to the side to allow him to watch the video.
It showed a Youth Team match. Nottingham Forest against Sunderland. Gareth Bale took up the position of left back. However, he did not just defend. He assisted numerous times in their offense forward; the entire left wing was his domain. Breakthroughs occurred one after another, his passes to the center generating an immense threat to their opponents. At last, Forest team gained an opportunity to take a direct free kick in the front field.
Gareth Bale stood before the ball.
Watching up to this point, Tang En had already forgotten about dinner. His hands were still holding on to his cutlery, but his eyes were completely focused on the TV screen.
He had been waiting for this scene for much too long. Ever since he brought Bale to Forest team, he had been waiting in anticipation to see it.
As Bale stood in front of the ball, his teammates consciously paved a path for him. Evidently, he had already established his own capabilities as the kicker in such set pieces.
At the referee’s whistle, Bale took off in a run, pulling back his leg in a shot towards the goal.
The football went beautifully around the wall of jumping Sunderland players, finding its way precisely into the upper corner of the goal!
Tang En could not help but whistle as he watched the ball fly across the goal line.
“Beautiful!”
The lad truly had the talent for free kicks.
Following that were similar matches of the Youth Team. Bale showed a stable performance. Whether it was in defense or offense, he displayed a maturity that was discordant with his age.
“This is a recording from two months ago. He’s even better now. He’s currently the most brilliant player on the Youth Team. If you don’t sign him on now, I can’t guarantee that he will stay in Wilford.”
Tang En gave his own brain a hard tap. Even though he had been insanely busy recently, how could he have forgotten about this?
Gareth Bale had just celebrated his 16th birthday. He could sign a professional contract with any team. If Forest did not sign him on and the left wing genius from Welsh was taken away for free, Forest would become a fool, having wasted money grooming him for years only to give him away.
“We’re signing! We’re signing him first thing tomorrow morning! I want him. Starting tomorrow, he’ll be moved up to the First Team. I don’t need to find anyone else for the left back or left midfielder,” Tang En said, rubbing his hands in excitement after ditching his cutlery.
He was finally going to reap the growth of the seed he had sown two years ago. Gareth Bale, I have high hopes for you!
※※※
The next day, Tang En and Dunn together made their way to the Youth Team Training Grounds. He had not visited the Youth Team for a long period. The matters of the First Team had him worrying so much, he really could not afford to be concerned about the Youth Team.
The players on the Youth Team became excited when they saw the First Team manager appearing on the sidelines with their assistant manager; they threw themselves fervently into training. Tang En understood what this group of boys was thinking in their hearts, but knew he would inevitably disappoint them. He had come here today for only one person.
As the Forest Team’s fame continued climbing within the English Premier League, and as Tony Twain’s eye for players became better, the surrounding spectators around Forest’s Youth Training Grounds also grew. On Tang En’s way over, he saw quite a few scouts lurking around the training area.
Back then, it was him who had run over to Southampton to headhunt Bale. Now, the same scene was being replicated in Wilford. Except, the only being headhunted this time was his own. Tang En began considering discussing with City Hall about sealing up both entrances of Wilford Lane which ran between the North and South Wilford Training Grounds. Blocking the entrances with gates, they could prevent outsiders from coming in and out as they wished.
It’s okay for me to headhunt your people, but there’s no way you’re doing the same to mine!
Tang En believed that most surrounding the Youth Training Grounds were here for Bale. Gareth Bale. Although he was only 16 years old, he already had a good reputation among Youth Team players. Thanks to his outstanding performance in Youth Team matches, he had attracted the interest of numerous football teams. Currently, the scouts from those teams were waiting for an opportune moment to take him away from Forest.
But Tang En was not going to give them that chance.
Ian Greenwood, the main manager of the Youth Team as well as the Youth Ministry, stood next to Dunn and Tang En. Their focused gaze fell on a single person.
Gareth Bale was working hard in training, his face brimming with a confident smile. Compared to when Tang En had first seen him, he seemed like a different person entirely.
When people gained confidence, it was not only their mental appearance that changed.
“Actually, there are still many problems with Bale playing the left back…”
Greenwood knew the reason for Tang En’s appearance. The First Team was currently lacking a good left back, and there was little progress made on the transfer market. Naturally, he would come to the Youth Team to acquire what he needed. The presence of the Youth Team was specifically for grooming outstanding players for the First Team, helping to inject fresh blood into the team. Despite the joy of having the First Team manager appreciate a player, Greenwood himself had trained up in the Youth Team; he still had to be honest about some things.
“His body is a little frail, and defending is not his strong suit. For example, he’s almost never won a fight for headers. He’s also overly fond of attacking; after cutting forward for an assist, he might not return in time to defend, overly relying on the center back to close the defensive gap. Besides that, tackling is also a weakness of his because of his thin and frail physique.”
After relating that many weaknesses in a single breath, Greenwood was beginning to worry that Tang En would not want Bale anymore. So, he hastily tried to add on Bale’s good points but was stopped by a wave from Tang En.
“At his age, he’s already more than outstanding. And about those weaknesses… he isn’t a main player on the First Team, so he can slowly learn and grow. And although I am looking for a left back, I won’t rule out the possibility of letting him play left midfielder if his abilities and characteristics better suit another position.”
Greenwood nodded. “I think he’s actually more suited to play as a left midfielder. His desire to participate in the offense is very strong.” After saying so, he waved his hand at Bale to get him over.
“Bale!”
Under the envious looks of his teammates, Gareth Bale ran towards the three managers standing at the sidelines.
“From today onwards, you don’t have to train here.”
Greenwood pointed at Tang En who stood beside and said, “Go with him, Bale.”
Tang En winked at Bale from behind Greenwood.
Bale beamed. “Yes, Sir!”
Just like that, they completed the handover of the player with ease. Greenwood gave a few simple instructions to Bale, doubtlessly something along the lines of “continue working hard”.
Following that, Dunn and Greenwood continued with their work on the Youth Team while Bale carried a backpack stuffed full of his possessions and jerseys as he followed Tang En in the direction of First Team’s South Training Grounds.
Tang En purposefully took Bale on a route that went around the outside instead of taking the internal tunnels. He took him through all three training areas, just as he had done back then when he brought Wes Morgan to the First Team. However, although the Youth Training Grounds were a lot more crowded now—there was a group of scouts following Bale and Tang En’s movements with their gaze—the Michael father-and-son duo could no longer be found here.
“Bale, there are many people greatly disappointed by your departure.” Tang En said, indicating the group of scouts on the side of the road.
Bale laughed. “I’ve been waiting for you, Sir. Recently, many people have approached my dad. Some even went to my house, hoping for me to join their team. But, my dad turned them all down. He said that it was Forest Team who gave me a chance, so I must repay the team.
Tang En looked at the boy before him, who still had a face full of youth, and felt shame weighing down on him. It was he who had neglected his duty; he had forgotten such a brilliant youngling on his own Youth Team. If not for Dunn’s reminder yesterday, he almost would have missed such an opportunity in Bale.
He reached out to ruffle Bale’s messy hair. “Work hard, Gareth. Don’t let your father down.”
“Yes!”
Bale nodded vigorously.