Bab 13: Guardiola personally visits
Werder Bremen, located in the state of Bremen, is the northernmost team in the Bundesliga.
The team's training base is situated next to the stadium, making it easily accessible.
Upon their arrival at Bremen City Airport, Lucas and the rest of the group discovered that it was conveniently located just 3.5 kilometers away from the city center, unlike other airports. Consequently, they reached their destination within a mere ten minutes.
The sudden visit of Guardiola and his team left the Werder Bremen club feeling stunned and shocked.
Upon catching sight of Guardiola, many staff members couldn't contain their expressions of surprise.
It led to speculations among them, wondering if Werder Bremen would be the next destination for this legendary manager.
Upon careful consideration, it didn't seem entirely impossible.
This season, due to the team's poor performance, club manager Allofs contemplated leaving for Wolfsburg, while the long-serving head coach.
Thomas Schaaf, who had been with the team for 13 years, also entertained the idea of departing upon hearing the news.
Both individuals had taken charge of the team since 1999, so their potential departure would undoubtedly shake Werder Bremen to its core.
As a result, the club needed to begin the search for a new coach and club manager.
Frustrated with the team's declining record, the fans and club executives were determined to invest heavily in bringing in the hottest young coaching talent in modern football.
It seemed that their aspiration was not entirely far-fetched.
Considering Guardiola's remarkable achievements in recent seasons, his potential appointment as the coach of Werder Bremen could be a dream come true for the club's fans.
Upon receiving the news, Klaus Filbry, the chairman of Werder Bremen, personally led a delegation consisting of first vice-chairman Hubertus Hess-Grunewald, sports director Essien, club manager Allofs, and others to greet Guardiola and his entourage.
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"I didn't expect Coach Guardiola, who is sought after by the entire football world, to come to our Bremen at this time. It truly surprised us!"
Chairman Klaus shook hands with Guardiola politely and proceeded to introduce the managers of the surrounding clubs one by one.
Seizing the opportunity, Guardiola also introduced his family while both sides exchanged pleasantries. Chairman Klaus expressed some doubt and asked, "I'm not sure if Coach Guardiola's visit is unexpected. Is there something wrong?"
He was certain that he hadn't invited Guardiola to coach the team.
A small club like theirs couldn't afford a coach of Guardiola's caliber.
In addition, Guardiola's salary alone was beyond their financial means.
Werder Bremen's total revenue last season amounted to only 73 million euros, while Guardiola's wages alone cost 10 million euros.
They simply couldn't afford such an expense. Furthermore, it seemed unlikely that Guardiola would have an interest in a small club like theirs!
Therefore, Chairman Klaus was eager to know the reason behind Guardiola's sudden visit.
The most probable explanation was that Guardiola had taken notice of a particular young player in their team and had come personally to recruit him.
However, it was already the end of May, and the Bundesliga season had concluded a month ago. Werder Bremen had been on vacation for over two weeks, and the players had returned to their respective homes to spend time with their families.
Coming to the club to scout players at this time seemed futile.
The more Chairman Klaus tried to comprehend the situation, the more curious he grew.
Guardiola had anticipated that his arrival might cause unnecessary trouble, but luckily his visit had been kept under wraps, avoiding media attention.
Otherwise, there would likely have been numerous speculative reports the following day
. Hence, he promptly explained, "Here's the situation. Werder Bremen had submitted a loan application to Barcelona earlier, and I am here regarding that matter!"
Director Essien recollected the situation and nodded, saying, "Indeed, there is such a thing. Our team lacks depth on the midfield bench.
According to the head coach, we sent loan requests to six wealthy clubs, and only Chelsea and Barcelona responded and agreed to loan players to us."
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"What's the name of the player on loan from Chelsea?" Lucas asked.
Essien glanced at Lucas, then turned to the club chairman, seeking instructions.
When players join a team on loan, there's always an air of uncertainty.
The home team can withdraw the loan agreement at any time, and other teams may also intervene during the transfer period.
With the new season yet to begin, they are cautious about revealing sensitive information prematurely, as it could adversely affect their team's preparations.
Hence, Lucas's question was somewhat taboo.
Nevertheless, Klaus Fisbry, the chairman of Werder Bremen, waved his hand generously and replied, "The player's name is Kevin De Bruyne, a 21-year-old young midfielder."
Upon hearing this name, a smile appeared on Lucas's face. It was indeed De Bruyne.
Lucas recalled that after joining Chelsea, De Bruyne struggled to integrate into Mourinho's tactical system.
Consequently, he went on loan to the Bundesliga for a while. It seemed Werder Bremen was the team that secured his services on loan.
Lucas's memory was indeed accurate, and De Bruyne was truly set to join them on loan.
The prospect of working with this promising midfield talent in the upcoming season boosted Lucas's confidence for the future.
Observing Lucas's delighted expression upon hearing De Bruyne's name, the staff at Werder Bremen felt somewhat puzzled.
They wondered why he was so happy. Could it be that he was a fan of De Bruyne and had come to Werder Bremen to follow his favorite player?
But that couldn't be right. Although De Bruyne was somewhat renowned, he wasn't that famous, was he? "Ahem, let me explain. Chairman Klaus, the midfielder loaned to your team from Barcelona is my eldest son!"
Guardiola, seeing the conversation veering off track due to Lucas's excitement, coughed lightly and swiftly redirected the discussion back on course.
He proceeded to introduce his adopted son to the Werder Bremen club in a solemn manner.
"He played in the midfield position for our youth team. He possesses the delicate footwork and excellent overall vision characteristic of La Masia players. Before my departure from Barcelona, he was being groomed as Xavi Hernandez's successor.
Today, I entrust him to you and sincerely hope that you can nurture his talent and not let it go to waste. Believe me, you'll be proud to have him!"
As Guardiola finished speaking, everyone at Werder Bremen was left astonished.
What???" someone exclaimed.
"Did the current legendary coach, the young manager who won 2 champions league in a short amount of time with his pass and possession tactics which are currently leading in modern football will make a special trip to act as a lobbyist for his son?
This background is too intense!"
(End of this chapter)
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