章 150: Revenge on Madrid
Although Gao Shen had been closely following the developments in European football, he was not in a hurry.
With two major titles under his belt, he had enough confidence and patience.
These two championships could keep him relevant for at least two years without worrying about unemployment. The only difference was that his personal goals had evolved.
He still remembered his ideal career plan from before.
After graduating from university, he aimed to first join a well-known large company, gain several years of experience, build connections, and broaden his perspective. When the right time came, he would seize the opportunity and seek a career breakthrough, achieving a significant level-up.
During this phase of seeking a breakthrough, choosing the right opportunity is crucial.
Many talented professionals have stumbled because of the wrong choices made while seeking breakthroughs, getting taken out by unexpected setbacks.
Gao Shen was now at such a crossroads.
At this point, what mattered most was not the platform whether the club was a top-tier giant or even in a major league but the potential of the club and the room it provided for him to implement his ideas.
He wanted to use this opportunity to firmly establish his position in European football, to create a team that best reflected his personal style and tactical philosophy, and at the same time, showcase his abilities to the world.
Therefore, he wasn't rushing; he remained patiently waiting.
In contrast, Carlo was more anxious. He called Gao Shen almost daily to update him on the latest news in European football and inquire about his plans. Carlo seemed more worried than Gao Shen himself, yet he, too, was still unemployed.
In fact, Gao Shen was partly to blame for this. His sudden rise to fame had overshadowed Carlo's tenure at Real Madrid, and as a result, Carlo couldn't secure a job coaching another team after that season, as Gao Shen had anticipated.
In other words, Gao Shen's success had rewritten Carlo's fate.
So now, both were at home without a job.
In a way, it was even harder for Carlo to find work than for Gao Shen.
---
Gao Shen stayed in his hometown but wasn't idle.
A few days after returning home, he took his parents, Su Qing, and Su Zhijun and his wife to the city. They went to a high-end community in the prime area of the city centre, adjacent to parks and shopping centres, where Gao Shen bought two apartments at once. Both were on the east side of a golden floor and were large, single-floor residences of two hundred square meters.
He paid in full.
Su Zhijun also bought two apartments in the same community, in the same building but on different floors. He wanted to be neighbours with Gao Shen's family, and one of the apartments was supposedly to be used as a dowry for Su Qing in the future.
However, unlike the affluent Gao Shen, their family opted to take out a loan.
After all, even if a businessman has a good reputation, how can one withdraw millions of cash all at once?
After purchasing the apartments, Gao Shen initially planned to buy a car for his family, but his parents disagreed.
First, they didn't have a driver's licence, and second, they usually commuted by bicycle to work, making motorcycles unnecessary.
Now, in most urban areas, motorcycles were even banned.
So, Gao Shen gave up on the idea.
As for the suggestion that his parents should stop working, that was also met with strong opposition.
Even after Gao Shen privately told them that he had bought 40 million worth of Tencent stock in Hong Kong and still had plenty of money in his bank account, suggesting they could just enjoy life at home, his parents didn't waver.
"It's useless," his mother said. "We're only fifty; we're not even at retirement age. We haven't helped you get married yet, so should we just stay at home? With the two of us looking at each other all day, would that still be a good life?"
"Travel? Enjoy life? Don't talk to us about such things. If you get married sooner and have children, we'll stay home to help take care of them. Until then, we have to keep working."
"Also, you're currently unemployed. Having money is a good thing, but you shouldn't rest on your laurels. You're only twenty-five years old; you should be working hard in your career. Don't get carried away by your achievements, you understand?"
His father was more laid back, but his mother wouldn't stop nagging.
Gao Shen lamented inwardly; his mother wasn't as kind as when he first came home.
It had only been a little over a week, and they were already annoyed that he was staying at home unemployed.
But that's life, and that's what parenting is like.
They had lived through times of hardship, and their motto had always been to stay prepared, working tirelessly day and night, all to ensure their children lived better lives than they did.
Gao Shen still vividly remembered that on the day he bought the apartments, his parents handed him a passbook containing their life savings. It wasn't much, only about 50,000 to 60,000 yuan, but it was all they had.
Why so little?
Because the biggest expense in their life had always been Gao Shen.
From childhood through school years, he needed living expenses every week while staying on campus. High school and university required not only living expenses but also tuition fees, miscellaneous expenses, and the daily family costs.
Gao Shen had no doubt that the 50,000 to 60,000 yuan must have been painstakingly saved by his parents through daily frugality.
So, he didn't take it. Instead, he deposited 200,000 yuan into their account.
But he guessed they wouldn't spend it.
---
After two weeks at home, Gao Shen received a call from Zidane.
Jean-Claude Blanc, the new general manager of Juventus, had asked Zidane for Gao Shen's contact information.
"I can tell they're interested in you."
Gao Shen thanked Zidane and also asked about his preparations for the World Cup in Germany.
The World Cup in Germany was about to start, and the French team's first match was in a few days. Zidane said he was in great form and even mentioned Buenaventura.
This fitness coach was indeed excellent. His guidance for Zidane had been spot-on, especially after Real Madrid's adjustments in the latter half of the season. Zidane said he was feeling great and was confident he could perform well in the World Cup in Germany.
"You've always been the best, and I have full confidence in you!"
Zidane asked when Gao Shen would be returning to Europe. He wanted to send him tickets for the World Cup group stage, but Gao Shen politely declined.
"I'll come if you make it to the final!" Gao Shen chuckled.
Zidane thought Gao Shen was encouraging him and immediately agreed, saying that if he really reached the final, he wouldn't just send tickets, "I'll cover all your accommodation expenses!"
"It's a deal," Gao Shen quickly agreed.
Free meals and lodging were a deal he couldn't refuse.
Sure enough, the day after Zidane called, Blanc, the general manager of Juventus, called Gao Shen and inquired about his situation. After learning he was in China, Blanc asked when he would return to Europe, hoping to find an opportunity to meet with him.
This was a formal invitation.
If you likened it to a job search, this could be considered an interview.
Gao Shen shared the date of his return to Spain, saying they could set up a meeting in Europe after that.
Over the phone, Blanc briefly explained Juventus's situation. Generally speaking, the team was likely to be relegated, but he repeatedly assured that Juventus wouldn't fall apart. Many of their core players, including Buffon, Nedved, and Del Piero, had committed to staying.
"I guarantee we will only stay in Serie B for one season and will return to Serie A as soon as possible!"
A dying camel is still bigger than a horse.
Gao Shen had no doubts about Blanc's words.
In his memory, Juventus did indeed return to Serie A after one season, but the current Juventus management, even those favouring him like Blanc, weren't entirely reliable.
However, Gao Shen decided to establish contact with Juventus regardless.
---
Upon hearing that Juventus had contacted Gao Shen, Su Zhijun was the most excited.
He was a long-time fan, and he had a particular fondness for Serie A teams. When he heard that Juventus had reached out to Gao Shen, he got excited.
Although the Calciopoli scandal was widely misunderstood in China, it didn't change the fact that Juventus remained a giant club.
Besides, with a powerful consortium backing them, why wouldn't Juventus be able to rise again?
"It's a pity it wasn't AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, or some other giant club looking for you!" Su Zhijun said with a hint of regret.
"What about Barcelona?" Gao Shen asked jokingly.
"That would be even better to take revenge on Real Madrid and prove your worth," Su Zhijun laughed at his own remark.
It seemed simple, but reality was far more complicated.
Gao Shen understood that if the opportunity was right, he might have the chance to coach such giants. But he was still in a passive position, with little influence over the giants.
To turn this passivity into activity, he had to re-establish his coaching credentials outside of the giants.
Simply put, he needed the big clubs to approach him and offer him favourable terms rather than him having to compromise and beg for a job; the two scenarios were completely different.
"I'm even prepared to coach a second-division team now."
Sure enough, Gao Shen soon started receiving calls from some mid and lower-table teams from the top five leagues. Some of these teams had already contacted him before, looking to see if he had changed his mind.
What caught Gao Shen off guard was a call from a team in Italy—Napoli.
The caller had obtained Gao Shen's contact information through Sacchi and introduced himself as Pierpaolo Marino, the sporting director of Napoli.
It took Gao Shen a moment to recall the details, as it had been a while, and his memory of Napoli's situation from his past experiences was a bit hazy. He hadn't realized that Napoli was currently in Serie B, having just been promoted from the third division.
During their conversation, Marino warmly shared some of Napoli's plans and aspirations. The club had just moved up from Serie C and had decent overall strength. They were ambitious about securing promotion to Serie A.
Gao Shen wasn't too familiar with the exact timeline of Napoli's return to Serie A, but he guessed it might happen within two or three years. He remembered that during his time playing Football Manager (FM), he enjoyed scouting young talents like Marek Hamšík from Napoli, and by then, the team was already in Serie A.
This is indeed a club with great potential. The owner, Aurelio De Laurentiis, was a well-known figure a wealthy and outspoken man who often meddled in team affairs.
He wasn't exactly the easiest person to work with.
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