章 159: A Birthday Surprise
As the England European Cup approaches in half a month, Aldrich has no plans for investments in the transfer market this summer due to financial reasons. With no spending at all, he also aims to keep the club's current squad intact.
Benitez has finally returned to Spain, but he's only there to pack up some belongings. A week ago, he was job hunting in London, aiming for Millwall FC. It seems Benitez has realized that being an excellent head coach involves more than just tactical knowledge on paper; he wants to stay at Millwall to learn about team management. At the same time, he believes he can elevate Millwall to new heights.
After all, he is a coach who spent many years with Real Madrid's B team, and his experience in developing young players is precisely what Millwall needs.
Aldrich accepted his job application, and in the new season, Benitez will join the coaching staff of Millwall's first team as an assistant coach.
On May 20th, the sun is shining brightly. Aldrich has recently turned into a recluse, spending his days at home, either sleeping, working out, watching movies, or reading. For two straight years, he has been immersed in work, running around during the transfer period and working day and night during the season, and he truly needs a break. Hence, these days have been peaceful, allowing him to recover not just physically but also mentally.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rings.
Dressed in shorts and a white shirt at home, Aldrich, who is sitting on the couch watching a movie while holding a bowl of ice cream, puts down his bowl and spoon, not caring about his appearance as he gets up to answer the door.
When he opens the door, a fragrant scent wafts in.
"Aldrich, happy birthday!"
"Hey! What's on your lips?"
Melanie, dressed in a sleeveless white dress, rushes in and wraps her arms around Aldrich's neck, giving him an affectionate kiss.
Aldrich wipes the ice cream off his lips and, wrapping his arms around her waist, asks in surprise, "Are you off today too?"
Melanie, looking delighted, wiggles in his embrace and says, "Yes! I came to keep you company. Close your eyes."
Aldrich slightly leans back, looking confused. "We don't need to play those childish games; you've already kissed me."
Melanie, eyes wide in mock threat, says, "Close your eyes, or I'll take a picture of you like this!"
Aldrich reluctantly closed his eyes, and then he felt Melanie move behind him, her soft body pressing against his back as her hands tightly covered his eyes. She whispered in his ear, "Slowly walk forward."
Unsure of her plan, Aldrich obediently walks forward. Once outside, the sun warms his skin, and he sighs, saying, "There's a staircase ahead. If I keep going, I'll fall down, and I'd rather you take a picture of my messy appearance."
Finally, Melanie releases her hands and shouts in his ear, "Happy birthday!"
Aldrich opens his eyes to a picture-perfect scene.
On the road outside the simple fence of the lawn, a sleek, metallic silver sports car is parked, and Victoria, dressed in a black dress, spins the car keys on her finger, a playful smile curving her lips.
Aldrich knows today is his birthday; however, at his psychological age, birthdays have become less significant. There's no need for grand celebrations that draw too much attention.
Just seeing Melanie in front of him, wishing him a happy birthday, is enough to touch his heart.
Surprised by the scene before him, Aldrich stammers, "Is this Victoria's new car? It's great."
Not being a car enthusiast, he hadn't planned on buying an expensive car. The narrow roads in London make driving larger luxury vehicles quite troublesome.
Melanie, hugging his neck from behind, playfully says, "It's not hers; it's a gift for you. Do you like it?"
Just by looking at the car's style, Aldrich realizes it must be quite costly. He shakes his head and chuckles, "It's too extravagant."
"Hey, hey, hey! You said before that if I gifted you a Ferrari in the future, you'd definitely accept it with a smile!"
Melanie pouts playfully in his ear.
Aldrich recalls something along those lines, but it was merely a joke at the time.
Victoria tosses the car keys to Aldrich, smiles at them, and walks away. Outside the community, she gets into her new white BMW.
It seems she's making a lot of money.
The Spice Girls created a sensation when they debuted last year, dominating the UK charts with their first album for over a month. Their sales figures were astounding, and their rapid rise is unprecedented among group bands. They're currently recording a movie tailored for them, which feels more like a promotional piece, set to release alongside their second album.
"You shouldn't waste money like this; it's not easy for you to earn it."
Aldrich turns to look at Melanie, trying to sound a bit like a caring elder.
Melanie, feeling impatient, pushes him towards the sports car, saying, "All you need to do now is feel the vibe—take me for a spin!"
"Should I change my clothes?"
"No need! Your shorts and shirt look trendy."
Aldrich examines the emblem on the car and exclaims, "Wait, this isn't a Ferrari; it's a Lamborghini!"
Melanie laughs, "I've never met anyone so strange. You criticize a birthday gift for being too pricey, and now you start nitpicking?"
Sitting in the driver's seat of the 1995 Lamborghini Diablo, Aldrich hesitates for a long time before saying, "I should change my clothes. I feel like a farmer in a plane!"
Melanie bursts into laughter and encourages him to start driving.
For his birthday this year, Aldrich received many gifts. The ice cream he was enjoying at home was handmade by Ivan, and other friends also sent him presents. For instance, Fred gave him a record, and Brady sent him a postcard from his trip to Scandinavia. Friends and colleagues usually give him small gifts.
However, he declined the idea of throwing a party at home; he doesn't like to have a reason to celebrate artificially.
Driving the new car around the countryside, he and Melanie explored the nearby villages, trying local delicacies and admiring the countryside scenery. Before heading back to London at night, they secretly slipped into a small grove, lifting her white dress, silencing her mouth with his or covering her mouth with his hand. Otherwise, her singing voice would undoubtedly carry far...
After a few days of their idyllic world, Aldrich unexpectedly received a phone call at home with an invitation.
"Aldrich, do you have time to watch the European Cup together?"
"You're coming to England?"
"No, we're going to France together. An old friend invited us for a gathering."
"Arsène, don't you have work in Japan?"
"The first half of the season is ending soon; I'll be heading back to France for a vacation at the end of the month. Besides, there's something I want to discuss with you in person."
"Okay, I have time. A vacation in France sounds good; I've been swamped by reporters lately."
After hanging up on Wenger, Aldrich shared the upcoming plans with Melanie, who naturally agreed to join him in France.
At this moment, the J-League in Japan has only fourteen teams and uses a peculiar single round-robin format split into upper and lower halves of the season; it's not surprising that Wenger has time this summer.
The English European Cup attracts widespread attention, and local media discuss this grand European football event daily. As an insider, Aldrich cannot escape the hassle of being pursued; TV stations want him to be a guest commentator or participate in post-match analysis shows, and the FA even sent invitations for him to attend the opening ceremony. Even journalists from other countries came to his door, hoping to interview him about how Millwall's international players might perform in the tournament.
This summer, all he wants is to spend his time quietly, so fleeing London seems like the best choice.
By the end of May, Aldrich flew to Paris with Melanie. Dressed casually in sunglasses, they strolled down the Champs-Élysées and enjoyed the sun and waves at the beach, successfully avoiding the paparazzi and making their hearts soar.
On June 8th, the England European Cup opens.
Dressed in a suit, Aldrich and Melanie, in a strapless white gown, arrive at a villa in the suburbs of Auxerre.
The spacious hall is filled with guests, and Melanie casually scans the women present, astonished as her eyes widen. She tugs at Aldrich's arm, excitedly gesturing and saying, "Look! There's Malin Farmor and Kaise!"
Aldrich glances at the group of beautiful, elegant women chatting together, shrugs, and replies, "Sorry, I don't know them."
Melanie abandons Aldrich and runs over to mingle; despite her fame, she still has a starry-eyed heart.
Soon, Aldrich spots a familiar face—Wenger, looking dapper, approaches from afar and leads him to another room.
"Aldrich, I'll be coaching Arsenal next season."
As they walk, Wenger drops this bombshell on Aldrich.
Feigning surprise, Aldrich chuckles, "So we'll be derby rivals?"
"Haha, I've wanted to compete with you for a long time. Allow me to introduce a few friends."
Upon entering a side room, the atmosphere shifts dramatically. While the main hall is bustling with mingling socialites, this side room feels like a scholarly meeting.
The men, in tailored suits, stand or sit, and Aldrich is the youngest among them. The older ones range from fifty to sixty. The first person Wenger introduces to Aldrich looks like a typical farmer: short and stout, with a bloated face, giving him the appearance of an eccentric grandfather.
However, this man holds considerable fame and is quite the legend in coaching circles.
Guy Roux has coached the small team Auxerre for over thirty years, leading them from lower leagues to Ligue 1 without a relegation in their history, a record that even many Ligue 1 powerhouses can't match.
He is respected and admired by the French public and is a close friend of Wenger.
There's also Gérard Houllier, who recently stepped down as France's national team head coach,
The iron-willed coach Vahid Halilhodžić ,Currently is hard at work acquiring coaching knowledge.
Jean Tigana, who after a tumultuous season, has recently stabilized the situation as the new head coach of Monaco,
And Luis Fernández, who led Paris Saint-Germain to win the European Cup Winners' Cup last season.
Additionally, there are several other coaches working in Ligue 1; though not all are well-known, Ligue 1 in this era is second only to Serie A in terms of influence, so every coach in this room has solid expertise.
To Aldrich's surprise, he also spots Arsenal's vice-chairman David Dein among them.
Recalling Wenger's earlier revelation, Aldrich quickly understands.
After introducing himself to several coaches of varying experiences, everyone's gaze turns to Aldrich.
Because he is young.
Those who don't know him initially think Wenger brought a player along.
However, those who are familiar with English football share a brief introduction about him, causing the expressions of surprise and admiration to spread through the room.
The achievements Millwall had last season are enough for Aldrich to be viewed with new respect.
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