Capítulo 189: The 18 Million Sponsorship Contract
After losing this crucial match, there was widespread pessimism about Manchester United's prospects for the season.
Moyes' performance in his first five games as manager could only be described as disappointing.
In five games, Manchester United had 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.
The victories were against lower-tier teams, while the losses were against their arch-rivals Liverpool and Manchester City.
Against the top teams in the Premier League, Moyes' United had failed to win a single game.
Though they beat Chelsea at home in the second round, Chelsea's recent form under Mourinho had been lackluster. Mourinho's return seemed to have lost its magic, and Chelsea's performance this season was even worse than last season under Di Matteo.
Last season, Chelsea had seven wins and one draw in the first eight rounds, topping the table.
So, drawing with a struggling Chelsea wasn't something to brag about.
Fleet Street journalists knew how to create big news. After the Manchester Derby, they swarmed Moyes, seeking interviews.
"Coach Moyes, what do you think of Manchester United's current performance?"
"Coach Moyes, why couldn't your team win the Manchester Derby?"
"Coach Moyes, United is currently eighth on the table, eight points behind leaders Manchester City. Do you think United can still win the title this season?"
"Coach Moyes, have you considered resigning? Or do you think there's a certain performance level that would get you fired by the club owners?"
...
One question after another, Moyes' face was growing more strained.
These reporters were being too harsh!
Yet, surprisingly, even when faced with such pointed questions, Moyes didn't lose his temper.
"The league is long, and we're just getting started. I have confidence in my team!"
"City played better today. They deserved the win. The loss is my responsibility; I have nothing more to say."
"As I mentioned before, the league is just beginning. It's too early to predict who will win. We still have 33 games to play, and anything can happen."
"I'm satisfied with my current performance. The team has had some ups and downs, but that's related to the schedule. We'll work hard in the upcoming games to close the gap!"
Moyes answered every question thrown at him by the reporters.
This made even the harshest reporters marvel internally:
Moyes really has a good temper!
If it were Mourinho, he would have been clashing with the reporters by now.
However, having such a good temper as a coach isn't necessarily a good thing.
After the match, criticism of Moyes was widespread.
Some believed his conservative player choices and stubborn tactics were the main reasons for United's losses.
Others felt that Moyes' temperament didn't match United's fighting spirit, making his appointment a mistake.
Facing such criticism, Manchester United's board had to make a statement.
Joel Glazer said the board wouldn't fire Moyes over a single loss.
Legendary coach Ferguson also publicly stated that Moyes should be given more time.
With the club's owner and Ferguson stepping in, the criticism temporarily quieted down.
However, doubts and dissatisfaction with Moyes remained.
...
In the fifth round of matches, aside from Liverpool losing to Southampton at home, there were no major upsets.
Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham all won their matches.
Because of Liverpool's loss, Manchester City was the only team in the Premier League to maintain a perfect record.
In the top five leagues, Roma in Serie A, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in La Liga, and Dortmund in the Bundesliga also maintained perfect records.
After the match, Lin invited Guardiola for a meal.
When he heard that the assistant coach who hadn't yet gone bald was Ten Hag, he couldn't help but take a closer look.
This guy seemed to be the one who ended Manchester United's chaotic period later on.
Many United fans would later see him as a savior, despite the 7-0 loss at Anfield...
Losing a game didn't mean much. Although the score was heavy, Ten Hag's record at United significantly improved, showing he had some skills.
"The Bundesliga matches are too boring. Bayern's lead is too big, making the games lack excitement!"
After watching the Manchester Derby, Guardiola couldn't help but complain.
The Premier League's intense competition was much more exciting. The Bundesliga?
It was just Bayern's one-man show!
"Coach, we're not currently top of the table..."
Ten Hag cautiously reminded Guardiola.
"Is that so? Oh, we were held to a draw by Freiburg!"
Guardiola slapped his forehead, remembering the previous draw caused by his decision to play Martínez in defense.
However, Bayern was still unbeaten. Only Dortmund was two points ahead, with other teams posing no threat.
Once he led his team back to the top, he could continue experimenting with new tactics.
He wasn't satisfied with Schweinsteiger's role and planned to adjust his usage. Thomas Müller's rough technique frustrated Guardiola, making him wish he could personally teach Müller.
Kroos was good, with precise long passes and a knack for finding defensive gaps, always being in the right place to receive the ball safely.
However, Kroos had clear weaknesses: no breakthrough ability, weak explosiveness, and slow speed. He could only play as a defensive midfielder, not an attacking midfielder.
And as a defensive midfielder, his defensive ability wasn't strong enough. He needed protection, or he would become a liability.
This troubled Guardiola.
Bayern had defensive midfielders like Martínez, but using him for dirty work seemed a waste.
Sigh, I need to research more!
I refuse to believe I won't find the answer with repeated experiments!
...
After Guardiola left, Pérez came again.
"Your vineyard has been purchased. Here are the keys. You can visit anytime you're free!"
Lin thanked him and asked:
"Who manages the vineyard usually?"
"Don't worry. There's a local agency that manages vineyards. You just need to pay an annual management fee."
That made sense. As an investment, there would be services provided, so investors wouldn't have to personally tend the grapes.
"Also, the internet company stocks you invested in have been bought. We got Class B shares, so voting rights are limited, but dividends are fine."
Lin nodded. Buying Class A shares in a public company was almost impossible.
In the seed funding stage before an IPO, there might be a chance to get Class A shares. But once they went public, it was nearly impossible.
That's why many companies' actual controllers, with a small portion of shares, could maintain control with their high-vote Class A shares.
Lin wasn't interested in controlling these internet companies. He just wanted to profit from their growth.
"One more thing!"
"What is it?"
"Nike and Adidas have both shown greater interest in signing you after seeing your excellent performance in the Premier League. Here are their new contracts!"
Pérez had actually held onto this for a while. Before the Champions League group stage began, both Adidas and Nike had submitted contracts.
Knowing Lin wasn't in a hurry, he hadn't rushed to report it.
Now that the Champions League and the first month of the Premier League had ended, Lin's outstanding performance shattered doubts, making both companies eager to finalize a deal.
Lin thought for a moment. He originally planned to wait until the season or the World Cup ended to decide.
However, Guardiola told him that these sports brands had significant influence in football.
Signing with them could help in winning various awards.
For example, the annual Golden Boy and Ballon d'Or awards often involved players' connections and influence in football.
A good sponsor could play a crucial role.
For instance, the Ballon d'Or ceremony once got delayed, causing a certain player who had won the Champions League to miss out on the award, leading him to criticize the Ballon d'Or for being biased.
Lin knew he would sign eventually, and delaying it further wasn't beneficial.
With that in mind, Lin asked Pérez:
"Which of the two offers better terms?"
Pérez had obviously done his research and replied:
"Nike offers higher sponsorship fees and more substantial promotional support, showing the most sincerity overall!"
"Then let's sign with Nike and decline Adidas' offer!"
Lin quickly made his decision. Once decided, he didn't like to delay.
The sooner this was settled, the sooner he could focus on matches and training.
Knowing Lin's thoughts, Pérez promptly informed Nike, confirming the deal.
Upon receiving Lin's response, Nike's sports director sighed in relief.
To compete with Adidas for Lin, Nike had observed and contacted him for over half a year.
Seeing Lin's growing influence and superstar potential, Nike was anxious about Adidas snatching him away.
Adidas already had Messi. If they also got Lin, Nike's sole reliance on Ronaldo wouldn't be enough.
Besides, Ronaldo was already 28, with only four to five peak years left.
Once he declined, who would Nike rely on?
No one!
So, they were desperate to sign Lin, a young star with immense talent and influence.
Even if Ronaldo declined, they would have someone to take his place, potentially surpassing him.
By then, Adidas would face the challenge of Messi's aging and decline.
Nike hoped to use this opportunity to overturn the balance of power in football sponsorship.
Additionally, Lin's Asian heritage would help Nike expand its market in Asia, especially China.
With China's rapid economic growth, the Asian market, particularly China, was increasingly crucial for Nike.
Signing Lin could save Nike from hiring local sports stars for promotions.
Considering all this, Nike saw Lin as having even greater commercial value than Ronaldo!
Therefore, they personally invited Lin and his agent to Nike's headquarters for a signing ceremony.
Given Nike's three-year, 18 million euro offer, Lin accepted their invitation.
Flying on Nike's private jet, Lin headed to Portland, Oregon.
At Nike's headquarters, Lin received a warm welcome.
Nike CEO Mark Parker and Brand President Charlie Denson personally welcomed him.
"Lin, I've been waiting for you for over half a year. You're finally here!"
Mark enthusiast
ically hugged Lin, smiling.
"Lin, welcome. We invited over 200 journalists from various media outlets for this signing ceremony. Trust me, signing with us is the best choice!"
Charlie Denson's words indicated Nike's commitment to Lin. If they didn't value him, they wouldn't have invited so many journalists.
These words also showcased Nike's strength and influence. Not every brand could easily invite so many media outlets.
However, Lin wasn't too impressed. He felt that even with Nike's influence, if the signing was with an average player, journalists wouldn't have flocked here.
Ultimately, it was the combination of Lin's and Nike's strengths and Nike's media influence that attracted so many journalists.
Claiming all the credit was somewhat boastful.
But Nike's subsequent gestures reassured Lin.
"Lin, these are custom-made shoes designed by our research department exclusively for you!"
The custom shoes caught Lin's eye.
For footballers, good gear is essential.
Having custom shoes was a dream for many players.
"Can I try them?"
"Of course. They're not perfect yet. We need your feedback to improve them. We hope these shoes will help you achieve great results on the field!"
Great results for players meant more exposure and revenue for sponsors.
Mutual benefit!
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