Capítulo 34: Chapter 34
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As Gao Bo dealt with Adam's situation, the second half of the league season gradually kicked off.
Luton's 25th-round match had been postponed to accommodate some Championship teams, and round 26 had been brought forward to January 17.
In the 17th round of the league, Luton faced Darlington on the road.
The game itself was fairly uneventful. By halftime, Luton had already taken a 2-0 lead with a goal from Vardy inside the penalty area and a long-range strike from Drinkwater. They dominated their opponents easily.
With a two-goal lead at halftime, the match was essentially in Luton's control, as no team in the Second Division could stage a comeback against them when trailing by two goals.
In the 63rd minute of the second half, Charlie Austin received a cross from the flank, chested the ball down, and executed a stunning overhead kick to score a spectacular goal, securing Luton's victory.
The final score was 3-0 as Luton defeated Darlington away from home. After this win, Luton's points tally reached 40!
Luton fans who had traveled for the away game were ecstatic, as 40 points now put their team in eighth place!
Brentford, in seventh place, had 41 points, meaning Luton was now just one point away from the playoff spots for promotion!
For a team that had been on a remarkable run this season, that gap was easily surmountable.
The players were thrilled with the victory. After the final whistle, even those on the bench, including Adam, who had been in the news recently, rushed onto the field to celebrate. Although it was an away game, the players celebrated openly.
Gao Bo was pleased but refrained from celebrating too much. After a simple fist pump, he shook hands with the opposing coach before heading down the tunnel.
However, Gao Bo's good mood didn't last long—especially at the post-match press conference.
"Coach Gao Bo, Mark Hughes said in an interview that Adam White is a rising star in England, and he believes it's irresponsible to keep him in the Second Division!"
"What do you think Adam White's transfer value is?"
"Has Manchester City made an official offer?"
"How likely is it that Adam will remain with the team before the winter window closes?"
The reporters fired a barrage of questions, all focused on Adam and the rumors surrounding Manchester City.
Gao Bo, visibly annoyed, grabbed the microphone.
"This is the post-match press conference for our game against Darlington, not Manchester City's press room. Save those questions for Mark Hughes."
"We just earned our 40th point of the season, and we're only one point away from the playoff spots. For a team that was deducted 30 points before the season started, that's a huge achievement. If it weren't for that points deduction, Luton would be leading the league by 20 points! That's what you should be talking about."
After his statement, Gao Bo dropped the microphone and stormed out.
Roy Sol, a Luton fan in the back of the press room, couldn't help but feel satisfied. While she hadn't always agreed with Gao Bo, she was now fully aligned with him in her frustration with the media.
Even though Gao Bo hadn't answered any questions about the transfer rumors, that didn't stop the media from speculating.
The next day, reports about Adam and Manchester City flooded the news. Journalists even fabricated details about negotiations between the two sides.
Aside from Adam, several of Luton's core players were also involved in transfer rumors. With the winter window open, such news was what readers craved most.
To avoid any distractions caused by the transfer rumors, Gao Bo imposed a media blackout on the team, forbidding his players from giving interviews.
Outside Luton's training base, more reporters began gathering.
As Luton's success continued, they were attracting increasing media attention.
Inside the training base, however, everything proceeded as usual. The team's preparations for their next match, an FA Cup tie away against Preston, went on without interruption.
Preston was a mid-table Championship side, and their quality was far below that of Chelsea. Still, Gao Bo wasn't about to take them lightly. After all, they were two divisions above Luton.
"Preston is a Championship side, and we are just a League Two team! In terms of level, they are two steps ahead of us!" Gao Bo said during a training session, wearing his usual training gear and cap as he addressed his players.
"Don't underestimate them!" he warned, pointing to his temple. "I know some of you are still riding the high from beating Chelsea, but if we go into this game with that mindset, I guarantee we will lose!"
Sure enough, Luton encountered early difficulties at Deepdale Stadium.
Preston came out strong and nearly scored in the opening minutes—Luton were only saved by Preston's striker Brown hitting the crossbar.
After some initial chaos, Luton's formation solidified, and they managed to push Preston's attacks away from danger.
The first half ended goalless, as both sides battled for control in midfield. Luton managed a few counter-attacks, but they couldn't convert them into shots.
The second half was similarly tense. After Preston's initial offensive push, they adjusted to Luton's counter-attacks and decided to play more conservatively, waiting for an opportunity in midfield.
Gao Bo had anticipated this situation. In the 65th minute, with the game still deadlocked, he called Adam over.
There weren't many Luton fans in the away stands, but those present perked up when they saw Adam preparing to come on. Thanks to the media, Adam was now Luton's most famous player, despite being a substitute.
"Do you see their right-back?" Gao Bo pointed to a Preston player. "He's 34 years old. When you get on, target his side for a breakthrough. Keep your vision wide, don't rush your passes, and be mindful of our forwards' and midfielders' positions. When you get a chance to shoot, don't hesitate!"
Adam nodded eagerly, and Gao Bo patted him on the shoulder.
Luton made a substitution: Adam came on to replace left midfielder Lewis Emanuel.
It was Luton who took the initiative to strengthen their attack. It was hard to believe this was a match between a League Two side and a Championship team.
Adam's introduction added new life to Luton's attack.
Preston's right-back, Hart, struggled to keep up with the 17-year-old. Adam breezed past him and carried the ball into the penalty area.
With Vardy and Charlie Austin occupying Preston's defenders in the box, a large gap opened up at the top of the penalty arc.
Adam cut the ball back into the area with an inverted triangle pass.
It was Kante who pounced on the ball! Unmarked, he curled a shot with the inside of his right foot, and the ball deflected off a defender's leg before nestling into the net!
Luton's substitution paid immediate dividends!
After taking the lead, Luton played with more confidence.
In the 81st minute, Kante stole the ball in midfield and passed it to Adam on the left wing. Adam beat his man and sent a pinpoint cross into the box, where Vardy rose above his marker to head the ball into the net, sealing Luton's victory.
Preston mounted a final offensive push in the dying minutes, but Luton's defense held firm, repelling everything the home side threw at them.
In the end, Luton secured a 2-0 win over Preston, advancing to the fifth round of the FA Cup!
Luton's historic progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup brought veterans John and Mayer to tears. The players were ecstatic, celebrating their victory with the traveling Luton fans. Captain Kevin Keane even took off his shirt and threw it into the stands, and under the cheers of the fans, he tossed his shorts, socks, and sneakers as well, causing excitement among the away supporters.
Back in the locker room, the scene was filled with a group of players of all different skin tones, in various stages of undress, celebrating in their underwear and barefoot. Gao Bo was happy but didn't join in the celebrations as he had to attend the post-game press conference.
However, upon arriving at the press conference, his mood quickly soured. A BBC reporter asked, "Mark Hughes said Manchester City will bring in several players this winter, including Adam White. What do you think about that?"
Gao Bo stared at the reporter for a moment, clearly unhappy. He took a sip of water, cleared his throat, and stood up, which caught the attention of the eager reporters expecting a fiery response. But to their disappointment, Gao Bo simply announced, "The press conference is over," and walked out.
Even without a statement from Gao Bo, the media was quick to speculate and analyze his silence. The next day, Manchester City made an official offer of £3 million for Adam White, but Gao Bo scoffed at the figure and refused to respond.
"We don't need to reply," Gao Bo told his assistants.
While Luton didn't acknowledge the offer, it didn't stop the media from digging further. At a press conference after Manchester City's FA Cup win against Sheffield United, Mark Hughes confirmed that they had indeed made an offer for Adam.
Despite Manchester City's summer signings, including Robinho, Zabaleta, and Kompany, the team was underperforming, sitting 12th in the Premier League. With no real hope in the league, Mark Hughes was shifting his focus to the FA Cup, hoping to salvage the season by winning the trophy. Manchester City's management, led by Sheikh Mansour and chairman Al-Mubarak, were still fully backing Hughes, providing him with a £100 million war chest for the winter transfer window. Alongside Adam White, they were pursuing big names like Kaka, Santa Cruz, and Kolo Toure.
Gao Bo, however, was unfazed by the media attention or Manchester City's plans. He reassured club owner David Morton with a simple argument: "If you sell Adam now, you'll only get £3 million. In two years, his value could increase tenfold."
Morton was convinced, seeing the potential future profit. He fully trusted Gao Bo's judgment when it came to football matters.
Meanwhile, the FA Cup fifth-round draw was announced, and fate had paired Luton with none other than Manchester City. Luton would host the Premier League giants at home, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown. It seemed that destiny had brought the two teams together for a clash on the pitch.
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