บท 240: The New Training Regime
"Hey, boss."
"Boss, you look younger!"
"Boss, here's a local specialty."
...
Each player making their way to the training pitch greeted Aldrich with a smile. The veteran players in the team would often crack a joke at Aldrich's expense.
Aldrich was in great spirits today. It felt strange for him not to see the players for two whole months, and seeing them all back, lively and full of energy, made his smile linger.
Larsson had suffered a hamstring injury in the last game of the previous season, but he had healed over the two-month break. To be safe, his training would be separate and not too strenuous.
Looking at the players standing neatly on the training field, Aldrich smiled and said, "I'm glad I still recognize you all."
The new players didn't quite get it, but the older ones burst out laughing.
Trezeguet chuckled wryly, "Boss, how long are you going to tell that joke?"
Everyone recalled how he had returned from vacation looking a bit out of shape, almost unrecognizable.
In the past two years, young players had grown up and improved their professional attitude. Even during vacations, players didn't overindulge in food or neglect their fitness.
After the laughter subsided, Aldrich turned to the seasoned coach, Fiona, and said, "Coach, let's get started."
The veteran players followed the routine, distancing themselves as Fiona led them in warm-up exercises, stretching and loosening their muscles, ensuring every part of their bodies was fully engaged.
The new players carefully mimicked the coach's movements. Fiona took special care to guide the newcomers, keeping her pace slow and reminding them to maintain proper form.
Aldrich joined alongside other coaches in the warm-up. The one struggling the most was Benitez; while he could manage jogging around with the players, these intricate stretching exercises were difficult with his sizable belly making it hard to bend down.
...
On the other side, separated by the building, was the youth team's training ground.
Unlike previous recruitment drives, a significant number of aspiring players had come this time, though their talent was mostly average. With plans for expansion this year, Nagy felt it was necessary to give a speech.
All players from various levels lined up on the training pitch. Nagy stood in front of them, flanked by Meulensteen, Moniz, and other coaches at the back, creating an authoritative atmosphere.
Looking at the nearly hundred-strong group, Nagy calmly began, "You may have heard of Millwall over the past couple of years, either through media reports or from those who came before you. It's essential that you understand our club's philosophy. First and foremost, we highly value youth training—immensely. The facilities, equipment, and number and quality of our youth coaches are among the best in all of England, possibly even in all of Europe! Do you see the four words inscribed on the youth team building behind me?"
The youth players all turned their heads in unison to gaze at the building. The front wall bore four words.
"Team! Will! Diligence! Talent! Each changing room in Millwall has a plaque that reads: Players who play for themselves play for the opponent—those who play for the team play for themselves! This is not an original football philosophy from Millwall; it's a famous quote from Herrera during the era of the Great International. Yet, it captures the essence of teamwork in our sport! Teamwork comes first, then comes will. Without a strong will, you cannot become an outstanding player. Diligence—we're no longer in the days where Garincha could fish and womanize and still find success on the pitch! Do you want to be excellent players? If so, you must sweat more than others; otherwise, no matter how great your talent, you will squander it. Lastly, talent comes in many forms. Professional football isn't street performance; skills are just one aspect among many. The ability to read the game, teamwork, and the effective use of your body—all these are forms of talent. You are all equal, so don't feel inferior because you're slower than your teammates, nor should you think you're better just because your dribbling skills are superior. Each one of you is unique. Play to your strengths, turn your advantages into talent, show diligence and a competitive spirit, always prioritize the team, and you will find success here!"
The youth players stood tall, infused with determination.
Nagy's words inspired them.
Indeed, over time, these players had made new friends and recognized the talent around them—some looked incredibly promising while others seemed quite ordinary.
This has put a bit of pressure on them, and they worry about not measuring up in the coach's eyes.
But Nagy's words alleviated their worries.
Millwall's philosophy on youth training emphasized cultivating inner qualities and mental strength.
Nagy continued, "Millwall is a club that has found success in a short period. Our head coach Aldrich Hall is well-regarded in England; he has been awarded the Premier League Manager of the Year for two consecutive years. Countless players aspire to work under him. Look at the first-team players, your predecessors—they were the most potent offensive team in Europe last season and also had the best defense. You may wonder: Will there be a place for you at Millwall in the future? I assure you, there will be! But you must seize the opportunities yourselves, become the next Lampard, Pirlo, Ferdinand, Capdevila, Gattuso, or Gronkjaer. These players all joined Millwall at under 18 and honed their skills in the youth team before stepping up to the first team, and Millwall will continue to place its hopes in you! However, you must prove that you deserve a spot in the first team. Why? Because in the past three years, our worst performing season was 1996-97, when we only secured second place in the league!"
Nagy's words sent shockwaves through the young players.
The Lions truly were something else!
Just hearing it made their blood boil.
Second place in the league was their worst moment!
Nagy was playing with words; in that first year, Millwall indeed won the league, but it was in the second tier, where the competition was virtually non-existent.
"In the new season, our first team will compete in the Champions League, taking on championship-level teams across Europe. Additionally, the club will arrange friendly matches with foreign youth teams. We'll travel abroad alongside the first team, but only 16 players will be included in each trip. Anyone above 15 years old has a chance to be selected. If you want to compete against youth teams from other elite clubs across Europe, show me your skills in training and convince me to put your names on the travel list. Furthermore, each week, the two best performing players from all youth teams will win tickets to our home games. These players will get to enjoy the match from the VIP box. If you want to watch the game comfortably for free, earn those tickets through your training performances!"
This approach from the club aims to foster a sense of belonging and honor for young players. Unlike other clubs that reduce free tickets for financial gain, Millwall does the opposite. They would rather sell fewer tickets than deny their players free access, especially for the younger ones.
However, if any player attempts to sell their free tickets, like Terry in the future, the club would implement disciplinary measures, including revoking the complimentary tickets.
The young players erupted in excited cheers. Watching a game was enjoyable, but traveling across Europe with the team would not only be a trip abroad but also a thrilling experience.
As Nagy concluded his speech, the boys were fired up, ready to begin training, eager to prove themselves worthy of the first team.
Training sessions for the youth teams officially commenced, with players dispersing to various training pitches. Coaches from different levels moved in to oversee the sessions.
After the warm-up ended for the first team, everyone was curious to see Troop and Craig directing club staff to set up two machines that looked like cannons, though with shorter barrels.
"Boss, what's that?"
Van Nistelrooy approached Aldrich and asked. Aldrich smiled and led him to the center of the field, where he had Van Nistelrooy stand. He then waved at Craig, who cheerfully activated the machine.
Suddenly, the "cannon" shot out a soccer ball, not slowly either, angling right for Van Nistelrooy. He jumped aside in surprise.
"Ha ha ha!"
The players quickly understood—it was a ball-launching machine designed for training.
"Hey, Luther, don't hide, you should practice your stopping skills!"
Van Nistelrooy saw that it was just a false alarm and perked up, chuckling, "Hehe, this is great fun—let's keep it going!"
Craig continued hitting the machine's button, sending out a ball every 15 seconds. Although the machine remained stationary, wind direction and spin caused the balls to follow slightly different trajectories. Van Nistelrooy initially struggled to control the balls, but as he focused and adapted to the rhythm, his performance improved significantly.
Craig's job was simple—he placed a ball into the machine, and after a bag of over twenty balls had been launched in just a few minutes, it left Van Nistelrooy feeling a little fatigued, while the task that followed was easy: retrieving the balls.
Noticing the novelty, other players clamored to try their luck at training their touch and receiving skills.
With limited machines available, they had to take turns. Gronkjaer was especially eager to work on his shooting without stopping.
Aldrich found the machine handy, as it saved time compared to manual drills.
Today's training was light-hearted. The systematic conditioning training would begin in earnest tomorrow.
Aldrich planned to get the players running, so he initiated half-court scrimmages, which provided opportunities for extra players to try out the two launchers.
Gudjohnsen was absent from training, still in recovery—rest was vital for him.
Klose, Van der Meyde, and Duff perked up at the prospect of a half-court scrimmage, eager to showcase their skills to teammates and coaches.
However, Aldrich didn't assign them to any teams right away. Instead, he had them stand by his side to observe their teammates.
The training complex had indoor five-a-side and seven-a-side pitches, but none outside.
The three newcomers stood beside Aldrich, puzzled as they noticed the divided teams for the scrimmage—the attacking team and defensive team—with only one goal, whether horizontally or vertically.
"Boss, is this a match? With just one goal? It can't be like a half-court basketball game, right?"
Van der Meyde, hailing from Ajax, thought he had received the best training possible, but today's setup left him astounded.
Aldrich smiled and said, "It's not the kind of rule where two teams take turns attacking one side of the basketball hoop. Our rules are simpler: if the attacking team scores, they win. If the defending team successfully defends and makes ten passes without losing the ball, they win."
Once the three players understood the rules, they began to watch their teammates compete.
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