บท 2: Dream Chasing (2)

Woluwe White Star (nickname: White Star) Football Club was located in the Woluwe district of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. It had been lingering in the Belgian Third Division for a long time. However, in the 2010-2011 season, it achieved unprecedented success winning the league and playoffs, moving them up to the Second Division for the upcoming 2011-2012 season.

Here's a brief introduction to the unique league system in Belgium: The Belgian football league consists of 18 teams (16 teams in the top division) and follows a double round-robin format (each team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away). The points awarded for a single match are 3 points for a win, 0 points for a loss, and 1 point for a draw. The team with the highest total points at the end of the season wins the league.

As for promotion and relegation here's an example: The winners of Division 2 would enter a play-off against the second-last team in Division 1. The winner of this play-off would secure a spot in the Division 1 for the next season.

Whereas the last-placed team in the Division 1 was directly relegated to Division 2, while the second-last team must compete in the aforementioned play-off to maintain its spot in the top division.

As a newly promoted team, Woluwe White Star should have been looking to acquire talented players to secure its place in the division or achieve a decent ranking. However, due to financial constraints, the club couldn't afford to buy preferred players in the player market. Therefore, the club prioritized the development and discovery of young players as its primary strategy for survival.

Philip Jouvain, an assistant coach of the first team at Woluwe White Star, and also the head coach of the U21 team, was known for his coaching skills, particularly in attacking tactics, and had gained some recognition in Belgium.

One day, as usual, after enjoying a delicious breakfast, he drove to the club to begin preparations for the new season.

However, at the club's entrance, he noticed a young Asian boy with black hair entering the premises with a backpack.

"An Asian boy? Is he a new recruit for the club? I haven't heard anything from Mazu. This is strange," Philip muttered to himself.

Mazu was the head coach of the first team, and under his leadership last year, the team finally made it to the Second Division.

Philip rolled down the car window and greeted the security guard, Luther, "Hey, Luther, who's the young kid that just entered?"

"Are you talking about that Chinese boy?" Old Luther stood up and waved his hand toward Philip. "He said he's here for a trial. His name is Zhang... Xu? Sorry, Mr. Philip, Chinese names have such strange pronunciations."

"A trial? A Chinese boy? Zhang?" Philip nodded thoughtfully and drove into the club.

Trials were common in Belgium, and success or failure was nothing unusual. However, this Chinese boy, Zhang, had become quite famous among the coaching staffs of various clubs in Belgium. Why? From trials in French clubs to trials in Belgian clubs, despite numerous failures, he continued to chase his dream of football relentlessly. Regardless of his actual ability, his passion for football alone was enough to make everyone remember this unique young man.

Philip had always had a soft spot for young players who genuinely loved football from the depths of their hearts, even if the young player came from the supposed football desert of China. So, he was somewhat eager to meet this Chinese trialist.

As usual, Philip was responsible for the trial procedures. Despite his favorable impression of Zhang, he didn't let it affect his work. An hour later, Philip had to shake his head in disappointment. Zhang's physical condition was unquestionable; he could hold his own even in the highly competitive English scene. However, in other aspects, especially in technical and tactical skills, Zhang's performance was inadequate for professional football.

Zhang's trial was conducted with the first-team players, and they began to make fun of his rough technical skills. However, Zhang, who was cheerful, lively, and had no language barriers, quickly became friendly with the players. Eventually, the players started actively helping Zhang, hoping to assist him in his trial. As professional players, they could see that Zhang's level was quite low.

"If things go as expected, I'll have to do what the other coaches have done and say no to this Chinese boy. Well, it's a pity," Philip sighed. At 46 years old, he couldn't see the potential or hope for this Chinese boy to establish himself in professional football.

...

Although trials typically lasted for a week, it only took three or four days to assess a player's abilities and potential.

"Philip, when are you planning to talk to him?" One day, head coach Mazu couldn't help but ask.

"Well, today," Philip replied, his tone filled with conflict.

When Zhang once again stood before Philip, eagerly awaiting his verdict, Philip struggled once more.

"Zhang, you see, um, you've been training with us for five days now. Maybe it's time for you to return to school?" Philip finally gathered the courage to express his intention discreetly.

"No problem, Mr. Philip," after a few days of interaction, Zhang had become familiar enough to address this friendly man by name. "I've already passed my school exams before coming here, so even if I continue the trial for another week, it won't be a problem."

Philip almost wanted to slap him. "Um, well, alright," he took a deep breath, "then I'll just say it. Zhang, you indeed, well, you just don't meet the requirements for professional football. Okay..."

Seeing Zhang's profound disappointment as he lowered his head, Philip felt like he had committed a heinous act. "Zhang, you, you shouldn't come here tomorrow!"

After the initial disappointment, Zhang raised his head and firmly said, "Mr. Philip, please give me one more day. After tomorrow's trial, I'll leave the team, I promise! Can you do that for me, sir?"

Philip sighed and said, "Well, can I really say no?"