Chương 109: The Eccentric Starting XI
Millwall was on a roll, dominating at home and even making a name for themselves in the London football scene, but once they stepped out of London, victory eluded them. After a decisive 5-0 victory over Chelsea, they headed to Elland Road, only to finish with a dull 0-0 draw against Leeds United.
It seemed Millwall had settled into a rhythm of winning one match and drawing the next. While they weren't losing, it was hard to feel excited about their performance.
On Monday night, the coaching staff had a tradition of gathering to drink beer and chat, which they called "Beer Night."
In the hotel's recreation room, Jansen and Babb were playing pool while Craig and Nagy sat at the bar, enjoying drinks and casual conversation.
In just two months, the Millwall youth team, under Nagy's guidance, had made impressive strides in the youth league and the FA Youth Cup, putting Millwall's Leo Youth Academy in the spotlight.
Under-21 players, including talents like Pirlo, Capdevila, Shevchenko, Lampard, and Ferdinand, often leverage youth leagues to nurture their skills. While it may seem that some of these players are ready for higher competition, participating in youth leagues is an indispensable part of their growth. Jumping into the physically intense environment of the Premier League without adequate preparation could be detrimental, especially since international players also need time to acclimate.
Every now and then, Aldrich would promote certain young players to the substitute bench, giving them exposure in matches, but he was careful not to rush them into permanent positions too quickly.
About forty years ago, Manchester United's reserve team was famously dubbed the "Busby Babes" by the British media. Now, Millwall's Leo Youth Academy had earned a nickname of its own: the "Hall Babes," referring to the extraordinarily talented young players coming up through their ranks.
Aldrich arrived late, having been held up in the medical department. Once he walked in, he smiled at Nagy by the bar and said, "If Millwall's youth team keeps shining, our future players will be poached by other clubs."
The normally stoic Nagy replied, "I heard there are already scouts from all over the country watching our players during home games."
Aldrich cracked open a bottle of beer and took a sip, sighing. "It's not just local scouts. Andrew told me that teams from Italy and Spain are sending scouts to watch games at the Den. It's unavoidable; Millwall has become the focus. However, we can take comfort in the fact that these scouts represent no big clubs. Thank goodness; in this self-important world, even top clubs like Manchester United look down on us little fish like Millwall."
Aldrich spoke the truth. The Premier League was still growing, and European competitions hadn't yet gained enough attention; it was evident with recent years where no teams had reached the Champions League quarter-finals. This year's fresh champions, Blackburn, finished bottom of their group. European eyes had yet to turn towards England.
As he spoke of fears of losing players, Aldrich felt a certain calmness inside.
While other English clubs were taking notice of the youth team, they couldn't afford to offer better conditions to lure Millwall's players away. And the interest from other major European clubs wouldn't sway players unless those clubs presented an enticing bid—something substantial, from a powerhouse team that any casual fan would recognize. Otherwise, it would be hard to take Millwall's players.
Jansen walked over and asked, "How's Nedved doing?"
Aldrich sighed deeply, "He's going to be out for ten days!"
"Damn!" Jansen muttered under his breath.
Trop looked concerned, saying, "Makelele's suspended, Nedved's injured, and now we have both of our main midfielders out for the weekend, not to mention Pires, who was injured last match. Stam's out due to a red card. Great, we're facing top-of-the-table Newcastle while missing half our main squad."
During a long league season, unforeseen circumstances often collided to create significant problems.
Stam was sent off in the last match at Elland Road for an elbowing incident during a challenge for the ball, Makelele was out due to accumulated yellow cards, Pires injured his knee during a fall—he was okay but needed a three-week break, and Nedved felt discomfort in his thigh during today's training, with the doctor recommending ten days of rest.
With their main lineup compromised, they faced Newcastle United, who had been on fire in the first half of the league season.
By Round 17, Millwall boasted a record of 9 wins and 8 draws with 35 points, standing third in the league. In contrast, Newcastle topped the table with 15 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, gathering 46 points—11 points ahead of Millwall and 10 points ahead of Manchester United.
In ten or twenty years, even avid fans of the Premier League might not think much of the Newcastle United name.
In ten or twenty years, the name Newcastle United may not hold any special significance, even for fans of the Premier League. However, in the current era, this Newcastle team feels almost magical—it's like the Hollywood of Tyneside.
Subconsciously, the Millwall coaching staff believed that Newcastle posed a bigger challenge than Manchester United. Their performance alone was testament enough.
However, Aldrich wasn't overly concerned. With a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other, he smiled and said, "The league is a marathon. Some teams may lead at the halfway point, while others surge at the finish. Ferguson has already declared war on Keegan. With Cantona's return, Manchester United's performance has noticeably improved. They couldn't care less about the League Cup and are focused on recovering lost ground in the league. As spectators, don't you think Keegan looks a bit green?"
Jansen set his cue down, walked over, and grabbed a beer, frowning. "I think that Scottish old-timer is starting to lose it. It's fine to dismiss Newcastle, but to take shots at other teams as well? That seems a bit strange."
Aldrich grinned and said, "Imagine yourself as Keegan. What would your reaction be to those comments? Kevin Keegan had a brilliant playing career, surrounded by applause and flowers. He can't stand being questioned. It's like he just got his MBA with confidence, only to find out that the job they want filled requires technical skills. I'll be honest; in the Premier League coaching world, Ferguson has many enemies, but his peers all seek his respect and recognition. Keegan may seem to stand against Ferguson, but deep down, he wants to hear Ferguson say Newcastle is strong and that Keegan's coaching ability is exceptional. That's ultimately what he craves because Ferguson represents a mountain looming over every team in the Premier League."
Jansen began to understand, stroking his chin and quietly saying, "The more Keegan cares, the more he wants to prove himself, which could be detrimental to the team. If a manager can't stay calm, it can lead to disaster."
"Actually, for any team aspiring to win the title, their only opponent is always themselves. Championship-winning teams shouldn't concern themselves too much with others, especially not rely on their competitors' mistakes. It's all a battle against oneself. If you perform at your best, there's no reason you won't seize the title. If you fail to win, it just means you didn't perform as well as the championship team. If Ferguson's comments can rattle Keegan this much, then all it does is divert attention away from Newcastle United. Meanwhile, Manchester United? They just need to focus on beating themselves."
Aldrich's words resonated with the others, who nodded along. They hadn't encountered this kind of psychological warfare involving the media before, showing them a new perspective, though it was nothing new in England.
"Speaking of which, we face Newcastle this weekend. What should we do?" Trop curiously asked.
Aldrich, brimming with confidence, replied, "I have a general strategy in mind. Newcastle is known for their flashy offensive style, so we'll greet them with a solid defense."
Hearing Aldrich's conviction, the group dropped the topic and turned to lighter conversation. They played pool and drank, and the Beer Night passed joyfully.
Beyond the upcoming challenge against Newcastle United, Millwall would also face Manchester City in the League Cup quarter-finals next week. If they managed to defeat Manchester City, Aldrich would have an 80% chance of reaching the League Cup final at Wembley in late February. Since the semi-finals were played over two legs, Aldrich felt confident they could defeat any English team within those 180 minutes. Even against Manchester United or Newcastle, he harbored no fear because both teams would be distracted by league commitments. Aldrich was eager for a championship. Not just for himself, but for Millwall, who had waited 110 years for their first trophy!
As Round 18 of the Premier League approached, the pre-match press conference for Millwall hosting Newcastle United was packed.
Aldrich, looking sharp in his suit, took his seat and began, "Tomorrow is just another league game. Please refrain from asking about championship questions. No matter the outcome, the Premier League champion won't be decided immediately."
His statement left the reporters speechless. Their usual method of creating buzz around a match-up was stifled by Aldrich's words.
Left with no choice, one journalist asked, "Will Millwall field a lineup of substitutes tomorrow? I mean, given that Millwall has prioritized cup competitions over league performance this season, will you rest your players in the league to prepare for the League Cup next week?"
Aldrich immediately replied, "No, we value every match. My team has plenty of young players who can handle Premier League games. At this stage, we haven't lost a single match, which proves we don't underestimate or intentionally abandon any fixtures. I can reveal tomorrow's starting lineup right now:Goalkeeper: Keller; Defenders: Thuram, Elguera, Southgate, Zambrotta; Midfielders: Schneider, Vieira, Gattuso, Ballack; Forwards: Solskjær, Larsson."
The journalists wore puzzled expressions upon hearing the lineup.
It differed significantly from all the predictions printed in today's papers, at least two defenders, one midfielder, and one forward had been guessed incorrectly.
What was Aldrich up to?
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