Huang Hao didn't rush to start training, but instead asked, "Who can tell me what's most important on the field?"
"Winning the match, of course!"
Pasquel, who had just finished his laps, responded breathlessly.
"That's right, it's victory! The process actually isn't important; all we want is the result, and that's victory!"
Huang Hao paused, then continued:
"When you play, you're always overly cautious, always prioritizing not making mistakes, afraid to take the ball, afraid to coordinate. Facing opponents two or three levels above you, you only defend, defend, and defend, but the result is one crushing defeat after another."
"Sometimes, I even wonder if there's something wrong with the scoreboard!"
Although Huang Hao's expression was relaxed and his words humorous, no one could laugh.
"You always identify yourselves as League Two players. Facing opponents of the same level, you always try to control the ball and make short passes. You always want to show off your footwork. But I'm sorry, everyone, this is the National League, England's fifth-tier League, a League of long balls and relying on physical play. Your opponents might even go fix cars after leaving the training ground!"
"We are not Arsenal, nor are we Barcelona. Although I truly hope to lead you all to play dazzling, flowing football, we don't have Bergkamp, we don't have Rivaldo. Hopefully, one day we can stand opposite such teams, but we still need to solve the immediate problems."
"Alright, today isn't suitable for us to discuss future dreams here together."
"Next, I will announce a few tactical adjustments for the team. As for the details, my coaching staff and I will provide detailed deployments during subsequent training sessions and matches."
Huang Hao's words clearly left no time for the players to debate with him.
Democracy wasn't a good idea at this moment.
"Starting today, we will adjust our regular formation from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2."
Huang Hao's first decision caught the players quite by surprise.
The 4-4-2 formation was invented in England, and everyone had been trained in it since childhood. Therefore, in the lower-tier League, the 4-4-2 parallel formation was almost an unshakeable setup.
In this level of League, because everyone is very familiar with 4-4-2, the role of tactics is greatly weakened; more often, players are competing on physicality, speed, and luck.
Otherwise, many professional teams wouldn't become disoriented after falling from higher-tier League, gradually becoming regulars in the National League, like Notts County, one of the oldest teams in the world, or Barnet.
"You don't need to be surprised, because our forwards have all gone to the reserve team. So, to strengthen the length and width of our attack, our wingers must control the entire flank, using the flanks to open up the game."
Although it was just a jest, the impact of both starting forwards, Harris and Perrotta, leaving the team could not be ignored.
"So, Sager, you must cherish your current starting forward position."
Huang Hao looked at the young player from Tottenham with trust.
Sager also nodded vigorously. For him, this was an excellent opportunity, as he was originally only the team's substitute forward.
After leaving Tottenham, Sager chose Peterborough United in League One.
But to Sager's disappointment, after joining Peterborough United, what awaited him was an endless string of loan spells.
So, after his two-year contract expired, Sager did not renew it. Instead, he dropped down a level, coming to Cambridge United in League Two.
This time, Sager didn't continue his wandering life.
But a year later, Cambridge United was unfortunately relegated, falling into the England National League.
For Sager, there was no longer any retreat.
At Cambridge United, perhaps he was the player most eager to return to professional League.
"The reason I want to add an attacking midfielder is because we need to give our opponents enough pressure!"
"Also, I want to see your attacking talent even more!"
With that, Huang Hao looked at Wilshere and Iliat, and it was clear they strongly agreed.
"Finally, no matter when, no matter where, don't let the opponent easily get the ball! The opponent's penalty area is the first line of defense you establish!"
"Don't try to control the ball anymore; instead, make the ball move quickly!"
"Short pass! Short pass! Quick passing! If there's a chance, shoot, even if your footwork is terrible! Even God sometimes misses!"
Fortunately, Huang Hao's English wasn't bad, and everyone understood his intentions, gradually becoming awed by this not-so-tall Chinese man.
"Listen up, all of you! From today on, no matter who our opponent is, you will press them! Press them! Press them until they fall!"
Huang Hao's voice went from calm to excited, and finally to a roar, allowing the players to truly feel his power.
"Alright, now start warming up, then we'll do group drills. Darren, note down everyone's performance!"
"I think it's time to add to the numbers in the reserve team."
Huang Hao once again returned to his calm demeanor, while Darren began the team's brand new training plan.
"Ah ah~~~ Achoo!!!"
"Damn it, why do I always feel like someone's cursing me!"
Harris lay lazily in the youth team changing room, rubbing his nose and grumbling discontentedly.
What he didn't know was that from this moment on, Cambridge United had begun its complete transformation.
There was only one week left until the National League began.
Due to the club's extremely poor financial situation, Huang Hao had not brought in any players since taking office.
Although Huang Hao tried to negotiate with Barry, the seemingly benevolent chairman showed unexpectedly strong resistance on this matter.
Buy players? No way!
There was no room for discussion.
Helplessly, Huang Hao summoned the team's only scout. After a brief discussion, the scout gave Huang Hao a somewhat rough player analysis report.
These were all free agents without contracts. Huang Hao, who was completely broke, could only focus on the free agent market to see if he could find anything.
According to statistics from the English Professional Footballers' Association, approximately 700 young players are released by English clubs each year. Those teenagers who fail to secure a professional contract from a club after reaching adulthood immediately fall into an endless abyss of disappointment, from playing football to being kicked out by football.
Most of them don't have a "Plan B" for their lives.
Aaron Cole was one of these less fortunate young players.
For him, who had a first-team appearance record at Bolton at just 18 years old, he never imagined that one day he would be abandoned.
This small player once naively believed that with his effort, he could secure a place in the first team. However, a knee ligament injury directly ended his future at Bolton.
Although his body had fully recovered by this time, football competition is just that cruel. During his injury, more promising stars emerged, and his position no longer existed.
He faced the same dilemma as other eliminated players: continue to look for another team to take him in, or turn and leave.
After all, there were precedents of former professional players successfully transitioning to become doctors and scholars.
However, Cole didn't know that at that moment, in the office at Cambridge United's base, a pair of eyes were scrutinizing his personal information.
Height 173cm, weight 67kg, with a golden afro.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, with this physique, he's going to suffer quite a bit in the National League!
What caught Huang Hao's attention was clearly not that this young man had almost the exact same height and weight as himself, nor was it the striking afro.
Cole, like many shorter players, possessed excellent dribbling and passing skills. As a midfielder, these two aspects were very important.
And what Cambridge United's midfield currently lacked was precisely such an attacking midfielder and organizer.
"Aaron, have you made up your mind?"
Cole's father pretended to be nonchalant, tentatively asking Cole.
"Uh, not yet. Maybe I could consider becoming a coach, since I've always played in midfield."
Cole said to his father:
"And as a player, it's very easy for me to get a coaching license."
Cole felt that he still loved football, even though his physique offered no advantages whatsoever.
"Still no teams have contacted you?"
Cole's father asked after a moment of silence.
Father and son were connected; he could feel his son's reluctance to leave the pitch.
"Uh... no, I guess maybe my physical condition really isn't suited for professional football! After all, I'm not Messi."
Cole's answer was filled with helplessness and unwillingness.
Just then, his phone suddenly rang.
"Hello! This is Cole."
"Yes, yes! Yes!"
"What?! You said you're the Head Coach of Cambridge United?!"
"I... I, I can, I can! No problem!"
Cole hung up the phone, somewhat surprised, then slowly looked at his father:
"Dad, I think I might be playing for a while longer!"
