24: Media carnival

In the early morning of September 4, 2006, the sky over Hartlepool was dyed golden by the warm autumn sun.

In the Phoenix Training Center parking lot, interview vans with different newspaper logos were neatly arranged.

Reporters from The Guardian, The Independent, The Sun, and even The Times had traveled all the way from London.

The upset of eliminating Leicester City continued to ferment, and this small team from the north of England was becoming the focus of national media attention.

Sophie Green stood in the crowd, clutching a freshly printed copy of The Guardian.

Her signed article was prominently displayed on the front page: “Ajax of League Two — Hartlepool United’s Youth Storm.”

Her heart was beating fast; this was a major turning point in her career.

But at the same time, her suspicion about Lin Feng’s identity grew stronger.

How could a twenty-three-year-old Chinese young man gather so many talented players in such a short time?

On the training ground, the chemistry of the Monster Squad was quietly developing.

Kasper Schmeichel stood in front of the goal, his voice thundering as he directed the positioning of the defensive line.

“Danny, move two steps left! Ben, make sure to mark the edge of the box!”

His leadership qualities gradually emerged in each match, and his innate sense of authority made his teammates unconsciously obey his commands.

On the right wing, Danny Simpson was practicing coordination with Robert Snodgrass.

Their understanding was getting better and better; one was as steady as a mountain, the other as agile as the wind.

Every pass from Simpson was precise, and every run from Snodgrass was perfectly timed.

“Oh, Danny, your passes are more accurate than those old guys at Manchester United!”

Snodgrass’s Scottish accent was particularly noticeable on the training ground, and his laughter infected every teammate.

This cheerful Scotsman had become the joker in the locker room, and his presence made the entire team’s atmosphere relaxed and pleasant.

In midfield, Gylfi Sigurðsson was practicing passing alone.

At sixteen, he was introverted, but his skills and professionalism earned everyone’s respect.

Every touch of the ball seemed so reasonable, every pass perfectly placed.

That composure, beyond his age, made it hard to believe this was just a teenager who had just emerged from the youth academy.

Jamie Vardy ran over from a distance, a brilliant smile on his face.

“Gylfi, let’s stay for extra shooting practice tonight. I want to try the passing trajectory of your free kicks.”

Sigurdsson nodded, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

These young men quickly bonded over common goals and similar experiences.

They had all been overlooked by big clubs, had all struggled in lower Leagues, and now they had finally found their own stage.

On the sidelines of the training ground, Old John Mcdonald stood with his arms crossed, watching these talented teenagers with complex emotions.

He was both happy and worried.

He was happy that the team had such excellent players, but worried that his outdated tactical ideas might hinder these kids’ futures.

His reliance on Lin Feng also deepened day by day; whenever he encountered tactical problems, the first person he thought of was that mysterious Chinese young man.

“Old John, what are you thinking about?”

The assistant coach walked over, a puzzled expression on his face.

“I’m thinking, do we deserve these kids?”

Old John’s voice was a little hoarse, his eyes revealing an inexpressible complex emotion.

Inside the office building, Lin Feng was browsing media reports from all over the country.

The World-Class Club Development Platform glowed softly in his mind.

System message: Media attention has significantly increased, brand value has grown by 300%.

New function unlocked: Player psychological state monitoring.

Current player morale: Extremely high.

Team chemistry: Excellent.

A satisfied smile played on Lin Feng’s lips.

Everything was developing as he expected.

These young men were not only maturing technically, but more importantly, they were beginning to form real team cohesion.

On the table lay the League Two match report from last night.

Hartlepool United had a dominant 4-1 victory over Grimsby Town at home, with Vardy scoring a hat-trick and Sigurdsson providing two assists.

The process of this match was even more impressive than the score.

Every touch from Vardy was full of threat, and every pass from Sigurdsson was precise.

Schmeichel was like a steadfast pillar in front of the goal, and the wing coordination between Simpson and Snodgrass flowed like water.

This was the power of the Monster Squad.

When these talented players began to generate chemistry, the energy they unleashed was enough to shake the entire English football world.

The afternoon tactical meeting took place in the conference room.

Old John stood in front of the tactics board, holding a marker, but hesitated to write.

He turned to look at Lin Feng, who was sitting in the corner, his eyes full of anticipation.

“Boss, for the next match against Notts County, what tactics do you think we should adopt?”

Lin Feng slowly stood up and walked towards the tactics board.

His finger lightly traced the tactics board, and the Tactical Analysis Module in his mind was operating at high speed.

“Notts County’s problem is a lack of creativity in midfield; they tend to rely on wing crosses to create threats.”

Lin Feng’s voice was calm and confident.

“What we need to do is compress their wing space, and then create a numerical advantage in the middle.”

He drew a few lines on the tactics board.

“Let Gylfi drop back to the double pivot position, partnering with Gary. Vardy and Robert will push wide, forming an attacking formation with both wings flying.”

Old John meticulously recorded every detail, his awe growing deeper.

This young man’s understanding of football already surpassed his decades of coaching experience.

The players listened attentively to the tactical explanation, their eyes gleaming with a desire for victory.

They had already tasted the sweetness of defeating strong opponents, and now they were eager to continue this winning streak.

“Notts County is a veteran League Two team; their experience and resilience should not be underestimated.”

Lin Feng’s gaze swept over every player.

“However, experience sometimes also means rigidity. They won’t expect a group of young men, with an average age of less than twenty-two, to be so tactically mature.”

Vardy clenched his fists, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Since coming to Hartlepool United, his goal count had reached a new career high.

More importantly, he felt unprecedented team support.

Sigurdsson’s passes always found him in the most comfortable positions, and Simpson and Snodgrass’s wing play created countless opportunities for him.

“We will win.”

Vardy’s voice was not loud, but his tone conveyed absolute confidence.

This confidence was not blind, but based on the foundation of strength.

Schmeichel nodded, his eyes also full of determination.

“We need to let everyone know that the League Cup victory was not a fluke.”

His voice was deep and powerful, and a domineering aura, similar to his father’s, was gradually emerging.

Snodgrass clapped his hands, and the Scotsman’s unique enthusiasm instantly infected the entire conference room.

“Brothers, we’re already giant killers, why not keep killing?”

His words elicited a chuckle, but the fighting spirit in everyone’s heart was completely ignited.

Simpson maintained his characteristic silence, but his clenched fists revealed his inner excitement.

This full-back, once abandoned by Manchester United, had finally found his stage to prove himself.

Sigurdsson sat quietly in the corner, but his eyes were more resolute than anyone else’s.

At sixteen, he carried dreams beyond his age.

He wanted to let everyone know that Iceland not only had pristine snow-capped mountains but also the most outstanding football talents.

After the meeting, the players left the conference room one by one.

Lin Feng walked to the window, his gaze piercing through the glass to the training ground in the distance.

The Sun was setting, and golden light spilled onto the green pitch; everything seemed so harmonious and beautiful.

System message: Next match importance assessment — Medium.

Suggestion: Maintain the current lineup and tactical system, focus on player rotation.

Warning: Excessive media attention may affect player mentality, it is recommended to appropriately control exposure.

Lin Feng gently shook his head.

Media attention was a double-edged sword; it could increase team visibility but also bring extra pressure to young players.

However, the psychological quality of these monsters seemed even stronger than he had expected.

Not only were they not intimidated by the sudden attention, but they also showed even better competitive form.

This was the difference between geniuses and ordinary players.

True geniuses would not be disturbed by external factors; they only focused on proving themselves with their strength.

On the training ground, extra practice continued.

Vardy and Sigurdsson were doing shooting practice, and their coordination was becoming more and more seamless.

Sigurdsson’s passes always found Vardy’s favorite position, and Vardy’s runs increasingly matched Sigurdsson’s passing habits.

Schmeichel was doing save training on the other side, putting his all into every save.

Even in daily training, he maintained the same level of focus as during a match.

Simpson and Snodgrass were practicing wing coordination, and their understanding had reached a telepathic level.

One glance, one gesture, and they understood each other’s intentions.

Old John stood on the sidelines, a mix of emotions in his heart.

The talent and professionalism of these young men made him both excited and worried.

Excited that the team had such excellent players, but worried about whether he could live up to their trust.

“John, you’re overthinking.”

Lin Feng had walked up to him at some point, his voice gentle and firm.

“They don’t need the most advanced tactical ideas, but a coach who can understand and support them.”

Old John turned his head, his eyes full of gratitude.

“Boss, I…”

“Believe in yourself, and believe in them.”

Lin Feng interrupted him.

“The essence of football is not complex tactics, but simple cooperation and trust.”

“You have already given them the best things—a united team and unconditional support.”

Old John took a deep breath, his eyes becoming resolute again.

He understood Lin Feng’s meaning.

Tactics were important, but even more important were the players’ mentality and team atmosphere.

And in these aspects, he had already done well enough.

Night fell, and training finally ended.

The players left the training ground one by one, but their faces were beaming with satisfied smiles.

They knew that tomorrow would bring new challenges.

But now, they were no longer the small team fighting for relegation.

They were giant killers, the Ajax of League Two, and the most exciting new stars in all of English football.