69: Reflections under the shadow of the Red Devils

The day after their narrow FA Cup defeat, the sky over Hartlepool was gloomy, as if holding back a heavy rain.

The atmosphere in the Phoenix Training Center conference room was equally somber. On the giant projection screen, a silent replay of yesterday's match was playing.

All the players were present, sitting quietly and watching themselves on the screen.

No one spoke, but the same emotion was written on every face—unwillingness to accept defeat.

Lin Feng walked into the conference room, a tactics board in his hand. Without looking at anyone, he went directly to the screen.

He pressed the pause button, and the image froze at the moment Rooney shouldered Smalling aside and took his shot.

"Chris," Lin Feng's voice was calm, "tell me, what did you learn at this moment?"

Smalling stood up, his face a little red, but his eyes were serious.

"Boss, I learned how strong a top striker's physical confrontation and explosiveness are. I thought I had him covered, but he still found space to generate power."

Lin Feng nodded and pressed the play button again. The screen switched to Cristiano Ronaldo's step-overs on the wing, dribbling past Robson.

"Matty, what about you?"

Veteran Robson also stood up, sighing: "I learned that against players of this caliber, any hesitation is fatal. I tried to anticipate his moves, but I couldn't keep up with his changes in rhythm."

Lin Feng didn't comment. He continued to play the video until Vardy received Henderson's long pass and scored on a one-on-one, then he paused again.

"Jamie," he looked at Vardy, "who were you racing against on that goal?"

"Ferdinand and Vidic." Vardy's voice was low but full of power.

"How did it feel?"

"They are strong, very solid. But as long as I run, they can't always catch me." Vardy looked up, a hint of beast-like glint in his eyes, "If I had another chance, I could score a second."

Lin Feng's lips finally curved into a slight smile. He turned off the projector and faced all the players.

"Losing to Manchester United is not shameful. What's terrible is if we learn nothing from this defeat," he continued.

"Yesterday, each of you personally experienced the intensity, rhythm, and skill of a Premier League champion. That gap is the goal we need to pursue in the future."

He paused, his tone becoming firm and powerful: "But our season is not over yet! We're out of the FA Cup, but we still have two trophies to fight for! The League Two title, and the EFL Trophy!"

"I want you to use the unwillingness to accept defeat and the lessons learned from yesterday's match in the upcoming games! Use these two trophies to prove the success of our season!"

The players looked up at Lin Feng, their disappointment and frustration gradually replaced by a new desire.

The conference room was no longer filled with oppressive silence, but with low discussions and encouraging glances.

Old John watched all of this from the side. He knew Lin Feng's words had injected a strong boost into everyone's hearts.

In the following days of training, the atmosphere at Phoenix Training Center completely changed.

The players no longer complained about fatigue; every run had a purpose, every pass was more precise.

In shooting practice, Vardy would actively request extra one-on-one dribbling drills.

Schmeichel, while goalkeeping, constantly simulated Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney's shooting angles, asking his teammates to increase their power.

Smalling and Henderson worked even harder. They knew this was an opportunity Lin Feng gave them, and the best way for them to grow quickly.

Smalling would pester Captain Nelson, asking how to better position himself and anticipate. Henderson would proactively ask Mark Tinkler for advice on midfield orchestration and defensive positioning.

A few days later, in a League match at home against Chester City, Hartlepool United's players looked like a different team.

Henderson's running and passing in midfield were more decisive, and Smalling's command and positioning in defense were more seasoned.

In the first half, Snodgrass delivered a cross from the right wing, and Sigurdsson surged in from behind, scoring with a volley.

Two-nil, a clean and decisive victory.

After the match, the players didn't celebrate wildly.

They knew this was just the beginning.

The media highly praised Hartlepool United's performance in the FA Cup.

The Times called them "one of the most respected dark horses in FA Cup history."

Some sports tabloids began to speculate, reporting that Sir Alex Ferguson had instructed Manchester United's scouting department to closely monitor Vardy, Schmeichel, and Smalling after the match.

These rumors caused quite a stir among the players.

When Vardy heard about it, he just grinned, his eyes full of challenge.

Schmeichel seemed calm, but he knew that only by becoming stronger could he truly attract the attention of top clubs.

Smalling was a bit excited, but was quickly brought back to reality by Lin Feng's "Champion's Heart" theory.

Lin Feng just smiled when he saw these reports. He immediately called Sports Director Richard Arnold.

"Richard, speed up the contract extension negotiations with Jamie and the other young players."

"In the new contracts, make sure the release clauses are as high as possible, the higher the better." He knew that these players' value was just beginning to show.

In the Hartlepool Mail office, Sophie Green also changed her reporting direction.

Her latest column was titled "The Red Devils' Baptism: The Champion's Heart of the Northern Storm."

She no longer focused on the team's miracle, but began to explore how this young team drew strength from defeat, and their desire for a League and EFL Trophy double.

She felt that there was an indomitable spirit within this team.

With their exit from the FA Cup, the team's goals became clearer and more pure than ever before.

Everyone's attention turned to the upcoming EFL Trophy Wembley final.

Lifting a championship trophy in the hallowed ground of football would be the most glorious moment in this small club's history.

Lin Feng stood by the office window, looking at the planning map for the second phase of the Phoenix Training Center.

He instructed John Stone to begin more in-depth sponsorship negotiations with several national brands they had previously contacted.

He knew that the team's prestige had reached a peak, and this was the best time to convert that prestige into tangible benefits.

He even began to envision how to combine the club's brand with Hartlepool town's tourism and commerce in the future, to create a true football town.

One League title, one EFL Trophy title.

This was his final demand for this season, and the best gift he was preparing for the upcoming League One season.

The Northern Storm, after a brief lull, was gathering even greater power.