"It seems that the media is interested in your style and popularity." David. Chris Lack, Donn's assistant coach is flipping through the newspaper in his hand. Lately he has enjoyed reading the articles about Donn in these newspapers, because the spicy articles of the reporters who are so ridiculous always make him laugh and have a good day.

"None of them have ever talked about your grades." After reading all the newspapers, Chris Rac folded them up and set them aside. Looking at Don on the other side.

Tony. Don was revisiting the desk in front of him.

It's exactly the same as when he came to the club fifteen years ago. The dark red solid wood desk has an old age from the inside out.

His hand rested on the table, rubbing it back and forth. Feel every tiny bump and scratch on the tabletop.

Now the desk is empty, and there is nothing but an LCD computer monitor, Freddie. Eastwood had taken all of his personal belongings, and the information report had been neatly stacked in the bookcase next to him.

"Isn't that nice? That way we don't have that much pressure. Don replied as he rubbed his head on the table.

"I thought you'd be furious because you were being slighted by the media."

"I'm not a brainless person, David. This kind of doubt about the results, the mouth says that it is useless, you have to beat them with the results. Finally stroking every inch of the table, Don sat down in his chair.

"They love to hype up my personal style, and that's just right. I wish no one cared about Nottingham Forest's team. Talk about the team, David. ”

Hearing Don say this, Chrislak also put away the smile on his face and spread out a thick notebook on his lap.

'Now there are 26 people in the first team. Goalkeeper Vincenzo. Fiorillo (vincenzo_fiorillo), Mark. Howard (mark_ho.dou_sakho), Ryan. Shawcross (ryan_sha._ensen), Jan. Woden (jan_vertonghen), Joe. Mattok (joe_mattock), Niklas. Kindness. Kuru (nicolas_nkoulou), Jack. Cook (jack_cork), Nadum. Anoha (nedum_onuoha), Carl. Dickinson (carl_dickinson). In midfield, there is George. Wood (ge_.), Fernando. Gago, fernando_gago, Stephen. Ireland (stephen_ireland), Chris. Cohen (chris_cohen), Alex. Teixeira (alex_teixeira), Geonio. Viinadum (ginio_ijnaldum), Kieran. Gibbs (kieran_gibbs). Forward Aaron. Mitchel (aron_mitchell), Gabriel. Abang Lajo (gabriel_agbonlahor), Mario. Balotelli (mario_balotelli), Matt. Debichel (matt_derbyshire), Stephen. Fletcher (steven_fletcher). ”

As Chrislac read the list, Donn's brow furrowed. Although he knew all these names, and he could match them with his face, now these names made him feel strange. This strangeness is caused by the fact that I don't know much about these players.

Donn's so-called understanding is definitely not as simple as knowing what they are called, what positions they play, and how they have been performing recently. He knows everything he wants, even what the players like to eat and what they like to do before the game...... "Actually, most of these players are still very good...... "Chris Rac added after reading it. "Goalkeeper Fiorillo was Italy's substitute and was called 'Buffon Jr.) when he debuted. Kindness. Kourou is Cameroon's main defender, Sako is France's main centre-back, and Jorgensen is also a regular in the Danish national team. Wodengen is a regular for Belgium and can play in a number of positions at the back. Anoha has also played for the national team under you. Gibbs is an excellent player produced by Arsenal and you have been selected for the England team. Ireland are the main midfielders of the Irish national team, and although Teixeira has not been selected for the Brazilian national team, his quality is obvious to all. Viinadum is a regular player for the Dutch national team. Derby Schell has also played under you, while Fletcher is the leading scorer for Scotland...... But they all come together so badly. ”

Donn laughed: "It's not like eleven Maradonas can get together and win every game. Some of these people don't have the right style for Nottingham Forest, some lack fighting spirit, some just want to leave, others are old and injured, how do you think such a team can do well? ”

Hearing Donn say this, Chris Lak also felt that the team had no way to make money.

"Then your observations, David."

"Uh...... I don't think there's anything wrong with Freddy's main lineup, it's the strongest squad that Forest can come up with, and I think the reason for the team's poor results is not in the players, but in the technical and tactical ......."

After patiently listening to Chrislak's analysis, Don pondered for a while before shaking his head and said, "Technique and tactics are certainly a reason, but the root of the problem is precisely the player. No matter how well the tactics are arranged, if the players don't execute it, there is nothing they can do. But this question is not urgent...... Let's talk about tactics. McAllister didn't want Wood to play up front, and it didn't work to let the two wings move towards the middle. To be honest, I think the team has forgotten what the tradition of the Forest team is. ”

Don spoke eloquently, as if he hadn't just taken over the team, but had been coaching it for a long time.

Forest have changed managers frequently in recent years, and in less than four and a half seasons, there have been seven head coaches. The direct consequence of this is that the tactical thinking is confused, the players are at a loss, and in the end, they simply do not fit in, and when it comes to the game, they still play according to their habits and style, which is also the reason for the team's results to get worse and worse.

Don certainly knows this, and if he wants to get the team back to the top, it will never be enough to rely on more than half a season alone. Now that it has been decided that Don Lai will inherit his business, all he has to do now is a transition. He can't set the course of Nottingham Forest for the next 10 years in his own role, that's not what he should do, his job is simple – whatever he does, get the team back in a short period of time to stay in the Premier League for next season, as he told Don: "a bigger stage." ”

And that's exactly what Donn does best.

Isn't it just to lead the team to victory? Lao Tzu has been doing this for fifteen years.

"There is no front waist; resumption of flank attacks; The two forwards cannot stand in parallel, one in front and one in the back, and the second striker must actively retreat in tandem with the midfield; Solid Defence...... Our work in the near future has to start with the defence, and if we want to stop the decline in the team's results and recover the low morale, not conceding and not conceding are the first elements. ”

Chris Rac nodded in agreement with Donn's opinion. After losing consecutive games, what should be considered is not whether the attack is strong, but whether your defense line is solid, defense is the basis of victory, and defense is also the source of attack. Asking the team to strengthen the offense instead of focusing on defense is putting the cart before the horse.

"The personnel arrangement is ......," he asked, a crucial question. Can a player who was able to play a regular in the team still be seen by Donn? If there are going to be changes to the starting lineup, it will inevitably touch the interests of some people, so how can the atmosphere in the team's dressing room be guaranteed?

"Look at the training status." Don replied simply. Then he realized that Chris Rac was actually worried about the locker room, so he asked, "Isn't George the leader in the locker room?" ”

"The local players all obey him, but the foreign players...... In fact, the locker room is mainly divided into several factions. Speaking of this, Chris Rac was also a little embarrassed. Such a clique was something that had never happened before during Donn's tenure, and it was absolutely impossible.

"Native gangs and expatriate gangs?" Don wasn't surprised, and he wasn't embarrassed to talk about it—it didn't happen under him anyway.

Chrislak nodded, reluctant to say more.

Don grinned, not knowing if he was laughing or expressing helplessness.

"Interesting." He pinched his chin and muttered.

Then he sat in his chair for a moment, silent. After about ten minutes, when Chrislak was a little bored waiting, he raised his wrist to look at his watch, and then stood up.

"Let's go, David. I think the players should have arrived, right? ”

※※※ "The boss is coming back!" "In the locker room, Joe. Mattok excitedly announced that this was definitely not news. "I can't believe I'll have to wait until this day!"

But not too many people were interested in his topic. On the one hand, the news that Donn was coming back was more than two weeks ago, and the heat of discussion had long since passed. On the other hand, of course, the players in the dressing room have their own concerns.

What Chris Rac said is true. In the current locker room, there are indeed invisible gangs. The English players huddled together, while the rest of the non-English players gathered in small groups. At the same time, the veteran players at Forest have a good relationship, while those who joined after Done have a chasm between them and these veteran players.

Thirty-three-year-old Brazilian centre-back Thiago. Silva is a leading figure in the Foreign Legion because of his age and seniority, having joined Donn in the summer after leaving Forest, and also played for Forest in a warm-up game against Donn's England. He has always been dismissive of the legendary head coach, on the one hand, under the influence of the media, and on the other hand...... He felt that it was stupid for a manager who had abandoned his team to understand why those old players were still so obsessed with it.

The other guy who wasn't interested in the news of Donn's return was more lonely, he didn't have any groups or gangs, and he was alone against the whole team. He's Mario. Balotelli, the "Super Mario" who yells to leave every summer, but never leaves, and the salary is getting higher and higher.

His surname and temperament made him have few friends in the team, and goalkeeper Fiorillo, who is also Italian, was not used to Balotelli's arrogant temper and deeds. He believes that he should be the real core of the team, not George. Wood, but the coaches don't always recognize this fact, which is why the team's results are so poor. If this Tony. If Don still can't recognize his role and value, he believes that his return is just another tragedy.

The leader of England's homegrown gang and the old players' gang is naturally George . Wood, but Wood wouldn't do this kind of thing to split his locker room, so he was really just a spiritual leader, like a totem erected by someone. The players who were unhappy with Silva and Balotelli spontaneously gathered around the totem and played against them in the name of Wood.

This is the current situation in the dressing room of the Forest team, how can it be possible to have a fighting force with such a dressing room that is not united at all? David. Krislak says the team's problems are tactical, not the players. Don was right, and the root cause was precisely in that group of players...... "Don't scream. Wood appeared behind an excited Mattok, "If you don't change your clothes quickly, you'll be late." The boss doesn't like people being late. ”

Although he said this to Joe. Mattok said, but his eyes were on everyone in the locker room.

Thiago with his back to him. Silva and Balotelli didn't say anything.

Mattok honestly hunched his neck and changed into his training clothes.

There was still talk in the locker room, but they didn't stop moving. Both veteran players and homegrown players in England know how strong Donn's sense of time is – he used to wait for someone on the training ground with a stopwatch and ask latecomers to run a lap every ten seconds.

※※※"Do you want to prepare a stopwatch?" Chris Rac asked on the training ground. At this time, there was not a single player on the training ground, but it was still early before the scheduled start of training.

"Do you have it now?" Donn asked.

Chris Rac pulled his hand out of his pocket and showed Don what he was holding, which was a black stopwatch.

Don grinned, "You really know me. Let's start pinching when the time comes. ”

Other coaches also came to the training ground to say hello to Donn and Chrillak. Some of them are old people who helped Donn when he was coaching, and a few of them are poached from other clubs, and they have a good relationship with Chris Lak, so they are newcomers to Donn.

Among the coaches, I saw Freddy who was back as an assistant coach. Eastwood Don went up to greet him, "Are you relieved now, Freddy?" ”

"Of course, I'm feeling good now, sir!" Eastwood said to Don with a grin. 'I don't have to wake up in the morning thinking about what tactics the team should use to beat Manchester United.

Don smiled. Someone like Eastwood is a good fit to be an assistant coach and doesn't have much ambition. In this way, Don can be an assistant coach with peace of mind, and Eastwood, who is familiar with the team and has a lot of popularity among the players and fans, will be a competent and good assistant coach...... The coaches also saw that the new head coach came so early and came to the training ground early. So there is a scene where all the coaches come and wait for the players on the field.

When Mattok was the first to run onto the court from the locker room, when he saw this formation, he hurriedly said that it was dangerous, if he was a little late, then he would be unlucky...... Joe. Mattok knows the temper of the leader, don't look at the usual relationship with him is very good and harmonious, but if he violates his rules, then no matter how good the relationship is, it will be unlucky.

Since I'm not late, there's no need to be afraid. Mattok smiled and went to greet Donn, "Good morning, chief." ”

"Good morning, boy. What about the others? Don asked.

"It's all in the back, and they'll be out soon......" Mattok glanced back at the locker room behind him, unsure if his teammates would actually be coming out soon. However, he would have liked Silva and Balotelli to arrive five or six minutes late...... His wishful thinking didn't work out, and all the players showed up on the training ground in full gear before the allotted assembly time.

Don looked at this group of his soldiers, his men, and felt sorry. "You're so lucky, guys." He shook his head. "How I wish you could be in the locker room until a quarter past ten, from half past nine to a quarter past ten, forty-five minutes, every ten seconds, I'm not very good at math, you can calculate for yourself how many laps you have to run. Maybe the whole morning training session will have to be spent running, but I don't care. But it's a pity......" he sighed heavily.

"You lucky bastards, but don't be in a hurry to breathe a sigh of relief." "From now until the end of the season, we have six months to get along, and I'll have a chance to grab your pigtails," he said, pointing to the players who were just about to breathe a sigh of relief. ”

With that, Donn paused. He glanced at all the players present. He could see a lot in the eyes of those people, and some of them looked at him excitedly, full of anticipation for the future; Some people keep their heads down and don't know what they're thinking; Others looked away the moment they met his gaze, unwilling to make more contact with him; Of course, there are also people who look at him unruly, as if deliberately reminding Don of his existence.

After glancing around, Don spoke again: "I'm a retired person, look at the gray hair on my head." He said, pointing to his temples. But if any of you think I'm old, give it a try! ”

Among the players, there are those whose eyes light up.

(To be continued)