Although Tang En told Sun Jihai on the phone that the team was going to play a rotation system, but if the new season really started, the first choice for right-back was still Zim Bonda. The purpose of buying Sun Jihai is to increase the thickness of the team's lineup, so as not to overstretch Tang En in the arrangement.

The work on the backline is not over, with Sun Jihai and Zim Bonda rotating at right-back. There are also options at centre-back including Pique, Matthew Epson, Pepe, Wes Mogan and Clint Hildo, while Leighton Barnes is always the only left-back.

It's hard to find a left-back in the transfer market, and even fewer are good left-backs.

The good mood brought by Sun Jihai's arrival only lasted for one day, and Tang En had to worry about the rotation of left-back.

Don knew what Don was worried about, and at dinner he thought Don recommended someone: "You only have your eyes on the transfer market, why don't you look down?" ”

"Looking down?" Donn was puzzled.

"Youth team." Don got up and walked over to the TV.

"You're going to show me the video again?" Tang En is Tang's biggest hobby - he doesn't like shopping, he doesn't like to pick up girls, he doesn't like to drink, and he likes to watch those football tapes.

"Footage is a good thing because it gives you the most intuitive impression of a player's growth." Don walked over to the cabinet behind the television, where rows of videotapes and CDs were neatly stacked. He swiped his fingers over it, selected one, took it out, and put it into the dVd player.

Don treats these tapes and CDs as if they were his own sons, not only by sorting them out and numbering them with a uniform serial number, but also by giving each one a title, starting with the name of the player filmed on the video, the time of shooting, the location of the shooting, the age at the time, the team to which he belongs, and the location.

It is this detailed intro that appears on the TV screen now:

Gareth Bale (16) is a Nottingham Forest youth team and left wing-back. 23/o4/o5。 Photographed at the Wilford North training base.

It turned out to be him! When Donn saw the name, he remembered that Gareth Er could indeed play at left-back, but ...... "Could it be too young?" Seventeen years old. ”

Don didn't answer Don's question, but stepped aside to let Don watch the video.

It was a youth game, Nottingham Forest against Sunderland. Gareth Bale played at left-back, but he was more than just defensive, he provided a number of assists forward, and the entire left flank was his strip. Break through again and again, and the crosses pose a very big threat to the opponent. In the end, Forest were given a direct free-kick in front.

Gareth Bale stood in front of the ball.

Seeing this, Don forgot to eat, holding a knife and fork in his hand, but his eyes were engrossed in the TV screen.

He'd been waiting for it for a long time, from the moment he brought Bale to Forest.

Bale stands in front of the ball. His team-mates have consciously given way and it is clear that he has established himself as an authority in the youth team's set-piece decisions.

After the referee's whistle sounded, Bale ran and then shot with his foot!

The soccer ball beautifully bypassed the jumping Sunderland wall. Then drill into the top corner of the goal with precision!

Seeing the football enter the door, Don couldn't help but whistle.

"Beautiful!"

This kid really has a talent for free-kicks.

In the following games for the youth team, Bale was consistent, both defensively and offensively, showing maturity that was not appropriate for his age.

"This was a video from more than two months ago, and it's even better now. He is the brightest player in the youth team. If you don't, I can't guarantee he will stay at Wilford. ”

Don slapped his head hard, he's been busy lately, how can he forget about it?

Gareth Bale has just turned 16 and is now ready to sign a professional contract with any team, and if Forest don't sign and someone from another team comes to the door, the other teams will not pay a penny to take the Welsh left-sided talent. The forest team is the boss of the white gang that has been cultivated for several years.

"Sign! Sign early tomorrow morning! He's going to be in the first team from tomorrow. I don't have to look for anyone at left-back, left-midfield. Don was so excited that he threw away his knife and fork and rubbed his hands together.

The seeds planted two years ago are finally ready to be harvested...... Gareth Bell, I'm so optimistic about you!

The next day, Don and Tang went directly to the youth team training base. He hadn't been to the youth team for a long time, and he was upset by the first team, and the youth team really couldn't take care of it.

The youth team players were excited to see the first-team manager and the assistant coach of the youth team on the sidelines at the same time, and they were full of energy in training. Don knew what was going on in the hearts of these boys, but he was destined to disappoint them, he had only come for one person today.

As the Forest team becomes more and more well-known in the English arena, and as Coach Tony Towne sees people more and more accurately, there are more and more people on the periphery of the Forest team's academy base. Along the way, Donn saw a lot of scouts walking around the training ground.

The scene where he used to go to Southampton to dig up Bell was reproduced in Wilford in a different place today. Only this time it may be yourself who will be dug up. Don began to think about discussing with the city government, and blocked the two ends of Welford Lane, which runs through the two training bases in the north and south of Wilford, with gates, and did not allow outsiders to enter and exit casually......

I can dig up your people, but you can't dig me!

Donn believes those who are around outside the youth team's training ground are all coming for Bale. Gareth Bale, who is only 16 years old, already has a good reputation among young players. He has attracted the interest of a number of teams because of his excellent performances in the youth team, and now the scouts of these teams are waiting for the right opportunity to take him away from the Forest.

But now Don won't give them that chance.

Ian Greenwood, head coach of the youth team and head of youth, stood beside Don with his focused gaze on one person.

Gareth Bale is training hard, and he has a confident smile on his face, which is exactly the same as when Donn first met him.

This person, once he becomes confident, it is not only his mental outlook that will be changed.

"Actually...... Bale still has a lot of problems playing left-back...... "Greenwood knows what Don means, the first team is now lacking a good left-back, there is no progress in the transfer market, so it is natural to dig from his own youth team. The purpose of the existence of the youth team is to cultivate excellent players for the first team and inject fresh blood. As good as it is to be happy that the first-team coach has been able to look at the players from his youth team, there are some things to be honest. "His body is still a little thin, and his defensive ability is not a strong point, for example, he almost never wins a header, he likes to attack too much, he can't return to defense in time when he inserts assists, and he relies too much on the complement of the central defender. In addition, because his body is slightly thin, shoveling is also his weakness. ”

Having said so many shortcomings in one breath, Greenwood was worried that Done would not want it. So he was about to make up for Bale's merits, but was stopped by Donn waving his hand: "Judging by his age, I think he is already very good." As for the shortcomings...... He is not the main force in the first team, so he will learn and grow slowly. Also, I'm looking for a left-back, but if his qualities and characteristics are really better suited to other positions...... I don't rule out letting him play left midfielder in the future. ”

Mason Greenwood nodded next to him: "I think he's actually more suited to playing left midfield, he's very strong in attacking. Then he waved Bell over. Bel! ”

Gareth Bale ran to the three coaches standing on the sidelines under the envious eyes of his teammates.

"From today onwards, you won't be training here." Greenwood gestured to Donn next to him, "You come with him, Bale." ”

Don stood behind Greenwood and winked at Bell.

Bell smiled happily: "Yes, sir! ”

It's a simple handover of players. Greenwood gave Bell a few simple instructions, which were nothing more than "keep up the good work" or something like that.

Don and Greenwood continued their youth work as they continued their work with the youth team, while Bale followed Donn to the first team's South Training Base with a backpack full of jerseys and other belongings.

Don deliberately didn't take the inside passage, but instead took Bale around from the outside, covering all three training grounds, just as he did when he took Wes Mogan to the first team. It's just that although the youth academy is much more lively than it was then, there is no Michael father and son, only a group of scouts whose eyes follow Bell and Donn.

"A lot of people are disappointed with your departure, Bell." Donn mouthed Nunu to the group of scouts on the side of the road.

Bell laughed, "I've been waiting for you, sir." During this time, a lot of people came to my dad and some people came to my house and wanted me to go to their team. But my dad refused, saying that the Forest team had given me a chance and that I had to give it back. ”

Tang En looked at the still immature child in front of him, and felt a little guilty in his heart. It was he who was derelict in his duties, he forgot that there was such a good seedling in his youth team, and if it wasn't for Don reminding him yesterday, he would have almost missed out on Bale.

He reached out and touched Bell's mess, "Good job, Gareth." Don't let your dad down. ”

"Hmm!" Bell nodded vigorously.