Nottingham Forest's transfer budget announced last summer was £3.5 million, and Collymore bought those men, but the only ones who could play the main role were Gunalsson, Rebrov and Gareth. Taylor. And going into the winter, the Forest team did not announce what their transfer budget was, and the media told readers Tony. Coach Donn has actually spent more than his summer budget in the transfer market, and he has bought mostly young players. So is the 3.6 million spent this time worth it? The media has put a big question mark over Donne's actions in the transfer market in January. Almost all of them are young people who haven't proven themselves in the senior team, so what does coming to this team bring? Energetic and good surname competition, or impulsive recklessness and lack of experience?

Speaking at a press conference, Donn told the media and the fans who were also skeptical that these are the future of Forest. Three million seems like a lot, but we are investing in the future, and in a few years, compared to what they were worth at that time, three million six hundred thousand is not worth mentioning at all.

The winter transfer period is basically to supplement the existing squad, and drastic adjustments to the roster like Don are also a last resort. In terms of the stability of the team, Donn told Evan that he no longer needs to bring anyone in from the transfer market.

Next, he has to deal seriously with the teams in the Premier League. On January 22, in the first leg of the League Cup semi-finals, Nottingham Forest hosted Bolton.

Bolton Wanderers are a very special team in English football because they are very international. While internationalisation is nothing new since the start of the Premier League, with Chelsea having previously set a record of not having a single English player in the Premier League's starting eleven, Bolton's internationalisation is not quite the same as Chelsea's.

Take a look at the international players in the current Bolton squad: Brazilian striker Jardel, Danish striker Henrik Wanderers. Petersen (henrik_pedersen), Nisria midfielder Yaya. Okocha (jay_jay_okocha), French midfielder Ibrahimba (ibrahim_ba), French midfielder Jori. Djokaeff (youri_djorkaeff), Greek midfielder Setarios. Jana Kopolov (stelios_giannakopoulos), Danish defender Pell. Frandesen (per_frandsen), French defender Bruno. Ngoti (bruno_ngotty), Spanish defender Ivan. Campo (ivan_campo).

These people are not famous, but the youngest of them is the backup striker, the twenty-eight-year-old Henrik Brown. Peterson. The biggest is former world champion France midfielder Djokaeau, who is 35 years old...... Most of these people are outdated stars who switched to Bolton Wanderers when they couldn't play in the original team, and the current main scorer in the team, Kevin Wanderers. Davies (kevin_davies), although only 26 years old, has also become a burden due to his premature fame, and now he joined Bolton on a free transfer from Southampton.

It's interesting to note that in the Premier League, there are very few clubs keen to buy out-of-fashion veterans as their main players. The value of these people is not high, but the salary requirements are not low, and the fame is still there, but the strength is not as good as before. It stands to reason that with the qualifications of the Premier League team, although Bolton has little money and can't buy those superstars abroad, it is still not a problem to buy excellent domestic players.

There is a history behind this, and it has a lot to do with Manchester United. In 1958, after the Munich air disaster, when Manchester United's golden age almost disintegrated, Sir Busby, who had survived, regrouped the team and continued to play as Manchester United's youth and second-tier players. The hardships that followed United's misfortune and catastrophe sparked sympathy and admiration across the football world – and for most of the English people, football was, and still is, a brave man's sport, a fight that earned the respect of the team by insisting on playing to the hospital even if they broke their legs – and then three months after the crash, United and Bolton both reached the FA Cup final. In this game, Manchester United, who suffered a lot of losses, not only lost to Bolton, but was also extremely humiliated by Bolton fans.

They made an unbelievable gesture on the spot: nearly a thousand Bolton fans danced with their hands and hummed into their mouths, humiliating United by mimicking a plane crash. This lack of basic compassion has left Bolton isolated and the sympathy for United even greater.

Since then, Manchester United and Bolton have become bitter rivals, with Bolton having been torn between the Premier League and League One for nearly a decade, and it is said that one of the reasons is that the teams in the northwest of England have played Bolton Wanderers with all their might. And Bolton has a hard time buying good players in England, so they have to look to the international market, looking for these old people who are outdated or about to pass away to help the team relegate.

It's pitiful to say, the fans have to pay for the sins they have done...... It's part of the tradition of English football, where clubs and fans are inextricably linked, fans follow the team passionately and the team never abandons their supporters.

Of course, Donn didn't intend to use this kind of past as the motivation for the team's victory over Bolton, Manchester United and Forest have nothing to do with it, not to mention that Manchester United once slaughtered Forest 8-1 away in the Premier League, and the relationship between the two teams is not close, on the contrary, Manchester United's sworn enemies Arsenal and Forest are closer - because Arsenal was established by Forest people.

The feud between Manchester United and Bolton, Donn didn't want to care, but thanks to this grudge, it gave him the opportunity to take advantage. Bolton Wanderers has not been able to buy any high-level players, so although they are in the Super League, they are not very strong, and most of the players in the team are older, although they are experienced, they are a big difference in physical terms with the young Forest team.

With back-to-back campaigns, Bolton have already had injuries within the squad. For example, their main scorer Kevin. Davies was injured in the last league game against Portsmouth, and if he were to play in a game like the Carabao Cup semi-final, he would have to play with an injury, which would be much less powerful.

Another striker, Jadel, this Brazilian seems to have been born in the wrong place, he should not be in Brazil, but in which country in Europe...... Rough technique was the main reason why he was snubbed by the giants, and although he failed to score in his first seven games at Bolton Wanderers and was put on the bench by the club, his height and header are still a threat to Donne, and no such player knows when he will burst out and bite his enemies. Don didn't want to be the one who got bitten. Just a day after the end of the last round of Premier League fixtures, the 29-year-old Brazilian striker has been loaned to Serie A side Ancona to help them avoid relegation. His departure has given Donn a sigh of relief that if the Eiffel Tower is to feature in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, his impact will be a serious test for Forest's new defence.

As for Djokaeau, who will turn 36 in just over a month, he can only play as a substitute in the team, and his opportunities to play are becoming less and less. Aside from the experience, something else was draining from his deactivated body.

The biggest threat in the team is the Nichilian Okocha, who has excellent dribbling and can also pass and assist, and is the core of Bolton's current midfield and the initiator of the team's attack.

If it had been before the last League One game, Donn might have had a headache about how to defend the African, but now he has the bottom of his mind.

George. Wood's defensive positioning is still problematic and there is no way to do it, and he can only make up for it by playing and gaining experience, but his talent for one-on-one marking has been brought to the fullest. When the time comes, that difficult Okocha will find his opponent even more difficult.

※※※ In the early morning of January 22, the atmosphere of the war has not yet enveloped the sky over Nottingham, and it is rare to have a sunny weather today. Donn got up early and went to the Forest team's training base.

According to the team's rules, players in the squad must come to Wilford in the morning before each home game, and then take the team bus to the hotel close to the stadium, where they will have dinner, take a lunch break, and then take the bus to the game.

Donn now likes to come in before the home game before everyone else, and then chat with Eastwood in the empty training ground, warming up on horseback. It was a rare pre-game relaxation time, and once the team was assembled, it was time for Donn and Walker to lock themselves in their hotel room and study their opponents.

"Good morning, sir." Eastwood appeared in front of Don on time on horseback, and he shouted hello to Done.

Every time he saw this young man, a smile unconsciously appeared on Don's face. Eastwood is such a cheerful and optimistic person, and he can also make the people next to him cheerful and optimistic.

"Good morning, Freddie. How do you feel today? He looked up at the gypsy on his horse.

Eastwood jumped off his horse, "Very good, sir. I think I can score in the afternoon. ”

Donn laughed, the kid has scored in a row since he joined the team in early January, three goals in two games, a perfect testament to his ability. Now, whether it is in the newspapers, on television or on the radio, there is no longer any criticism or doubt about this amateur player of the Gypsy.

If you succeed, everyone will naturally shut up.

Looking at Eastwood, who was stroking his horse, Don nodded, "Good, Freddy." You're starting today's game and maybe you'll have a new partner. ”

"The 'telephone pole'?" Eastwood was referring to Crouch, the nickname he gave to his new team-mate, which Crouch quickly embraced because everyone in the team called him that. Tall and thin, he really deserves the title of "telephone pole".

Donn found a problem, it seems that anyone who is taller will be more wooden or honest, such as Robert. Hut, or Crouch, who just joined the team. Although Crouch is not wooden, he is honest and has a good temper. Eastwood called him by his nickname, and he wasn't angry, and when everyone did, he was happy. Because Walker told the new signings that the players call you a new nickname, it means they accept you.

"Well, but I don't know when he'll be on it." Don shook his head, who can tell what happened in the game? If the football game is only based on lip service, think about it in your head, according to the tactics, you can know the result of one round and one round of deduction, not so many people like it.

The kind of suspense that doesn't know what the future fate will be is the most exciting.

"Also, Freddie. I don't think you and George have a good relationship...... "The two of them will work together on the field many times in the future, and if the relationship is not good, it may drag down the team." That's not what Donn wants to see, and even the strongest team will fall apart because of locker room problems. He had to strangle this sign directly in the "maybe".

Speaking of the question, Eastwood was silent for a moment. Optimistic and cheerful people will also have a past that they don't want to mention. Originally, he had a promising future in West Ham United, but if he continues to play like this, he may have played in the first team of West Ham United by now. But that serious injury put an end to everything. He was laid off by West Ham's youth team, and after recovering from his injury, he couldn't find a team willing to accept him, and was relegated to playing in the amateur league. Training time in amateur matches is largely unguaranteed, a far cry from what he received at West Ham United. When he didn't have training, he helped buy cars and worked as a salesman in his father's second-hand car dealership.

Sometimes when I'm free, I'll look into the distance in a daze. Will this life last a lifetime? When my father got old, he took over the dealership, sold used cars, raised a few children with his wife, and then sent them to play football when they grew up. I went down to the club every day to pick them up, and watched my dreams come back to life in my son on the sidelines...... Is this your future?

And who is responsible for all this? It's the taciturn George who always likes to look at others with unfriendly eyes. Wood!

Although they are in the same team now, it does not mean that they should be like brothers.

Seeing that Eastwood didn't speak, Don must have thought of the past that made him unbearable. So he suddenly asked, "Gypsies are supposed to be descendants of Indians, right?" ”

This question was a big jump away from the previous question, which made Eastwood stunned for a moment before nodding back: "Yes, everyone said that." ”

"Do you believe in Buddhism?"

Eastwood shook his head: "No, I'm not religious. ”

This surprised Donn, who felt that such a wandering people should always believe in some religion, such as Christianity. But the conversation continued, he said: "There is a saying in Buddhism called 'cause and effect.'" Do you know what that means? ”

The word is well understood literally, "cause and effect". Eastwood nodded, but soon shook his head again.

"Well, in a nutshell, it's ...... Everything in this world is connected, and it seems that it has nothing to do with reality. If...... If you hadn't been hurt, do you know where you're living now? ”

The question made Eastwood think for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I don't know, that didn't happen." ”

'We can speculate with common sense that, if there are no surprises, you should have been moved from West Ham's youth team to the first team and then represent the team in League One this season and we would be opponents. Donn pointed at him, then at himself, "But you're right, it didn't happen. We're in a team now, I'm signing, and you're going to score goals to prove my decision. Because what is it that allows us to chat easily here instead of spitting on each other before the game? ”

"Because...... That injury? Eastwood thought for a moment, then asked rhetorically.

Don nodded: "George's foul mistake is indeed his, but he didn't mean it." In fact, he had only been involved in football for less than three months. I wanted him to play as a striker and he was completely overwhelmed on the pitch. He was a little nervous, his mind went blank, and then he saw you run past him with the ball...... "Needless to say, Eastwood still feels pain in his right leg when he looks back on it occasionally.

"I don't want to explain anything for him, because that's really his responsibility, it's a very immoral foul, and it almost ruins your future. But what I'm going to say next may make you unhappy to hear it, but I have to be honest with you...... Freddy, sometimes I also think, 'I should be thankful to George, if it wasn't for that foul he had, how could I have had Freddie. Eastwood is such a brilliant striker'. Maybe I'll be on the sidelines because you've breached my team's door, maybe you'll knock my team out of a big game and give me a taste of defeat, and then maybe I'll get out of class and continue to be my youth team manager, or I don't know what I'm doing...... Just like the future you once envisioned. But now, none of that happened, they only exist in another future. You," Donn said, gesturing at Eastwood.

"Freddie. Eastwood now wears Forest's red jersey, has scored three goals in two consecutive games, lives in the Wilford training base, jokes with my players, comes to training every day, scores goals in games to bring me victory, and even your horse has become the darling of the city...... It's your now. As for your future...... You're going to be the greatest goalscorer in the history of the team, you're going to score lots and lots of goals, you're going to bring trophy after trophy to me and the Forest fans, you're going crazy in the stands at the City Stadium and then when you decide to retire......"

Don looked up at the glow in the eastern sky, took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, and then shook his head and said, "I can't imagine what it would be like. ”

Hearing Don say so much in one breath, Eastwood didn't say a word, his hand unconsciously stroking back and forth on the horse's neck.

'If you hadn't been injured, maybe you'd be at West Ham United, maybe you'd have gone to another team in the lower leagues and then you knocked out Manchester United in a cup game and you scored the winning goal. Become a celebrity in England within a week, appear on TV, newspapers. Then forgotten, you still played in that team until you retired in obscurity, and the goal that knocked out Manchester United that year would be the best moment of your career. Donn went on to say that this was a different future from Eastwood's vision of the outer circle, something he had never imagined...... Future. But Donn knew that was the future he was supposed to continue.

"It's different now, you don't have to worry about that future. Because you've joined Nottingham Forest, you've joined my team, and you're going to be the architect of Forest's second glory with me. Donn opened his arms and enveloped the Wilford training base.

"I became a legendary coach and you became a legendary goalscorer. Until we were all very old, it would be talked about a lot. People will say: 'Eastwood is the greatest goalscorer in Forest's history, how can that clumsy boy compare to him!' Tony. One of the most successful deals in Donn's coaching career was the purchase of Freddie from an amateur team! Take a look at the trophies in the Hall of Honor! ’”

Donn mimicked the tone of the fans' discussions, and Eastwood was amused by the way he spoke. He was so serious about the ethereal "future" that Eastwood didn't even know whether it was true or not, maybe it was just a casual story, maybe it was ...... Is it really an achievable future?

"So I'm going to say...... Freddy, I'm grateful that you accepted Nottingham Forest's offer to join this team. I also thank God, even though I never believed in Him, that it is fate that brings us together now to discuss each other's futures. Do you doubt our future? ”

Freddie shook his head, "I don't know, sir...... You're saying so crazy, I don't know if it's true or not......"

"yes, it's crazy." Don thought about the lunch that day, and the shock he felt when Evan and Alan told him about the plan. "To prove that I'm not lying, to prove that I can foresee the future. Freddy, we're going to win this afternoon's game because this game is where that future starts! ”

After saying that, Don changed his hand and waved goodbye to him.

"Goodbye, let's go back to breakfast, Freddy."

Eastwood looked at the man's confident back, opened his mouth, and finally said nothing.

(To be continued)