Mourinho was met at Soho Square outside the FA building, where a few English plane trees were planted.

This time he didn't look around in the car looking for high-rise buildings, even though the last time he was here was two and a half years ago, but that time left a very deep impression on him.

Representing the Forest's appeal was none other than Jack Landy, the lawyer who defended Donn last time. When they met again, the smell of gunpowder had long since disappeared from the first meeting. Randy smiled as he shook Don's hand, "I knew we'd meet again, Mr. Donn." ”

Don squeezed his eyes: "I don't often make some noise, I'm afraid you'll lose your job." ”

The two laughed as if no one was around under everyone's gaze.

Jose Mourinho stood right next to them, expressionless, or rather his trademark straight face, his lips slightly pursed and his brow slightly furrowed. The feeling was that he was not happy to see Don behave so proudly in front of him.

Jorge Mendes, who was beside him, coughed lightly and asked Don to introduce Mourinho.

Upon hearing this cough, the expression on Don's face quickly changed, as if he was adjusting. Put away the smile on Randy's lawyer, straighten his face, and then quickly change to a smile - more enthusiastic and kind, but no matter how you look at it, I feel a little too enthusiastic and too kind.

He turned to Mourinho and held out his hand: "I really didn't expect us to meet on such an occasion, Mr. Jose Mourinho. Anyway, thank you for being here for Pepe. ”

Mourinho didn't mean to stretch out his hand, he continued to say with a blank face, his voice still sounding a little cold. "Don't get me wrong, Mr. Donn. I just hate the FA as much as you do. ”

This kind of answer made everyone present feel a little embarrassed, and they were a little cold for a while. Don En stretched out his hand in the air, and he didn't accept it, and he didn't accept it.

But soon Mourinho had a smile on his face and he shook Donn's hand: "Work together in this way. I didn't expect that either, Mr. Donn. ”

After a momentary cold vacuum, the atmosphere returned to normal. Mendes was having a pleasant conversation with Evan Dogetty, the president of the Forest Club, and Evan introduced Jack Randy to Mendes, a lawyer who was sometimes a bit old-fashioned and stubborn, but whose level of work was not to be said. If Mendes has any disputes in the UK, he can be approached.

Everyone seems to be consciously or unconsciously moving away from Don and Mourinho, giving them space to talk alone.

It's summer in June, and the plane trees overhead are in full bloom. The dappled sunlight shone under the feet of the two of them, and the breeze was light. The flare jumps.

Mourinho looked around, then turned his gaze to his agent Mendes, not at Don in front of him: "I have a good relationship with Jorge, so I promised to help him with this. ”

Don looked up at the shattered sky above him that was divided by leaves, and nodded, "Of course I do." ”

"But don't be too happy, no one knows if you can get a labor certification or not. I've never heard of a centre-back applying for a 'special talent clause' and it being approved. Mourinho's tone was full of obvious disdain.

Don withdrew his gaze. Looking at Mourinho: "Then I'll be the first one." ”

Mourinho snorted and said nothing.

The hearing on Pepe's labor certification qualifications was held in the FA building, in the same room as the last time Donn visited. It's just that the secretary who received them is no longer the coquettish Faria Alam who has to walk from side to side, but has been replaced by a capable male secretary. And the head of the FA waiting for them in the conference room is no longer Mark Parrios – he and Miss Aram both resigned in the "zip-gate" scandal a year ago, and there is no need to repeat the more disgusting things behind this scandal.

The male secretary who led the way was a little surprised to see Mourinho and Tony Donn appear in front of him at the same time. "I didn't expect Mr. Mourinho and Mr. Don to be here at the same time......"

Without waiting for the two managers to speak, lawyer Jake Randy stood up first: "What, Mr. Jose Mourinho's testimony for Pepe of the Forest team is not in accordance with the regulations?" ”

The secretary, who realized that he had been rude, quickly shook his head: "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just a little surprised...... Please go this way. ”

He turned to lead the way, and behind him Donn and Mourinho shook their heads at the same time: "This damn lawyer! Good luck for you. Secretary kid!

Randy turned around and smiled at the two of them. Mourinho held his head up and looked at the ceiling, while Donn seemed more interested in the pictures in the hallway.

According to the regulations, in the case of a player's labour certification appeal, the judging drawing must be made up of the English FA, UK government officials, members of the Professional Footballers' Association and three experts whose opinions determine whether a player can be granted a labour certification with special treatment.

Obviously, the appearance of Mourinho and Don at the same time also made the members of the jury a little unexpected.

It seems that the world knows that there is a disagreement between Don and Mourinho.

The whole appeal process is very procedural, and the members of the jury have seen Pepe's personal information in advance, including text and image materials, and the jury members from different departments will have different judgments on Pepe's ability. Donne and Mourinho were brought in mainly to deal with their questions.

Mourinho's identity as the "mentor of the current Pepe" proves that Pepe does have outstanding strength and unlimited potential, and his words obviously carry more weight than those materials.

Donn sat to the side and watched as Mourinho stood in the middle of the room, answering question after question in line with his wishes. I think that despite the competitive relationship, Mourinho is still a good person......

When it was Donn's turn to play, the problem was mainly focused on Pepe's position -

"Mr. Donne, it's clear that Pepe is a centre-back......"

Don forced a smile on his face, and actually gritted his teeth and asked, "Yes, is there any problem?" ”

"I'm more interested in using this precious 'special talent' spot for a centre-back, aren't Forest going to bring in a striker this summer? Eastwood's injuries aren't there yet, right? ”

Don looked at the other members of the jury and asked, "Excuse me, is this a question that must be answered in accordance with the procedure?" ”

Someone on the jury stood up: "Don't get me wrong, Mr. Donn. Just a little curiosity on the part of a few of us. The man who stood up to say this was one of the three experts, Gary Lineker, who had long since retired and is now a television worker, and he agreed to serve on the jury for this hearing, because it was an appeal from Nottingham Forest, and Tony Towne was bound to come.

Don glanced at Lineker, the question was not his question, but he must have had a share of the idea.

"When people think of genius, the first thing that comes to mind is a striker or a wing-back, a midfielder...... Aren't there any geniuses in defensive players? Donn spat out the words that had been holding in his heart for a long time, "Does anyone think that Leo Ferdinand is not a genius?" Does anyone think George Wood is not a genius? If I can apply for a 'special talent' for an attacking player, why can't I apply for a 'special talent' for a centre-back who really has a lot of potential and is indeed a talent? Pepe's ability is expressed in detail in the information, Mr. Mourinho's statement just now, I believe you have not forgotten, I don't want to prove whether Pepe is a genius or not, I just want to ask: Mr. Lineker, what do you think is a genius? ”

After he said this, the trio of experts of the jury put their heads together and muttered quietly. Except for the voices of the three of them, no one else in the room spoke out to ask Don a question. Don waited quietly.

After about five minutes, the jury grew and the number of members of the jury involved in the three-man discussion was so strong that the FA officials had to stand up and declare that the hearing was over, and that the jury would continue to study and discuss Pepe's issue, and in two days' time, Nottingham Forest would be informed whether Pepe was eligible for a labour certificate.

"That's it?" Coming out of the FA building, Donn shrugged his shoulders and asked Randy's lawyer, "The FA is like that, will it take another two days to wrap up the discussion when everything is clear?" ”

Randy shook his head suspiciously, "No, this is the first time I've ever seen it." Perhaps, Mr. Donne, your players have caused a discord within them. ”

"That is to say...... On the question of whether Pepe can get a labor certification, we are in the same situation now as we were a day ago. Don asked again.

Randy nodded, but before he could speak, Mourinho next to him smiled and grabbed the conversation: "Mr. Donne, this first one is not easy to do." I'm sorry, there's something at the club, sorry I had to go first. ”

After speaking, without waiting for Don En to react, he bowed slightly to the others and left first, without even shaking hands with Don En. It didn't look like the two had played a game together with the FA, but rather like they had just finished another match.

Mendez smiled at Don and shrugged.

Don thinks he's unlucky......

Mourinho was so resolute that he didn't have a chance to fight back.

It seems that revenge will only have to wait until the new season begins.