After a night of tossing and turning, Donn pondered the question - should he stay at Nottingham Forest?

What are the pros and cons of staying and not staying, what kind of impact will it have on his future, what impact will it have on his life circle, and will going to an unfamiliar city to start over again guarantee success...... These questions swirled in his mind, leaving him feeling distraught. His brain seemed to be an old computer, dealing with these tedious problems by always stopping to respond for a while after a creaking sound.

When the next morning came, Don still didn't have a clear answer in his mind, he hated to make detailed plans for the future, and he was not good at predicting his fate. The opportunity to do this multiple-choice question has been avoided as much as he could for the past twenty-six years, and now it is finally unavoidable.

Yesterday he impulsively almost uttered the phrase "I decided to leave the forest" in front of Evan, as the saying goes: there is no place to stay here, there is a place to stay. But after one night, when the initial anger of feeling abandoned gradually subsided, Don hesitated.

It would be nice if someone could give you some advice from an objective point of view, or even if you don't give any advice, just listen to your own troubles...... Donn got out of bed, intending to start the day, though he didn't know what else to look forward to.

He had just finished washing up in the bathroom when he heard his cell phone ringing in his bedroom.

Could it be that another club has taken a fancy to him and wants to ask him to coach the team? Confused, Don ran back to his bedroom and answered the strange call.

A female voice rang out: "Tony. Mr. Donne? ”

"Ah, it's me, I'm Donn. Pls are you ......"

"Sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Barbara. Clough, Brian. Clough's wife. ”

"Oh!" Don immediately changed his tone, and even unconsciously straightened up, "Mrs. Clough." Do you have anything to do with me? ”

"Don't be so nervous, kid." Mrs. Clough on the other end of the line laughed, "Do you have something to do today?" ”

Without hesitation, Don shook his head and said, "It's okay, ma'am." I have a very idle day. ”

"Great. Brian wants you to accompany him to the Coaching Association's drinking party. ”

Although they didn't understand why the old man suddenly wanted to take him to a drinking party, they hadn't had any kind of contact since that visit to Clough. But Don was deeply impressed by the experience of that day, and he knew that the old man could not do anything without a reason.

Don nodded his head quickly, "It's my pleasure, ma'am." Need me to pick up Mr. Clough from your house? ”

"Oh no, no. Nigel will pick you up by car, kid. You just have to wait at home and they know where you live. I think they're almost there. ”

No sooner had Mrs. Clough finished speaking than Don heard the horn of a car outside. He opened the curtain in his bedroom and found a white Ford sedan parked on the side of the road below.

※※※ "Oh God! Who's in the car? ”

"It's Brian. Croft! How long has it been since we've seen him? ”

"Hey, Clough, how are you doing?"

"I heard you've just recovered from a liver transplant, may I ask you...... Can you open the car window for a short interview? ”

The reporters who had been guarding his neighborhood became excited when they saw the car appear, and the frequent flashing lights surrounded the white Ford sedan.

Don saw this in the second-floor bedroom, and he didn't need Mrs. Clough to say anything more, he knew who was sitting in the car.

"Yes, ma'am, here they are."

"Well, go ahead, kid. Have fun. ”

"Thank you, ma'am, and have a nice day."

Don hung up the phone, put on his coat and ran down. To be invited to a drinking party by this legendary person, if you don't like it in your heart, you are lying. Don admits that at this time, he is like a happy child who has been taken to the playground by his parents for his good grades in exams. As for the future choice, he has already left it behind.

Opening the door, Don calmed his excitement a little, and strode towards the car.

When the reporters saw that Don was also out, they immediately pointed the camera at him again, and some people planned to ask him questions. But Donn didn't give them that chance, he quickly got into the car and closed the door tightly.

The old man sitting next to him stretched out his hand and said to him: "I am glad to see that the neighborhood of your house will soon become a second Fleet Street. "Fleet Street is synonymous with the British media, because the side street in the centre of London used to house all the newspaper groups and television stations in the UK, but now with the relocation of many media outlets, the street is no longer the street.

A middle-aged man sitting in the front driver's seat laughed. Don couldn't see what the other man looked like, but he knew that it was Clough's son, Nigel. Croft.

Donn was a little embarrassed, he stretched out his hand and shook Clough, and then Nigel in front also turned around and shook hands with him with a smile: "Nigel. Clough, nice to meet you. ”

The reporter outside the car frantically pressed the camera shutter and recorded the three men together. Even though none of them knew why Clough was here with Tony. Don meets, but there's always something to be used for this photo.

Seeing the crowd outside so welcoming, Brian. Clough took Donn's hand again, then motioned for him to smile at the window. Donn didn't understand why, but he did. This really irritated the media again, and the flashing Don was a little dizzy, but when he tried to furrow his brow again, the old man said to him, "Smile, child." ”

They shook hands like this and let the reporter pat for a full minute with a smile on their faces. Then Don looked at Clough suspiciously.

The old man pouted: "In my time, the media was like that. You have to learn to take advantage of them. Then he tapped on the back of the driver's seat, "Let's go, Nigel." ”

The reporters made way for the car, and it was clear that they were interested in Brian Brown, who was sitting inside. Clough was still quite intimidating. Donn watched the reporters in the car with their cameras in hand, chewing on the last words Clough had said to him.

The name League 'Managers' Association (LMA) was unfamiliar to Donn, as if they were a new club that had suddenly sprung up from some dark corner. But in reality, it is an influential body in English football, founded in the nineties of the twentieth century, and is the only official representative body of professional football coaches in England.

The Association is divided into two different bodies - a governing body and a non-governing body, which differ only in whether or not they are responsible for specific management matters. And Brian. Clough is the vice president of the non-governing body, along with Bobby. Sir Robson (Sir 'Bobby'Robson) and the president of the non-management structure is Kevin Bush, who is younger than them. Kevin'keegan. The president of the governing body responsible for specific management is Howard. Wilkinson, executive chairman is John W. Wilkinson. Barnwell. David. Bassett, Alex. Sir Alex Ferguson, David. Pratt is a member of the committee.

The members of the Coach Association are mainly head coaches and assistant coaches of ninety-two professional clubs, as well as coaches who have been laid off for less than a year. Judging from this condition, Don can be regarded as a member of the Coaching Association.

This reception is not simply a gathering for drinks and chats - although the actual content is similar to this one, there is still a reason to gather everyone: first, to congratulate Alex. Sir Alex Ferguson has just been named Premier League Manager of the Decade; The second is to congratulate Everton manager David Moyes on being selected as the best coach in England for the 2002-2003 season by the Coaching Association.

Nigel took his father and Don to Sheffield, said he would come to pick them up at 2 p.m., and drove away. Don was a little surprised by this.

"Mr. Nigel not going with us?" On the way here, Donn heard that Nigel was also a head coach, but part-time, and that he was also a player on the team he coached. In the 01-02 season, he led Burton 'Albion to win the Southern Regional League.

Clough shook his head: "He's just a part-time manager for an amateur team, so there's no other place for this kind of party." And he's got his own things to keep busy. Let's go. ”

The reception was held in the second-floor bar of a small hotel, and Don had just stepped through the door with Clough when his eyes were glazed...... He saw countless people who had once only been able to look up on the TV screen, walking up and down the venue and talking with wine glasses. Just now, England manager Swede Eriksen walked in front of him and walked towards the most crowded place in the middle of the room.

He followed Eriksen's figure and saw that the England manager's target was Ferguson, who was surrounded by everyone!

These are all big-name coaches!

But Don didn't have a fast heartbeat, a dry mouth, and weak hands and feet. Because the real world-class marshals are standing by his side.

A red-faced old man with silver hair saw Donn and Clough entering the door and greeted them.

"Brian, how's your body? I heard that you had a liver transplant at the beginning of the year. "He spoke loudly and forcefully, and did not match his age at all.

Clough shrugged his shoulders slightly: "I want to ...... God, that old guy doesn't really want me up right now. ”

The silver-haired old man laughed, then turned his gaze to Donne, who was standing beside Clough: "Tony. Mr. Donn, it's a pleasure to meet you. ”

"I'm glad to meet you, too, Bobby. Sir Robson. Donn respectfully stretched out his hand to show his respect for the England coach.

"I heard you've been in trouble lately and need help from the Coaching Association?"

Donn didn't know what Robson was referring to "which trouble." He thought about it for a while, and decided not to play dumb riddles with the old handsome, and he didn't know how to pretend to understand. So he asked, "I'm sorry, sir." But which one are you talking about...... Troublesome? ”

Robson laughed again: "I forgot that you have more than one trouble!" ”

A waiter with a wine plate stepped up and stood next to the three of them. Robson fetched himself a glass of red wine, then a glass of whiskey for Clough, and Don himself hesitated and chose the whiskey.

Clough, with the glass in hand, was much more energetic than when he first walked in, and he said to Robson: "I think we should suggest that the association have an award for the unluckiest coach of the year, and then you give him the first trophy yourself." He pointed at Tony with his finger on the glass. Dawn.

This time Don and Robson laughed together. On the first meeting with Clough, Donn had learned the old Englishman's humorous conversation, and he was glad that he was now the object of his humor. Why? Because it shows that Clough sees him as his own.

After laughing, Robson said to Donn, "Stan. Collymore is a good player, but not a good coach. I also don't understand why the new president of the Forest team would choose him. ”

"Quite simply, because the son of that old fellow in Dogetty is American." Clough shrugged and said disdainfully. "Bobby, do you expect those Yankees to understand our movement?"

Although the topics they are talking about now are all related to themselves, Donn seems to be an audience, and he is a little unable to interject in the conversation between the two football bigwigs. He stood beside Clough like a servant of the head - if Clough were to take off his suit jacket, he would let Don hold it for him.

He didn't hate getting clothes for the old man or doing anything else. But he resented the feeling of being invisibly excluded. So he decided to give his opinion, after all, they were talking about their own business, weren't they?

"Well, thank you Sir Robson for your concern. But I thought maybe it was time for me to change places. Don said with a pretended lightheartedness.

Clough didn't take Donn's words, he put the wine glass to his lips, but his eyes were distracted by the most people in front of him, and no one knew what he was thinking. Unbeknownst to Don, there was a brief and awkward silence between the three of them.

(To be continued)