Thanks for the reward of "Death of the Thief"! ——

In a semi-warm-up game of the Community Shield, neither the Red Devils nor the Lions had to go into limb action and take the game seriously, but Keane's tackles did go overboard.

In a game that was supposed to be a game without a yellow card, the referee showed Keane a red card before Keane was stretchered off the pitch when Keane tackled Frank Lampard and injured himself.

Ferguson's face was pale, and he made successive substitutions, replacing all the main players off the field, and no longer had expectations for this game.

Aldridge also continued to use two more substitutions, bringing on Materazzi and Rio Ferdinand to replace Gareth Southgate and Frank Lampard, with Elgra playing as a free agent to see what the effect would be.

When Manchester United started to shrink with one man less, Millwall's positional attack was less ferocious and aggressive.

And the two wing rookies did not perform as chic as the counterattack when the space was compressed by the defense.

Duff was kicking the ball with one foot, and his right-footed skill was so devastating that he couldn't seem to stop the ball with his right foot during a run.

Van der Meyde dribbled the ball and brought it and brought it with him, and he barely got up after there were pursuers in the middle of the road

Aldridge looked straight at the dugout and scratched his head.

Although the two have entered the first team in the new season, it will take a longer time to integrate into the team, not only the playing habits and awareness need to be improved, but also their personal skills need to be honed.

Van der Meyde sticks the ball, Duff's right foot is useless.

In the final minutes of the game, the Lions fans were thrilled to be getting their first Community Shield. They missed it last year. Lost to Manchester United. They couldn't be more excited to win the cup this year.

But seeing the performance of Duff and Van der Meyde in the last moments, fans have a delusion: this is just like them in the previous counterattack.

A team of Manchester United's level, even if they are on the bench and are determined to defend, is really not something that a fledgling young man can just go wild.

Anyway, at the end of the game. The Millwall players are delighted to have won another trophy.

The Community Shield is a continuation of last season's competition, so it can be included in Millwall's 96/97 awards.

Fans pulled out banners in the stands with four trophies painted on them, big book: Quadruple Champions.

Aldridge walked over to shake Ferguson's hand and then spoke to reporters on the sidelines.

Speaking of this game, Aldridge made some formulaic remarks, after all, it is a warm-up nature, you don't have to be domineering if you win, and you can't make a big fuss if you lose, and there is nothing unwilling when he lost this game last year.

After the award ceremony. The players didn't celebrate with a bang, with captain Gareth Southgate taking the lead and quickly leaving Wembley Stadium. They went home to get a good rest and prepare for the Premier League opener in a few days.

On August 7, after lunch, Aldridge arrived at the club early, and the staff brought him a family photo taken before the season, which he put in a beautiful frame, and then walked into his office.

His office is simply laid out, with a desk with floor-to-ceiling windows, a sofa and coffee table in between, and a bookshelf against the wall with books on football and non-football, which he sometimes picks up to read when he is changing his mind or relaxing.

On the other wall, there are three picture frames hanging on the wall.

The photos in the frame are family photos of the team before the 94/95, 95/96, and 96/97 seasons.

The trophies he has won are on display in the club's Hall of Fame and some of his individual awards are in his own home.

Coming to the wall with a family photo frame inlaid with the new season, Aldrich was suddenly stunned.

His eyes twirled back and forth in front of the three photographs.

After some time, there was a knock on the door, the office door was open, and Evan was standing by the door, already watching Aldrich for a minute.

Aldridge came back to his senses, and Evan walked up to him, looked up at the photo on the wall, and said lightly, "If you feel sad when you see it, put it away." I think it's better to have a picture of the team winning the championship here, at least so that people can see it and feel happy. ”

Aldrich lowered his head and smiled bitterly, "What's the difference?" Aren't there any people leaving in those photos? ”

Evan shrugged helplessly, she has always been a die-hard Millwall fan, her most loyal supporter.

Sometimes I feel bad when I think about the players who have left.

I used to support and love them so much, but they couldn't stick here.

Taking out a makeshift toolbox from the bottom drawer of his desk, Aldrich nailed it to the wall and hung the frame.

Season 4 is about to begin.

He was content to admire the four photographs, and while the new ones had old people who were not there, there were also many faces that had remained here.

From these photos, you can see the traces left by the years on them.

The players are growing and the team is getting stronger as they grow.

"I'm looking for you to have something to talk about."

Evan sat down on the couch and poured himself a glass of water and took two sips.

Aldrich rubbed his butt on his desk and said, "Then say, do you need me to close the door?" ”

After thinking for a while, Evan said: "No, I'm in charge of the club's promotion, in view of the club's recruitment policy and long-term team building philosophy, since we can't create a sensation in the transfer market, then we need to have the ability to launch world-class superstars, you don't deny this?" ”

Aldrich nodded without hesitation.

It's not that Millwall has the money to smash superstars, but it's impossible for superstars to come here, unless it's the kind of superstars in the twilight, who only have halos, and whose abilities have not reached the level of superstars.

"Therefore, in terms of publicity, although the purpose of the club is not to highlight the individual, to avoid the situation that the players are arrogant and arrogant to override their teammates, but in order to enhance the influence and popularity of the club. Then we have to go all out to build a player in terms of publicity. ”

Ivan's words made Aldrich a little confused. He frowned and asked, "Can you elaborate on that?" ”

Evan said patiently: "The team won so many trophies last season. Who is the hero? ”

Aldridge said of course: "The whole team has credit, regardless of whether it is the main force or the substitute, although there are big and small contributions, but no one can do it without it." ”

Evan continued: "Who is the best player? ”

"That's the main players, they play a lot and play a lot of key games, so naturally they are the most dazzling."

"So here comes the problem, in front of the public. There are many people who like Larsson, there are also many people who like Nedved, Trezeguet, Shevchenko, Pirlo, Schneider, etc., there is a voice from the outside world that Millwall does not have top stars, but these first-line stars are cohesed together to make Millwall a top team. ”

This statement is flawed. But on the whole, it's not outrageous. ”

"But if we want to make the club more influential, we have to have more well-known players. So I think in publicity. We can have a policy of one superstar a year! ”

A superstar a year?

Aldrich looked at the ceiling with a strange look in his eyes.

This policy is very familiar.

But he knows that this must be a different thing from Real Madrid's superstar policy.

Ewen explained her proposal in detail.

"If the standard of superstar is not only team honors, then there is the Ballon d'Or and the World Footballer of the Year as the standard, although this is not a hard indicator, but most of the players who have won the Ballon d'Or or the World Footballer of the Year are recognized superstars. Millwall's players may not be able to win the award, but at least they have to be at the top of the competition, and even if they finish second or third, it's better than not being in the top three. ”

Aldrich nodded in agreement.

What is a superstar?

In fact, it is not based on awards, but on influence.

George Best was a superstar back then, because this guy not only had a big fan base in the green field, but also crossed over to make an impact in different fields, such as leading fashion, which made him a superstar.

There are many people who play the ball well, and there are many people who are considered top players, but there are not many who can reach the height of superstars in terms of influence.

Of course, just like the word genius is overflowing, in the future, with the commercialization of football and the globalization of communication, the word superstar will also be used badly, and stars with a little bit of achievement will dare to be touted as superstars, which is pure nonsense.

In the next 20 years, among the superstars of international football, the most successful is Xiaobei.

In terms of football skills alone, he has a skill, but he does not belong to the role of the soul of the team, but combined with the cross-border influence of commercialization, Xiaobei is a well-deserved superstar, ask a hundred people who don't watch football: Do you know who Beckham is?

Many people who don't watch football know about Beckham, but only a few people know about Zidane, Figo and other superstars who are far more talented on the pitch than Beckham.

"The kind of publicity you are talking about is very complicated, let's put it this way, some players don't want to be in the spotlight, they don't like to put on a show, they don't want their privacy to be exposed too much, and that's what leads to a decrease in their appearance rate."

"I know, I know, I don't mean to force a player to change something, in that case, you wouldn't agree, my idea is that we focus on building a player every year in terms of publicity, so that he can get as much higher evaluation as possible in the personal honor selection. Millwall last season was so good, but did you ever think how many players we would have made it to the Ballon d'Or? ”

Evan's words sent Aldrich deep in thought.

"At least three people, the defensive players are not taken seriously, even if they are shortlisted, it is balanced, and in the final selection, not many judges will vote for the defensive players. Andrea Pirlo is too young, and his performance on the pitch will be praised by the most professional critics, but he will not attract much attention in the eyeball evaluation. Nedved, Larsson, Trezeguet, Shevchenko, among the four, alas, I am still too optimistic, I guess two of them would be good. Larson and Nedved. ”

Aldrich sighed.

Evan continued: "Assuming Larson and Nedved are shortlisted together, who do you think has the better chance of winning? ”

Aldrich didn't want to answer this question because it made him feel bad.

"Larson."

"But there will also be a lot of judges who appreciate Nedved's performance and vote for him."

"Uh, I see what you mean."

Aldridge stroked his head, and he remembered the scene in the future Golden Globe awards.

The Spanish national team, which has won the tournament three times in four years, and the champion division with the Barcelona system as the core, does not even have a Mr. Golden Ball.

And Barcelona, with Xavi and Iniesta as the core, swept Europe in those years, coupled with the unprecedented glory of the national team, why is there no Mr. Golden Ball?

Are the judges blind?

Not exactly

First of all, it cannot be denied that Messi has gone against the sky in those years, and there are not a few judges who like Messi.

However, Xavi and Iniesta, who have proven themselves both at club and in the national team, have been very impressive, in a way, because they have a group of judges who like each other, and then the two split the votes from each other.

This is a difficult question to choose, appreciate Xavi's judges' choice Xavi, appreciate Iniesta's selection of Iniesta, both of them have the same honor for both the club and the national team, and in the dream of three Barcelona, the two are indispensable, and the judges choose everyone with confidence, but the Spanish team has such a brilliant team for three crowns in four years, and there is not even a Mr. Golden Ball.

"So what do I say to my players? I can't say to Pavel: Hey, Henrik did a good job last season, he's about to be voted Mr. Ballon d'Or, the club will do their best to build momentum for him, you are wronged, okay? ”

Aldrich figured it out, but he was a little uncomfortable.

But after thinking about it, there are many players in a club who have performed well, which is selected in personal honors, which is originally a kind of internal friction.

"You don't have to say anything, the publicity is done by the club, some of it is done openly, some of it is done privately, there is no need to say hello to the players and disturb their minds," Evan said. ”

"What do you do in private?"

"Publicity, we can communicate privately with some of the media partners, put more goal highlights on the list we produce, contact some TV programs, let them do more talk shows about Larsson's performance, and then find the Gunners to boast more in the newspapers, you don't have to use Millwall's position to promote the players."

Aldridge stared at the smiling Evan with wide eyes, and said in surprise: "So you are a fox!" (To be continued......)