"Boss, I think I do it!"
The m, wheia arrived at the trainier, the first thing he did was head straight to Gao Shen's office. Standing in front of him with determination, he gave his final answer after a night of deep thought.
He wao try.
Gao Shen leased. After encing him, he told Benatia to prepare for training.
Once Benatia left, Gao Shen remained seated, a satisfied smile on his face.
He knew he hadn't misjudged the pyer.
Before stepping into the football world professionally, Gao Shen had always felt that pyers who came up through leagues like the Eredivisie or the Puese Primeira Liga were often ued.
But that perception was far from accurate.
Fans, who typically focus on the results of the big four leagues, tend to dismiss pyers outside of them. It creates an illusion that anyone who hasn't made it to these leagues isn't good enough. However, iy, even excelling in leagues like the Eredivisie, Primeira Liga, or smaller leagues such as those in Switzernd or Austria, is already araordinary achievement.
To rise through the yers of petition aually stand out in the big four leagues, pying among the starting eleven in matches broadcast globally requires much more than talent.
It takes strength, luck, opportunity, and an indomitable will.
For pyers who reach the pinnacle of football, particurly in the big leagues, their sheer willpower is often what separates them from the rest.
Take Ronaldo, for instance. Fans have criticized him for being undisciplined, for letting himself go, and for wasting his talent. But few ever pause to sider the unimaginable physical pain he endured or the mental challenges he faced.
It's because he is Ronaldo that people criticize him. If it were anyone else, they would've been sidelined long ago, not even worthy of criticism.
And then there's Ronaldinho, who joined A this season.
Yes, he squandered some of his talent and cked disciplier in his career, but people often fet how hard he worked before he became a household name.
From the very start, Gao Shen had been vihat for someone like Benatia. who came back from a torn knee ligament, endured a year off the pitch, and still performed well in Serie A—it wasn't just about skill. It was about his mental strength and unyielding spirit.
And now, it was clear Gao Shen's intuition hadn't let him down.
---
"I don't quite uand."
After Benatia left, Zidaanding nearby, spoke up with a curious look.
"Go ahead," Gao Shen replied with a faint smile.
He ehese moments, expining things to Zidane. After all, this was the man who would one day bee the legendary coach of Real Madrid.
In fact, Gao Shen sometimes amused himself with the thought of writing an autobiography after retirement. He'd describe moments like this: "Ba the day, when Zidane was just starting out, he asked me this…"
He could already imagihe sense of pride it would bring.
"I thiia already had the answer yesterday," Zidane said thoughtfully. "So why did you make him go bad think about it instead of letting him decide right then?"
Gao Shen nodded.
Last night, wheia first came to him, he had been visibly inspired and ready to give his answer. But Gao Shen told him to sleep on it. It may have been only one night, but the impact was signifit.
"It's not just about his promise or whether he does well," Gao Shen expined. "I wanted him to think it through and give me a definitive answer after refleg on it."
He paused for a moment before tinuing.
"Young pyers get swept up iement and impulsively make decisions. But when the initial rush fades, they often find themselves fused or eveting their choice. That's not what I want."
"I want them to carefully sider the decision and then it to it wholeheartedly. That way, it's not just a spur-of-the-moment thing. When they decide after serious thought, they usually gain crity about their dire and are less likely to lose their way."
Gao Shen smiled knowingly at Zidane. "And you'll see over the few days, he'll push himself harder than anyone else."
Zidane seemed thoughtful but still a bit puzzled, as if trying to grasp the deeper meaning.
"Let's go," Gao Shen said, standing up. "We o focus on preparing for our tactical training against Inter Min."
---
In the following training sessions, Benatia indeed pushed himself harder.
Gao Shen specifically paired him with avaro iargeted tactical drills.
The tyed together before in warm-up matches, but their chemistry still needed wao Shen assigned Benatia the role of the aggressor taking charge of tackles and challenges while avaro focused on deying and assisting. Their roles demanded precise coordination and trust.
Fortunately, Benatia had picked up Italian quickly, so unication on the field was smooth. Both he and avaro began to develop a better uanding of each other.
Meanwhile, Gao Shen and his coag staff made it a priority to nurture their partnership and improve their unication during the drills.
But Gao Shen also paid attention to the psychological aspect of the team.
For example, avaro, who had beeeam's first-choice ter-back, had seen his status drop after Bonucd David Luiz emerged st season. Now, with Benatia joining, avaro's position as the third-choice defender was uhreat.
Gao Shen had a versation with avaro about this, and it was clear the Italian defender felt frustrated.
avaro wasn't oblivious to the situation. Having pyed many games, he could see Benatia's potential and knew where he stood pared to his teammates. However, Gao Shen alsnized avaro's determination and stroality.
Pyers like avaro those whose abilities might not match the rapid growth of the team but who possess strong willpower were the ones Gao Shen believed in iing in.
He enced avaro to step out of his fort zone and adapt, fog on improving his game and embrag new responsibilities.
For instance, Gao Shen asked him to mentor Benatia, sharing his "experience" of pying in Serie A. This ment role wasn't just for Benatia's be, it was also a way for avaro to grow and evolve.
In Gao Shen's eyes, many anizations fail whereat veteran members with excessive privilege, creating a divide between old ahis sort of internal split leads to dysfun, both in panies and in locker rooms.
Gao Shen's philosophy was simple: equal treatment for everyone.
If you want to py, prove yourself. Show that you deserve it.
"Paul," Gao Shen said, pg a hand on avaro's shoulder. "Against Inter Min, the bae will rely on you."
avaro, at 27, wasn't a young pyer anymore, but Gao Shen's words clearly moved him. He nodded firmly.
"Don't worry. I won't let you down."
Gao Shen gave him an encing nod, exuding trust and fidence.
To an outsider, the se might've looked like an older coach guiding a younger pyer.
But iy, Gao Shen and avaro were only a year apart in age.
---
After three days of preparation, Naples was ready to head north to Min.
Before departure, Gao Shen attehe pre-match press ferend annouhe squad.
When speaking to the media, he aowledged that Inter Min remaihe stroeam in Serie A.
"There's no question about it," he said. "I don't see the title of defending champions as giving us any advantage. Last season is in the past. This season, everyoarts from scratch."
"Frankly, being champions puts more pressure on us. We o perform eveer because that title won't make our oppos weaker."
Gao She on to praise Mourinho.
"Jose is an excellent coach. I've followed his work for a long time and learned a lot from him. He's someone I respect deeply. And trary to what some say, I don't think his style is overly servative. He's delivered some brilliant attag football."
This season, Gao Shen believed Inter Min had addressed their weaknesses and posed a signifit challenge.
"With their squad and a coach like Mourinho, Inter are not just title tenders in Serie A, they're a real threat in the Champions League as well."
When asked about his fidence, Gao Shen stated he timistic about his team's ces but avoided any overfidence, mindful not to fuel troversy.
Still, the media couldn't help but wonder: Was Gao Shen holding back?
Had the notorious "Little Troll" gone soft now that he against Mourinho, the "Master Troll"?
