Godfather Of Champions

A week after the Champions League final, the television stations, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, Internet… all the major media outlets were talking about Ferguson’s retirement. It was indeed the most sensational thing to happen the football world in recent time. Although Ferguson had already announced his retirement in advance, when the day finally arrived, people still felt unwilling to let go.

Even Wenger, his archrival for years, sent well wishes to Ferguson’s retirement. He said, “He has created an era. This is probably the only time I’ve praised him. He’s done really well in his twenty-five years at Manchester United. The league championship title? You know, life always needs to have such a regret for it to be beautiful, isn’t it?” Wenger laughed slyly.

Even Klinsmann, who was defeated by Ferguson in the Champions League final, did not have any bad comments because Manchester United snatched away his title, “He is a role model for me to learn from and a target to catch up to. I’m happy that he could win another UEFA Champions League title before he retired. Manchester United performed better and they deserve the title.”

In a television interview, Ferguson again spoke of the concerns of his successor.

“There are many great coaches in the world and I’m sure the board will pick the most suitable manager for Manchester United. Take note that I said, ‘the most suitable’ instead of ‘the best.’ I won’t comment on how the club handles the personnel work anymore. Now I just want to go home and enjoy a relaxing time with my wife. You know… for the first time in so many years, I don’t have to think about tomorrow’s training plan and the weekend’s lineup schedule. It’s actually a very pleasant thing.”

He did not name a specific candidate and apparently did not want to cause trouble for the club’s selection process. Because if he had to state it, it would be “Tony Twain” but Tony Twain was certain that he would not come to Manchester United. It was not a good idea to say things that would cause embarrassment to everyone. He called Twain in private and sighed with some regret after he confirmed once again that Twain had no desire to join Old Trafford.

Just when Twain was tired of the media’s extensive coverage of Ferguson, he finally heard a different news.

After the league tournament ended, the Forest team was dismissed, and the vacation had begun.

Twain also planned to take advantage of this holiday to fly to the United States to spend many wonderful nights with his wife, so as to continue their great “baby making project.”

While Dunn would bring Tang Jing back to his hometown to probably meet his parents this time…

Before leaving, he suddenly gave Twain a call and asked to meet him alone.

Twain thought it was strange. If Dunn had something to discuss with him, he could talk about it over the phone if they were not together. Even if it was a major matter, there was no need to specially arrange for a face-to-face meeting alone.

Feeling odd, Twain still made it to the appointment. He even remembered to joke on the phone, “Are we going on a date?”

The place that Dunn set could not really be connected with “a date” mentioned by Twain. It was right at the Wilford training base.

When Twain drove there, the exceptionally busy training base gate which was always crowded with a lot of reporters and people coming and going, was so quiet that the distant sound of birds in the woods could be heard at this time.

The guards were surprised when the manager suddenly came. Twain smiled and greeted them before he was allowed through.

Twain parked his car in the parking lot, and saw Dunn waiting at the door of the building when he got out of the car

He raised his hand to say hello, but did not hurry over, but strolled along in parking lot under the sun.

“It’s nice out today. Breezy and sunny.” He spoke of things that only Dunn and himself knew where the punchline was.

But this time Dunn was not amused by Twain. He stood within the shadow of the building, expressionless.

Twain waved at him and said, “It’s so sunny and beautiful today, and yet you’re standing there. Don’t you feel the chilly wind around? If you have something to say, we can talk as we walk. How about taking a lap around the training ground?”

Dunn nodded in agreement.

But before that, they did not talk and just walked along until they accidentally walked to the number three training ground. Twain smiled when he saw the training ground, which was still like a vegetable field. He said, “If Guardiola saw this training ground, I wonder if he would give Barcelona a similar piece in the training base?”

Dunn did not answer, so Twain turned his head and asked, “Do you have something on your mind, Dunn? Is Tang Jing giving you pressure to get married?”

Dunn rolled his eyes and said, “I do have something I want to talk to you about, but I don’t know where to begin.”

“Hey, this is us! We’re sworn brothers from our hometown in Sichuan. If you have something to say, just say it. You don’t have to worry about the wedding gifts.”

Dunn cleared his throat and said, “It has nothing to do with marriage. Tony… Well.” He started to talk and stopped again.

Twain frowned. He rarely saw Dunn overly careful with his words. “Do you have bad news?”

“No… I don’t know.” Dunn shook his head and said, “I… I intend to end my contract with the club early.”

Twain was taken aback. He thought he heard wrong. Was the bird song in the woods so loud that it affected his hearing?

Dunn’s contract with the club as the assistant manager expired in two years. Twain had planned to offer Dunn a new contract after the start of next season, with a longer extension. Maybe it would even be good to sign an eight-year contract like himself.

Seeing Twain looking incredulously at him, Dunn explained, “I’ve been thinking about this issue for a long time. I… Uh…” He wrung his hands, not knowing where to put them. “I don’t want to be an assistant manager anymore.”

“Why?” Twain asked. He did not want to make any comments now. He wanted to hear Dunn’s explanation.

“Tony. You probably don’t know… Initially, we… Before that, I really did not think about wanting to be a manager. Then you found me, and I thought it was okay if I could be an assistant manager. But after following you all these years, I suddenly feel… I feel like I’d like to try and be a manager.”

Twain looked at him and said, “Go on.”

“Well…” Dunn mulled over it for a bit and thought about where to start. He rarely said so much in one breath, but this time it had to do with his future life choices, so he had to say more.

“Honestly, Tony. During the time when you left the team due to the heart attack, I was the acting manager. When you were banned, it was also me… But this is your team, not mine. What I want to do is not to be the ‘acting’ manager. I want to be a real manager, but I don’t have a chance at Nottingham Forest.”

“I’m not complaining about anything, Tony. But Nottingham Forest is now your Nottingham Forest team, deeply marked by you. I can’t change that mark, so I struggled a lot to be the acting manager. You know what? Tony? Sometimes when I have to instruct the players, I have to borrow your identity to be effective.”

Twain only raised his eyebrows and did not say anything.

“I said to them—Tony thinks…so on and so forth. Tony says so and so. Then they’ll listen. The king’s name is no exaggeration. You’re really powerful, Tony.”

“Is this a compliment to me?” Twain did not laugh. “Simply put, you want to be a manager, but at Nottingham Forest, you can only be an assistant manager. That’s right, isn’t it?”

Dunn nodded.

Twain fell silent for a moment and then said, “It looks like I really… did not consider your feelings. I only thought about how you can help me a lot by keeping you by my side as an assistant manager… I should probably say to you generously at this time, ‘Go on. Go pursue your life ideals?’ But I still don’t want you to go. I’m a selfish person. I can’t help it. If you leave, it will be hard for me in my job.”

Dunn shook his head and said, “You are giving yourself an excuse to be lazy.”

“Okay. I’m trying to be lazy.” Twain nodded and admitted Dunn’s “allegations.” He said, “But regardless of the reason, don’t you think we’re golden partners? We’re invincible when we’re together! I want you to stay, Dunn.”

When Twain asked Dunn to do something in the past, he would always agree, whether he was willing or not. But this time, Twain’s move did not work. It looked like Dunn had made up his mind. He said, “It’s no use, Tony. I thought about it for a long time and felt I should leave the Forest team to try to a different path.”

“Perhaps is there a club inviting you?”

Dunn did not deny. He nodded in reply, “There is a club.”

“Ha!” Twain gave a dry laugh.

“An EFL League Two team.”

Twain really laughed this time. He seemed to have heard a funny joke. Dunn did not stop him and watched quietly next to him as Twain crouched on the ground and laughed.

“Ha… Let’s be honest, Dunn. Do you really think that leaving Nottingham Forest for such a team would do you any good for your future? EFL League Two, huh? A fourth-tier team is equivalent to the previous the Football League Third Division! Do you really want to go?”

Dunn said very seriously, “I really want to go.”

“Are you sure?” Squatting on the ground, Twain did not laugh, and just looked at him from the corner of his eyes.”

“I’m sure.”

“Is that good for you?” Twain stood up and asked angrily. He really could not understand Dunn’s choice, so he would rather think that it was Dunn’s excuse to deliberately get away from him.

“I don’t know. Tony. I don’t know if it’s good for me. But I want to try… Maybe I’m still terrible that I can’t even lead a League Two team well and be fired in the end. Who knows?” He spoke calmly about the terrible future. “But the idea has going around my mind every day. I just want to try… Even if I don’t succeed, at least I have tried.”

“Go and try to lead a team with your mark on it?”

“Yes. I envy you, Tony. I hope one day I can achieve accomplishments like you.”

Twain did not express any joy at Dunn’s praise. He still had a straight face and was in a very bad mood.

“I decided to start from scratch. I’m confident I’ve learned a lot from you which should help me. But I don’t have to be the type of manager like you are. I’m still not good at fight a war of words with people.”

“That kind of team… No name or no profit…” Twain still wanted to persuade Dunn to give up the illusional idea.

“I don’t care much about fame and profit, Tony. I just want to see if I have the ability to be a manager.”

Twain was still frowning and looked unhappy.

Dunn sighed when he saw him looking this, “Do you still remember Chen Jian, Tony?”

Twain stared blankly for a moment. He did not react to why Dunn would suddenly mention the Chinese kid. “I remember. What about him? He’s still training in the youth team and reserves. I haven’t gone to see him in a long time…”

“Do you still recall what you spoke to him about on the phone at the time and asked him to come to England to play? Do you still remember how excited you were after the phone call with him? Do you remember when you decided to train him using Wood’s training program and how you answer my question?”

Twain was rendered speechless by Dunn’s three consecutive questions.

“You ask me if I have any dreams. You ask me if I have the impulse to do certain things. You also told me, ‘Men will definitely have one thing in life that makes them want to complete it no matter what.’ Thank you, Tony. Now I have a dream and the urge to complete something, I’ve the one thing in my life that I want to finish no matter what.”

Twain was checkmated by Dunn using his own words spoken previously. He completely lost his anger.

He looked at Dunn for a long time, and then gave a smile, “You’re getting more and more slick with your words.”

Dunn felt relieved when he saw him smile, “Really?”

“If you really determined to leave, I can’t stop you. After all, you’re not my personal belongings. I have no right to interfere in your life. The kind of road you have to take, and how you will end up, have nothing to do with me.” Twain waved his hands in defeat. He was really tough, but he was not unreasonable.

When Dunn heard him say this, he suddenly smiled, “Your words are really callous.”

“You hurt me. Of course, I’m going to be a little heartless.” Twain glared at him and said, “But … I said if, if. If you really can’t make it, then come back. The door at Wilford is always open to you.”

“Like Queiroz?”

Twain chuckled, “I think it’s incorrect that one should not go back to one’s past experiences. If you want to come back, give me a call. I’ll free up the assistant manager’s position for you.”

Dunn did not say anything. He felt more relaxed after he told Twain what he thought. From now on, he could pursue his own ideal. Although it was a bit cruel to Twain, after all, they worked alongside each other all the time and had a tacit understanding in the work, Twain would be caught unprepared with his sudden departure. But in fact, if he had not considered to minimize the impact, he might have left the season when Twain returned. The Forest team was on track this season, with a new group of young players such as Mitchell revealing outstanding talent which made him think that it was time. He could leave with confidence.

“Tony. Since I’m leaving, there’s something I want to say to you… In fact, my departure is a good thing for you.”

“How is that a good thing? I will be short a right-hand man.”

“You had always used the excuse that you’re not familiar with training for the team to let me arrange everything. But you’ve been in the team for eight years now. You should have observed enough to learn to do it, shouldn’t you? But I’m always here, so you leave everything to me. Now that I’m leaving and you can’t find anyone, you’ll have to do it yourself. I think it will further raise your level. Don’t underestimate yourself, Tony. You have the potential that you have not developed. It’s a waste and it’s a shame to waste it.”

Twain continued to laugh, “Are these words of a man on his deathbed coming from the heart?”

Dunn did not continue to get tangled with Twain on the subject. He believed that Twain had listened. “I have made everything clear to you, so I have nothing else to say.” He was going to say goodbye.

“Oh right, can you tell me which team asked you to be the manager?”

Dunn was unable to suppress a tiny smile on his face when he heard Twain asked.

Twain was even more curious and asked, “Which one?” If you need help at that time, I can loan you the Forest youth team players. You can pick the players you want. I won’t charge you the fees for the loan …”

Dunn could not bear it any longer and laughed, “Notts County.”

Twain’s eyes widened and stopped mid-sentence. His mouth was agape as if he saw an alien.

“I did not hear wrongly, did I?”

“I thought you’d be happy that I don’t have to move out of Nottingham.”

“What? How can I be happy?” Twain felt that he’d been fooled. “Nottingham Forest’s arch enemy! I take back every word I said before! Want to loan my players from me? No way! Keep dreaming! The next time we meet, we will fight for real!”

“Ha! Are you finally interested in the city’s derby?” Dunn laughed happily.

Twain gritted his teeth and stared at him, “Are you still laughing? You did this on purpose, didn’t you? Of all the teams to pick from, you pick Notts County!”

Dunn spread his hands and said, “The other teams are not keen on me. Only they came to me. They don’t think there’s anything wrong with me as the assistant manager of the Forest team. I certainly will not turn them down just because they’re from Notts County.”

“You really… You really will do whatever it takes in order to be a manager, won’t you?” Twain felt helpless.

“The conditions they offered are also very attractive. Although the team is not in good shape recently, they promised that I make all the decisions in the team and also gave me control of the youth camp. I can build my team from the ground up and according to my own philosophy. This is the best condition.”

Twain nodded forcefully, “Very well! I wish you all the best to lead the team to move up three levels and appear in the Premier League. That way, I will have two chances to crush you bastard face to face every season!”

“I’m looking forward to that day.” Dunn replied with a smile.

Even though he scolded him, Twain still reached his hand out and said, “If you find that you can’t make it in Notts County and want to come back, I’ll still welcome you. You don’t have to worry about the pressure from the fans. I’m sure my words still carry some weight.”

Dunn also put his hand out and said, “Thank you, Tony.”

Two days later, the media report thanked him for all his contributions to the team and wished him all the best elsewhere.

Three days later, the Notts County officials announced the official signing of the former Nottingham Forest assistant manager, Dunn for a four-year contract as the team’s new manager.

However, both pieces of news were drowned out in the flood of news about “Ferguson”, and did not even make a tiny splash.

The Nottingham Forest and Notts County fans had taken note of the two pieces of news. They were divided on the issue. Some people understood and some people rebuked. But in any case, they could not interfere with the path that Dunn wanted to take.

Brosnan was going to interview Twain. He wanted to know the story behind the personnel change. But Twain, who had already flew to Los Angeles to be with his wife, simply turned off his cell phone. So, he could only give a sigh when he held a phone which emitted a busy ringtone.

After five years of working with Twain, Dunn chose to take a different path. Whether this choice was a blessing or curse for him and Twain, it was still unknown. The two of them chose two different paths. Would the two paths meet someday after a few years?