Chapter 234 227: I Want to Become Stronger

When Yang Yang returned to the training ground, warming up and joking around with a few teammates, fitness coach Jan Kruitenberg walked into Ronald Koeman's office with his physical report.

Assistant coach Luther Carroll was also there, and the two were discussing the day's training program.

"So? How's his condition?" Koeman asked worriedly the moment he saw the fitness coach walk in.

Kruitenberg seemed unsure how to explain. He handed over the physical report and said, "All I can say is... it's surprising."

Ronald Koeman and Luther Carroll exchanged a look and smiled at the same time.

As they looked over Yang Yang's physical report, both men nodded in approval.

"It looks pretty good," Luther Carroll said with a smile.

Kruitenberg nodded. "It is. I even think he could start."

But Ronald Koeman shook his head. "To be on the safe side, let's keep him on the bench. We need him to save his energy for the midweek Champions League game."

Without a doubt, the Champions League was the competition Ajax was most focused on at the moment.

Although they were in the same group as two powerhouses, Juventus and Bayern Munich, it would be incredibly difficult for Ajax to distinguish themselves. Having lost the first two rounds, including a disastrous 0-4 defeat, qualifying from the group stage seemed nearly impossible.

But still, a team had to have dreams and goals.

Even if they couldn't qualify, they had to at least secure third place in the group to get into the UEFA Cup. Otherwise, if the reigning champions were eliminated after finishing last in their group, Ronald Koeman would have no choice but to resign in disgrace.

"He said he slept the entire flight, so he's well-rested and in good shape, and he doesn't have to worry about jet lag," Kruitenberg said, his voice full of disbelief.

In all his years of coaching, he'd never seen anything like it. It just didn't seem possible.

Ronald Koeman and Luther Carroll burst out laughing.

"He's telling the truth, Jan. He really has that knack. As soon as he gets on the bus, he can fall asleep just like that."

"Is it really that incredible?" Kruitenberg looked at Koeman.

Koeman nodded. "Last year, for the away game against Bruges—that was his first time with the first team, his first Champions League match. You know how important that game was. Well, he slept the entire way from Amsterdam to Bruges. Seriously, he wouldn't have woken up if we hadn't shaken him. The whole trip, all of us just sat there watching him sleep."

Kruitenberg opened his mouth, but nothing came out. After a long moment, he gave a wry smile. "The kid must have been born with nerves of steel."

"It has its advantages, see?" Ronald Koeman said, waving the physical report in his hand.

It takes all sorts to make a world. It was full of strange and wonderful things, so it wasn't too surprising that Yang Yang had this ability to fall asleep at will. Besides, that kind of deep sleep was incredibly beneficial for his physical recovery.

At the very least, his recovery rate was much faster than others'.

"He told me earlier that he wants to work on his physical strength."

"Oh?" Both Ronald Koeman and Luther Carroll looked intrigued.

"I think we need to seriously look into this. I can tell he's genuinely committed to improving his physicality, but you know how grueling that kind of training is."

Luther Carroll chimed in, "If there's one thing that kid can handle, it's hard work."

"Oh?" Now it was Kruitenberg's turn to be surprised.

"He's been sticking to a basic training regimen for a year and a half. And aside from eating and sleeping, he spends practically all his time training. I can say, without a doubt, he's the most diligent and hardworking player I've ever seen."

At this, Luther Carroll paused for a moment before continuing, "So, if he says he wants to work on his physicality, I think we have to give him the proper guidance. He'll absolutely see it through."

Ronald Koeman, who knew Yang Yang quite well, nodded. "That's true. And he's eighteen now, it's time to work on his physique. If he can build up his physical presence on the field, he'll be even stronger and more formidable than he is now."

Kruitenberg didn't know Yang Yang well, but seeing both Koeman and Carroll agree so strongly, his impression of the young player deepened. He was well aware of Koeman's standards, and the coach wouldn't hold an ordinary player in such high regard.

"I just suggested he go find Bogard," Kruitenberg said.

Ronald Koeman thought for a moment. "Then let's have Bogard tailor a specialized strength and conditioning program for him. The focus should be on building his strength and speed, but without sacrificing his agility."

For a professional player, you can't just build muscle indiscriminately. For a player like Yang Yang, building muscle in certain areas would be beneficial, but in others, it could reduce his agility. Not only would he slow down, but even the quickness of his footwork could suffer. The trade-off wouldn't be worth it.

Creating different training regimens for different muscle groups was one of the ways to properly develop a young player.

Of course, this required the club to put in the work, tailoring training plans to a player's specific physical condition and attributes.

Yang Yang was now the top rising star on the Ajax Team, and he was certainly worth this level of investment from the club.

...

...

With a match the next day, and with many players having just returned from National Team duty and not yet fully recovered, the morning training session was focused primarily on recovery and readjustment.

The intensity of this kind of training wasn't high. For the other players, it was a comfortable pace, but for Yang Yang, it was far from enough.

It was like a man with a massive appetite who was suddenly not getting enough to eat; he felt unsatisfied.

After the training session, Yang Yang chatted for a bit with Ronald Koeman and then Luther Carroll.

Both coaches were pleased with his performance while he was away. Ajax had been keeping a close eye on his matches, and they both hoped he could now shift his focus back to the club.

"I'm telling you this right now: for that National Team match in November, I don't care if Arie Haan himself comes to plead your case, I'm not letting you go again. From now until the winter break, you are to focus solely on playing well for the club. It would be best if you didn't even go to school."

It was rare for Ronald Koeman to flex his authority as head coach and issue such a direct command.

The school had indeed called a few times to inquire about his situation. They hadn't made any demands, but Yang Yang knew he still needed to go when he had free time.

"Don't worry, Boss, I'll give it my all," Yang Yang said with a smile.

Ronald Koeman gave a firm nod, then turned and walked away.

"This season, we have to at least secure a Champions League spot in the league, and at the very least, finish third in our group. If we fail at either of those tasks, he'll probably be sacked," Luther Carroll sighed, watching Koeman's retreating back.

Yang Yang could imagine the pressure Ronald Koeman was under. In previous years, neither of those goals would have seemed too difficult, but they'd lost five players over the summer, and their draw for the Champions League group stage had been incredibly unlucky. It was hard not to worry.

"Don't overthink it. Go on, Winston Bogard is in the gym," Luther Carroll said with an encouraging smile.

Yang Yang watched the two coaches leave, then collected his thoughts and headed for the gym.

All he could do now was focus on the game, work hard to play well in every upcoming match, and continue to improve his own skills.

Both Ronald Koeman and Luther Carroll had treated him very well. So, no matter what, Yang Yang wouldn't just sit by and watch Ronald Koeman get fired. That would violate not only his personal principles but also his professional code of conduct.

...

...

Every club has its own gym, and Ajax was no exception.

Because Ajax was a team built around young players, they spent far less time in the gym than other teams. The work done there was mostly focused on injury rehabilitation, but the gym's facilities were nonetheless comprehensive and state-of-the-art.

As Yang Yang arrived at the gym, he saw two or three injured players who hadn't been at practice leaving. They exchanged greetings as they passed. When he went inside, there was only one person left: a towering, powerfully built man who was tidying up the equipment.

The Dutchman was wearing a black tank top. Judging by the exposed muscles of his arms and shoulders, and the way the fabric stretched to outline the muscles of his back, he was incredibly well-developed, exuding the aura of a Hollywood strongman like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The man noticed someone had come in. He looked up, saw Yang Yang by the entrance, and immediately stood up.

"You're Yang?"

"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bogard." Yang Yang said politely, walking over to shake his hand.

Seen from the front, Winston Bogard revealed a chest and abdomen packed with powerful, explosive muscle, giving him an incredibly strong appearance. He looked exactly like one of the professional bodybuilders you see on television.

"Just call me Winston."

"Hello, Winston."

As they shook hands, Yang Yang could feel the power in the other man's grip.

"Kruitenberg already spoke to me. I hear you want to work on your strength and speed?"

"Yes. I was hoping you could help me."

"Of course. My job here is to provide you guys with whatever help I can."

As he spoke, Winston Bogard gestured for Yang Yang to come further into the gym. He led him to a rest area in the corner, sat down across from him, and then studied him intently.

"Can you tell me something?" Bogard asked, his tone curious. "Most guys try every trick in the book to avoid the gym, but you're actively asking for more training in this area. Can you tell me why?"

"Of course," Yang Yang nodded. "It's simple, really. I want to be stronger than I am now."

Bogard gave a slight smile and nodded. "That's a great motivator, but it's also incredibly demanding."

"I know. I'm not afraid of hard work."

"When I first got here, a lot of people told me about you. The words I heard most often were 'diligent' and 'improving.' But that's nowhere near enough, because strength training is a long-term commitment. It's not just about enduring hardship; you also have to be self-disciplined and control your diet. That's the hard part."

"I feel like I'm ready," Yang Yang said, full of confidence.

Bogard looked at Yang Yang for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright, then. Starting the day after tomorrow, be here at the gym an hour early and wait for me."