Chapter 244 - 237: Sinner

"I have always had the utmost respect for the head referee, but tonight I have to say, Van Egmond’s call changed the game."

After the match, at the press conference, Hiddink took direct aim at the head referee, Dick van Egmond.

"It was a foul, an indisputable foul. He could have chosen a red card, or he could have chosen a penalty. But he chose a red card *and* a penalty. That was an absolutely terrible decision. From that moment on, the game was already lost for us."

Hiddink was clearly blaming the loss on the referee’s decision. The implication was that Eindhoven had been unfairly disadvantaged on their own home turf, and that the referee was biased in favor of Ajax.

Ronald Koeman, however, was quick to rebut, arguing that Van Egmond’s call was absolutely correct and there was nothing wrong with it.

"That was without a doubt the right call. As the last man back in defense, when he reached out to grab Yang Yang’s jersey, I’m sure he was already prepared to commit a tactical foul. He had no way of stopping Yang Yang at that moment."

As for the claim that Van Egmond was biased toward Ajax, Ronald Koeman offered some strong counterevidence.

"We picked up three yellow cards in the second half. Is that supposed to be ’special treatment’ for us, too?"

Ronald Koeman’s message was clear: the referee was trying to even things up in the second half.

Regarding Yang Yang’s performance in the match, Ronald Koeman expressed his immense satisfaction.

"I couldn’t have asked for more from him. His performance was far beyond my expectations. He’s already become one of the most important players on the team."

At the same time, Ronald Koeman added that the most valuable thing about Yang Yang is that, "He still has a great deal of untapped potential. We all believe he’s only going to get better and better for a long time to come."

Despite being the opposition, Hiddink admitted in a later response that Yang Yang was the most dangerous player on the Ajax Team.

"Before and during the match, I repeatedly instructed my players to watch Yang Yang closely, to shut him down, and to do everything possible to keep him out of Ajax’s attacks. But unfortunately, while my players did their very best, they still couldn’t contain him."

Regarding the young player, who was about to turn eighteen, Hiddink stated that Yang Yang’s performance was indeed quite remarkable.

"But to say he can become the most lethal winger in the Netherlands after Robben... that’s still far too premature."

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The war of words between the two famous Dutch managers quickly became the main headline for all the major media outlets in the Netherlands.

By scoring a brace in the Dutch derby, Yang Yang had successfully captured the attention of the entire Netherlands, and even the wider world of European Football.

From two wins and a draw in August, to two draws, two losses, and two consecutive Champions League defeats in September and October, and now to a recent three-game winning streak—Ajax’s performance had been a veritable rollercoaster. Amidst it all, Yang Yang’s importance was gradually becoming apparent to everyone.

The Dutch Telegraaf reported that in the wake of Van der Vaart’s and Ibrahimovic’s departures, Yang Yang was becoming Ajax’s most important player—and that he was completely different from the team’s two previous standard-bearers.

"Neither Ibrahimovic nor Van der Vaart were ever known for being hardworking or diligent during a match."

"The Swedish Striker’s defensive pressing and work rate in the final third were always heavily criticized, while Van der Vaart was notorious for only having enough stamina to last seventy minutes. Although both players were supremely talented, their performances on the pitch were never consistent."

"But Yang is different. His talent might seem ordinary at first glance, but he constantly delivers unexpected surprises. Take, for instance, the away match against Eindhoven: first, the Marseille Turn he used to get past Lee Yong-Soo, followed immediately by a Pendulum Move to break through Kokou’s defense."

"Judging by these two brilliant take-ons, it’s clear Yang Yang doesn’t lack flashy skills on the ball. He simply prefers to use simpler, more practical techniques. This is a distinct difference between him and players like Ibrahimovic and Van der Vaart, and it’s also what has led to the misconception that his talent is merely average."

"Beyond that, Yang Yang is famous on the pitch for his diligence. He gives his all every time he plays. His stamina is outstanding, he has a powerful engine, and his tactical discipline is superb. The fact that he previously traveled 20,000 kilometers over eight days to three different venues for the National Team is proof enough of how exceptional he is in this regard."

"After returning to Ajax, he immediately made crucial contributions in three consecutive matches, all played during a packed schedule with two games a week."

"According to our reporters’ sources inside the Ajax locker room, Yang Yang is gaining the support of more and more of his teammates. Everyone feels that, compared to the two previous standard-bearers, Yang Yang is a much better fit for their ideal of what a team leader should be."

In addition to the Dutch Telegraaf, the Common Daily and the People’s Daily also ran major stories on Yang Yang’s outstanding performance in the derby, heaping praise on Ajax’s newest rising star.

Far away in Asia, the Chinese media was also closely following the Dutch derby, seeing it as a direct showdown between Chinese and South Korean players.

The pre-match hype from the South Korean media had irked Chinese media and fans alike. In the end, however, neither of the South Korean stars played well, and Lee Yong-Soo in particular was repeatedly overwhelmed by Yang Yang, unable to mount a defense.

It was fair to say that Lee Yong-Soo played a part in both goals Eindhoven conceded.

As the South Koreans faltered, the Chinese celebrated. After the match, Chinese media and fans went into a frenzy, showering praise on Yang Yang’s performance in the Dutch derby.

As for the South Korean media, with Eindhoven’s loss, Park Ji-sung being a non-factor for the entire match, and Lee Yong-Soo becoming the scapegoat for the defeat, they were left with egg on their face. In the end, they could only gloomily accept the painful loss.

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The next morning, Yang Yang arrived at De Toekomst more than an hour early, just like any other day.

He went straight to the gym and began his practiced warm-up routine.

By the time he had completed his entire pre-strength-training warm-up, Winston Bogard finally strolled in.

"You just played Eindhoven last night and then flew back to Amsterdam, yet you’re up this early this morning? How is that possible?" Winston Bogard asked in astonishment when he saw Yang Yang.

Technically, the two had only known each other for about a week, but Yang Yang had already made a very special impression on him.

The strongest impression was of his incredible work ethic and diligence, and how focused he was during training.

"I’m driven by the desire to get stronger, and to do it quickly. That gives me all the motivation I need," Yang Yang said with a smile.

As he spoke, he walked over to a Smith machine and prepared to begin the day’s training.

Because he was a novice and had only just started bench pressing, he still had trouble keeping his balance even with just thirty kilograms, wobbling from side to side. That was why he needed the Smith machine for assistance.

Bogard quickly walked over to Yang Yang’s side. He watched as Yang lay down, gripped the barbell, and began performing his reps one after another with the perfect form he’d been taught. Bogard nodded to himself in silent approval.

His focus and diligence meant that Yang Yang was a remarkably fast learner and had mastered the proper form perfectly.

However, given his young age, Bogard was careful not to increase the weight too quickly, focusing instead on helping him build up his strength gradually.

This was at Yang Yang’s own request, as he clearly didn’t want to alter his physique too drastically.

Being handsome—what young man could resist that temptation?

Especially a teenager like Yang Yang.

Bench press: one set of eight reps a day.

After finishing, Yang Yang rested briefly before moving on to squats, deadlifts, and power cleans. As with the bench press, the weights weren’t heavy; the main goal was to master the proper form, with the intensity increasing progressively.

Bogard never left Yang Yang’s side, partly to ensure his safety, and partly so he could easily correct his form while observing his progress to make any necessary adjustments.

The entire weightlifting session took about half an hour. After a short break, Yang Yang moved on to the exercise bike.

Bogard stood to the side, watching him train in silence, filled with a sense of admiration.

’From the day he’d joined Ajax, he had heard about Yang Yang. Everyone said he was the hardest-working player on the team; not only was he meticulous during regular practice, but he used every spare moment he had for extra training.’

’Yang Yang himself had admitted to Bogard that every morning, he would run three laps around Oude Kerk Lake while juggling a ball. Then he would come to De Toekomst. After the morning session, if he had time, he would find a corner of the perimeter wall and practice against it by himself.’

’After the lunch break, he swam—previously, he used to do solo drills. After the afternoon practice, he would stay behind for more training, mainly working on his first touch with a few teammates in a designated area.’

’Apparently, this drill had caused his ball control to improve dramatically in a short time.’

’Even after practicing with his teammates, he often stayed behind to train more by himself, only leaving after nightfall.’

’Before, Bogard hadn’t believed it. He couldn’t believe a teenager, seventeen or eighteen years old, could possess that kind of willpower. But now, Yang Yang was living proof right in front of him, and he had no choice but to believe it.’

’Coaching Yang Yang was actually an easy job. Bogard only had to explain things once, and Yang Yang would remember it and quickly master it. All he had to do was offer a few pointers from the side. He never had to worry about Yang Yang cutting corners, because he always followed the plan to the letter, without fail.’

After he finished on the bike, Winston Bogard would immediately hand him a large nutritional shake. After such high-intensity training, it was essential to replenish the body’s nutrients, and Yang also needed to put on more weight.

And every time, Yang Yang would frown, pinch his nose, and down the entire large glass of the nutritional shake.

"I’m heading out. See you later, Winston." After his rest, Yang Yang would get up to leave.

"See you at noon," Bogard would reply simply.

Outside of training, the two rarely spoke. This was obviously due to their personalities, especially Bogard, who was a pragmatist—a man of few words and many actions.

And every time he watched Yang Yang leave the gym, Bogard felt like he was watching his progress in real time.

Improving bit by bit, day by day, steadily building up.