Chapter 316: Each Sovereign Maintains His Own Courtiers (2/2)

The General Administration of Sports asked the Table Tennis Association to investigate the withdrawal strictly, but it didn't mention any punishment. Also, the coaches who would be put in charge of the men's team and the women's team were not decided.

Maybe the withdrawal made the high level management more cautious in the reform. Everyone knew the reform was supposed to solve problems instead of creating more problems.

Some in the national team thought Dai Li's trick had worked; other people thought it was just the calm before the storm. The management level was still preparing punishments, or the management level planned to settle the accounts when people had forgotten this issue.

The daily work of the national team progressed without change. However, the sense of anxiety and loss still permeated the team. Without Coach Gu to lead them, no one knew how the National Table Tennis Team would develop.

One day, Dai Li got a call from Zhizhong Gu after dinner.

”Li, I've heard your suggestion of undertaking the responsibility in the name of the national team. Thank you,” Zhizhong Gu said.

”If I had known in advance of their plan to withdraw, I would have stopped them. Did this issue cause any trouble for you?” Dai Li asked.

”In my current situation, should I be afraid of more trouble? A lot of lice don't bite.” Zhizhong Gu paused a bit, then said, ”But I owe you an apology, for I might have brought trouble on you.”

Dai Li frowned and asked, ”Is this issue still not over? Is the management level still planning to give punishment?”

”The punishment is inevitable. The collective withdrawal is a big issue, which has to be answered for. The key is the degree of punishment,” Zhizhong Gu said.

”Will someone be fired?” Dai Li asked immediately.

”It can't be that serious. A short-term suspension is unavoidable.” Zhizhong Gu continued to say, ”I don't worry about the athletes. The veteran players like Anshan Wang and Pengfei Cui have gained enough fame and wealth in these years under my leadership, which are enough for the rest of their lives, even if their career lives as athletes were to end now. Also, they also accumulated a lot of injuries in their bodies; it's time for them to have a good break and rehabilitation.”

”As for the young athletes like Shuang Pang, they are the hope of the National Table Tennis Team in the future, and they are expected to accomplish great things, no matter who the future coach of the team will be. Therefore, if there is any punishment for them, it will not be very heavy. Instead of them, I am worrying about you the most.”

”Me? Why?” Dai Li asked in confusion.

”When I was the head coach, I promoted several executive coaches into the core management team, including you. So you might be targeted by being treated unjustly or being marginalized for a long time.” As Zhizhong Gu spoke, he let out a long sigh. ”Compared to the other coaches, you are the youngest, and you also don't have the history of being a table tennis player. Therefore, what worries me is that they will get rid of you to scare the rest of the coaches.”

”I don't think they will come for me… No matter who will be the next coach of the team, the team will still need me. Don't you believe in my competence?” Dai Li said with a smile.

”Your competence is indeed the best. I could say you are the best physical trainer I've met. However, I recruited you into the team, so they will treat you as an ally of mine. I wouldn't worry about you if the withdrawal hadn't happened, but now the situation is different. The management level will not allow something like this to reoccur. So it is highly possible for the team to be purged,” Zhizhong Gu said.

Dai Li fell silent. If Zhizhong Gu was warning him of this, then it was very likely to occur. Although Zhizhong Gu had been demoted, his relationship network was still there. He must have heard some news before calling Dai Li.

It was not hard to understand what had happened. As an old saying goes, each sovereign maintains his own courtiers. The new boss would eagerly replace all previous underlings with his trusted followers, while the followers of the previous boss would be purged.

Moreover, the collective withdrawal had strengthened their determination to get rid of Zhizhong Gu's followers. Those people were apparently deemed dispensable and given priority to be eliminated.

In the National Table Tennis Team, a young and junior physical trainer without the background of an athlete was obviously the best object for elimination.

...

Two days later.

”Li, I've just received a notification. You are required to go to the HR Department of the Table Tennis Association at 10 a.m. tomorrow. They want to talk with you.”

Dai Li nodded silently. He had already been prepared for that.

If it's doomed to come, it will come eventually…