9 The Referee Takes Center Stage Part 1 (1/2)
Chapter 9: The Referee Takes Center Stage Part 1
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
”We've got the whole world in our hands!” The song was still echoing over the City Ground, and Forest players had the feeling of battling on their home ground again. They were surrounded by people who supported them, and their every move could win the fans' unreserved cheers. Yes, that was the feeling they had not felt for some time.
Come on, come on! A little more! We'll never feel sick of it!
Amidst the cheers of the fans, the Forest team launched a relentless offensive toward the West Ham United's goalmouth, and for a moment the situation at James' goal area was precarious. It seemed like the Forest team could score a goal at any time just by shooting at the goalmouth.
Glenn Roeder turned his head back to look at the substitutes' bench. He found that the substitute center back Gary Breen was still sitting on the bench.
”What the hell! Breen, why are you still here? Didn't I tell you to warm up?”
Gary Breen was baffled, when did the manager ask him to warm up? But he knew now was clearly not the time to argue with the agitated Roeder. He hurriedly took off his jacket and jumped off the substitutes' bench.
The change of West Ham United on the substitutes' bench had also drawn Tang En's attention. That player who was warming up was somewhat unfamiliar, so he turned to ask Walker, ”Des, who is the player warming up?”
Walker looked for a moment and then told Twain, ”Gary Breen, the Irish national footballer, a center back with an outstanding heading ability.”
”It looks like our opponents have given up on the match.” Tang En laughed. ”Change to a center back ... five defenders to try to stop us from attacking? Call Jess back, I think he should be warmed up enough.”
Walker got up and went over to the Forest team's warm-up area, shouted for Eoin Jess to come back.
West Ham United wanted to defend. This was exactly what Tang En wanted. If Roeder had the boldness to let his team attack, then Tang En might find his plan difficult. But if the opponent wanted to hold, then this match becomes simple. Wasn't it just intensive defense? He believed that as the match progressed, the West Ham players' mentality would change from disdain to impatience, the foot action would gradually increase, and the number of fouls would increase as well. The number of front positioning balls the Forest team would get could be quite a few.
The 31-year-old former Scottish national footballer, Eoin Jess, possessed a unique skill for beautiful free kicks. He was capped 18 times by Scotland, scoring two goals. On the day before the match, during the position ball practice, Tang En had witnessed the old chap's level of free kicks on the sideline—six out of ten balls went in!
He did not need more. It would be enough to use free kicks to pose a threat to West Ham in this match and make it clear to West Ham that it was useless to defend to death.
Taking advantage of the interval where Walker went to call for Jess, Tang En looked at the field, close to his side was Andy Reid, while the West Ham United player on this side was another quite famous, once gifted midfielder, Lee Bowyer. Looking at this long-faced, short-haired West Ham player, he suddenly realized that West Ham still had a weakness he could exploit.
Bowyer made his debut at Charlton, but became completely famous at Leeds.
In the 01-02 season, Leeds United was called the Young Guards, and they eliminated the formidable AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League to power onto the semifinals. Most of the team's main players were young footballers: 21-year-old Jonathan Woodgate, 22-year-old Harry Kewell, 21-year-old Paul Robinson, 22-year-old Rio Ferdinand, 23-year-old Ian Harte, 20-year-old Alan Smith, 25-year-old Mark Viduka, 24-year-old Danny Mills, 21-year-old Robbie Keane, 26-year-old Robbie Fowler... Those star-spangled names were still very young at that time. Later, due to the financial crisis at Leeds, these players went their separate ways. Incidentally, Lennon (Aaron Lennon), who later became a rookie of the England national team, was only 14 years old when he was at Leeds United Youth Team.
Bowyer had just transferred to West Ham for this season's winter break. This was his first match representing the team.
Tang En did not deny that Bowyer was a genius, but this genius's character flaw was a bit serious. Everyone knew he was England's bad boy, so much so that the media had publicly called Bowyer absolute ”scum.” Most of the famous scandals in the English football world in recent years had his name on them.
Such as the case of assault on an Asian youth together with Woodgate, the final compensation of £170.000 before the charges were dropped. During the UEFA Cup, he stamped on the opposing player Gerardo's face. After that match it was commented by the Spanish media that ”he almost stamped out Gerardo's eyeball” and was banned by UEFA for six matches. There was his verbal slur that his girlfriend was a monkey because his girlfriend was half Indian. He said, ”I don't want my child to be a throwback.” Then there was the inconclusive case of a rape of a minor girl, among the suspects were him and Dyer. He fought with his own teammate, Dyer, on the field, and both were sent off for the on-pitch scuffle by the referee. This incident was included in the Premier League history...
There are several things that happened after 2003. All things made it clear to Tang En that Bowyer's inferiority was deep-rooted. It came from his innermost self and deep within his soul, and it was neither impulsive, nor could be eliminated. He only had to make good use of this point, and they could push West Ham into the abyss of failure.
The fourth official held up the substitute board on the sidelines, the first to make the change was West Ham. Roeder had indeed called up the center back Gary Breen to substitute a laissez-faire Di Canio. An ordinary one, so obvious that even a fool could guess the substitution.
Just at this moment, Twain pulled Andy Reid over near the sideline. ”Andy, mark Bowyer.” He pointed to the bad boy who was not far away with his back facing them.
”I've been marking him the entire match, boss.”
”No, no, I mean in a different way. As long as Bowyer takes the ball, you will go up to him and constantly harass him with petty maneuvers. You can commit a foul when necessary. But be careful. Don't tip the scales and don't get sent off. One or two words of provocation will do. In short... infuriate him, let him lose his cool, and the rest... You know what to do?”
Reid looked at Tang En in amazement, ”The former manager Tony Twain never allowed us to do such a thing!”
”You used to be a kid and a youth footballer. Now you are a professional player and an adult!” Tang En just took an excuse, ”Do you know what the highest pursuit of any professional player is?”
”Uh ... more goals?”
”It's victory!” yelled Tang En, ”Football that can't win is a failure! Well, now, in the name of victory, take down Bowyer, that scumbag, for me!” He gave Reid a hard smack and shoved him onto the field.
Still somewhat hesitant, Reid looked back at Twain, but Twain just showed him a throat-slitting action. Suddenly, his back broke out in cold sweat. Was this really Tony Twain, the manager that he knew?
”Don't worry too much, Andy! Victory, victory!” Twain's voice rang out behind him.
”Okay, boss. I'll listen to you...” Reid replied.
Tang En turned back to the technical area and found that Jess was already taking off his jacket.