228 Clough the Second? Part 2 (2/2)
On Lineker's personal web column, he commented, ”Even though the achievements of both managers cannot yet be compared with Brian Clough, their mouths are definitely giving off the vibe of Clough's successors.”
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With Clough's passing and popular opinion about the match being a contest between ”Clough's successors,” it grabbed the limelight in the current round of the Premier League. This was regardless of how unlikely it appeared, from the rankings, that the match between Chelsea, who was ranked second, and Forest who was ranked 13, would be a focal point.
Tang En felt that Clough's departure would not be too impactful on the current Forest team. After all, his era was long ago, and numerous players in Forest had already been swapped out. On the current team, how many still retained a special affection for Clough? It was just like the record; players such as Gerard Piqué and Nicklas Bendtner did not even know about its existence.
So, just like the previous time, he did not make a big splash before the match talking about Clough's contributions to Forest team or his achievements with them. Tang En believed that if the players were concerned about the team, they would already know what they had to know. He did not need to rehash the glory once attained by Forest again and again like a loud-mouthed gossip.
In City Ground's locker room, the players sat in various spots, changing their clothes after their warm-up and awaiting the scheduled event; Tang En would always speak a few sentences to them before every match.
”So, recently, Forest team has had quite a lot going on. I'm sure you all know. But all of that has nothing to do with today's match. I believe everyone understands that this is just like any usual league match. There's no difference, except that our opponents are slightly stronger. But how much stronger can they be? Did Arsenal get an edge over us on our home ground?”
Eastwood shouted as he shook his head. ”Of course not!”
”So, Chelsea's fate will be the same. But I hope I don't see last minute blunders happening again. If there must be blunders, I'd rather they come earlier. But are you guys planning to make any mistakes?
Everyone shook their heads.
”That's right. No one wants to make a mistake, so buck up everybody! That Portuguese man is looking down at us. Do you know how he talked about us? 'Country bumpkins'… pfft, country bumpkins! Hierro, is Real Madrid a team of country bumpkins?”
Hierro shook his head. ”That's impossible.”
”Demi, is AC Milan a team of country bumpkins?”
Albertini also shook his head. ”No, sir.”
”Very good. I'll admit that Chelsea, with their rich Russian boss, is much richer than we are. They look more like noble lords. But don't forget who came from Nottingham: the great thief Robin Hood! If the Chelsea lords had simply stayed in their impenetrable Stamford Bridge castle like cowardly turtles, we wouldn't have cared about them. Now that they've come knocking on our doors, they can't blame us for not being polite. This is Nottingham, a forest filled with hidden danger. Let's show Chelsea what we can do. Let them come, and never come back!”