288 The UEFA Europa League Champion? (2/2)

Initially, the Forest team had had very good momentum in the Premier League. It had already overtaken Liverpool and was only two points away from Everton. As long as they continued their pressure on Everton, they could replace them and become fourth in the league. After that, as long as they maintained their ranking until the end of the season, they would be able to participate in the next season's UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds.

After training was over, Kerslake stopped Twain in his office and asked why he had become so interested in the UEFA Europa League overnight.

”Tony...” Twain heard him before he had entered. He looked up, saw Kerslake hurrying in, and smiled.

”I know what you wanted to ask. Have a seat, David.” Twain pointed to the chair.

Kerslake sat down and bluntly asked, ”Tony, I can't figure out why you're so interested in the UEFA Europa League all of a sudden.”

Twain casually sat at a corner of the table and said with a smile, ”Isn't a championship something that every manager should be interested in?”

It was a good statement, but Kerslake did not intend to go along with it. He tried to persuade Twain from another angle. ”Tony, we're in a good situation with the league right now. Why should we give up the league to pursue the UEFA Europa League, which is much more difficult? Do you know who our opponent in the next round of the UEFA Europa League is?”

”Sporting Lisbon,” Twain said simply, as though he did not take the opponent to heart. ”Don't worry, right now they have no Figo and no Cristiano Ronaldo.”

”Of course Sporting Lisbon isn't as strong as before. But they're still strong enough to knock us out.”

”But it's not as if we don't have a chance to beat them. David, I know what you're worried about. But isn't football supposed to be like this? We're always going to take a little risk, aren't we? No victory is assured. Sometimes we need to just take a gamble. If we always follow the set plan, it's not very interesting.” Twain shrugged and looked up at the clear sky outside. ”Recently, I've been missing the moment when we won the EFL Cup championship last season. It was thrilling… Very thrilling.”

”But ... Isn't it an exciting thing to be eligible for the UEFA Champions League next season?”

”It's still a little lacking compared to being a European champion this season,” Twain smiled and said to Kerslake, as if he was not angry with his assistant manager, despite his insistence on his different view.

Hearing what Twain had said, Kerslake paused for a moment and muttered, ”Alright. Maybe it's because you have such ambitions that you can lead this team. If your mind is made up, then I'll help you.”

”Thank you, David.” Twain's gratitude was sincere. He was really very lucky not to encounter the ugliness of the power struggles seen in bigger football clubs. A small club was not as strong, but there were still benefits to small clubs. At least the people here were simple. They loved the team and wholeheartedly cared for it without any malice.

It had given him David Kerslake, who had initially trained with him under Paul Hart as his coach, and was now his uncomplaining assistant manager.

※※※

Since the assistant manager had no objections, the coaching team basically unified their thinking. The Forest team's immediate priority was to defeat Portugal's powerhouse, Sporting Lisbon, in the UEFA Europa League in the 16th round, then launch their low-key assault on the UEFA Europa League champion title. The media didn't yet know that Twain wanted the UEFA Europa League title, and naturally, no one would have speculated on the subject.

Two days after their game against Grazer AK, the Forest team would welcome their 28th round opponent, Blackburn Rovers, to their home ground. Due to the series of battles in the tournament, Twain adopted a rotation system. The appearances of many substitute players did not particularly weaken the Forest team's abilities. Rather, the hungry and thirsty players worked harder to make a better impression on their manager. Despite that, the weary Forest team was forced to a 2:2 draw.

Everyone felt that that score was normal. After playing so many games in a row in the Premier League and the European tournament, it was good that they had at least not lost. No one realized that the Forest team had shifted its focus. Even Moyes still felt the pressure from Forest. He was completely unaware that his main competitor was no longer focusing on the league.

It was now March, more than two months from the end of the league. The Forest team's fifth-place rank was stable, and the sixth-ranked Liverpool had had one less game, which left them at forty-three points. In order to get rid of any entanglement from Forest, Moyes' Everton used all of its force and accumulated fifty-one points in the 28th round of the league. The gap between them and the Forest team had widened to four points. However, Moyes could not rest yet because he was also well aware of his team's situation. Without Gravesen, and without having been able to successfully bring in Mikel Arteta during the winter transfer period, Moyes felt it was a great pity that when he saw the Spaniard perform beautifully as a substitute in the 26th round of the league. If he had been more determined in the beginning, if he had made a direct offer rather than a loan, he might have already negotiated individual remuneration with Mikel Arteta before Twain's intervention. Arteta was not a player who was picky about teams. At that time, he could not wait to escape the quagmire of Real Sociedad. No matter which team approached him, he would have agreed.

Moyes's Everton gritted its teeth and soldiered on. He hoped that, while the Forest team was battling on two fronts and had an intensive schedule, they would widen their gap in points with the Forest team so that there would be greater leeway in the future.

On March 5, in the 29th round of the league, Nottingham Forest challenged Middlesbrough in an away game.

This time, the Forest team sent in the same lineup as before.

Having lost to the Forest team in the EFL Cup final and in the first half of the league, McClaren finally had his chance for revenge. All the conditions were favorable for Middlesbrough and they defeated Nottingham Forest by 2:0, with half of the Forest team's main force out of commission.

The media finally realized that something was not quite right. The UEFA Europa League was six days later, and there were not two games that week. The Forest team had no reason to rotate in the game. What was even fishier was after they lost the game, Tony Twain was exceptionally calm when he faced McClaren.

It was incredible. Since that EFL Cup final, the media knew that Twain and McClaren had disliked each other on sight. In the first half of the tournament, after the Forest team defeated Middlesbrough by 2:1 on their home ground, Twain was visibly happy at the press conference and did not hold back in his speech. McClaren, meanwhile, looked grim throughout. Everyone could see the disappointment on his face.

Now that McClaren had reversed the roles with Tony Twain from the first half of the season, Twain did not look gloomy. Instead, he looked calm.

It was not in line with Twain's character. In the past, when he lost to McClaren whom he despised the most, he might have gotten up earlier and left the press conference following the reading of the game summary. Now he actually sat there and listened to McClaren praising Middlesbrough's excellent performance, how they had suppressed the Forest team's attacks, how they defend against as strong a center forward as Viduka, and they had caught Albertini in a defensive quagmire.

He did not refute it at all until McClaren had finished speaking. Then he took his time to express his satisfaction with the performance of his team, because ”the young players and those who don't normally get many chances for appearances are being given opportunities to play, which is extremely important for their development.”

Did he see the Premier League as a training ground for new players? Was he confused? Who put place the Premier League at that level? He should be training new players in the EFL Cup or the FA Cup, not in the Premier League!

Was he arrogant or ignorant?

Even McClaren, who sat happily next to him, could not help but shoot a glance at Twain. He thought that he must have been faking it to annoy him. But… I'm sorry, Mr. Tony Twain, I wasn't born yesterday.

Twain stood up and took the initiative to extend his hand to McClaren. He smiled and said, ”I wish you good luck, Mr. McClaren.”

”Good luck to you too, Mr. Twain,” McClaren replied, smiling back.