461 Ferguson’s Decision (2/2)
When the two returned to their respective teams, however, this friendship would immediately be put to the side. They had their own masters to serve.
Dunn was the first person to see Tang En.
”Failure?” Dunn knew when he saw Tang En's despondent expression.
”Yeah.” Tang En threw himself onto the couch and pinched at his temples, the smell of alcohol dispersing around the room as he did so.
”Are you drunk?”
”No, I'm not drunk.”
Hearing Tang En's answer, Dunn curled his lips in doubt. He could not even talk clearly, and he wanted to insist on not being drunk?
”Don't… don't judge me on how I- I'm slurring, but my- my brain- brain… is still clear!”
No one would believe his mind was still clear.
”Tomorrow, tomorrow… tomorrow, give Manchester United a fax… and raise- raise the offer to 15 million… million…” Tang En's voice diminished until there were only snores left.
Upon hearing his final words, Dunn turned to look at Tang En, fast asleep on the sofa.
This was being clear-headed?
He sighed and shook his head.
When Tang En woke up the next day, he found himself already in his bedroom. He squinted as he watched the bright sunlight spilling into the room through the windows.
Another hangover…
Washing up and getting dressed, he had breakfast, with Dunn and rushed to the club to start a brand-new day at work.
The first thing Tang En did was indeed make another offer to Manchester United. His target was Ruud van Nistelrooy.
This time, Dunn was truly taken aback. He had thought that Tang En was only spouting nonsense yesterday when he was drunk. He did not expect him to remember it.
Meanwhile, Kerslake thought Tang En had already come to an agreement with Ferguson yesterday, expressing no doubts.
15 million pounds. That was the new price Nottingham Forest was offering to Manchester United. It was raised five million from their first offer. Tang En was truly persistent in getting Ruud van Nistelrooy.
”Again?” Queiroz was rather surprised upon receiving the fax. Ferguson had told him about what had happened yesterday, and it did not seem as if the two had made any deal or come to any tacit agreement.
Ferguson held onto the second offer from Forest, looking at it in a daze.
Hadn't Tony Twain already given up?
”Turn it down?” Queiroz asked.
Ferguson waved his hands and said nothing. He only continued staring at the item in his hands, as if he could tell Tang En's true thoughts from this piece of paper.
Back then, when Manchester United had brought in the Dutchman, they had spent 19 million pounds, creating a new record of transfer fees in England.
It had been five years since then. Ruud van Nistelrooy had given the most beautiful and glorious days in his professional career to the Red Devils, Manchester United. Here, he had truly grown into a world-class forward.
Originally, this beautiful cooperation between them could continue… But the relationship between the two had eventually fallen apart.
These sorts of matters have been seen all too often by Ferguson. He had stayed with this rich and powerful club for almost 20 years now. In that time, he had welcomed and sent away countless people, whether they were rookies he had personally nurtured or football stars he advocated to purchase; Whiteside, Paul Ince, Stam, Beckham, Roy Keane, and now Ruud van Nistelrooy.
In the great Red Devils, Manchester United, there was only one superstar, one person they could not do without. That was their main manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. Any player who wished to challenge his authority here had only one ending: being driven out of Carrington. He did not feel any sorrow for Ruud van Nistelrooy's departure. Now, Manchester had a group of outstanding young players; the future belonged to them. Even if van Nistelrooy did not have any differences with him, he would still have been gradually phased out.
Tony Twain…
Ferguson thought of the name again.
Three years ago, no one heard of him. He was completely without any impression of the man. It was like he fell suddenly from the sky, abruptly taking charge of Nottingham Forest and rushing into their field of vision.
Ferguson scoured his memory for everything related to that name.
And he finally recalled it.
At a League Managers Association's reception one time in the summer three years ago, Nottingham Forest's main manager, Brian Clough, suddenly agreed to attend the special reception organized for Ferguson's being named as the Manager of the Decade. Prior to it, Clough's health conditions were poor. He had had a liver operation done, and it was then a long period since he had appeared in the public eye. He stayed shut in all day at his own home in Derby County.
Bobby Robson tried inviting Clough; after all, Ferguson's achievements were enough to have the seniors come to give their congratulations. Back then, Ferguson did not think Clough would come down; that characteristic old man showed no restraint commenting on his mistakes in front of the media in the past.
Unexpectedly, Clough not only came, he even brought someone else along. Then, he did not introduce the young man beside him holding his clothes to anyone there. Ferguson also chanced that single meeting with him, only giving him a glimpse before paying no further heed.
He now realized that the young man who looked like Clough's private doctor was the English general currently in the limelight, Tony Twain.
In a span of three years, he had grown into a famed general who led a team to leap three grades in three years, fight their way into the Champions League's finals, and force Barcelona into a sorry state; all this from one who used to be unknown.
Ferguson suddenly realized that even if he did not sell van Nistelrooy to Nottingham Forest, Tang En would still threaten his own position. And that boy was right. He was not only threatening Manchester United's position; he was a threat to the position of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and all the other strong teams in Europe.
The lad was shrouded with a layer of mystery. Even now, no one could clearly explain how Tony had originally found Franck Ribéry in the lower-tiered French Leagues, a player who was now a core player in the French National Team. They also could not understand how he saw the potential for football in George Wood, who was then working as a mover. Nor did they know what gave him his firm belief in the enormous potential in Gareth Bale when he was only an insignificant player who had trained in Southampton for a day. When Pepe was in FC Porto and was unable to play matches, Tang En activated the exceptional talent clause only available once a season to help Pepe get a work permit despite having no proof of his abilities in a high-level League match. Also, Piqué and Bendtner were hot prospects for the future that Ferguson and Wenger had been observing and following for many years. And then, it was as if Tony, who had only just risen to the English Premier League, knew about the two even earlier than them. He had signed on the two as quick as lightning. It had to be known that before this, he was still in the First Division, or was only involved with the Youth Team… Was his foresight truly that far-seeing? At that time, did he already know that he was going to become the main manager of the team, and that he was going to lead them to rush into the English Premier League, into battling in the UEFA Champions League?
Ferguson himself eventually had to retire… At that time, what would Manchester United do? Queiroz was not someone they could pin too much hope on. He could only be an assistant manager. After searching throughout England, he felt that the only man who could take over his legacy was Tony Twain. This was a youth with a tradition of victories who had an unquenchable thirst for championships.
Perhaps, he should sell him a favor.
”Agree to their offer. Allow them to discuss with the Dutchman's agent. At the same time, also accept Bayern Munich's price.”
Queiroz was shocked.
”But, Sir, didn't you say…”
Ferguson knew what Queiroz wanted to say, so he interrupted him and very seriously answered the doubts in his assistant manager's heart. ”Carlos, my eight championships in the EPL, five in the English FA Cup, and one in each of the Champions League, Cup Winners' Cup, Super Cup, and Intercontinental Cup, were not attained simply by refusing to sell players to our opponents.”