696 The Distance Between the Dream and Reality (1/2)
Seven months had passed since he'd come from China to the faraway land of Britain. Chen Jian was getting used to life in this distant country. His language proficiency progressed very quickly in an environment where English was spoken everywhere. Only his studies progressed slowly at the University of Nottingham.
It was not that he did not want to study well but that he was too tired.
In the beginning, his landlord, Fat John, was used to seeing the young Chinese man drag his exhausted body back home after training and return to his room to study English diligently once he'd had dinner. Then the next morning, he would go to Wilford if there was training or take a bus to the University of Nottingham if there was no training.
Simple days like these were repeated. He rarely went shopping in the city center and did not go to any parks to relax. John sometimes obtained an extra ticket for him to go to the City Ground stadium to watch the Forest team play. To Chen Jian, the city of the legendary English hero Robin Hood was just three places; Wilford training base, University of Nottingham and ”Mr. John's house,” plus the roads between them.
Such an arduous time had slowly improved recently. He already had no problems with his English listening and speaking abilities. He could now communicate with his landlord at the dinner table and listen to John talk about Nottingham Forest's proud history.
His body had adapted to the youth team's training program and had shown his consistent qualities in training which were his strength and hard work.
However, he still felt very tired. Not just because the intensity of the training was particularly strong, but also because of the psychological stress.
Chen Jian had formed the habit of keeping a daily diary since he'd come to England. His original intention was to document this valuable life experience so he did not forget it as time and life went on. He wanted to record his life, training, and studies in Nottingham in a written form.
Now when he flipped back at the earlier diary entries and read those crooked lines, he would recall each day during these past seven months. He felt that even if he did not write a diary, these seven months, as well as the remaining five months, would not be easily erased from his memory. They were too deep and strong, as real and clear as the aching in his body after the daily training.
※※※
”Chen! Can't you run anymore? Can't you?” The youth team manager, Greenwood, leaned over and opened his mouth wide as if he was going to bite Chen Jian's ear. He rushed to Chen Jian, exhausted on the ground, and loudly scolded in English, regardless of whether Chen Jian could understand or not. ”If you can't do it, you can go home now! No one's going to keep you here! No one here has any hope for you! You're just a lucky contestant from the talent show! Do you think you're lucky? Stand up! Keep practicing! You've got twenty more runs to dribble the ball back and forth! Don't delay my dinner time, this is the most ordinary youth team training!”
Chen Jian could not understand what Manager Greenwood was shouting. Even though the manager always had a loud voice during the training, he knew that the English coach must have been unhappy with his performance---he'd never seen anyone crouch next to his ear to compliment him with such a fierce expression.
He got up from the ground and wobbled as he continued to dribble the ball forward. He ran a few steps before he stumbled and fell to the ground again. This time, without waiting for Greenwood to shout at him, he climbed up and continued.
※※※
”Are you calcium-deficient? Did you have polio as a kid? Chen! If you can't withstand such a tiny collision, how are you going to play football? Get up, continue! What are you hiding from? This is not motherf**king football, this is war! If you can't win, you might as well die. Anyone who runs away and does not die on the battlefield will be dead by my hands! If you're so afraid of getting hurt, I recommend you train with ten-year-olds! Do all you Chinese people behave like this? Confrontation! Face the confrontation! How many times do you want me to say that? Face it!”
Chen Jian could more or less make out the series of grunts from the youth team's loud-mouthed coach and what they meant. He did not shout back, nor did he wash his hands off it and leave. Instead, he got up and yelled as he rushed up to his opponent. Then he tackled the opposing player to the ground with a foul.
The young man who was knocked down by Chen Jian shouted exaggeratedly. He laid on the ground and did not want to get up.
”James, if you're going to keep lying on the ground and pretend to be lazy, I'll punish you with running ten laps with the ball!” Greenwood rushed to bellow next to the ear of the boy lying on the ground. James immediately jumped up from the ground. He certainly did not forget to smack Chen Jian in the chest.
”Hey!” James said to Chen, ”you should have just used that force to vent at the coach!”
The youth team players who were enjoying this lively sight around them watched and laughed. Greenwood also applauded Chen.
”Although it was a foul, a defensive player has to be used to fouling to stop the other side. And it was a good momentum. Another thing, don't yell ”ahh” the next time. You looked silly.”
There was more laughter.
Chen Jian wrote in his diary later that night.
”... I still don't quite understand, but I think Manager Greenwood praised me. It was the first time in three months that he has complimented me... Professional football in England is indeed different from what I've heard at home...”
※※※
”Chen, you should pay attention to the position of the opposing attacking player! Why were you chasing the ball? Do you think your physical strength is that good? This is not your talent show. You won't be able to hold on until the halftime interval with that little strength of yours in a professional game. Are you training here for professional competition as your goal? If that's not the case, then you just --”
”Of course I am, Manager Greenwood. But George Wood--”
”You want to say his stamina is very good, right? Yes, his stamina is extremely good. But he's a monster. Are you a monster? Are you George Wood?”
Chen Jian shook his head.
”Then listen carefully! Your body may be considered strong in your country--”
”No, not strong, Manager Greenwood--”
”Don't interrupt me! Well, since you're not considered strong in your country, then you're not strong here. You can't always think about using your body to defend. I don't know which idiot told you that the defense depends on the body. The body is only an innate gift, but people can't always rely on innate gifts to live. You need to learn how to observe and analyze every move of the attacking players and then figure out what they will do next to prepare yourself in advance. It's a prejudgment. Do you understand prejudgment?”
”I think...I understand, Manager Greenwood.”
Greenwood pointed to his head. ”If you think football is a physical sport, you're wrong, Chen. Football is a sport full of wisdom. Idiots and fools don't have a future here. Your body isn't strong, but there's no rule that only strong people are qualified to be defenders and defensive midfielders. You have to learn to defend with your brain and intelligence, find the attacking players' next moves and weaknesses, and then make targeted countermeasures. Your speed and agility are your strengths. You have to use them.”
Chen Jian nodded vigorously.”I see. Manager Greenwood, thank you for the instructions.”
※※※
”Chen! I ask you to use your brain to play. I did not ask you not to run at all! What are you doing there, standing like a fool? What are you defending? A human vegetable can easily bypass a woodblock like you!”