Aldrich rarely read the newspapers—not because there was a lack of news, but because there was just too much of it. Despite the absence of football-specific publications in the UK, the plethora of football news in various major and minor newspapers was overwhelming. From on-field events to off-field gossip, from exaggerated headlines about club locker-room drama to baseless speculation regarding players' futures, the flood of information was hard to digest, leaving him unable to ascertain the truthfulness of any reporting.
Moreover, due to the low professional ethics of the British media, Aldrich had little interest in reading newspapers. Most of the time, he would just check the BBC news during meals, while valuable football intelligence was specially gathered and verified for him by a dedicated staff member at the club.
On the morning of the FA Cup third-round match, Aldrich got dressed and went downstairs to join his parents for breakfast.
Although he was already an adult, Aldrich still lived with his parents. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he had been away from home frequently over the past few years, which made Arthur and Amelia particularly happy to share meals with him. Their family atmosphere was always warm and cheerful.
However, that morning, as Aldrich sat down at the table and the housekeeper poured him a cup of coffee, he noticed Arthur, in his pajamas and looking rather hefty, glaring angrily as he slammed a newspaper onto the table. Breathing heavily, he exclaimed, "Graham, that **! He can't even clean his own ass and still has the audacity to disgust others! The crap spewing from his mouth is even published in a full spread by The Times! Damn it, Ross, from today onwards, we're canceling our subscription to The Times!"
Ross worked for his older brother Barnett's company but had been dispatched to assist Arthur at their home. In his thirties, he was a reliable man who handled travel and expense matters for Arthur and Amelia, functioning as a personal manager at their service. Without fail, he showed up at their villa by 7 AM each day.
Having breakfast with the Halls had been a routine for Ross for two years, and he simply nodded in agreement.
Arthur turned to Aldrich, still fuming. "Son, teach them a lesson in today's match, especially that Graham. He thinks a few trophies make him special. Arsenal? Hmph! Even the Millwall of a few years ago played better football than they did! That ungrateful bastard!"
Aldrich smiled and nodded, picking up The Times from the table.
Before reading the content, the first thing that came to his mind was George Graham.
This accomplished Arsenal manager had some connections to Millwall, but none of that had any relevance to Aldrich's understanding of Millwall today.
Before Aldrich arrived in '86, Graham had been the manager of Millwall, guiding the team from the third tier of English football up to what was then the Second Division. In the '85-'86 season, he established Millwall firmly in that division, and shortly after, he took up the reins at another London club: Arsenal.
Arthur's description of Graham as "ungrateful" felt a bit exaggerated, considering that Graham's achievements at Millwall were hardly noteworthy.
Upon taking charge of Arsenal, Graham led the team to a pre-Premier League era of glory, implementing a highly pragmatic style of play that introduced a five-defender formation. Under his leadership, Arsenal won several trophies, including the European Cup Winners' Cup last season. However, Arsenal did not flourish under his management; not only did neutral fans fail to embrace Arsenal, but even their own supporters felt despair at Graham's style. The team's mantra became "1-0 football," and their record defense, which only conceded 18 goals during their championship season, left fans numb. Watching an Arsenal match felt akin to stepping into a library—exceedingly dull.
As Aldrich perused the article, his expression remained neutral.
Graham's inflammatory comments stemmed from the expected lineup for Millwall in the FA Cup.
It was no secret that Millwall had two squads. Speculating on the starting lineups was one of the media's favorite pastimes. Thomson from The Sun had penned a piece previewing the match, boldly predicting that Aldrich would field a younger second squad against Arsenal, citing their recent cup match against Newcastle as a basis for his assertion.
"Compared to the rising Newcastle, Arsenal is on the decline. The once glorious Arsenal from last season is now a shadow of its former self. Aldrich should stick with his second squad strategy for this encounter," he had predicted.
This perspective reached Graham's ears, leading him to commence a tirade against Millwall a day prior to the match.
It wasn't without basis.
For instance, upon Aldrich's arrival, the entire coaching staff had resigned, and aside from goalkeeper Keller and rookie Lucas, all last season's players had been sidelined.
Even Aldrich's substantial spending on new players became fodder for Graham's criticism.
Aldrich was a rarity in the currently conservative English football landscape, a figure who tended to break convention.
After finishing his breakfast while ignoring the front-page articles in The Times, Aldrich methodically made his way to the club.
Thomson's forecast was on point; Aldrich indeed planned to utilize the second squad for the FA Cup match. In light of the current momentum, Aldrich theoretically had room to dispatch his starting eleven, but he dismissed the idea.
Although Millwall had a first team of 26 players, discounting two on loan from Manchester United left him with 24. Many young players still struggled to adapt to the intensity of the Premier League, and even the regular starters found it difficult. The gap between the Premier League and League One was enormous, and the difference in match intensity and quality was staggering.
He needed to accelerate the development of his younger players, requiring them to play more matches, even in significant games, to gain valuable experience.
As for whether to take a gamble with a half-starter, half-substitutes approach, Aldrich never entertained such thoughts. The disconnect between starters and substitutes could collapse the team's tactical framework.
At the pre-match press conference, Aldrich arrived as scheduled. Over thirty reporters were present, drawn by the clash between the league leaders and one of England's traditional powerhouses.
Staying calm, Aldrich took his seat and smiled, "Any questions?"
Thomson from The Sun immediately raised his hand, "Mr. Hall, can you share the starting lineup for the match?"
Aldrich casually replied, "Goalkeeper: Butt. Defenders: Neville, Richards, Materazzi, Zambrotta. Midfielders: Glen Sharpe, Gattuso, Vieira, Ballack, Beckham. Forward: Solskjær."
Initially pleased, Thomson's expression soured as he realized Aldrich's squad would employ a 4-5-1 formation, a stark contrast to his predicted 4-4-2 setup.
He quickly raised his hand again, asking, "Mr. Hall, who is Gattuso? And where is Kevin Phillips?"
Aldrich replied, "Phillips picked up a minor injury in training and will sit on the bench today. Gattuso is one of our younger players in midfield. I believe he has reached the level to play in a formal match, and his performances in training have earned the recognition of the coaching staff."
Previously, Gattuso had never appeared in an official match, and when the second squad played, it had typically been Vieira partnering Ballack in midfield.
Among the journalists present, aside from Thomson eager for validation for his earlier article, the others bore smirks that hinted at ulterior motives.
Richard, a correspondent for the Daily Mail who had a good rapport with Aldrich, straightforwardly inquired, "Mr. Hall, did you read the papers today?"
The room went silent.
All eyes turned toward Aldrich.
He blinked and replied, "What? Didn't Graham already give you the news? What more do you want from me?"
Richard, fresh and unabashed, laughed, "George Graham is just deflecting attention. He's facing an FA investigation regarding bribery in player transfers. It's obvious to anyone; he's attacking Millwall to divert attention from his troubles. Even if Arsenal were playing against another team, he'd still be throwing similar barbs. This is such an old trick that even readers aren't fooled. What he said doesn't qualify as news; it's more like a poor performance."
Richard's words resonated with his peers, while the reporter from The Times could only shake his head in disappointment. Today's headline hadn't garnered significant sales; fans weren't oblivious to Graham's bribery scandal, realizing his attacks on Millwall were merely attempts to mitigate negative impacts.
Aldrich chuckled, initially reluctant to say anything more. Graham was embroiled in a bribery scandal and faced the possibility of prosecution by the FA, with Arsenal under immense pressure both internally and externally. Aldrich had intended to remain a mere spectator, but since Graham insisted on dragging him into the fray, he decided to take the opportunity to strike back.
After all, this sort of shady manipulation has existed since the inception of professional football in England. Renowned managers like Brian Clough had faced similar downfalls—Graham was hardly an exception, and such scandals would undoubtedly continue.
Clearing his throat, Aldrich adjusted his demeanor and stated, "Well, I see. For today's media, a dog biting a man isn't news anymore; it's the man biting the dog that captures interest, right?"
Laughter erupted from the reporters.
Aldrich was always like this—polite yet humorous, and this time, he even provided intriguing headlines for them, making the trip worthwhile!
At that moment, Graham truly resembled a mad dog, snapping at anyone within reach.
Who was Aldrich?
He was now one of the most prominent young coaches in English football!
Though not in the Premier League, his rising profile had attracted considerable attention. He was almost certain to be named the LMA's best manager in League One this season.
Attacking Millwall and belittling Aldrich would only serve to embarrass Graham further.
Because it was utterly unreasonable—Millwall was achieving remarkable results, while Arsenal had slipped to mid-table in the Premier League, a far cry from their former glory.
With a stern expression, Aldrich replied, "Mr. Graham's assessment of Millwall disappoints me deeply. He seems to have forgotten that he was once part of Millwall."
"His Arsenal is a disgrace!"
"He had the chance to mold a generation of outstanding young players from the late 80s Arsenal into one of Europe's finest teams, yet look at Arsenal now! I see no signs of championship mentality in them, nor even the spirit to challenge for a title."
"There are rumors of him taking bribes, but I won't comment on that. I do know that such rumors have harmed Arsenal. Imagine you're an Arsenal player, how can you focus on the game when your coach is distracted by off-field troubles?"
"Do I hate Arsenal? No. There's no war between Millwall and Arsenal. I also admire a few Arsenal players, like Tony Adams and Seaman, but they'll never join Millwall, even if we rise to the Premier League next season. My admiration doesn't mean envy. I take pride in every Millwall player, and we have a bright future ahead. Arsenal, in contrast, seems to be lost in the dark."
For the first time, Aldrich—who had always presented a mild-mannered image—fired back at another club in a public forum.
Following the match, numerous newspapers published extensive coverage, yielding impressive sales!
"Still watching dogs bite humans? No, come see humans bite dogs instead!"