The English Football League's forty-six rounds have come to an end, and only four teams remain to battle it out to determine one playoff champion that will ascend to the Premier League. On the same night the league concluded, Aldrich gathered all the players at the team's training hotel.
In what is usually a serious tactical meeting room, Aldrich and his coaching colleagues were dressed in suits and appeared relaxed, sharing laughs and jokes.
The players arrived one after another, each with different styles; after all, it was summer, and everyone was in casual attire, except for a few older players like Southgate and Nedved, who dressed a bit more formally.
Aside from Van Nistelrooy and Luca Toni, who had limited appearances last season, most of the players had integrated into Millwall's club life and genuinely viewed themselves as part of this team.
Once all the players had taken their seats in the meeting room, Aldrich pressed his hands down to silence the room. The players, smiling, focused their attention on Aldrich. It was hard to believe that an entire season had passed, and they were enjoying their time at Millwall so much.
"Playing is all about winning; it's the source of our joy, and improving ourselves also means our careers are on the rise. Plus, with our current income levels, we may not rival superstars, but we're overall better compensated than the average top league player by over 20%."
"I was planning to summarize the season during today's meeting, but I see it's unnecessary now. We won the championship, and that's the reward for our hard work over the past season, isn't it?"
After Aldrich's words, applause and cheers erupted from the players.
"I know you must be eager to go on vacation, haha, so I'll keep it short. First, based on your performances last season, I've written recommendation letters to your national federations suggesting you join the national team. Of course, many of you are still young, so even making it to the youth national teams is an honor."
At this point, many young players' eyes lit up with excitement.
They never expected Aldrich would go this far.
There had always been tension between clubs and national teams, but it wasn't exactly an adversarial relationship. After all, the more international players a club has, the bigger its fame becomes. However, national teams don't pay players but bring them risks of injuries and fatigue.
In essence, Aldrich was trying to win over the players. As his team prepared for the bigger stage of the Premier League next season, he thought it better to proactively recommend players rather than wait for national associations to notice them. This way, he could make a favorable impression and build stronger ties with the players. Why not take advantage of the situation to foster goodwill?
This was not merely insincere flattery; Aldrich wrote detailed recommendations for many players, outlining their characteristics and roles in various tactical formations, along with performance data and highlight reels. Whether his letters would be taken seriously by national federations was of little concern to Aldrich. He did his part, so he could be at peace with himself.
Aldrich continued with a smile, "Next season, I believe we can challenge for the championship trophy, but that's still a distant goal. For now, you can leave and enjoy a delightful vacation with your families. Oh, and Larson, if you don't mind, we'll have someone from the club collect the award for best player in the League One. Of course, if you'd like to stay in London a bit longer, you're welcome to keep me company."
Larson shook his head with a smile. The best player award was determined by the Professional Footballers' Association, and Millwall wouldn't be contending for any of the other significant awards in England.
As the players stood up and made their way out of the meeting room, some waved goodbye to Aldrich, others joked around, and a few exchanged warm hugs.
Once all the players had left, Aldrich turned to Jansen and asked, "When are you leaving?"
This summer, Aldrich intended to continue his recruitment efforts to bolster the coaching staff at every level and implement his tactical philosophy. New coaches with an attacking mindset were essential.
Jansen replied that he would leave the day after tomorrow, as the club's summer training camp began on July 18. "I promise the new coaches will report by the first week of July."
"Great, enjoy your vacation!"
Aldrich shook hands with each member of the coaching staff before heading to his office alone.
Most of the hotel staff had already started their vacations, and the empty corridors echoed with the sound of Aldrich's footsteps as he walked and pondered.
The importance of coaches can't be overstated, especially in England, where the "exam-based education" system has profoundly impacted football. It's challenging to produce players with world-shattering talent here; even those who gain temporary fame often fade into mediocrity once they hit the first team.
Much of the issue lies in England's training models and coaching philosophies. Even years after the Premier League dominated European football, fans rarely see distinctly talented English players, and the exceptional ones are few and far between. Many promising English youth eventually become "well-rounded" yet lack notable technical skills, and numerous disappointments are reported through injury crises.
Aldrich did not favor English coaches; he preferred to cultivate talent with the guidance of Dutch coaches who could truly bring players' talents to the forefront. Developing players takes time; coaches lay the groundwork for teams' traditions and identities, which is much more important than simply scouting players in the transfer market. After all, even if Aldrich could acquire a football genius, if they were guided into mediocrity, it would be a significant regret and pain.
As he pushed open the door to his office, he walked inside.
Across from his desk sat two people: Adam, the club's CEO, and Thompson, the head of the medical department.
Both stood, and Aldrich waved his hand, signaling that there was no need for formality among familiar faces. "I called you two here today because I need you to collaborate on something."
Aldrich walked around to sit behind the desk and got straight to the point. "Doctor Thompson, sports medicine emerged as a field in the early 1990s in the UK, and professionals in this area are certainly scarce. Currently, our club only has five licensed doctors, and I don't think that's enough—not nearly enough."
In his thirties, Doctor Thompson was well-spoken and had an academic aura. He adjusted his glasses and replied, "Sir, I'd like to know your reasoning behind that. Last season, our players didn't experience any major injuries, and those that did were treated well, recovering better than expected."
Aldrich nodded, contemplating for a moment before responding, "Doctor Thompson, I'm not a medical professional. Over the past period, I've spent time educating myself on this field. Please correct me if I'm mistaken."
Thompson nodded. He respected the young boss across from him. His standing in the club was much higher than in many other large clubs, where sports medicine professionals faced resistance. Even if they were hired, they often took on multiple roles, like carrying players' luggage or arranging training equipment—indicative of the traditional clubs' distrust toward new sciences. In contrast, Aldrich genuinely valued Thompson's expertise, and Thompson had enjoyed his time at Millwall.
Aldrich voiced his thoughts, "Doctors can identify the sport an athlete participates in by examining the areas and nature of their injuries. For example, if a person's spine is unbendable, they might be a snooker player due to the prolonged upright bending position. Wrestlers tend to develop cauliflower ears from years of training and matches; herniated discs are a common concern for beach volleyball athletes; divers often experience retinal issues, while swimmers might suffer from Marfan syndrome. Long-distance runners face stress fractures, shooters can develop 'yellow heart disease,' sumo wrestlers may encounter dissociative disorders, track athletes are subject to cervical spondylitis, and football players frequently experience tendinitis. If someone presents symptoms connected to most of these ailments, they're likely a football player, Am I right?"
Doctor Thompson's eyes widened slightly as he nodded after a moment of silence.
The injury rate among football players is high, and predicting specific injuries is challenging. One could argue that football has advanced the medical field, raising awareness of terms like meniscus, metatarsals, peroneus brevis, and cruciate ligaments, as well as a myriad of injury nomenclature that would overwhelm even the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Aldrich calmly asked, "With so many daunting injury names, my question is simple: can our medical department handle these injuries? Can we provide our players with the best medical treatment?"
Thompson's face darkened slightly as he shook his head helplessly.
The modern division of medicine has become increasingly refined; being skilled in one area makes someone an expert. Football players' bodies can sustain injuries to every bone and muscle, including unseen parts like nerves and ligaments. Relying solely on five doctors to manage that was indeed a pipe dream.
Aldrich spread his hands and stated matter-of-factly, "You see, this is exactly my point. We must expand the medical department to avoid misdiagnoses and improper treatments in the future, ensuring my players' health. So, I plan to recruit fifteen more sports medicine doctors."
"Boss, that budget—" Adam interjected.
He felt Aldrich's proposal was akin to suggesting the club should build a hospital, which was a bit extreme.
Aldrich turned and looked at Adam, speaking softly, "Adam, do you know how much a star player might go for in the future?"
Adam shook his head.
"I'll tell you. Ten million pounds is only an ordinary transfer fee for a player in England. True stars will fetch anywhere from twenty-five million to fifty million pounds. So, I'm not just discussing the medical department's importance; from a business standpoint, if a player suffers a career-ending injury, we're looking at a loss of tens of millions. If multiple players fall to injuries, it's astronomical! Keep any doubts about player values to yourself—time will reveal the answer."