In the lonely summer of '95, the bureaucratic atmosphere of the Italian Football Association stirred uneasily. After receiving Aldrich's recommendation letter, they not only scoffed at it but also leaked it to the media, using Millwall's letter as fodder for gossip and entertainment across Italy.
Aldrich read the news in the "Corriere dello Sport," which was filled with derogatory comments and mockery from Italian football commentators about Millwall, an obscure club in England.
It's a well-accepted fact that national teams often draw their youth players from domestic leagues. Coaches primarily scout within their countries, and it makes sense that the outstanding players in domestic youth leagues are selected for national youth teams.
Aldrich was mockingly referred to by Italians as a "frog in a well," suggesting he had never truly experienced Italian football. They thought that just because he had a few Italian players, he believed he had discovered exceptional talent. Their disdain was palpable.
After finishing the article, Aldrich set the newspaper down and said flatly, "Mr. De Rossi, you probably haven't watched Millwall play, and not many people in Italy have either. If you think I'm arrogant for being surprised by football talent, that's fine. I don't deny that Serie A is the best league in the world today, but that doesn't mean Italy will still dominate Europe ten years from now. Please forgive my honesty: my team not only has the backbone of a future Italian national squad but also players destined to become European and World Champions. I'm aware we might not reach an agreement today, but my sincerity will not wane. The door of Millwall will always be open to Daniele De Rossi. Lastly, let me say this: if Daniele stays in Rome, he may become a loyal star, but if he joins Millwall, I believe by the time he retires, the number of trophies he collects will be countless, as I'm pursuing this goal with all my might. Goodbye."
With that, Aldrich and Andrew stood up to leave. Old De Rossi's expression turned serious and contemplative as he watched them go.
Outside the café, Andrew scratched his head. "How did it go? It feels like the talks fell apart."
He couldn't understand Italian, so he was left clueless throughout the discussion.
Aldrich shrugged. "It's not exactly a failure, as there wasn't much room for negotiation from the start. It's fine; De Rossi is just 13. I firmly believe that before he turns 18, Millwall will offer him something far more attractive than Roma does."
"Now we head to Brescia?"
"Yeah."
Before heading to Brescia, Millwall had submitted a transfer inquiry worth £1 million for Andrea Pirlo, a 16-year-old player at Brescia. At that time, Pirlo had only made one appearance for Brescia at the end of last season, flying under the radar of Italy's big clubs.
The final transfer fee settled at £1.5 million, and Aldrich planned to personally negotiate Pirlo's salary.
An important factor was that Pirlo came from a wealthy background; simply throwing numbers from a contract wouldn't impress him.
Although Aldrich already had many versatile midfielders, he still lacked a crucial piece for his tactical system: a masterful playmaker!
While Nedved has commendable organizational ability and rapid突破 skills, Aldrich required a midfield commander from a broader tactical perspective. This would allow his attacking system to both slice through defenses with incisive passes and mount sharp assaults by breaking through defensive lines, thus achieving a multifaceted offensive approach.
In Brescia, Aldrich met with Pirlo, who appeared somewhat bewildered at just sixteen years old. He had signed with the team just last year, and now he was suddenly being sold. Coming from wealth, it was likely difficult for him to grasp the significance of £1.5 million to a small club.
Coming from a merchant family, Pirlo was used to big stages. Facing Aldrich and Andrew, he didn't show any signs of intimidation; he maintained a calm demeanor without any pretense.
"Can I call you Andrea?" Aldrich asked. "Great! Have you heard of Millwall?"
Pirlo frankly shook his head, adding, "I saw some news about Millwall in the papers recently. I know it's a club in London, but it doesn't seem to be in the Premier League."
"No, we won the championship and got promoted last season, and in just two months, Millwall will be entering the Premier League. Andrea, I want you to first understand what kind of club is interested in you and wishes to bring you on board."
Aldrich didn't underestimate Pirlo because of their age difference; in football, age does not define one's capability. It's all about talent.
With his attention now on Aldrich, Pirlo nodded, signaling him to continue.
What was going on inside Pirlo's mind was unknown to Aldrich, but he wanted to show his utmost sincerity.
"Here's a list of my players, including their profiles and performance data from last season. I took charge of Millwall last season, acting as both owner and head coach. Therefore, Millwall will be a stable club for a long time to come. There won't be negative impacts due to management upheavals or coaching changes. I believe that stability is fundamental for a club's long-term development. Secondly, Millwall is an ambitious club. We don't intend to just survive in the Premier League; I want to turn us into the best team in England. After conquering England, we'll aim for Europe! And we aim for long-term dominance across Europe! If we need to quantify this grand goal, it's to surpass Real Madrid's five consecutive titles and Liverpool's four titles in seven years, making Millwall indisputably the king of European football in the shortest time possible. Yes, Millwall lacks a deep history and a prestigious past; the last hundred years have been a blank slate, dry, and even unpleasant to reflect upon. But that, to me, is good news. It means I can create an era that belongs solely to us, without needing to compare ourselves to anyone else. Andrea, I hope you will become a part of Millwall and leave a brilliant mark in this history."
Aldrich's inspiring words struck a chord. Pirlo, who was used to the dogmatic environment of Italian football, found Aldrich's passionate rhetoric refreshing and overwhelming.
After a moment of silence, as he started to explore the documents in his hands, Pirlo left with a strong impression of Aldrich—at least Millwall was youthful.
Pirlo specifically noted the Italian players on the team. Besides Luca Toni, Gattuso, Materazzi, and Zambrotta all had appearances in the double digits, and the feedback and ratings from each match's coaching staff were thorough and insightful.
Pirlo wasn't averse to playing abroad. He was a bit of a rebel, after all. Although he was from a wealthy family, they opposed him pursuing a career in football.
"Andrea, let's talk about you. What are your expectations for your position and role on the football field?"
Seeing Pirlo remain silent, Aldrich decided to steer the conversation.
With a slight frown, Pirlo admitted, "To be honest, the coaches at Brescia say I have the potential to become the next Baggio."
Aldrich smiled and nodded. In reality, Baggio's characteristics could be divided into two phases: before '95, he was quick, nimble, and graceful on the ball, while after '95, as he aged, his speed decreased, but his vision and organizational skills improved.
Aldrich pulled out his tactical notebook from his briefcase and circled the position of a trequartista on a simple football field diagram. "This is the position you play for the club, right?"
Pirlo nodded.
"Have you encountered any problems?"
After a moment's hesitation, Pirlo replied quietly, "The coaches say I can become like Baggio, but I can't dribble past defenders like he could. As I approach the box, I sometimes feel lost, spending much of my energy trying to shake off defenders."
Aldrich nodded. "That's right, Andrea. You can't become a second Baggio; it's simply impossible. Your unique characteristics are the biggest barrier to replicating Baggio's style, and that's something you can't change no matter how hard you try."
Pirlo's gaze dimmed. He knew his limitations; he just couldn't match Baggio's speed, let alone his ability to combine speed with ball control.
"But you can become the one and only Pirlo! You're not a second Baggio; you are Andrea Pirlo! If you stay at Brescia, you'll slowly improve in the trequartista role, but I will give you a larger stage where your talents can shine the brightest and you can do what you do best. And I will never force you to do things that are beyond your capabilities."
Aldrich's eyes were sincere, and that was something he could guarantee with his integrity.
Like many players in his squad, those who quickly came to respect him did so because Aldrich never forced them to do things they couldn't.
He would never expect Stam to think too much about ball distribution as a defender, nor would he ask Makelele to take on more offensive duties beyond defense. He wouldn't pressure Schneider to develop long-range shooting skills like Pires; Aldrich understood that each player's talents were unique. How a coach mixed those different talents together into a cohesive unit was the coach's responsibility. Getting the best out of players within their capabilities was enough. If a coach demanded performance beyond a player's skill set, the coach shouldn't blame the player for lacking ability but rather recognize their own limitations.