On Monday night, Millwall's match against Middlesbrough was the final game of the Premier League round, drawing the most attention. However, before the match of the day, Fleet Street had only just become aware of Millwall's recent itinerary.
The Super Bowl is a grand event broadcast in nearly a hundred countries. Although the British often disregard American football, it still holds a certain sporting status outside of soccer. So, when the cameras inadvertently caught Aldrich and the Millwall players in a box during the Super Bowl, the British media exclaimed: "Are they crazy?!"
One day before the Premier League match, Millwall's first team was leisurely enjoying the Super Bowl in the United States?!
Aldrich may have unintentionally stolen the spotlight at Riverside Stadium, but he inevitably became the center of attention after the match. One reason was that the team had won, and the other was the myriad of news surrounding Millwall's recent movements.
During an interview in the mixed zone, Aldrich smiled as a reporter asked him to confirm Millwall's whereabouts over the past five days.
"Mr. Aldrich, how is it that amid such a tight schedule, you could take the entire team to America for an inconsequential game? I mean, you could go by yourself, but didn't you take into account the players' travel fatigue?"
Aldrich replied, "This was a pleasant trip to relieve stress. My players and I used a short trip to reduce pressure. The effect was great—much better than letting them spend the weekend at home alone in a calm and quiet setting."
"Is your reasoning only valid after today's away victory over Middlesbrough?"
"Absolutely not. I would stand by my words even if we lost the game. There's simply no reason to lie about it. Last year, at this point, I allowed my main players to take a break for half a month without matches. This year, I've utilized a different approach to achieve the same outcome."
"Middlesbrough was defeated at home by a Millwall team that had just returned from vacation. How do you view Robson's performance? Was his tactical decision flawed in this game? Isn't it a telling sign that Middlesbrough managed to get a point at the Lion's Den yet couldn't capitalize at home?"
Aldrich gave the bespectacled reporter a significant look. He always had to confront such tricky questions in interviews, unavoidable and unavoidable.
As a head coach, commenting on the capabilities of fellow coaches is a huge no-no. You can evaluate any team, but expressing direct opinions on another coach's tactics and abilities is something only pundits and reporters do. There exists an unspoken mutual respect among peers; unless one intends to cut off all relations or become mortal enemies.
Even when Aldrich criticized Redknapp and West Ham, he never directly judged Redknapp's coaching abilities. That would be rather foolish, as it would only make him a clown in the eyes of outsiders, and fellow coaches would see him as a mad dog.
"Middlesbrough performed excellently. At the beginning of the season, they were among the relegation favorites, but Robson's hard work and results made a strong comeback. Millwall defeated Middlesbrough today because we controlled the game better and created more chances. This isn't Robson's fault. It's important to note that the investment Millwall made in the team last year and this year far exceeded Middlesbrough's."
After concluding the interview, Aldrich led the team back to London.
He once again granted the team a day and a half off, instructing them to return to the training ground on Wednesday afternoon.
On Tuesday afternoon, Aldrich was called to the Leo Youth Training Base by Andrew.
He arrived in his training gear at the pitch, while Andrew stood in a suit, watching the youth team practice. Next to him stood a slender youth, whose skin color indicated he was not Caucasian.
"Hey, Andrew."
Aldrich called out, and both Andrew and the young boy turned to face him.
Aldrich froze for a moment, taken aback by the boy's appearance, and couldn't help but express, "His big teeth can hardly fit behind that wide grin. How adorable!"
"Hey, Ronaldo, say hello to your boss."
Andrew patted the boy on the shoulder encouragingly.
The boy, referred to as "Ronaldo," didn't gain much prominence in Europe until early 1996. At least at that time, the name didn't hold any unique significance, especially compared to the later well-known "Phenomenon" Ronaldo, who was struggling at PSV Eindhoven due to issues with management.
Aldrich walked over quickly, already aware of who the young boy in front of him was. Those buck teeth were simply unforgettable.
"Hello, boss."
The nearly sixteen-year-old Ronaldinho greeted Aldrich confidently.
Aldrich smiled and extended his hand. They shook hands like adults. Aldrich didn't believe in treating players with a condescending attitude—last summer, when he first met 13-year-old Joe Cole, he also shook hands formally.
The youth team players noticed Aldrich watching from the sidelines and naturally trained with even more vigor. They were currently engaged in a scrimmage, and Nagy was on the sidelines directing them with a strict tone, stressing the importance of positioning and teamwork to the young players.
Aldrich turned his gaze toward the pitch and asked Ronaldinho, "Want to play?"
Having just arrived, Ronaldinho didn't grasp complex English, so Aldrich used the simplest words.
He couldn't help but resent the British Empire for not colonizing Brazil; letting the Portuguese take over meant Portuguese was the official language in Brazil.
Ronaldinho nodded, his eyes sparkling with eagerness, clearly wanting to compete against the kids on the field.
Aldrich called out to Nagy and waved him over. Once Nagy approached, Aldrich introduced Ronaldinho, smiling, "Give him ten minutes—yeah, let him play forward."
"Left or center?"
"Let him play where he feels comfortable; let his teammates pass to him and see how he does."
Nagy nodded and took Ronaldinho to the coaching area to change into a jersey, giving him time to warm up. They'd substitute him into the match in the last ten minutes.
Aldrich then asked Andrew, "Is everything settled with his family?"
"Yeah, we arranged a place for his sister in a girls' school to help her get an education. His family agreed, and a shop in the community was put under his mother's name, making them very happy. To be honest, from a non-professional perspective, this kid is an artist on the pitch. After seeing the intense and rough style of English football, watching him play is like appreciating an elegant opera."
Aldrich smiled noncommittally, "You understand opera? And elegant?"
"Ha ha ha, yes, I'm just a cliché kind of guy! I've been a bit busy lately—I'll be flying to Brazil soon. If all goes well, Rivaldo might land in Europe this summer. Are you interested? If I persuade him, he'll surely consider Millwall, especially since we've been performing impressively this season."
"No need. To bring him in means knocking on the FA's door again, and besides, there's no spot for him on the team."
"Alright, when Rivaldo arrives in Europe this summer, I will have made a name for myself in South American football, and by then I can establish an even bigger network over there."
Aldrich nodded without saying anything. Before long, Nagy returned to his side, and Ronaldinho had stepped onto the pitch on the other end.
Today's match was played entirely among under-17 players. Among them were Ashley Cole, Villa, Capdevila, and Joe Cole. Since physical confrontation wasn't too fierce, players like Joe Cole and Villa wouldn't be overwhelmed by tough defensive play—they could find space to express themselves.
Once Ronaldinho entered the game, Nagy frowned.
Before entering, he had specifically told Ronaldinho, despite the language barrier, through tactical boards, to play as a forward; Ronaldinho nodded, indicating he understood.
However, upon stepping onto the field, Ronaldinho ran straight back to midfield to receive the ball.
As Nagy raised his hand to shout, Aldrich smiled and waved him off, saying, "Today is just a preview."
Nagy, resigned, could only let it go.
Ronaldinho quickly got hold of the ball from the midfield, turning and effortlessly dribbling past an approaching defender. This infuriated Nagy, who yelled, "Daniel! How many times have I told you! Don't take risks when pressing! Protect the space behind you!"
The young lad named Daniel merely intended to show Ronaldinho what he was made of, but he ended up becoming a stepping stone. In his retreat, he stared, dumbfounded.
Ronaldinho danced around the pitch as if he were a sprite, dribbling the ball skillfully and weaving past opponents. His touch was so natural that even Joe Cole, who was hailed as a genius, appeared less skilled in comparison.
The youth coaches on the other side of the training pitch stood up, wide-eyed, aghast at what they were witnessing!
Aldrich and Andrew wore smiles, while Nagy was excited by Ronaldinho's performance, though he kept muttering under his breath.
"Pass the ball! Pass the ball! Pass the ball! F**k! Just pass it!"
Ronaldinho charged through three defenders from midfield and eventually split the last line of defense, pushing the ball past the keeper into the net.
After scoring, he turned around, flashing a toothy grin filled with pride. The other kids were left stunned, their faces blank.
Nagy slapped his forehead in disbelief. He shook his head, saying, "This kid has unparalleled talent, but if he keeps playing like that, the future doesn't look bright."
Aldrich patted his shoulder, saying, "Well, it depends on how you teach him."
It's natural for talented young players to hold onto the ball longer, especially Brazilian players. The coach's responsibility is to correct their habits, helping them use their talent effectively.
With seven minutes left in the match, Nagy called the team that just conceded the goal and restructured their defensive duties before play resumed.
Initially, they had somewhat underestimated Ronaldinho, but after conceding such an embarrassing goal, they naturally took him more seriously. Under Nagy's direction, over the next seven minutes, although Ronaldinho received passes from his teammates and attempted to go past defenders to score again, he repeatedly found his efforts thwarted and was blocked by the defenders working together.
After the game concluded, Nagy intentionally left Ronaldinho behind to give him his first lesson, while Aldrich walked away, smiling at Andrew.
It had been a delightful day, worthy of Aldrich treating Andrew to a seafood feast.