When Millwall scored their fourth goal, some of the Red Devils fans in the stands at Old Trafford began to leave early. Whether it was out of pity for the struggling Red Devils or because they couldn't bear to watch any longer, by the time the final whistle blew, nearly half of the seats in the stands of the Theatre of Dreams were empty.
Aldrich, with his fists firmly clenched, let out a determined wave, then contained his excitement just enough as he turned to Ferguson. The two shared a fleeting handshake, uttering no words as they went their separate ways. It was clear that Ferguson had no interest in taking Aldrich for a drink today; he was impatient to get back to the locker room to deliver his lecture.
Aldrich turned to shake hands and hug each of his coaches, who wore ecstatic smiles, before heading back onto the field to embrace and talk with each player.
Manchester United had played terribly today. Their players scurried down the tunnel as if escaping, while the Millwall players, after celebrating momentarily, walked over to their away fans. They tossed their jerseys into the stands and raised their heads, applauding the supporters.
As the players headed back to the locker room to freshen up and prepare to go home, Aldrich went straight to the post-match interview.
A reporter from a rival publication got straight to the point: "Given Millwall's current momentum, the league title should be yours, right?"
Aldrich, looking relaxed, replied with a smile, "Of course not, that's not possible. The league has only had 12 rounds; there's still a long way to go. Even though we lead the defending champions by 12 points, if we lose three matches and Manchester United wins three, with a rematch in the second half of the season, our current advantage could easily be overturned. Millwall is still far from the championship. I've always stressed that we focus only on the next match. Of course, we aim to perform well in every game to improve our players and chase the championship. If my players can perform as brilliantly as they did today in every match, then we have no reason to hand the trophy to anyone else."
"Do you think Manchester United still has a chance to defend their title? Losing three consecutive matches and conceding 17 goals in the top league might be the darkest moment in Manchester United's history."
Aldrich shook his head and replied earnestly, "That kind of statement isn't fair; it makes no logical sense. Was Manchester United better off when they were relegated? They are still playing in the Champions League right now. They're just going through some difficulties. Many of their players are young, and Ferguson has promoted several youth players from the academy this season, giving them opportunities to grow, which comes at a cost. I firmly believe Manchester United's troubles are temporary. Ferguson doesn't need to prove anything; he has the ability to bring Manchester United back from the abyss when everyone questions him. Therefore, Millwall must remain vigilant; if we think Manchester United is out of the running, it will be an irreparable mistake!"
"Can you comment on the players' performance? Who do you think was the best player of this match?"
"Oh wow, that's a tough question. All my players performed well. The forwards scored, and the midfielders contributed significantly. If I absolutely had to name one, I would say it was Makelele. Manchester United was really pushing hard for a while, but Makelele's top-notch performance made their attacks falter at the front. He also played a huge role when Pirlo was being marked. I believe, in the holding midfielder position, Makelele is already the top star in the Premier League. You might say Keane is a complete midfielder, but I think, in the holding role, let's not even start discussing attacking capabilities. In terms of defensive work, nobody does it better than Makelele. He will definitely become a world-class player in the future, but he needs more matches. I am confident that Millwall will give him and other outstanding players the highest stage to improve, and I hope the French national team will give him some chances to gain valuable experience in international competitions."
...
After the interview, the players finished showering and changing in the locker room. Some were singing, others dancing, and some were sitting together laughing and chatting. Everyone was incredibly excited; when they boarded the bus for the return trip, they could hardly contain their joy over the win.
Aldrich didn't return with the main group, as he had received a text from Melanie.
Outside the iconic Old Trafford, Melanie was behind the wheel of a sleek new Bentley, and Aldrich opened the door and hopped inside. She, dressed in casual clothes, leaned in to peck him on the cheek with a smile, exclaiming, "Well done! Haha, today is Manchester United's doomsday!"
Aldrich chuckled, "When Millwall won at Anfield last year, you said it was my end. Now it's become Manchester United's end. Did you come to watch the game today?"
"Yeah, Let's go to Liverpool for dinner."
Aldrich didn't ask any further questions. On the drive to Liverpool, they casually chatted about the match.
Melanie suggested that Aldrich should celebrate crazily at Old Trafford like he did last year, as that would humiliate Manchester United.
Aldrich smiled but chose not to respond.
Often, celebratory gestures are an outpouring of emotions rather than deliberately crafted performances.
Last year, he nearly won at Old Trafford, and Nedved's goal at the end made him ecstatic, even though they ended up equalized by Manchester United. At that moment, it truly was the most thrilling time of his coaching career.
Today was different. Millwall and Manchester United were in vastly different forms; with Manchester United facing a slew of adverse conditions, after Millwall scored two goals, Aldrich felt more assured and confident of victory. Was he excited? Yes, but it wasn't enough to drive him to "crazy" celebrations.
By the time they reached Liverpool, it was dark, and Melanie drove them to an upscale restaurant in the city. Aldrich walked in hand in hand with her.
Originally thinking it would be a dinner for just the two of them, when they reached the seating area, they found themselves sitting side by side at one end of a four-person table.
Aldrich looked at the empty seat opposite him and asked curiously, "Who else is joining us?"
"Victoria. She came with me to watch the game today, but she got caught up with something and will be late."
Aldrich didn't think much of it. He wasn't familiar with this area, but as they entered, he casually noticed some suspicious-looking individuals across the street. Based on his experience, they seemed to be paparazzi, possibly hunting for news.
His relationship with Melanie had already become public last year, so there was nothing new to hype. He pretended not to notice.
As Victoria was delayed, Melanie called her several times, but all Victoria said was that she was sorry and would be a little late.
Aldrich, feeling famished, almost rested his head on the table.
"I haven't been able to eat beef for a long time since the mad cow disease outbreak. I've switched to seafood for the past six months, and I'm getting a bit tired of it," he complained.
This year, Britain was in the midst of the mad cow disease crisis, and the Prime Minister had ordered a culling of cows, which deprived him of a regular dish at the table.
Melanie, fiddling with his hand, was getting a bit impatient as well. She checked the time and sighed, "I was planning to have dinner and then go see a movie."
"What movie?"
"Jerry Maguire, you wouldn't be interested in that kind of film."
"Hey, I actually like this one. Tom Cruise is a heartthrob!"
"Oh? It's newly released; have you seen it?"
"No, but I've seen the trailer. Let's plan to watch it together some time."
Just as they were chatting, Victoria finally arrived.
Since their seats were facing the entrance, Aldrich and Melanie both caught sight of Victoria when she walked in, hand in hand with another young man.
Aldrich's previously relaxed expression stiffened for a moment before he returned to his usual smile.
However, his hand slipped into his suit pocket to retrieve his phone, shielding it with the table as he discreetly texted Andrew: Call me!!!!!!
Melanie noticed his action and shot him a puzzled glance. Aldrich simply winked at her, and Melanie understood without further questioning.
"Hi, Aldrich," Victoria greeted confidently as she approached the table and sat down. The handsome young man accompanying her looked somewhat awkward upon seeing Aldrich there but managed to extend his hand, saying, "Good evening, Mr. Hall."
"Hi, David," Aldrich replied as he stood up to shake the man's hand, and then all four of them took their seats.
The man sitting opposite Aldrich turned out to be Manchester United player Beckham.
Since their unpleasant encounter last spring, they hadn't had any contact. Today marked their first meeting outside of work settings. They had seen each other at various events in English football circles, but those had always involved formal pleasantries.
Melanie and Victoria began discussing their dinner with cheerful moods.
Aldrich noticed Beckham sitting across from him, fidgeting uncomfortably, and smiled as he asked, "What did the gaffer say to you after the match?"
Even though Ferguson hadn't been knighted yet, some Manchester United fans had already begun calling him "the gaffer."
Beckham looked visibly tense and immature as he immediately recounted everything that happened post-match.
As expected, Ferguson's emotions erupted in the locker room, leaving no one unscathed. All the players were given a thorough dressing down, facing intense criticism.
Finally, he concluded, "You have fallen behind the Millwall players by a full ten streets! Just in terms of their running intensity on the field, they have shown a strength that is a hundred times greater than yours! Are you fatigued? Had you dedicated all your energy to football, you wouldn't feel this worn out!"
Without even discussing the tactical shifts that Millwall had sparked in English football, at least Ferguson had realized his players were entirely outmatched in terms of fitness. This led him to investigate Millwall's conditioning regimen. More intuitively, this painful defeat had inspired Ferguson with fresh ideas on how to utilize Scholes, signaling the end of Keane and Butt's partnership in midfield.
In a sense, Aldrich and Millwall's rise was accelerating transformations in the Premier League. From players to tactics, they would become a new template. It was unlikely they could be copied, but it was perfectly normal for others to take inspiration from strong teams.
Once Beckham finished sharing, he regretted having said everything.
Could locker room matters really be discussed loosely like that?
Especially with a rival coach!
Although he had lost the game today, he had suddenly gained the favor of a goddess and forgotten everything in his excitement.
"Mr. Hall, please don't let those words slip, uh..."
"Haha, I understand, David. The gaffer is right; players should devote all their energy to football."
Aldrich's words trailed off; after all, Beckham was a Manchester United player, so Aldrich didn't have the authority to lecture him.
Just then, Aldrich's phone rang, and he excused himself, stepping away to take the call in a secluded area.
"What's up?"
"Nothing much, just need your help. I've been set up."
"Who was it?"
"A woman."
"Another set of ladies after you, huh?"
"No, it's Melanie's friend."
"Oh, lucky you."
"It's not what you think, thanks."
"Hold on, I also need to talk to you about something. You should come by my office sometime," Andrew said.
"Okay, I'll note it down."
After hanging up, Aldrich returned to the table, looking apologetically at the three of them. "Sorry, my agent called. There's something urgent, and I have to rush back to London."
Melanie didn't seem to mind much, but Victoria frowned, "At eight in the evening? Is there really work to attend to?"
Aldrich shrugged in resignation, "There's a transfer we're discussing that was almost finalized, but suddenly, other clubs have stepped in. I need to return to renegotiate the terms; it's a very important player, so every second counts. David should understand this kind of situation."
Beckham nodded earnestly, as the transfer market was indeed unpredictable. Not to mention how many excellent young players Manchester United had poached this summer, everyone had been waiting for Shearer to come in. Everything was ready for the signing, but out of the blue, Keegan swooped in, playing the family card, causing Manchester United to miss out on the top striker.
"Let me give you a ride. Goodbye, Victoria, and have a wonderful evening."
With a smile, Melanie waved goodbye to a visibly strained Victoria before heading out of the restaurant with Aldrich. As they turned to leave, Victoria's expression instantly darkened.