Millwall arrived and departed in a rush. They landed in Amsterdam by plane in the morning and played a friendly match against Ajax at the ArenA in the afternoon. After the game, they flew back to London, and the team disbanded at 8 PM.
The friendly match ended in a resounding victory for Millwall, who embarrassingly trounced Ajax 5-2 on their home turf.
Aldrich had initially encouraged the players to take it easy and enjoy themselves, but Ajax took the match far too seriously. They showed a determination to win, driven by Olson's desire to prove himself after just taking over the team. He completely overlooked the tactical deficiencies that arose from the departures of several core players. Plus, with Ajax's propensity for an aggressive 4-3-3 formation, Millwall was not afraid at all. They counterattacked with precision, scoring five goals against a rebuilding Ajax side almost effortlessly.
The Dutch media lamented the swift decline of former giants, reminiscing that just two years ago, Ajax was the king of Europe. Now, they were humiliated at home by Millwall, who hadn't even played a single Champions League match yet.
Fleet Street was cheering for Millwall, with some saying this marked a turning point, shedding the "England's Ajax" label. In Millwall's coaching staff, apart from Aldrich and Benitez, everyone else hailed from Ajax, and the team's style had become distinctly its own, creating a unique identity for "Millwall" that evoked a passionate style of play.
In five days, Millwall would participate in their last warm-up match before the start of the Premier League season: the Community Shield.
Upon returning to London after defeating Ajax, Aldrich did not rush home but went to the training base, where he had his own office while the other coaches shared a space.
Craig had stayed behind at the club, busy studying materials provided by Andrew's agency.
Tomorrow, a forgotten young player was scheduled for a trial.
Aldrich stood in the coaches' office, arms crossed, gazing intently at game footage on the television.
Craig sat beside him with a remote, occasionally fast-forwarding the tape. When the player they were set to trial tomorrow appeared, Craig would slow it down, playing it in slow motion for analysis.
"From his positioning, he still shows a strong understanding of the game. However, as a forward, he consciously avoids physical contact with defenders. In over 100 equal opportunities this season, he only succeeded seven times! That's why he got dropped, but I believe he shouldn't have been used that way," Craig explained.
Aldrich listened, nodding occasionally.
By analyzing the plays in the game footage, especially with the long shots and slow motion, the coaches could more accurately assess each player's positional choices and individual performances, making it a more direct option than the "highlight reels" agents usually send clubs.
Aldrich shook his head, saying, "Liverpool is a head-scratcher. David Larmore was trained in a technical style in the youth team. The Liverpool youth squad also plays with a continental style, so it's natural for Larmore to avoid physical confrontation after his serious injury. Even if he has lingering doubts, psychological support can help. Lending him to Doncaster was a disastrous decision. At the most crucial time for his recovery, they sent him off to struggle alone. Doncaster plays the most traditional English football, relying on long balls and physical contests. It's not that he performed poorly; it's that the team is too weak. He needs teammates who can play at his pace, not be forced into a role he isn't suited for..."
Liverpool's youth training philosophy differed significantly from traditional English methods. Stars like Owen, Gerrard, Carragher, and Thompson emerged from this period; while they might not have seemed technically superior among the elite, they outperformed over 99% of their peers in England. Their specialized training produced standout qualities, like Owen's explosive speed combined with excellent finishing, and Carragher's physicality and balance.
In such a youth training environment, David Larmore's performance once suppressed Irving. While age does play a factor, it doesn't negate his potential and the skill level he's already reached.
Last May, Irving was Larmour's backup. Soon after, Larmour suffered a serious injury in training. By the time he recovered, Owen had broken into the first team. Larmour spent the second half of the season on loan at Doncaster, where he failed to score, while Owen made his debut and broke the Premier League's record as the youngest goalscorer.
Before Owen rose to fame, Larmore had been the more dazzling prodigy. A year later, their fortunes took wildly different turns.
Perhaps it was Larmore's lack of goals at Doncaster that solidified Liverpool's decision to let go of the once-promising "future superstar."
Through a simplistic lens, it seemed clear: if he couldn't score in a low-level league, how could he possibly succeed at Liverpool?
But Aldrich saw it differently. Larmore faced challenges; the physical and mental impacts of his injury had undoubtedly hit his career hard.
Yet his technical ability remained intact, especially that invisible quality: "game reading." This was crucial; many players with strong individual skills often lacked this, showcasing a "look at my fancy footwork" style but providing little contribution to the team's efforts.
Aldrich decided to give Larmore another chance—this forward nearing his eighteenth birthday was struggling to find playtime in England.
No big clubs showed interest, and even small teams like Doncaster seemed indifferent, given his dismal record of zero goals.
Lower-tier clubs extended invitations, but Larmore found them hard to accept. After all, the contract he signed with Liverpool at 16 was worth more than these small clubs' offers.
Millwall wasn't shy about investing in young talent. Even a weekly wage of £500 would total under £30,000 a year; with a budget of £1 million, they could nurture nearly 40 rookies. Aldrich had set an annual budget of £400,000 for the youth squad, including salaries and operational costs.
In England, only Millwall dared to invest over 10% of its revenue into youth training.
The next day, Aldrich did not personally oversee Larmore's trial but entrusted it to the youth team.
There are plenty of younger players in Millwall's youth team with more talent than Larmore. However, Larmore made an impression on Aldrich last year, which is why Aldrich is keeping a close eye on him. Whether Larmore can make a name for himself at Millwall remains uncertain, but Aldrich's expectations aren't too high—he'll just have to wait and see.
As the new season approached, the players ramped up their training, brimming with excitement for the upcoming year. They couldn't wait to step onto the Champions League stage.
Even after the recent expansion of the Champions League, increasing the number of participating teams from 16 to 24, the quality had not diminished. On the contrary, competitiveness heightened as top teams were now included, allowing stronger runners-up access, such as those from Serie A, and teams like Barcelona, which scored over 100 league goals last season but had to settle behind Real Madrid.
Eager for their European debut, the players' spirits soared higher than the previous season.
After a day's training ended, Aldrich and the coaches gathered to pick up stray balls scattered across the field.
At that moment, a Mercedes pulled into the training ground and parked in front of the office building. Andrew, who hadn't been seen in a while, stepped out, and with a smile, opened the back door to reveal two small boys, about ten years old.
The three walked to the edge of the training field. The boys curiously examined the surroundings, while Andrew gently patted them on the head.
Once Aldrich finished collecting the balls, he turned and saw Andrew beside the two boys. A feeling of excitement washed over him.
His face broke into a broad smile as he approached Andrew, bending down to formally greet the boy on the left and offering his hand for a handshake.
"Hey, you like it when people call you Kun,huh? My name is Aldrich Hall. If you like it here, you can join in and play; there are a lot of talented kids around!"
Aldrich spoke in Spanish. While it differed slightly from the Argentine dialect, they could communicate effectively.
The boy looked up at Aldrich, replying earnestly, "Boss, I'll play well here."
After finishing, he extended his hand for a shake, but one hand alone couldn't grasp Aldrich's, so he used both.
Aldrich raised an eyebrow, casting a glance at Andrew, knowing this was surely his influence.
Then he turned to the other boy, smiling at the somewhat delicate-looking child. "Leo, I know you've been unwell. But don't be discouraged. Everyone gets sick. You'll recover quickly here, and I hope you enjoy football."
Andrew gently patted the heads of the two boys, the first being 9-year-old Aguero, while Aldrich now faced 10-year-old Messi.
Messi had already been diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. Treatment was only a basic step; more importantly, his future growth needed careful management. Aldrich would ensure he received the best medical care and appoint a specialized coaching team to create a tailored plan for him.
The 10-year-old Messi currently has a look in his eyes shrouded in darkness, with no hint of brilliance.
While Ronaldo faced the burden of family expectations from a young age, the pressure Messi experienced during his childhood was largely due to mental and physical stresses.
Even in history, Messi was diagnosed with a disease at the age of 11 that required years of treatment and daily specialized training. Although he appears vulnerable among his peers due to his short stature, his journey to success is equally an inspiring story of determination.
When meeting Aldrich for the first time, Messi merely nodded, saying nothing.
Aldrich didn't take offense; it was just in Messi's nature. Even when he became a football superstar, he would still show signs of introversion.
Aldrich personally escorted the two boys to the youth team for registration, placing them in the same dormitory.
Millwall's accommodations for young players featured a family-style apartment setup, complete with a shared living and dining area, private bedrooms, an indoor mini-pitch, a gym, and a pool.
As they entered the dormitory building, just before mealtime, Aldrich paused, alongside Messi and Aguero, their gazes drawn to an open door leading to the mini-pitch. Inside, a solemn-looking boy stood three meters from the wall, repeatedly kicking a ball against it with his left foot.
Kick, receive, kick, receive... all executed solely with his left foot.
Noticing their presence, the boy halted his ball, turned to greet Aldrich, and his gaze briefly swept over Aguero and Messi, remaining completely indifferent before continuing to kick the ball against the wall.
Aldrich turned to Messi and Aguero. "That's Cristiano Ronaldo, 12 years old. You'll be teammates."