Aldrich began to grasp what Barnett had meant earlier by the important matter.
As dinner concluded, he remained quiet despite Barnett and Blaise probing him with questions; he simply replied cautiously that he needed to go home and think.
He knew his position in Barnett's eyes. Once he opened his mouth, it could influence Barnett's decisions in a flash.
On the drive back to the countryside villa, Melanie, exhausted from her journey, yawned repeatedly. She leaned against her seat and turned to look at Aldrich, who was lost in thought as he drove.
"Your cousin wants to climb the ladder. How does that affect you? Even your big brother is getting involved; I think it's overblown," she remarked.
Aldrich gently pinched her cheek and sighed, "It's not as simple as you think. Things can't be just viewed on the surface."
Melanie held his hand, resting her cheek against his palm and comfortably closing her eyes. "Is it really that complicated?"
"Kind of. My brother's thinking is straightforward; he wants the Hall family to become one of the elite in Britain. Wealth alone won't cut it. Even though I received a knighthood from the royal family two months ago, it doesn't mean much. Blaise is part of our extended family, and my brother wants to support him in politics. It may not show immediate results, but my brother definitely has ambitions for the long term."
Melanie laughed, "Blaise is just a mayor at thirty. What can he achieve on his own? By the way, let me see your medal."
"Uh, I left it at the apartment. Maybe another day."
That knighthood was awarded to him by the royal family in recognition of his achievements with the England team in the Champions League. This honor didn't directly correlate with football success. Aldrich didn't receive the knighthood just because he won the Champions League; rather, it stemmed from the positive influence he had cultivated over the years, which had an impact on British society. The Champions League victory was merely a catalyst.
As he drove, Aldrich continued to ponder his family's and Barnett's aspirations. Whenever there's substantial wealth, the connection to political networks is unavoidable. Was Barnett really introducing Blaise to him simply because Blaise wanted to give up being a mayor?
If that were the case, it echoed what Melanie said: it's making a mountain out of a molehill.
Supporting junior politicians initially requires money, but when your goals are higher, money is just one of the basic guarantees.
Behind electoral politics lies a war of money. The candidate with the strongest financial backing can create greater influence and therefore secure more votes.
Barnett's investment is clearly political. Mentioning that Blaise is a junior member of the Conservative Party indicates he's considering becoming a behind-the-scenes supporter for them.
Barnett didn't have many options. With the Labour Party recently in power and riding high, trying to build connections with them now, even with a significant investment, would only amount to icing on the cake. However, investing in the Conservative Party was different; it was like providing crucial support when needed. The real issue, though, was no one could guarantee when the Labour Party might lose power. If the Conservatives were suppressed for several years, Barnett's financial backing could go to waste. Of course, there were ways to mitigate the risks. European companies often bet on political campaigns; As long as you place some bets on both ends, you can minimize your losses regardless of the outcome.
When Aldrich arrived home, Melanie was already asleep. He carefully carried her inside the villa. After a quick shower, they went to bed.
A single thought kept circling in his mind.
In the dead of night, he got out of bed, went to the balcony to smoke a cigarette, and then took out his phone to call Barnett.
His brother had already gone to bed; it took a while for him to pick up, though his voice sounded normal.
"It's getting late. There must be something important. Just say it directly."
"If you want to support Blaise in making an impact in politics, you need to find someone."
"Who should I look for? A big shot from Downing Street?"
"No. If I recall correctly, he has royal blood. I don't know how he's doing now, but you could bet on it. His name is Cameron."
"Cameron... is that a surname or a first name? What's the full name?"
"I forgot."
"Aldrich, I don't get it. You forget someone's name but expect me to gamble on him?"
"Anyway, he should be in the Conservative Party. Alright, I'm going to sleep now. Goodnight."
Aldrich hung up.
The future Prime Minister of the UK, he still remembered the name. He just didn't know where the guy was at the moment.
Finding someone with royal blood in Britain isn't too hard. Though the monarchy is now mostly symbolic, they still care about appearances. Diana's death, for example, has conspiracy theories claiming it was orchestrated by the royal family.
Standing on the balcony, Aldrich gazed at the star-filled sky. Waiting for Cameron to take office would take over a decade. However, investing in politics is indeed a long game; the longer the investment, the stronger the alliances formed. Before Cameron assumes leadership of the Conservatives, he'll have to rise through the ranks, like party whips and other influential figures. With that in mind, even if Blaise's path aren't smooth sailing, as long as he doesn't mess up, he should still do well.
Just like digging up giant stars in football, the development of the family business can similarly be expedited through such strategies.
Since he was already contemplating Cameron, Aldrich picked up his phone again to text Barnett.
He typed just two lines.
Germany, female, Merkel.
USA, male, Obama.
...
When it comes to powerful politicians in the West, Aldrich could only recall these three. Cameron for his youth, Merkel for being a woman, and Obama, well, everyone knows he was America's leading figure, consistently ranking among the world's powerful.
Aldrich certainly knew figures like Blair and Bush. But knowing them didn't matter; it's similar to football, where everyone knows the famous stars. What's the point of mentioning it?
Having settled his thoughts, Aldrich returned to the bedroom. At that moment, Melanie was awake, sitting on the bed in her silk pajamas, one strap slipping down her arm. She gazed at him helplessly, asking, "Are you not thinking about me?"
Aldrich struck a playful pose like a sprinter and smiled, "My answer is coming."
With that, he dashed a couple of steps and dove onto the bed, causing Melanie to scream as she fell back, and then he pinned her down.
...
The next day, the team had a half-day off. In the morning, Aldrich accompanied Melanie for some shopping. They weren't shopping enthusiasts; it was more about relaxing and taking in the sights. With plenty of beautiful parks in London, the pair often strolled hand in hand like an old married couple.
After lunch, Melanie was set to return to Liverpool to reunite with her family, while Aldrich had work to do. They lingered in the airport terminal, reluctant to part for some time.
On his drive to the club, Aldrich received a call from an unfamiliar number.
"Hello, Aldrich Hall. Who's this?"
"Aldrich, how have you been lately?"
Aldrich recognized the voice and hesitated before asking, "Sir Bobby Robson?"
"Yes."
"Oh, I've been well. I heard you're coaching in the Netherlands again; congratulations."
Bobby Robson's return to Eindhoven was seen as a firefighting role. With the summer transfer window open, key players like Zenden and Cocu had been snapped up by Europe's elite, making his job quite challenging. However, the old master had weathered many storms, so he should manage to adapt just fine.
"I'm calling because I want to ask you for a favor."
"Oh? What's that?"
"Millwall is looking for a first-team coach and assistant coach, right?"
"Yes, I had two assistants leave in the summer, so there are some gaps in staffing."
"I recommend someone to you, and I hope you'll consider him. He's a bit young, but with your style, I don't think that should be an issue."
Aldrich pictured someone in his mind and chuckled, "Is it Mourinho? If he's willing to come to Millwall, there'd be no need for an interview—just put him straight in the job."
"Ah? José? No, he's got a job in Barcelona. That's not who I'm talking about."
"Aha?"
Aldrich was confused.
Robson had recommended a young coach to come to Millwall? The first person that came to his mind was Mourinho.
"Okay, so who's your recommendation then?"
"Villas-Boas. He was my assistant four years ago at just 17. He's now 21 and didn't come with me to the Netherlands. His dream is to become a head coach, and I believe if he learns at your place, it'll greatly benefit him in the future. Rest assured, he'll complete whatever work you assign. Despite his youth, he has an understanding of football that surpasses his peers."
Aldrich now remembered; it was Villas-Boas.
Mourinho's juniors, many of whom initially followed Robson.
Looking back over a decade, objectively speaking, Villas-Boas is quite remarkable.
Though he didn't manage to prove himself with mainstream league giants and top teams, his youth is notable. Considering his age, simply being in a managerial position in the Premier League is already remarkable, especially as he had no playing experience—which is somewhat similar to Aldrich.
"Villas-Boas, okay, I got it. Bring him in as the first-team coach. We have many young people here, and the atmosphere is good, so he won't need to worry about age-related pressure."
"Great, I'll have him formally apply to Millwall."
Aldrich continued chatting with Robson for a bit before hanging up. He quickly made his way to the club.
Not rushing to the training ground, he first visited Human Resources to inquire about applications.
Millwall was recruiting, and many were applying. Even coaches from mid-tier Premier League clubs sought to jump ship, though they would do so through intermediaries to avoid exposure—after all, going direct might lead to accusations of betrayal.
Aldrich sifted through the resumes and quickly found Villas-Boas' application.
In fact, Villas-Boas had sent his application two days ago. After waiting for a couple of days without news, he had sought Robson's help.
He was very eager to come to Millwall to study, but what Aldrich didn't know was that Villas-Boas almost regarded him as an idol...
Indeed, Aldrich, who has also never played a game, is like a template for Villas-Boas. Villas-Boas, who has been immersed in football knowledge since childhood, became Robson's assistant at the age of 17. This was not just luck; It was the hard-won football knowledge he accumulated in his early years that opened up opportunities like this.
Aldrich pulled Villas-Boas' resume and handed it over to the staff. He decided to offer the position to Villas-Boas, dismissing the recruitment notice and informing other applicants of the outcome.
Next, he started reviewing another pile of applications for the assistant coach position, as Benitez's departure also left a vacancy.
As he flipped through page by page, he suddenly paused; a familiar name caught his eye, a name that was well-known in European football circles.
Klinsmann!