Recently, English football has been buzzing with excitement. The soap opera of Manchester United's change of ownership is still unfolding. Fans of the Red Devils are protesting fervently, making their discontent known throughout the city, while Murdoch's acquisition appears to be nearing completion, rumored to be around £620 million.
Although Manchester United supporters have long railed against Edwards, convinced that his crimes against the club are beyond forgiveness, their call for his ousting pales in comparison to their horror at the idea of their English institution being turned into an American private property.
In an attempt to soothe the fans, the official Manchester United announcement claimed that the new owner would maintain the club's traditions, hoping for a rational acceptance of the reality and a smooth transition of ownership.
Everything seemed set in stone for the arrival of a new owner. However, the UK government suddenly intervened, with the Competition and Markets Authority halting the final steps of the transaction on the grounds of reviewing it.
Murdoch has substantial businesses in the UK. Had he not, he could have confidently moved forward with the purchase. But with government intervention, he began to exhibit hesitation.
Just as one storm calmed, another loomed.
The match between Millwall and Wimbledon stirred up a significant controversy post-game. The FA slapped hefty penalties on Millwall, but surprisingly, the most notable response didn't come from them. Millwall appeared to be the scapegoat, accepting the FA's punishment without protest.
Nonetheless, within the FA, strong opposition emerged.
Few would have guessed that Aldridge and Weissman would go from friends to enemies over the course of a meal. Ironically, it was Weissman's political opponents in the football world who preempted the attack, claiming that Millwall had suffered a heavy loss. He described the game as a disaster and elevated it to a crisis for the whole of England - a catastrophe of epic proportions.
This approach is similar to that of the Premier League, which takes advantage of the situation and exaggerates it to attack its competitors.
The Referee Committee even publicly apologized to Millwall, explicitly admitting that the officiating had been subpar, harming Millwall's pitch interests.
When Weissman remarked on the FA reconsidering the lease of Wembley to Millwall, Aldrich was already on a journey to Italy with his team.
In Milan, before the Champions League press conference officially began, Aldrich sat in the audience with David Miller, who wanted to conduct a brief interview. Aldrich did not decline.
"Was the last league match a major blow to you?"
"Not exactly. But sometimes, such things happen in football. Some errors are true mistakes; others are calculated."
David Miller frowned. "Are you suggesting Horn deliberately hindered Millwall's chances of victory?"
"I'm not sure, but anyone who saw that match has their own way of judging. I genuinely admire Horn, I really do. As a referee, he called off two of our goals and overlooked a penalty for us. Ha, if it were another referee who made just one of those errors, they'd lose sleep for weeks. Yet he can handle the pressure from the public; his inner fortitude is something I respect. I'm not being sarcastic; I'm being honest."
Aldrich's words reflected his sincerity. Some people are destined to be pawns used for others' gain. But to be an effective pawn is not simple.
David Miller sighed. "I heard the Referee Committee has stripped Horn of his Premier League officiating qualifications. Without any new opportunities, he likely won't officiate in the Premier League or important cup matches again."
Aldridge thought to himself: "Horn has lost his value and will naturally be thrown away like garbage."
"Have you heard Weissman's statement regarding the FA?"
"About Wembley? Yes, I heard. It's no big deal. Millwall is just a lessee. The FA has the authority to grant or deny the lease. But even if they decided not to lease it, it would have to wait until next season."
"Don't you worry? Millwall's new stadium might not be ready next season. If you're still in the Champions League, where will you play? Upgrade The Den's specifications at a high cost to meet UEFA's requirements?"
After a moment's thought, Aldrich smiled. "I don't know yet. We haven't reached that point, and there's no need to think about the future now. If the FA doesn't lease us the stadium, there won't be major changes at The Den, especially since we're aiming to move into a new stadium in 2000."
Miller hesitated before tentatively asking, "Aren't you friends with Weissman? Why would he bring this up now?"
Aldrich nodded, "Yes, we're friends, and our relationship has always been good. But work is work, and friendships are friendships. Wembley doesn't belong to Weissman; it belongs to the FA and England. Given Arsenal's interest in renting Wembley as well, the FA might be considering rental income, which I think is normal. If I were Weissman, I'd also contemplate Arsenal's offer to see if it can generate more revenue for the FA. Everyone knows the FA has been struggling financially."
David Miller looked at Aldrich with deep contemplation, noticing that he appeared unfazed. He dismissed his earlier thought.
In that instant, a realization struck him: Aldrich's words carried hidden implications.
It was true that everyone knew the FA's financial difficulties. Since the Premier League broke away from the FA's control, its revenue had been plummeting. Once dependent on the lower leagues for survival, the reconstitution of the Premier League had sacrificed the interests of those below it. The FA had gone from a stable situation to financial hardship.
Though people in the English football circle were aware, Aldrich suddenly bringing up the FA's financial issues—especially amid an internal power struggle—felt like he was exposing Weissman's vulnerabilities.
Miller considered this, pondering whether Aldrich's youth and lack of experience had led to his bluntness. Otherwise, such a sensitive issue shouldn't have been discussed so openly.
Soon after, other journalists arrived. Aldrich returned to the podium. He had arrived early today and spent some extra time chatting with Miller. After accepting a brief interview, the official Champions League press conference commenced.
Everyone was aware of Millwall's severe penalties in the Premier League, but hardly anyone cared. What they were all looking forward to was tomorrow's match—Millwall facing Inter Milan away.
The number one newspaper in Europe is "Gazzetta dello Sport." Gian Carlo has been following the Premier League this season and was thrilled to see Millwall visit Italy for a Champions League match again.
Here, it felt like home. Aldrich also gave him face, prioritizing his questions.
"As the defending champions, what's your goal for the first group stage match?"
Without hesitation, Aldrich replied, "Of course, to win! I have wonderful memories in Italy. Inter Milan is incredibly strong; they boast some of the world's best strikers, not to mention geniuses like Baggio and Djorkaeff. Millwall thrives on formidable opponents; defeating them brings us unique satisfaction."
Many reporters from Italy were present, and upon hearing Aldrich's words, they deemed him presumptuous.
True, Millwall was the defending champion, yet when comparing the two teams, Inter Milan boasted equal—if not superior—starting strength and team depth.
Gian Carlo smiled slightly and said, "Is this your psychological warfare? You want Inter Milan to hear your claims, provoking them to attack more fiercely at Meazza, allowing your team to exploit speed and counterattack, securing an easy win?"
In Italy, where tactical understanding reigns supreme, it's undeniable that their journalists are more knowledgeable than those from other countries.
This isn't to say other journalists hadn't considered this aspect, but none had arrived at it so quickly; moreover, they didn't know Aldrich as well as Gian Carlo did.
Aldrich, even when facing direct exposure of his strategies, maintained a calm and indifferent smile.
"Psychological warfare? Haha, on the contrary, doesn't Inter Milan have to play aggressively at Meazza? Knowing they're up against a young Millwall, would they play conservatively? Mr. Gian Carlo, I'm merely stating the facts; I can't say that Millwall is satisfied with merely achieving a draw away. We are the defending champions."
Gian Carlo countered, smiling, "Even with Millwall's squad intact, you still firmly insist your team must win tomorrow?"
"I seldom issue ultimatums demanding my team must win or claiming any specific title. My expectations for players vary. Some can achieve 90 percent, but during the game, may only manage 60 percent. Even if we win, I would be unsatisfied. So for tomorrow's match, I'll just ask the players to elevate their performance slightly above normal. As for victory, I believe if they meet my expectations, the result will align with our desires."
Aldrich spoke confidently and at ease, but then a reporter asked a question that left him feeling helpless.
"After the departure of former Inter coach Simeone, he stated that your suggestion to Moratti about inviting Hodgson to coach again was a reason for his dismissal. Is that true?"
Aldrich sighed internally.
He felt innocent.
Moratti had invested heavily over several years yet couldn't grasp the desired league title; even though Simeone had led the team to win the UEFA Cup last season, Moratti remained unsatisfied. Meanwhile, Millwall had ascended to the top of Europe, and for some reason, Moratti increasingly believed English coaches were superior. Thus, he remembered Hodgson, who had previously coached Inter.
To be honest, when Hodgson first took over, he had fewer resources than he does now, but he still led Inter Milan to third place in the league and runner-up in the UEFA Cup, only losing on penalties. With this in mind, Moratti believes that if Hodgson returns to coach the current team, his achievements will surpass Simeone.
Hence, Moratti contacted Aldrich for his opinion. Aldrich found it strange why he was being asked and couldn't say Hodgson wasn't suitable. He could only align with Moratti's thoughts. Ultimately, Moratti decisively brought Hodgson back in the summer, which led to warm exchanges during the Champions League draw...
"The choice of coach for Inter Milan has nothing to do with me."
Aldrich had to be evasive in front of the media.
Speak less, say less, and keep things simple.