Lin Sen had a strong intuition: Gao Bo was Chinese—or at least of Chinese descent.
On the TV screen, Gao Bo frequently appeared in the footage. In the third minute of the game, Luton nearly scored when Vardy's shot in the penalty area was saved by the goalkeeper. The broadcast quickly cut to Gao Bo, who stood coolly on the sideline with his arms crossed. When the opportunity was missed, he raised his hand in regret and leaned back, his face full of frustration.
"Right from the start, Luton is on the attack. Just look at Gao Bo's reaction to see how close they were to scoring!" commentator Letkinson said.
Lin Sen, whose English was strong after years at Shanghai Jiaotong University, understood this clearly. As a math student with a knack for languages, he had even self-taught Spanish, German, and French to enjoy international football broadcasts. The key phrase immediately caught his attention:
"Gao Bo?!"
Lin Sen focused on Gao Bo again. The surname Gao, his double eyelids, and his overall appearance didn't seem Korean or Japanese. His name also sounded distinctly Chinese.
He concluded: This must be a Chinese man, or at least someone of Chinese heritage.
If the Chinese media found out about this, they could run several stories about a Chinese coach leading a team in England's League Two.
As a seasoned football fan, Lin Sen was well aware of how rare it was for someone with an East Asian background to manage a team in England. This immediately piqued his interest in Gao Bo.
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Letkinson's voice pulled Lin Sen back to the match:
"The Chinese coach's team has been lively from the start. Their attacking style is very direct, and Port Vale seems unprepared for it. The interchanging movements of Vardy and Charlie Austin are giving their defense headaches."
Lin Sen caught the word "Chinese" again. However, the term "Chinese" in English could mean different things: Chinese nationals, people of Chinese descent, or even overseas Chinese. In contrast, Chinese distinguishes these nuances clearly. For now, Lin Sen could only confirm that Gao Bo was of Chinese descent but wasn't sure of his nationality.
Regardless, Lin Sen already felt a sense of pride and kinship. As a Chinese fan, it was exciting to see someone who shared his heritage succeed abroad.
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As Lin Sen watched more of the game, he became increasingly absorbed by Luton's tactics.
Their playing style was unlike anything he'd seen before. It had traces of Dutch total football, with an emphasis on attacking and defending as a unit, but it was adapted in a way unique to Luton.
He noticed that Luton's formation remained compact and disciplined. Even within the limited view of the TV broadcast, it was clear their players consistently outnumbered their opponents in crucial areas. This required an extraordinary level of control and discipline, a testament to Gao Bo's coaching abilities.
Luton didn't waste time on elaborate possession. Their attacks were swift and straightforward, often ending in a shot after just a few passes. If they lost the ball, they pressed aggressively, starting with the forwards.
The pressing was highly organized, with players forming triangular traps to win back possession quickly. Once they regained the ball, the player in possession always had at least two clear passing options.
It was a relentless, suffocating style of play, and Lin Sen couldn't look away.
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Just as he thought this, Luton's attack paid off.
After intercepting Port Vale's counterattack, Drinkwater quickly passed the ball to the right wing. Captain Kevin Keane received it and sent in a cross.
Charlie Austin couldn't connect, but his movement disrupted the defense. In the middle, Vardy leaped high and delivered a powerful header into the net!
"Beautiful goal!" Lin Sen exclaimed, genuinely impressed.
The entire sequence—from winning the ball to scoring—was executed in seconds. Port Vale had no time to react as Luton's rapid, precise passing tore through their defense.
"Vardy scores! Luton leads 1–0!" Letkinson announced. "With about 70 minutes left, Luton is on the verge of securing their tenth consecutive league victory and finally erasing their point deficit. From nine straight wins to potentially ten, this is an incredible feat for Gao Bo's team!"
Ten consecutive victories? Zero points? Lin Sen was puzzled. Ten wins should mean 30 points. How could they be at zero?
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Curious, Lin Sen grabbed his laptop and searched for "Luton Town" in English.
The results stunned him.
He learned that Luton had been hit with a 30-point deduction at the start of the season due to financial troubles. Most of their key players had left, leaving them with a squad of inexperienced youngsters.
Despite these challenges, the team had won nine consecutive matches and was on the verge of a tenth victory.
Lin Sen also found Gao Bo's profile on the club's official website.
It turned out Gao Bo was Chinese. Lin Sen immediately noticed the pinyin "Guangdong" in his profile. This confirmed that Gao Bo was likely from mainland China, as only people there used pinyin for place names.
Gao Bo was just 27 years old!
Lin Sen was shocked. In the world of football management, this was exceptionally young. Gao Bo was only four years older than Lin Sen himself!
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Reading about Luton's journey over the past two months, Lin Sen felt a deep admiration for Gao Bo. The young coach had taken a broken team and turned it into a force capable of making history.
Looking at the composed man in the black suit on the TV screen, Lin Sen couldn't help but feel inspired.