Team Spirit

Chapter 100 (1.2 words, please subscribe): Season ends, incredible sponsorship, the battle officially begins.

[Ding! The new season is about to begin. Last season's match and training results are as follows:]

[Second Touch - Bronze 1-2]

【Lion Shakes Head - Bronze 1-3】

【Tango Flower Kick - Bronze 1-3】

【Creative Commander - Bronze 2-4】

【Weighted Spin Pass - Bronze 4-5】

[Marseille Turn - Silver 3-4]

[Classic Attacking Midfielder - Golden 1-2]

【Do you want to dance? - Gold 2-3】

【Heavenly Victory - Gold 2-3】

[Acrobatic Escape - Iron: Your escape skills have been enhanced]

[Noodles Dance - Gold: Your save ability receives a slight boost. Your dance in front of the goal will affect the quality of opposing players' shots. Your dance may incite conflicts on the field.]

[Ding! "Battery - Bronze" has received a critical hit and upgraded to "Generator - Silver"]

[Generator - Silver: Your stamina is boosted. You will receive a 3% stamina rebate in the last five minutes of both halves.]

[Ding! "Rapid Shot - Bronze" has received a critical hit and upgraded to "Heavy Gunner - Silver"]

[Heavy Gunner - Silver: Your long-range shooting ability has been improved. Your shooting power has been improved.]

[Offside Trap Defense - Special: Enhances the effectiveness of offside trap training for the team]

[Three-center-back system - Special: Enhancing the effectiveness of training the team using the three-center-back system]

[Dribbling: 72+1+1]

Headers: 58+2

[Cadence: 62+2]

Long Pass: 70+2

[Short pass: 65+2]

[Balance and Flexibility: 49+1]

【Set-pieces: 69+1】

[Headball contests and clearances: 52+1]

【Defensive Position: 57+1】

Long-range shots: 63+2

[Shot power: 52+2]

These are all attribute point increases brought by skills.

In addition, [Generator] and [Noodle Dance] are special skills, providing Lu Kai with a total of seven free attribute points.

In addition, all of Lu Kai's attributes will increase over the course of a season, which is Lu Kai's natural growth.

Lu Kai also took a look at his personal panel after the data update. Two of his attributes, [Long Pass] and [Burst], were close to 75. Lu Kai used 4 free attribute points to max them out.

There are 3 points left, which have been added to speed:
-

Name: Lu Kai

年龄：15岁340天【1985·8·25】

Height: 179+2 cm [Can be increased]

Weight: 67+1 [light]

Team: Dartford Royal VCD (English League Three)
Positions: Attacking midfielder (No. 7), Captain, Team President

Team funds: £150 million (£50 in debt for two years, and a stipulated investment of £500 million for three years).

Team honors: Kent Senior Cup Champion, Kent Premiership Champion, FA Bottle Champion, FA Charity Shield Champion, EuroCup Champion, EIF Cup Champion, FA Trophy Champion, EIF Champion, U17 World Cup Champion (Individual)

Individual Honors: Kent Premier League Player of the Year, Kent Premier League Player of the Year, Kent Premier League Assist King, Kent Premier League Bronze Boot, FA Bottle Player of the Year, FA Charity Shield Player of the Year, EuroCup Player of the Year, EuroCup Golden Boot, EI Cup Player of the Year, EI Premier League Player of the Year, EI Premier League Golden Boot, EI Premier League Assist King, FA Trophy Player of the Year, FA Trophy Golden Boot, FA Trophy Assist King, U17 World Cup Player of the Year, U17 World Cup Silver Boot

=
(Shot)
Archery: 75
Long shots: 65+2
Off-ball Movement: 56+3
Shot Power: 54+1
Volleys: 47+1
Shot Pre-swing: 47+1
=
(Disk control)
Ball possession: 75
Dribbling: 74+1
Stopping: 49+4
Cadence adjustment: 64+1
Balance and flexibility: 50+1
=
(pass)
Long pass: 72+2+1
Short pass: 67+2
Crosses: 60+3
Set pieces: 70+2
Passing pre-swing: 47+1
=
(Defense)
Steals: 57+2
Interceptions: 58+2
Tackles: 49+3
Man-to-Man: 49+1
Defensive Position: 58+2
Aerials and clearances: 53+2
=
(Body)
Speed: 61+2+3
Burst: 71+1+3
Headings: 60+2
Strength: 58+1
Rebounds: 51+1
=
(Hidden, 1-7)

Stamina: 6
Field of view: 6
Left foot: 2
Right foot: 6
Damage Resistance: 4
=
Overall rating: 52.94 (semi-professional level) + 8.38 = 61.32 (professional level)

-

Compared to the improvement of three points in the first season, the overall rating improved by eight points in the second season, putting the team on a fast track to improvement.

This is because the number of matches last season significantly exceeded that of the season before last.

The more games you play, the more difficult the matches become, and the more your abilities improve.

Of course, the increase in winnings and losses will definitely be different.

If Dartford had ended the season without any trophies like Arsenal, Lu Kai's growth rate would probably have been halved!

Moreover, since Lu Kai's overall rating is a comprehensive improvement, rather than the calculation based on location and main categories as in ordinary game data, his data may have exceeded 70 points in some positions when entered into the game!
[Ding! You have completed the Elite Path requirement of "at least five attribute values ​​reaching 75". Current values: 5 (Ball Control), (Shooting), (Dribbling), (Long Pass), (Explosiveness). Rewards: Big Kidney Tonic, Modric's Sweatband]

[Great Kidney Tonic: Can heal serious injuries and grant immunity to injuries and illnesses for the next month. Requires 30 minutes of intimate contact with a member of the opposite sex with a relationship level of 90 or higher to take effect (cannot be repeated with the same member of the opposite sex)]

Modric's Sweatband: Player Item. Protects the eyes and reduces vision interference from sweat, rain, and hair during the game. Charisma +5

另外，60及以上的属性值从11/27，提升至14/27。

!!!

The season rewards are indeed generous, so I won't go into detail.

However, Lu Kai checked the conditions for using [Da Shen Bao] and found that only Jiang Mengyun, Emily, and Eva Green currently meet the requirements.

Considering that something is bound to happen within thirty minutes, Lu Kai could only pray that he wouldn't be seriously injured.

Of course, the legal age of consent in most countries and regions of the world is around sixteen, so theoretically Eva and her friends are no longer at risk.

This makes the effectiveness of Da Shen Bao even more dangerous.

Modric's sweatband is extremely effective.

Many people overlook the impact of sweat, rain, and long hair on the game, especially in crucial moments.

This sweatband might make Lu Kai the "King of Rain Battles".

This is also the first time Lu Kai has obtained wearable player items, which will take effect as soon as he puts them on.

Wow!
The applause from the training field caught Lu Kai's attention.

It turns out that during team practice, Ashley Young pulled off a series of inside cuts that were as smooth as a butterfly weaving through flowers.

He was even more impressive than other players on the team who excel at dribbling, such as Simon, Markov, the technically gifted newcomer Brad, and the winger Nicky Sherry.

Not to mention those clumsy English strikers.

The worldly-wise "future Lu Hai" Amorin clapped exaggeratedly and shouted, "Yang, you're invincible! Goat! Goat! Goat!"

Ashley Young glanced in the direction of Lu Kai's office, smiled slightly, and said in fluent Chinese, "Deputy, just a deputy!"

Amorin thought to himself, "This guy is really not modest; he actually emphasized that he is the GOAT of 'Dart'."

Won't Lu have any objections?
Ashley Young likes people like Amorin who are easygoing, even though Amorin upset Ashley Young the first time he came.

But to know one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue.

During the break, Ashley Young stood on tiptoe and put his arm around Amorin's shoulder, saying, "I saw your performance too; you're capable."

"At Dartford, we've always been open to all kinds of talent. If you're good, you get promoted. We don't care about seniority."

"Okay, I'll talk to Kai and make sure you get plenty of playing time."

"Even starting in the lineup is not impossible!"

Amorin was very excited: "Do you have some special relationship with Captain Lu?"

Ashley Young flashed a white smile and said mysteriously, "Your name is Ruben, right? Originally, Kay and I were known as the Dartford Duo, but if you perform well, we might become the Trio in the future!"

Just then, Lu Kai opened the window: "Where did this toxic milk powder come from? Hey you, call Alfred and Victor over here for me."

Ashley Young immediately ran off to call for help.

Watching Ashley Young's energetic retreating figure, Amorin wondered, "Captain Lu's last name is 'Lu,' and his goal celebration is also 'Lu.' My name is Ruben, which also contains 'Lu,' but how should Ashley Young 'Lu'?"

Soon, the real and fake coaches arrived at Lu Kai's chairman's office.

"Here's the thing, for the new season I want the team to practice a three-center-back tactic," Lu Kai explained his intentions.

Alfred clapped on the spot: "Great! This is undoubtedly a wise decision! It will benefit the return of manufacturing and make Dartford great again! In short, MDGA!"

Victor did raise some questions about the details: "Three center-backs? Wouldn't that test the players' adaptability? Actually, if we play steadily and continue with our previous 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 formation, I'm quite optimistic about our survival in the Third Division."

Currently, 90% of the teams in the world mainly use the 4-4-2 formation, which is a two-center-back system.

Switching to a three-center-back formation is not as simple as just having an extra player.

The remaining 10% is mostly concentrated in Italy.

English players have rarely played in a three-man defense.

Victor's point is that the team will find it difficult to adapt to the three-center-back formation, which will make it harder for them to avoid relegation.

Lu Kai explained: "To be honest, I don't think the English Third Division is a huge challenge for us. On the contrary, I think we can do more this season."

“We are under a lot of financial pressure, and every time we play against a Premier League team in the FA Cup or EFL Cup, we get a very substantial share of the ticket revenue.”

"I plan to work on that this season."

Alfred continued to encourage him: "That's right, that way we can easily scrape together five million pounds! It's just a matter of three Chelsea home games!"

Victor remained silent.

This explains why Lu Kai brought in several defenders during the summer transfer window.

The reason for sending out Benjamin was because Lu Kai believed that the opponent did not have the ability to play as a three-man defense.

Victor: "With a three-center-back formation, when defending, the two wing-backs drop down and it becomes a five-back formation, which does enhance our defensive capabilities against strong teams."

"A draw is a victory against a strong team."

"But... in the early part of the season, and even the first half, the team's performance was probably..."

To put it bluntly, a three-center-back system and a two-center-back system are incompatible.

Many offensive and defensive points are completely opposite.

Switching between 442 and 433 is easy.

But it's as if there's a galaxy between them and a three-center-back formation.

If players learn too many different things, they will make frequent mistakes in the game.

There is no solution to this problem.

The only way is to grind it out over time, that is, by honing your skills.

Lu Kai proposed this because he had a way to accelerate the team's adaptation to the three-center-back system.

Otherwise, he really wouldn't dare to do that.

All I can say is that the three-center-back system and the offside trap defense came at the perfect time.

The key is that these two training methods complement each other well, achieving a synergistic effect where one plus one equals more than two.

……

Boom boom boom!
Jiang Mengyun brought a beautiful woman in black stockings into Lu Kai's office.

Lu Kai then told Alfred and Victor to leave first.

Alfred said he wasn't busy and could listen to the conversation about black stockings and beautiful legs for a while.

As a result, he was ruthlessly driven away by Lu Kai.

"Lu, this is Lillian," Jiang Mengyun introduced.

Lillian.

Professional manager.

Going forward, I will primarily be responsible for matters such as player salary negotiations.

It was Lu Kai who asked Jiang Mengyun to find it.

There are three requirements.

The first point is that it's beautiful.

It turns out that appearance is an important aspect of the experience.

From the real economy to the internet, more space for beautiful women means more people and stronger consumption.

Football Manager games are realistic enough, but there's still room for improvement in that area.

For example, having a beautiful team leader, team doctor, or assistant coach can effectively improve players' efficiency, greatly reduce players' unreasonable demands for salary increases, and decrease players' willingness to leave the team!

This relates to Lu Kai's second point.

Queen of the Sea, oops... I mean, high EQ.

It needs to be able to arouse the player's imagination, but at the same time not actually send a signal.

We should follow the route of Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, not the route of the American cheerleader captain.

The former, pure and pristine like the moonlight, will motivate the players.

The latter, with its complex bus routes, not only drains players' energy and poses a risk of injury, but can also sow the seeds of trouble in the locker room and ignite the entire stadium.

Jiang Mengyun spent a lot of money to find this professional manager.

I finally found it through a recommendation from an alumnus of a prestigious university.

Thirdly, it is best if the other party has experience working for a company under Levy.

That's right, it's that same guy who just bought Tottenham Hotspur, the ruthless and exploitative businessman.

No one does a better (and worse) job than Levy at controlling team costs.

In this way, Lu Kai can also appropriately separate himself from the team, keeping his public and private matters separate.

Avoid damaging your relationship with your teammates.

If you try to negotiate this yourself, things are likely to go wrong.

“Let’s start with Ashley Young then. He’s asked for a raise a few times recently.” Lu Kai directed Lillian to the office next door—the Pond Stadium had temporarily expanded its office space, adding two more prefabricated rooms.

Milk tea can be reimbursed during the contract negotiation period.

It probably only took a few minutes. After Ashley Young came out, he passed by Lu Kai's office and mouthed to Lu Kai from outside, "I think I'm in love!"

Lu Kai greeted Ashley Young with a smile.

I thought to myself, no, you don't.

When Lu Kai saw the contract that Lillian brought over, he felt it was cruel.

Then, without consulting him, he gave Ashley Young a $20 raise per week.

So that he won't be unable to afford nutritional supplements.

Lillian was very efficient and quickly negotiated the salaries of the entire team.

It was 30 percent lower than Lu Kai had predicted, and the effect was immediate, with key players becoming more proactive in training.

The team's main players are currently:

Forwards: Ashley Young, Eastwood, To Madeira, Morgan, Akinfenwa, Holt, Marin.

Midfielders: Lu Kai, Barton, Brad, Amorin, Kelo, Daniel.

The guards are Duff, Williams, Markov, Kevin Dawson, Ashley Williams, Nicky Shore, and Curtis Davis.

Goalkeepers: Anqi, Scott, and a youth academy goalkeeper.

In the following days, the team's training with three center-backs gradually began.

It was mainly Victor who was in charge, with Alfred overseeing it.

In the past few days, the deal to rent the stadium has been gradually finalized, with Joyce helping to mediate.

Dartford ultimately secured the lease for the home ground of neighboring Welling United Football Club – Vision Road Stadium – for the incredibly low price of £20,000 per year.

The term is three years.

Welling United's highest tier was once League Two (the third tier), but that was a glorious achievement for the past.

The English national team, currently playing in the sixth tier, has an average attendance of less than 1,000 fans per day—not just 1,000 seats, but even the standing room doesn't have enough to hold 1,000 people.

Using this stadium is a bit of a waste. They have been looking to rent it, but the surrounding teams are all at a similar level. A school stadium is enough. Who would rent their professional stadium?
Of course, Lu Kai prefers to call it the "riverside court" or "riverside golf course".

Because this stadium is right next to the Thames River, boasting stunning river views.

The area previously designated by the Dartford local government for the Green Guns to build a golf course was right next to the riverside course. Because the Thames River makes a sharp bend here, some small fish and shrimp can be found here, so this small section is also known as Barracuda Bay.

Therefore, you can also call this stadium – Barracuda Bay Stadium!

Dalian: ? ? ?
This location was specifically requested by Lu Kai, in order to link it with Welling Union's riverside stadium and extend its influence to both sides.

At the same time, the transportation here is relatively convenient, as it is close to Greenwich Park, which is directly accessible by subway.

The riverside stadium has a maximum capacity of 6,100 people, but it might reach 7,000 if you squeeze in.

There are 2275 seats.

There are five VIP boxes in the stadium, and Emily finally got her own private box.

All other conditions are met, and it is even considered a good stadium among English professional leagues.

For a stadium of this caliber, the annual maintenance cost is generally more than £20,000.

Is Welling United actually losing money by loaning out Dartford?

But that’s not how the accounts work out.

Welling initially asked for a lot, as much as 70,000 pounds, but Joyce negotiated it down to 60,000 pounds.

As a result, Lu Kai later leaked information that he was considering several stadiums located a bit further away.

Welling United's soon-to-be-signed stadium advertising sponsor said at the time, "Wait a moment."

joke.

What is Dartford's traffic level?
In other words, Dartford doesn't own its own stadium; otherwise, it could at least rake in hundreds of thousands of pounds from stadium advertising sponsorships.

Renting your stadium is giving you a chance to make money together.

You may not understand, but many bosses do.

Sure enough, Welling Union took the initiative to negotiate and offered a sincere price of £20,000.

After the contract was signed and the other party left, Joyce hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke up: "Lu, why bother arguing with them?"

It turns out that when signing the contract, everyone discussed Dartford's performance.

Lu Kai "couldn't stand the provocation" and fell for the other party's trap, agreeing to sign a betting agreement with them.

The specifics will be left to the teams on both sides to resolve, and will be kept within the legal and effective scope.

The main contents of the betting agreement are:
If Dartford are relegated this season, they will have to sell the team to Welling United's owners for a low price.

Whether it will be a merger with Wellington, or whether Wellington's owner will use Dartford to cash out and then declare Green Guns bankrupt depends on the owner's conscience.

Lu Kai's proposal was that if Dartford were to achieve promotion within two years, meaning they would reach League Two, Welling United would have to sell Riverside Stadium to Dartford at a low price.

In this way, Dartford will no longer have to live a nomadic life.

This seems somewhat unfair to Welling United, as they gave Dartford an extra year.

However, Dartford actually has a 99% chance of being relegated this season.

The probability of upgrading within three years is less than one percent.

In fact, the longer the time, the lower the value.

Some teams manage to avoid relegation in their first year after promotion, but then completely collapse in their second year.

Dartford made the decision to avoid relegation seem too easy.

After both parties completed the formalities, Lu Kai's side began construction.

Construction is planned on the land that was previously granted special permission next to the riverside sports field.

But it's not the main structure of the stadium that's being repaired, and we can't afford to repair it anyway.

It is an office building, or rather a multi-functional complex.

In the future, team offices, training facilities, meetings and seminars, player dormitories, and so on can all be located here.

Of course, this is only the first phase, and the team has limited funds, so the scale cannot be too large.

However, there was no financial pressure, because Joyce kept his word and secured loan support for Dartford from both the Football Association and the local authorities.

£300,000 interest-free loan, £700,000 low-interest loan.

It really helped in a practical way.

However, the news of the Dartford complex breaking ground was met with widespread ridicule as soon as it was published.

Because Dartford didn't build a stadium in time!

Even the training ground?

Instead of repairing the facilities that are truly meant to improve the team's performance, you're focusing on secondary ones; you simply can't distinguish between what's important and what's not.

Little did they know, the stadium was already part of Lu Kai's plan.

Even if he undertakes any work on the stadium in the future, it will be renovation, not reconstruction.

London is now so expensive that it's difficult to build new stadiums.

The only solution is to rebuild on the site of the old stadium.

With the existing riverside stadium as a foundation, if we simply renovate the stadium, we might be able to build a large stadium that can hold 40,000 to 50,000 people.

However, modern stadiums require supporting facilities, and considering various other buildings, London will absolutely not provide the land.

But Lu Kai has some on hand... Dartford's land is right next to the Riverside Stadium.

In addition, there's the Thames River and Greenwich Park, which is not far away.

Dartford's home ground could very well become a tourist destination in the future.

This revenue alone would far exceed that of a normal stadium.

……

In late July, the media summarized the commercial revenue of third- and fourth-tier teams for the season.

Surprisingly, Dartford, a newly promoted team in the English Second Division, was at the top of the list!

During this period, most third- and fourth-tier professional teams only received around six figures in sponsorships per year.

Even for Premier League teams, the less successful ones don't reach seven figures.

Of course, this amount will increase dramatically for the top teams, resulting in a huge gap between the rich and the poor.

Regardless, Dartford's sponsorship revenue is astonishing. Having already set a sponsorship record in amateur leagues last season, they have once again attracted a major sponsor this season.

The chest advertisement was sold to the "Link Group" for £500,000 a year.

After all, this group has been cultivating overseas markets and has a keen sense of opportunity, which led them to discover Dartford's exceptionally high commercial value.

However, they only signed a one-year contract because Dartford's relegation to the fifth tier of football meant nothing to Linkin Park.

Dartford's flow is built on their miracles.

When the miracle collapses, Dartford itself is worthless.

In addition, Dartford has also secured an equally high-quality sponsorship – equipment sponsorship.

Puma found them.

Dartford has been offered a large contract worth a total of £500,000.

The sponsorship fee is £300,000, and no other sports brands are allowed to appear in any of Dartford's official matches.

Daniel's family's sponsorship can only be redirected to training.

Their family made a lot of money from this last year.

This year, it's basically about spending money to let kids experience the professional arena and fulfill their dreams.

And it wasn't a loss either; the "Daniel Sports" brand has already been established, so it can still be sold as usual.

The remaining 200,000 euros will be offset by various sports equipment provided by Puma.

Of course, this contract is only for one year.

In fact, Nike also wanted to seize this opportunity, and they offered a slightly higher price than Puma.

However, Nike was unable to meet Lu Kai's special request, thus missing out on this collaboration.

Pond-shaped sports field.

"Come on, everyone, the new shoes have arrived. Let's all try them on." Jiang Mengyun organized the players to collect their personalized sneakers.

The reason they are described as "exclusive" is because the sneakers they receive are specially made by Puma after they send people to accurately measure multiple pieces of information about their feet.

Each pair is designed to perfectly fit the player's movements.

This is not a custom-made or even signature shoe for a player.

But for those who actually play football, it means a great deal.

This is also a lesson learned from Ashley Young's tendency to fall last season, and we will do everything we can to help the player better perform to his potential.

Brad kept exclaiming, "Even West Ham United don't get this kind of treatment!"

Amorim: "What's the difference between this and custom-made shoes for star players? Although the model is ordinary, the foot shape is unique!"

Kevin Dawson: "I've never seen a small club go to such lengths to secure this kind of benefit for its team!"

Patton laughed, "Basic stuff, that's six!"

Ashley Young corrected him, "Patton, you've really learned Chinese; you got the last word backwards."

After Eastwood put on his new shoes and unleashed a powerful shot that found the back of the net, he exclaimed excitedly, "That was amazing! I even had the illusion that he could hit exactly where I was pointing!"

Holt kept nodding: "Coming to Green Gunners was the right decision. This is a team that truly cares about its players."

Sherry noticed that Akinfenwa had two more pairs of sneakers than the others: "Is this... a distinction between new and old?"

Alfred explained, "No, it's because Akinfenwa wears out his shoes so quickly playing football, so Lu applied for two pairs for him. The cost will be deducted from Lu's salary."

"I have a limited number of sneakers. If I run out, I'll only be able to wear the regular size."

Professional athletes typically wear out a pair of shoes every two to three months.

A season requires three or four doubles.

Dartford applied for five pairs for each person.

These custom-fit sneakers are priced significantly higher than the standard versions.

However, Lu Kai also established a rule that the first pair of shoes worn out by the coach must be left to the team and become part of the team's history.

Everyone supports this rule; who wouldn't want to leave a lasting mark on the history of the teams they've played for?
"By the way, where's Lu? I haven't seen him around lately." An Qi was a little worried about the team's performance.

Lu Kai has been absent from several recent joint training sessions.

Brad played the attacking midfield position.

Does this mean Brad will become the team's core player from now on?
Did Lu, at the age of sixteen, step down and yield the position?

Isn't that a bit too much of a sacrifice?

Jiang Mengyun explained, "He went to shoot an advertisement for the team's sleeve sponsorship."

The next day, Dartford's cuff sponsorship became a hot topic in England.

At the same time, Lu Kai's advertisements were also widely circulated.

This is a very simple advertisement. Lu Kai simply said, "King of Winning, a legitimate platform, trustworthy."

That's right, Dartford's cuff advertising came from an English betting platform.

It is indeed legal.

Nearly half of the Premier League teams have their shirt sponsors sourced from betting platforms.

The "King of Winning" has offered Dartford a hefty price tag of £300,000.

This price is more expensive than the shirt sponsorship for many English League Two teams.

Dartford's sponsorship revenue for the year has now reached a staggering £1.1 million.

Without the mandatory £5 million investment requirement, Dartford could have avoided relegation this season.

Unlike other teams, they won't go bankrupt if they get relegated.

However, the reason it trended on the hot topic list was mainly because someone dug up Lu Kai's previous comments recommending that everyone buy Dartford for upgrades.

It is believed that Lu Kai was trying to sign a contract with a betting platform to exploit his own fans and cheat them out of their money.

Buying a Dartford upgrade is basically throwing money down the drain, isn't it?

A Sky Sports reporter interviewed Lu Kai: "You recommend fans to buy tickets, but what about your family? Would you recommend them to buy tickets?"

In response, Lu Kai laughed and said, "First of all, as a player, I don't get involved in any betting related to football in private."

“Naturally, my family members cannot be involved in this.”

"Including my players, I strictly forbid them from participating in these activities. This is a rule of the FA and UEFA, and we must abide by it."

In reality, whenever Lu Kai intends to participate in gambling in any way and may profit from it, the system will issue a warning and prohibit the behavior.

However, his public appeal to the public to buy is acceptable.

In other words, Lu Kai cannot be a stakeholder, nor can he influence the decisions of stakeholders.

During the interview, Lu Kai said something that has become the most widely circulated: "Datford has always received help and support from everyone, and I have nothing to give back to everyone."

"This time, I sincerely tell everyone, believe in us. Our primary goal this season is promotion, and we will go all out!"

"If everyone can gain something from this, then that's the greatest reward we can give!"

For a while, quite a few die-hard Dartford fans actually posted pictures of their lottery tickets for Dartford's upgrade.

"I bought one ticket; consider it a donation to the team's sleeve sponsorship!"

"I bought one too, not for anything in return, I just hope the team can enjoy the professional league!"

"Let's just consider this our ticket to being eliminated in the first round of the professional league; it will become one of my fondest memories!"

"I secretly bought a ticket, but I didn't dare let my wife find out. I was afraid she would think I had an IQ problem."

“I secretly bought two tickets, one for my husband and one for me, but I didn’t tell him because I was afraid he would think I was a brainless extreme fan of Green Gun. Actually, I don’t believe Green Gun can be upgraded either, but I admire Lu Kai’s dreaming attitude.”

"My boyfriend plays for Green Gunners, but I won't reveal who it is. I asked him if he wanted to buy it, and he told me it was up to me. But I know that if I did, it would motivate him! Just like when I told him in bed that things are actually pretty good... This encouragement and trust are very important to him!"

"My second brother plays football for Green Gun, but I won't reveal who it is. He's been lacking confidence because he can't find a girlfriend, and I wanted to support him in this way. Unfortunately, he and my other brothers found out about the lottery ticket, and they want me to cancel it, but I absolutely refuse!"

……

In August, since there are 24 teams in the English Second Division and 46 matches per season, the season starts earlier.

On August 7th, Dartford will face Grimsby in their opening match of the new season.

This was also their first time playing at a rented riverside stadium.

Although it was their home ground, it felt unfamiliar.

The atmosphere around them was simply incredible.

The entire venue was packed with 6,127 people, all of whom were standing.

After a grueling 90-minute battle, Dartford defeated their opponents 1-0.

Eastwood, a young man chasing his dream, scored the only goal of the game for his team, which was also the team's first professional league goal in history.

However, Dartford used the three-center-back system they had experimented with in the pre-season, and their play was not smooth.

It's important to know that Grimsby are a relegation-threatened team in the English Second Division.

Dartford's struggles almost speak volumes about their ability.

They will find it difficult to establish themselves in the English Third Division.

August 10th, English Third Division, second round.

Dartford will play away against Yeovil.

They suffered a crushing 1-2 defeat.

This score is definitely not a crushing defeat.

But the situation was actually more embarrassing than the score.

Dartford were brutally beaten throughout the match and had no chance to fight back.

The only goal was scored by Lu Kai from a free kick, which was purely a personal achievement and had nothing to do with the team.

August 14th, English Third Division, Round 3.

Dartford will play away against Southend United.

The result was a 0-1 defeat, another loss.

They have one win and two losses in the first three rounds, ranking fourteenth in the league.

It's really not good.

At least, it falls far short of the expectations Lu Kai gave the fans.

On August 17th, the FA Charity Shield kicked off.

Dartford, as last season's FA Cup champions, swept aside the reigning FA Cup winners 6-1 to claim the trophy.

Successfully won the Little Charity Shield award for the second consecutive year.

However, the championship trophy did not bring about much change to the team.

August 20th, English Third Division, Round 4.

Dartford lost at home.

They lost 2-4 to Bristol Wanderers.

His ranking continued to slip to eighteenth!
The downward trend is obvious, and relegation seems inevitable.

Sky Sports: "Miracle Ends! Dartford Suffer Three Consecutive Losses! Drop into the Relegation Zone!"

BBC: "The magical power from the East will eventually fade! The basic principles of football are functioning normally, Dartford is destined for a one-year run in the English Second Division!"

The Times: "Judging from recent matches, Dartford doesn't even have the ability to play in the fifth tier!"

Manchester Evening News: "After making money, Dartford failed to bring in new signings and instead picked up the scraps; the backlash has finally come! Kevin Dawson has delivered two consecutive disastrous performances!"

Kent Post: "The city council's decision to lend money to Dartford may have been a mistake; we must start to consider their ability to repay!"

London Financial Times: "Datford's sponsors are all on the list of the worst investments in English football this year!"

Mundo Deportivo: "Iniesta's La Liga debut was mediocre, but reliable! Lu Kai can't even play well in the fourth tier, how can he be called a genius?"

For a time, the whole world was laughing at Dartford.

At least that's how the Dartford players feel.

……

"Hey Kevin, come here for a second."

After training, Lu Kai called out to Kevin Dawson.

Kevin was a little uneasy.

He played terribly in the last two league games.

In particular, the team suffered a crushing 2-4 defeat in the last match, with two of the opponent's goals directly stemming from Dawson's failed offside trap.

His ability to create offside traps is much worse than his teammates'.

He felt he was about to lose his starting position, while Ashley Williams adapted much faster in this regard.

"Our next match is the first round of the EFL Cup, and our opponent is Scandpope United," Lu Kai said. "Your brother Andy plays for that team."

"As for me, I still hope..."

Kevin interrupted Lu Kai, saying apologetically, "It's okay, Captain Lu, I know what you mean... I don't have to play. You can just tell me directly, I can handle it."

"Huh?" Lu Kai laughed. "No, no, no, Kevin, you've misunderstood."

"What I mean is that you should continue to start in these kinds of games no matter what."

"But we need to learn some lessons from the past. It turns out you don't have a talent for creating offside traps, so we should remove you from the offside line."

Kevin was completely stunned.

All he could think about was "staying in the starting lineup".

This……

“Captain Lu, I…” Kevin’s eyes reddened.

Honestly, he would be very upset if he couldn't directly face off against his brother.

It's not that I regret it, it's that I feel very embarrassed.

You may be doing poorly yourself, but it's a different experience when your family sees it.

Besides, Kevin always thought he was at least a League One player, but he never expected that he would be doing worse than his older brother, whom he used to look down on.

“That’s how it is.” Lu Kai scribbled on the tactics whiteboard. “Since most of our opponents have two strikers, we can actually have two defenders stay back for one-on-one situations.”

"The extra center-back can move up to defensive midfield."

"You have a very well-rounded ability. You can help pass the ball around on the offensive end. Moreover, you have a very strong fighting spirit and can keep up with the opponent on the defensive end from the very first moment."

Even if we can't take it, we can still greatly slow down the opponent's pace.

"However, this will increase your running volume, requiring you to have a strong desire to run..."

"I'm willing!" Kevin interrupted before Lu Kai could finish speaking. "As long as I can contribute to the team, as long as it can improve my performance on the court, I'll do anything!"

Lu Kai nodded.

Having this attitude is enough.

There was one thing Victor hadn't considered.

He thought Dartford played with three center-backs so that they could use a five-man defense against strong teams.

That's certainly true.

But... if it really comes down to a do-or-die situation, the three center-backs can also more smoothly transform into a 2-3-5 attacking formation!

Even 226!

As for the team's league performance, Lu Kai is not worried.

All people are seeing is Dartford's three-game losing streak.

However, it was overlooked that among these three teams, Yeowell and Southend United, although not currently ranked at the top, are actually title contenders with formidable strength.

Bristol have had a good start and are in good form, currently sitting third in the standings.

Dartford are in the process of adapting to their new formation, while the pace of the English Third Division is very fast, with two matches a week.

This amplified their failure.

If you switch to the pace of the Premier League, you're currently only managing one draw and one loss, or even one win and one draw. There's no rush at all.

The first round of the English League Cup will kick off on August 24th.

This cup competition is open to teams from four levels: the English Premier League, League One, League Two, and League Three. It is a cup competition composed entirely of professional teams.

Its organizer is the English Football League (EFL). Although they are nominally under the jurisdiction of the Football Association (FA), they actually have many conflicts with the FA.

The FA must take care of all those involved in English football and focus on the development of the entire industry. One key aspect of this is "acting on behalf of Heaven," taking from the surplus and giving to the deficient.

The EFL represents the interests of professional teams. They didn't want to play against more and more amateur teams in the FA Cup, so they created the EFL Cup to compete with the FA Cup.

You can interpret this as forgetting one's roots, but it is also an inevitable trend after the professionalization of football.

This clash between the rich and the poor will likely recur many times in the future of football.

For example, within England, Premier League teams were separated from the EFL.

In the context of the entire football world, this means creating a European Super League and a new Club World Cup composed entirely of elite clubs, abandoning ordinary professional teams, just as ordinary professional teams try to abandon amateur teams.

However, unlike the success of the Premier League and the new Club World Cup, the EFL Cup was a failure.

It has been proven that football requires mass participation.

Unless you have a huge subsidy.

The Premier League, the Champions League, and the new Club World Cup all offer substantial subsidies, which is why it's possible.

But not in the EFL Cup.

So let's go back to the most basic rules of football... The FA Cup, which can be participated in by all levels of English football, is far more popular than the EFL Cup, which can only be participated in by professional teams.

The same applies to the commercial value of the event, prize money, and so on.

Even the EFL Cup champion only receives a prize of £100,000.

Even Dartford might not look at me!

Therefore, the EFL Cup has become a mere formality for Premier League teams. Although they only participate in the second round and play one less game, they usually only field substitutes and youth academy players before the semi-finals.

This provides fertile ground for upsets in League One and League Two teams.

The reason for not mentioning the English Third Division is that teams that have just struggled to rise from the non-professional leagues often can't even pull off an upset.

To date, no team from the English Third Division has ever reached the quarterfinals of the EFL Cup.

The Bradford family won't reach the semifinals until the 2023-2024 season.

However, just like the FA Cup, tickets for the EFL Cup can be divided equally.

If they manage to hold on until the end and encounter a Premier League powerhouse, and are even drawn at their home ground...

Of course, all of this is based on Dartford defeating today's opponent, Scandinavia United.

Although they are playing at the opponent's home ground today, the opponent is also a third-division team like them.

The number of over 4,000 people who came to watch was far less than the average of 6,000 people who filled Dartford's own home stadium.

There's no profit to be made!

Moreover, Scandpo United is a very strong team, one of the contenders for the League Three title, and is currently ranked first in League Three!

"Alright everyone, welcome to this pirated broadcast of the football match. If you haven't entered the chat room yet, hurry up and join. There you'll find the latest betting strategies. I'm Zhan Jun."

"Today's match is between Scansoa United and Dartford."

"Datford's starting lineup is still 3-5-2. It seems that their manager Alfred is determined to make a change."

"The two strikers, Eastwood and Holt, are two English strikers. You could say they are both tall and fast, or you could say they are neither tall nor fast."

"Personally, I think this combination is not very reasonable. We should have a more flexible and opportunistic striker like Marin."

"Shaughnessy is starting at left wing-back today, with Ashley Young on the bench. Brad is the attacking midfielder, Dartford's new midfield maestro, and he's quite capable. Right wing-back To Madeira—one word: fast!"

"The two defensive midfielders are Lu Kai and Barton. That's right, Lu Kai suddenly switched to playing as a defensive midfielder this season. I don't know if it's to make up for Victor's retirement or to make room for Brad."

"His decision is somewhat puzzling. Dartford's poor performance in the last few games is also related to Lu Kai's deep positioning."

"The three center-backs, from left to right, are Kevin Dawson, Williams, and Duff. The goalkeeper is Anqi."

Honestly, Zhan Jun is quite knowledgeable about football, but he really couldn't understand Lu Kai's intentions.

Do they think that last season's achievement of scoring 100 goals was too sensational?

So they deliberately retreated to get less data?
No need, professional league statistics aren't that easy to obtain.

The television broadcast showed some shots of the sidelines.

On the bench, Amorin was whispering to Ashley Young: "Young? What's going on? Why are you on the bench? Aren't you a guaranteed starter?"

Ashley Young said casually, "The EFL Cup is meant to give the team experience to young players and substitutes."

Amorin: "But...it seems like all the other key players on the team are playing."

Ashley Young: "Have you ever heard of nuclear weapons? Have you ever seen anyone use them for no reason?"

"When a team has a deep roster, it has the resources to keep superstar players on the bench as secret weapons. That's called nuclear deterrence! It has a strategic effect!"

Amorim wholeheartedly agreed, and with the heart of a head coach, he began taking notes: The strongest players should be on the bench!

The two coaches next door were also exchanging ideas.

Viktor was very nervous: "After so much practice, this match should show some results."

Alfred nodded: "Lu said that as the core of the team, the striker can only receive 70% of the benefits."

"As the core of the team, the attacking midfielder can reap 100% or even 120% of the benefits."

"But as the core of the team, the defensive midfielder can generate 200% of the benefits and maximize the use of stadium resources!"

"There is currently no defensive midfielder of this caliber in the world of football."

Victor looked at the field: "Lu asked me to study AC Milan's tactics for the new season. I found that Pirlo, who just transferred there, has been playing better and better since he moved to the defensive midfield position, quite like Lu."

"So Lu Kai's move to the back doesn't mean he's diminishing his importance in the team."

"The opposite is true; he further increased his role in the team."

"And Barton is like Gattuso to Lu Kai. However, unlike Pirlo, Lu Kai also has a strong ability to push forward, so he found Kevin to cover for him."

"Unfortunately, the team that was 'uncoordinated' couldn't get him to unleash his full potential recently."

"After several minor adjustments, will today be the day we see the results?"

Alfred: "I'm really looking forward to it!"

beep!

With the sound of the whistle, Dartford's first-ever EFL Cup match officially began!
(End of this chapter)