The God of Football starts with passive skills

Chapter 4 is a real gem!

"Wang, based on your outstanding performance during the trial period, the club has decided to sign a formal youth training contract with you."

Although he had guessed it as soon as he entered, Wang Shuo was still very excited when Kramny said it.

He finally got the contract!
Although it's just a youth training contract, it's a great start.

Under German law, one must be 18 years of age or older to formally sign a professional contract.

Before this, no matter how outstanding their talent was, they could only have youth training contracts.

Thomas Essien has already discussed the specific contract terms with Kramny.

Mainz is a very small club with a weak youth academy. In the U19 team, only one person receives a salary.

That was the Mexican genius Pedro Lina.

But he was a talent carefully selected by Bayern from all over the world. Even if Bayern gave up on him, he would still be out of reach for a second-division team like Mainz.

Therefore, when we invited him to join last year, although it was a youth training contract, we offered him a good salary.

The exact amount is something that outsiders cannot know.

Wang Shuo's youth training contract is unpaid, but the club will purchase various insurances for him.

Because they are foreign players, the club will provide them with an extra allowance for rent and living expenses.

Currently, Mainz U19 only has 3 foreign players.

Pedro Lina goes without saying; although he lost his starting position, his contract still treats him as a top player.

South Korean player Kim Jung-hoon, on the other hand, was essentially paid to play for him.

He did not receive any salary from Mainz; instead, a sponsor from South Korea provided Mainz with a sponsorship fee.

People like Wang Shuo, on the other hand, fall within the normal scope of youth training.

Although it's just a youth training contract, all the necessary procedures and contracts must be followed.

Thomas Essien will then use this contract to help Wang Shuo change his short-term visa to a long-term visa.

The youth training contracts are not very binding, but the club will conduct assessments every year to select the best and eliminate the worst.

Wang Shuo has barely managed to gain a foothold now.

While waiting for the club's management to send someone to sign the contract, Wang Shuo sat quietly to the side, listening to Kramny and Thomas Essien talk about the current situation in Mainz.

There's not much to say about U19.

After Kramny led the team to promotion, they played 18 rounds in the U19 League South Division this season, ranking 8th.

One very interesting phenomenon is that Kramny's team had the best defense out of the 14 teams.

18轮仅仅只丢了18球，比拜仁U19的22球还少了4个。

Stuttgart U19 currently tops the standings, having conceded 20 goals but earned 42 points, leading Mainz by 17 points.

Mainz's problem is their attack.

They only scored 28 goals in 18 rounds, which is terrible for the U19 league, placing them exactly 8th.

"Actually, at the beginning of the season, we wanted to loan Thomas Müller from Bayern U19. He's really good and has been scoring goals like crazy this season. It's just a pity that Bayern wasn't willing to loan him to us at the time."

Kramny said with deep regret.

"Of course, just based on his surname and his talent, Bayern won't loan him out."

Thomas Essien laughed, but quickly changed the subject.

"By the way, I heard that your best friend, Klopp, is going to coach Bayern Munich this summer?"

Upon hearing this, Kramny's eyes flashed with anger. "It's off."

"It's off?" Thomas Essien was surprised. "How could that be? Didn't they say Bayern would either choose a foreign coach or it would be him? Even Hoffenheim's Rangnick wasn't selected for the squad."

“That happened in January. Hoeneß did call and talk about it, so the media got the news, but then for some reason, they chose another Jürgen.”

Another Jürgen?

Wang Shuo couldn't immediately recall who it was.

After all, there are just too many people named Jürgen in Germany.

Thomas Essien, on the other hand, immediately realized, "Klinsmann?"

"Yes, he received a call, so Klopp signed a contract extension with the club. If the team returns to the Bundesliga this season, he will continue to coach the team."

Judging from Kramny's tone, he was clearly dissatisfied with some of Bayern's practices.

Big clubs are just rich and powerful.

It was something that had been agreed upon, and Klopp had been preparing for it, but then he went back on his word.

Thomas Essien was also quite helpless.

Who can blame them but Bayern Munich?

"Mainz has been doing very well in the 2. Bundesliga this season and should be able to get promoted," Thomas Essien reassured him.

But at this point, Kramny's expression became somewhat serious.

"It's hard to say, the competition is just too fierce. Borussia Mönchengladbach is leading the Bundesliga 2 table, while Hoffenheim, Mainz, Greuther Fürth, Cologne, and Freiburg are all within two or three points of the leader."

"After a 1-1 draw against Cologne in the 24th round, their ranking was directly overtaken by Hoffenheim, and they dropped to 3rd."

"Now, the team is facing another wave of injuries, and things are getting more and more complicated."

Thomas Essien also frowned.

Mainz's tactical style has remained consistent from the first team to the youth team, with a strong emphasis on the team's physical fitness and a focus on high-pressing tactics.

However, the risk that comes with this is that a wave of injuries is very likely to occur.

"The relegation battle we failed to avoid relegation last summer was a huge blow to us," Kramny sighed helplessly.

Thomas Essien also gave a wry smile, "That's how it is with small teams. If they don't achieve good results, they might barely manage to stay afloat, but if they do achieve good results, it could be even more disastrous!"

“Who says otherwise?” Kramny also gave a wry smile.

……

The process of signing youth training contracts is very simple.

Most of them are standard contracts.

After Wang Shuo signed, Thomas Essien accompanied him to the Mainz office to process some documents and get them stamped.

These are all materials needed for the upcoming visa amendment.

Wang Shuo then chatted with Kramny for a while.

The U19 head coach greatly admires Wang Shuo and hopes that Wang Shuo will prepare in advance.

"We're going to Offenburg for an away game this weekend. Your transfer should be completed by then, and you can travel with the team."

Although it is not the transfer window, Wang Shuo is a free agent and is not affected by the transfer window.

After signing, Mainz must submit the agreement to the German Football Association in a timely manner.

In cases involving cross-border transfers, applications must also be submitted to UEFA and FIFA.

However, Gao Huai-ren will handle Wang Shuo's paperwork in China; there shouldn't be any problems. About a week should be enough.

On the way back to the hotel from Bruchweg Stadium, Thomas Essien urged Wang Shuo to keep up the good work.

"You heard what Kramny just said. Mainz is currently experiencing a wave of injuries in its first team. If they fail to gain promotion this season, Klopp may choose to leave, and then there will be a complete reshuffle."

"Given Mainz's current situation, Peter Neustädter from the reserve team and Kramny from the U19 team are both very likely to succeed Klopp in the first team. You must seize the opportunity!"

Wang Shuo nodded solemnly.

Even without Thomas Essien's instructions, he would work hard on his own.

Because it was not easy for him; he fought hard to get this contract and the opportunity to stay with the team.

"By the way, Thomas, why is it that when the team's performance improves, it becomes even more dangerous?"

Wang Shuo asked with great curiosity.

Thomas Essien, who was driving, turned his head and glanced at Wang Shuo, then laughed.

Actually, he really liked this hardworking, diligent, and curious Chinese boy.

I'm also happy to teach more.

"Fans always hope the team performs well, but if the team's performance exceeds expectations and doesn't match the club's financial situation, that can be very disastrous."

"That's how Mainz is now under Klopp's management."

"The reason is actually very simple. The team has been performing well in the upper-middle ranks of the Bundesliga, and the previously unknown players under its command have begun to be known and have also begun to attract the attention of big clubs."

"This puts Mainz in a dilemma: they can't retain their players, and they can't make money from selling them."

In the summer of 06, Mainz sold their midfield maestro Antonio da Silva.

Leading scorer Benjamin Orr refused to renew his contract with the team and went to Bochum as a free agent.

According to the original plan, the team also had a Belgian striker, Türk, but unexpectedly, before the start of the season, Eintracht Frankfurt poached him with a high salary.

Mainz's failure to retain Türk led to a very unpleasant situation between the two sides, causing unease in the locker room.

Marius Niculae, the Belgian center forward signed in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, only stayed with the team for six months before leaving due to setbacks.

This directly resulted in Mainz finishing the first half of the Bundesliga season at the bottom of the table.

During the winter break, they signed Egyptian player Zidane from Werder Bremen and loaned Danish midfielder Leon Andreassen, which greatly enhanced the team's competitiveness, and their performance improved significantly in the second half of the season.

But it was too late.

They lost too many points in the first half, and couldn't catch up no matter how hard they tried.

After relegation, it becomes even harder to retain players.

Klopp wanted to sign Andreasson, but he didn't want to come, and Zidane left for Hamburg.

Even the team's core player, captain Manuel Friedrich, has transferred to Bayer Leverkusen.

This further weakens Mainz's competitiveness in the 2. Bundesliga.

Interestingly, Mainz has actually performed very well in the 2. Bundesliga this season.

They conceded only 23 goals in 24 rounds, making them the best defensive team in the 2. Bundesliga.

They scored 39 goals, ranking 4th in attacking firepower.

但从第17轮开始到现在，8轮联赛，2胜4平2负。

This wave of injuries has abruptly halted Mainz's strong momentum toward qualifying for the Bundesliga.

The most outrageous thing is that it is still rampant in Mainz's first team.

Wang Shuo listened to Thomas Essien's introduction all the way, his heart filled with shock.

He truly hadn't expected that good grades could actually be a curse.

This was a complete upheaval for him!
……

Back in his hotel room, Wang Shuo immediately accessed the [God of Football System].

He had already received the system notification while still in Kramny's office.

"Received reward pack: one passive skill card. Do you wish to enter the system to draw it?"

Wang Shuo chose "Yes" without hesitation.

Passive skill: Breathing, greatly helps Wang Shuo and significantly improves his strength.

Now, he is full of anticipation, wondering what passive skill he will draw this time.
The giant soccer ball, which had been suspended in mid-air, started spinning again.

Under Wang Shuo's watchful eyes, the giant football went from being still to spinning at high speed, and then gradually slowed down.

Finally, Wang Shuo drew out his second passive skill.

"Insight: Improve your ability to read the game and understand your opponent's intentions."

Wang Shuo was very surprised.

That's absolutely amazing!

If breathing enhances his physical abilities, then insight enhances his consciousness.

Having gained experience with [Breathing] before, Wang Shuo was almost certain that the improvement brought by [Insight] would definitely not be weak either.

Although they are currently only at the professional level.

This is truly a treasure!
In his excitement, Wang Shuo quickly noticed some changes in the soccer ball suspended in mid-air.

Originally, only one side of the pentagon was lit, but now both sides are lit.

Between the two shimmering pentagons, what were originally faint threads now seem to have solidified, radiating golden light.

When Wang Shuo focused his attention on the silk thread, he was surprised to find that when [Breathing] and [Insight] lit up at the same time, his off-the-ball movement and defensive positioning improved.

It's an improvement that's greater than the sum of its parts!

This is absolutely amazing!

Looking at the giant soccer ball in front of him, Wang Shuo couldn't help but wonder how strong he would be if every pentagon was lit up and all the threads were connected.

Even if they are only at the professional level, they should have no problem establishing themselves in the Bundesliga, right?

The thought of this made Wang Shuo incredibly excited.

Especially when he thought about the away game in Offenburg a week later, he couldn't contain his excitement and passion, and he picked up the football and ran outside.

"Thomas, I'm going out to practice."

Thomas Essien was somewhat bewildered when he heard Wang Shuo knocking on the door from outside and giving him instructions.

Just got back from training, and now they're going out for extra practice?
But he quickly started laughing again.

Fortunately, he had been worried that Wang Shuo would slack off after signing the contract.

In hindsight, my worries were completely unnecessary.

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(End of this chapter)