The God of Football starts with passive skills

Chapter 57 Three-game winning streak! A Marseille turn at 1.2x speed! Searching for the next Ronaldo! Wang Shuo, you're my real dad!

The first half ended with a score of 0-0.

During stoppage time, Jermaine Jones received a yellow card.

Back in the locker room, many Mainz players were panting heavily, all looking extremely exhausted.

This is what's known as Klopp syndrome!

Wang Shuo was also quite exhausted, drenched in sweat, but he could still hold on.

Young people's bodies recover very quickly.

But it's a different story with players like Calhanoglu and Pekovic.

"Everyone, look over here!"

Klopp strode into the locker room, clapping his hands loudly, drawing everyone's attention.

"Quiet down and listen to me."

After the first half ends, Kravitz from the analysis team will provide the coaching staff with an analysis report of the first half.

It will list many problems that occurred in the first half.

Klopp and the coaching staff need to discuss how to solve these problems and how to play well in the second half.

Schalke 04's lackluster attack this season is partly due to the poor form of their star striker, Kuranyi.

As a well-known center forward in the Bundesliga, Kuranyi made 21 appearances in the first 22 rounds, all as a starter, scoring only 8 goals and providing 4 assists.

Such statistics are truly unacceptable for a Bundesliga center forward.

More importantly, Kuranyi is generating far more buzz off the field than he is on it.

Kuranyi has gradually become controversial since being excluded from the national team roster by Klinsmann in 2006.

Despite being of Brazilian descent, his footwork was actually not particularly impressive, even somewhat rough.

Kuranyi's position became even more awkward, especially with the rise of younger players like Gomez and Podolski.

During the national team training camp in October, Löw called up Kuranyi to the national team, but did not include him in the 18-man roster, which angered Kuranyi.

The German center forward disappeared midway through the match and refused to answer calls from Löw and team manager Bierhoff afterward.

Finally, he was expelled from the German Football Association on the spot.

Ironically, after being severely punished, Kuranyi apologized, but it was to no avail.

But at Schalke 04, no matter how bad Kuranyi's form was, he remained a regular starter.

Klopp was fairly satisfied with the performance of the central defensive pairing of Neustädter and Noveski.

At least Kuranyi was trapped.

Klopp also made adjustments to the right flank combination of Rafinha and Farfan for Schalke 04.

In particular, Feulner was tasked with keeping a close eye on Rafinha.

As for Rakitic, Klopp is reassured with Calhanoglu and Pekovic anchoring the midfield.

"On the offensive end..."

After Klopp finished setting up the defense, his gaze shifted to Wang Shuo.

Everyone immediately turned to look at Wang Shuo.

Wang Shuo felt the attention from his teammates, and he stood up straight, declaring loudly, "Give me some time, and I'll definitely break through Schalke 04's goal in the second half!"

His voice was loud, and his tone carried an undeniable firmness.

This also reveals his confidence.

Klopp nodded approvingly at Wang Shuo, "Good, I believe in you!"

Whether it succeeds or not, this confidence is what the team needs most right now.

"Everyone, cheer up! We haven't won in five rounds."

"I hope that we can take 3 points away from Veltins-Argent today!"

"Go! Go!!!"

Wang Shuo and all his teammates stood up and shouted loudly.

……

The second half of the game has begun.

Schalke 04 still assigned Jermaine Jones to mark Wang Shuo.

Wang Shuo had anticipated this and was not in a hurry.

He continued to drag his opponent along, just like in the first half, constantly looking for and creating opportunities.

As the most solid defense in the Bundesliga, it is no easy task to break through Schalke 04's defense.

Especially when you're wearing a plaster like Jermaine Jones.

The game remained as deadlocked as it had been in the first half.

No one can do anything to anyone.

Time also slips away little by little like this.

In the blink of an eye, 63 minutes had passed.

Neither side made any substitutions.

Rafinha seized an opportunity to intercept the ball in his own half, dribbled down the right flank, and launched another attack.

Brazil's right-back is indeed very capable; he stayed close to the right sideline and managed to dribble the ball past the halfway line.

Unable to advance any further, he delivered a through pass to Farfan in the flank.

Farfan stopped the ball on his first attempt.

But Löw seized the position in time, making it difficult for Farfan to break forward.

Farfan chose to pass across to Kuranyi.

After passing the ball, Farfan continued to rush forward, wanting to play a combination.

As a result, Kuranyi's first attempt to control the ball was rushed and he failed to stop it properly.

Mainz captain Nowitzki, with his extensive defensive experience, immediately pounced on the ball and cleared it.

Although Kuranyi was also tripped, the referee did not blow the whistle.

Because Nowitzki touched the ball first.

The ball landed at Pekovic's feet.

Rakitic immediately pounced on Pekovic and launched a counter-press.

Wang Shuo glanced around at the front, back, left, and right sides, and already had a clear understanding of the situation.

When Pekovic received the ball, he quickly ran back towards the area between the deep midfielder Westermann and the right-back Rafinha.

But at that moment, Rafinha was still in the attacking third.

"Quick, give me the ball!"

Wang Shuo loudly raised his hand to Pekovic, asking for the ball.

Jermaine Jones was naturally keeping up, but Wang Shuo ultimately held the initiative, leaving the American midfielder a step behind.

This gave Wang Shuo a very brief opportunity to get the ball.

The moment the ball came to his feet, Jermaine Jones was just coming over.

Wang Shuo had been observing and analyzing the situation continuously.

He had already timed his approach to Jermaine Jones perfectly. Before Jones could get close, he stopped the ball and spun around like a top, making a half-circle around the onrushing Jones.

"Marseille turn!!" the TV commentator exclaimed in disbelief.

And it's a Marseille turn at 1.2x speed!

After turning around, Wang Shuo immediately dribbled forward.

Jermaine Jones also reacted very quickly and turned around with equal agility.

As soon as Wang Shuo bypassed him, he immediately turned around and chased after him.

His first reaction was to reach out.

But then I suddenly remembered the yellow card I received just before the end of the first half.

"Damn bastard!"

The American midfielder cursed under his breath.

Seeing that there were still three or four defenders in front of him, he withdrew his outstretched hand.

For him, risking a red card by committing a foul at this point is not worth it!

Since Jermaine Jones didn't foul, Wang Shuo didn't hold back and immediately accelerated.

At this moment, Schalke 04's defense was still relatively intact.

Although Rafinha hasn't returned yet, he's desperately running back down the right flank.

Both center-backs, Krstajic and Höwedes, are present, as is Westermann, the defensive midfielder.

The left-back was also following Schürrle from a distance.

Wang Shuo was facing three defensive players.

Schürrle was far to the right flank.

Hainaul, who was closest to him, was also blocked by Westerman.

Jermaine Jones was chasing behind him.

At this moment, Wang Shuo was truly facing obstacles in front of him and pursuers behind him.

But Wang Shuo's speed has already fully picked up.

Instead of going down the wing, he continued to cut diagonally from the left flank into the center of the penalty area, calling out to Hainaur.

Hainaul immediately responded by making a forward run to Westermann's right flank, drawing the defender's attention.

But Wang Shuo dribbled the ball diagonally into the top of the arc, and his speed kept increasing.

Schalke 04's defenders began to tighten their defense.

At this moment, Schalke 04's defenders were like a trap, trying to ensnare Wang Shuo and gang up on him.

"It's time to pass the ball!"

"Continuing forward is a dead end!"

Even the TV commentators couldn't help but offer Wang Shuo "advice and suggestions".

But Wang Shuo seemed not to have thought about this problem at all. He didn't run to the wing at all, and continued to dribble towards the middle, just like a stubborn person who was determined to crash into the middle.

Of course, it also looks a bit like trying to stage an accident.

Jermaine Jones, standing behind him, didn't reach out at all; he just kept chasing after him.

If Wang Shuo is trapped in a pocket, then the Americans are the rope that ties the pocket shut.

It's too late to say.

Wang Shuo dribbled the ball and rushed to the outside of Schalke 04's penalty area in an instant.

If time were to freeze at this moment, one would notice that Schalke 04's defenders had set up a pocket, but their defensive line was also completely flattened.

Wang Shuo attracted the attention of three defenders: Westermann, Höwedes, and Krstajic, with Jermaine Jones following behind him.

What about Hainaur's location?
When the Hungarian midfielder made a forward run, he was positioned to the right of Westermann, ready to attack behind Höwedes at any time.

This is very dangerous.

Therefore, Schalke 04's left-back Kobiashvili naturally needs to stay close to Höwedes to help defend the flanks.

However, this meant that Schürrle, who was originally being guarded by Kobyashvili, would be left unattended.

The Mainz youngster was left all alone near the right corner of the penalty area, seemingly detached from this wave of attack.

In reality, Schürrle was lurking at the right corner of the penalty area, poised and waiting for a pass from Wang Shuo.

As agreed before the match, Wang Shuo would pass the ball to them.

Schürrle glanced at Wang Shuo, who was tightly surrounded, and couldn't help but feel uneasy.

How did they manage to pass the ball over there?

Hainaur is also a potential receiver, lurking on the right side of the arc, ready to make a run forward.

He was also waiting for Wang Shuo to pass the ball.

He knew all too well that passing the ball out would be incredibly difficult.

Three defenders were double-teaming them, with Jermaine Jones following behind...

Is it really possible for Wang Shuo to spread this information?

That would be truly divine!

Schalke 04's defenders were determined to contain Wang Shuo and were on high alert.

Just as Wang Shuo was about to rush into their defensive zone, and just as the two sides were about to make contact, Wang Shuo suddenly slowed down, his left shoulder slumped, and he seemed to be changing direction to rush past Krstajic's side.

Who is Krstajic?

Three players were surrounding Wang Shuo, but he wasn't afraid of Wang Shuo continuing to cut inside.

So he moved a step as well, trying to block Wang Shuo's route and force him back to their pre-set route.

You have to get into this trap whether you want to or not!
Be good, listen to me, it doesn't hurt, it'll be over soon!

But Wang Shuo acted too quickly.

With the combined support of national-level "Swiftness" and "Coordination," and the "First Strike" ability to anticipate Krstajic's movements, Wang Shuo stabilized his balance with his left foot and seized an opportunity with his right foot, launching a counterattack.

Then, in a very short time, he gently flicked the ball with the toe of his right foot.

Wang Shuo lifted the ball up, and with the help of its speed, it passed precisely through the gap between Krstajic and Höwedes after Krstajic moved away, landing on the right side of the penalty area behind the defense.

After completing a series of movements, Wang Shuo lost his balance and slipped outside the penalty area.

But in that instant, everyone was stunned!

A gasp of surprise erupted from the entire Veltins-Arena.

Höwedes raised his foot to try and stop the ball from going through, but he couldn't touch it at all.

Hainaur moved forward, and Kobyashvili followed suit.

But this pass was clearly not for them; the ball was too fast for them to reach.

Only Schürrle, who had been obediently lurking in the right corner of the penalty area, felt an immense sense of admiration for Wang Shuo at that moment!

Holy crap, it actually came through!
Wang Shuo, you are my real father!
How did you manage to do that?
While Schürrle was deeply shocked, he pushed off with both legs and started moving at top speed, rushing towards Wang Shuo's passing lane.

kill! kill! kill! !
Inside the penalty area, Neuer turned along Wang Shuo's pass and was shocked to see Schürrle rushing towards him. He abandoned everything else and rushed out of his goal to tackle the ball and Schürrle.

But Schürrle was really fast.

The young Mainz player got ahead of everyone else, caught up with Wang Shuo's pass at just the right moment, and unleashed a powerful shot.

Neuer crouches down, extends his leg, and reaches out his hand!
But the ball still slipped through his hands and crashed into the Schalke 04 goal behind him.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"

"In the 63rd minute, Mainz finally broke through Schalke 04's goal!"

"A goal from young André Schürrle!"

"1 to 0!"

After scoring, Schürrle was so excited that he turned and ran, shouting and yelling all the way out of the field.

Wang Shuo also got up from the ground, quickly caught up with him, and hugged Schürrle tightly.

"You really sent it, Your Majesty!"

"That's fucking amazing!"

"I can't believe it! Surrounded by four people, you actually passed the ball to me!"

The Mainz players who rushed over were all surprised.

It turns out this wasn't an impromptu performance, but rather a premeditated act!
Outrageous!

So this is what Wang Shuo promised Klopp during halftime: that he would definitely break through Schalke 04's goal.

At the time, everyone thought he meant that he was sure he would score.

But now, they were surprised to discover that Wang Shuo had actually made two preparations all along.

Good heavens, where did this monster come from?!

How exactly did he do it?
Fortunately, Wang Shuo is a Mainz player; otherwise, playing against such an opponent would be a nightmare!
Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Klopp was still excitedly punching the air.

Hehehe, Wang Shuo really did it!
Schalke 04's head coach Rutten was completely out of control, roaring uncontrollably.

They were clearly incredulous that the defense hadn't committed a timely foul.

How could they allow Wang Shuo to deliver such a pass from outside the penalty area? Was the encirclement of four players completely ineffective?
The Schalke 04 players all looked dejected.

Especially the defensive players.

They asked themselves if they had done their best, but they still couldn't stop it.

Conceding such a goal is a huge blow to morale!

Jermaine Jones was the first to be affected.

If given another chance, even if it's a red card, he would definitely take down Wang Shuo.

Dry!
"Let's review the entire process of this goal."

"Wang Shuo's dribbling forward at a crucial moment attracted the attention of Schalke 04's defenders, but most importantly, his pass was perfectly timed."

"fantastic!"

"All we can say is that Wang Shuo is constantly creating surprises."

As Mainz players celebrated their goal on the sidelines, the entire Veltins-Arena was engulfed in a chorus of boos.

The boos from more than 6 fans at the same time sounded as if the Veltins-Arena was about to collapse.

Wang Shuo was panting and sweating, but he felt incredibly satisfied.

Pocket tactics?

Sorry, but I'm a sharp awl with its edge showing!

……

Mainz ultimately defeated Schalke 04 1-0 thanks to a goal from Schürrle.

The two consecutive matches ended in a 1-0 victory.

This result was both surprising and reasonable.

Wang Shuo was once again rated 2 points by the newspaper.

His brilliant assist was highly praised by both Bild and Kicker magazine.

"Although Wang Shuo was troubled by Jermaine Jones for most of the game, he still played the role of a core player in the crucial moments."

"That assist was absolutely brilliant, arguably the best assist of the season so far!"

In particular, young goal scorer Schürrle said in a post-match interview with German media, "I don't know how he did it. Anyway, before the game, he told me to wait for his signal, then run towards the goal, and he would pass the ball to me."

"I also doubted whether he could pass the ball, but as it turns out, he did!"

Schürrle said, "Wang Shuo is an all-around player. I don't know what he can't do."

If it was just a flash of brilliance from Wang Shuo on the court, then it would be relatively easy for everyone to accept.

But who would have thought that this was all planned in advance?

This amazed everyone.

The Süddeutsche Zeitung even wrote a special article analyzing the goal orchestrated by Wang Shuo.

They believe that Schalke 04 has already exhausted all means to stop Wang Shuo.

He still managed to get past him.

Jermaine Jones' yellow card in the first half made him hesitant to commit fouls in the second half.

Everything seemed to fall into place naturally.

It can only be said that Schalke 04's pocket tactics were completely defeated in the face of Wang Shuo!
The biggest upset of the 23rd round of the Bundesliga was Borussia Mönchengladbach's home victory over Hamburg, who were at the bottom of the table.

It's nothing special for a bottom-ranked team to beat a top-ranked team.

The real upset was in the score.

4 is better than 1!

Borussia Mönchengladbach thrashed Hamburg at home.

This took everyone by surprise.

This Bundesliga season has been incredibly exciting, with numerous upsets.

Bayern Munich, on the other hand, came from behind to beat Hannover 96 5-1 at the Allianz Arena after conceding an early goal.

Hertha Berlin also came from behind to beat Energie Cottbus 3-1, despite conceding an early goal away from home, thanks to a hat-trick from Voronin.

Hoffenheim, meanwhile, drew 0-0 with Werder Bremen at home.

……

Carrington, Manchester, England.

For a long time now, Ferguson has been in a good mood.

Manchester United's performance this season has been so good that no one can believe it.

People, including Ferguson, believed that another great Manchester United dynasty was about to be born!

Apart from an unexpected loss to Zenit St. Petersburg in the European Super Cup at the beginning of the season, Ferguson's team has had a smooth season, winning almost every competition.

The Community Shield, the Club World Cup, and the League Cup are all already in Ferguson's pocket.

Manchester United currently hold a commanding 10-point lead over second-placed Chelsea in the Premier League, practically having the league title in their grasp.

In the FA Cup, Manchester United just thrashed Fulham 4-0 away in London to advance to the semi-finals.

In the Champions League Round of 16, Manchester United were held to a 0-0 draw by Mourinho's Inter Milan in the first leg away from home.

The second leg will be played at Old Trafford, and Ferguson is full of confidence.

All fronts are advancing simultaneously.

After the resounding victory over Fulham, Ferguson even declared within Manchester United that they would compete for all the titles.

It's not impossible!

Especially this season, with the attacking trio of Ronaldo, Tevez, and Rooney performing increasingly well.

Standing by the office window, Ferguson looked at the Manchester United players training with their assistant coach and felt an unprecedented surge of ambition within him.

If Ferguson could win the Premier League and then successfully defend his Champions League and FA Cup titles, he would decide to retire!

Retreating at this point is undoubtedly a wise choice!

Thinking about this, Ferguson became very excited.

In recent years, he has rarely led the team in training or devised specific tactics.

All of this is left to the coaching team, especially the assistant coaches.

Ferguson is now in charge of the big picture, focusing on major decisions and communication with the Manchester United management.

And then there's... the scouting department.

This department was headed by his brother, Martin Ferguson.

On the desk behind Ferguson, there is now a scouting report submitted by Martin Ferguson.

One player was highlighted in the article.

Wang Shuo, a Chinese player who plays for Mainz in the Bundesliga.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

At Ferguson's invitation, his younger brother Martin Ferguson pushed open the door and came in.

"You wanted to see me?" Martin Ferguson saw the scouting report on the table as soon as he entered the room.

"Tell me the details."

Martin Ferguson agreed, "You should be familiar with him, right?"

"It's hard not to know him. Among the younger generation of players, he should be the most popular," Ferguson said casually.

Over the years, he has witnessed too many rising stars emerge and too many geniuses fall, and he has long since become numb to it.

"Now, even British newspapers frequently publish news about his matches, especially today."

"I watched the video of that assist against Schalke 04, and it was indeed very good. But you should also know that the defense of Bundesliga teams has been a bit weak in recent years."

In the end, Ferguson himself couldn't help but chuckle.

As an Englishman, he still looked down on the Bundesliga to some extent.

Moreover, it's the same reason why everyone doubts the data from the Dutch Eredivisie.

Once upon a time, the Netherlands was seen as a star-making factory, with the Dutch Eredivisie producing some of the most talented players.

But in the past few years, which top-tier players has the Eredivisie produced?
Some players shine brightly in the Eredivisie, but once they leave the league, their true colors are immediately revealed.

The top scorers in the Dutch Eredivisie, in particular, are ridiculously unreliable!
"The defense in the Bundesliga is indeed generally average, but to put on such a performance at the age of 18 is definitely not easy," Martin Ferguson cautioned.

"In addition, I've also heard that Wenger has been keeping a close eye on this kid."

Wenger has his eye on it too?

Ferguson couldn't help but laugh.

He still trusted Wenger's judgment.

"Do you think it's possible for him to replace Cristiano Ronaldo?" Martin Ferguson asked with concern.

The search for the next Cristiano Ronaldo is no secret within Manchester United's management.

The Portuguese player almost left Manchester United after the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

In the summer of 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo almost joined Real Madrid again.

But ultimately, it was Ferguson who forced Ronaldo to stay.

A year ago, Ferguson promised that if Ronaldo still wanted to leave a year later, Manchester United would consider accepting offers from other teams.

Now, almost the entire world knows that Florentino Pérez will return to Real Madrid this summer, and Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká are the superstars he wants to sign.

After thinking for a moment, Ferguson shook his head and said, "His physical strength is too poor."

"Can I practice this?" Martin Ferguson asked.

"It's hard to say. Asian players have always been weak in this area. Look at when Ronaldo joined the team, he was 18 years old, but his physical strength was much stronger than Wang Shuo's."

After a pause, Ferguson revealed a hint of appreciation, "Compared to Wang Shuo, I still admire Benzema of Lyon in Ligue 1 more."

“You just like players with strong physiques,” Martin Ferguson muttered.

Ferguson laughed and didn't refute.

As an Englishman, is there a problem with his preference for physically strong players?
“Actually, if Wang Shuo trains a bit, he might be able to develop into a winger,” Ferguson said, changing the subject.

Wang Shuo's speed and footwork are still very good.

After he finished speaking, he looked at his younger brother and asked, "How much are they asking for in Mainz?"

"It's not clear yet, but Bundesliga players are generally not too expensive."

Ferguson nodded.

The Bundesliga doesn't have much purchasing power right now.

"Right now, many top European clubs are paying attention to him. I tried to contact his agent before, and he told me that the player's first requirement is that he must be guaranteed playing time."

Upon hearing this, Ferguson immediately frowned.

Manchester United are currently at full strength, with players like Berbatov, Giggs, Nani, and Anderson performing well in addition to their attacking trident.

The youth team also has promising young players such as Campbell, Welbeck, and Macheda.

Oh, right, there's also Park Ji-sung.

How can we guarantee Wang Shuo's playing time?
"Moreover, they do not accept loans."

Ferguson wasn't surprised by the last point.

No player likes being loaned out; given the choice, nobody wants to be.

Wang Shuo has a lot of options right now, so of course he doesn't want to be loaned out.

"He won't discuss salary, but he wants guaranteed playing time and refuses to be loaned out. This kid has quite the ambition," Ferguson said calmly.

If it were me, I probably would have done the same.

Of course, as Manchester United's manager, sitting on the other side, Ferguson felt very uncomfortable with such young players.

This is just like how Wenger viewed Ibrahimovic back then.

The player is a good player with unlimited potential and outstanding talent.

But so what?

For elite clubs, no matter how talented someone is, if they don't listen and don't obediently accept the club's arrangements, it's useless.

Players who like to complain all day are more likely to ruin the locker room atmosphere.

"Have someone continue to monitor the situation and see how things develop in the summer."

After thinking for a moment, Ferguson made the arrangements.

Martin Ferguson wanted to try to persuade him again.

He and the scouts who had observed Wang Shuo on-site all felt that this young Chinese player had unlimited potential.

But Ferguson's considerations are not wrong either.

Manchester United's attacking line is indeed a bit overcrowded right now.

……

On the afternoon of March 14, in the 24th round of the Bundesliga, Mainz hosted Borussia Mönchengladbach at home.

If it weren't for Borussia Mönchengladbach's unexpected upset in the previous round, where they thrashed Hamburg 4-1, this match wouldn't have been much of a surprise.

But precisely because of the upset in the previous round, many people, including Borussia Mönchengladbach themselves, have some unrealistic fantasies, and even feel that they have a chance to pull off another upset away from home.

But actually?
Last season in the 2. Bundesliga, Borussia Mönchengladbach did not gain any advantage over Mainz.

This season, they can forget about it even more.

Borussia Mönchengladbach held on for only 25 minutes at Bruchweg Stadium before Gunkel's long-range shot found the back of the net, assisted by Feulner.

Just before the end of the first half, Wang Shuo dropped back to receive the ball, then suddenly changed direction and turned to deliver a precise through pass.

Schürrle made a high-speed diagonal run into the penalty area, received the ball, and broke through Borussia Mönchengladbach's goal one-on-one.

2 is better than 0!

In the second half, Mainz continued to maintain firm control of the game.

In the 67th minute, a cross from right-back Heller on the right wing was poked into the net by Wang Shuo, who once again broke through the away team's goal.

3 is better than 0!

In the 82nd minute, Borussia Mönchengladbach suddenly launched an attack, with American midfielder Bradley scoring a goal to make it 1-3!

But by this point, the outcome of the match was practically decided.

Just five minutes later, Gunkel unleashed another powerful shot from behind, piercing the Borussia Mönchengladbach goal and sealing the score at 4-1!

No one expected that Gunkel would score twice!

This player, who holds dual German and Ivorian citizenship, has always been known for his diligence, and his recent outstanding performance has even surprised Klopp.

After securing two consecutive victories, Mainz has somewhat regained its morale.

The atmosphere in the locker room was much better than when they had gone five rounds without a win.

At least, smiles returned to everyone's faces.

Uncle Beard doesn't have to keep wearing a stern face all the time.

In this round, Wolfsburg came from behind to defeat Schalke 04 4-3 at home.

Grafite scored a hat trick.

Bayern Munich defeated Bochum 3-0 away from home.

Hertha Berlin defeated Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 at home.

Hoffenheim drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt away from home.

……

On March 21, in the 25th round of the Bundesliga, Mainz will play away against Cottbus.

The home team is determined to avoid relegation.

Playing at home against Mainz, they adopted a defensive strategy.

This has caused Mainz, especially Wang Shuo, a great deal of trouble.

Especially in the first half, Mainz failed to find an effective way to threaten the opponent's goal.

However, after the start of the second half, Mainz took advantage of their kickoff and launched a fierce attack on Cottbus.

Wang Shuo relentlessly applied pressure in the attacking third, and with the cooperation of his teammates, he created a siege-like effect on Cottbus's backline.

In the 51st minute, Wang Shuo finally seized an opportunity, intercepting the ball midway through a misplaced pass by the opposing center-back Alan and passing it to the right wing.

Schürrle broke into the right side of the penalty area and delivered a low cross to the front of the goal, where Hajnal arrived and slotted the ball home.

1 is better than 0!

After conceding the goal, Cottbus lost their composure.

Mainz pressed their advantage and continued their momentum.

In the 56th minute, just five minutes after the previous goal, Gunkel, who scored twice in the previous round, scored again.

But this time his long-range shot hit a defender in the penalty area, bounced off, and Wang Shuo seized the opportunity, chipping the ball over the goalkeeper with two consecutive flicks before unleashing a close-range shot that pierced the Cottbus goal.

2 is better than 0!

This score remained unchanged until the final whistle.

Mainz has achieved a three-game winning streak!
After a five-game winless streak, Mainz has embarked on a three-game winning streak, marking a resurgence.

But neither Klopp nor the coaching staff dared to be complacent.

After the 25th round of matches, the national team will begin training again.

The national team players, including Calhanoglu, Pekovic, and Hajnal, are all returning home to serve their country.

This is undoubtedly adding insult to injury for Mainz, who were already suffering from Klopp syndrome.

Not only veterans like Calhanoglu, Pekovic, and Löw, but also national team players in their prime like Hajnal and Nowitzki are suffering from the same problem.

……

"Recently, many teams have been contacting me closely through various channels, hoping to learn about your plans."

The national team players have all returned to China to serve their country. Even Schürrle, Kirchhoff and others have participated in the national team training camp. Wang Shuo, who has not yet been selected for the national team, is staying at his club for training.

Thomas Essien took the opportunity to call Wang Shuo out for dinner and report on recent events.

Now that it's March, many teams are already busy planning their summer transfers and will naturally be frequently contacting targets they are interested in.

Given Wang Shuo's current situation, he actually has a certain say in his own transfer.

It's now very difficult for Mainz to force Wang Shuo to join a team he doesn't want to go to.

Of course, this is the worst-case scenario.

Tearing off all pretenses is disrespectful to everyone.

In reality, the two sides would have friendly communication in private and reach a certain tacit understanding.

As for Mainz not wanting to sell players...

Wang Shuo himself felt that such a possibility was almost non-existent.

why?
Because so far, Mainz has not even discussed contract renewal with Wang Shuo.

This is already a very clear signal.

It's not just a message to Wang Shuo, but also to the teams in the transfer market that are interested in him.

Want to sign this player?

We welcome quotes!

Wang Shuo was prepared for this and expressed his understanding.

He knew very well that Mainz's ceiling was limited, and if he continued to stay with the team, it would be difficult for him to achieve better development.

Since that's the case, it's better to part ways amicably.

Given his current situation, he can definitely leave Mainz with a substantial transfer fee.

Mainz made a killing on this deal.

On the football front, Wang Shuo also hopes to leave something behind for Mainz before he leaves.

European qualification?

German Cup?
Either way!

"Is there any further news about Klopp?" Wang Shuo asked with concern.

According to his current intelligence, Klopp will also leave Mainz this summer.

He almost left last year, and after leading the team to safety from relegation this year, he is also retiring with honor.

"The information we have right now is all very confusing. I guess even Klopp himself doesn't know the details. There are even rumors that Bayern plans to invite him to coach the team. Do you think that's possible?"

After hearing this, Wang Shuo smiled and shook his head, "Given Klopp's personality, he would never go to Bayern."

If it weren't for what happened last year, he would definitely have gone to Bayern Munich.

Since Bayern Munich chose Klinsmann last year, Klopp will definitely not go there.

No matter how lucrative the offer from Bayern Munich, he would not choose them again.

This is somewhat similar to the dispute between Mourinho and Barcelona.

Interestingly, both events occurred in 2008.

Big clubs really do things recklessly!
Perhaps they don't care at all.

Just as Wang Shuo had planned, the rookie avoidance strategy is based on the fact that a head coach who knows and trusts you is indeed very important. At present, the coach with whom Wang Shuo has the best cooperation is Klopp.

"There are quite a few teams that are clearly looking to change coaches, such as Schalke 04. Rutten may not even last past March."

"And then there's Dortmund. Daum has fallen out with the management, so he might not be able to finish coaching this season."

"Martin Jol of Hamburg and Fink of Frankfurt are both in very precarious positions and could be sacked at any time."

Wang Shuo's impression of Hamburgers is that they have lofty ambitions but little ability.

Despite their decent league ranking, Beidawang is still dissatisfied.

They seem to be still immersed in the glorious days of being Bundesliga giants, unable to extricate themselves.

Moreover, things have been too chaotic in Hamburg in recent years.

As for Frankfurt, Wang Shuo would never even consider it.

This team has money, but their performance is terrible.

Moreover, since Frankfurt ignored him in the past, he is now determined to make Frankfurt unable to reach him.

"Oh, by the way, I've also recently received some inquiries from sponsors, including several German car brands. I'll make contact with them now to gauge their sincerity in the collaboration and the specific details of the cooperation before we make a final decision."

Germany is a major automobile producer, and one of the most important markets for German cars is China.

Wang Shuo was not surprised at all that German car companies had approached him.

It's so good to have a powerful motherland to rely on!
Wang Shuo thought of Yao Ming and Liu Xiang.

At the peak of their careers, these two sports superstars reportedly earned over 100 million yuan annually from brand endorsements in China.

That's over 1 million!

Wang Shuo is only just getting started.

"I don't have a driver's license yet," Wang Shuo also thought of this problem.

Thomas Essien then remembered.

The main reason is that Wang Shuo is too busy.

Over the past year, he has devoted almost all his time and energy to competitions and training.

He didn't even take a break on holidays.

On Christmas Day, Thomas Essien originally intended to invite Wang Shuo to his home in Freiburg to spend the holiday.

As a result, Wang Shuo chose to stay in Mainz and train on his own.

Incidentally, after joining Mainz U19, Zhao Yifan not only successfully passed the trial, but also immediately participated in several U19 league matches after signing with Mainz.

Wang Shuo had a special talk with Tuher, and Tuher had a very good opinion of Zhao Yifan.

Mainz U19 is currently lacking passers, and Zhao Yifan's arrival has solved Tuchel's problem.

Zhao Yifan not only thanked Wang Shuo privately several times, but also mentioned Wang Shuo's help to him many times in interviews with domestic media, including not only training but also the connections Wang Shuo introduced to him.

These factors played a crucial role in his ability to quickly establish himself in Mainz U19.

This season, Mainz U19 is currently ranked second in the German U19 League South Division, having only lost to Freiburg U19, and is even ranked higher than Bayern U19.

There have been rumors within Mainz that if Klopp does leave, the U19 coach is very likely to take over as the first-team manager.

Of course, there are two other candidates.

One is Kramny, and the other is Neustädter, the coach of the reserve team.

However, according to Wang Shuo, Kramny himself was not ready.

Wang Shuo also told Zhao Yifan privately that if Tuchel were to join the first team, the team would definitely be reorganized.

Because his tactical ideas differed from Klopp's.

Given Mainz's financial situation, they will definitely select talent from their youth team.

Given Zhao Yifan's current ability and performance, it's basically unrealistic for him to become a starter in the short term.

This needs to be done slowly.

Not everyone can become Wang Shuo!
After Zhao Yifan established himself in Mainz U19, Huai Ren Football School had even more confidence in sending young players abroad.

As Wang Shuo's reputation soared, Thomas Essien, as Wang Shuo's agent, also became a frequent guest of major teams in Germany and even Europe.

The network of contacts is also expanding rapidly.

He is currently working diligently to arrange for players from Huai Ren Football School to go abroad for trials and matches.

Wang Shuo had previously offered some advice, suggesting that they take a more down-to-earth approach and start with German second division, Dutch first division, Belgian first division, Austrian first division, and other German and surrounding regions.

Most importantly, one must become familiar with and integrate into the European league environment.

After intense competition, one can quickly improve their skills through the competition and then climb the ladder step by step.

Given the current level of players at Huai Ren Football School, it's not impossible for them to jump straight to a Bundesliga team, but what's the point of joining if they can't even get playing time?

Wang Shuo is still unsure whether his close friend from his village, Zhang Xiaopeng, will be among the players who have come to Europe for trials.

The two were not only from the same village and school, but they also grew up wearing the same pair of pants, played on the school team at Lingshan No. 7 Middle School together, and entered Huai Ren Football School together.

In contrast to Wang Shuo's slender physique, Zhang Xiaopeng, nicknamed Zhang Xiaohou, is actually a strong and powerful man.

Therefore, nicknames are really unreliable.

(End of this chapter)