Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
José Mourinho was considering the new signing plan for Chelsea’s new season in London. Being the head of a powerhouse squad like Chelsea was a matter of envy to other managers, but it also carried tremendous pressure. Because the Russian boss spent a lot of money, he had to see results. Those Rubles could not be thrown away money.
He did not have to worry about whether Chelsea had the ability to buy a player. He just had to think about whether the player’s arrival would increase Chelsea’s strength by another level.
It was not an easy job.
At that moment, he received a call from his own “agent,” Jorge Mendes. Although Mourinho would not admit that he had an agent, his relationship with Mendes was as such.
What Mendes told him came as a surprise to him.
“I need to testify in court? For Nottingham Forest?” He thought he was dreaming. “Jorge…”
Mendes interrupted him. “I know what you’re going to say, José.”
“I’m glad you know, Jorge. I’m afraid it will be very awkward for me to meet the Forest team manager… ”
Mendes smiled, “I know how you are, José. Just help me this once.”
Mourinho was silent for a moment. “Is it because Pepe can’t get a work permit?”
“Yes. I had a little trouble when I helped Pepe apply for Portuguese citizenship.”
“You want me to help you add another strong opponent against Chelsea?”
This remark interested Mendes greatly. “Since when do you put Nottingham Forest on your list of opponents? I remember what you said last season. ‘They were just plain lucky!’”
Mourinho pulled a face. “I just don’t like them. But that guy, Twain, does have some ability.”
“Since you think Pepe’s joining will enhance the strength of the Forest team, why didn’t you ask me for Pepe this summer? You insisted on Porto’s purchase of Pepe at the time.”
“I have Terry and Carvalho. Pepe isn’t up to their level yet. And…” Mourinho looked at the transfer list he had been working on just now. “Mr. Abramovich prefers beautiful football. He does not like defensive players.”
“Since that’s the case… we don’t know if Pepe can reach Terry’s level. Maybe he can succeed in the Premier League, maybe not. Who knows? Do me this favor, José.”
Mourinho felt that the Portuguese super-agent must have his reasons to be so eager to do this. However, he knew that it was Mendes’ personal business. He and Mendes were friends. Those business matters were not his concern. After being silent for a long time, Mourinho asked, “When is this hearing?”
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Mendes passed all the information about Pepe to Twain. He even included the transfer offer that the Turkish Süper Lig top-flight team, Galatasaray S.K., proposed to Marítimo when he had played for Marítimo. This could also prove Pepe’s ability.
However, Twain frowned when he read the information. The details of the materials were meticulous, but there was still a lack of strong conclusive proof that could convince the officials in the Football Association of Pepe’s abilities. Pepe had not received any awards with an intercontinental reputation. He did not represent the Brazilian national youth team in the FIFA U-20 World Cup or the UEFA U-17 European Championship. He had not received any Portugal Rookie of the Year award, the World’s best youth team, or any other honors. His title of the captain of the Marítimo youth team was not even worth mentioning in front of the English Football Association.
Like Twain, Manchester United’s manager, Ferguson, faced the predicament of a work permit. He wanted to usher in from PSV Eindhoven the South Korea national footballer, Park Ji-sung. However, because of Park Ji-sung’s injury for the last two years, he had not represented the South Korean national team in at least 75% of the competitive “A” team matches. There he could not obtain a work permit. Now Manchester United was conducting a search for people to gather information in their preparations to use the “exceptional talent clause” for their appeal. They were said to be in contact with the PSV Eindhoven coach and former South Korea national coach, Guus Hiddink. As long as Hiddink could testify, then by virtue of his position and influence in international football circles, Park Ji-sung’s title as an “exceptional talent” would be affirmed and his work permit would be a cinch.
Manchester United could get Hiddink for Park Ji-sung. But who could the Forest team find for Pepe?
Mendes said yesterday that he could find someone to testify for Pepe, but he did not state who it was. This made Twain doubtful. The vague answer did not assure him.
The cell phone on the table rang, and it was a call from Mendes. Twain grabbed the phone. “Mr. Mendes?”
“Good news, Mr. Twain. I found someone willing to testify for Pepe. The former Porto boss, Mr. José Mourinho.”
After he heard the name, Twain held the cell phone for a long while without moving. But Mendes had anticipated his reaction. As one of the closest people to Mourinho, how could he not know the relationship between Mourinho and Twain?
The only regrettable thing now was he could not appear in front of Twain and see the look on the young manager’s face. It must be very interesting.
On one end of the phone, Mendes regretted that he could not see Twain’s expression. And on the other end, Twain rested his forehead in one hand while he held the phone in another. He had never thought it would be Mourinho. Although it could have been deduced from some of the previous data, he would always involuntarily bypass this every time he came close to this subject.
He did not need Mendes to tell him. He was well aware of what Mourinho thought of him. As last season’s champion, Chelsea almost swept all the teams in England during their championship season. Only two teams were unbeaten when they faced Chelsea. One was Arsenal, led by the French manager, Arsène Wenger, and the other one was Nottingham Forest. Arsenal only tied with Chelsea for two rounds, and Nottingham Forest was the only team that won against Chelsea in the entire season. Mourinho initially had been very hopeful that Chelsea would be unbeaten again for thirty-eight matches for another season after Arsenal, but it was destroyed by Nottingham Forest.
If Mourinho could still have cordial feelings towards Tony Twain who always opposing him, hell would have frozen over.
Why would such a person be willing to step out and help testify for a player whom Forest was interested in and help Pepe to obtain a work permit?
Twain was perplexed, his head full of questions.
However, on the surface, he was still grateful for all the efforts made by Mr. Mendes. “That’s terrific, getting a European championship coach to testify for Pepe. I don’t think there should be a problem. Thank you, Mr. Mendes. Oh, and please thank Mr. Mourinho on my behalf.”
Mendes laughed and interrupted Twain. “If you want to thank José, you can do it in person. The two of you will definitely meet at the hearing.”
At this end of the phone call, the corner of Twain’s mouth twitched. Such a meeting was really not what he wanted.
But he would endure it for Pepe’s work permit.
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The call with Mendes quickly ended after he confirmed the hearing time. Twain got up to head upstairs and find the club chairman, Evan Doughty, to inform him of the latest developments.
Evan was surprised to hear that Mourinho had agreed to attend the hearing for a Forest team player. He was aware of the story between Tony Twain and José Mourinho.
He thought about it for a while and asked distrustfully, “Could it be that Mourinho is going to stir trouble up at the hearing?”
Twain did not expect his words at all. It took him a while to respond. He shook his head. “I don’t think so. But one thing is certain. His willingness to attend the hearing is not to help us. It must be to help his friend Jorge Mendes.”
Speaking of Mendes, Evan smiled. “This agent is an interesting guy.”
Twain knew what Evan’s “interesting” meant, and Allan, who was not around, was probably even more aware. The unanimous view of the three of them was to make use of what they could, and whatever they could not make use of they would discuss when the time came.
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Now that Mourinho had agreed to attend the hearing, Nottingham Forest submitted all of Pepe’s information to the English Football Association to appeal Pepe’s work permit.
The next thing was to wait for the Football Association’s reply.
During this time, the Forest team and Twain were not idle. They still had to continue with the many jobs required for the purchase and sale of players and not delay the team due to a single player like Pepe.
Eastwood’s injury did not just cost the Forest team a good striker, but it also served as a wake-up call to Twain——He realized that his players were not robots which would never get hurt, get tired, or be in a messy state. Although fate had been very good to him these two seasons and his team had not been plagued by extensive injuries, who could guarantee what would happen in the future?
The Forest team’s most important target this summer was the striker. With Eastwood still injured, it was likely that he would not recover in time to return at the start of the new season. The remaining three strikers on the Forest team were mainly center forwards now. Therefore, the Forest team tactics would become unvaried. This was not what Twain wanted to see. What he advocated was the idea that “water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing,” and not being a one-trick pony.
The Forest team needed a fast striker to match up with the center forwards.
Eastwood did not rely on his speed. He was stronger in his overall skill. Now, Twain much preferred to organize around a player’s distinctive skills.
The Forest team’s first target was Inter Milan’s Obafemi Martins. But Martins’ loyalty to Inter Milan would not be moved by the English pound. Inter Milan told the Forest team that Martins did not want to leave the Giuseppe Meazza stadium because he was very happy here.
When he heard this reply, Tang En scoffed. After this season, Martins’ loyalty to Inter Milan would be worthless. No, maybe it was still worth ten million; that was the amount Newcastle United paid to Inter Milan in transfer fees when they brought in the Nigerian striker. After a season, Inter Milan had hoarded six strikers and a housecleaning was needed, so the lowest-status Martins were forced to move to the United Kingdom.
But Tang En could not use a future matter to persuade Martins to leave the Meazza stadium ahead of time to avoid watching the celebratory scene of the newcomers Zlatan Ibrahimović and Hernán Crespo scoring a goal at the sidelines of the training ground. Martins would definitely not believe it if he were to say that now. Currently, he and Inter Milan were in the “honeymoon period”. The combination of him and Adriano was the main striker partnership in Inter Milan.
Twain also knew that if he were to poach Martins now, he would have to pay a very high price. He did not want that. The Forest team was not a wealthy club now and did not have the ability to spend large sums of money. They should save in areas where they could.
Just after the transfer plan for Martins was abandoned, the Nottingham Forest team received a notice from the Football Association summoning them to the Football Association headquarters in London to attend a special hearing for Pepe.
