Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
It was the first time Tang Jing spent a private Christmas with those she would normally only have access to in interviews. She was extremely curious, but she was quite calm on the surface and hid her professional habits as a reporter very well.
She knew that George Wood did not want reporters to be involved in his private life. There was once a mindless British tabloid that revealed his mother had previously worked as a cheap prostitute in the slums shortly after Wood became famous with a somewhat sarcastic tone. George Wood and Nottingham Forest joined forces to block the media company for good, and no news about the Forest team and Wood would be allowed to appear in that press outlet, or a lawyer’s letter would be issued.
This was different from Twain’s bickering style of “blocking.” This was done for real. Sure enough, Nottingham Forest had no contact with that media outlet since then.
When Twain came in from outside the door again, his entire person changed. He no longer had the kind of depressed look from before. This Christmas was turning out to be a decent one.
During the dinner, he even occasionally joked about the mysterious relationship between Tang Jing and Dunn.
In dealing with Twain’s type of jokes, Dunn used silence, while Tang Jing seemed quite easy-mannered.
Now that Dunn no longer lived next door to Twain and while Twain and Shania enjoyed their couple hood, Dunn also had his own private space. So, Twain would not be too surprised if something happened between him and Tang Jing…
His only surprise was that with Dunn’s outwardly retiring but deep and passionate inside character, he could develop a love affair with Tang Jing who was extraordinarily extroverted, somewhat carefree and a pseudo career woman. It was just incredible…
Twain felt that these two people simply was not compatible … With a man like Dunn, outsiders basically could not discern his strengths without long periods of close contact. So, what exactly did Tang Jing like about him?
Twain felt that he really could not understand the men and women of today. But he forgot that outsiders also shook their heads at his and Shania’s “match made in heaven” and simply “could not understand it!”
※※※
This Western version of “Chinese New Year’s Eve family dinner” was different from previous years because of the new addition of Tang Jing. It was a different affair.
Tang Jing showed some restraint in the beginning, and then gradually relaxed.
Twain would glance at Sophia from time to time. He could not forget that Sophia held his arm at the door and leaned her head against his shoulder.
He still remembered what it was like to see Sophia for the first time. At that time, when the entire Sneinton ghetto was grey—grey skies, cracked grey streets, grey walls, grey roofs, and even faces with grey expressions…
Only that mother sitting at home cutting potatoes was in color, alive and full of a tenacious vitality.
Now that he looked again, Sophia’s light was gradually fading, because the surroundings was long filled with color. Or because Sophia’s own life light was weak?
Twain knew that this woman liked him. But he avoided and tactfully declined. Now that he thought about it. Was he being too cruel to do this to a weak woman? But Twain could not accept the idea that one must love a person just because one sympathized with her. It would be a torture for him and for Sophia.
Fortunately, Sophia was a sensible and intelligent woman. She took a back seat when Shania who was better suited to Twain, appeared. She was satisfied to nestle against him just for a little while today outside the house.
In this world, good people were not always lucky and good people’s lives were not necessarily secure…
※※※
They stayed for a little while after dinner and then Twain and his party bid farewell to Wood and his mother, Sophia.
Twain drove and sent Dunn and Tang Jing back to his home in Branford Garden Lane before he returned home on his own.
While he sent Dunn and Tang Jing to the destination, Twain did not forget to tease the two of them with glib talk, “Hey, Miss Tang Jing, it’s dangerous to be alone with a man.”
“It’s dangerous to be with you.” Unwilling to show weakness, Tang Jing retorted. Since she was no longer a reporter, she did not have to play nice because it was no longer an interdependent relationship between them, which was a great thing for Tang Jing—she finally did not have to “act humbled” in front of this overbearing man.
“Ha!” Twain laughed, “I’m a married man. Surely I’m better than a lonely old virgin?”
“I can go back with you, but you’ll see the news of you spending a night with your mystery Chinese lover in The Sun tomorrow, Mr. Twain.”
Dunn watched the two people bickered somewhat helplessly.
“All right, you win!” Since he had his wife, Twain had to pay attention to the image of his private life. For example, Shania was not around for long periods of time, but Twain could no longer hire a call girl for his physical needs.
“Good night, I wish you both a fantastic night together!” Twain did not forget to retaliate against Tang Jing before he left. Then he quickly drove away.
“That old hooligan!” Tang Jing could only spat at the butt of the swiftly departing car.
She and Dunn did indeed establish a dating relationship, but their relationship had not progressed to the point of going to bed and having sex together.
Dunn smiled silently at the back. If Twain was “old”, should he not buried and at rest?
※※※
Twain drove the car and did not head straight back to his home in the northeast part of the city. Instead he went to the city center.
It was after eight o’clock in the evening and it was still lively here with young couples, close friends and relatives, all gathering in the municipal square, waiting to enjoy the fireworks display, which would start in a while.
Twain was idle so he simply parked his car in the parking lot and sat in the car to watch the fireworks. Anyway, there was no need to go home so early home. Who was he going to spend Christmas with, facing hundreds of square meters of dark and deserted house?
When the first fireworks bloomed in the night sky, a cheer came from the crowd.
More and more fireworks burst into the sky and bloomed open. The noise of the commotion grew louder with the scope becoming wider.
Twain was not as happy as those young people. He just looked at the fireworks in the sky, lost in his thoughts— when would he have someone by his side, exclaiming in excitement, as he watched the fireworks here?
In a few days, it would be the New Year and the calendar would turn to 2011. If he were to make a wish, what kind of wish would he make?
The sound of fireworks and explosions as well as noises from the crowd of people rang in his ears. Twain closed his eyes and made a wish in his heart which he did not know when it would be fulfilled—
I hope to spend Christmas and New Year with Shania.
Dammit! I’m a married man. Why am I still like that lonely person in university on a day which should be spent together happily with my family!
※※※
After experiencing a Christmas with joys and sorrows of life, Twain did not have much time to be depressed. The next day his team would face Birmingham City at home. Work was still the most important thing.
Back at the training base to start the day of work, Twain did not forget to privately continue to tease Dunn and asked him if he had a good time last night.
Dunn ignored Twain, smiling lasciviously. He got busy with his things and let Twain invite a snub.
After the Christmas, everything looked as usual except for some players who were not very professional, looking tired. But Twain had secretly recorded who had a too crazy time and would not be on the squad list for the game against Birmingham City.
Nottingham Forest’s home game against Birmingham City was the eighteenth round of the Premier League. It was the first time Tang Jing had sat in a VIP box, rather than watching the game in the media gallery below.
The game ended with Nottingham Forest thrashing Birmingham City 2:0. Starting with the left back, Donovan Slijngard, who was loaned to Birmingham City from Ajax, gave the Forest team a big gift three minutes into the game. He helped Nottingham Forest with the opening record with a wonderful own goal shot. Shortly after the start of the second half, Eastwood broke the ball into the net after bypassing two players in a row, showing his killer style and helping the team fixed the score at 2:0.
The game was perfect in terms of both results and process. The Nottingham Forest fans rarely had such an enjoyable time—their team pressed against their opponent from start to finish in the ninety-minute game with Birmingham City had only one shot and it was not within the goal area. Apart from the fouls, their players were completely unable to stop the Forest team’s attacks. They could only to become the game’s supporting players and not cause any trouble for Akinfeev so much so that the television commentators in the game were worried that Akinfeev would feel too cold…
On the other hand, Nottingham Forest tried to score in the goal twenty-two times! They had the upper hand in the ball possession rate, pass success rate, cross success rate, stealing success rate and header success rate. Each player on the field played very well, resulting in such a wonderful game.
Every Forest fan who left the City Ground stadium was in a good mood, with Tony Twain and his players giving them the best Christmas gift.
Playing offense against Manchester United as well as Liverpool, and it was only natural to turn this game into a half-time offense and defense against Birmingham City.
Some experts had analyzed whether this was a sign that Nottingham Forest and Tony Twain were about to transform.
Twain did not give any explanation. Two days later on December 28th, he led the team to an away game to the Riverside Stadium and beat Middlesbrough by 1:0.
Although they only scored one goal, they completely controlled the game and had the upper hand in all the statistics.
This had left many experts who had found the Forest team objectionable, taken aback and exclaimed that Nottingham Forest could win and play well. They had a bit of Arsenal’s style.
But they were all talking nonsense. Twain would not admit that the Forest team did not learn from Arsenal. The conscientious people would find that while Nottingham Forest’s statistics on ball possession and other statistics had risen, some of their traditional skills had not been lost. For example, the emphasis on counter press in the first instance and if the counter tackle was not successful, then they would rapidly retreat to defend. They must never give the opponent space and time in their own half to find the change to breach the goal. It was something Arsenal’s Wenger rarely or even never used.
Twain could pursue beauty and momentum during the offense, but when it came to the defense, he suddenly turned into a German, rigorous and meticulous to the point of slightly harsh.
In offense, he allowed the players to make mistakes or even waste chances. But whoever made a mistake in defense would be certain to be scolded by Twain.
The outside world remained perplexed despite much thought by the changes in the Forest team, but the Forest coaching team was not surprised at all. Because it was the end result of Twain’s and their efforts over the last few seasons.
As early as the 06-07 season, Twain developed the idea of controlling the game. But things cropped up intermittently during this period and it was only completed now. Nottingham Forest had the confidence and ability to win against any opponent in a way that ensured efficiency and pleasing the crowd.
Once again, the reporter, Pierce Brosnan served as the mouthpiece for Nottingham Forest and Tony Twain once again. He wrote an article to praise the way the Forest team was playing now, saying that the Nottingham Forest fans could enjoy the victory while savoring it and showing off—our team can play the type of football everyone cheers about!
They certainly did not have a problem with Tony Twain. In fact, with Twain’s successes at the Forest team over the years, and his credentials at the Forest team since 1996, no fan would be unhappy with him. It was just that when they were arguing with the Arsenal fans or Barcelona fans, they could only use the championship title to fight with while the fans of the other two teams could deride Twain’s football as “football that makes the most troublesome monkeys sleep.”
The feeling of watching the team in the stands firmly in control of the game from start to finish, casually playing and managing the opponent, always feeling assured and not worried about the opponent pressing on them to suddenly score, was too good …
Therefore, would Nottingham Forest stick to their new style and keep playing like this?
Twain gave his answer with practical action.
In the last month of 2010, Nottingham Forest had a remarkable record of five wins and one draw in all six games, especially they did not lose any points against the traditional strong teams, Liverpool and Manchester United. They were safe playing against Manchester United in the away game until the final minute and almost won against Liverpool at home, which was not easy.
So, Nottingham Forest won the best team of the month, while Twain won the award for the best manager of the month for the fifteenth time since he took charge.
Having just received the award on New Year’s Day, January 1st, 2011, Twain led the team with a tough away win of 1:0 over Blackburn Rovers.
The players were suddenly in a bad shape after crossing into the new year. At the start of the game, Twain was going to win with the ball possession routine. It turned out that the players were in no form at all, so he changed his mind at the last minute and went back to their old routine—playing the defensive counterattack tactic that the Forest team was most familiar with and best at that they did not need to deliberately train for.
In the end, with Agbonlahor’s goal during a counterattack that was between offside and onside, they had a hard-won victory over Blackburn Rovers and got three points.
The Forest team did not play this game beautifully and it was ugly to watch. Most of the time the two teams made mistakes all the time and it was so dull that people wanted to doze off. It was a world of difference from the previous games. But they eventually won the game. Twain had the confidence in front of the reporters to say, “No! I’ve never said my team has to stick to that style. I don’t care if the team plays well or ugly, as long as we can win it! It’s a fool who plays well and lose a game.”
The Times then lamented, “Blackburn Rovers’ excellent performance almost caused the “curse the best manager of the month to lose the next one’ to resurface but Tony Twain used his way to minimize that possibility. He’s still him. Everything changes in the new year, only Tony Twain hasn’t changed…”
