Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira, or the youth named Pepe, stood apart from the crowd, peering somewhat strangely at the man and woman before him. The girl was tall and beautiful. The man claimed to be the manager of an English Premier League Club… Pepe found him unfamiliar. Was he truly the manager of Nottingham Forest?
Pepe’s match before had ended in victory. Just when he was about to welcome the next team of challengers, the man before him approached with his name card.
Following that, Pepe casually found a substitute to take his place and headed out to have a detailed discussion with the man.
A manager from a professional football club from Europe had come looking for a professional player; what else could it be? Not everything had to be spelled out so clearly; Pepe already knew what to expect.
“Mr. Tony…”
Tang En signaled to him to wait, pointing to a row of umbrellas on the beach. “Let’s take a seat there to talk,” He said.
After the three sat down, they asked for three glasses of juice from the waiter who came over.
Meanwhile, Tang En took this time to think about Pepe’s current situation.
As a loyal FM series player, it was impossible for Tang En to be unaware of the center back with the greatest body values in FM07 – Pepe. Whenever he had met with a formidable player in the game, Tang En had had the habit of conducting research online to uncover all the relevant information on the player. From this, he would gain a better understanding of them. Thereafter, when he returned to play the game, there was also a greater sense of immersion.
As a result, when Pepe was still undiscovered by the world, it had seemed as if Tang En had already known him for a very long time within the world of FM07. He knew about his work history, his past in FC Porto, and even the name of the first club he had played in when he had first arrived in Continental Europe. Naturally, Tang En was also aware that it was currently a low period for Pepe.
The waiter served the three glasses of fruit juice and left. Shania took the straw and drank her juice quietly. She had no interest in the conversation between the two men and could only gaze afar, watching the people and admiring the scenery.
“I’m not one to make small talk,” Tang En said, looking at Pepe. “Nottingham Forest is qualified to participate in the Champions League next season. With Hierro retired, we’re looking for a fullback who can replace him; and I think very highly of you, Pepe.”
Pepe was stunned. Even though he had known that the man was probably looking for him to discuss exactly this, he had not expected him to be so straightforward.
Furthermore, a particular name had struck a chord with him.
“Hierro? Real Madrid’s Hierro?”
Tang En laughed. “He’s Nottingham Forest’s now… Well, he used to be. But he’s retired. Forest is looking for his successor. Do you understand, Pepe? I think you have many commonalities with Hierro.”
Pepe’s idol was Hierro. Tang En’s words were very pleasing to Pepe.
“A tall and sturdy body with outstanding technique and burst power… You are very similar to Hierro in his younger days. The only thing you need to improve on is your ability to assist with long passes. In terms of attacking, Hierro is an expert.”
Pepe frowned. He felt that Tang En had hit the nail on the head. “Uh. I’m a center back. I would often be behind the team. But…”
“You started out as a forward, right?” Tang En suddenly asked.
“Yes.” Pepe nodded. “At first, I was a forward. Then I became a midfielder. As I played, I eventually became a fullback.”
Tang En chortled. “Many Brazilian fullbacks come about this way.” Sensing that Pepe could misunderstand and think of it as mockery, Tang En added with a smile, “Practically anyone who walked down that path turned out to be a brilliant defender. Lúcio, Cafu… I think that in the bones of Brazilian players must be some instinct to push forward; even if the position played was the goalkeeper. What makes you think a fullback has to stay at the back?”
“Of course, uh… it’s because the coach requested it of us.”
“In reality, if you take Hierro as your idol, you should learn how he launches attacks from the backfield. To be honest, as the manager, he has taught me many lessons through the year I worked with him in Forest.”
Tang En naturally exaggerated some aspects of what he said. However, it was true that Hierro had given Tang En much help and inspiration in many areas. In the past, Tang En had believed that the center back should always stay behind. Other than participating in the attack when there was a place-kick in the front field, the center back should always prioritize safety. Exceptions could be made when the situation was particularly unfavorable; when it was necessary to implement desperate measures. In those situations, Tang En might allow the center back to advance forward and act more like a forward; in his first season with Forest, he used that tactic twice.
After Hierro’s arrival in Forest, his body could no longer keep up as well. However, the awareness he displayed in grabbing hold of opportunities to boldly cut forward during training was something Tang En had learned much from. What is the effect of a center back, a position that everyone believes should stay docilely in the backfield, suddenly taking the ball and cutting forward during a match, or launching counterattacks with long passes?
The defense of the opponents would be thrown into chaos, allowing the attack to be further obscured, and subsequently increasing its chances of success. Additionally, functioning as a rear defender who could observe the situation from the back, it was much easier for them to utilize gaps. They would always be able to find gaps that got overlooked by the players on the frontline. Then, as long as he had a good grasp of his ability to long pass, his shots held the potential to become a buzzer beater.
Such an attack launched directly by the center back would save traveling over the midfield. Not only does it save time, but it also occurs so out of the blue that it becomes incredibly challenging to defend against.
During Hierro’s prime in Real Madrid, it was not merely his ability in defense that sparked admiration; it was also his talent in attacking that benefited them. Before Raul, Hierro was the highest scorer representing Spain’s National Team, despite his position of a center back. In that era, he was perhaps the greatest scorer among the center backs within the international soccer scene.
※※※
The two men, Tang En and Pepe, sat before the breath-taking view of Copacabana beach and started chatting about how a center back should participate in the offense. They looked so utterly delighted chatting that they exuded a feeling of regret for not having known each other before.
Shania was bored. The straw in her mouth started making wheezing sounds as she sucked on air; she had finished her juice. She looked around for a waiter, but there were beginning to be more and more people coming to the area to rest, so she was unable to find one quickly. A glance at Tang En’s glass got her attention. It was still full without even a sip taken!
She rolled her eyes and stretched her hand out to take the glass. Poking her straw into the glass, she sucked vengefully on the two straws with a loud slurp.
Her tremendously unladylike way of drinking the juice finally caught Tang En’s attention.
He turned to look at Shania, who looked back innocently. Turning his gaze downward, he noticed the empty glass before him and grinned at Pepe. The other man indicated his understanding and returned the grin.
Both seemed to realize that the conversation was at its end. Pepe had yet to agree to the matter of transferring. Since Tang En’s first brief mention of it at the beginning of their conversation, there was no other further segue into the topic.
“Well… I think I should… My friends are still waiting for me.” Pepe arose, pointing at a few people a distance away. They were the players on his team earlier on.
Tang En nodded in understanding. Having such a delightful chat, he had almost forgotten his original aim of finding Pepe.
Just as he was standing to send him off, Pepe suddenly turned and asked, “How did you know Hierro was my idol? I don’t remember having told you that, Mr. Twain.”
Tang En knew that it was a problem caused by his pre-transmigration memory.
He could only use a rather unconvincing excuse to explain how he knew Pepe so well. He said, “Didn’t you feel… that we were chatting as if we were old friends?”
Pepe cracked a smile at his reasoning and waved at him. “Goodbye, Mr. Tony. It’s a pleasure to know you.”
“Goodbye, Pepe. You too.”
“Goodbye, my lady,” Pepe said, not forgetting to bid farewell to Shania.
Shania had put on a look of disinterest as she listened to the men talk, peering at whatever was around. However, after noticing signs that their talk was about to end, Shania started listening in. Hearing Pepe’s goodbyes, she stood up happily and waved. “Bye, Pepe!”
After sending Pepe back to his companions, Tang En turned back to Shania. He said nothing but looked at her, his face beaming. His smile was so bright, it could almost compare with the sunlight shining down on their heads.
Seeing his expression, Shania sighed. “If I had known, I would have suggested a vacation in America!”
Tang En knew it was his fault that he had neglected Shania. A man should not be afraid of making mistakes, but must still own up to them. So, he took the initiative of inviting Shania to dine together.
“I’m not hungry! I’m full enough from the juice!”
Looking at the two empty glasses and Shania’s unhappy face, Tony also made a face as he sat down. “Then I’ll drink with you.” He waved his hand to call for a waiter, but Shania’s hands shot out to block him.
“Fine, fine. If we drink any more, we’re going to turn into fruits. I know a restaurant with delicious barbeque. It’s your treat!”
Hearing Shania’s words, Tang En’s face lit up once more.
“Alright, don’t be angry anymore, Shania. I promise to keep you company throughout our time in Brazil, so much that you get annoyed.”
“No way!” Shania retorted, keeping half of her sentence to herself.
I would never…
※※※
Tang En and Shania enjoyed their day in the bustling city of Rio de Janeiro, only returning home in the late night. Shania’s parents seemed unconcerned by her wild antics. Perhaps it was because Tang En was accompanying her, but they felt no need to worry. Or it might be because Shania was usually taken care of by an even sterner Auntie Ryan in England; they figured it was not a bad thing to allow Shania to relax during her vacation. After all, she was only a 15-year-old child. With both of them so busy with their jobs and other social events, Tang En’s “free nanny” services, accompanying Shania 24 hours a day, was something they were more than happy to have.