Godfather Of Champions

When Nottingham Forest landed at Birmingham Airport with the championship trophy, the people that welcomed the team stretched from Birmingham to Nottingham. The motorway turned into a red ribbon, passing on the message that Nottingham Forest had returned home with honor all the way to Nottingham. London’s Heathrow Airport was not chosen because the police did not want the Chelsea fans there to meet the Chelsea team, to clash with the Nottingham Forest fans who would come to meet Nottingham Forest in order to avoid a tragedy from happening.

On this occasion, the BBC television station did a live broadcast. This was the first time since the restructuring of the Champions League that a defending champion had successfully been crowned a champion. This team from England was the pride of all England. They were naturally going to publicize it.

To that end, BBC also planned to produce a two-hour long DVD called <Red Europe>, detailing Nottingham Forest’s glorious course this season. The DVD had the invited famous BBC football commentator, John Motson, responsible for the background commentary. After the production was completed, it would be released for sale in which the earnings would be split with the Nottingham Forest Football Club.

This was a small sum of money; which Allan Adams had fought. In addition, the live broadcast of their return this time as well as the celebration party held at the City Ground stadium this evening were also sold. For today’s Nottingham Forest Football Club, even a penny which could be earned would be made.

Tony Twain led the team to win the Champions League and Premier League titles. The broadcasting fees and winning bonuses this season were quite a lot. However, this money was still a drop in the bucket for the massive new stadium construction plan. Allan Adams must continue to look for opportunities to make money.

Everyone was happy on the flight back to Birmingham from Moscow. Allan Adams also did not talk to Twain about the commercial games in the summer. He knew Twain was a bit resistant to the commercialization and did not want to ruin his mood now.

On the way back to Nottingham, everyone was happy, but their vacation time for this summer could be said to be almost zero. That might be the price that must be paid to win the championship.

On May 23rd, the team was dismissed for the season and the players with duties to report for the national teams would travel to their national training camps to take on the UEFA European Championship which would begin in June. By the end of the European Championship at the end of June, they only had a one-week break and would assemble again to travel as far afield as China to start the summer commercial tour in that distant country. And then from China, they would travel to Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia. By the time they returned to England, the FA Community Shield would not be far from them. Following which, it would be the new season of the Premier League and the UEFA Super Cup. The players in the team who had to compete in the Olympic teams also had to participate in the Beijing Olympic Games in August.

Looking at this competition schedule, it could said that the Nottingham Forest players would not have any more breaks from the start of last season until the end of next season.

In fact, one could disregard the fact that Twain had been very happy and excited on the way home. But in actual fact, whenever he had a chance to calm down alone, he would start to think about what Nottingham Forest would do next season.

In truth, he did not quite agree with the commercial tour this summer. If he had a choice, he would have preferred it to be last summer, so that at least the team’s schedule would not have been so tight, and the players would have had plenty of time to rest.

However, Allan told him it was impossible. If it had been last summer, it was the period for the AFC Asian Cup, and East Asia would be focused on the Asian Cup held in four countries in Southeast Asia. It would not have been effective to make their fortune in Asia when there was a lack of attention during that period. And as for next summer? By then, Beckham would end his two-year contract with Nottingham Forest, and they would lose the cash cow. Allan would not have mobilized the team to go to Asia for little profit. Even if he wanted to, perhaps he would not have made much… As a result, after much consideration, only this summer was the most appropriate.

Consequently, Twain asked him. With the UEFA European Championship and the Olympics this summer, would it not be more distracting? Allan said the Olympics were wide-ranging sports games which had little to do with football and there would be no direct conflict. And the timing of the UEFA European Championship was even better. The Asians, whose passion for football were stirred once again by the UEFA European Championship, would increase their desire for football. For Nottingham Forest to go to Asia as The Double Winner during this time, it would simply be … “sending help in the hour of need” as the Chinese saying went.

Therefore, there was no more appropriate time than this year.

Twain was convinced by Allan—what else could he do if he was not persuaded? He was not the owner of the club. The owner had agreed to the matter, so he could only to follow the instructions. But he made a request to Allan that since they would not get a break in the summer and would also face multiple tournaments next season, the team’s First Team had to be strengthened. Several players of sufficient strength needed to be brought in. He was in charge of these candidates.

Allan agreed right away. He said that he could go observe the UEFA European Championship on his own, and he could make his move when he saw good players.

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Speaking of the UEFA European Championship, Twain and Dunn were equally busy this summer. After the team was dismissed, they would have a little break before Twain would go to Austria and Switzerland with the BBC television station to be a guest pundit for the BBC’s live broadcast. Since the World Cup, many spectators liked Tony Twain’s style of commentary for the games. He was sharp as nails and quick to draw blood but did not lack a sense of humor. BBC was also in line with the public opinion and once again invited Twain to be a guest commentator. There was no England team this time, so he could speak freely and not be afraid of hurting the national pride. People wanted to hear how he was going to bury those European powerhouses. On the other hand, Dunn would be active in multiple arenas to observe players with potential worth buying by the Forest team. Similarly, busy like Dunn, the Forest team’s ten over full-time football scouts would also be present in the stadium stands for each game.

Having won the Champions League in a row and become The Double Winner, Twain’s pursuit of honor and victory did not stop there. His goal was to create a new dynasty and era in European football like the consecutive five-times UEFA Champions League champion, Real Madrid, the golden era of Inter Milan, the Dutch Trio of AC Milan …

To make Nottingham Forest a representative and symbol of European football during this period.

This goal was quite ambitious, so the efforts must continue. They had to invite the best players to join and continuously achieve victories. To make people feel the desperate oppressive force, maintain ten thousand years of constant stability and show the dominance and arrogance in vying for supremacy. He wanted to engrave this period of Nottingham Forest in history even after one hundred years!

With only a few championships titles under his belt, it was too little to want to stop and live it up …

As for the people who left the team this summer, Twain had largely thought about it. Because the team was in a good shape at the moment, and the results were stable and excellent, so there was no need for a big infusion of players to adjust the team. Nor did he have to deal with his players at low prices in a hurry to get rid of excess baggage. Twain insisted that since they were members of the European champion team, their prices could not be too low. He had to be satisfied before he would nod and agree.

If Chimbonda could be sold at a good price, then Twain would sell him and not do anything to retain him. On the one hand, he was older and did not quite fit with the team’s demands; On the other hand, he and Bendtner made a very bad impression on Twain with the internal brawl.

As for Nicklas Bendtner, the other party involved in the brawl, Twain showed a high degree of tolerance. Did this look a little unfair to Chimbonda? But Bendtner was younger than him and had more potential for development. After van Nistelrooy became too old, the position of the team’s main center forward must belong to Bendtner.

As for Sidwell … Twain did not want him to go. But if the other side had to go, Twain was not in any position to force him to stay. After all, he came to Nottingham Forest for a season, and did not get a chance to play in an important game other than to play in some of the insignificant games. To a player who was only twenty-six years old, the reality was too brutal.

As for Ribéry? He had just been elected the best player in the Champions League final and was even likely to win the UEFA’s Player of the Year. He was already red-hot, but Twain was definitely not going to let him go. No matter what sky-high transfer fees the big clubs offered for Ribéry, he was unmoved. Franck Ribéry was his own men, the core of this team and the main framework. To move him would be equivalent to the demolition of this team. Twain was not going to let this happen in front of his eyes.

There was also Grosso. Twain sincerely intended to sell this Italian “great left back.” The season was over, and Twain must admit that he had made the wrong judgment call in the first place. This man’s most brilliant moment was at the World Cup in Germany. Following which, his career progressively declined. With his traits and style, he was fated not to be the left back that Twain needed. He might as well use Leighton Baines than him.

Grosso certainly did not like British food and weather either. He made slow progress in his English and had some problems communicating with his teammates. In short, this was a loner who was outside the team’s system. While Twain was still a fan, he was misled by Huang Jianxiang whose proclamation of his ability made him famous overseas at that time.

Now was a good time to correct this mistake—Donadoni actually recruited Grosso who did not have more than twenty appearances in Nottingham Forest in a season, to the national team. If he had a chance to play in the UEFA European Championship—Twain believed he would still be better suited to play in the national team—maybe he could find a buyer for him.

As for the others, thanks to the success of Twain’s rotation system this season, most players had been given plenty of appearances. There were no incidents of anyone wanting to leave the team due to conflicts arising from the lack of opportunities for appearances. Twain could lead a complete Nottingham Forest team and continue his campaign for next season.

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When the convoy arrived in Nottingham, Twain saw another spectacular sight of “the turn out of the whole town.” They received everyone’s cheers in the city square and the glittery Champions League trophy was placed in front of the crowd. A variety of banners unfurled below, and everyone was cheering. It was as exciting as winning the Champions League for the first time.

A reporter exclaimed as he watched this scene, “If Brian Clough could live to the present and see this scene, I wonder how he would feel?”

At the City Ground stadium, in front of tens of thousands of spectators, the players filled the Champions League trophy with champagne and then took a gulp each. It was really drinking to one’s fill to celebrate a heroic deed with good wine.

After they completed their public appearance in the city square, the team had dinner with the mayor at the mayor’s residence before going to the City Ground stadium for a final grand celebration.

At the dinner party, Mr. Mayor, who was a Nottingham Forest fan, tightly clasped Tony Twain’s hand and was beside himself with excitement.

“This is a remarkable achievement, Tony! A defending champion had not been born since the restructuring of the Champions League! And now this honor belongs to Nottingham and Nottingham Forest! You did a fantastic job! Now that the whole world knows the city of Nottingham again. I have to consider whether to confer you an honorary citizen, Tony.”

“Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. But I already am a city resident of Nottingham.” Twain was still more sober headed, as the most exciting period had passed for him.

“Then I’ll erect a statue for you, haha!”

Twain smiled and did not answer. In his view, the mayor was thoroughly drunk. A statue? He did not want it. To erect it only for the birds to poop on top of it? Facing Dunn already gives me a feeling of looking in the mirror every day. Don’t tell me I need another mirror? Wait till I’m dead, Mr. Mayor …

“Cheers, Mr. Mayor!” He changed the subject and raised the glass of champagne in his hand.

“Cheers, Tony! Are there any plans for next season that you can reveal to me in advance?” At the dinner party, Mr. Mayor looked more like a regular Nottingham Forest fan.

“Of course, it will still be more championship titles. Until you’re bored of them, Mr. Mayor.” Twain winked.

“That’s very good! But I’m not going to get bored! There can never be too many titles! Ha ha!”

※※※

That night, the City Ground stadium once again became the focus of attention for all Nottingham Forest fans.

In addition to some theatrical performances, the most anticipated highlight was the appearance of the championship team players carrying the two Champions League trophies and Premier League trophy, as well as the EFL Cup trophy.

After a careful planning of this celebration party by the club, they chose to have these trophies appear together. It was also to state clearly an attitude—a full affirmation and commendation of Tony Twain’s results, as well as to publicize these results. They wanted to portray him as the second “Brian Clough” in the club’s history.

The lights of the stadium dimmed, with only a few spotlights coming together to form a circular spot. All the Forest players were enveloped in the beams of light as they ran out of the tunnel, individually receiving the cheers from the fans.

One by one they ran out, and the cheers at the stadium went on and on.

When it was Wes Morgan’s turn as the team’s third captain, he stepped onto the field, taking the EFL Cup, the first trophy won by Twain’s Forest team from the staff’s hands.

The cheers of the fans went up to the next level when they saw the appearance of the first trophy.

Then it was Eastwood and Beckham. The two of them carried the Premier League title trophy and emerged in everyone’s view.

“Thirty years later, we won the topflight championship title again! The English Premier League championship trophy appears at the City Ground for the first time!” John Motson, who was invited to host the entire celebration party, shouted excitedly.

“And what’s next?” He asked.

Nearly thirty thousand fans responded in unison, “UEFA Champions League!!”

Indeed, Franck Ribéry came out with a replica of the Champions League trophy they won last season and waved to the stands. As an important player who helped the team win the UEFA Champions League titles these two seasons, he was awarded the honor of appearing alone with the championship trophy even though he was not the captain.

After Ribéry, it was George Wood’s turn. As the team’s current captain, he made a grand appearance with the other Champions League trophy.

The cheers outside were deafening. Twain stood in the tunnel, waiting to call him to go out.

It was at this time that Kerslake and Dunn ran up from behind, holding a pile of red stuff in their hands.

“Take off your suit.” He shouted as he ran up to Twain.

“Why?” Twain thought it odd.

“Never mind that, just take it off!” If Kerslake was not holding the things in both hands, he wished he could do it himself.

Twain did as he was told and took off his suit. To be honest, he also felt very warm …

But then something that made him feel even warmer came up.

Kerslake shook out the pile of red stuff he had in his hands—apparently it was a king’s red cloak to be draped over the shoulders!

He was dumbfounded when he saw this thing in Kerslake hands.

Next Kerslake did not wait for him to react, and just put the cloak over Twain’s shoulder. It was red edged with white fur and gold pattern. Twain did not know if this was the real deal, but it has a nice feel to it.

“How does it feel?” Kerslake asked with a grin. Before Twain could answer, he tapped his forehead and turned around to take a crown from Dunn’s hands!

Under the white light of the tunnel, the jewel in the crown also shone brightly.

“This isn’t real, is it?” Twain whistled.

“Imitation.” Dunn replied.

Kerslake put the crown upright on Twain’s head before he walked back in satisfaction and appraised him with a tilt of his head as if to admire a piece of art. “Good, it’s got the feel.” He smiled.

“This …” Twain was still puzzled by this.

“How can a king who goes out to receive the adoration from the people, be dressed so shabbily? Kerslake clapped his hands and laughed, “Now you look the part!”

Twain laughed along too, “This is a good idea, I like it.” He accepted the address “king” without any reservations.

“The people in the stands don’t know yet.” Kerslake pointed outside, with a mysterious excitement on his face.

The hem of the long cloak dragged at the back and Twain pulled up the two sides in front of his chest with his hands to prevent this heavy king’s cloak from slipping down. And then he walked out of the tunnel in this way.

John Motson was still also stoking the mood of fans as he announced, “Next, the final person …”

Before he could finish, there were already eager fans who loudly disclosed the answer, “Tony Twain—-”

“YES! Let’s welcome …”

Dressed up like a king, Tony Twain slowly walked out, and the entire stadium exploded with excitement when they saw his getup.

All the men, women and children screamed like crazy and one of the players whistled, “The boss is so cool!”

Twain stood on the sidelines once he walked out of the tunnel. He gripped the collar of the cloak in one hand, grabbed the crown on his head with the other hand and raised them high toward the night sky.

Whether it was the fans in the stands or the players standing in the middle of the field, they all bowed down and raised their arms like they were kowtowing and there were whoops of excitement coming from their mouths.

“… Welcome, Your Majesty!!”

Morton finally shouted out his prepared lines.

Twain calmly accepted this special treatment with his head held high. He was not embarrassed at all. He fully deserved the honor, and thought he was the king of the team.

The four trophies were like the four bright gems in the crown, dazzling and eye-catching, revealing the king’s brilliant feats to the world.

“He really looks like a king …” Kerslake exclaimed as he stood in the tunnel.

“No.” Dunn shook his head and corrected him, “He is a king.”

Twain stood on the field and held the crown high, surrounded by darkness, as if the light beam pierced through the night sky and shone from above to envelope him. Under the light, the crown in his hand emitted dazzling rays, making it hard for people to look directly. He stood in this light, with his head proudly held high and chest puffed out. He looked somewhat dazzling and indomitable.

I have brought glory to my subjects, and I am your king.