Pying football sometimes feels like being in an office.

  Joining a wealthy family is akin to joining a prestigious pany, with a handsome sary that everyone envies. It appears gmorous on the surface, but it alss immense pressure. The fierternal petition crush tless individuals.

  If you withstand it, gratutions! With the ptform of such a renowerprise, your career is set to soar.

  However, not everyone adapt to the intense petition and rigorous training of these giants.

  Woodgate is one such pyer.

  Teically, Woodgate has fearent weaknesses, which is why Real Madrid was willing to pay nearly 17 million euros for him—a hefty sum amoral defenders.

  Psychologically, Woodgate also seemed solid.

  Yet, revented him from establishing himself at Real Madrid was his fragile physique.

  In a club like Real Madrid, petition is unpretedly fierce, and often, training is more intehan actual matches.

  Gao Shen still recalls Woodgate's interview with Marca after retiring, where he mented his tough experie Real Madrid. He cited nguage barriers and injuries as key reasons hindering his value to the team. His frequent injuries stemmed not only from physical factors but also from the relentless petition within the club.

  "When you're at such a big club, you 't afford to sck off in training. Losing a game feels like losing a war!"

  Woodgate's start at Real Madrid was nothing short of disastrous.

  After a prolonged injury spell, his debut for the Bernabeu faithful ended with an own goal.

  If a good start is half the battle, then Woodgate's poor start sealed his tragic fate.

  ...

  Gao Shen intercepted Woodgate just outside the medical room after his examination.

  The once young English tral defender, a former "bad boy" in the Premier League, now bore the scars of years of injuries and immense public pressure.

  Some might call this emotional intelligeuration; others might see it as resignation after beiedly beaten down by reality.

  To Woodgate's surprise, Gao Shen addressed him directly in English.

  Since joining Real Madrid—from Camacho to Raymond to Luseo Carlo—no coach had uood his English, creating a signifit nguage barrier between him and the coag staff.

  This unication gap was a major factor in his frequent injuries.

  Without effective unication, he couldn't uand the coach's instrus, nor could the coach grasp his thoughts.

  After a brief exge, Gao Shen produced an old photograph.

  The man in the picture looked youthful, the Engnd national team jersey. Woodgate reized it instantly: June 8, 1999, Bulgaria, a European Cup qualifier. He had made his debut fnd alongside Gareth Southgate and Sol Campbell. Notably, Rio Ferdinand, who would ter bee the world's most expensive defender, sat on the bench that day.

  That year, Woodgate was een.

  It was also the year when Chelsea captain John Terry struggled to break into the first team.

  Woodgate stared at the photo, lost in memories, then turo Gao Shen with suspi.

  "What are you getting at?"

  The rookie head coach, criticized by the locker room, fans, and media alike, had just presented him with a cherished photograph. What was his angle? Was he trying to portray himself as a fan, seeking closehrough nostalgia?

  Had this been a few years earlier, Woodgate might have fallen for such a ploy. But now... he scoffed inwardly.

  Gao Shen smiled gently. "You know, I studied sports at Loughbh Uy. I have a cssmate from Leeds—a die-hard Leeds United fan and your admirer. This photo is from his colle, treasured to this day. He still believes you're Engnd's fi ter-back, perhaps the world's."

  Woodgate remained silent, unsure if Gao Shen's story held water or if the photo was genuine.

  But Gao Shen's words elicited a rea from Woodgate, his face betraying surprise.

  "He's been watg you all along, waiting."

  Woodgate found himself inexplicably believing Gao Shen.

  Attention and expectation—these were what he yearned for, what he had lost.

  Once a high-profile star, he had reveled in the limelight and ambition, especially upon joining Real Madrid, where he sought to reaew heights and bee a global superstar.

  All of that had slipped away.

  Over the past year and a half, his dream of making an impact at Real Madrid had faded, and with it, the ambition that had driven him for years.

  His peers, Ferdinand and Terry, whom he had once eclipsed, had now surpassed him, likely food.

  No one uood the ache and disappoi in his heart. Few paid attention to his journey anymore.

  Initially, the media had covered his injuries, but gradually, i waned.

  Even the coag staff at Real Madrid seemed to have fotten about him.

  "In the UK, and around the world, many fans like my friend from Leeds haven't fotten you. They've been watg, waiting. You just didn't know."

  As Gao Shen spoke, he noticed Woodgate's hand tremble slightly as he held the photograph. He knew he had struck a chord.

  There's a ma cept called the Hawthorne effect, where individuals ge their behavior when they realize they're being observed.

  While Gao Shen's friend and the photograph were real, whether the friend still followed Woodgate was irrelevant now and impossible to verify.

  Gao Shen's iion was clear: through this enter, he wanted Woodgate to uand that many fans silently followed and believed in him.

  It wasn't important whether Gao Shen's friend still followed Woodgate; the impact of the message mattered more.

  Guiding through storytelling often proves more effective than blunt directives.

  Especially when Gao Shen spoke to Woodgate in fluent English.

  "I've let them down, you know... My body..." Woodgate's frustration surfaced.

  Gao Shen shook his head. "I just spoke with the team doctor. Physically, you're in good shape. It's the pressure and tension that get to you, causing nerves and mistakes, which lead to injuries."

  "You see, others like Ronaldo have faced more injuries and longer recoveries than you. Yet, he remains one of the world's top strikers."

  "If Ronaldo do it, why not you?"

  Woodgate grasped the implication.

  And he felt a stirring inside.

  "You know, Ramos will be suspended for accumuting yellow cards in this weekend's derby. There's an opening for a tral defender. I want you to step in alongside Elgra."

  "Me?" Woodgate was taken aback.

  "Yes. You've seen the she of ter-backs. You're the best optiht now. But if you don't perform well et injured again, I'll have to resider."

  Gao Shen recalled an intriguing psychological experiment: given two options—take 20 dolrs immediately amble on a toss for a ce to win 100 dolrs—most people prefer the certain 20 dolrs. It's because ohey have it, they fear losing it more than they desire the possibility of winning more.

  Effective ma often harhis psychology to motivate employees.

  Gao Shen had offered Woodgate the starting position but warhat failing to perform would mean losing it, igniting a petitive drive within him.

  Woodgate took a deep breath. "Don't worry. You won't get that ce."

  With that, the English defeurned and walked away.

  He took the photograph with him.

  ...

  Watg Woodgate leave, Gao She relieved.

  Managing personalities in a high-profile team was a plex puzzle.

  Each pyer possessed a unique personality and background. Iing them into a cohesive unit seemed simple but was incredibly challenging.

  Especially for an inexperienced rookie like Gao Shen—why should they listen to him?

  For now, everything seemed to be on track.

  As *** once said, the thrill of battle lies in the fight itself.

  Returning to his office after the medical room, Gao Shen immersed himself in preparing afternoon training materials.

  The previous night, he had delved into Benitez's double-back tactics from Valencia and Liverpool, fog on formations, positions, and defensive systems—a byrinth of plexity.

  For now, Gao Shen could only sketch out a tactical framework quickly. It o be effective in the uping derby, allowing time for further refier.

  Yet, there was much to do. First, he he pyers to grasp his tactical vision.

  As Real Madrid pyers, tactical uanding wasn't an issue. If they uood and itted to exeg it, his tactical approach would succeed it art of their professional literacy.

  The challenge fao Shen was ensuring the pyers uood and adapted to his tactical demands.

  With the weekend derby looming, time was short.