If Martin hadn't e down to make a se, Gao Shen might have left Real Madrid in a more diplomatiner.
For example, he could have annouhat he wouldn't renew his tract with Real Madrid, without revealing the flict between him and Martin. Then, at a ter time, he would find an opportunity to submit his resignation to Martin, quietly ending his tenure as Real Madrid's head coach.
But things didn't go as pnned.
"Emilio, please believe me when I say I have ment towards you, Real Madrid, the pyers, or the fans. Only gratitude. But this doesn't include Martin, even if I seem grateful to him."
Gao Shen didn't look back, knowing that Butragueno was standing beside him.
They couldn't leave the venue before the award ceremony, but the media frenzy in the preheerview area had already begun.
Martin was desperately trying to salvage the situation, but he chose the worst possible approach—scolding.
In front of numerous reporters, he openly accused Gao Shen of being ungrateful and breaking a promise he allegedly made. However, Martin couldn't specify what that promise was, because no such promise existed.
The truth was, Martin could never admit that he had been in tact with other coaches like Eriksen even befao Shen won La Liga and the Champions League.
As Gao Shehe team to an astonishing record, Martin tinued his secret dealings with other famous coaches.
This was something known to the media and fans worldwide.
On one hand, Martin used Gao Shen's rising fame to bolster his ele campaign. Oher hand, he refused to ao Shen any future guarantees or extend his tract, effectively treating him as a pawn in his political game.
Two is pletely made Gao Shen decide to leave : the locker room episode and the aftermath of winning La Liga.
Even after winning the La Liga title, when Martihat the summer eles o be moved up, he still only ao Shen a position as the head coach of the sed team or the assistant coach of the first team.
What did he take Gao Shen for?
If it hadn't been for these events, Gao Shen might have hahings privately. But now, he had no reason to hold back.
He didn't want to leave Real Madrid quietly while still swallowing his pride.
Why should he?
Just because Martin was the president of Real Madrid?
No way!
...
Butragueno uood Gao Shen's mood perfectly. When Martin had stood at the locker room door shouting and threatening tao Shen, he had been very worried that Gao Shen would resign and leave in a rage.
Fortunately, Gao Shen held back.
But now, Gao Shen no longer wao hold back, and there was o.
"What are you going to do ?" Butragueno asked with .
He khat Gao Shen had been focused on preparing for the games, with no time to think about anything else, let alone tact other teams. Gao Shen didn't even have a.
"I don't know. I'll take a break first. Anyway, I'm not short of money now," Gao Shen chuckled.
Butragueno was momentarily stuhen suddenly realized something and smiled bitterly. "I bet Martin will be furious when he finds out."
No kidding.
The reason Gao Shen wasn't worried about money was the tract he had signed.
In that tract, although Butragueno had tried to improve Gao Shen's terms, Martin refused to offer too much.
This included Gao Shen's annual sary, the length of the tract, and so on.
But to show that he valued Gao Shen and to ensure he would sign, Martin offered incredibly high bonuses for winning championships. Mainly because, at that time, who really believed Real Madrid could win?
For example, the bonus for winning La Liga was one million euros, another million for reag the Champions League final, and two million for winning the Champions League.
And that was after taxes!
This rimarily because, at that time, no ohought Real Madrid could win.
"Actually, Real Madrid didn't lose out. We profited," Butragueno ughed.
From Real Madrid's perspective, that was true.
The total prize money for winning the Champions League was over 30 million euros, plus the broadcast revenue share, which brought in at least 50 to 60 million euros. And that wasn't ting the influend potential ercial value from winning the Champions League and the double .
These are all business siderations. From the team's perspective, the value of the young pyers developed under Gao Shen's tenure had skyrocketed. For example, De La Red performed so well that Real Madrid could easily sell him for 20 million euros.
There were also pyers like Arbeloa, Felipe, and Negredo, all worth around 15 million euros.
Gao Shen earned a lot, but Real Madrid earned even more.
If anyone really lost out, it would be Martin.
"Seriously, Emilio, based on my observations, her Martin nor Calderorustworthy. Real Madrid has a lot of problems right now, but also a lot of opportunities. If the team maintain stability and find the right coach to rebuild a solid tactical system, I believe this team has great potential."
Using the remaining pyers as a foundation, and properly introdug high-level stars, Real Madrid's overall bat effectiveness could greatly improve.
But the was that the Real Madrid president would mess things up, wasting such a promising situation.
"You're the team's teical director. I tell you now, trust in these young pyers. In the en years, they bee the bae of Real Madrid and of Spain!"
That was the st bit of advice Gao Shen offered.
There were many things he couldn't trol, and didn't want to.
Once you're out of power, you o accept that others will be in trol. Who knows what the future holds?
...
After saying goodbye to Butragueno, Gao Shen walked over to the coag bench.
The coag staff already knew about his resignation.
It was impossible to hide such a major event; everyoiced the unusual atmosphere ierview area.
"Jose, thank you for your support in the past. Starting tomorrow, you may have the ce to act as Real Madrid's head coach." Gao Shen smiled as he shook hands with Maqueda, embrag his assistant.
Maqueda had finally made it.
Although they had some disagreements early on, they had mao work well together.
As they were about to part ways, Gao Shen wao ehey did so on good terms.
After shaking hands with the other members of the coag staff, Gao Shen came to Bueura.
"I'm sorry, Lorenzo. You're a very capable coach, but unfortunately, we won't be w together anymore."
Bueura stepped forward and embraced Gao Shen tightly.
From the day Bueura came to Real Madrid, Gao Shen had given him unwavering trust, allowing him to showcase his strengths.
In fact, the Real Madrid coag staff had long suspected that Gao Shen might leave.
Especially that night when Martin had yelled outside the locker room door, threatening tao Shen. Everyone in the locker room had seen Gao Shen standing there, fists ched, teeth gritted in anger.
From that moment on, they khis would be the oute.
It was iable.
"I'm very grateful for your trust in me, and I sincerely hope we'll have the opportunity to work together again iure," Bueura said, embrag Gao Shen once more.
He had a family to support, and the opportunity to coach at Real Madrid had been a dream e true, with great pay, bes, and reition. Moreover, his tract was with Real Madrid, not directly tied to Gao Shen, so he wouldn't be leaving with him.
Oher hand, Lucas had immediately annouhat he wao quit when he heard Gao Shen had resigned.
The kid was always so loyal.
Gao Shen lightly patted Lucas on the shoulder, smiling. "Don't be impulsive. Stay at Real Madrid for now, keep learning, and once you've established yourself, I'll find you when I've got something good lined up."
"Remember, you'll be a famous coach, and I'll be your analyst." Lucas still g to that dream.
Gao Shen hugged his good friend, saying nothing more, feeling bittersweet.
...
The pyers who had been celebrating on the field also began to gather around.
They had all heard the news.
"I'm sorry, everyohis was supposed to be a joyous day for us, celebrating the championship, and I've ruihe mood." Gao Shen began by apologizing, but this only made the pyers even more sorrowful.
In the past, they had been able to focus on pying because Gao Shen shielded them from the storms outside, something even Raul had mentioned multiple times in the locker room.
The most typical example was the locker room i. When Martin had wao storm into the locker room to berate the pyers, Gao Shen had blocked him at the door.
All the pyers had heard Martin shouting at Gao Shen with the harshest words and foul nguage, even threatening to fire him on the spot, and everyone had seen Gao Shen gritting his teeth in anger.
But in the end, he had e!
Because, he and everyone in the locker room wao win the championship!
Not only did he endure, but he also tio work alongside Martin, knowing full well he was being used as a pawn in the ele.
Now, he didn't o endure anymore.
"Don't say that, Gao. On behalf of all the Real Madrid pyers, thank you!" Raul said, stepping forward to give Gao Shen a strong hug.
"Yeah, Gao." Zidane also came over and embraced Gao Shen. "To be able to wiwo championships before retiring, I'm satisfied, with s."
Gao Shen smiled and hugged Zidane, feeling the urge to warn him to be careful of a certain pyer named Materazzi in the uping World Cup. However, after a moment's thought, he decided against it—believing that a fwed hero, like a Venus with a broken arm, is even more perfect.
Beckham, Ronaldo, Ramos, and other pyers also stepped forward, embrag Gao Shen and expressing their gratitude for his dedication and tributions to the team during this period. Almost everyone was filled with reluce.
Whether due to personal feelings or professional growth, no one wanted Gao Shen to leave at this time. They were uain about who the Real Madrid coach would be and whether that person would tio trust them. Not every coach is willing to take risks on young pyers iwenties, even if it means allowing them to make mistakes along the way.
Gao Shen offered each pyer some advid suggestions, fog mainly on their career development and teical skills. He refrained from discussing other matters, eve came to De La Red's heart dition.
During his three-plus months coag Real Madrid, Gao Shen had sistently urged De La Reid to monitor his heart dition. Although De La Reid plied, he was someuzzled by Gao Shen's insistence.
Gao Shen chose not to say too much, avoiding any unnecessary chatter. He was also ed that if his caution was revealed, it might lead to scrutiny or even medical tests that could lead to serious sequences, which he wao avoid.
