Superstar or Victory
Goalkeeper Casillas, the back line consisting of Felipe Luis, Elgra, Woodgate, and Abeloa from left to right, with Graveson and De La Reid in double midfield, and upfront Law, Zidane, and Beckham, centered by Negredo.
This was Gao Shen's lineup for the starting team in the team training match, represented by the players wearing yellow vests.
The players in red vests included goalkeeper Diego Lopez, defenders Raul Bravo, Mejia, Ramos, and Cicinho, midfielders Pablo Garcia and Gu Ti, with Robinho, Baptista, Cassano in the front, and Soldado as forward.
The remaining players were divided into two substitute teams, mostly young players. Players like Parejo, Granero, and Juan Mata were among those in the yellow vests.
There's an unspoken agreement on the training ground that yellow vests signify the starting team.
Therefore, when the coaching staff saw Gao Shen's submitted team list, they were all taken aback.
None of the Brazilians made it into the yellow vest group. The sole Brazilian in the yellow vest, Felipe Luis, was a young player from the second team who was relatively unknown. What did this signify?
It was at this moment that everyone realized Gao Shen's remarks from the previous day weren't directed at all the superstars. At least Zidane, Raul, Beckham, Casillas, and others were still in the yellow vest group, indicating they were still the main lineup.
But Carlos and Ronaldo didn't even make it to the starting red vest team.
This was simply too humiliating!
---
"Are you out of your mind? Do you even know what you're doing?"
When Maqueda saw the list, he shouted at Gao Shen, his voice filled with incredulity.
The shock caused by the list and Maqueda's outburst sent shivers through the coaching office.
Everyone thought Gao Shen had lost his mind!
How could he put Carlos and Ronaldo in the red vest team, or worse, not even include them in the starting red vest team? It was outrageous, wasn't it?
Do you even know who Carlos is?
He's one of the three captains of Real Madrid!
Since joining Real Madrid in 1996, Carlos has always been the premier choice for left-back, with an impressive track record. In terms of seniority, he even outstrips Raul and Guti.
Keep in mind, Raul only became captain after Hierro left the team in 2003.
"What are you yelling about?" Maqueda roared, irked by Fernando Lucas beside Gao Shen.
But Gao Shen quickly gestured for Lucas to stay quiet and said nothing himself, simply fixing his gaze on Maqueda.
The entire office fell eerily silent.
Gao Shen didn't utter a word, just stared at Maqueda.
Others in the room sensed the tension, and no one dared to break the silence.
It was clear that Maqueda was dissatisfied with Gao Shen. Even though Carlos had been dismissed, convention dictated that Maqueda, as assistant coach, would step up. However, Chairman Martin threw conventional wisdom to the wind by appointing Gao Shen instead. How could anyone respect that?
Maqueda wanted to assert his dominance, that much was obvious, but Gao Shen had put him in his place earlier that morning.
Now, with Gao Shen's bold actions, Maqueda couldn't contain himself.
In Maqueda's eyes, Gao Shen was just a management puppet. Maqueda had dismissed Gao Shen from the start, seeing him as nothing more than a greenhorn intern. That's why when he saw the list, he exploded.
Gao Shen didn't say a word, simply continued to stare at Maqueda, as if waiting for him to continue his outburst.
For reasons unknown even to himself, Maqueda suddenly felt flustered.
At the end of the day, Maqueda was just an assistant coach, and Gao Shen was the head coach.
Regardless of whether Maqueda accepted it or not, the authority was there. Gao Shen was his direct superior.
Though it lasted for less than two minutes, the silence felt like an eternity. Finally unable to bear it any longer, Maqueda coughed awkwardly and faltered, "I... I didn't mean anything by it. But this list is... it's just absurd."
Gao Shen still didn't speak, merely nodded for Maqueda to continue.
"You know, Ronaldo is our top scorer right now. We need his goals..."
While others took their lunch breaks, Gao Shen spent the entire noon meticulously preparing for the afternoon training.
He delved into the tactics library, studying Benitez's strategies at Valencia and Liverpool, focusing on formations and positioning, especially defensive systems. There was much to consider.
Gao Shen could only sketch out a tactical framework for now, hoping to deploy it effectively in the weekend derby. Once that was done, he'd have time to refine and expand upon it.
But even then, Gao Shen had a lot on his plate. Primarily, he needed to ensure the players grasped his tactical concepts.
Real Madrid players were tactically astute, but they needed to not only understand but also implement his strategies willingly. That was the next hurdle for Gao Shen: communicating his tactical vision and adapting the team's play accordingly.
The weekend's derby left him with little time.
Maqueda's statement was already in the midst of a sophisticated argument, so Gao Shen rudely cut him off.
"Juan, I must remind you to keep your data and information updated in a timely manner," Gao Shen continued, ignoring Maqueda's visibly displeased expression.
"You're right, Ronaldo is indeed the top scorer on the team. So far, he has scored nine goals and provided two assists in the league, but..."
Gao Shen emphasized his point, gesturing towards Maqueda, "It's been over four months since he played in the city derby at Calderon Stadium on October 15th and scored twice. We've played 18 league games, five Champions League matches, six Copa del Rey games—how many goals has he scored?"
Without waiting for Maqueda to respond, Gao Shen held up three fingers.
"Three goals, including one in the 4-0 Copa del Rey win over Zaragoza. In other games, either due to rotation, injury, or other reasons, he hasn't contributed much."
This was an indisputable fact.
"I don't deny that Ronaldo is still one of the most lethal forwards in the world, but..."
Fernando Lucas was momentarily stunned. He noticed that Gao Shen was markedly different now, speaking with clarity and conviction. Each statement seemed carefully chosen to make an impact.
"From a head coach's perspective, we have to acknowledge that he's not in peak form right now. But what we need at this moment is to win, to defeat our opponents, and not allow our stars to squander opportunities on the field."
"When it comes down to it—superstars or victory—which would you choose?"
Maqueda found himself at a loss for words.
Gao Shen's demeanor was unexpectedly resolute, catching Maqueda off guard.
Are superstars detrimental to Real Madrid's effectiveness on the field?
It was a difficult question to answer. Perhaps, as some argued, the issue wasn't the superstars themselves but how they were utilized.
But when the club invests heavily to bring in a superstar, and when a head coach has such a high-profile player, who can be ruthless enough to bench them?
This was bound to cause a stir.
"Do you believe you can win with a teenager from the second team?" Maqueda adopted a more rational tone.
Gao Shen shook his head. "No one can guarantee that. But as the head coach, I'll use my understanding of football and tactics to set up my lineup. Whether we win or lose, I'll take full responsibility. And you, as my assistant, your role is not to question my decisions but to support me in executing them. Do you understand?"
Maqueda's expression soured. Gao Shen had made it clear.
Regardless of Maqueda's experience or how dismissive he might be of Gao Shen, one fact remained unchangeable: Gao Shen was the head coach of Real Madrid and Maqueda's superior.
Faced with directives from higher up, all he could do was comply.
Unless he chose to leave!
Was Maqueda willing to do that?
He hesitated.
Because if Gao Shen were dismissed, Maqueda would likely be the next in line to take over.
The coaching position at Real Madrid was far more appealing than outsiders might realize.
The sudden assertiveness shown by Gao Shen left everyone in the office taken aback.
Previously, they had seen Gao Shen as a timid, even somewhat cowardly Chinese man. But today, he stood tall and used the authority of his position to put down the arrogant Maqueda.
There was little doubt that if Maqueda had pressed further, he would have been fired on the spot.
If Maqueda, with his seniority, could be treated this way, then others didn't stand a chance.
Perhaps Gao Shen couldn't decide whether to sell a superstar, but he could certainly dismiss an employee.
At the very least, removing someone from the first team was within his power.
"Fine, you're the head coach, you make the decisions, and I'll cooperate," Maqueda relented. "But I have a responsibility to remind you that you must be accountable to Real Madrid, the fans, and the players. Relying solely on these youngsters from the second team won't win us anything."
Gao Shen smirked ironically. According to the online novel trope, shouldn't he be scolding these young players now, telling them not to bully the poor?
"You don't need to worry about whether we can win or not. I've been with the second team, I know their strengths very well. Your role is to organize the training," Gao Shen dismissed him without a hint of politeness.
Since Maqueda hadn't spared his feelings, why should Gao Shen be polite?
---
Maqueda led the coaching staff outside to set up the training ground.
Meanwhile, Gao Shen contemplated. He needed to continue communicating with the players, understanding their temperaments, motivations, and desires, and then guiding them one by one.
"You know, I really respect you now. You were tough back there, putting him in his place!" Lucas praised with a smile.
It was clear Lucas had long held a disdain for Maqueda.
Gao Shen also smiled faintly. "Some people just need to be brought down a notch."
Now he understood what it meant to establish dominance from the outset.
"However, despite Maqueda's animosity, his points weren't entirely baseless," Lucas, a college student, maintained a dialectical perspective. He wasn't one to blindly follow.
"Honestly, how confident are you about this weekend's game?" he asked.
Gao Shen looked at Lucas, the one person he could trust at the moment. He suddenly smiled and replied, "If I said I wasn't sure, would you believe me?"
Lucas wasn't surprised; his expression suggested he had anticipated as much.
It was understandable.
Gao Shen had been denied access to Carlo's strategies for two straight days. How could he confidently devise a plan to defeat Atletico?
But at this point, pride was the least of his concerns.
"Don't worry, whatever happens, I'm behind you all the way!" Lucas affirmed.
With that, Lucas turned and headed for the training ground, pledging to assist Gao Shen in overseeing the sessions.
As Gao Shen watched him leave, he couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth.
This kid was genuinely sincere.