The Final Choice

In France, Henry held the phone as the call abruptly ended. His entire body felt like it had plunged into an icy abyss.

He was confused, panicked.

For the past few days, he'd been angry and frustrated.

The club's renewal offer had left him feeling deeply disheartened, while his agent had conveyed Juventus's genuine interest.

The transfer fee had reached £40 million, with a highly attractive personal package. Juventus's director, Moggi, had even called him, joking about finding him a new home in Turin.

Henry felt as though Millwall was pushing him out the door.

He wasn't happy. In fact, he was furious.

He didn't want to leave. He might not have the seasoned perspective of someone like Larsson, but beating Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Manchester United with this team had shown him the truth: at Millwall, he could achieve unparalleled greatness.

The European Golden Boot. The Champions League Golden Boot.

A winger like him—had he ever dared dream of such things?

All of it, every last bit, was thanks to Aldrich.

So, when his gaffer's voice cut through the air like a cold blade, handing down what felt like a death sentence, it shattered him. The unexpected blow threw him into a frantic panic, his composure unraveling completely.

Aldrich had ordered him to report back tomorrow, but the moment Henry hung up, he packed his bags and headed for the airport, determined to fly straight back to London.

Meanwhile, in the office at Millwall's training base, Aldrich put his phone back into his pocket after ending the call. Henry's agent stared at him in disbelief.

Then, he erupted into a furious roar.

"Hall! You're despicable! Destroy Henry? You actually said you'd destroy him! What the hell are you thinking? Letting him transfer now means £40 million! In just two years, you've already made £30 million off him!"

Indeed, two years ago, Henry had joined the club for a record-breaking £10 million transfer fee.

Aldrich ignored Henry's agent entirely. Unlike other managers who crave centralized control, he already had absolute authority at the club and saw no reason to handle every detail himself. Negotiations with players' agents were a task he delegated to Adam.

Initially, Aldrich had avoided such dealings to avoid potential conflicts, especially with Andrew.

"Call a press conference and announce that Henry is staying. He'll fulfill his contract at Millwall," Aldrich said before walking away.

Behind him, the agent continued his tirade, even grabbing Adam by the collar and yelling, "You need to talk some sense into that lunatic! You're refusing £40 million—what more could you possibly want?!"

Adam said, with an air of mock seriousness, "It's about dignity. The dignity of the club."

Realizing his plans were falling apart, the agent left Adam's office in a fury and immediately called Henry, begging him not to return to the club.

But Henry, already in a taxi heading to the airport, answered in a solemn tone before the agent could speak.

"It's over. I'm going back to renew my contract. Don't call me again. I just want to focus on playing football."

Henry knew he couldn't leave. Not like this.

Leaving as a free agent would make him the greatest traitor in Millwall's history.

He didn't want his brilliant years at Millwall to end with the disdain of its fans.

The £30,000 weekly salary was paltry compared to his performance last season, but Henry couldn't envision himself walking away as a "Judas."

The agent, realizing his deceit would soon be exposed, decided to escalate matters. During Millwall's official press conference, he stormed into the venue and caused a scene.

Before Adam could speak, the agent grabbed the microphone and launched a verbal attack on Aldrich.

"Hall himself said he'd destroy Henry! Just because he doesn't want him playing for another team! How can you respect a manager like that?!"

He ranted incessantly, slandering Aldrich and trying to create an irreparable rift between Henry and Millwall, forcing Henry's departure.

The journalists at the scene were thrilled—this was the drama they had been waiting for.

Adam, however, didn't stop the agent. After all, there was no evidence of what Aldrich had said to Henry over the phone.

Even if Henry and his agent teamed up to tell the same story, it didn't matter.

As long as Adam and Aldrich deny it, who could possibly prove what they're saying is true?

And Adam had more than enough confidence to announce that Henry would be staying.

Preseason training usually began on a lighthearted or high-spirited note. This year, however, Millwall's training camp was shrouded in tension.

Aldrich regretted his hasty decision. He realized he should have waited until three days later, when the team was set to leave for Asia, to have Adam hold the press conference locally.

Now, the situation had spiraled out of control. The players had only just returned, and the training ground resembled a circus.

Around the training facility, swarms of reporters jostled for access, while fans, many visibly upset, gathered to voice their concerns.

Key players like Pirlo and other Italian internationals had yet to return. They were granted an additional week of rest and would join the team directly in Asia. After all, they had traveled to the Netherlands and Belgium with the national team for the Euros. Even though most of them didn't play, they still deserved some downtime.

But the fragmented squad was only part of the issue. The returning players were in low spirits, unwilling to be bombarded with questions on their first day back. They knew that stepping out of the club would mean dealing with intrusive reporters asking about Henry's transfer saga or the club's decisions.

Despite the chaos, veterans like Nedvěd and Southgate led by example, jogging laps around the pitch to warm up without needing any prompting. Slowly, other players followed suit, beginning their stretches and warm-ups.

Aldrich, visibly irritated, handed over training responsibilities to Klinsmann and retreated to his office.

Sitting at his desk, he tried to distract himself with other pressing matters—transfer targets.

The local youth recruitment drive had concluded, with various age groups seeing new additions. But Nagy had delivered a harsh reality: the talent pool in England was alarmingly thin. Quality homegrown players were becoming increasingly rare.

The situation is complex, involving factors like race, culture, economics, environment, and, particularly, the broader influence of the football industry on young players.

The most straightforward example is this: when children show interest in football during their formative years, who do they model themselves after?

Almost every city has its own team. If these kids grow up supporting their local club and frequently watch its matches, their playing style naturally mirrors the stars of their beloved team.

In other words, the English Premier League's focus on physicality and relatively unrefined technical skills inevitably trickles down into tactics, teamwork, and more. This has a profound, subtle influence on the new generation of players.

Europe isn't large, and borders between countries can sometimes seem blurred. Yet the distinct footballing styles and stark differences in talent development across nations remain undeniable. Besides systemic and structural issues, style is a critical factor.

As nations like Spain, Germany, Italy, and France continue to produce exceptional talents, England's pipeline of stars is drying up. The Premier League itself bears part of the blame, and the region's traditional football philosophy plays a significant role.

When the core of a region's football ideology champions intense physical clashes and an open, aggressive style, it's unrealistic to expect the next generation to emerge from such an environment with finesse, elegance, or the mastery to outplay opponents with subtlety.

English footballers from the Premier League often feel like products of a standardized assembly line:

They have solid skills, yes, but individuality is rare. On the pitch, you don't need 11 players with identical or similar traits. Success often hinges on a team of unique individuals complementing one another, leveraging their strengths to create dynamic, versatile, and powerful strategies.

This reality is regretful, but it's also why Aldrich dismisses criticisms that Millwall isn't "British enough."

It's not disdain for England but a recognition of history's answers.

Take, for example, the glorious Manchester United of the past. Were Ryan Giggs, Yorke, Schmeichel, Stam, Johansson, or Keane English?

Or consider England's national team, whose decline reflects the limitations of assembling the best English players. The results often mirror deeper systemic issues.

That's why players like Joe Cole, hailed as prodigies in England, receive special attention at Millwall. Yet when compared to foreign rising stars, Joe Cole's talent level seems average at best. Aldrich's decision to loan out Vicente Joaquín for the new season stems from his desire to prioritize Joe Cole's development. The decisive factor? Cole's English roots.

Over the past two years, the club has established numerous football academies across Europe and Africa. However, these investments won't yield immediate results. A school founded last year won't suddenly produce a prodigy this year. Therefore, part of Aldrich's transfer strategy involves personally identifying young talent to infuse fresh energy into the club.

As he picked up the phone to call Andrew and tap into his scouting network, an unexpected turn of events occurred—Andrew showed up in person.