Chapter 303: Interview of an Unemployed Middle-Aged Person

After attending an advanced sports science seminar in Europe, Gao Shen realized just how far behind domestic competitive sports were in every aspect.

Of course, this is a complex issue, and a deeper dive would require a lengthy discussion.

In European football, professional football is an industry.

But what does it mean for something to be an industry?

It means a field with highly specialized divisions of labor and cooperation, a high degree of professionalization, and top-tier scientific research.

Just how professional is it?

Why does Buenaventura place such importance on recovery after games and training sessions?

He explains that years of scientific research have shown growing evidence that training itself doesn't actually enhance a player's skill level.

Isn't this concept almost revolutionary?

If training doesn't directly improve skills, why train at all?

It's simple. The purpose of training is to fully stimulate the athlete's body, and it's the recovery phase after this stimulation that leads to improvement.

These insights come not only from the long-term experience of coaches but also from extensive research conducted by universities and scientific institutes.

For example, Gao Shen's alma mater, Loughborough University, is renowned worldwide for its expertise in sports science.

Gao Shen vividly recalled reading an authoritative article before he traveled through time, which presented some striking data.

In 2018, Deloitte published a ranking of the wealthiest football clubs. In terms of personnel dedicated to coaching and physical rehabilitation, Real Madrid, which topped the list, only had three people in these roles, fitness coaches and sports physiotherapists.

Manchester City, ranked fifth, had two fitness coaches. However, assistant coach Buenaventura was a recognized expert in sports physiotherapy, so strictly speaking, Manchester City also had three specialized professionals.

The three clubs in between were even more invested. Barcelona, ranked second, had ten people, including fitness coaches, sports physiotherapists, and rehabilitation doctors. Manchester United had fourteen people, with titles such as fitness supervisor, masseur, intensive physiotherapy supervisor, physical rehabilitation supervisor, and sports science researcher.

Bayern Munich employed twelve people with similar roles.

This clearly shows that in terms of physical fitness and rehabilitation alone, European football has already reached a very granular level of specialization.

But much of this is hidden from the general fanbase. The media rarely covers these aspects, and most people in these roles aren't even seated on the sidelines. Yet, their contribution to the team is unmistakable.

From this, two major trends have emerged: "Body" and "Energy."

"Body" refers to traditional physical conditioning, which is overseen by fitness trainers.

"Energy" refers to athletic performance and focuses on helping players maximize their energy on the field, which falls under the responsibility of physical fitness coaches.

These are two distinct roles, yet in China, both are often lumped together under the term "fitness coach."

Gao Shen already had a world-class physical fitness coach in Buenaventura, but now he wanted to bring on another top-tier fitness coach with equally outstanding skills.

On December 27th, just after Christmas, Gao Shen, accompanied by Buenaventura, flew to Milan in northern Italy.

Upon arriving at Milan Airport, they picked up Zidane, and the three of them headed to Turin.

…

For the past six months, Antonio Pintus had been feeling an unprecedented sense of panic.

A midlife crisis!

At 45 years old, he was finding it increasingly difficult to secure a job.

He didn't come from a wealthy background and had received professional training in track and field since childhood. Unfortunately, he didn't have the natural talent to excel in athletics. After a few years, he transitioned to studying courses on athlete conditioning and completed a postgraduate degree in physical education, becoming a well-known coach in track and field and judo circles in Turin.

At 24, he became a fitness coach for a local amateur football team, Seddimo, in Turin. Though it was only a part-time gig, he excelled at it. Immersed in Italy's rich football culture, he began to conduct research and devised personalized training plans for each player, achieving remarkable results.

Five years later, in 1991, he received an offer he couldn't refuse—from Juventus.

At that time, Juventus was led by head coach Trapattoni, with Claudio Gaudino serving as their physical trainer, a respected figure in Italian football who later contributed to Inter Milan and the Italian national team, helping Italy win the World Cup.

Pintus joined Juventus as Gaudino's assistant, giving him a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow.

Gaudino had been with Juventus since 1981 and had a wealth of experience.

The two worked together through the Trapattoni and Lippi eras, witnessing Juventus' golden peak in the 1990s.

It could be said that the glory days of Juventus in the 90s were partly due to the silent dedication of these two men.

In 1998, Pintus received an extraordinary opportunity. Italian footballer Vialli, then managing Chelsea in the Premier League, was well-acquainted with Pintus' skills from his Juventus days and invited him to join his coaching staff.

This allowed Pintus to finally step into a more prominent role.

When Vialli was dismissed three years later, Pintus left Chelsea as well. However, he soon received a new offer to work as the fitness coach for Udinese in Serie A, though he only stayed there for a year.

It wasn't due to a lack of performance. Rather, Deschamps, who was coaching AS Monaco in France, extended an offer to him.

Pintus spent four years in Monaco, helping Deschamps lead the team to the Champions League final. Although they lost to Mourinho's Porto, Monaco's achievements were recognized by all.

In September 2005, Deschamps was dismissed from Monaco, and Pintus followed him out.

This time, Pintus voluntarily took a year off.

During that year, he had ample time to rest, recharge, and further his studies.

In 2006, Deschamps took the job as manager of Juventus in Serie B, and Pintus rejoined him, proposing a novel approach to physical training: "reduce strength-based drills and increase running."

At the start of the season, this approach seemed promising, especially since Gao Shen's Napoli was making waves with their high-intensity running, relentless pressing, and offensive play, sweeping through Italian football like a storm.

Pintus's new training philosophy seemed to align well with Gao Shen's style. Both Deschamps and Juventus were eager to see the changes Pintus could bring, so he received strong support from the club.

But Pintus' approach ultimately failed.

Juventus not only suffered repeated defeats to Napoli but also saw a spike in muscle strain injuries last season—a clear sign of issues in training.

The Juventus players struggled to adapt to Pintus's methods.

In 2007, after leading Juventus back to Serie A, Deschamps resigned.

Initially, the club kept Pintus, but Ranieri soon replaced him with his own fitness coach, Dr. Capanna, a sports science specialist.

This alone wasn't too problematic. However, when captain Del Piero renewed his contract, he publicly requested his own personal fitness coach, citing his lack of trust in Pintus. Similarly, Camoranesi frequently voiced complaints about Pintus due to his persistent injuries.

As a result, before the season even began, Pintus was dismissed.

Since July, he had been unemployed, sitting at home.

Initially, he had big ambitions, hoping to elevate his career to new heights last season. But instead, he encountered a disastrous setback.

The higher his aspirations, the harder he fell when he was dismissed.

To make matters worse, the football world is a small community with few secrets.

Pintus' performance at Juventus and the players' discontent toward him spread through Italian football, leaving many skeptical of his abilities as a fitness coach.

In Italy, there is no shortage of highly competent fitness coaches.

And so, Pintus found himself jobless.

At 45, with aging parents and young children to support, unemployment was a terrifying prospect!

Since July, he had reached out to countless people but couldn't secure a new position. He even contacted foreign clubs, but to no avail.

He either found the offers unsuitable or the clubs found him lacking, leaving him stuck in a state of limbo.

Six months of inactivity passed.

Until, just before Christmas, Zidane unexpectedly called him.

"Someone's interested in you!"

And so, on the afternoon of December 27th.

While all of Italy, and even Europe, was still in the Christmas spirit, Pintus prepared for an interview.

…

Gao Shen, along with Buenaventura and Zidane, arrived at Pintus's home.

His house was quite nice, situated in a good location in Turin.

Football coaches, especially those working in top leagues, earn substantial salaries.

Yet Pintus's eagerness for this new opportunity was palpable. He was still far from financial security, so the desire for a new job was unmistakable.

Pintus was visibly excited by Gao Shen's visit, though he tried his best to contain it. Whether it was in his warm reception, his family's expressions, or his tone of voice, it was clear that he genuinely needed this job.

Moreover, Napoli was currently in a promising position, ranked second in Serie A.

Gao Shen was now a rising star among young coaches in European football.

There had even been rumors that Juventus considered firing Ranieri to recruit Gao Shen. If Pintus were to join Gao Shen's coaching staff, could that mean a potential return to Juventus?

Pintus could barely imagine that possibility.

But one thing was certain, Gao Shen's future looked very bright!

Gao Shen was no longer the rookie he once was. Back when he recruited Buenaventura, Borrell, and others, he was just starting out. But now he had made a name for himself in European football.

Especially this season, his team had topped the Serie A standings three times and entered the winter break in second place.

Bringing a newly-promoted team to such heights, Gao Shen's accomplishments had naturally garnered widespread recognition.

Now, facing Pintus, although Gao Shen maintained a friendly demeanor and treated him like a peer, there was still an unmistakable sense of a formal interview.

***

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