Chapter 239: Professional Painter

"Mr. Rudolph, thank you very much for calling me. Goodbye!"

After hanging up the phone, Gao Shen exhaled deeply.

How many calls had he received like this since returning home over the past few days?

He hadn't even counted, but there were at least five or six. All of them were from clubs in Europe's top leagues.

Either the technical director, sporting director, general manager, or even the chairman was calling.

The call he had just ended was from Ivan Rudolph, the chairman of Atalanta. Although he didn't say anything too specific, he did express interest in meeting Gao Shen for a meal. Gao Shen politely declined, saying he was currently in China.

He could easily guess the intention behind the call from Ivan Rudolph.

It wasn't difficult to figure out. Whether explicitly or implicitly, all the clubs calling him had the same idea: they were looking to change coaches, and Gao Shen was on their shortlist. They wanted to gauge his interest.

This was the usual process.

Many people believe that selecting a coach is like an emperor flipping through potential candidates, but that's not how it works. Clubs won't make a move unless they are sure of a coach's interest and suitability. Even if they make a move, it doesn't mean everything is settled right away. It's like going to a car dealership until you show serious intent to buy, they won't offer you the best price.

Typically, clubs will first contact the coach's agent to understand the coach's interest. If there's mutual interest, then both parties arrange a sit-down for more in-depth negotiations.

If both sides sit down to talk, it usually means things are heading toward an agreement.

That's why, when the media reports that a coach was seen having dinner with a club official, it's often a sign that the deal is almost done.

The difference with Gao Shen is that he doesn't have an agent, so these calls come directly to him.

This is something he had thought through carefully.

On the one hand, it's hard to find a trustworthy agent. He knows that agents like Jorge Mendes and Mino Raiola are top-notch, but it's not like he could just reach out to them and say, "Hey, be my agent." That would be ridiculous.

Besides, having an agent doesn't always make things easier.

Take Mourinho, for example wherever he goes, Mendes players follow. Is that a coincidence?

For now, Gao Shen decided not to hire an agent.

As for commercial matters, Gao Shen could simply hire a professional company to handle them. There's no need for an agent in that regard, and it saves him from paying an additional commission to a middleman.

The downside, of course, is that he gets all these calls directly.

"I miss my Mate40 Pro!" Gao Shen looked at the old Nokia brick phone in front of him and sighed.

Dual SIM dual standby is such a blessing!

"Which team is trying to recruit you this time?" asked Su Zhijun, who was always curious, as a die-hard football fan.

"Atalanta," Gao Shen replied with a smile.

"Wow, eighth place in Serie A last season, that's impressive," Su Zhijun exclaimed.

It was clear to anyone that Gao Shen's coaching career was on the rise, progressing steadily and rapidly.

"Atalanta is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary in the new season. They want to take a risk and push for a European spot. But after their head coach, Colantuono, performed well and was snatched up by Palermo, they're left without a coach."

Palermo, after firing Guidolin last season, had also reached out to Gao Shen about two or three months ago. But Gao Shen politely declined at the time, saying he was focused on achieving results with Napoli. After Gao Shen rejected them, Palermo turned to Colantuono, leaving Atalanta scrambling to find a new coach.

It's a common cycle in European football. Top coaches are always in demand, and the pool of truly elite managers is limited.

Top coaches, like top teams, are a rare commodity.

In addition to Palermo and Atalanta, several other clubs had contacted Gao Shen, including Parma.

Parma, after narrowly avoiding relegation last season, also tried to lure Gao Shen from Napoli, but he politely turned them down as well.

He was laser-focused on Napoli and preparing for the upcoming Serie A season.

Especially after that 0-3 loss to Inter Milan.

He had to settle that score personally!

"I have a question," Su Zhijun said, puzzled. "The domestic media keep saying that the Italian media are attacking and criticizing you non-stop. So why are so many teams still trying to hire you?"

Gao Shen paused for a moment, then realized it was still 2007, long before 2021.

What was the media environment like in 2007?

Back then, if foreign media criticized someone, even some domestic media outlets would follow suit, amplifying the noise.

Why?

Because the perception was that things abroad were always better than at home.

Some domestic outlets would even regurgitate sensationalized foreign tabloid reports, hyping them up in China.

Gao Shen was used to it by now.

"Think about it this way: the media and football have a symbiotic relationship. They use each other. The media, especially, is all about the attention economy. They need headlines, sales, and clicks. The bigger the controversy, the better for them. When I'm successful, they hype me up. When I stumble, they tear me down."

"Fans, on the other hand, are simple. They're often influenced by media reports and might not even realize why they like or dislike someone."

"But clubs? Clubs invest real money. They're dealing with tens of millions of euros every season, so they're the most honest evaluators."

Su Zhijun suddenly understood.

"It's like buying a house. You always hear people online saying house prices are going to crash, but think about it if you had money right now, aside from investing in business, what would you want to do?"

Su Zhijun thought for a moment and realized Gao Shen was right.

Not just him Su Qing, who had been quietly listening, also nodded in agreement.

If you had money, besides business, the most common instinct would be to buy property.

It's just like the old story of the farmer who claimed to have a cow but didn't really own one.

Never listen to what people say watch what they do.

Too often, people say one thing but do another.

"So, are you planning to stay in Naples?" Su Zhijun asked, genuinely curious.

"I've been preparing meticulously for six months. From the moment I started coaching Napoli, I've been gearing up for Serie A. What do you think would I leave now?" Gao Shen asked with a smile.

"No, of course not. That would be foolish," Su Zhijun laughed.

Behind him, Su Qing was quietly watching Gao Shen. He seemed both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

She had grown up with Gao Shen, but to her, he had always been a childhood friend and nothing more.

People around them, whether in their community or at school, had often speculated that they liked each other. But the truth was, they didn't.

Su Qing never had romantic feelings for the old Gao Shen.

But ever since he came back last year, he seemed like a completely different person.

It wasn't his newfound fame. It was the way he carried himself more confident, decisive, and responsible. He spoke with conviction, always managing to persuade others and instill a sense of security.

It was a side of Gao Shen she had never seen before.

After returning indoors, Gao Shen checked the time and decided to call Marino, who was still in Naples. He kept in touch with Europe every day that was part of his job.

He needed to stay updated on the latest market developments.

Marino also kept him informed, especially about the activity in the transfer market.

Napoli's general manager was currently overwhelmed with the number of teams trying to poach Napoli's players.

"I feel like we're not holding onto players, but piles of euros that everyone wants!" Marino practically cried over the phone.

It was chaos.

Arsenal had sent a fax asking for a price, Roma had called directly, and Juventus had even sent someone to negotiate in person.

"My God, you have no idea how busy our office is right now!"

Gao Shen laughed.

It was no surprise.

Napoli didn't just have players they had assets worth millions.

In professional football, players were the most valuable currency.

"You should think of it this way," Gao Shen said, still amused. "This just proves how strong we are. Remember what I told you before our goal is to make a huge impact in Serie A next season, right?"

"I believe you! You've convinced me!" Marino said, his tone full of respect.

"But still, Gao, this can't go on forever. We might be able to hold off the clubs, but the players may not resist the temptation."

"Don't worry. I've already spoken to the players. If anyone plans to leave, they'll inform me first. But you make sure De Laurentiis stays grounded. If he starts wavering, remind him: does he still want the Serie A title?"

Marino's laughter boomed through the phone, startling Gao Shen.

"Do you have to laugh so maniacally?"

"And let me tell you," Marino continued between chuckles, "when it comes to painting grand visions, you're the master. The boss has no choice but to fall for it!"

Some of the offers from other teams were quite tempting, and De Laurentiis wasn't completely immune to them. But Gao Shen's grand vision of winning the Serie A title kept pulling him back. After all, who didn't want that kind of glory?

So now, De Laurentiis was practically avoiding people afraid that a moment of weakness could lead him to agree to something he would regret later.

"By the way, Gao, when are you coming back?" Marino asked with concern. He was itching to take Gao Shen out for a meal and learn more from him especially how to keep the boss in check and manage upward.

"I'll be back in a couple of days, but I need to stop by Barcelona first."

"Barcelona? What are you going to do there?" Marino asked, surprised.

"Meeting a friend and while I'm at it, I might try to poach a player or two," Gao Shen replied with a mischievous grin.

Marino could only laugh, knowing that wherever Gao Shen went, something interesting was bound to happen.