The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 136: Nagy has raised a warning bell.

After lunch, Aldrich took a short break before heading to the hotel where the team was training that afternoon. He changed into his swim trunks and decided to hit the pool for some exercise.

The large indoor swimming pool was empty except for him. He swam steadily back and forth in the lane.

At some point, while wearing his goggles, he noticed someone standing by the side of the pool. Squinting, he recognized it was Nagy. Although he couldn't see his expression clearly from a distance, Aldrich sensed that Nagy had something important to discuss. He called out, "Hang on, I've got two more laps."

After completing his swim, Aldrich got out of the pool and walked over to Nagy. When he got a closer look, he was taken aback; Nagy's eyes were bloodshot and his face was marked by concern.

"What's wrong?"

"I have something very important to discuss with you!"

"About the players?"

"No, it's about the team, about Millwall's future!"

Aldrich's expression turned serious. Nagy was the type of guy who never made jokes; his academic nature meant he spoke precisely and thoughtfully, neither exaggerating nor being overly cautious.

After quickly rinsing off and changing, Aldrich followed Nagy to the hotel's conference room—the usual place for their coaching meetings.

Aldrich took a seat and said, "Go ahead."

But Nagy first switched on the large TV in the conference room, inserting a neatly edited video tape into the player to start playing it.

He turned back and said, "You should see this first."

Sitting upright, Aldrich focused on the TV screen, which showed highlights of the League Cup final where Millwall faced Aston Villa.

The video featured various angles, showing clips of Millwall players on the attack while Aston Villa players defended, highlighting one-on-one situations between attacking and defending players.

Larsson, Trezeguet, Pires, Schneider, Nedved — most of them appeared on screen.

After watching the first round of clips, Aldrich raised his hands in confusion, not understanding Nagy's point.

Nagy rewound the tape and played it again, pausing the video on Larsson as he received the ball. He pointed at the image, saying, "Henrik is in this position. How many options does he have?"

Aldrich's expression shifted as he focused, his mind starting to work. He replied solemnly, "The passing options are limited; dribbling is the best choice because it promises a higher payoff."

In the footage, Larsson was facing Taylor in defense, and there was indeed space to break through. At that moment, the trailing center-back, Simek, wasn't closing in. If Larsson made his move, he might not ensure a goal, but he would at least have a good shooting opportunity, which was precisely what Millwall sought—direct scoring chances!

Nagy continued playing the video, and it showed Larsson opting for a pass. Although he didn't lose possession, that decision gave Aston Villa more time to set up their defensive shape.

In the next clip, Trezeguet was seen holding the ball with his back to the goal. Nagy paused the footage and asked, "What should he do?"

Aldrich assessed the screen, noticing that his teammates were tightly marked and the supporting players were out of position. Trezeguet could either pass back or go it alone. Since Ehiogu wasn't closing in, Trezeguet had space to turn.

Aldrich said, "Turning and shooting directly is the best choice."

Nagy played the clip forward, showing Trezeguet trying to break through after turning with the ball but getting it intercepted.

Nagy spoke solemnly, "David made the right choice, but he didn't execute it as well as he could have. He could have taken a lateral touch to adjust his shooting angle and position efficiently; then he would've been in a position to score, instead of trying to dribble forward. The footage clearly shows that there was space around him to take the best action."

Nagy kept the video rolling, showcasing more clips that featured different players and actions, but the main point he wanted to make was consistent. The players had a solid grasp of ball handling, yet their decision-making in the finer details left much to be desired.

After turning off the TV, Aldrich said seriously, "Nagy, let's get to the point."

Nagy didn't celebrate the win from the previous day; instead, he returned to the club office to have staff send him footage from various angles of the game, dedicating the night to analyzing it without rest.

He looked deeply into Aldrich's eyes and said solemnly, "Aldrich, yesterday's victory wasn't just about the players performing well; it was about your tactics working effectively. Millwall's impressive performance in the Premier League this season isn't solely because of top-tier players but due to three factors: first, team chemistry; second, tactics; third, fitness."

Aldrich retorted, "The ability to work well with teammates and execute the coach's strategies, combined with improved fitness from serious training, doesn't that highlight the players' excellence?"

Nagy slammed his hand on the table, raising his voice, "No! If things keep going this way, Millwall's overall strength will certainly be formidable, but it will also have significant limitations. These players are merely products of Millwall's tactical system; they can only adapt to this way of playing but won't stand out on their own. In other words, they are good players, but they will never become top stars! When our opponents adapt to our tactics and our fitness advantage disappears, we'll be caught up immediately. We need to enhance the players' talents, allowing them to turn their natural gifts into genuine ability. They must be capable of making the best decisions in split-second situations and executing them effectively!"

Aldrich looked astonished at Nagy's fervent words. Nagy lamented, "Does Larsson score fewer goals than Shearer? No, but most of Larsson's goals stem from team synergy. What about Shearer? Many of his goals arise from his ability to convert non-clear chances into properly executed shots on goal."

Aldrich was now confused and asked, "Doesn't that make us seem stronger? We stress teamwork over individual prowess."

"You're mistaken, Aldrich! This isn't a debate between individual and team. The question is, if I gave you a Shearer who could blend into Millwall's team style, would his performance be better or worse than Larsson's?"

Nagy's voice rose, and although Aldrich typically disliked this tone, today his mind felt undeniably clear.

Yes, if given a Shearer who could score from near-impossible opportunities, how many goals would he net?

Even if it was an unrealistic fantasy, logically, Aldrich leaned toward the belief that Shearer would undoubtedly outperform Larsson.

This wasn't a judgment of ability but a subjective assumption based on perception.

Deep down, Aldrich felt the greater threat came from Shearer.

Where was the problem?

Aldrich took out a cigarette, lit it, and after a few puffs, softly said, "Nagy, no matter what you're about to say, let's calm down first, then discuss it properly. I'll listen to everything you have to say. Just tell me what the essence of the issue is."

Nagy sighed heavily, lighting a cigarette of his own, his face clouded with worry, "It's that Brazilian kid you brought in."

"Ronaldinho? What's wrong with him?"

"He's too talented; I can't coach him."

"What do you mean? He doesn't listen to you?"

Aldrich frowned, concerned from a coach's perspective; players who resist instruction are always challenging, regardless of their reputation, especially not a minor as young as Ronaldinho.

Nagy waved a dismissive hand, "No, it's not his fault. It's mine, as a youth coach. We impart team mentality and the philosophy of collective football, and he's learning and doing well, but he can do so much more. You know he possesses incredible dribbling insight and skills. The problem is that when he starts to take on players on the field, none of us coaches are there to guide him on how to dribble effectively, the angles to choose in different environments, and what skillful moves to use in connection with techniques that serve the team. This doesn't contradict our tactical philosophy. Players don't merely need to know how to pass and position themselves; dribbling is a vital skill that will never fade from the football field."

Aldrich rubbed his temple, striving to comprehend Nagy's points fully.

"Aldrich, imagine a player receiving the ball in an attacking position; their choices are typically three: shoot, pass, or dribble. If they are not in a shooting position, that leaves the latter two. Our tactics emphasize the collective; when teammates make runs and there are viable passing lanes, the player's choice should ideally be a pass. However, when players find themselves unable to pass or shoot, the only option left is to take on the defender. Millwall has been playing smoothly in the league because of our advanced tactics, with full-backs and midfielders alternating to attack. In those moments, we can often create numerical advantages to break through the opponent. But when our opponents catch up to our style, and we find ourselves lacking in numerical advantage, can our players still rely on their technical skills to change the game? Do they have that ability? Yesterday, we won, but it also highlighted our most significant problem—who on our team consistently holds an absolute advantage in one-on-one situations? Larsson relies on speed, and Nedved does too; the only two players who show a marginal edge in technical skills are Pires and Schneider."

Nagy's words made Aldrich's expression darken.

Perhaps he was the one who needed a wake-up call.

He reflected on yesterday's match; indeed, in equal situations, none of the Millwall players stepped up through individual ability. It was Aldrich himself who created space to break the deadlock through a concerted attack down the center.

After all, Aston Villa wasn't a top-tier team; their full-backs stood bewildered when isolated. But against other elite teams, they would surely respond with ease.

Aldrich looked up at Nagy and asked, "Why did it take you so long to realize this issue after all these months?"

Nagy forced a pained smile. "When I took over the youth team, the players were just like that. Ronaldinho's arrival caught me by surprise. His extraordinary talent made me suddenly aware of the issue. Also, as you know, I used to work with the national team, where the focus wasn't on teaching player skills. After reviewing some training footage of first-team players, I came across a fact that might make you unhappy."

Understanding, Aldrich nodded. The national team coach didn't focus on developing players but on blending the existing players together, with very different priorities from those in a club environment.

"Let's hear it. If there are hidden issues in our team build-up, pointing them out to help me correct them will please me. It wouldn't make me happy for you to come to me only when the problems become glaringly obvious."

"For instance, take Glenn Shire. Over the past year, his physical metrics have improved, his team awareness has grown, and his passing and positioning have matured. However, his technical skills have hardly progressed, particularly his dribbling. A year ago, his only trick was to use the inside of his foot to accelerate past players. A year later, he still relies on just that one move. Thankfully, he's still young. If he were twenty-four or twenty-five, he would either be cut or stuck filling a specific backup position at Millwall, with major limitations. Aldrich, skills are cultivated, not innate. Every player in our team can maintain possession, and Pirlo has become not just a great short passer but also a more accurate long passer. That's all through practice. But we don't have any dedicated dribbling drills in our training regimen. It may sound absurd, but even other clubs aren't likely to spend time each week on dribbling training. It seems like a skill reserved for agile, technical players, but dribbling is a crucial link connecting stopping, ball control, and shooting!"