The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 51: Aftermath of Departure

Beckham packed his bags and left London that same day. Later that evening, Aldrich received a call from the Manchester United manager.

"Aldrich, I've heard about David, and I don't want this to affect our relationship."

Aldrich found the Scottish manager's opening line a bit strange.

"Really? Do you think I'm a three-year-old child who harbors resentment towards Beckham and therefore hates the entire Manchester United club? Don't worry, I'm not that petty. David may still be immature, and it's normal that he wouldn't take my words to heart since he's on loan at Millwall."

Clearly, Ferguson had watched the match footage of Middlesbrough's away game against Millwall before calling Aldrich; he already knew the details from another player, Phil Neville.

Ferguson, being protective, wouldn't resort to blaming David Beckham—he wouldn't even mention it during their call, something Aldrich expected. But when Ferguson stated that it wouldn't affect the relationship between the two clubs, Aldrich found it odd.

"Well, you're a straightforward young man. No need to say more—goodbye."

After hanging up, Aldrich was left feeling perplexed.

No need to say more?

Ferguson clearly had more to say!

But perhaps the timing wasn't right.

While soaking in the bathtub, Aldrich finally understood: this old man was worried that he might harbor animosity towards Manchester United and refuse to sell players to them!

Did Ferguson want to make some signings?

Absolutely!

Even though he had brought in Andy Cole in January to bolster their attacking lineup for the second half of the season against Daglish's Blackburn, no one could have anticipated that just half a month later, Cantona would shock the world with his flying kick at a Crystal Palace fan.

The FA handed down a ban; Cantona was suspended for eight months!

With the winter transfer window closed, that meant Cantona would miss the early rounds of the next season's Premier League. No one knew what kind of form Cantona would be in after eight months without matches, and having just lost key players to injuries, Ferguson now had a new headache regarding his forward options.

Once Beckham returned to Manchester and after his discussion with Ferguson, it was clear that Ferguson's gaze shifted beyond Larsson, with Trezeguet and Solskj?r also making their way onto the radar of Manchester United scouts.

The day after the match, the team had a day off, and in the afternoon, the players came to the training ground for light recovery workouts.

As the sun set, Aldrich called Phil Neville into his office.

Neville, now dressed in casual clothes after training, was still a straightforward young man. He got right to the point: "Boss, I want to stay, at least until the end of this season. I think I can gain valuable experience here at Millwall."

Aldrich appreciated his honesty, which was refreshingly direct.

Being a substitute, Neville had already made over ten appearances this season. While Aldrich couldn't say he had given everything to him at Millwall, the coaching staff was fair in their approach, treating all players equally.

Aldrich sighed softly. "I want you to stay too, but it's not possible. You should understand that if you stay, life for you here will be difficult in the coming months because you're a Manchester United player."

If Aldrich kept Neville after Beckham's departure, he would undoubtedly be isolated in the locker room, and he couldn't expect his players to behave nobly and treat him fairly.

Even if Neville didn't provoke outward anger, his connection to Manchester United would hinder his standing in this team-centric sport.

Neville looked dejected, and he had no more words to counter.

He ended up being collateral damage; in light of the Beckham affair, it was hardly surprising that the Millwall players viewed him with suspicion and hostility.

Aldrich picked up two thick stacks of papers from his desk and handed them to Neville. "I called you in to discuss this matter. These are training reports from the past August for you and David, along with a development plan for your future training."

Neville took the heavy stacks in his hands, feeling their weight, and suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

Aldrich was known for his meticulous approach to work, and the coaching staff showed the same level of dedication. They treated loan players like Neville and Beckham equally, and the two reports moved Neville deeply.

"Take these reports back to Manchester United. For me, this is just fulfilling my responsibility. You and David are young, and bringing you guys here was a difficult decision, but since you're at Millwall, I feel it's necessary to be responsible for your growth..."

Aldrich went on and on, even to the point where he felt he was rambling. He couldn't help it; an unexpected sadness crept over him.

After all, they'd been together for six months, and this sudden separation caught him off guard.

Neville listened attentively, nodding frequently, especially when Aldrich, speaking as a friend, urged him to train hard back at United and not let outside distractions interfere. Neville nodded vigorously, committing every word to his heart.

Following Beckham's departure, Neville also returned to Manchester United. This wouldn't be mentioned in the media until the press conference for the mid-week FA Cup replay.

As Aldrich prepared his team for their second visit to St. James' Park this season, he faced a barrage of questions from the media at the pre-match conference.

"Why did David Beckham and Phil Neville unexpectedly return to Manchester United after the last match? At the start of the season, Manchester United announced that both players would be on loan at Millwall for the entire season. What happened?"

Facing the reporters who wouldn't relent until they got a deeper understanding, Aldrich, initially unwilling to elaborate, finally replied lightly, "Millwall's upcoming schedule is relatively light, and our current team condition is sufficient to handle all matches. I believe it's in Beckham's and Neville's best interests to return to Manchester United now, as they won't get more playing time here at Millwall."

At that moment, Aldrich truly experienced the persistence of the reporters.

He had initially thought that last month's two major news pieces—Graham's dismissal and Cantona's flying kick at a fan—would be enough to keep the English journalists occupied for a while. Aldrich had previously refused to comment on those incidents because he didn't want to pile on Graham after his team lost to Millwall.

As for Cantona kicking a Crystal Palace fan, the derby rivalry with Crystal Palace made it tricky for Aldrich to speak freely.

He felt it wasn't right to support one side and not the other.

If he spoke up, he'd offend both sides.

Was it worth it?

Now, today, reporters were speculating whether Aldrich's relationship with Manchester United had soured or even turned hostile.

Aldrich felt a sense of relief as he noted that the truth hadn't surfaced; no one in the locker room had leaked his furious outburst, which would have been a major faux pas.

"Gentlemen, if there are no further questions regarding the FA Cup match, I'll be leaving," Aldrich stated.

He answered a few more lackluster questions about the match before rising to leave.

As for Kevin Keegan's loud declaration that his team would defeat Millwall, Aldrich shrugged it off.

Kevin Keegan was quite the anomaly in English football.

His career was incredibly successful, making him one of the superstars of England in the 1970s and 1980s. His retirement ended with a dramatic farewell: a helicopter landed on the pitch, and with tears streaming down his face, he waved goodbye to the fans. Without even changing out of his kit, he jumped into the helicopter, and then it flew away.

He truly showcases a style reminiscent of 'having accomplished the task, he departs unobtrusively, keeping his glory and name in the shadows.'

Though he was a forward, his coaching at Newcastle United brought them attacking flair. In recent years, he seemed to have developed a bit of an ego, thinking he could go head-to-head with Ferguson, which Aldrich found somewhat laughable.

If football matches were determined solely by offensive prowess, Keegan might well have an advantage.

Had it not been for Millwall's lack of ambition towards the cup this season, Aldrich wouldn't have been inclined to change his team's strategy. He truly wanted to teach Kevin Keegan a lesson in "defense wins championships" using his young players.

Let Keegan bask in his glory; Aldrich didn't care to engage in provocation.

Due to Beckham's and Neville's departures, Aldrich faced some challenges in his lineup. In the FA Cup replay, he let Lucas Neill continue to play, while Zambrotta shifted to right-back. The midfield remained unchanged from their match against Arsenal: Gattuso, Vieira, and Ballack.

The three forwards were Glenn Johnson, Phillips, and Solskj?r.

Aldrich wanted to see how this 4-3-3 formation would pan out with Johnson and Solskj?r on the wings.

At St. James' Park, Newcastle fielded their full first team, resulting in an exhilarating back-and-forth match.

The previous match had ended in a 1-1 draw.

But in this match, no one could have predicted the final score after 90 minutes would be: 4-4.

Faced with Newcastle, a side imploding with attacking talent, Aldrich knew they wouldn't be able to maintain a defensive stand. They weren't facing a rough-and-tumble team from the lower leagues; they were up against one of the Premier League's finest attacking sides.

With Ballack and Vieira pushing forward plus the fierce performances of the trio up front, Millwall's attacking game flourished.

Phillips scored twice, Solskj?r netted another, and Ballack equalized with a header just before the final whistle.

Exhausted after extra time, Millwall ultimately fell to a last-minute strike from Newcastle, exiting the FA Cup in the fourth round.

Aldrich felt no regrets, yet was surprised to hear Keegan ranting in the post-match interviews.

"Mr. Keegan said Millwall has paid the price for not respecting the FA Cup, and even if Millwall were to get promoted to the Premier League next season, survival would be difficult."

"Did he really say that?"

Aldrich appeared puzzled as he faced the camera during post-match interviews.

They won the match, and they could celebrate however they wanted. Why latch onto him for no reason?

Oh well, it seems a feud had begun!

"I'm glad to hear Mr. Kevin Keegan's remarks. If Millwall gets promoted to the Premier League next season, our goal is indeed survival, especially when facing a strong team like Newcastle, where we need to fight for points to avoid relegation. This season, Newcastle has already lost their chance to compete for the Premier League title, so I wish Mr. Keegan the best of luck in touching the Premier League trophy next season."