The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 6: Assemble a new team.

Among the three sons of the Hall family, the eldest, Barnett, is currently seen as the most successful by outsiders, having built up a fortune worth over a hundred million through hard work. The second son, Andrew, a lawyer by profession, also adds luster to the family name. However, Andrew established a brokerage firm three years ago, which has seen almost no business—only investments without returns—suggesting it serves merely as a facade.

As for the youngest son, Aldrich, he has spent most of his time away from home, leaving others with little opportunity to meet him, nor have they heard of any academic achievements on his part, resulting in scant attention being paid to him.

In the study, Aldrich and Andrew were discussing the future of Millwall. Three years ago, Andrew invested ￡100,000 to set up the brokerage, but the business has nearly been nonexistent over the years. However, Andrew remains patient, firmly believing that his talented younger brother will not disappoint him.

Sometimes, Europeans can be quite superstitious.

Lucky colors, clothing, gestures, and so on are constantly believed in.

When Aldrich was ten years old, he helped the three brothers earn over ￡10,000. Since then, he has become not only the Hall family's mascot but also a psychological assurance of success and victory.

It was still 1994; the Bosman ruling had not reached its final verdict, which wouldn't be settled until the end of next year.

Before that, players were in a disadvantaged position with minimal income and many restrictions; even players with expired contracts could not transfer freely. It's easy to imagine that in such an environment, no matter how famous a player might be, they would hardly need an agent.

Unless another superstar like Best emerged, transcending the realm of football. Certainly, since the turn of the twenty-first century, superstars who surpass the football field have become more commonplace, much attributed to the Bosman ruling.

Once the Bosman ruling takes effect, it will lead to a surge in players seeking better treatment during transfers. Subsequently, the influence of agents will become more important. This does not prevent Aldrich from encouraging Andrew to proactively build relationships with players and clubs, leveraging Barnett's business connections in Europe and America. This will be critical in determining the agent's future success in attracting players.

Thus, at twenty-one, Andrew had no clients in the company, but his staff had spread across various parts of the world, building an extensive network of information.

In the past few years, while Aldrich studied across Europe, Andrew focused on gathering information and maintaining contact with Aldrich.

Aldrich had devised a rather simplistic method to help Andrew select players.

He reviewed player information from youth squads around the world, including photos. For those he considered worthy of attention, Andrew would personally visit to establish connections. If young players were in financial hardship, Andrew would even provide support for free. This was in line with Aldrich's vision, referred to as early investment; because once they could become player agents, even completing one or two transfers could yield countless returns.

If Aldrich intended to clean house at Millwall's first team, the next step was, of course, to find players, specifically young and compliant ones.

Thus, Andrew first said, "Do you remember that young lad from northern Brazil? He's been hesitating about signing with Corinthians. He mentioned there are other clubs after him. Last month, he even asked for my opinion. I had no suggestions, but if you want him, go for it."

Aldrich hadn't focused on players yet, but after hearing Andrew, he shook his head and said, "Forget it; he can't get a work permit. Moreover, he hasn't signed with you yet. But once he does, you can discuss this with him and promise to help him settle in Europe so he can earn more. I'm heading to the Netherlands tomorrow."

The Brazilian lad Andrew mentioned was not an ordinary character; he was Rivaldo, a critical player in future World Cup championship squads, a dual-winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or.

A few years ago, Rivaldo had faced severe hardships. After his father's death, his mother struggled to support the family alone. During that time, Andrew sponsored young Rivaldo with a mere twenty pounds a month, but the purchasing power of pounds in Brazil was significant, allowing Rivaldo to focus less on family burdens.

Upon hearing this, Andrew nodded, "Well, let's wait until he can get a work permit before bringing him to Millwall."

Aldrich, with a resigned expression, countered, "Don't; please avoid that thought. If he can go to a top club, let him. This is a crucial time for you to build your reputation. If you sign a good player and then place him in your brother's club, who would still want to sign with you?"

Scratching his head, Andrew decided to drop the subject and asked, "What are you going to do in the Netherlands?"

Aldrich shrugged and replied, "Build a coaching staff."

...

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dressed casually, Aldrich arrived near the world-famous arena in the city.

Here lies Ajax's renowned youth training base, which, before La Masia took advantage of the Bosman Law to establish its prominence, was widely acknowledged as one of the most celebrated youth academies in Europe and the world. In Dutch, it symbolizes the future.

In the summer of '94, no one realized that Ajax's future was about to be dismantled by Bosman.

At this training base, there are numerous training pitches, and players of various age groups showcase their impressive talents under the guidance of coaches. Among the onlookers are parents of the children and scouts from different clubs.

The last time Aldrich visited here was during Ajax's draft day, where the turnout was massive. Many parents brought their children to participate, yet very few met Ajax's stringent talent selection criteria. Aldrich felt deep sympathy for those children who left in tears after not being selected.

From a distance, Aldrich stood on the periphery of the training field and shouted at a young man directing the players, "Jansen!"

Jansen-Bernard, wearing casual coaching attire, turned upon hearing his name, spotted Aldrich in the distance, and laughed as he walked outside the training ground. When he reached Aldrich, he smiled, "It's hot today; I'm sweating all over, so no hugging. Are you here in the Netherlands for more learning?"

Once having shared a living space with Jansen, Aldrich had formed a bond during their time together.

"Still coaching? Haven't been promoted?"

Aldrich looked at the training field, his eyes filled with warmth for the hardworking children, admiring Dutch football—433, the eternal attacking football.

Jansen shrugged self-pityingly, "There are too many talents here; I'm not in a position to be promoted."

Aldrich elbowed him playfully and quipped, "Hey, what happened to the ambitious Jansen who wanted to be Ajax's head coach?"

Jansen-Bernard embodies a combination of fortune and misfortune.

He was noticed by Ajax at a young age, but after six years of training with them, his talents seemed to have peaked, yet he was not expelled, which is Ajax's custom. Thus, Jansen transitioned from player to coach. Now at just twenty-three years old, he is considered an old hand among the coaches in Ajax's youth academy, having been there for four years!

Jansen rubbed his side, laughing bitterly, "I can't stand it anymore. Back then, I didn't realize it; now every day surrounded by children, I feel myself aging—it's a real torment."

Aldrich turned to him, softly urging, "Come help me; I'll promote you to assistant coach."

Jansen rolled his eyes, "Not interested in jokes."

"I'm serious. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Aldrich Hall, from London, and I own a football club named Millwall. Next season, Millwall will compete in the English First Division."

Gazing earnestly into Jansen's eyes, Aldrich continued.

He understood Jansen; during their shared living days, they had countless late-night discussions about football tactics and analyzed match recordings, each offering their insights into football's future.

Since becoming a coach, Jansen has been reluctant to remain in the youth academy, accumulating substantial knowledge about coaching, including roles as an assistant or head coach—though all theoretical with no practical experience.

Aldrich, too, was inexperienced at this point. He could hire an experienced assistant coach, but such a seasoned figure would inevitably exert an authority in the locker room, creating conflicts. Who would the players follow then?

Aldrich intended to clear the existing coaching team at Millwall but excluded the ordinary trainers focused on daily practice—most of them were fitness coaches. He clearly understood that the tactical coaching group was essential to the team's core.

Players could make errors; one player's mistake can often be mitigated by another. However, if the coaching team makes tactical errors, there is no opportunity for remedy afterwards.

Thus, he sought to build his coaching lineup, fundamentally establishing the key to tactical victory.

Coaches like Jansen typically have contracts that expire at the end of June, so Aldrich's first step in the Netherlands to recruit was to avoid complications in July.

Upon seeing that Aldrich was serious, Jansen asked tentatively, "Assistant coach?"

Aldrich nodded.

"Salary?"

"￡1,000 a month, with annual contract renewals."

"Housing?"

"Provided by the club."

"I'm in!"

Jansen licked his lips and nodded eagerly.

For a youth coach in Ajax, being paid ￡300 a month is considered a high salary, so the offer from Aldrich was irresistible.

Once exhilarated, Jansen added, "Do you need anyone else?"

"Bring as many as you can; I want them all. However, they can't be older than 25. I want to ensure there's no generational gap in communication within the coaching staff, nor do I want anyone trying to assert authority due to age."

"Got it; I know a few you're familiar with. I'll go be a negotiator. How do we discuss the salaries?"

The assistant coach's compensation would naturally be higher than that of other coaches.

"￡600 a month, with the club providing food and housing."

"Wait for my good news."

As Jansen jogged away, Aldrich looked up at the sky, feeling more confident as he approached the new season in two months.