Chapter 162 Winners and Losers

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In the hotel restaurant, the players of the Dutch team were dining. The restaurant was very quiet. Except for the sound of clinking tableware, moving chairs, and footsteps, there were no other unnecessary sounds.

Especially the sound of chatting.

In fact, there are, but the voices are very low, so it seems very quiet, as if no one is talking.

Even after a night, the pain of being eliminated was still not digested by the Dutch players.

This was no ordinary defeat, but the defeat of being knocked out of the competition with a two-goal lead going into the eighty-fifth minute.

Such a failure can simply be called a shame.

And compared with the shame of England, it’s hard to say which one is lighter...

Many people, like England players, dare not turn on their mobile phones or read online comments.

The Dutch fans online were very abusive.

They also understood that after all, this way of elimination was too shameful.

After the game, the entire Internet was praising Argentina and Melli, giving all the words of praise to the Argentine superstar.

And these Dutch players, and even Dutch football as a whole, have become the backdrop for Melli's greatness.

No matter how many fans Melli usually has in the Netherlands, Dutch fans do not want their country to become Melli's "green leaf" on the World Cup stage.

Coupled with the ridicule from Argentine fans, the Dutch could not accept the team's failure.

It is conceivable that when they return home, what greets them at the airport will definitely not be flowers and cheering crowds.

In this dull atmosphere, the team's head coach Joseph Drost stood up and said to all the players:

"I spoke to Mr. Smande last night and we both agreed not to extend the contract."

This sentence did not cause any commotion among the Dutch players, because this was the result that everyone could guess.

After being eliminated by Argentina in such a way, someone had to take charge.

The head coach is obviously the first person responsible.

So last night, many players actually guessed that their head coach would end his contract with the Football Association early.

Originally, the contract between the two parties was to expire after this year's World Cup. However, they still have an agreement, which is to decide whether to renew the contract until the European Cup two years later based on their performance in the World Cup.

The runner-up in the last World Cup stopped in the quarterfinals.

This kind of performance will definitely not satisfy the superiors, so it is normal not to renew the contract.

"I am very happy to have been able to work with you for these six years. I still remember the last World Cup when we reached the final. I often regret not winning the World Cup. But you don't have to Regret because you still have a future. I wish you good luck and I will always be your supporter."

After making a brief farewell speech, Drost left the table.

The rest of the coaching staff followed the head coach out of the restaurant.

After walking out of the restaurant, Drost asked Maxi Carey:

"Mr. Smander asked me for advice yesterday. He wants you to succeed me. Would you like that, Maxi?"

Carey shook his head: "No, Joseph. I'm not ready to become the head coach of the national team just like this."

Drost nodded: "I guess so. So where will you go next?"

"Pirates of Madrid called me and they wanted me to replace Parotti who left."

Drost glared slightly: "You agreed?"

"Yeah. I think it's quite interesting." Kaili gave an affirmative answer.

"That's great." Drost smiled slightly, "Madrid Pirates is a team that is rebuilding, and the challenges are not low... Then I wish you good luck, Maxi. Thank you for your support for the past year. The support and help in my work, with you in the locker room, no one dares to make a mistake."

"That's what I should do, Joseph."

Droste held out his hand to him.

Kairi took the offered hand.

The two shook their arms slightly, and then Drost turned and left, catching up with the coaching team waiting for him in front. That was his real team, the old guys who had followed him since he took over the national team six years ago. .

Carey stayed at the door of the restaurant. After watching all Drost's coaching staff leave, he turned back to the restaurant, sat in his seat, and continued to finish breakfast.

※※※

Janus Edman looked at the things spread out on the bed and sighed.

Only when you pack your luggage do you know how much you have packed with you.

When he set off from Germany, he brought so many things with him, but at that time he didn't sigh and pack them.

At that time, he was looking forward to the upcoming World Cup.

Everything he brought with him was enough to last him through the entire World Cup.

Who would have thought that his World Cup would end in the quarterfinals.

In fact, as long as he wins one more game, he can indeed play the entire World Cup.

Can……

He still regrets his handling of the last shot.

Why are you so careless?

You are facing Albertazzi!

When he thought of this, Edman couldn't help but raise his hand and slap himself.

"Snapped!"

Roommate Torey Weier, who was packing his luggage with his back turned, heard the noise and turned around in surprise to see Edelman touching his face with his hands.

Facing his roommate's expression of seeing a ghost, Edman calmly explained: "I killed a mosquito."

Weil turned back and continued packing.

Edelman also packed everything spread out on the bed into his suitcase and backpack.

There was no sound of conversation in the room between the two of them.

※※※

After eliminating the German team, Italian head coach Matteo Caviglia gave the team a half-day holiday so that the players could sleep in instead of getting up to train.

And he took the entire coaching staff to stay in his room at the same time, studying the video of the game between Argentina and the Netherlands, trying to find a way to defeat Argentina.

Players can rest, but coaches cannot.

They have to start preparing tactics for the semifinals.

"...The Dutch team's tactics are actually no problem. They are leading by two goals until the 85th minute. I think any team can be said to be successful if it can lead Argentina by two goals for 85 minutes. The final The crash actually had an element of luck..."

"It can't be said to be luck. Melli is indeed too strong. His ability to hold the ball is unique."

"Even so, I think if it were us, we should be able to prevent Melly's pass. And don't forget, we still have Mauro."

After watching the game video, the coaches had a heated discussion.

Some people support learning from the Netherlands, while others are opposed to this style of play.

"The Dutch team has already done this once, no matter what the result is. If we follow the Dutch team, Argentina is experienced and they will be familiar with this feeling. I don't think we can do this..."

"It makes sense for the Dutch team to do this. Their offensive ability is actually not weak, which is why they were able to lead by two goals in the first 70 minutes. But compared with them, our scoring ability is weaker. If we are late If we can't break the deadlock, our defense will be under too much pressure!"

Both sides held their own opinions, and they made sense. In the end, the head coach had to make the decision.

After thinking for a while, Caviglia said:

"We can learn a lot from this game. It is feasible to use more physical confrontation to weaken Argentina's ability to hold the ball... In addition, although our scoring ability is slightly weaker, our defensive ability is better than the Dutch team. Even if we can't score, we can try to force the game into a penalty shootout."

※※※

On the second day of the quarter-finals, it stands to reason that half a day should be left for the players to rest.

However, Argentina head coach Lucas Feisol did not let the players move freely. Instead, he called them to the hotel conference room and showed them yesterday's match between Argentina and the Netherlands.

"In yesterday's game, each of us was in the game at the time, so we inevitably didn't understand it comprehensively - what caused us to play so poorly in the first 75 minutes? Now that one night has passed, I think we should have learned from We were separated from the state of the game at that time, so now let us look at the game from the perspective of a bystander, and maybe we can find the answer.”

After Feisol said this, he clicked on the video, then sat aside and watched it with the team members.

This is not a collection compressed into ten minutes, but a complete video of the whole scene from the opening whistle, without cutting a single frame or missing a second.

After watching the first half, Feisol was not in a hurry to continue playing the second half. Instead, he paused the video, turned on the conference room lights, and analyzed the problems exposed by the team in the first half with the players.

Just like halftime in a real game.

"...The Dutch team's playing style is very aggressive. They always ask us for physical confrontation. In this regard, we are not as good as them, so we were unable to enter the rhythm we are used to in the first half. This is objective reasons, but that shouldn’t be a reason for us to perform poorly.”

Faisal said.

"Because we will encounter such a situation in the game. If the opponent increases the intensity of the confrontation a little bit, we will be defeated. Then why play? What is our problem? I think one thing is very important, that is Under their collision, you lost your composure, became impatient, and spent too much time struggling with your opponents and complaining to the referee.

"In this World Cup, is the competition still based on pure technical strength? No, mentality and will are equally important. There is no opponent weaker than us, and the competition is not about tactics - having said that, again, Don't all good tactics require you to execute them on the court? If there is something wrong with your mentality, what's the use of having the best tactics?

"Our opponent in the semi-finals is Italy. I can imagine with my butt what tactics they will adopt. They will not let our offense run smoothly at all costs. When the time comes, we will also argue with them and then go to the referee. Complaining, like a child who loses a fight and goes home crying to his mother?”

The Argentine players who won the ball were criticized by Faisol and kept their heads down without saying a word.

Faisol was once a player for the Argentine national team. He is 144 years old. During his playing career, he has won the Champions League with three different teams, as well as eight top league championships in different countries. .

A grand slam of honors was achieved in his club career.

There are also Copa America winners at the national team level.

If you want to say it's bad, then it's the World Cup champion.

After such a person with an extremely brilliant playing career turned into a head coach, he certainly has high prestige in the minds of today's Argentina internationals.

Not even Mellie is above the head coach on this team.

So when Feisol pointed his finger at Meili, Meili could only suffer.

"Melly, your performance in the last fifteen minutes of the regular game was great, great! You are like a football god!"

Feisol said this and grabbed Melly's arms tightly, but his expression did not look like he wanted to praise Melly at all. His face was ferocious and he gritted his teeth.

"But! Tell me, why? Why couldn't you perform like this in the first seventy-five minutes?!"

Melly lowered his head and was speechless.

Feisol did not want Meili to respond to him with silence. He asked loudly: "Tell me, Meili, tell me, did you come to China for that golden trophy? Right?! Speak! !”

He shook Mellie's body vigorously.

Melly gritted his teeth and said, "Yes!"

"Then let me tell you clearly, with your performance, you will never win the championship!"

Melly lowered his head and said loudly: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, coach! I promise to show my best self in the remaining two games! I promise, I will let the whole world know who is the strongest in the world. of!"

A smile finally appeared on Feisol's face. He let go of Meili, looked at him and said with satisfaction: "Very good, Meili, that's it, you are the strongest in the world! Don't listen to the bullshit remarks of the media. You are so powerful." There is no need to add any attributive words. Albertazzi cannot stop you, nor can the Chinese team or the Brazilian team stop you. Use this World Cup to completely end those boring arguments!"