The Godfather of Football

December 7, evening.

The Arena Stadium in Amsterdam was packed!

This was the game with the highest attendance rate for Ajax this season, because the team visiting the Arena Stadium this time was Roma, led by Capello, a top team from Serie A.

With a 2:0 away victory, Ajax met Roma again at the Arena Stadium two weeks later. Ajax proved with strength that the victory two weeks ago was not luck, but the result of the team's strength and the players' efforts.

1:0, although the process looked embarrassing, Ajax was suppressed by Roma for a long time and was a little breathless, but with a sharp counterattack, Van der Meyde scored the winning goal for Ajax.

Ye Qiu was surprised by Van der Meyde's state, because he originally hoped that the main force was Van der Vaart, but what he didn't expect was that Van der Meyde's performance in the new season was getting better and better, especially in the recent period, after Van der Vaart was injured, his performance was better than Van der Vaart, and he almost became the best player in the Ajax team.

In this case, Ye Qiu had no reason to replace the hot Van der Meyde and use Van der Vaart, right?

The referee had not blown the whistle to end the game, but the Ajax fans in the stadium could not help cheering.

Although Ye Qiu's team won one and drew one in the two league games in the past two weeks, drawing 1:1 away with Utrecht and 6:1 at home against Heerenveen, they were once again left behind by PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord. Both teams won two consecutive games, especially Feyenoord, which firmly occupied the top position in the Eredivisie.

But for Ajax fans, these can be put aside for the time being, because their team defeated Roma led by the gold medal coach Capello with a total score of 3:0 in the two rounds of the UEFA Cup knockout round of 32, and successfully advanced to the round of 16.

On the other hand, Feyenoord drew 2:2 with Stuttgart at home and lost 1:2 away, and was eventually eliminated.

PSV Eindhoven was lucky, and eliminated Thessaloniki, Greece, with a total score of 4:0 in two rounds.

Everyone can see that after a few months of running-in and adjustment, Ajax's performance is getting better and better, especially the performance of several key players in the team, which makes everyone satisfied and surprised.

Before the season, many people were dissatisfied with Ye Qiu's signings, but now, they have all changed their minds.

Ibrahimovic is the most expensive player in Ajax, but the performance of this Swedish center forward in recent times, especially in the two games against Roma, completely suppressed the outstanding performance of the Roma defense led by Samuel, which made people see the strength and tactical value of this Swedish center forward with outstanding footwork.

Many people said that Lucio would be a hidden danger in Ajax's defense, but Lucio completely shut out Batistuta in two rounds, leaving the Argentine center forward with infinite regrets to leave the UEFA Cup. In addition, Ajax's defense line composed of Abidal, Kivu, Lucio and Heitinga is becoming more and more stable in the Eredivisie. These all make people affirm Lucio's ability and recognize the contribution of the Brazilian center back to Ajax's defense.

Keita is the player with the most running per game in Ajax. His running without hesitation, stable ball protection and passing ability all make him play a key role in Ajax's tactical system. Who dares to say that it is not cost-effective to introduce this Mali midfielder for 350,000 euros before the season?

It's simply too cost-effective!

If someone wants to get Keita from Ajax now, I'm sorry, even if they offer ten times the price, they can't impress Ye Qiu, because Ajax's midfield needs a player with a wide coverage area, who can run and pass.

And Robben, in his debut season in the Eredivisie, Robben's performance amazed everyone. His sharp breakthrough on the left, lightning speed, delicate but practical dribbling skills, all made him praised by Ajax fans as the new Overmars and the new hope of the team.

If it is said that at the beginning of the season, Ajax's poor results and performance made all fans pessimistic about Ye Qiu and this group of young players, then now, everyone has begun to change their attitude towards Ye Qiu.

At least, he can firmly occupy the top three in the league with this set of the youngest lineup on average in the Eredivisie.

Ye Qiu sat in the coaching seat of the home team at the Arena Stadium, scanning the players on the field, and the information of each player emerged in his mind. He felt that the current situation of Ajax is gradually improving, the main lineup is getting more and more tacit, the combat effectiveness is getting stronger, and the substitute lineup is also performing well.

The brothers Yaya Toure and Kolo Toure, De Jong, Maduro, Hleb, Stekelenburg, and Maicon who competes with Heitinga for the main position of right back, are all trustworthy players, but they are unable to play the main position in the team for various reasons.

But as long as they are given the opportunity, these people will definitely shine, and by then, Ajax will become stronger and stronger.

"Bobby!" Ye Qiu thought of this, and suddenly an unprecedented ambition surged.

Conquering the Arena Stadium has never been his goal, nor his wish. In the past year or so, what he wanted to do most has never changed, that is, to gain a foothold in the mainstream European leagues, become a professional head coach, and use his achievements and strength to prove to all Europeans that his name is Ye Qiu, from China, but he is a successful professional head coach, so that those Europeans will never dare to look down on him and his compatriots from now on!

Bobby Hams heard Ye Qiu's shout and looked over. He always had a generous smile because he won the game.

"I am really confident. As long as I am given three years, I will definitely lead this team and make all the giants in Europe tremble because of us!" He is really motivated and confident.

High defense, midfield pressure, plus the powerful lineup he personally tailored for Ajax's tactics, all gave him unprecedented confidence, especially after defeating Capello's Roma, he was even more full of fighting spirit.

"Why wait for three years?" Bobby Hams suddenly asked with a smile.

Ye Qiu narrowed his eyes and laughed, "Don't treat me as a fool, Bobby, I have confidence, but that doesn't mean I've lost my mind. Even Capello needed several years to build Roma before he could make a difference in the European arena. Do you think I can make it in one step?"

There are many strong teams in the European arena. The competition pressure in the Champions League itself is very high, needless to say, the competition pressure in the UEFA Cup is also very high. It should be said that one of the important reasons why the UEFA Cup has become useless is the expansion of the Champions League last season, but the impact is not very obvious for the time being.

Therefore, the competition pressure in this season's UEFA Cup is not much less than that in the Champions League, and it is full of quality.

So, Ye Qiu is not so arrogant that he thinks his team can call the shots in the European arena. He has not reached the level of super teams such as Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Real Madrid.

After hearing this, Bobby Hams actually flashed a trace of praise. Ye Qiu did have quite a lot of shortcomings and defects, but he also had many advantages that young head coaches did not have. One was his diligence and learning ability, and the other was that he always maintained a sense of reason.

Ye Qiu's tactics were not unprecedented, but his diligence in learning, coupled with his natural tendency to take things from others, allowed him to pick out things that suited him from the advantages and essence of others and use them for his own benefit. This was a very rare spirit for a head coach.

Bobby Hams had experienced so many head coaches, but there were not many who were as humble as Ye Qiu, not even Van Gaal.

"You should think about the next game against Feyenoord first!" Bobby Hams said with a laugh.

Ye Qiu was in a good mood because of the win, but he suddenly became depressed again.

"Damn, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven's performance this season is really amazing!" Ye Qiu was puzzled. Why are these two teams, especially Feyenoord, in such good shape?

Bobby Hams had no choice because Feyenoord had performed really well in the league so far.

…………

…………

After defeating Roma, Ajax entered the UEFA Cup round of 16, which immediately made all the major newspapers in the Netherlands praise the Amsterdam team, and gave overwhelming praise to head coach Ye Qiu who led the team to defeat Capello. Many people even felt that Ye Qiu was born to be a cup coach.

"Perhaps, Ajax should consider adjusting its strategy, giving up the Eredivisie, giving full play to the characteristics of head coach Ye Qiu, and going all out to attack the cup championship!" Schuld Mosso of the Joint Daily suggested with a bit of ridicule.

Ye Qiu smiled when he saw this report. Only a fool would give up the league and go all out to attack the more risky cup competition. Does anyone think that winning the UEFA Cup and the Champions League is easier than winning the league championship?

Of course, Schuld Mosso's words were more of a joke, and he was also happy that Ajax defeated Roma.

On the second day after the UEFA Cup, UEFA held a draw ceremony in Geneva. This time, Ajax's opponent was Liverpool from the Premier League, another powerful team.

However, it was not that Ajax was unlucky. PSV Eindhoven met Parma from Serie A, which was definitely not easier to play than Liverpool. Stuttgart met Celta, Porto met Nantes, Barcelona was a little luckier, and met AEK Athens. Inter Milan met Alaves from La Liga.

There are no weak teams in European competitions. Even teams like AEK Athens are not necessarily weaker than Ajax.

The UEFA Cup's round of 16 knockouts will have to wait until February next year. Therefore, before the winter break, Ye Qiu can devote all his energy to the competition between the league and the Dutch Cup. Because Ajax participated in European competitions, the Dutch Cup can directly participate in the round of 16 knockouts. This time, the opponent is Zwolle from the Dutch Eredivisie.

The time is after the game with Feyenoord.

Therefore, Ye Qiu's biggest headache was the match against Feyenoord.

Knock knock~~

"Come in!" Ye Qiu was studying the match against Feyenoord. He heard a knock on the door and raised his head.

The person who came was Van der Vaart.

After the latter walked into Ye Qiu's office, he was obviously a little embarrassed. After giving Ye Qiu a forced smile, he came and sat down in front of him.

"Raphael, what do you want from me?" Ye Qiu was keenly aware of the uneasiness on Van der Vaart's face.

Van der Vaart nodded, "There is something I want to talk to you about."

"About the location?" Ye Qiu guessed it immediately.

Van der Vaart was stunned. He didn't expect Ye Qiu to say it in advance. He smiled awkwardly and nodded without denying it.

Ye Qiu smiled. He was actually very young, only a few years older than Van der Vaart. He looked more like an older brother, but he controlled the life and death of the younger brother in front of him in Ajax.

"Do you want to hear the truth?" Ye Qiu asked.

Van der Vaart hesitated and nodded, "Of course."

While he was thinking, Ye Qiu was also thinking about what to say. After waiting for his answer, he explained with a smile: "In my original plan, you and Maicon partnered on the right, and you cut inside in front, and Maicon To attack later, this is the team’s 4-3-3 right-side configuration, and at the beginning of the season, I did follow this configuration.”

Van der Vaart understood that at the beginning of the season, Ye Qiu's focus was on perfecting the offensive and defensive combination of Van der Vaart and Maicon on the right. He could clearly feel Ye Qiu's trust in him, but the injury he suffered in Russia made him In the following period, they all lost their main position.

"But during the period when you were injured, Van der Meyde was more threatening on the right. He was very good in both assault and passing ability, and he actively participated in defense on the right. With him in front, I arranged With Heitinga playing at right back, the defense becomes stronger, so this is how I arranged the two games against Roma!”

When he said this, Ye Qiu shook his head and sighed, "You have been with me for more than a year. I know your strength very well, but you should also understand that the combination of Van der Meyde and Heitinga performed well, and the team's results When things get better and better, there’s no reason for me to break this momentum, right?”

Van der Vaart himself understood what Ye Qiu said, but he could accept it at the beginning, but as time went by, he became a little scared and worried that he would always sit on the bench, because he clearly felt that Robben, van der Meyde and even Hleb are improving more and more.

To put it bluntly, the progress of young people must be tempered by games. Without games, even a talent like Van der Vaart cannot guarantee whether he can carve out a path in the Ajax team filled with rookies.

"I know your worries, Rafael, and I have always been very optimistic about you. With Robben already on the left, I hope that my right can be more varied, so when I arrange my tactics, It’s you who would rather see the right side.”

Ye Qiu's words rekindled Van der Vaart's hope. As long as Ye Qiu continued to trust him, the main position would be given to him sooner or later.

Ye Qiu had always paid attention to the change in Van der Vaart's expression. After seeing him regain hope, he smiled, walked out of the desk, came to his side, and patted his shoulder affectionately, "Listen to me. Say, Rafael, the most important thing for you now is not to worry about the main position. You are only 17 years old. Look at the Eredivisie. How many people have been the main player at the age of 17? "

When it comes to the youth of the main force, Ajax is the most unparalleled. Both Sneijder and Robben are only 16 years old, but they have already established their positions in the Ajax main lineup. However, their performance has also been ups and downs. It has a lot to do with their young age.

However, Ye Qiu feels that since he trusts young people, he should boldly give them opportunities to perform, let them venture out, and accumulate experience. Therefore, when Ye Qiu's physical fitness and physical endurance meet the requirements, Always use Robben and Sneijder.

"Also, your problem is more obvious. Your defense in the frontcourt is not as active as Van der Meyde, and your right foot is not strong enough. You are playing as a right winger after all, so you must practice your right foot. You are not required to use your right foot. The foot needs to be as flexible as the left foot, but at the very least it needs to be able to break through, go down and cross.”

Young people just need to be given hope. As long as they see hope and get enough trust, they will work hard to move forward. The same is true for Van der Vaart today.

On the one hand, Ye Qiu promised that his role as a substitute was only temporary and that in the head coach's mind, Van der Vaart's position was as important as Van der Meyde. On the other hand, when Ye Qiu also asked him to strengthen the frontcourt press and pressure and practice his right foot, Van der Vaart agreed wholeheartedly.

After sending Van der Vaart away, Ye Qiu also breathed a sigh of relief. This is Ajax's new Cruyff.

If Van der Vaart had not suffered those injuries in his previous life, Ye Qiu really didn't know what heights he could have reached, and he was full of expectations, because this Van der Vaart would be the star he cultivated, and it was satisfying to think about it.

Seeing that it was late, Ye Qiu called Huang Chu and made an appointment to wait at the gate.

After leaving the office, when Ye Qiu went downstairs, he saw someone doing extra exercises in the gym on the first floor. He went to the window and saw that it was Ibrahimovic. This guy was practicing upper body strength. He was obviously He suffered a hidden loss in the direct competition with Samuel and others, and is now strengthening himself.

In the recent period, although Ibrahimovic has not said it, he has become more actively involved in practicing his shooting skills. Ye Qiu, Van Basten and others are very satisfied with him and have achieved good results. The key is It depends on whether he can persevere.

Now he is strengthening his upper body strength by himself. It seems that this Swedish boy has really changed his ways.

But Ye Qiu knows this guy. If he goes in now, he will never train again.

Thinking of this, he smiled and left the training building without disturbing Ibrahimovic. He was thinking in his heart that he should let Peter Brandt tailor a set of upper body strength confrontation and strengthening training for him. It would be more effective than this guy practicing blindly here, but he couldn't just hand over the training plan to him.

"Well, it's not easy to take care of a guy with a perverted self-esteem!" Ye Qiu smiled bitterly and shook his head.