Chapter 431 Catfish
Just like the last training camp at Shanhai Feiyu Island, this training camp at Hongmaple Ridge also requires signing in at a special sign-in office.
When everyone was queuing up to sign in, Hu Lai, Wang Guangwei, and Luo Kai appeared in their sights.
Suddenly Hu Lai became the focus and center of everyone.
Chen Xingyi, who arrived earlier than them, took the lead to greet them, and then saw Luo Kai next to him: "Why are you three here together?"
"We are all on the same flight." Wang Guangwei explained the reason.
"Hey, I forgot that Luo Kai is also from Dongchuan!" Chen Xingyi patted his forehead.
Hu Lai said to Wang Guangwei: "You see, I am not the only one who would make such a mistake, right?"
Guo Junfu and Liu Yan walked up and patted Hu Lai on the shoulder: "Here we come!"
Hu Lai quickly greeted them: "Come on, come on, are you here early?"
“I just arrived and am waiting in line to sign in...”
Then everyone gathered around Hu Lai and walked towards the sign-in table.
Ran Jiachang, the leader of the Olympic team, was already waiting for them there.
When I saw Hu Lai coming, I greeted him with a happy smile and gave him a thumbs up: "What a great game in the FA Cup final!"
Everyone watched the FA Cup match, and even those who didn't saw it knew about Hu Lai's performance from the news.
In addition, everyone must also know about the grudge between Hu Lai and Wang Xianke.
However, as the leader of the Olympic team, Ran Jiachang did not show his alienation from Hu Lai. Instead, he was as enthusiastic as ever. He touched Hu Lai's heart with a hearty smile and compliments, and tactfully told him that the Olympic team was here. Support him.
Hu Lixin was previously worried that Hu Lai's approach of angrily criticizing Wang Xianke without any evidence would cause him some trouble.
But he really underestimated Hu Lai's status in the minds of many football people.
An anti-Korean hero, a young genius who may help the National Olympic team participate in the Olympics, a person who can score a record thirty goals in a single season in the Chinese League One, even a fool can see that the future is bright, just because he is with a Is the head coach of the Chinese Super League team going to ban him because of his war of words?
Are the top management of the Football Association collectively brainwashed?
Perhaps this possibility still existed when Hu Lixin was young.
But now that the Football Association, after a multi-department joint law enforcement crackdown, can still have such a man who dominates the sky, it really feels like he has never been in jail, and he wants to go in and experience it.
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Judging from Hu Lai's performance in various competitions in 2023, no one will express dissatisfaction or objection to saying that he is the number one star of the Olympic team.
So when Lin Zhiyuan showed up at the check-in point with a suitcase and a backpack, what he saw was Hu Lai surrounded by people, like stars holding the moon.
He remembered the repeated instructions given to him by his agent, Uncle Qiu, in the car, so he grinned and walked up to the group of people.
His tall and muscular figure quickly attracted the attention of the group.
"Are you Hu Lai?" After walking in front of Hu Lai, Lin Zhiyuan looked down at him and asked.
"I'm Hu Lai, who are you?" Hu Lai looked up at him.
"I am Lin Zhiyuan."
Hu Lai had a confused look on his face.
Seeing him like this, Chen Xingyi stood beside him and said: "Hey, he is the genius goalkeeper who said that your achievements are only so high!"
He also gestured with his calf with his hand.
Lin Zhiyuan ignored Chen Xingyi's aggressive provocation and continued to look at Hu Lai.
Hu Lai had a look of surprise on his face when he heard this: "Oh oh oh, it's you!"
Others also reacted and thought of the grudge between Lin Zhiyuan and Hu Lai - they were not familiar with Lin Zhiyuan at first, but they knew and were familiar with Hu Lai, and they would pay more attention to Hu Lai's affairs. . So when Lin Zhiyuan joined the South China Tigers, he said something that was clearly aimed at Hu Lai, and everyone knew about Lin Zhiyuan by the way.
After thinking about it, many people looked at Lin Zhiyuan in unfriendly eyes.
Hu Lai's strength is obvious to all. After you said those words, you still had the nerve to come here. Why? Is it a provocation?
Coupled with Lin Zhiyuan's training background in Germany, many people were a little concerned, thinking that this kid was a banana and not in the same league as us.
The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became a little tense.
At this moment, a big man squeezed in from outside the crowd, it was the team's forward Tan Yunlong. He and Lin Zhiyuan both play in the South China Tigers Club.
After he squeezed in, he quickly apologized to everyone: "Sorry, sorry, Zhiyuan has this kind of character... He has been scolded many times in our team, but he just can't control his mouth... Hu Lai, don't I have the same experience as this stupid big guy..."
After saying that, he tugged Lin Zhiyuan's arm hard and shouted: "What are you doing! What are you dragging here as a newcomer? When Hu Lai first came to our team, he didn't pull as hard as you..."
It's okay that he didn't say this. When he said this, everyone around him looked at Hu Lai with strange expressions.
Guo Junfu muttered next to him: "It seems that Hu Lai was more arrogant at that time..."
Everyone remembered how Hu Lai was sitting at the table of the Hongmangling restaurant, and then other players from the Olympic team ran over to say hello to him and crowded around him.
It's almost like a scene from the movie "The Godfather".
Tan Yunlong was also a little embarrassed.
Lin Zhiyuan turned around and said to Tan Yunlong: "Brother Tan, don't call me a stupid big guy next time. You are a big guy yourself. Didn't you also scold yourself?"
"You..." Tan Yunlong was furious.
The other Olympic team players burst out laughing, and the tense atmosphere that had been there before suddenly dissipated a lot.
Amid laughter, Lin Zhiyuan turned back and continued to look at Hu Lai and said: "I saw your performance in the Football Association Cup. You are indeed very good. But it also makes me look forward to the next Chinese Super League. I will play in the game." I will beat you and not let you score.”
Hu Lai spread his hands: "Then why wait until next season? Aren't there shooting training and group competitions in the training of the Olympic team?"
"Performance in training does not count." Lin Zhiyuan waved his hand and curled his lips.
"I also think that your performance in training does not count, but are you sure you will be able to play for the South China Tigers next season?"
"I have this confidence." Lin Zhiyuan said proudly.
Seeing him like this, Hu Lai nodded: "Okay, we'll meet in the Super League then!"
Lin Zhiyuan grinned after receiving Hu Lai's answer: "It's a deal!"
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Ran Jiachang said to Shi Wuyuan next to him: "Is it really okay not to interfere?"
Shi Wuyin was here before. He saw the entire incident from the side and stopped Ran Jiachang when he wanted to intervene.
"There's no need at all, Lao Ran. Isn't this good? Their internal matters are resolved internally. Isn't it settled now? And Lao Ran, do you know why I want to recruit Lin Zhiyuan?"< br>
"Isn't it because he helped the team win the Chinese Super League reserve league championship in the South China Tigers reserve team?"
"This is just one of the reasons. I have carefully understood Lin Zhiyuan's experience and his character, and found that this kid is simply a qualified 'catfish'!"
"Catfish?" Ran Jiachang was confused.
"Well, the 'catfish' in 'catfish effect'."
Ran Jiachang suddenly realized.
He had heard of the "catfish effect." Catfish are specialized in eating fish, so if you put a catfish in a fixed ecological environment, other fish in the environment will swim desperately to avoid being chased by the catfish, which in turn activates their survival ability.
Therefore, the "catfish effect" is often used to describe the strategy of adopting some means or measures to stimulate competition.
"You want Lin Zhiyuan to stimulate other people?"
"Yes. He is a qualified candidate. He has a carefree personality and speaks freely. I don't know if it's because of his personality or for some other reason. In short, he doesn't seem to be afraid of offending people. It's perfect for him to be the 'catfish'. East Asia After winning the cup, the player lineup gradually became fixed. I was worried that some people would become complacent and slack and lose their ability. Motivation to continue to improve. Just like Guan Xinyan back then, I wanted to find someone to whip them. Lin Zhiyuan, who has experience playing in overseas teams, can make a big fuss as a returnee. All the players on the Olympic team are not familiar with each other, and there is no problem of forming cliques..."
Shi Wuyin told Ran Jiachang all his thoughts.
The latter nodded repeatedly: "I have ideas, I have ideas."
"And look, Lao Ran, he has just arrived and hasn't signed in yet, yet he dares to challenge Hu Lai like this... If it were our other players, they would all be busy surrounding Hu Lai... I'm not talking about Hu Lai Being popular is a bad thing. I just don’t want Hu Lai to feel comfortable staying in the Olympic team. He is indeed the tactical core of our team. We can’t easily replace him, so we have to. Find an outside force to stimulate him so that he doesn't relax too much."
"So you specifically found Lin Zhiyuan, who had some issues with Hu Lai?"
Shi Wuyuan smiled and said nothing.
"You...cunning!"
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"Speaking of which, today's incident suddenly reminded me of the scene in the national competition..." Chen Xingyi said suddenly on the way to the dormitory building.
"Which scene?" Wang Guangwei and Hu Lai were both asking.
"That's it...Hu Lai, do you remember that someone blocked me at the door of the cafeteria and challenged me?"
"Is there such a thing?" Hu Lai frowned and thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up, "Yes! I remembered it, indeed...then your kid sold me out!"
"I feel a little emotional... I think it was me who came to challenge you, but now it's someone else's turn to challenge you." Chen Xingyi said to Hu Lai.
"Speaking of which, what is that person's name?" Hu Lai couldn't remember for a while.
"It seems to be called Zhou Zijing..." Chen Xingyi tried to recall.
"Oh, yes, he later ran to our dormitory building and said he wanted to beat me in the professional league... but there is still no news from him. Has he joined a professional team?"
"I don't know..." Chen Xingyi shook his head.
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"Zhou Zijing, you are crazy! Running a half marathon at night!"
When Zhou Zijing's father, Zhou Shenghai, saw his son coming home soaked all over, his eyes widened.
"Am I running away at noon?" Zhou Zijing held on to the door frame and gasped.
"That's not it. What I'm saying is, why are you working so hard? You finally went home for the holidays. How come you're practicing harder than you did in the club?"
"What can I do, Dad? Who told me that I was not selected for the Olympic team? That Lin Zhiyuan actually made the Olympic team, but I was not!"
"I am the reserve champion, are you?"
Zhou Zi Jing: "..."
He rolled his eyes at his father and went straight to take a shower.
"I'm serious, son, don't work too hard, be careful of injuries during training. You are still young and have a long way to go." Behind him, Zhou Shenghai said seriously.
"I know Dad, I'm sensible. I don't run like this every day." Zhou Zijing waved his hand and walked into the bathroom. "I'm just in a bad mood today. Going for a run will help adjust my mood."
After saying that, he closed the bathroom door.
Zhou Shenghai, who was outside, looked at the door and shook his head helplessly.
Both Hu Lai and Chen Xingyi were selected for the National Olympic team, and even Lin Zhiyuan also became a member of the National Olympic team. Watching the opponents he encountered in the national competition get further and further away, he would inevitably feel a little anxious. Well...
But son, everyone has their own path. Just follow your own path. Don’t be anxious. What should be yours will always be yours. (End of chapter)