Chapter 660 Precious Courage
Although Hulay's goal gave Leeds City fans hope of drawing with Tramed or even winning their opponent in the away game.
But nothing like this really happened.
Tramed received a penalty kick in the 89th minute of the game.
The VAR video assistant referee determined that Leeds City center back Luke Davis made a pushing movement while defending, so he reminded the referee.
After watching the video replay, the referee also awarded a penalty kick.
This penalty made the Leeds City players very dissatisfied, but it did not change anything.
In the end, Tramed's captain Connor Kirk took the penalty and changed the score to 3:2.
narrowly beat Leeds City at home with a one-goal advantage.
When the referee blew the full-time whistle, the cheers in the red-top stadium suddenly grew louder.
"...The hearts of Tramed fans can finally fall back into their stomachs." Matthew Cox said, "It's just that they probably didn't expect before the game that winning at home would be so difficult... Leeds City players They showed great tenacity and their fighting spirit deserves to be respected! They are proud of their defeat!”
In the broadcast, the Leeds City players did not feel "glory despite defeat".
After the final whistle, Farrak Quinn tried to go up and communicate with the referee. He believed that the push by his teammate Davis was not a foul. At least the force of the push was not so strong that Burnett was killed. He fell to the ground like that and rolled around a few times...
The referee didn't want to listen to his complaint and treated Quinn like nothing with a smile. Captain Lorenzo quickly went up and pulled Quinn away, fearing that this straight-tempered man would be impulsive and insult the referee, and then the opponent would not simply treat him like nothing with a smile...
Other Leeds City players also looked very disappointed and frustrated.
They tried their best in this game. After equalizing the score, they played proactively and had a 50-50 draw with Tramed who was playing at home.
In the end, he still lost.
This has hit many people hard and feels very unfair.
Hu Lai, who scored in the game, also put his hands on his hips and looked up at the sky. After playing for ninety minutes, he was helpless with such a result.
"It's okay, Hu Lai. Your performance is good enough. If you didn't win this time, maybe you can do it next time?" Seeing this, He Feng comforted.
"Yes, there was luck in losing the game. We cannot say that Leeds City's performance today was not as good as Tramed." Yan Kang echoed from the side. "There is a huge gap in strength between the two sides, so it is reasonable to lose. But the performance of this team still gives us hope. He Feng, I now feel that Leeds City can really avoid relegation..."
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Although during the game, Tony Clark kept asking the players to attack and attack Tramed, with a posture of "never accept failure". But when he really lost the game, he was the first one to calm down.
He was even the first to turn towards Tramed head coach Kevin Lock after the final buzzer sounded.
"You played well and were brave." Locke praised Clark after holding his hand.
"Thank you, congratulations on winning." Clark maintained enough grace and did not get into trouble with the opponent about the final penalty kick.
Then he turned around and walked into the players' tunnel, returning to the locker room first.
After waiting for a while, Leeds City players returned to the dressing room one after another.
Clark could still hear them continuing to discuss the penalty call outside.
"Bonet must have dived, he fell too exaggeratedly!"
"I don't know the use of having a VAR referee. If you don't make correct decisions, it will only add chaos! I feel that the existence of VAR has ruined football!"
"The least we can do is draw with Tramed in the away game and take away a point... Damn it!"
When these Leeds City players came in shouting, when they saw Clark, they immediately closed their mouths, lowered their heads and returned to their seats.
Then more Leeds City players returned to the dressing room, their heads down, looking very frustrated.
When the last player returned to the locker room, assistant coach Sam Landill closed the door, blocking out the noise outside.
Looking at the players who were silent and with their heads lowered, Tony Clark spoke:
"Some people may feel sorry that we didn't get a draw, but to be honest, I don't. On the contrary, my mood now is happy, not regretful or angry. Believe it or not." Faced with the people who raised their heads to look at him Looking at it, Tony Clark spread his hands and shrugged.
"What's important is not one point or three points, what's important is the performance we put in when we faced a team that was better than us. When we played in the 'Red Room', we didn't back down, every single one of you. We all tried our best and showed our courage. I believe that having such courage is the most valuable thing on the road to relegation. This is not to comfort you, but to tell the truth - when we encounter those powerful opponents in the future, if you think about your performance when facing Tramed in the Red Roof Stadium, you will know that there is no Opponents can scare us. We can play our football without being intimidated by our opponents.”
Clark watched everyone gradually sit up straight and raise their heads as he spoke.
He smiled and said: "That's all I want to say to everyone. Then pack up and prepare to leave. And I'm going to attend the post-match press conference. I will praise your performance there again, and I will let Everyone knows that I am pleased with your performance.”
After saying that, he turned and left, leaving assistant coach Sam clapping his hands and shouting: "Let's take action, boys! Take a shower, change clothes, and get ready to go home!"
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"...In the post-match press conference, Tony Clark refused to talk about the penalty call at the last moment. Instead, he praised his players' performance in the game, thinking that although they failed to draw with Tramed, But he saw the courage of the players in this game, and he was proud of his team's performance..."
Yong Jun watched the news playing on the TV and said to Hu Lai, who had just returned home from the away game: "Hu Lai, your head coach is very good."
"Well, the boss is indeed very good. I heard that when he first came, everyone was not very convinced of him, but now they are quite convinced."
"How does it feel to score a goal in the 'Red House'?" Yong Jun asked again.
Hu Lai thought for a while: "It was really cool to pour cold water on them when they were the most vocal. But unfortunately we still didn't win. Looking at the way those Tramed fans cheered when they won the penalty kick, I just want them to miss the penalty kick, and then we can counterattack and I can kill them. Wouldn’t it be so cool..."
"It doesn't matter, next time, I'll do it next time. I also agree with what Coach Clark said. With your current strength, it's not easy to force Tramed to be so busy in the away game. As long as you can successfully avoid relegation, Establishing a foothold in the Premier League, with his ability, he will definitely make a difference in Leeds City in the new season. You made the right choice to come to Leeds City.”
Hu Lai turned around and grinned: "Matt told me at the beginning that the boss is a very serious and responsible head coach, but he is not that old-fashioned and is very good at listening to other people's opinions. Matt also said that I will definitely listen to the boss after I meet him. I like him. I really like this boss now, and he promised to invite me to the Red Hot Chili Peppers for dinner when the season ends! ”
"You like him because he invited you to dinner, right?"
"Uncle Yong, how can you say that? He doesn't treat me, and I like it too!" Hu Lai said righteously.
Yong Jun looked at Hu Lai like this and shook his head with a smile.
Then he talked about another thing: "In the next round of the league, I will go to the away game with you. After playing West Herts, we will go directly to London and fly to the United Arab Emirates. We will not return to Leeds."
Hu Lai nodded upon hearing this.
After the match against West Herts in the 30th round of the league, the Premier League was temporarily suspended. The next two games are national team games, and the top 12 matches will rekindle the war.
As a member of the Chinese national team, of course he has to go back to participate in the competition.
"Now it seems that the Football Association's global coaching plan is likely to fail..." Yong Jun sighed. So far, the Football Association has not announced the results of their coaching selection.
"Isn't that great? Our best result in the World Series was achieved by Director Shi leading the Olympic team. Why can't Director Shi be given a chance?" Hu Lai curled his lips.
"Foreign monks are good at reciting sutras. Anyway, the Football Association is still looking for him, and there is no confirmation that Shi Wuyin will continue to lead the team."
"What the heck are you looking for at this time... Even if you can find one, there are still a few top-12 games left and the coach will be changed on the spot. He will still be a foreign coach who knows nothing about Chinese football. How can we have time to get familiar with the team? How can we? Do you have time to adapt to him? Unless... is the Football Association looking for Lehman from the South China Tigers?" Hu Lai asked.
Yong Jun shook his head: "No, Lehman has clearly refused to coach the national team. Even if the South China Tigers Club is willing, he is not willing. Otherwise, do you think changing the head coach can take so long?"
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Friedrich Lechmann, who has coached the South China Tigers for more than four years, is indeed the most famous and high-level foreign coach in China and the one who knows the best about Chinese football. He almost perfectly meets the requirements of the Football Association. After Wilson was dismissed from get out of class, the media and fans hoped that Lehman could take over the national team. Shi Wuyin is really regarded as a transitional candidate. I feel that he is just occupying the coaching position temporarily and will soon hand it over to Lehman.
The attitude of the South China Tigers Club has always been very ambiguous. I feel that if the Football Association really wants it, they will not refuse.
But Lehman soon publicly stated that he came to China to work and had no intention of coaching the national team. He enjoyed working with the South China Tigers and he just wanted to lead the club team well. Due to personal health reasons and lack of energy, I am unable to take on the coaching work of the national team, so I will not leave the South China Tigers Club.
Since they are not willing, the Football Association cannot force it.
Then began the "Global Coach Selection" activity, which sounds domineering but is actually just for bragging rights for Chinese fans.
The selection has gone on and on, and now, the second half of the top 12 tournament is about to begin, and the head coach candidate has not yet been decided... No, or there is no one at all.
There is no need for those famous and talented foreigners to take risks in China. Yes, the Chinese Football Association can offer high salaries, but people really look down on the Chinese team, and they are not happy to let them receive high salaries.
As for local head coaches, on the one hand, the Football Association looks down upon them, and on the other hand, they themselves feel that the position of national team coach is a hot potato under the current situation, and no one wants to get involved. After all, if they lead the national team to fail in the top 12 and be scolded by the fans, it might also affect their ability to coach at the club in the future...
So until now, Shi Wuyin has made it clear that he is willing to continue coaching the Chinese team through the top 12 games.
"I feel that Director Shi is a coach who really cares about Chinese football and the Chinese team. At this juncture, everyone knows that if the Chinese team cannot participate in the World Cup, then who will be the head coach and who will take the blame? No credit will be given. ," Hu Lai curled his lips. "Director Shi is full of enthusiasm and wants to take the initiative to take the blame. For this reason, I also support Director Shi to continue coaching the national team."
Yong Jun sighed: "How can you say it is so easy? If the results still show no improvement in the next two games against the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, it will be useless no matter how much enthusiasm Ta Shi Wuyuan has. The get out of class will be dismissed when it is time."
Hu Lai also knew that Uncle Yong was right. In the world of competitive sports, performance is the foundation of everything. If your grades are not good, it will be useless to say anything.
Based on the current situation of the Chinese team in this group, if there is another mistake in these two games, I am afraid that it will not even be third in the group. There is no need to wait for the top 12 to end, and the Chinese team can start preparing for the 2030 World Cup.
The United Arab Emirates is not strong and has yet to win a game in the top 12. Although the Chinese team is away from home, if they work together, they may not be unable to win.
But what about Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia is now ranked third in the group. If the Chinese team loses to Saudi Arabia again, it will be equivalent to losing to a direct competitor, allowing Saudi Arabia to score six points in one game. Saudi Arabia must also know this, so they will definitely do their best to fight the Chinese team when the time comes.
Hu Lai himself feels a headache just thinking about it, and I'm afraid that Director Shi will have an even worse headache... (End of Chapter)