Godfather Of Champions

The dim light from the crystal chandelier on the ceiling can't fully illuminate this bar at all, but in this rainy and deep autumn, it can bring warmth to people's hearts.

Many people gathered in this old bar. They gathered in groups and chatted. Maybe the topic was different, but everyone looked at the door in unison, as if waiting for someone.

There is soothing music playing in the bar, an old song, "When_Im_Sixty-Four" by The Beatles.

When I get old, my hair falls out.

Many years later.

Will you still give me a Valentine's Day gift?

A birthday card and a bottle of wine.

...

The bar is not noisy, so the soft voice of the Beatles is very clear. Everyone lowered their voices and chatted quietly.

There was a sign hanging on the outside door—it was closed.

Kenny Burns, with gray hair and a little camel on his back, sat behind a somewhat damaged wooden bar, holding a cup in one hand and a towel in the other.

He looked straight forward, through the old-fashioned glass window covered with moisture, and saw outside.

Across the street is a construction site that is breaking ground. The white fence was pushed down to the ground, and it became dirty in the mud and water. An excavator was parked on the side of the road. The rain was heavy and the construction site was stopped.

A year ago, it was still a row of two-story residential areas.

It is said that a large supermarket will be built here in two years. Behind the forest bar, there is also a construction site where several high-rise buildings will be built as new office buildings. Vilford has become Nottingham's new development center.

The bar on the street corner stood alone between the two construction sites, surrounded by construction machinery. It's like an island surrounded by mechanical monsters.

The roar of the car motor rang outside the door, followed by the sound of parking. Hearing this voice, everyone in the room stopped talking and cast their eyes on the door.

The person who opened the door was indeed a woman's face. Everyone was disappointed at first, but then they all stood up.

"Madam." They all greeted the woman who showed only one face at the door respectfully.

"You scared me, this suddenly stood up..." The woman who spoke opened the door, but did not come in immediately, but was waiting for someone.

Seeing her like this, the big guy looked forward to it. Everyone looked like a duck hanging from a crossbar, craned their necks and looked out the door.

The second person who appeared at the door was the familiar George Wood. Wood took over the job of the woman and blocked the door. The woman withdrew.

Although they haven't seen anyone yet, everyone heard the familiar, somewhat hoarse voice.

"Don't mix with me, do I look like I can't walk?"

"Okay, okay, if you want to hold me, you can just pull your arms, but don't pose as if you are helping the patient..."

As soon as the voice fell, the owner of the voice appeared at the door.

When the slightly camel figure appeared at the door, everyone in the bar opened their mouths and shouted: "Boss!"

Seeing this scene before him, the old man grinned and laughed. He raised his hand: "Long time no see, guys."

The person the whole bar was waiting for-Tony Dunn, finally came.

And the woman supporting him is naturally his wife, Shania.

※※※

Dunn took off the old wide-brimmed hat on his head. Wood wanted to catch it, but Shania took the lead. Next, the gray scarf and black windbreaker were also handed over to her. Shania went to hang up the clothes, while Dunn sat down on the chair, surrounded by people. He raised the soda cup on the table: "I don't drink, you are free."

Then someone came up and wanted to talk to Dunn.

The first person to succeed was Kenny Burns, the owner of this bar, a man older than everyone present.

He walked slowly to Dunn, pulled a chair and sat down. When everyone saw this, they all dispersed with interest.

"Look at how old you are." Dunn grinned at Burns and "ridiculed" him.

"You're not much better, Tony." Burns looked at the man opposite. His hair was much whiter than before, but he was in good spirits and his complexion was ruddy, and he was indeed much stronger than himself.

But thinking about it again, he is seventy-five years old this year, and Tony is only sixty years old, fifteen years younger than himself. Don’t you think you were not as energetic when you were sixty years old? People always get old, this is a natural law.

"I almost couldn't find my way when I came. There are so many changes around you. Ha!" Dunn laughed.

When he was sitting in the car all the way to find him before, he laughed when he saw the environment and Burns' bar on the spot. Sunia and Wood who drove didn't know why he was laughing. Of course they won't find it, and they might never know it for a lifetime. Seeing the forest bar surrounded by construction machinery and sparsely dug construction sites, Dun En naturally came up with the word "nail house" in his mind. From Dunn’s point of view, Kenny’s Burns was obviously the nail-biter here. The buildings adjacent to the bar were all demolished, and only this bar remained. But it is said that it cannot escape the fate of being demolished.

"Re-planning." Burns said, looking at the excavator outside the window. "After today, my bar will be completely closed."

Dunn was not surprised, he nodded: "Then where are you going?"

"Come back home."

Hearing his words, Dunn was stunned for a moment, and then realized that Burns's home was not here, but in Scotland. He has lived here for decades, making himself think that he has always been Nottingham...

The city stadium was demolished, the Vilford training base was demolished, and now even this bar has to be demolished. The witnesses about the past years disappeared one by one, and Dunn suddenly became silent.

Burns knew what Dunn was thinking, and he patted the table lightly. "Fortunately, the bar and the stadium can be removed, but the memory cannot be removed."

When he said that, a smile appeared on Dunn's face, and he thought of a song. Burns must have never heard this song, but the meaning is exactly the same. He nodded: "The memory is still there. What about John and them?"

He also missed those lovely fans.

"It's not as fanatical as before, after all, they are old. But now it's their turn for their children to be fanatical, but they just don't come to me. Those young people say that I look dull and unsuitable for young people. ."

Dunn laughed hey. Burns's bar really looked old and run-down, although it was cleaned quite clean by him. But I can't get rid of the feeling of yellowed photos and old film. What he saw when he came here for the first time hasn't changed much, except that there are some more group photos of himself leading the team to win the championship on the wall, but those group photos now look a bit faded.

"I haven't seen them for a long time..."

Dunn murmured.

Today is his first visit to this bar after ten years. Quite a feeling of right and wrong.

Since retiring ten years ago, he has lived with his wife all over the world. They lived in China for a period of time on the West Coast of the United States and Nottingham in the United Kingdom for a period of time. People who did not know them thought they had lived in China for many years.

As the media said, his retirement life is pretty cool. Had it not been for a physical illness at the beginning of last year, he might have continued to be so cool.

"They sometimes ask about you." Burns said, looking up at the excavator outside the window. "A group of old guys get together, and what you talk about the most is what happened back then. I've seen John teach his son, slap on the forehead, and curse him not to fart here if he hasn't experienced things, ha... …"

Dunn wondered what John said his son.

"Actually, it's nothing, John just said that Don's do nothing worse than you."

Hearing this, Dunn laughed.

"John scolded him. Tang only won two championships in ten years, which is far worse than your sixteen championships in sixteen years. How is it not worse than you? The old guy always likes to remember the past..."

"Wrong. When they start to remember the past, it means they are old." Dunn corrected.

"Aren't we also remembering the past now?"

"So we are old too." Dunn replied.

※※※

Pepe and Piquila came up to take a photo with Dunn, with a few people on the back line. Dunn told them that there was his own bronze statue outside the Crimson Stadium, which was completed four years ago, and it was very fresh. Peipei said that there was a real person in front of her, so why did she take a photo with the bronze statue? His words were widely approved by the big guys, so after a democratic vote, Dunn became the best photo subject.

Several people surrounded Dun En in front of the camera, smiling brightly under the flash.

With the help of his grandfather, Pique entered the board of the Barcelona Club and is expected to become the chairman of the Barcelona Club.

Pepe ran in Brazil and Portugal. He opened restaurants in two places and no longer does football-related work. Pepe, who runs the restaurant, looks a bit fatter than before, with a chubby belly, which stands out in the crowd. His already round face has become rounder.

Gareth Bale, Rafinha, Akinfeev, as well as Pepe and Pikwe, the main defense line of the Forest team in the heyday of the forest team gathered next to Dunn, giving people a feeling of turning back time. The Russian returned to his home country and became the goalkeeper coach of Lokomotiv Moscow, and now he is the goalkeeper coach of the Russian national team. Most players will choose football-related jobs after retirement.

Rafinha was hired by Arsenal and became Arsenal's domestic scout, responsible for excavating those outstanding Brazilian seed for Arsenal.

Bell joined the Welsh Football Association. As the most successful player in Welsh football after Giggs, it is only natural for him to enter the Football Association. Now Bell can't see the naughty appearance of the "little monkey" in the past. He in a suit and shoes is approaching the officials infinitely.

But when Dunn called him "little monkey", he still happily agreed.

After the defensive line left, the midfielders came. Dunn was surprised, "Did you discuss it well? It's all coming in waves?"

Everyone giggled around him and left a group photo.

When Ribery left the forest team, he was suspected of running away, and conflicts broke out when everyone met on the field in the future. But nowadays, when mentioning those past events, it is more of a "smile and grudge." It's just that he is still ugly when he laughs, and the scars on his face are still there, and as he gets older, it is no longer so scary. He has now experienced an agent company by himself, has acted as an agent for many French players, and is considered a successful business person. Today, in Nottingham Forest, there is a French player introduced by him as an agent.

These two groups of people set the stage, and everyone took turns to take photos with Dunn. There were groups and singles. Dunn briefly chatted while taking photos with them to learn about their current situation.

The guys who smashed the stadium and ran the European football all retired and became middle-aged men in their forties. Some of them still kept in touch, and some met again because of this gathering. Usually everyone has another identity, their career and life. But today, in this bar that is about to be demolished, they have returned to their original identities-players of Nottingham Forest, soldiers under Tony Dunn.

After the group photo, they continued to chat together in threes and threes, telling about the misses they had not seen for many years, or chatting about the prosperous years on the court.

Dunn didn't participate. He sat on the side accompanied by his wife Xania, watching all this quietly, feeling deeply satisfied.

He found that his memory had become very good at this time, and he suddenly remembered a long dusty past. He can never remember it in normal times.

If I remember correctly, it should be May 2004, when he attended a similar gathering here. But the protagonist at the time was Brian Clough and his soldiers. They are commemorating the 15th anniversary of winning the Champions League. At that time, watching those people talking together and reminiscing about the years of the late 1970s, he himself, an outsider, felt very envious. He had an illusion in his heart-one day, he could sit here with his former subordinates, reminiscing about the years of European kingship.

Nowadays, fantasies come true and things are not.

As the assistant coach of the championship team, Tang was also invited today. He is now the head coach of Nottingham Forest. In order to participate in this party, he specifically asked for leave. At this moment, he was sitting aside, chatting with his old colleagues. Dunn found him. I don't know if he will have the same vision in his heart at this time?

He got up and walked slowly over and sat down beside the coaches.

"Guys, I'm so happy to see you all still there."

When the big guys saw Dunn coming, they all got up to show respect. After Dunn sat down, they took their seats one after another.

Dunn glanced around: "Where is Freddie?"

"He, he said he is a player, he ran to relive his old teammates." David Chris Lak, who is older than Dunn, pointed in a direction, and Dunn looked over. Sure enough, I saw Eastwood sitting with Ribery and chatting.

He grinned and looked back.

"You are all old."

"Aren't you, Tony?" the big guy replied.

Most of these people are still doing their previous work in the forest team, which can be said to be the group with the smallest changes. For example, David Chris Luck was the assistant coach of the Forest team, and Eastwood became the head of the youth academy.

"How about your two good girls, Tony?" someone in the crowd asked.

As soon as Dun En heard this question, he became energetic. He straightened his chest, raised his head and said proudly: "Theresa is very beautiful, as for Liv... Luckily, she looks more like her mother. ."

There was a burst of laughter from the crowd.

Teresa is fourteen years old and looks very pretty. Whenever he saw her, Dunn felt sorry for Teresa's biological parents in his heart-how could he throw it away with such a beautiful and lovely daughter?

Liv is Dunn's youngest daughter, the baby Shania gave birth to him in the year he retired. She is now almost ten years old. Unlike the quiet Teresa, Liv is lively and active, with a typical Western girl character, much like her mother.

What made him happy was that Liv and Teresa had a very good relationship, and they did not neglect and bully their quiet and shy sister. This may be related to his and Shania leading by example-after Liv was born, Teresa once worried that she would lose the love of her parents, but the couple responded with more love.

What troubles him is that Liv prefers the sunny West Coast of the United States compared to the bleak Britain, and her personality is a bit like an American, too lively. So in order to satisfy this little guy, the family spends more time away from the UK. For this reason, Dunn also gave up his job on BBC5. Now he just publishes his own articles in newspapers and the Internet, but he does not rely on it. This makes a living.

Deep down in Dun En's heart, there was a selfishness that nobody told him. He hopes that his two daughters can like China, so besides the United States and Britain, the place where he spends the most time is China. He missed it, especially as he got older, his thoughts became stronger. Perhaps it is the Chinese soul in the bones that is at work. It is an instinct to "return to the roots of the leaves"...

In any case, these two babies are Tang En's greatest pride and achievement now. For him, the brilliant results of his sixteen years of coaching career, sixteen important championship trophies have long been thrown out of the sky, which is not worth mentioning. Perhaps the fans and club players of the Forest team are proud of the trophies Tony Dunn has won. Maybe there are still many people who talk about Dunn’s legendary experience for 16 years. Maybe now the media While complaining that the current stars are clowns who are grandstanding, but miss the "clown" they hate the most. Maybe... Don doesn't care. He feels that his greatest honor and championship trophy in his life is to have a happy and happy life. His family has a wife who loves him, and two healthy and beautiful daughters. When he crossed over twenty-six years ago, he lost his affection, but he didn't care at that time, because he felt that he was young when he was doing a career. Now he feels that he has gone around a big circle, what is the ultimate goal of doing a business? In order to be able to form a happy family, in order to make your family life worry-free, in order to have family affection...

God made him understand this matter when he was fifty years old, and it took him another ten years to make him cherish it even more.

Nothing in life is more important than family, and it remains the same until death.

Dunn was very excited to tell the old guys who hadn't seen him for many years how cute and smart his two daughters were.

Yes, he is showing off, showing off his family. But no one thinks he shouldn't do this.

Look at the way he is flying, the man who was also flying more than 20 years ago is disappearing from everyone's sight. No one feels sorry.

This is so great.

David Chris Luck raised his glass to Dunn: "Seeing you so happy, I..." He looked back at the old colleagues around him, then turned to look at Dunn. "No, we are all happy."

Dunn raised the soda in his hand to greet the old men who raised their glasses one after another.

"thank you all."

The person toasting to Dun En was another person who Dun En was very familiar with, but he had never spoken. There was a little tiredness between the corners of his eyes, his temples were a little gray, and the wrinkles on his forehead became obvious. Seeing him gave Dunn the illusion of turning back in time and looking in the mirror. Because he saw his original appearance in his forties.

Is the current head coach of Nottingham Forest, Chinese, Tang. A brother who has exchanged soul and body with himself.

Finding that Dunn was looking at him, Tang responded with a smile.

He moved over and sat down beside Tang. He lowered his voice and asked a question in Tang's ear: "Are Dad and Mom okay?"

Tang nodded calmly: "Very good."

After receiving this answer, Dunn raised his head again, with a smile on his face. Then the two people looked at each other speechlessly.

Although Dunn runs all over the world, he still pays attention to the forest team, but he has never evaluated the forest team in any public place. Now facing the current head coach of the Forest team, he still does the same and doesn't say anything.

Just like when he was coaching in the Forest team, no matter how good or bad he did, the boss Brian Clough always said nothing. In addition to telling him not to have too much pressure and not to be too proud, treat him Almost no mention of his achievements.

He was very naive back then, but now Tang is not naive, he knows what he should and should not do. Hasn't he been doing quite well in the Forest team over the past ten years? Although he only won two league championships, he tamped the foundation that Dunn had not filled before.

Under Tang's leadership, Nottingham Forest is getting rid of its influence a little bit. The story that Burns told a good reflection of this point. The new generation of fans felt that Tang did a good job. Isn't that the best reward for him in ten years of coaching?

This is good, you don't need to come out and tell the outside world what influence you still have on Nottingham Forest. Those who have retired must look retired, otherwise it is better to continue coaching. Worrying about coaching failure, but still wanting to be the king of the club is a cowardly behavior, Dunn disdains it.

So they looked at each other silently. Dunn didn't say "good job" or "not good enough", nor would Tang take the initiative to talk about his coaching achievements to Dunn. He also has his own self-esteem in front of Dunn.

Dunn raised the cup in his hand to Tang: "Happy tenth anniversary, Tang."

Tang Huili: "I wish you good health, Tony."

※※※

When the sky is getting dark, the rain outside is getting heavier, but the enthusiasm in the bar looks extra warm. Everyone was talking, and the voice in the bar gradually became louder, already suppressing the sound of music. It is not only Dun En who has not seen him for many years, but also some other people. They are also busy with their lives and careers after retiring. They usually don't have the opportunity to get together and chat like this.

The fifteenth anniversary party of the five Champions League wins this time gave them such an opportunity. Of course, you have to catch a few more conversations with your friends back then, ask about the situation over the years, recall the years of warfare we spent together, talk about those interesting people and things, and even the contradictions of the year until this afternoon. , Has become a particularly warm memory.

Under such circumstances, Dunn planned to go home.

He knocked on the desktop in front of his wife and said to her: "Let's go back."

Shania was a little surprised: "Don't stay longer? Didn't you say that you have a lot to say to the old guys?"

"It was like this, but after I came and saw them, I suddenly had nothing to say. Just looking at them felt good. Anyway, I've seen enough. I'm a little tired."

Shania knew that Dunn was really tired, so she nodded and agreed. "Say hello to them before you leave."

When the two stood up, they immediately attracted the attention of everyone present.

"He has recovered from a serious illness, but he is not as energetic as you." Shania told everyone that Dunn would leave early.

Dunn curled his lips, "Don't listen to what she said, I got sick last year. Now I am in good health."

"Madam is right, boss, you have to listen." Someone in the crowd said.

"Yeah, Tony. Take care of your body, we can get together again in ten years." Everyone stretched out their hands and waved to Dunn, making a ten-year appointment.

"Okay, get together again in ten years." With the help of Shania, Dunn put on a coat and a scarf, and finally took the hat, pinched it on his hand, and waved to everyone.

George Wood, who was still very engaged in chatting with his teammates before, squeezed in from the crowd: "I will take you home."

Shania shook her head: "I can just drive. You finally get together with everyone, so let's play a little longer."

George Wood retired four years ago when he was thirty-eight. As the greatest captain in the history of Nottingham Forest, his retirement is comparable to Dunn's departure. The scene was sensational and moving, making Wood, a tough guy, had tears in his eyes and choked up several times when he said goodbye. Dunn was in the stadium box and witnessed this scene with his own eyes. When 60,000 people in the audience shouted "St. George", his eyes were also moist.

George Wood's retirement completely ended the golden age of Nottingham Forest. Dunn's last familiar player left the stage of world football. From then on, mentioning the most glorious time of Nottingham Forest can only be found in historical materials.

In the summer of the year after retiring, Wood married Vivienne, a nurse who had been in love for more than six years, and formed a new family. Now their children are three years old, and their lives are happy.

Now Wood looked like a model of a mature man, completely childish.

Now mature Wood, after hearing what Shania said, turned his attention to Dunn.

Dunn nodded: "Listen to her, George. Even I have to listen to her, haha!"

The big guy laughed again. Only then did Wood give up his plan and step aside. Only when Dun En passed by him, he whispered: "I will see you in a few days."

"Well, take your wife and your son." Dunn nodded gently.

Supported by Shania and walked to the door, Dunn buckled the hat he had been pinching on top of his head. He was neatly dressed and raised his hand and waved to the big guy: "Don't send it away, it's raining heavily outside. Goodbye , Folks. I'm so happy to see you all alive and kicking, haha!"

Amidst the laughter, Dunn turned around and Shania opened an umbrella for him, covering both of them underneath. The two people walked into the rain like this, the raindrops hit the umbrella and made a crackling sound, and the reflection of the two of them was reflected in the stagnant water on the roadside. The crowd came out and saw that Shania was holding the umbrella in one hand while supporting Dun En, and went to the car door with the other, which was somewhat inconvenient. Several people in the crowd rushed out to help. In the end Wood snatched the umbrella in Shania's hand, and Bell held onto Dunn, and Eastwood opened the door for Dunn: "Boss, please get in the car."

Shania had nothing to do. She stood beside Dun En and smiled at him: "Look, what a grand farewell ceremony."

Dunn turned to look at Eastwood who was driving the door for him, and smiled. Then he looked back at the entrance of the bar, which was already crowded with people, and everyone stood under the eaves looking at him.

Dunn waved to them, motioning them to go back. Then he turned and got into the car.

Eastwood closed the car door for Dunn. Wood held an umbrella for Shania, drove her around to the door on the driver's seat, and drove her into the car.

Shania rolled down the window and reached out to say goodbye to them: "Goodbye, thank you!"

Everyone responded.

Then the car started up and slowly passed through the construction machinery parked on both sides of the road. It splashed the water on the roadside and drove away from everyone’s vision. Only the yellow taillights were looming in the rain, and finally the light of the taillights disappeared. In the rain and fog.

It was still raining, crackling to the ground. The players still gathered at the door, looking at the direction where the boss was leaving.

For a long time, Bell asked: "The boss just left?" There seemed to be some disbelief in his tone.

"Well, let's go." Wood replied. "Go back, let's continue."

Even though he said that, he didn't move his footsteps, everyone was the same as him, standing at the door, continuing to look at the direction of Dun En's departure.

Burns didn't follow out. He was in the bar, through the vapor-filled window, he still saw Dunn's driving away. People crowded outside, and it was still lively just now, and the steamy bar suddenly became empty and quiet.

The music played in the stereo just finished a round, and then turned to the song at the beginning.

At that time you are also old, as long as you say you need me,

I am willing to stay with you.

I will be by your side, fixing the fuse for you,

When your light is off.

You can knit by the fireside.

Go for a drive on Sunday morning,

Repair the garden, remove weeds,

I will not have more requests.

Will you still need me then, will you still serve me?

When I was sixty-four years old...

(The whole book of "The Godfather of Champions" is finished) (to be continued, if you want to know what's going on, please visit www.qidian.com, more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)

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