Chapter 11: Brazilian Superstar Chest!

"I can vouch for that," Amrabat, standing nearby, said; he had known Tang Ye for about a year.

"Mr. Meulent said he is a ball-controlling midfielder!"

After hearing the accounts of these two fellows, Ten Hag froze.

I think I am a ball-controlling midfielder.

Mr. Meulent said he is a ball-controlling midfielder.

Not only did Tang Ye speak up himself, but the reserve team coach also spoke in his favor.

Looking at it this way, it seemed quite reasonable?

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Ten Hag nearly got led astray by Amrabat: "Tang, just give me a definite answer: are you or are you not a ball-controlling midfielder? What type of player are you? Only you know that best."

Ten Hag was nearly led astray by Amrabat: "Tang, just give me a definite answer. Are you a ball-controlling midfielder or not? What type of player are you? Only you know that best."

Tang Ye pointed at his own nose, his expression somewhat anxious: "I don't know..."

Tang Ye pointed at his own nose, his expression somewhat anxious: "I don't know..."

Ten Hag covered his face with his hand; only now did he realize that the teenage genius he had brought up from the reserve team was not just a lazy pig.

Ten Hag covered his face with his hand; only now did he realize that the teenage genius he had brought up from the reserve team was not just a lazy pig.

A stupid pig!

He didn't even know what his own job was!

He didn't even know what his own job was!

Amrabat nudged Tang Ye with his elbow: "You should have said you're a ball-controlling midfielder; then Erik would have put you on the field!"

Tang Ye shook his head: "But I truly don't know if I am or not."

Although Tang Ye seemed to have said the wrong thing, his earlier remarks had nonetheless sparked Ten Hag's interest in him.

In Ten Hag's impression, Tang Ye was simply a little genius good at running... positioning, and possessing a bit of outside-of-the-foot technique; he had impulsively pulled him into the first team without really considering the fellow's overall playing style.

In Ten Hag's impression, Tang Ye was simply a little genius good at running... positioning, who knew a bit about using the outside of the foot; he had impulsively pulled him up to the first team without actually considering the guy's overall playing style.

"Start warming up now; later we'll hold a scrimmage, 5v5 on a small pitch. The tempo might be a bit fast, so make sure you warm up thoroughly."

"Start warming up now; later we'll hold a scrimmage, 5v5 on a small pitch. The pace might be a bit fast, so make sure to warm up thoroughly."

The warm-up match began; Team C, where Tang Ye was placed, was assigned two midfielders and three forwards, while the opposing lineup consisted of three midfielders, one forward, and one defender.

Assistant coach Fan Fan Dejiahe deliberately arranged for Team C to have one fewer midfielder than Team D, with the sole purpose of letting Tang Ye gain more possession.

You say you think you're a ball-controlling midfielder? Then let's see how you handle this possession!

Twenty minutes later, the training session ended; Ten Hag picked up his pencil and began scribbling furiously in his notebook.

This was an analysis report on Tang Ye!

1. Good vision; on a five-a-side pitch, he could almost find every gap in the attacking third.

2. Extremely poor discipline; dislikes eating in the first-team canteen.

3. Possesses some ability to shield the ball, but it is not very strong.

3. Possesses a certain ability to shield the ball, but it is not very strong.

When he wrote the word "Conclusion," Ten Hag's pen suddenly stopped.

He had discovered a very serious problem.

That was, even as the head coach of an Eredivisie club, he could not determine what type of player Tang Ye actually was!

That meant even he, as the head coach of an Eredivisie team, could not determine what type of player Tang Ye actually was!

Two days later, on August 16 Amsterdam time, the second round of the Eredivisie commenced, with Utrecht hosting Heerenveen at home.

Thanks to Haller's penalty, Utrecht once took the lead in the first half, but in the 56th minute of the second half, Amrabat committed a handball foul, conceding a penalty to the opponent, leveling the score at 1:1.

The sudden goal boosted the morale of the Heerenveen players on the field, and by around the 70th minute, the away team had completed a comeback against the hosts.

Two consecutive defeats! With both matches at the start of the season ending in disaster, Ten Hag was pushed onto the razor's edge by Utrecht's fans.

Of course, Chinese fans were also extremely dissatisfied with Ten Hag.

【Utrecht's attack is complete shit; honestly, it would be better to let Meng go up and take a blind shot.】

【This Amrabat, who got promoted along with Tang Ye, is also quite a talent; in his second first-team match, he directly gives away a handball!】

That evening, a light in an office at the Utrecht base remained on.

Ten Hag and Fan Fan Dejiahe sat together, neither of them looking very good.

"If only our transfer budget had been a bit larger during the summer window,"

Ten Hag sighed helplessly: "If we had even one midfielder who could hold onto the ball, we wouldn't still be sitting on zero points."

"Uh... we do seem to have a ball-controlling midfielder,"

Fan Fan Dejiahe, sitting opposite, reminded him quietly. Ten Hag clasped his bald head with both hands: "Are you suggesting I put a lazy pig on as a substitute? Good heavens! If the fans see me bringing a lazy pig into the first team, they'll curse me to death!"

Ten Hag cared greatly about his reputation; this was precisely why he always felt compelled to "argue his case" in post-match interviews after losses.

"No, they won't curse you. Everyone saw those two passes Tang made in the warm-up match; the reserve team fans saw them, and naturally the first-team fans will know too."

Fan Fan Dejiahe explained: "Promoting a player to the first team because of two brilliant passes is entirely reasonable; you really don't need to worry about what the fans will say."

Listening to Fan Fan Dejiahe's words, Ten Hag did not immediately refute him.

The facts were indeed so.

Perhaps they really could put that lazy pig on the field to give it a try.

Besides, Tang Ye was already registered in the Eerste Divisie; if he failed to perform when the time came, Ten Hag could simply send that lazy pig back down.

In any case, Tang Ye was registered in the Eerste Divisie; if he failed to perform when the time came, Ten Hag could simply send that lazy pig back.

Over the next few days, Tang Ye gradually began integrating into the first team's training.

Of course, this integration referred specifically to training matches; Tang Ye's coordination with his first-team teammates was becoming increasingly seamless.

Though their coordination had indeed improved, Tang Ye's chronic lateness remained unaddressed, which was precisely why, despite having joined the first team half a month ago, he still could not enter the first-team canteen.

【At 37 years old, you persist in training with the team; your football skills have improved.】

【Ball Control: 69→70】

【Shooting: 44→45】

"This stuff is truly difficult to improve!"

Tang Ye sighed with emotion; after training with the first team for over half a month, his attributes had increased by only two points!

"Beep, everyone gather round!"

Fan Fan Dejiahe assembled the players, holding a thick notebook in his hand: "Tomorrow, the 23rd, we play our third-round away match against ADO Den Haag. Mr. Sitting Like and I have finalized the squad list; take note of it."

"The squad list is being announced!"

Amrabat clenched his fist; in the last match, he had conceded a penalty to the opponent, and he wondered whether he would still make today's squad.

"First, the starting lineup."

Fan Fan Dejiahe scanned the players before him, then began reading aloud from his notebook.

"Goalkeeper: Ruiter!"

"Defenders: Nganioni, Koom, Leechet, Van der Mareel, Kleibe!"

"Midfielders: Ramselaar, Jansen, Ayoub!"

"Forwards: Haller and Balazit!"

The starting lineup remained largely unchanged; Fan Fan Dejiahe proceeded to read the substitutes' list.

This was the most anxiety-inducing moment; Amrabat's palms were already sweating.

Tang Ye, however, had no need for such worry; if Ten Hag wouldn't even let him into the canteen, how could he possibly include him in the match squad?

"For defense, Cortier—that's just you."

"Forwards: Peterson and Rouwen, you two."

"As for midfield, there will be slightly more."

"Dimos, Stried, Ludwig, and Tang—yes, that's all."

Slap!

Fan Fan Dejiahe snapped his notebook shut; at that same instant, a familiar voice echoed in Tang Ye's mind.

【Good heavens, at 37 years old you have chosen to make a comeback in the Eredivisie; this is the perfect rebuttal to the haters! Those vile haters have been calling you a lazy pig since you were 16; now is the best time to slap their faces!】

【You have obtained: Brazil Chest·High Grade.】

【Ding, Old Age Card: your reward has been upgraded.】

【You have obtained... Brazil Chest·Superstar.】

(End of Chapter)