[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back":3,"chapter-football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-36":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Football: At 16, Let Me Retire and Come Back?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2300006,4499,"Chapter 36: Mr. Eric, You Need to Believe Me","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-36",36,"\u003Cp>Checking the time, Utrecht’s next match against Zwolle was less than a week away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye could wait, but he truly wanted that Portuguese treasure chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a mental struggle, Tang Ye knocked on Ten Hag’s office door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock knock!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come in!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing it was Tang Ye, Ten Hag set down his Zwolle files: “What’s wrong? You want tomorrow off?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye greeted Van de Gach, who sat on the sofa reading a football newspaper, then walked straight forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s… the day after tomorrow? Or the day after that? You’re not planning to take off during the match, am I right? I won’t let you take off during the match—not even the day after tomorrow, we’re doing endurance training then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Ten Hag spoke, organizing his papers, Tang Ye pulled over the office chair from the corner and sat directly in front of him: “Eric, you’ve got it wrong. I’m not that kind of guy—I won’t take a day off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t even want a free day off tomorrow?” Ten Hag raised an eyebrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seriously? No need to make it up later?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye’s eyes lit up, then he realized he’d been tricked and quickly cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment: “No, sir, I was just joking with you. What I meant is, whether it’s real or not, whether I need to make it up or not—I won’t take a day off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m focused on the team’s training.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye’s gaze was resolute. Ten Hag had never seen that expression in Tang Ye’s eyes before, yet for some reason, he felt like laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, sorry, I just thought of something funny.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Eric, you should be serious—I am serious right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye reminded him. Ten Hag coughed twice, then sat up straight: “Right, I should be serious. Fine, what do you want to tell me? A raise? I can speak to the club about that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye shook his head and pointed at the papers in Ten Hag’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You want me to look at these?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag handed the papers to Tang Ye—they were the data collected by Van de Gach, detailing each Zwolle player’s traits and their manager Omonde’s preferred tactics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The data was incredibly detailed; with this material, Tang felt he could even coach the team himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye returned the papers to Ten Hag: “If I want to start in the next match, is there a chance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve already asked me this before. The truth is, you can’t be too eager right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t expected Tang Ye to come to him twice about starting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think I’m ready to start now—I can run the full 90 minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a hint of bravado in Tang Ye’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But honestly, if he drank a Valdi Red Bull before the match, playing 90 minutes wouldn’t be impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… I know. You’ve improved quickly lately. I’ve seen your determination—you’re trying to get better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag gently rubbed his left index finger with his right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had his own difficulties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Tang Ye’s age—too young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A 16-year-old starting in the Eredivisie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell does that even mean!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Eric, you should believe in me once—just like you did when you put me in during the Dutch Cup.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye had his speech ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, he had to move Ten Hag!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For his starting spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for that Portuguese treasure chest!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hss—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He fell silent for nearly twenty seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here’s the deal: we have three days left. If you’re never late for training over the next three days, I’ll consider letting you start.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag had made his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tang, you know you’re not yet ready to start in the Eredivisie. But if you can win me over with your attitude, you’ll get your chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag gave a vague answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So vague that Tang Ye still couldn’t tell if he’d start in the next match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since Ten Hag said that, Tang Ye had no choice but to follow through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d have to set his alarm half an hour earlier for the next three days!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye walked out, then remembered something and opened the door again, peering inside sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, only his head stuck in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Eric, you need to believe in me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know, I know—remember to close the door!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the door was shut a second time, Van de Gach, still seated on the sofa, dropped his newspaper: “Mr. Eric, why are you deceiving a 16-year-old boy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m deceiving him? What am I deceiving him about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag shrugged indifferently and picked up his papers again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s already capable of playing in the Eredivisie. Keeping him off the starting eleven is Ayoubo’s problem, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a member of the coaching staff, Van de Gach knew the full situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jansen and Ramselaar were absolute starters; for Tang Ye to start, he’d have to take Ayoubo’s place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem lay with Ayoubo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ayoubo had contributed greatly to Utrecht and had far more seniority than Ten Hag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you removed Ayoubo from the starting lineup just because of early poor results, the locker room might erupt!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Ten Hag’s biggest worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t think a player’s past contributions should lock him into the starting eleven—it’s…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough, enough—stop talking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag raised his head to halt Van de Gach: “I’ll consider it. Fine. Don’t say another word.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the next few days, Tang Ye adjusted his alarm as planned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For an 8:30 a.m. training session, he needed to arrive at the cafeteria by 8:00 to eat, and accounting for daily tasks, he had to wake up at 7:00 a.m.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a challenge for Tang Ye, but he succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For three consecutive days, he arrived early at training, fulfilling Ten Hag’s requirement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the final morning, after careful thought, Tang Ye gave up the chance to speak to Ten Hag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d already done this much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he was going to start, he’d start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not, no amount of pleading would help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to wait!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait for tomorrow’s match!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, Tang Ye felt a little excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was anticipation—his excitement made him, who’d had no motivation to train, suddenly fired up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Amsterdam time, October 23, 2:30 p.m.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour remained before the start of the Eredivisie Round 10 match between Zwolle and Utrecht.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utrecht simultaneously released their starting lineup on Twitter and Instagram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most striking detail was the forward line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>99TangY (U17)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three letters “U17” struck the fans’ hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eredivisie!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U17 player starting!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1113,"2026-06-20T06:50:08.245Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","018b08e5d6ce6fbcf44afc57ba0ea60f04c65b3947e1cc4ad45d11678fa6fe77","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-37","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-35",918,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffootball-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-cover.jpg"]