[{"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-71":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},2300041,4499,"Chapter 71: I Should Have Developed Like This! (20k words, request monthly votes!)","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-71",71,"\u003Cp>“Tang, you passed me the ball in that situation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the bus returning to base, Barazite leaned forward over the seat in front, his eyes shining as he stared at Tang Ye before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the moment of the match, Tang Ye was already extremely close to the small penalty area, directly facing the goalkeeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with a 60-point shot in that situation, he could have scored, but Tang Ye still chose to pass—that’s why Barazite was so moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tang, you shouldn’t have passed to him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aale placed his hand on Barazite’s head: “This guy’s so moved right now. Hey, Nasser, you’re not gonna cry, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barazite quickly swatted Aale’s hand away: “No no, impossible! I just can’t believe it—why would someone pass in that moment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to look at Tang Ye: “So what were you thinking then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, is that important?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye felt awkward under Barazite’s intense gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course it’s important! This is about scoring—everything related to scoring matters!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a striker, Barazite had a special obsession with goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, I just felt like passing, so I passed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye rubbed his nose: “Before I got to that position, I already saw you on the right, so I passed to you—doesn’t that make sense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that really it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barazite blinked: “So you passed to me just because it made sense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough already!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aale yanked Barazite down and warned Tang Ye: “Tang, remember—don’t pass to him ever again. Pass to me instead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I won’t get so moved I cry, Nasser—don’t you think I’m right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, alright!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag suddenly stood up from the front seat, interrupting the noisy Utrecht players: “You’re this excited over one win? The season’s nearly over—real challenges are coming!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He checked his phone’s league table: “We’re still top of the table, but I feel the threat—coming from behind. PSV and Ajax have been winning consistently—you should all feel that pressure!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But we only need top four—what if PSV and Ajax overtake us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye suddenly spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nonsense!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag immediately rebutted: “You’re Chinese—you should be the most risk-aware! If we give up first place now, what if we mess up and miss top four?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Okay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye pulled out his phone and checked the league table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were already eight points ahead of fourth place!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it really that dangerous?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, training resumed as the team welcomed their winter transfer signing, Frenkie de Jong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag pushed de Jong forward: “This is our new backup central midfielder, Frenkie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a professional club, every player’s role as starter or substitute must be clear, so Ten Hag explicitly stated de Jong’s backup status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Jong had no objection—he’d been a backup at Ajax too, and an unused one at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He agreed to transfer to Utrecht because he believed his chances of starting here were greater than at Ajax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, is everyone here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag suddenly remembered something and glanced at the players: “Uh, one’s missing—but no matter, let me introduce Frenkie first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One missing? We can wait—he’s coming to training today, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag glanced at his watch and, based on experience, declared: “He’s probably still in bed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is he injured?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Jong nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not injured—the dorm heating’s too good. Damn it, I knew this would happen!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag now regretted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During Christmas Eve, he’d been too emotional and decided to restore the heating in Tang Ye’s room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could he really restore the heating in Tang Ye’s room?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Absolutely not!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With constant warmth in the morning, Tang Ye would be late 200 percent!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag sent Fan De to fetch him from the dorm. De Jong looked bewildered and asked: “What does heating have to do with this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag waved his hand: “Sows fall asleep the moment they’re in warmth—you get it now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Jong still didn’t understand, but the team’s warm-up had already begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here he comes, don’t rush!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, Tang Ye sprinted out from the cafeteria line, flustered, and began today’s training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you the coach?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag suddenly asked Tang Ye a very strange question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I’m not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why are you wearing a down jacket?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag pointed to his own Nike down jacket, then to Tang Ye’s identical Nike down jacket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Tang Ye was the only player on the field wearing one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag was merciless—he yanked Tang Ye’s down jacket right off. Poor Tang Ye had no choice but to start running, just to keep from feeling cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they’d played a match yesterday, today’s training intensity was light; Ten Hag organized a 5v5 scrimmage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before teams were even assigned, Tang Ye spotted the new face, de Jong, and walked straight over: “Bart says you’re a midfielder—are you an attacking midfielder?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Defensive midfielder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Jong corrected him: “But I can play attacking midfield too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you’re just like me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye patted de Jong’s shoulder: “I can play both attacking midfield and striker!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When did you start playing striker?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amrabat stared wide-eyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve always been able to—you just never noticed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye explained briefly, then chatted a few minutes with de Jong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t expected this guy was a native Dutchman—rare in Utrecht’s squad!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s your market value?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Jong clearly hadn’t anticipated this question; he stepped back, but it wasn’t a secret—he answered directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Six million euros—that’s the latest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Six million!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye’s mouth dropped open: “Holy crap, you’re the most expensive player on the team now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying that, Tang Ye sized up de Jong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Tang Ye’s exaggerated expression, de Jong hurried to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ajax had bought him from Willem II for 7.7 million euros last summer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The transfer market reflects actual deals—de Jong had a real 7.7 million euro transfer record, so even with few Eredivisie appearances, his value remained high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, scouts believed de Jong had development potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s still impressive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye decided he’d play FIFA with de Jong tonight—he already had de Jong’s player card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before Tang Ye could launch the game, Ten Hag grouped Tang Ye, Amrabat, and de Jong together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three midfielders in one group—what was Ten Hag planning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First phase: no teamwork required. Just get the ball in the net,” Ten Hag ordered. Tang Ye’s group immediately started.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goalkeeper Ruit passed the ball to de Jong; Jostens sprinted toward him, ready to mark the new signing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Jong didn’t rush—he stepped his right foot diagonally in front of the ball, feinting to run left past Jostens, then suddenly cut right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dutchman’s evasion was brilliant; by the time Jostens reacted, de Jong had already created space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After breaking free, de Jong drove forward; Ramselaar rushed to defend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Jong slowed, and the two tangled; he used the moment to showcase his exceptional ball control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t beat the defender, but passed to Tang Ye, who had run to his side. Together, they performed a dazzling dribbling sequence inside the box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He returned the ball to Tang Ye, who curled a shot into the far corner to score.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clap clap—beautiful!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye, having scored, received applause from de Jong and teammates—but his gaze at de Jong was filled with envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exceptional driving ability, a classic possession-based midfielder!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I should have developed into something like this...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Off the pitch, Ten Hag watched the first-team players constantly passing, his mood relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag was very happy because the club had brought him the players he wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could feel Utrecht was on the right path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outstanding players, the right tactics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a super-strong Manager of the Month!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is Utrecht’s future!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eredivisie Matchday 19: Utrecht vs. Zwolle at home\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utrecht was in excellent form; less than five minutes into the match, Tang Ye assisted Jostens to open the scoring, making it 1-0.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For any team, this was a strong start, and Ten Hag kept the same lineup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the second half, something unexpected happened: Zwolle’s forward Nieland made a fierce tackle and knocked Tang Ye flat on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye lay on the ground, clutching his ankle tightly with both hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No no no...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag felt something was wrong. Utrecht’s team doctor rushed onto the pitch and delivered a message that plunged Ten Hag into despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye twisted his ankle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ouch...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye sat on the bench as team doctor Roosevelt brought two ice packs and told him to press them against his ankle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How does it feel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A bit cold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean the pain—do you feel any pain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag had his hands in his pockets; three deep forehead wrinkles were clearly visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye carefully felt his injury, then replied: “Hmm... it hurts a little.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag turned his head away, his expression grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dutch Youth Protection Organization always insisted on enforcing their minor protection laws during youth training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about matches!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why aren’t the minor protection laws applied to official matches!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Wait, injured?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Damn, that Nieland, is this away-team striker really showing off?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【We’re done—Mengge off the pitch and Utrecht’s done for!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Trust Ten Hag!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shit, what the hell is this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broadcaster Wang Chao saw Tang Ye being carried off by the medical staff; he felt his heart ache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His wallet ached too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the livestream’s Bean Warriors faced a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Mengge out injured, should they still trust Utrecht in the rest of the match?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should they still trust Ten Hag?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye sat on the bench; the ice packs made his hands uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roosevelt had just said Tang Ye would likely need a month’s rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A month’s rest was good—no doubt—but Tang Ye quickly realized something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utrecht’s three forwards: Jostens was just promoted from the reserve team and still didn’t understand how to play in the Eredivisie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there was Ale, this big guy was a classic target man—terrible at shielding the ball or dribbling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Barazite, he could dribble, but he couldn’t pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three forwards, each with distinct flaws, plus Ramselaar pretending to be a playmaker—Utrecht had zero attacking opportunities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation on the pitch was awkward for Utrecht, but Ten Hag wasn’t panicked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on this Dutchman’s experience, Utrecht always somehow found a way to attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially in the second half!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utrecht’s second-half performances were always fierce!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck, equalized? Damn, Nieland’s last-minute tap-in!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nieland jumped again—first he twisted Tang Ye’s ankle in the first half, now he equalized in the second, leaving Ten Hag stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of luck is this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t he pious enough when he prayed to Jesus on Christmas Eve!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the match, Ten Hag walked into the press room with a dead-mother expression. Reporters immediately asked him about the equalizer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That was luck. I can say with full responsibility: our opponents had incredible luck today. You know, equalizers always require some luck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag slowly explained: “An equalizer is fundamentally a reflection of a team’s luck, not its strength. From this perspective, we were the stronger side—we scored first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our opponents won on luck. Otherwise, the score should have ended 1-0. It’s regrettable we didn’t create more chances after leading, but we deserved to win.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click-click-click!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How’s Tang’s injury?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reporters unsurprisingly asked about Tang Ye’s condition. Ten Hag replied according to the doctor’s advice: “I think he’ll need about a month to recover, but it’s hard to say—Tang’s still a kid, and kids usually recover faster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporters nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After Tang went off, Utrecht struggled to create attacking chances. Do you think this problem is related to his absence?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? That has no direct connection.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag disagreed with the reporter’s assumption: “Tang can create chances sometimes, but no team should revolve around a single player. Our attack failed today because of issues across the entire midfield and frontline—not because Tang was on the bench. That’s a very wrong idea. Our true core has always been on the pitch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag’s words stunned the reporters below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they suddenly realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shit—he meant himself as the core!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2011,"2026-06-20T06:50:08.245Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0a63c261a937d5c1012f9cf07dda40898aa09cd9b210e5f706f27574666b83f8","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-72","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-70",918,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffootball-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-cover.jpg"]