[{"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-88":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},2300058,4499,"Chapter 88: Will He Play the Full Match? I Think So","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-88",88,"\u003Cp>【De Bruyne Curved Through Pass Lv3: Simulation】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Proficiency: 168\u002F400\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The full proficiency cap of 400 is only at 168; according to Tang Ye’s estimate, he won’t be able to upgrade the curved through pass to Lv4 before the end of this season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it doesn’t matter—looking at the newly unlocked 【De Bruyne 45-Degree Cross】, he doesn’t necessarily need to raise his existing skills to a high level to gain new ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting the attribute requirements works too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Check the proficiency of the far-angle hook shot again—it still has a long way to go before upgrading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that in mind, Tang Ye shifted his focus to the 45-degree cross.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he still needs over 80 proficiency points to reach Lv3 for the 45-degree cross, passing training is relatively easy to accumulate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye did a quick calculation: if he trained a little every day, he could reach Lv3 for the 45-degree cross by mid-May.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye exhaled deeply, feeling immense pressure building up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utrecht is about to face Ajax, second in the league standings, and Tang Ye still doesn’t know if he’ll even play the full match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to rumors from Fan De, if Utrecht lets Tang Ye play the full match in the next game, the club will face a fine of at least 80,000 euros.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ajax is the opponent, and this is a crucial title-contending match—80,000 euros is still acceptable for Utrecht.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Tang Ye doesn’t know that Utrecht is facing another problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days before the match, Dutch police issued a warning to Utrecht.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Tang Ye exceeds the 10 p.m. curfew again, the responsible parties will be summoned to the police station for “education.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Dutch law, there are two such responsible parties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One is Verhoeven, the club’s largest shareholder, who should logically be involved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other is Ten Hag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Ten Hag is merely a club employee, it is he who makes the final decision on whether Tang Ye plays!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is the direct responsible party!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>DQD: The Dutch Football Association has recommended to the Utrecht government that continuously punishing Utrecht is unreasonable, and head coach Ten Hag should not face the threat of detention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the evening of April 19, less than 48 hours before Utrecht’s match against Ajax in Matchweek 31, head coach Ten Hag urgently visited owner Verhoeven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If possible, I hope the club pays the 80,000-euro fine—it’s a crucial match.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag got straight to the point: “It’s already Matchweek 31; the gap between fourth place and the top three is huge. A draw against Ajax would at least secure us a Europa League spot, and even a Champions League spot is possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dutch coach’s meaning was clear: paying the 80,000-euro fine would be absolutely worth it for Utrecht.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needs Tang Ye to play the full match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eric, I know, I understand what you mean.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Verhoeven sighed: “Eighty thousand euros is a lot, but to support you, I’m willing to have the club pay it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Verhoeven’s words brought a smile to Ten Hag’s face—but Verhoeven wasn’t finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But don’t forget, besides the fine, what else are you facing? Dutch police will detain you and force you to undergo education under the Juvenile Protection Law—they’re not joking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fourth time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Verhoeven held up four fingers: “This is our fourth violation of the law!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hasn’t the FA already proposed this? This rule shouldn’t apply to professional players—it’s unreasonable!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag still refused to believe he’d be detained for education.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his view, he had broken no law—absolutely not!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he broke no law, he shouldn’t be taken away by police!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You must understand: Tang’s contract with us isn’t a professional contract.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Verhoeven pointed out the core issue: “You think Tang is a professional player, I think Tang is a professional player, fans think Tang is a professional player—he’s already won Player of the Month. He can’t possibly be youth academy. But those damn bastards don’t see it that way! They don’t consider Tang a professional player—they only care that he’s a minor!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Verhoeven was furious—he too had been driven to desperation by the Juvenile Protection Law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… Mr. Paul, what should I do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Verhoeven exhaled deeply, standing up from the sofa: “It’s up to you. Tang can start and play the full match, or he can be left off the squad entirely—it’s your call. I’m willing to pay the fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But beyond the fine, I can’t do anything else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag sat silently in his chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never imagined becoming a football coach would land him in such a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation was clear: if Tang Ye is still on the pitch 30 minutes after kickoff the day after tomorrow, Dutch police will come and take him away for “education.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither Verhoeven nor the Dutch FA can protect him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utrecht Evening News, front page: Tang submitted a statement to Dutch police explaining his voluntary participation in the match, but police refused to consider it, citing obvious “non-voluntary traces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This was demanded by the club, not voluntary,” said a Dutch police officer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utrecht RTV reporter Van der Berg: “It’s shocking that Ten Hag, the underdog coach, is facing such a dilemma. Dutch police should seriously reconsider detaining Ten Hag—no matter what, Tang must start against Ajax.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>News spread fast—within hours, half the Netherlands and even Chinese fans knew Ten Hag might be jailed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Is this real? Holy shit, is Ten Hag really going to jail?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Insane, Dutch police are truly insane…】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【They just want money—Utrecht local police must be broke, so they’re squeezing Utrecht dry.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Just take the money, why lock people up?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【You’re already fining them—then you have to follow the rest of the procedure too. Police probably don’t want to lock up Ten Hag, but the Juvenile Protection Group will pressure them.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Hahaha, Ten Hag, you got what’s coming to you!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【What the hell, how’s Utrecht supposed to play Ajax without Tang? Just surrender already—do they really think Ten Hag can win?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Can anyone tell me the odds on the head coach going to jail?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to police targeting, fans widely believed Ten Hag would bench Tang Ye in the upcoming match against Ajax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>British betting sites seized the opportunity, launching a dedicated betting line for the Ajax vs. Utrecht match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye’s playing odds were 1 to 3.75; besides “Tang Ye plays,” there was another option: “Away team head coach jailed after match.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Away team head coach jailed after match!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The odds were…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1 to 15.7!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On matchday, Utrecht’s training base drew media attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye appeared on Utrecht’s team bus; thirty minutes later, Utrecht officially released the matchday squad on Twitter—Tang Ye was listed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though no one knew if he’d actually play, Utrecht’s move earned fans’ admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re all guessing whether you’ll play, haha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ramselaar sat on the bus, scrolling through news on his phone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was nervous about facing Ajax, but the absurd news stories made Utrecht’s players laugh instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, Tang, look—rumors are already spreading.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ramselaar pointed at his phone and read aloud verbatim: “Utrecht head coach Eric Ten Hag has been arrested by Dutch police; detention period is estimated at three and a half days, hahaha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These reporters never do anything useful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Jong scoffed—he too was laughing at the news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utrecht was now the most talked-about team in the Eredivisie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, “most talked-about” didn’t mean title contender—it meant viral sensation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Utrecht!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud! Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Utrecht!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud! Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bus entered the Johan Cruijff Arena; away fans were already waiting outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag rolled down the window and saw the signs held by the away fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Ten Hag, Great!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag smiled—the moment was captured by reporters on site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the bus window, Ten Hag’s smile looked strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait—why does Ten Hag’s smile give the impression he’s already decided to make a self-sacrifice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not possible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two and a half hours before kickoff, with the starting lineup still unrevealed, Ten Hag walked alone to the stadium’s press room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click-click-click!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eric, Eric, will you put Tang on the field?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eric, the FA’s appeal had no effect—what do you think about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporters on site were excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten Hag waved his hand, and the reporters immediately fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One at a time, no need to rush, no need to rush. The gentleman with glasses—yes, you, thank you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lucky glasses-wearing reporter stood up and faced Ten Hag: “Eric, will you put Tang on the field today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, and as a starter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Woww!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporters on site began to cheer; the glasses-wearing reporter quickly pressed: “We know that by the 30th minute of this match, it will already be 10 p.m.—under these conditions, will you still keep Tang on the field?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… I think so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wowoww!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click-click!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reporters on site could no longer sit still—they snapped photos nonstop at Ten Hag’s face; the overlapping flashes left him unable to open his eyes for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping the microphone cord, Ten Hag explained: “I must admit Tang’s importance to our team. Against a strong opponent like Ajax, I must start Tang and keep him on for the full match—even if I risk severe punishment, I believe it’s worth it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Woww!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All reporters below the stage stood up; thunderous applause filled the press room of the Johan Cruyff Arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Ten Hag smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, he had originally not planned to include Tang Ye on the matchday squad—but as he saw the public interest grow, he changed his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He intended for Tang Ye to play—and to play the full match!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a victory achieved through sacrifice can witness the birth of a hero!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1611,"2026-06-20T06:50:08.245Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","71f944c90373292aa8aa08aa98256f01ff099ed4468d99fb3d812bfb8cbb49c1","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-89","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-87",918,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffootball-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-cover.jpg"]