Chapter 440: What Makes Zidane and Mourinho Worthy of Me?

In the morning, Castel Volturno resumed winter break training.

After last year's success, Buenaventura and Pintus had carefully organized a small winter training camp for the team. The aim was to build up the players' fitness levels during the winter break, ensuring they entered the second half of the season in optimal condition.

Everyone knew that the second half of the season would be intense, with all competitions entering their crucial stages. It would be a grueling test for Naples.

But something strange was happening in Castel Volturno.

Head coach Gao Shen, as usual, stood on the sidelines observing. He didn't participate directly in training and never hid the fact that he wasn't involved in those details. He even joked before, "If the head coach did everything, wouldn't that leave everyone else unemployed?"

However, today, there was something different about him.

During a break, the players, though exhausted, whispered among themselves, exchanging curious glances.

Meanwhile, Carlo, Zidane, and other members of the coaching staff gathered together.

"Zinedine, has something happened to him?" Carlo asked with concern.

The others also showed signs of unease.

"You've noticed it too?" Zidane, always thoughtful, nodded. "I've been wondering about it since last night. He feels different, but I can't quite put my finger on what's changed."

Zidane scratched his head, perplexed.

"Where did he go during the vacation?" Carlo asked.

All eyes turned to Zidane, but the Frenchman looked as confused as anyone else.

"I don't know. As soon as we got the holiday, I went back to Spain. Did he go anywhere?"

No one could answer. They all felt that something was off, but none of them could pinpoint exactly what.

"Hey, Fernando, come here," Carlo called out to Fernando Lucas, who was passing by.

"What's up?" Lucas asked, amused by their expressions.

Zidane wasted no time. "Fernando, have you noticed Gao Shen acting a bit strange these past two days?"

Lucas chuckled. "You're just noticing now?"

The group was stunned. Lucas had figured it out before them?

"I asked him about it last night. Look at his expression, he used to be so stoic and cool, but now he smiles from time to time. There's only one explanation," Lucas said confidently.

"In love!" Zidane guessed immediately.

"Bingo!" Lucas grinned triumphantly. "I'm telling you, I've got an eye for these things. It's 100% certain, he fell in love during the Christmas break."

"Great news!" Carlo clapped his hands, clearly delighted. He had long thought that Gao Shen needed a relationship.

Think about it: a man in his twenties handsome, wealthy, famous, influential would he really lack admirers?

As Lucas said, Gao Shen only needed to crook his finger, and women, especially the Italian beauties, would line up for him.

But it wasn't normal for someone like him to immerse himself in football all day long.

"By the way, Fernando, who's the lucky one?" Carlo asked eagerly.

"I asked, but he just smiled and wouldn't say. But judging by his enthusiasm, I'd bet it's Mourinho nine times out of ten."

"What?!" Everyone was dumbfounded.

Mourinho?

Him and Mourinho…?

"No, no, not Mourinho! I mean Zidane. No, wait, I mean that girl he's been gaming with…" Lucas stammered, but before he could finish, Zidane pounced on him.

"Don't lump me in with Mourinho, you idiot!" Zidane yelled, pretending to throttle Lucas.

The entire group burst into laughter.

They knew that Gao Shen had been gaming with a girl for about two years, but he had kept her identity a secret. If their relationship had finally progressed, it would indeed be wonderful news.

Carlo, the eldest among them, was particularly pleased.

"It's a good thing he's in love," Carlo said. "While we're his assistants at work, we're also his friends. Let's help him out and give him time and space. It's not easy to have a relationship in our profession."

The others nodded in agreement.

Who would deny it?

From the outside, players and coaches seemed glamorous making money, gaining fame. But how many understood the sacrifices behind it all?

Every player in the top leagues had been the best among their peers since childhood. How many billions of people were filtered out to form the rosters of the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, and other top leagues?

It wasn't easy.

And even for those who made it, how many bore scars, both physical and mental? How many relied on medication to stay healthy? How many endured sleepless nights due to overwhelming stress?

Why do team doctors always carry sleeping pills during trips? Because during away games, many can't sleep at all.

This wasn't just true for players but for coaches as well.

And then there was the family aspect.

People see players traveling with their families and think it's idyllic. But behind the scenes?

When Gerrard played an away game, his home was broken into by armed burglars while his wife and children were alone inside. How terrifying was that?

During training camps and tournaments, players are away from home for weeks, sometimes months.

When they're gone, who takes care of the kids? Who handles school pickups, illnesses, or aging parents?

And as much money as footballers and coaches make, it's not as limitless as fans imagine.

Real Madrid's Galácticos seemed larger than life, but how many of them, aside from Zidane and Ronaldo, weren't simply living paycheck to paycheck on their club contracts?

---

Most of the commercial sponsorship contracts for stars like Raul and Figo were obtained through Real Madrid's management and adjustments. When it came to commercial value, after Figo joined Barcelona, he barely had any. Apart from a bank endorsement he secured early on, his commercial worth was negligible.

This was even truer for many others.

Mature players understand the importance of investing the money they earn during their careers to prepare for life after retirement. Immature players squander their earnings and end up penniless when their playing days are over.

There are countless such cases. Even some legendary stars, who appear glamorous to the public, are drowning in debt behind the scenes.

Of course, some stories are simply media exaggerations.

Take Pirlo, for example. He was rumored to be a "super-rich second-generation" heir.

But what's the truth?

His family's steel trading company only operated in a small town, and its highest recorded turnover was a little over €70 million. And what was the net profit?

€150,000.

Pirlo could earn more just by showing up at an event and standing on stage!

Some people might find this surprising, especially when comparing it to the wealth of basketball stars who dominate the rich lists.

But this perception is a result of the information age.

People see Beckham making €20 million annually from endorsements alone and assume that Figo, even if less marketable, must be earning at least half of that. Surely, he'd be making at least €5 million in endorsements, right?

But they fail to realize that commercial value doesn't correlate directly with ability, performance, or rankings.

Beckham may dominate the commercial scene, but Figo might not even get a fraction of the pie.

This is called "winner takes all."

During Real Madrid's Galácticos era, looking only at the commercial earnings of Zidane, Ronaldo, and Beckham was misleading. Together, their individual values far surpassed the combined total of the rest of the squad.

This dynamic isn't unique to one team; it applies to the entire football world.

Making money has never been easy not for anyone, in any industry, anywhere in the world.

Football stars enjoy immense fame and status, attracting countless women looking to make a name for themselves and scammers hoping to take advantage of them.

Carlo was absolutely right: in this industry, it's incredibly difficult to maintain a healthy relationship.

This holds true for both players and head coaches.

---

Gao Shen, unaware of what his assistants were discussing, was lost in his own thoughts.

As usual, he paid little attention to the specifics of training, delegating those responsibilities to his staff. His role was to oversee the big picture.

Currently, Napoli's tactical framework was stable. Whether using a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 formation, the team executed both systems smoothly, and the players adapted well.

However, as the season progressed, Gao Shen found himself reflecting deeply on the team's performance. Despite their stability, he felt there were areas where they could still improve.

For instance, goalkeeper Handanovic had adjusted his style to fit the team's needs but still had room for growth. Similarly, striker Edinson Cavani sometimes struggled to link up with the wingers or midfielders, creating occasional disconnects in attack.

Of course, both players were excellent in their own right and weren't weak points in the squad. They brought their own unique strengths to the table.

But from a more ambitious perspective, Gao Shen couldn't help but wonder: what if they had a goalkeeper like Manuel Neuer or Marc-André ter Stegen, with exceptional footwork? Or what if they replaced Cavani with a forward who had superior technical ability and individual brilliance?

In that case, Napoli's overall level could undoubtedly reach new heights.

For now, though, such changes were unrealistic.

Napoli's financial situation made it difficult to demand more. Gao Shen couldn't just approach De Laurentiis and suggest selling Handanovic to buy Neuer.

It wasn't practical, nor was it his style to be so capricious.

After all, Napoli wasn't a wealthy club. Unlike Pep Guardiola, who once swapped Samuel Eto'o and a significant sum of money for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gao Shen didn't have that kind of freedom.

Still, he considered these possibilities as avenues for personal growth challenges he could tackle if he ever managed a stronger team in the future.

For now, his focus remained on leading Napoli as effectively as possible and pushing the team further.

***

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