The New Youth Academy

Cristiano Ronaldo was about to leave for distant lands, and it stirred everyone in the San Antonio district. The adults among the neighbors looked on with envy, feeling that Cristiano was going to England to play for a championship team. It signified a monumental change in his life, one that would rescue his family from the depths of poverty.

Sosa, Ronaldo's childhood football mentor, had a long private conversation with Aldrich, sharing his insights about Ronaldo's character and giving advice on his growth without reservation.

Aldrich felt deeply grateful, diligently noting down every word Sosa spoke. From a young age, Ronaldo had shown extraordinary talent for football, but he also had clear shortcomings that needed to be addressed as he grew up.

After Aldrich paid a training fee of £10,000 to Nacional, Cristiano shouldered his travel bag, donned the clean and neatly pressed clothes his mother had prepared for him, and, with reluctant yet resolute eyes, left his hometown alongside Aldrich.

Though Cristiano was Portuguese and spoke Portuguese, his grasp of the language wasn't as polished as Aldrich's, who had learned the most formal version. This might lead to him facing discrimination, especially since he'd soon need to learn English for school. No matter what, as his mother Dolores often said, he had to learn to read and write properly!

After leaving his hometown, Ronaldo became quiet and reserved; he scarcely spoke to Aldrich during the journey. It wasn't until they arrived at Millwall FC that Aldrich personally showed him around the team's home ground.

While the Den Stadium seemed relatively small in the context of England's arenas, its nearly 20,000 capacity dwarfed the national team's home ground, which could only hold 8,500. This was an eye-opener for Ronaldo. When Aldrich mentioned they would be moving to a new world-class stadium capable of holding over 60,000 fans within four years, Ronaldo's face lit up with excitement.

Aldrich then led him on foot to the Leo training facility, with Ronaldo trailing beside him, carrying his large travel bag. Many passersby greeted Aldrich warmly and mistook Ronaldo for a relative of his. As nearby residents, they were naturally fans of Millwall.

Several locals expressed concern about Millwall's summer transfer plans, to which Aldrich could only respond with a polite smile.

When Ronaldo stood at the entrance of the Leo training facility, he was utterly astonished. 

"This... this... this is even bigger than the club!"

The training facility was expansive, having undergone a recent round of renovations that summer. Aldrich planned to move first-team training there, with more than twenty pitches of various sizes suited for different training purposes. Future expansions were planned to accommodate even more youth squads.

The entrance of the Leo training facility was impressive, with the name and Millwall club crest elegantly carved into the wall.

The new Premier League season would kick off on August 8. The day after tomorrow would be the return of first-team players for reporting, and pre-season training would commence shortly thereafter.

Inside the training facility, there was a bustling scene. Members of various coaching teams mingled along the sidelines, watching a chaotic mix of youth teams, reserve squads, and a few first-team players who had returned early engaged in friendly matches.

When Aldridge brought the court-focused Cristiano to the sideline, it felt like a shot of stimulant was injected into the young player.

The first-team players remained calm, and no one involved in the game approached Aldridge to say hello. Cristiano muttered: "I'm not a kid!"

He could understand some basic English.

Aldridge then called a staff member to arrange accommodation for Cristiano.

After Cristiano glanced back at the pitch several times while leaving, Aldrich turned to Ronaldinho and asked, "So, how was Egypt? Did you have fun?"

Ronaldinho chuckled, "Not bad. Did you see my matches?"

Aldrich smiled and shook his head.

Ronaldinho immediately showed a disappointed look. After all, he was the star who led the Brazilian team to win the U-17 World Cup this summer!

Aldrich patted his shoulder seriously and said, "Ronaldinho, you have to understand, a youth tournament championship isn't the same as winning at the junior level, and it's definitely not comparable to winning internationally."

Just then, Trezeguet, who was nearby wearing casual clothes and had returned early as well, looked equally glum and said, "But I really want a youth championship!"

Aldrich burst into laughter.

The Under-20 World Cup taking place in Malaysia that summer was Trezeguet's chance for glory. The France '97 squad was packed with a golden lineup featuring Trezeguet, Henry, and Anelka.

Unfortunately, having strong forwards alone wouldn't cut it.

You can't stop the shining talents from Argentina at every position, like Samuel, the elegantly blond Cambiasso, and the classical genius Riquelme, along with Aimar...

Even more frustrating is England.

Up front, they have Owen; in midfield, there's Lampard and Kieran Dyer; in defense, Ferdinand and Carragher, all players considered by Fleet Street to be the next generation of national team leaders heading to Malaysia with just one goal in mind: the championship.

But, as fate would have it, things did not go as planned.

Millwall's rising star Duff also participated in the tournament and impressed many observers, leaving Blackburn regretting not waiting until the World Cup ended to negotiate a transfer.

With a rare smile on his typically serious face, Nagy approached Aldrich with a grin, saying, "You arrived just in time; the players you brought back are fantastic! But let's also see what we've gained in London."

Aldrich nodded with a smile.

What followed next on the training ground was an unusual scene.

It resembled a pivotal moment from "The Godfather," with Aldrich standing resolutely as Nagy, Jansen, and Benitez lined up alongside like long-time family members, scrutinizing each young player as they walked past.

These young hopefuls were both nervous and excited, as if stepping onto a selection stage and eager to make a good impression on the head coach. Being picked for the first team would be akin to winning a jackpot.

Nagy surprised Aldrich right away.

Two young players were not on Aldrich's summer recruitment list but had taken the initiative to come to Millwall for a trial, coming all the way from Australia.

Marco Bresciano and Tim Cahill.

Both had traveled from Australia to Millwall for a trial that summer. Given that Australia was a Commonwealth nation and many Australians had British ancestry, it was quite common for them to seek opportunities in the UK. For instance, Lucas Neill at Millwall and emerging star Kewell at Leeds both followed this path.

Aldrich shook hands with these young talents, offering them words of encouragement. Soon after, Adam rolled in, presenting the eight domestic players he had scouted over the summer according to Aldrich's recruitment list.

- Jermain Defoe

- Scott Parker

- Michael Carrick

- Paul Robinson

- Darius Vassell

- David Dunn

- Francis Jeffers

- Ledley King

Additionally, through the efforts of Andrew's agency, several players from Scandinavia came in for trials, eventually leading to two being signed.

- Brede Hangeland

- Christian Poulsen

Along with local players remaining for trials, nearly twenty hopefuls showed up. While they were all relatively unknown, Aldrich didn't doubt their potential. This summer at Millwall, the first team had only sold Stam and Phillips, but several players not prioritized for development had received invitations from other clubs, generating around £300,000 in transfer income for the club.

In addition, for players over the age of 20 that no club wants, the club has also prepared coaching contracts, which provides them with a stable life guarantee.

This summer at Millwall, not only was the Leo training facility expanding, but the youth program was also growing.

As Aldrich surveyed the motivated young men before him, he understood that among the nearly one hundred youth players spanning all ages, only a few would break into the first team. This reality didn't trouble him; football was a cruelly competitive sphere. With many promising talents in the youth squads, they would influence one another in a positive way, fostering healthy competition conducive to their development. Even if they did not make it at Millwall, transferring to other clubs could still be a possibility. The players would receive better training here, and the club would gain transfer revenue upon their departure, making it a win-win situation.

Aldrich and the coaching staff convened in the administrative building's conference room, where they began detailing the structure of the various teams and determining the training levels for specific players.

Besides the first team, Millwall already had a reserve team and youth team.

The reserve team primarily existed to help players who couldn't make the matchday squad maintain their form, along with those who had returned from injuries seeking to regain fitness. It had a high turnover of players and served more as a temporary stopover. Some players vying for first-team positions also spent long spells in the reserves, alongside several "permanent benchwarmers," with ages generally around U23.

The youth team had competed in the U18 English Football Youth Super League for the past three years. Even if some players exceeded the age of 18, it was permissible since the matches allowed for three U19 players to join.

This summer, with the expansion of Millwall's youth team, the club aimed to establish a U21 squad first. There was indeed a league for U21s, but Millwall had not participated previously due to the youth players being too young, with none prioritized for development being older than 18.

They also planned to establish U16 and U14 teams.

For players under 14, Millwall had also recruited some youths, with local parents eager to enroll their children in football training. However, these arrangements wouldn't entail a full commitment like with players like De Rossi and Cristiano, as some were akin to "day students."

Additionally, Aldrich had established a U12 team, which took on a more informal quality. Parents sending their kids to this team typically approached it with a recreational mindset, allowing children to find friends to play and have fun with. Coaches would observe and guide them, and if they spotted any promising talent, they could recommend them for higher-ranked teams within the club.

This way, Millwall not only had the first team but also six subordinate squads.

The reserve team played alongside the first team's league matches, totaling 38 games in a season. Since the opponents were also reserve teams from Premier League clubs, they were at least of mid-table League One quality, though the intensity was undoubtedly less than that of actual league battles.

The U21 Youth League also competed alongside the club's first team, with the number of matches varying based on participation from the same division.

The U18 English Youth League was more structured, divided by regions. The first half was a league format to determine regional champions who would then move on to knockout rounds, simultaneously contested alongside the Youth FA Cup, accounting for at least 20 matches in a season.

Lower-tier squads focused mainly on development, occasionally organizing friendly matches or playing community teams. Of course, player rosters could be adjusted, allowing a 15-year-old to compete directly in the U18 league if they were skillful enough.

Though the nearly hundred-strong squad looked bustling at first glance, after Aldrich and the coaches divided the players by age, the tiers didn't seem as bloated anymore.