Starting With Real Madrid Chapter 772: The Most Difficult Team to Coach in the World

"Hi."

After Gao Shen finally greeted everyone around him, Real Madrid's sporting director, Jorge Valdano, walked over.

"It's really not easy to get a chance to et you these days."

After joking a little, Valdano turned to Su Qing and greeted her, "Hello, Su. You look absolutely stunning tonight."

"Thank you, Jorge," Su Qing replied gracefully.

"Why didn't you reach out earlier? You're not like the others. If you ever need anything, just give a call, and I'll co to you right away," Gao Shen said with an exaggerated smile.

Valdano was very pleased by those words.

Everyone can flatter, but it depends on who says it.

Given Gao Shen's current status in world football, very few people are in a position to hear him say sothing like that.

Valdano happened to be one of them.

Because their friendship began when Gao Shen was still an unknown.

To Gao Shen, Valdano and Sacchi would always hold a special place.

To avoid being interrupted, the three of them moved to a quieter spot.

Valdano's position at Real Madrid wasn't great, mainly because Mourinho was deeply dissatisfied with him.

Of course, Valdano was equally dissatisfied with Mourinho.

Sotis, Gao Shen really felt that what Florentino was doing wasn't exactly reliable.

Or rather, it was too eager for quick results.

The coach Valdano admired wasn't Mourinho. He preferred attacking football.

Mourinho couldn't bring entertaining attacking football to Real Madrid. What he brought was pragmatism and results.

That was the core issue.

Mourinho was no longer delivering results for Real Madrid.

Due to the butterfly effect caused by Gao Shen's presence, Barcelona had beco stronger than in the previous tiline.

If nothing else, the front three of Sánchez, Agüero, and ssi was enough to terrify all of European football.

Real Madrid had suffered defeats on multiple fronts and were eliminated in the group stage of the Champions League last season.

This season, they barely stayed in Pot 2, but their UEFA coefficient points were already near the bottom of that tier.

At this rate, if their European performance didn't improve, they would likely fall into Pot 3 next season.

If Real Madrid ended up in Pot 3, no matter how you looked at it, it would be disastrous.

As a result, Mourinho's position ca under threat.

Under mounting pressure, Mourinho reverted to what he did best—creating conflict to divert attention.

Within managent, the target was Valdano. Inside the dressing room, it was Casillas. Outside, it was Barcelona.

This approach had worked well in the early stages of his career, at Porto and Chelsea. That was because he always had a clear target and was able to defeat it.

That created a positive feedback loop.

But if you set up a target and can't defeat it, the strategy backfires.

That was what happened with Inter Milan against a rising Napoli.

Even after Gao Shen left, Mourinho won the Serie A title, but it remained controversial.

And now, at Real Madrid, he had hit another wall.

Because this ti, he was up against Guardiola's Barcelona.

Under imnse pressure to produce results, Mourinho started losing control. Things escalated.

Most recently, in the Spanish Super Cup, he had poked Barcelona assistant coach Vilanova in the eye.

While fans mostly saw it as a dramatic mont, the incident caused an uproar in European football.

Especially in Spain, and especially within Real Madrid.

"You know, every team has its own values. Real Madrid doesn't want to stir up division and confrontation. That's not who we are. But Mourinho is trying to start a war with Barcelona."

Valdano seed helpless.

He admitted that he and Mourinho had never gotten along, but Mourinho had crossed the line.

Casillas fell out with Mourinho because, as captain, he spoke up in the locker room. He said that poking soone's eye wasn't acceptable and left a terrible impression.

"This isn't sothing Real Madrid stands for!"

When Florentino arranged a sit-down for the two of them, as soon as Casillas brought up the incident, Mourinho exploded and nearly started a fight. Thankfully, soone from the dia and PR departnt was present at the ti.

Since then, Casillas and Mourinho hadn't spoken a word to each other.

And soon after, Casillas beca the target of dia criticism.

Since Real Madrid's performances weren't going well, fans and dia needed soone to bla. Casillas, who had tried to make peace with Barcelona, beca the perfect scapegoat. He couldn't explain himself.

After all, his girlfriend was a journalist. He was the captain of the national team.

Naturally, the whole incident beca an irreconcilable ss.

Just like Gao Shen once said when he coached Real Madrid, the club is obsessed with attention. Information leaks constantly. What's so strange about Casillas's girlfriend getting the scoop?

Real Madrid represents Spain. That has always been clear.

As the captain of both Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, when tensions flared between Real Madrid and Barcelona, Casillas called Puyol and Xavi to smooth things over. His intention was to prevent the club conflict from affecting the national team.

That was perfectly reasonable.

But in the "war" between Real Madrid and Barcelona, that made him a traitor.

Recently, Ramos also spoke up. While praising Mourinho to ease the tension, he also laid out the standards for Real Madrid's head coach—ambitious, respectful, and trusting of the players and team.

It was obvious. The two local leaders in the locker room were turning against Mourinho.

"Gao, I had already decided to leave," Valdano said suddenly.

Gao Shen nodded. He had heard about it.

Mourinho couldn't tolerate Valdano, and the two were locked in a stalemate. But since Real Madrid couldn't find a better coach at the mont, the only one who could leave was Valdano.

"But Florentino, Zidane, and Butragueño all told to hang in there."

Valdano finished with a bitter smile.

It was a deadlock.

For everyone involved.

Only ti could resolve it.

Maybe years from now, when Mourinho was no longer coaching Real Madrid, emotions would settle, and everyone could sit down and talk openly, clearing up misunderstandings.

But not now.

Mourinho wouldn't back down. And neither Valdano nor Casillas would give up their positions.

Sotis, conflicts between adults really are that ridiculous.

"If you're not happy at Real Madrid, co to Leeds United!" Su Qing suddenly said with a smile. "I'm running a club now, and I could really use the advice and help of soone experienced like you."

Gao Shen and Valdano were both stunned.

She was poaching soone from Real Madrid right in front of them.

They both burst into laughter.

"If I leave Real Madrid, I'll seriously consider your offer," Valdano replied easily.

Though in reality, it was unlikely.

At Valdano's stage, writing columns and doing comntary was a comfortable life.

Still, Su Qing's words made it hard for him to say what he had originally intended.

He actually wanted to ask Gao Shen to co back.

Real Madrid's current situation was genuinely dangerous, even on the verge of collapse.

The locker room was splitting into factions again, largely due to Mourinho's antics. Even the local Spanish players, who should have stood united, were divided.

For example, Arbeloa and Casillas clearly weren't in the sa camp.

Arbeloa was a die-hard Mourinho supporter.

But not necessarily because he agreed with Mourinho's philosophy—mainly because Mourinho valued him.

Given Real Madrid's current condition, who else could possibly control this situation?

Probably only Gao Shen.

"Thanks."

After seeing Valdano off, Gao Shen turned and smiled at Su Qing.

He understood what Valdano had really ant. But if Valdano had brought it up directly, things would've been hard to handle.

To be honest, Manchester City had treated him very well. There was no reason to leave now.

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?" Su Qing asked with a smile, gripping his hand tighter.

After a mont, she suddenly asked, "What kind of team is Real Madrid?"

There had to be sothing about them to make Gao Shen so obsessed.

Gao Shen frowned and thought for a mont. "It should be the most difficult club to coach in the world. Yes, the club—not counting national teams."

"Why?" Su Qing asked, confused.

"Because coaching a national team is a thousand tis harder than coaching Real Madrid. And you can't scold anyone. If you do..." Gao Shen pointed to the ceiling and smiled, saying no more.

Su Qing thought he was joking and burst into laughter.

"Real Madrid is truly the most difficult club to coach because their standards are the highest. No matter how well you do, it's never enough."

Just like now, they want Mourinho to win matches and titles. But once he does, they're dissatisfied again, saying his football isn't attractive enough. They want him to win and play beautifully.

That's all?

No, even if you win and play beautifully, they still won't be satisfied. They'll wonder: can you keep winning beautifully next season? And the season after that? And the one after that?

"Who can do that?" Su Qing was puzzled.

Gao Shen nodded. "Exactly. Real Madrid is like a sea queen. After spending one night with you, she abandons you. She makes every coach hate her. But whenever she beckons, the best coaches rush to her."

"Because deep down, every one of us has an uncontrollable desire… to conquer her."

Su Qing finally understood.

So that's what it was.

In the end, wasn't it just a little obsession that n have about their work?

(To be continued.)

***

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