Chapter 4: The Practice Match, Ten Hag Observes from the Sidelines

“Eric!”

Tang Ye extended his right hand toward Ten Hag. As a substitute player for the second team, he certainly knew the first-team coach.

Ten Hag glanced at Tang Ye briefly. “How tall are you? About 1.75 meters?”

“1.74 meters,” Tang Ye replied.

Ten Hag patted him on the shoulder. “It’s fine. At sixteen, you’re still growing. Keep it up!”

After bidding farewell to Ten Hag, Tang Ye went to the second team’s training ground. When he arrived, his teammates were already warming up under the assistant coach Karen’s direction.

“Tang, you’re late again!”

Merent’s voice came from the training field the moment Tang Ye appeared. He hurried to the locker room to change his shoes.

“This is your fifteenth time being late this month. Do you even know what day it is today? The 19th!”

Merent’s glare was full of anger. Tang Ye scratched his head. “Sir, doesn’t this mean I haven’t been late for four days?”

“Those four days were holidays!”

Merent smacked Tang Ye on the rear. “Hurry up and warm up! Something important is happening today! The first team’s Mr. Eric is coming to observe the second team!”

“Eric?”

Tang Ye’s eyes lit up. He found Zaka, who was warming up nearby. “What’s going on? Why is Eric coming to watch our training?”

“The new season is about to start, and the first team is short of midfielders,” Zaka explained. Not only was the second team lacking midfielders, but Utrecht’s first team was also facing a midfield vacancy.

“I heard Milner might be promoted to the first team,” Zaka said, nodding toward Milner’s direction. Milner was currently the most likely midfielder to be picked by Ten Hag.

“But I think you have a chance too!” Zaka smiled and raised an eyebrow at Tang Ye, who responded with an eye roll. “You’re dreaming.”

Beep!

Warm-up ended. The 29 players of the second team were divided into two squads under Merent’s arrangement. From these 29, 22 starters were to be selected. Tang Ye originally had no chance to be in the starting lineup, but Ten Hag insisted all midfielders must play in this training match. Tang Ye benefited from this and successfully donned the green vest representing Team B.

After assistant coach Karen blew the whistle, the thirty-minute intra-squad training match began.

Merent and Ten Hag sat together chatting. In truth, Ten Hag had long since decided who would join the first team. The match was merely to make the process appear more fair.

“Oh, that number 99, yes, that Asian player,” Ten Hag pointed at Tang Ye in the green vest. “Is that guy physically weak?”

“Why do you say that?”

“The game has been going for five minutes, and he hasn’t sprinted once.”

Merent stood up from his chair. “Fuck, Tang, get running! If you don’t run, get the hell off the field!”

***

Merent’s words proved effective. The moment they fell, Tang Ye finally sprinted toward Zaka, who was in possession of the ball for Team A.

Although Tang Ye ran, he merely watched Zaka without making any defensive move.

Could this be the legendary...

Eye-contact defense?

“Snap!”

Tang Ye failed to intercept himself. Zaka seized the chance and sent a through ball straight to Milner, who pushed forward with the ball.

Seeing Milner in possession, Merent became tense.

Ten Hag was here to scout talent from the second team. If he took away the best midfielder, Utrecht’s second team would face a serious challenge next season—a relegation battle.

“Eric,” Merent pondered, then said to Ten Hag beside him, “Though Milner can push forward well, he’s actually very inconsistent. To be honest, his defensive skills are mediocre.”

Ten Hag raised an eyebrow, surprised by Merent’s words. “Isn’t that good enough? I think number 20 (Milner) is your best midfielder in the second team. He’s at the Eredivisie substitute level!”

Damn it!

Merent thought grimly.

If Milner is the best, you can’t just take him away!

The first-team coach cannot understand the agony of a second-team relegation struggle!

“That’s true, but this is just an internal match, so you mostly see the players’ best sides.”

Merent had his own reasoning. At that moment, Milner encountered a defender while dribbling. Ten Hag signaled Merent to quiet down and watch Milner’s move to the end.

At the arc-top of Team B, Milner faced pressure from two defensive midfielders. He first glanced left and right; Zaka was well-positioned on the right wing. By all logic, Milner should have passed the ball out wide.

But he didn’t.

The first-team coach was sitting right outside the pitch.

Under the watchful eyes of both coaches, Milner chose to force his way into the arc-top instead, ultimately losing possession.

“See? That’s exactly what I mean. Milner’s flaws are very obvious!”

Ten Hag remained silent. He had noticed this move himself: Milner liked to show off.

Playing solo is fine, but Milner lacked the ability to support such a lone-wolf style.

Moreover, he was a midfielder—how could he not pass the ball?

Knowing Merent was the second-team coach most familiar with his players, Ten Hag turned and asked a serious question, “Then who do you think is suitable for the first team?”

Merent pointed his right hand at number 99 on the pitch. “Him!”

“You mean Tang?”

Ten Hag’s eyes widened. “No, no, no. His attitude in games is too passive. Unless he can consistently deliver those kinds of passes he made yesterday, he’ll struggle playing in the Eredivisie!”

After watching more than ten minutes of the training match, Ten Hag had gained a general understanding of Tang Ye’s condition.

Not to mention he got winded after a few sprints, his attitude of barely running at all guaranteed Ten Hag would never let Tang Ye play in the Eredivisie.

“And he’s too young!”

“That’s not a problem!” Merent said seriously, then looked mysteriously at Ten Hag, signaling the Dutchman to lean closer.

“Tang’s outside-foot pass is something he’s mastered on his own. He can still make those kinds of passes in a match!”

!!!

Merent’s heart raced as he spoke, but he kept his emotions in check.

No blushing.

There must be no blushing now!

“Are you serious?”

“100% serious!” Merent gave a thumbs-up, wearing a confident smile.

Just then Tang Ye gained possession. Merent’s confident expression vanished immediately.

Damn, I’m about to pull it off. Hurry up and pass that ball!

Tang Ye, unaware of the situation outside, didn’t care who was watching. His first glance lifted to see Issa Caron sprinting ahead.

Snap!

With an outside-foot flick, the ball landed at Caron’s feet.

Another one-on-one breakaway—a textbook breakaway!

Caron received it perfectly. He only needed to cradle the ball with his instep and follow up with a push shot to score.

“Hmm!”

Clap, clap, clap!

Ten Hag applauded Tang Ye on the pitch. “Merent, you have good eyes!”

“Merent, huh?”

Merent hadn’t spoken. Ten Hag turned to find the second-team coach staring dumbfounded at Tang Ye.

“Ahem.”

“Well, Eric, listen. Tang has many flaws too. Don’t rush to promote him to the first team just yet!”

...