The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 176: Criticism of the Ballon d'Or

Rumors about the winter transfer market were flying around, but Aldrich remained calm while the fans were growing restless. The day after the League Cup concluded, Aldrich went about his work during the day. However, when he returned home at night, he noticed a large crowd of fans in Millwall jerseys gathered in his apartment community. They had unfurled a banner that read: "Pavel, Henrik, this is your forever home!"

In the front row of the crowd stood Brady and Fred, both gazing up at an apartment.

That apartment belonged to Nedved, while Larson lived right next door.

Aldrich was known for working long hours; after the club's training, he often dealt with other business matters before heading home.

His BMW parked by the roadside, he watched the winding crowd, which was considerate enough not to block the road.

As Aldrich rolled down the car window, he immediately spotted a young boy standing behind Brady.

"David, what are you doing here instead of going home?"

With his chest puffed out, the boy replied defiantly, "I don't want Pavel and Henrik to leave either. They are heroes, our idols."

As soon as Villia finished his sentence, those around him nodded in agreement.

Some fans recognized Aldrich in the car. Unlike other club owners or executives, Aldrich led a discreet life and didn't drive flashy luxury vehicles. His BMW didn't have the aura of a high-end car, given its age, while the Lamborghini in his garage was only used for indulgent joyrides on rare occasions.

"Mr. Hall, please keep them with us!"

"Right, the club should give them a raise!"

"Yeah, Henrik is better than Shearer; he deserves better treatment."

"The club made a fortune selling off so many great players last summer, right?"

...

As the fans' chatter grew more exaggerated, Aldrich felt a sense of frustration.

It wasn't that he didn't care about wages; it was just that the team was enjoying a stable atmosphere. Everyone was motivated by a streak of consecutive wins. Suddenly discussing money felt superficial and distracting. If one player got a raise, what about the others? Especially the starting players? They were just ordinary people, and it was natural to feel envious. After all, Aldrich preached team spirit, and it didn't make sense to favor one over the others.

Aldrich stepped out of the car and addressed Brady and Fred, saying, "I assure you that nobody will be leaving Millwall this winter. Please don't gather here; it could have the opposite effect and make it seem like you're threatening my players."

Brady puffed out his chest and replied, "We're just being peaceful and not causing a fuss. We want the players to know our support is heartfelt."

Aldrich thought they were being unreasonable and replied earnestly, "I understand your passion, but most of you are big, burly men hanging around here. It's not a good look. Let my players have some quiet time to rest, alright?"

Just then, two men walked out from the adjacent apartments, seemingly having made a prior arrangement.

As Nedved and Larson appeared, the fans scattered applause and cheers. Some called for them to stay, urging them not to accept offers from any clubs.

Aldrich turned to face the two players, saying solemnly, "Pavel, Henrik, they mean no harm. Please don't misunderstand."

Millwall fans had a notorious reputation, and after last year's disturbances during the East London Derby, Aldrich feared his players might feel disheartened by the situation.

Nedved smiled and shook his head before addressing the fans, calmly stating, "I won't leave unless the boss sells me."

Larson shrugged and chuckled, "Same here."

Upon hearing their commitment, the fans erupted in cheers!

Even some female fans excitedly tried to rush forward to hug the two, but Brady and Fred promptly blocked them.

What a joke! This was in front of their homes. Both players were married—who knew if their wives were watching from the windows?

After finally getting their promise to stay, the last thing they needed was a few beauties rushing up for hugs and kisses that might lead to trouble when they got home.

However, the other fans quickly asked for selfies and autographs.

Seeing this scene, Aldrich felt relieved.

He smiled, got back into the car, and drove home.

As long as his star players didn't have thoughts of leaving, Aldrich could sleep easy.

However, two days later, he was provoked into a furious outburst by another matter.

At the end of the year, France Football announced the top three nominees for the European Footballer of the Year: the first place went to European Championship champion Sammer, followed closely by Ronaldo in second place, and third was Alan Shearer.

At a press conference before the weekend's league matches, a reporter asked Aldrich for his thoughts on this, causing his expression to turn cold.

"What do you want me to say? I just don't understand the selection criteria for the Ballon d'Or. It's just a bunch of journalists voting as if they represent the entire world. Is that fair? Why does Sammer deserve the Ballon d'Or? Is it because he scored a lot? No, it's because he led Germany to win the European Championship. So why is Ronaldo in second place? What titles did he win last year? The Spanish Supercup? An Olympic bronze medal? What about Shearer? The Premier League Golden Boot and the European Championship Golden Boot? Alright, I'm confused. In terms of honors, Nedved won two cup titles and a league runner-up in '96, along with a European Championship runner-up. In terms of goals, Larson outscored Shearer and Ronaldo last year. Do we need to discuss assist numbers too? Ha! The Ballon d'Or is just a product meant to please the fans. Are Ronaldo and Shearer good? Absolutely. They are perfect forwards, especially Ronaldo, whose performance in the last four months has made him the focus of Europe and the world. But football is a team sport of eleven players, built around collective honors and collaboration. If the Ballon d'Or is awarded to the player who scores the most and does so beautifully, then why didn't they give it to Baggio last year and instead gave it to Weah?"

The room fell silent in an instant. The reporters hadn't expected Aldrich to suddenly launch a tirade against the Ballon d'Or selection process.

The earlier question was just casual, as journalists had intended to include Aldrich's opinions in news articles, hoping to hear his evaluations of the three players, but they got a bombshell instead, leaving them momentarily speechless.

After a brief silence, the reporters in the crowd wildly raised their hands, shouting various questions.

If Aldrich were just an ordinary fan, he wouldn't care who won the Ballon d'Or. To him, it was just a matter of enjoying the matches.

But as the coach, he had to take into account the award's influence and factors involved.

Truthfully, Sammer and Shearer could be credited for their solid performances in significant tournaments, and European media always had to account for the European Championship's impact.

Ronaldo's inclusion, which would lead to him being named World Footballer of the Year in half a month, came with many factors.

It certainly wasn't solely based on his individual performance.

At least in the first half of '96, Ronaldo spent much of his time nursing an injury, and after returning, he had a scandal involving discord with his teammates at PSV Eindhoven. Only after joining Barcelona in mid-August did he produce phenomenal performances on the field.

In terms of team honors, what had he achieved? The Olympic bronze medal?

Firstly, there's the significance of the stage; as a member of the renowned European club Barcelona, Ronaldo automatically enjoys an exceptional level of exposure.

Additionally, the rise of the digital television age is a crucial factor, coinciding with a time of advanced broadcasting; when paired with the first factor, Ronaldo's emergence generated a significant media buzz, quickly elevating him to superstar status.

Aldrich admired Ronaldo,especially for his dedication during injury recovery, meticulously studying defensive moves of various defenders to enhance his personal skills. The alien known as the "dribbling textbook" did not rely solely on talent; were it not for his current status as a coach, he would never have criticized the Ballon d'Or.

The Ballon d'Or, the World Footballer of the Year—how many players dream of these awards in their lifetime?

Millwall didn't have the background that other big clubs had. How many non-elite players had ever touched those two awards throughout history?

Aldrich needed to step up for his players, primarily to win their hearts. It was crucial to do so; otherwise, he couldn't guarantee that players wouldn't chase after the highest personal accolades and move to bigger clubs. Although it might not be effective, didn't he have to make an effort?

But no matter what, as the coach of Millwall, does he still need to extend his congratulations to Ronaldo and Shearer?

If they had championships that justified the Ballon d'Or, Aldrich would certainly extend his congratulations. However, given that Millwall has performed well throughout the year, he has a valid reason to speak up for his team.

The reporters in the audience were like sharks smelling blood, their mouths open wide, waiting to digest fresh news.

"Mr. Hall, are you suggesting that there's a scandal behind the Ballon d'Or voting?"

"No, I just think this is a victory for media coverage, which doesn't represent the true values of football."

"What do you mean by the values of football?"

"We always emphasize that football is a team sport, promoting the idea that the collective is above the individual. So, team honors should certainly be the benchmark for judging a team. If a player is considered the best of the year, but he fails to help his team win any honors, what right does he have to be deemed the best player?"

"Are you predicting that Ronaldo and Shearer won't help their teams achieve any honors?"

"I didn't say that, but the Ballon d'Or isn't meant to forecast future stars. I believe the selection criteria should be more specific. It shouldn't be that one year the emphasis is on team honors, and the next year it's all about individual performance. As long as it doesn't result in selecting an average player, any explanation can be justified. This is unfair to the players, especially to mine."

"But your team hasn't won the most important titles—the league or any European honors."

"Sorry, but neither has Ronaldo nor Shearer. However, my team, Millwall, has had a better record than Barcelona lately. In the league for the entire of '96, we only lost two matches. Overall, we lost just four matches and set a record for consecutive wins in the top five leagues. Did you know that? Maybe Nedved's straightforward, robust playing style isn't flashy enough, which is why he's overlooked. But I want to tell you that I don't care whether you notice my players' performances. Each of my players is the best, and our football philosophy is the best. Our players play for the team because they understand that playing for the team is ultimately playing for themselves. We will win everything. As for the media-driven Ballon d'Or, chase it if you must. You pursue players with more individualistic performances on the pitch, forgetting that football is a team sport."

"There are reports suggesting that the English magazine 'Football World' will name Ronaldo as the Player of the Year. What do you think?"

"It's just a magazine that flatters English players. They rarely showcase unique viewpoints and are merely deceiving themselves by inflating the status of English players in football. If they continue down this path, 'Football World' will fade from people's attention since it lacks authority and persuasiveness."