The coag staff at Napoli had always admired the way Gao Shen ied with his pyers.
It was something unique, different from the way most head coaches maintaiheir authority.
In many clubs, pyers had a designated space where coaches weren't allowed to ehese were pyer-only lounges, designed for rexation and casual versations.
It was an unwritten rule, a pce where pyers could unwind, joke around, and eveheir frustrations about the coag staff. In some cases, it was where plots to get rid of managers were formed.
Most head coaches uood this and stayed away. Even if they khe pyers were discussing them ihey wouldn't intrude.
At best, they might have one or two trusted pyers inside, keeping them informed.
Gao Shen was familiar with this dynamic, having experienced something simir when he worked in corporate ma in his previous life.
Back theiced that managers and employees rarely mixed well. Whehere was a pany outing, senior executives would show up briefly, make a toast, pay the bill, and then leave, g they had urgent business elsewhere.
The result? An awkward, temosphere whenever a boss resent.
But at Napoli, things were different.
The first-team squad only had 20 to 30 pyers, and every one of them had been handpicked by Gao Shen. They trusted him, respected him, and most importantly—liked him.
There was no fear-based hierarchy.
Gao Shen's approach was unlike older managers. He accepted criticism, eve was blunt.
As long as it was structive, he listened.
Of course, whether he actually acted on the criticism was another matter.
To his pyers, he was still a leader, but he maintained a fortable distahey weren't friends, but they could speak openly with him about anything.
---
Napoli had a dedicated lounge for the pyers, a space where coaches usually never entered.
If a coaeeded to find someohey'd call them out.
Gao Shen was the exception.
He never forced his way in, the pyers invited him.
It had all started after Gao Shen bought gaming soles, puters, and other eai equipment for the lounge.
He even anized an internal FIFA video game league, plete with cash prizes and trophies.
One day, the pyers decided, Gao Shen should join as a special guest.
Why?
Because he was the best gamer in the squad.
From that moment on, everyo used to him being around.
It even reached a point where, on multiple occasions, he overheard pyers venting about team issues and solved the problems on the spot.
For the pyers, this became a direct line of unication.
But if Gao Shen really wao hear his pyers' true thoughts, he brought them into his office.
His office had been ized for this very purpose.
Some pyers had pihat the sofa was too stiff and unfortable, so Gao Shen sulted the team's psychologist and had it repced with a softer, more inviting one.
He even rearrahe office yout based on psychological principles creating a rexed enviro for open versations.
Acc to the psychologist, Gao Shen had natural talent as a mental coach.
And in a way, that made sense.
He had even studied psychology on his own, a skill that was now paying off.
Whether in his previous life or this one, Gao Shen had always had one great strength, he knew how to talk to people.
He could ect with anyone.
As Zidane o it, "You have this way of getting people to reveal things they didn't even realize they wao say."
And that's exactly what he did now.
Gao Shen o know, did his pyers truly believe they could win the sed leg?
For example, he asked:
David Luiz: "If we press high, how will you handle Berbatov, Rooney, and Ronaldo?"
Vargas: "If Ronaldo gets another breakaway, but from farther out, will you be able to keep up?"
Sánchez: "Do you feel more fortable on the left or the right?"
Di María: "Who's easier to deal with—Evra or O'Shea?"
He even challenged i.
In the first leg, Vidid Ferdinand had pletely shut him down.
So Gao Shen asked: "What went wrong? What adjustments will you make in the sed leg?"
One by one, he spoke to every key pyer.
---
The pyers, in turn, shared their own insights.
Rakitic felt he had been too deep in the first leg. "I push forward more, then drop back when needed."
Lichtsteiner hat he had spent most of the first leg cutting off Rooney's passing nes. "I don't think he's as dangerous without service."
Thiago Motta offered reassurance, he would always be positioned behind them, c space.
Biglia admitted he had been unfortable pressing high against Carrick. "Maybe I should s roles with Rakitid focus on Rooney instead."
Gao Shen sidered it.
That was a tactical adjustment worth expl.
---
inally, Gao Shen had po spend two days gathering pyer feedback.
But the versatio going.
In the end, it took three days to finish.
---
May 3rd – Serie A, Round 34
Napoli traveled to Siena for an away match.
Gao Shen rotated the entire squad.
Even Handanovi? was rested—veteran Yezo started in goal instead.
The focus was clear—everything was on Old Trafford.
In the past week, Napoli had pyed against Inter Min and Maer United, exhausting their starting lineup.
Now, Gao Shen had ordered his maio rest and recover.
But because of this rotation, Napoli struggled against Siena on the road.
The Serie A club still fighting to avation pyed with extra determination at home. Taking advantage of Napoli's disjointed rhythm, they struck twi the first half, going 2-0 up.
Napoli responded in the sed half, with Pastore assisting Insigne, who scored his first-ever Serie A goal.
But in the end, Napoli still fell short, losing 1-2 to Siena.
Former Napoli striker Caiò, now pying for Siena, had no goals or assists ich.
Despite seg a victainst his former club, he felt no joy—only frustration.
In his post-matterview, Caiò openly supported Napoli, expressing his hope that they could overturn Maer United in the Champions League semi-finals.
Anyone could see it, he regretted leaving Napoli.
This 1-2 loss was only Napoli's sed defeat of the entire season.
And it was at this moment that many realized, Gao Shen's Napoli had barely lost all season.
They had maintained an astonishing level of performance.
---
At the post-match press ference, Gao Shen made ohing clear.
"Napoli is ready."
"The battle at Old Trafford will be the most important game of our season."
"It will also be the toughest match I've faced in my three years with Napoli—not just because it's the sed leg of the Champions League semi-final, but because we're up against Ferguson and Maer United."
"We made mistakes in the first leg. We should have beaten U home but we didn't. Now, my pyers and I will give everything to win at Old Trafford."
"We have no way out!"
Gao Shen then quoted Winston Churchill:
"If you want to experience what it feels like to be a hero, then act like a true hero—give everything you have. Then, fear will be repced by bravery and ce."
---
Meanwhile, in Engnd…
While Napoli was losing to Siena, Maer Uraveled to face Middlesbrough in Premier League Round 35.
Unlike Napoli, United was under eveer pressure in their domestic league.
They were just three points ahead of Liverpool ile race meaning they couldn't afford to slip up.
Yet Ferguson made a bold decision, fielding an ued lineup:
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Foster
Defense: Evra, Evans, Vidic, O'Shea
Midfield: Giggs, Scholes, Park Ji-sung
Forwards: Rooney, Berbatov, Macheda
When Gao Shen saw the lineup, his first rea was:
"Unbelievable!"
Ferguson had started Scholes (34) and Giggs (35) together iral midfield.
Who would have thought?
But it worked, because Ferguson knew his oppos too well.
Middlesbrough sat deep, fog entirely on defending.
United dominated possession, but struggled to break into the penalty area until the 25th minute, when Vidic assisted Giggs for the opening goal from a er.
In the sed half, United increased the pressure.
In the 51st minute, Rooney slipped a perfect through-ball to Park Ji-sung, who slotted home the sed goal.
---
One of the key tactical adjustments was Rooney's role on the left fnk and he pyed it brilliantly.
After seg a 2-0 victory, United maintaiheir dominan possession.
At the post-match press ference, Ferguson emphasized the importance of ball trol.
"In modern football, if you want to win, you must trol the ball."
"If you trol possession, you trol the game."
This belief was why Ferguson had spent heavily oov, his ability to hold up py and link attacks was crucial to United's philosophy.
---
Reporters then turhe versation to the Champions League semifinal sed leg.
Asked about Napoli's performan the first leg, Ferguson smiled.
"The Premier League is at its peak right now."
"At the moment, the only team that pete with us is Bara."
When remihat Gao Shen had admitted to making mistakes in the first leg, Ferguson ughed.
"That's normal. He's still young."
He then shared a story from his own early years as a manager.
"Once, when I was at St Mirren, I made a substitution just 12 minutes into the game. Right after I made the ge, I thought, 'This isn't right.' But there was nothing I could do. That's just how it is when you're young."
Finally, regarding the sed leg, Ferguson made a fideion:
"Gao Shen is young, he will have many opportunities iure."
"But this season? This Wednesday?"
"The victory will belong to us!"
***
For every 200 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 50+ advanced chapters: patreon./Blownleaves.
