The Greatest Manager of All time

Gavin Ward was not discouraged after being "pushed" out of Cromwell's house.

If waving the SFX banner were enough to easily become a player's representative, then SFX would have conquered the entire industry long ago.

This did not even count as a setback. He simply had to take it one step at a time. The agent market also required patience and careful management.

Next, he went to James Cook's home.

James Cook was in his room receiving private tutoring, so Lance Cook received Gavin Ward at home.

Gavin Ward first explained to Lance Cook that Brentford hoped to sign James Cook.

Lance Cook considered the matter with a serious expression. In the end, he said, "Whether from the perspective of family or career development, I believe the best thing for James is to stay at Swansea."

Lance Cook was certain of one thing: at Swansea, Lynn valued James Cook and was putting genuine effort into developing him. At this crucial early stage of James Cook's career, Lance believed that a good environment was the most important thing for his younger brother.

Gavin Ward roughly explained the terms Brentford were offering to Lance Cook.

Lance Cook once again fell into thought.

It was true that a transfer could increase James Cook's income by more than twenty percent. But after weighing it carefully, Lance Cook still chose to refuse.

He did not even discuss the matter with James Cook. As his older brother, he felt he could make the decision.

After the private tutoring session ended, James Cook personally went downstairs to see off the female postgraduate student from Swansea University. Only then did he discover there was a guest at home.

After asking, he learned why Gavin Ward had come. As soon as James Cook heard it, he shook his head firmly.

"No, no, no. I don't want to leave Swansea. I won't transfer."

His firm attitude surprised Gavin Ward.

In the eyes of outsiders, Swansea was not a particularly competitive club, nor did it hold much appeal.

Yes, Swansea had been impressive over the past six months, but that was only in the Third Division, a lower league that most fans barely cared about.

The players could drive sports cars to matches, but those sports cars were not actually theirs.

Swansea had neither a deep, prestigious history nor experienced, respected seniors and coaches. Most importantly, Lynn was Chinese. Many players probably would not be willing to play under a Chinese manager, since that would carry a certain master-and-disciple meaning with it.

Gavin Ward really could not understand what kind of charm Lynn had that could make Cromwell and James Cook follow him so wholeheartedly.

The initial probing around transfer interest had produced a rough result, so Gavin Ward shifted the topic elsewhere.

He said to the Cook brothers, "I know, Lance, that as James's brother and a lawyer, you are currently handling all of his affairs. But from a professional standpoint, SFX has more mature business capabilities and far richer experience."

"Recently, John Lewis signed an image rights authorization contract with James. I know you negotiated a £120,000 contract for him. But I can tell you without exaggeration that John Lewis's bottom line was £200,000."

"I'm not saying this to tell you how badly you lost out. I'm saying that professional matters like this should be handled by professionals if you want to protect the player's immediate interests."

"Then there is James's current contract with Swansea. Based on his performances over the past half season, I believe we are fully capable of putting pressure on Swansea to increase James's income."

"In addition, Lance, you should realize that your brother James has enormous commercial potential. But right now, you are waiting for sponsors to come to you, passively accepting the terms other people offer. With us, it would be different."

"We have countless partners. We can recommend stars who fit sponsors' requirements. If we handle the operation, James will soon become the most popular football star in Wales."

"There are very few Welsh stars. Ryan Giggs, for example, is very low-key, and in terms of image, he is not as suitable as James. A star like Bellamy is not the kind sponsors love either. His style on the pitch simply can't compare with James's."

"All of this requires James to step onto a higher stage. Once he stands on a higher stage, he will become a more famous player, and what follows will be wealth and reputation piling up one after another."

Lance Cook was not hostile toward everyone from the outside world.

His parents, after hearing Gavin Ward's words, would be delighted. They would think it all sounded wonderful. James would become more famous and earn more money!

Lance Cook, however, examined his own shortcomings clearly.

Marketing and packaging a football star was not something he was good at.

But he was wary of handing his younger brother over for someone else to manage. If James Cook were led astray by others, Lance would be deeply hurt.

It was precisely out of this concern that he shook his head and said, "I will not allow SFX to take full responsibility for James's personal affairs. However, if SFX has good cooperation projects, we can discuss them individually. You handle the operation and take a commission, and we will decide whether to cooperate."

James Cook looked as though he wanted to speak, but stopped himself.

He had just signed with John Lewis. Although he did not need to physically attend any events, he already felt that there was not enough time in the day.

As a player, whether it was training or matches, sufficient rest was necessary to maintain his energy. He needed more time than ordinary people to recover physically. On top of that, he had to train, play matches, travel more and more often, and continue studying.

He felt that he did not have more time to do other things.

Besides, he had always been humble and low-key. Even if he had more time, he would rather spend it improving his football and making himself a better member of Swansea's squad.

But with Gavin Ward present, he could only remain silent.

After hearing Lance Cook's words, Gavin Ward shook his head slightly.

"You need to understand that only true top stars have the power to propose that kind of cooperation model. You should also understand that while the commissions we earn may seem high, in reality, we are also cultivating and increasing a star's commercial value."

"If we only cooperate on individual projects, then as James becomes more and more famous, other companies will be the ones who ultimately benefit. The return would not be proportional to our investment."

After hearing this, Lance Cook said decisively, "Then let's leave it like this for now. When James becomes a top star, we can talk again."

Gavin Ward had not expected Lance Cook to be such a decisive and forceful person.

Of course, as a defense lawyer, when Lance Cook truly became firm, he would not yield even an inch.

He would not be fooled simply by Gavin Ward's words. Besides, giving up his younger brother's representation rights was something he absolutely could not accept.

Once his bottom line was touched, Lance Cook would not retreat half a step, even if it meant falling out completely.

Gavin Ward's conversation with the Cook brothers ended on a sour note.

After Ward left, James Cook said to his brother at home, "Lance, I don't want to become some star who runs around doing appearances. That would be too tiring, and it would distract me. I'm really nothing yet. If I start showing off and chasing money just because I look good, I don't think that's right."

Lance Cook looked at his younger brother, who had spoken those words from the heart. He walked over, patted James on the shoulder, and said softly, "Don't worry. If you don't like something, then don't do it. Focus on studying and playing football. After all, you're still young, right? When you're older, when you have more time, we'll look at it again."

James Cook nodded, then turned and went upstairs.

Their parents sat in the living room, their earlier surprise turning into disappointment, as if not achieving the daily fortune Gavin Ward had described meant they had suffered a huge loss.

Gavin Ward also went to see Charisteas.

But after Charisteas heard the purpose of his visit, he only said one thing.

"As a Greek player, I only just managed to adapt to Swansea after great difficulty. I won't easily transfer somewhere else. Stoke City? Next season, we'll be in the same division as them. Why would I go to Stoke City?"

In short, the initial responses Gavin Ward received from the Swansea players were all poor.

He needed to go to Stoke and report the situation to his employer, then discuss what to do next.

While Gavin Ward was privately contacting Swansea's players, Lynn was also discussing matters with his own advisory team.

Mo Yuan had invested in a holiday estate by the Swansea Bay coastline.

It sat on a small hill beside the sea, less than a hundred meters from the beach, and from the estate's viewing platform, one could take in the beautiful scenery of Swansea Bay.

Part of the funding came from his family, while the rest came from his own high salary over the past half year. He had the highest annual salary at the club, £100,000.

After adding a loan to that, the private holiday estate was quickly built.

This was what Lynn admired most about Mo Yuan. Once Mo Yuan had resources, he would never move slower than others.

He would fully use the resources in his hands, set money in motion, and make it create even more wealth.

After the private holiday estate was completed, Mo Yuan sent membership cards to many influential figures in Swansea whom he had befriended.

If people from elsewhere came to Swansea, they would also be brought here to stay.

It was currently winter, the off-season for tourism, but Mo Yuan had already recovered quite a bit of cash. Rooms were already being steadily booked from two months later onward.

In the estate's main hall, Lynn sat on a sofa holding a glass of vodka, drinking a little alcohol to warm himself up.

Mo Yuan sat opposite him.

Beside Mo Yuan sat Christa White from Ogilvy PR, while Paul Harris leaned against the bar with both hands in his pockets, his posture serious.

Since Christa White and Paul Harris were part of Lynn's advisory team, they naturally had to gain a full understanding of English football first, as well as Lynn's own situation.

After all, many of Lynn's decisions came from the problems he encountered at work.

After listening to Lynn describe Gavin Ward coming to negotiate on behalf of SFX, Mo Yuan was the first to ask, "The club definitely won't sell these three players, right?"

Lynn nodded with a serious expression.

"Not for any amount of money! But I also won't let things get to the point where players leave for free, or where players and the club fall out. At this stage, the club needs calm development. Absolute stability comes first!"

Whether it was turning against each other or trouble breaking out from within, those were things Lynn was extremely wary of right now.

So if a player in the team became determined to leave, he could only let him go. He could not keep a source of trouble inside the squad.

An overly young team had its drawbacks as well. Not every player was mentally mature. They were easily emotional. Once they saw the "ruthless" side of Lynn's methods, they would inevitably begin overthinking.

So to avoid that kind of thing, Lynn's bottom line also carried a few traces of helplessness.

At that moment, Paul Harris spoke.

"Since the players aren't for sale, then make the club's stance clear. Just like half a year ago, Mo Yuan can step forward and humiliate the other side again. No matter how much other clubs offer, Mo Yuan only needs to take a lofty attitude and reject them outright. That would embarrass clubs from a higher division than Swansea, and it would also let the fans see the club's determination to keep its players."

Lynn rubbed his chin and thought about it.

Harris's suggestion was workable.

In matters like this, they could afford to go a little too far.

From the perspective of interest, Lynn did not expect to buy players from clubs like Stoke City, Brentford, or Port Vale!

If their relationships became bad, then so be it.

Who was afraid of falling out?

So what?

At the same time, he did not want to sell players to those clubs either.

Then it was simple.

If there was an opportunity, crush them as hard as possible!

Whether in matches or in other matters, if the chance came, they had to do everything they could to grind them down!

"That method is good, but it's a little too conventional."

After saying that, Lynn tilted his head back and drained the entire glass of alcohol.

He noticed the strange smile on Mo Yuan's face opposite him and asked, "Do you have an idea?"

Mo Yuan lifted his chin toward Christa White and said, "She definitely does! If we want something unconventional, I'm sure that's exactly what she's best at!"

Lynn turned to look at Christa White.

This elegant, refined blonde woman, her hair pinned up high, now carried a confidence that seemed to radiate from within. She picked up a glass from the table, filled it for herself, and only then spoke.

"Lynn, you still haven't properly understood your own position. You are not a traditional part of English football."

"An offer comes in, you reject the offer, then take a high posture and announce that the player is not for sale. That kind of thing is far too common. It won't hurt your opponents at all!"

"Yes. First, you need to understand that they are opponents. Enemies. People who once humiliated you, even enemies who used racial prejudice against you!"

"You cannot show mercy. You cannot hesitate. You cannot soften your heart. You cannot wonder whether etiquette should still exist here."

"No. It doesn't exist."

"You are a conqueror. An invader."

"You are capturing cities and seizing territory. You are expanding your borders."

"You are spreading your name to every person in English football."

"What do you want?"

"Respect?"

"Sorry, but you will never get it!"

"Even if you beat your opponents on the pitch a hundred times, they will still find all kinds of reasons to reject you, attack you, and look down on you. I'm English, you're Chinese. I'm white, you're Asian. I'm superior, you're inferior."

"What should you receive instead?"

"Fear and anger."

"No one remembers that Hitler once dreamed of becoming a priest. No one remembers that Hitler wanted to study at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts but was rejected again and again. Having beautiful dreams is all well and good, but what people ultimately remember is the cruel reality that cuts straight into the heart."

"What you must spread through English football is terror."

"Make everyone who hurt you pay the price."

"Make them pay for every wound they gave you."

"So etiquette? To hell with it."

"When they need something from you, you must use that."

"Do you believe that even at this very moment, the chairmen of Brentford, Port Vale, and Stoke City are still cursing and mocking you in their hearts? Still looking down on you?"

"They will think that as long as they find an intermediary to express a little goodwill, you will eagerly accept that goodwill, think you've made new friends in English football, and then, as a friend, hand Cromwell, Cook, and Charisteas over to them as gifts."

"No."

"Not only must you refuse to lower yourself, you must stand over them. Arrogantly. And you must play them in the palm of your hand."

"This is a game. A game that cannot win you respect, but can make your opponents feel fear and anger."

"The question is whether you're willing to play it, and whether you can play it well."

As soon as she finished, Christa White drained the alcohol in her glass and looked at Lynn with a bright smile.

For some reason, when Lynn looked at her smile, a chill rose in his heart.

Yet at the same time, a spark of excitement was ignited inside him.

Yes.

Make them pay.

'I don't need to be respected.'

'When I needed respect, English football gave me endless mockery.'

'Now, I don't need it anymore.'

'What I need is to trample them all under' my feet.'