The Greatest Manager of All time

On the afternoon of January 6, Swansea welcomed Shrewsbury at home.

This was the third match of Lynn's touchline ban, so he watched from the VIP seats at Liberty Stadium.

Before the match began, a small number of fans came over hoping to get his autograph.

Lynn was genuinely flattered.

He had thought he would never be worshipped by fans like some kind of idol in this lifetime, yet after only half a season, there were already supporters willing to collect his signature.

After writing his name in a slightly neat, careful style, he decided he should design a proper autograph.

He would write both his Chinese name and the English name "LYNN" for the fans.

Shrewsbury were not particularly strong, and Swansea were full of momentum at home.

However, under tight marking, neither Charisteas nor Villa managed to get any good chances. Instead, in the 23rd minute, it was Mark Nielsen again. He suddenly burst into the penalty area, met Grosso's cross, and, unmarked at the far post, cushioned the ball into the net with one touch.

Liberty Stadium erupted in cheers.

Nielsen rushed to the sideline, laughing with pure joy, unable to contain his excitement.

He had scored in four consecutive matches!

His form even surprised Lynn. This 22-year-old Swedish midfielder had been far too eye-catching lately, stealing the spotlight from everyone else for the moment.

Just as Lynn sat calmly in the VIP seats and continued watching the match, an unexpected chant rose from the South Stand.

"If you hate England, clap your hands!"

"If you hate England, clap your hands!"

Along with the supporters' chanting, the atmosphere in the stadium became especially rhythmic.

Chant. Clap.

Chant. Clap.

This kind of chant would not have much impact on the Swansea players, but it did not sound particularly pleasant either.

After all, Swansea were still playing within the English league system. To openly declare hatred for England like this would, to some extent, invite hostility.

Yet the chant spread through the stadium like a virus, quickly infecting most of the crowd.

Did Swansea fans hate England?

If they were Welsh, then perhaps it could not be called bone-deep hatred. But dislike? That was certainly true. After all, whether in terms of political power or economic influence, England was the dominant force in the strictest sense.

Welsh football had also spent over a century unable to lift its head in front of English football. Even Scottish football had once overshadowed England, but Welsh football had always been weak and rarely belonged on the grand stage. That was an accepted fact.

Add to that the fact that Swansea had been victimized by English football hooligans this season, and then punished by the FA in a way that cost them top spot in the league table. It was not hard to understand why Swansea fans hated the FA, or why that hatred had spread directly toward England as a whole.

Lynn was simply glad that there were no English players in the team.

There had been many before, but he had either let them go or pushed them out of the first team.

At least now, there was not a single English player in the first-team squad. But that did not mean there were no homegrown players. James Cook and Cromwell could both count as homegrown players.

The FA's definition of a homegrown player was not simply that they had to be English. In fact, it had little to do with nationality and was mainly based on whether they had developed through the youth system.

In the second half, Tobias Rau created an opportunity for Villa with an overlapping run down the flank. The "El Guaje" met the chance in front of goal and finished with a simple push into the net, once again breaking through Shrewsbury's defense.

Swansea took all three points at home.

Brighton drew in this round, allowing Swansea to close the gap. The difference between the two teams was now only three points.

After the match ended, Lynn stood and applauded the Swan Sea together with the surrounding supporters.

The four league matches in eleven days were finally over, but that did not mean the brutal schedule had ended. Three days later, Swansea still had to head into an FA Cup fixture.

Lynn still had two matches left on his ban. As long as it was a domestic competition, it counted. By that calculation, he would be able to return to the touchline by the next league match, because between now and then, apart from the FA Cup, there was also the first leg of the Football League Trophy semi-final.

...

That very night, Gavin Ward met his three employers at a hotel in Stoke-on-Trent.

Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite.

Stoke City chairman Peter Coates.

Brentford chairman Cliff Boya.

If the media found out that Smurthwaite and Coates were gathered in the same room, it would probably become the biggest local news in Stoke.

After all, Port Vale and Stoke City were clubs from the same city. The rivalry between the two was self-evident.

Stoke City claimed to be the second-oldest league football club in the world. Although outsiders disputed the exact year the club had been founded, Coates, as chairman, believed it firmly.

Stoke had played in the top flight back in the 1980s, but after being relegated in 1985, they had been stuck fighting in the lower divisions. Coates's ambition was to bring this club, supposedly second only to Notts County in age, back to the top flight and help it achieve the results it deserved.

Coates's interest in Charisteas came from Stoke's identity as a typical English side. Their style was simple, direct, rough, and open. Charisteas fit the requirements of an "English-style centre-forward."

Of course, the player he was actually most interested in was Ibrahimović.

Unfortunately, Ibrahimović was too expensive.

Unless he could afford at least three million pounds in transfer fees, plus another two million poured into his contract, Coates knew Stoke City had no chance of taking Ibrahimović from Swansea.

Settling for the next best option was not a problem.

When Gavin Ward entered the suite, he saw the three club chairmen sitting there smoking heavily. Before he could even speak, Coates asked in a low voice, "What did the yellow monkey say?"

Ward disliked Coates speaking with such naked racism, but since the man in front of him was his employer, he chose to ignore it.

He told the three employers the results of the work he had done in Swansea.

It was not optimistic.

The players were unwilling to transfer.

After hearing this, Coates sneered. "Hmph. That yellow monkey has money, and he's certainly good at buying loyalty. Those players are just greedy. For money, they're willing to be his obedient little boys."

Smurthwaite frowned and said, "You should focus on running your own club properly instead of spouting garbage all day. Whatever else Lynn is, he's still the owner of a football club. If he can win people over, then naturally he has his methods."

"Hmph. Are you about to kneel before the yellow monkey too? I seem to remember someone boasting about making Lynn clean his toilets."

"That's right. I said it. If he's willing to come now, I'd still let him clean my toilets. So what? That's better than being stupid like you. Didn't your racist remarks cause you enough trouble?"

Cliff Boya, as the chairman of a club on the outskirts of Greater London, naturally looked down on this scene of "country folk fighting among themselves" between Smurthwaite and Coates.

Perhaps because there were too many clubs in Greater London, and Brentford had too many opponents—many of them far stronger than his own club—he had long grown used to staying silent with an upward-looking attitude, avoiding becoming the center of attention.

In a way, this reflected the reality of society.

The smaller the pond, the more arrogant and overbearing people became.

The larger the pond, the more cautious and humble people tended to be.

After all, the deeper the water, the more hidden dragons and crouching tigers it contained.

Cliff Boya waved his hand and said, "We didn't come here to listen to you two flirt. Gavin, tell me, has the transfer fallen through?"

Smurthwaite and Coates both snorted at each other, then turned their eyes toward Gavin Ward at the same time.

Ward cleared his throat and said quietly, "In truth, we haven't genuinely tried negotiating with Lynn yet. Since tempting the players failed, and there's no push from the players rebelling, the next step is direct negotiation. If Lynn is willing to let the players transfer, then out of dignity or emotion, the players will most likely agree to move."

It was a very simple routine.

Either incite the players to rebel and pressure the club.

Or give the club enough benefit so the club willingly released the players.

As soon as Coates heard this, his eyes widened. "Lynn will definitely demand an absurd price. I won't be extorted!"

He would not be extorted.

And more importantly, he could not produce much more money.

This time, Smurthwaite nodded in agreement. Boya also approved of Coates's view.

They were all small clubs with limited financial power.

Otherwise, they would not have targeted Swansea's second-tier group of players in terms of fame and on-pitch importance.

Players like Ibrahimović and Villa were not even worth dreaming about.

They simply could not afford them.

Gavin Ward said calmly, "If you are willing to let me try again, I will do my best to test Lynn's bottom line. If he truly refuses to sell, then we can only give up. But if he is willing, then we need to be prepared."

"The possibility of being extorted is not too high. As long as Lynn gives even a hint of willingness, we can leak some rumors to the outside. The players will start having their own thoughts then. At that point, he will be caught between two difficult choices."

The three chairmen thought it over and felt Ward's words made some sense, so they allowed him to try contacting Lynn again.

...

Ibrahimović returned from holiday, one day earlier than his scheduled return.

On his first day back at the club, he worked extremely hard on the training ground. Even Lynn, while overseeing training, looked at him with renewed respect. It seemed that after relaxing, Ibrahimović's commitment to work had not decreased at all. If anything, it had increased.

This was what professionalism looked like.

Relax when it was time to relax.

Work with complete seriousness when it was time to work.

The argument between master and student in the dressing room before Ibrahimović left had not affected their relationship. Instead, it had made Ibrahimović more willing to communicate with Lynn.

In the next FA Cup match, Ibrahimović would still be suspended.

Swansea would travel to West London to challenge Chelsea, a Blues side close to the top tier of the Premier League!

Before that, Gavin Ward returned.

However, when he once again tried to meet with Lynn, he was shut out. He was not even given a decent reason before being refused entry.

Gavin Ward had no choice but to contact Swansea CEO Mo Yuan after work.

Mo Yuan gave him face, and the two had dinner together at a restaurant near the Quadrant Shopping Centre.

While eating delicious Argentine barbecue, Gavin Ward exchanged pleasantries with Mo Yuan for a while before going straight to the point.

"Has Lynn been very busy lately?"

Mo Yuan held his wine glass and smiled. "Of course. In another week, he'll be free from his ban and back in action. Right now, his head is full of plans to go all out and lead Swansea straight into the Second Division."

Back in action after his ban?

Gavin Ward found that rather amusing.

A young manager who was, in truth, unknown when measured against the whole of European football—what was there to get excited about?

Besides, in Ward's eyes, the ban was something Lynn had brought upon himself. Leading players into a brawl at Ninian Park was not something that would earn sympathy from anyone.

But Gavin Ward naturally would not say what he was thinking out loud.

"Three clubs are interested in Swansea players. Have you heard about that?"

Ward asked tentatively.

Mo Yuan took a bite of grilled meat, smacked his lips, and said, "Lynn mentioned it."

"What's his attitude? Does he not want to sell? Does he think the money is too low? Or is it something else?"

Mo Yuan chuckled.

"Don't forget what Lynn's family does. His family is in investment. Making money and refusing it? How could that be possible? Besides, Swansea's own costs are high. You should know that our investment this season is at Premier League level."

"Exactly. I've heard the same. So what exactly is his attitude?"

"Him? If you put yourself in his shoes, you'll understand. He simply doesn't want to communicate with other clubs because he hasn't been given the most basic respect. Isn't that right?"

After hearing this, Gavin Ward suddenly understood.

As expected, everyone cared about face. Lynn should be no different.

Two of those three clubs had once humiliated Lynn. Now they expected Lynn to calmly communicate with them and even do business? Lynn probably would not pay any attention to them at all. Besides, even the players stood on Lynn's side. Naturally, the matter was more difficult than expected.

Gavin Ward looked at the young Mo Yuan, who seemed to have no schemes at all, and did not ask further.

Mo Yuan, however, told him plenty.

For example, how depressed and pained Lynn had been after being humiliated, and how furious and resentful he had felt.

Before dinner ended, Mo Yuan said carelessly, "Actually, in my opinion, it's not a big deal. As long as other clubs can afford the money, and before that, they apologize to Lynn, then everything will be fine. After all, everyone is in the English league system. You see each other all the time. Deep down, Lynn also hopes to be recognized by everyone. Maybe in the future they'll all have to attend one meeting or another together. If things get unpleasant, it'll be awkward when they meet."

Gavin Ward frowned slightly and asked, "Apologize? Over the phone, or in person?"

"Of course, publicly in front of the media. Just like when they humiliated Lynn before. I don't think it's much. The outside world misunderstood Lynn in the first place. He isn't mentally ill. It was all rumors causing trouble. A public apology would also show British manners and character. Don't you think I'm right?"

Gavin Ward nodded lightly and sighed.

"That's true. Lynn's thinking isn't excessive at all. It's just a public apology. He shouldn't have been misunderstood by the public either. I think it's time for everyone to stop this pointless war. Peace is the best outcome. Like you said, everyone is part of the English football system. There will be plenty of chances for business and cooperation in the future. They can't keep sulking at each other forever like children."

"Exactly. You're absolutely right!"

After dinner ended, Mo Yuan left the Quadrant Shopping Centre in his own car.

Gavin Ward, meanwhile, took the train back to Stoke that very night, bringing the latest situation to his three employers.

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