The Greatest Manager of All time

Inside a suite at the seaside holiday estate in Swansea, Lynn leaned tiredly against the sofa, rubbing his temples.

The team had won the Football League Trophy today, and the players had been given time off to celebrate.

From what he had heard, they had gone to a nightclub to party. Lynn had never banned the team from going to nightclubs; places like that were not exactly dragon's dens.

The club rules only had one clear clause: players were not allowed to remain in nightclubs past one in the morning.

There was no need for the club to supervise things like that. The paparazzi would naturally expose it in the news if anyone broke the rule.

After finishing a phone call on the balcony, Harrison returned to the living room and said to Lynn.

"Christa has already handled Cristiano Ronaldo's family. They won't say a single word to the media. Mo Yuan has arrived in London and will meet with officials from the FA. I also heard that, at the latest by tomorrow afternoon, UEFA will begin investigating Sporting CP's complaint."

Lynn nodded with his eyes closed, then said to Harrison, "All right. That's enough for now. Go back and rest. Whatever changes happen, they'll be tomorrow's problem."

When soldiers came, he would block them. When water came, he would cover it with earth.

Lynn slept there for the night and did not go home. Early the next morning, he woke up and had breakfast in the main hall of the holiday estate.

The staff also brought him the day's newspapers, both the local papers and Fleet Street publications.

Naturally, the Welsh media focused heavily on Swansea winning the Football League Trophy. Fleet Street, meanwhile, reported that Sporting CP had filed a complaint to UEFA, accusing Swansea of using improper methods to sign Cristiano Ronaldo.

Fleet Street directly nailed Lynn to the seat of a "criminal."

They described him as if he were the head of some criminal operation.

Between the lines, they also hinted that other Swansea players had probably been signed through illegal methods too, as long as they had been brought in from outside by Lynn's hand. Bribes, dirty money, even coercion and other shameful means — their insinuations were endless.

After reading, Lynn calmly folded the newspaper and placed it on the table.

Once he finished breakfast, he drove to the club.

At noon, a UEFA official arrived in Swansea. Lynn received him at the club. The man's name was Andy Porter. He was in his thirties and did not look like a rigid, old-fashioned man.

He smiled as he shook Lynn's hand. After they arrived at Lynn's office, Lynn went straight to the point.

"Why did UEFA accept Sporting CP's complaint?"

Andy Porter smiled and said, "Bureaucracy. At a time like this, they get to show authority, act as an arbitrator, and judge other people's life and death. When something like that appears, of course the officials get excited. Being needed and begged gives people a strange kind of satisfaction, doesn't it?"

Hearing Andy Porter's answer, Lynn felt this man was rather unusual. He smiled and nodded.

"You're right. Then what is UEFA's attitude?"

"Investigate first. Then see how the clubs respond and what the facts are."

"Do the facts matter?"

"Of course they matter. We have to remain fair. But there is one thing that works in Swansea's favor."

"What?"

Andy Porter suddenly put on a serious expression and said, "Sporting CP are a big club in the mainstream impression. Swansea? There are probably still many people who have never even heard the name. Public opinion may lean toward the idea that Sporting CP are bullying a small club. And if UEFA's ruling favors Sporting CP, it will be easier for the outside world to assume UEFA and Sporting CP are secretly colluding. We still need to avoid that kind of thing. So yes, the facts matter."

Lynn threw his head back and laughed.

"Right. In the eyes of the outside world, Swansea are common people, Sporting CP are nobility, and UEFA are the rulers. If Swansea are punished, many people will say Sporting CP and UEFA are privileged powers colluding with each other. Hahaha, I actually hadn't thought of that. Maybe in my heart, I don't see Swansea as being that low.

"Instead, I thought the outside world would guess this: Sporting CP are such a big club, so why would Cristiano Ronaldo go to an unknown little team like Swansea? He should have stayed at Sporting CP. Swansea must have used some shady method to lure Cristiano Ronaldo away!"

Andy Porter snapped his fingers in agreement.

"Mm, your interpretation isn't wrong either. It would indeed make people wonder. Especially since Swansea are offering players wages that are not low, comparable to Premier League levels, while wages in English football are far better than those in Portuguese football. Swansea have money. Did they really buy off the player and his family?"

Lynn stared at Andy Porter and said, "Guessing back and forth is meaningless. The truth is actually very simple.

"First, Cristiano Ronaldo was willing to come to Swansea. How much signing fee we gave him is a question of the club's strength. UEFA and the top leagues of various countries have never written any rule setting an upper limit on a player's signing fee.

"Second, Cristiano Ronaldo only had an apprentice contract with Sporting CP. The contract between them was not protected in the same way, and the £1 million I paid Sporting CP last year was more than enough to buy out Cristiano Ronaldo's contract.

"Third, Sporting CP have now seen Cristiano Ronaldo begin to perform at Swansea, so they're angry, wronged, jealous, and now they want to extort Swansea.

"You can go ask Cristiano Ronaldo's family about it now. If I lied about this matter, I will accept any ruling from UEFA."

Andy Porter waved his hand casually.

"No need. I already know what they'll say. After all, they've earned several million pounds from you. If they still don't know what to say, that would be ridiculous.

"Lynn, I'm just a small figure too, so I don't want to waste time being stuck in the middle of this. UEFA wants to show its authority, so I came. What Sporting CP wants, I don't care. What you want, I don't care either.

"But to resolve this matter, it still depends on your attitude. Since UEFA has accepted Sporting CP's complaint, there has to be a result. If there's no result at all, wouldn't that be disappointing? It would also make UEFA lose face. If word gets out that we investigated for nothing and got no result, what happens to UEFA's authority? Do we throw it into the English Channel and let it drift away?"

Lynn understood the meaning beneath Andy Porter's words.

The other man was only an investigator, but at least he was a practical one, not someone putting on airs.

Lynn sat in his chair and rocked gently from side to side, saying easily, "Since there has to be a result, and Sporting CP have already declared themselves the victim, UEFA obviously won't turn around and punish the victim too. So no matter whether it's to protect UEFA's authority in public or to give Sporting CP a reasonable explanation so this matter can be settled, Swansea must accept some punishment. Is that right?"

Andy Porter smiled.

"Talking to smart people is great. Saves effort. I'll be direct with you. Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with Swansea is legal. That won't change. UEFA won't clash with the FA over that point either. After all, this is the FA's territory.

"As for Swansea, there are two ruling options. You choose one. The condition is that Swansea accepts it and does not appeal.

"First, Swansea pays Sporting CP an additional amount in youth development compensation. I estimate it won't exceed £1 million.

"Second, Swansea pays no money, but UEFA punishes Swansea with a transfer ban for one future transfer window.

"Between the two options, I recommend the first. After all, Swansea are going to the Second Division next season. If you can't sign players after promotion, things may become difficult."

After listening, Lynn shook his head instead.

"No. I will not give Sporting CP more money. They are extorting us. Satisfy them? No. I already paid them. They earned that much for nothing. Maybe they think it wasn't enough, but I think it was, because I also paid the player a large amount of money. That benefit is something I would rather give to the player than to them.

"Now that they're trying to extort me, don't even think about succeeding."

"Then you want to choose the second option? No signings in the upcoming summer transfer window?"

Lynn rubbed his chin and said, "I can accept the second option, but I want to make a small adjustment to the conditions of the ruling."

Andy Porter frowned. "What kind of adjustment?"

Lynn smiled.

"Swansea accepts UEFA's punishment. We have one transfer window in which we cannot sign players. But as for the timing of that transfer ban, put it in January next year."

Andy Porter's eyes shifted, and then he burst out laughing.

"Lynn, oh Lynn. You really are calculating!"

It was obvious that if the transfer ban fell during the summer off-season, Swansea's normal work would be affected.

But if the ban fell during the winter transfer window next January, the impact on Swansea would not be great.

Lynn smiled.

"I'm just adapting to the situation. You proposed the conditions. Oh, no, UEFA proposed them. I'm accepting them conditionally. Is that not allowed?"

Andy Porter thought about it, then said, "It can be done, but it will take some time. First, you'll need to have a prolonged fight with Sporting CP. When UEFA announces the arbitration result, it would be best if it happens after July 1. That way, the summer transfer window will already have opened, and implementation of the ruling will be pushed to the next transfer period."

Lynn said lightly, "Good. Then let's do that. Andy, I thought people from UEFA would be difficult to deal with, but I didn't expect you to be so easy to talk to. Thank you."

Andy Porter shook his head.

"I only wanted to use a business trip as an excuse for a holiday. Your suggestion happens to let me stay in Swansea a little longer. Officially, I'm investigating Swansea. In reality, I can go sunbathe on the beach. Hahaha. We each get what we need."

"Fine. Swansea is quite nice. Do you need me to find someone to guide you around?"

"Absolutely not. I don't want to be exposed by the media and have people say I have some unclear relationship with Swansea. Let's settle it like this. I'm going to begin my Swansea holiday. Goodbye."

Lynn personally stood and saw Andy Porter out.

After sending Andy Porter away, he called Christa White.

When the elegant American woman arrived in Lynn's office, Lynn told her about the agreement he had reached with Andy Porter.

Christa White's expression remained calm.

"That went too smoothly. I'll look into him, and I'll also keep an eye on what Sporting CP does next."

Lynn nodded.

"I also think it went too smoothly. Either he really doesn't want to waste time, since this sort of investigation has nothing much to investigate anyway. Everyone knows what's really going on. There are baskets full of dirty backroom dealings in the European transfer market. Compared with those, what are we?

"But I don't want to be stabbed in the back. Better to be cautious."

Christa White frowned slightly.

"But whether we can find anything or not, we're still passive. The power is in someone else's hands."

Lynn sighed.

"There's nothing we can do about that. For now, we can only watch and wait."

After Andy Porter left Swansea, he got into a taxi. He went to the hotel where he was staying, returned to his room, lay on the bed, and took out his phone. He called his superior and reported the conversation and agreement he had reached with Lynn.

"Okay. I understand, Boss. Then I'll start my holiday now. I'll contact you again later!"

After that, Andy Porter really behaved as if he were on holiday, wandering around Swansea and no longer paying attention to the dispute between Swansea and Sporting CP.

UEFA's official position on the matter remained that the investigation was still ongoing.

After Swansea won the Football League Trophy, there were only six league matches left in the season.

Lynn placed great importance on the final stage of the league. He needed the players to stay focused, and fortunately, they did not relax.

In the 41st round of the Third Division, Swansea would host Cardiff City in the second Welsh derby of the league season.

Considering that a large-scale post-match brawl had broken out at Ninian Park in the first half of the league season, the FA issued a warning on the eve of the Welsh derby, telling both Swansea and Cardiff City to be careful.

If another negative incident occurred, the punishment both teams would face would be even heavier than last time!

After successfully overtaking Brighton again in the second half of the season, Swansea now sat top of the table.

Cardiff City, meanwhile, were in a different situation.

At the end of the first half of the league season, they had ranked third in the Third Division. But after being docked nine points, they fell to fifth!

After a strong chase in the second half of the season, Cardiff City climbed back to third place. However, they were only one point ahead of fourth-placed Chesterfield.

A one-point lead seemed slim, but the difference between third and fourth was like heaven and earth.

In the Third Division, the top three teams were promoted directly to the Second Division, while teams ranked fourth to seventh entered the promotion play-offs!

In other words, if Cardiff City could not maintain their lead over Chesterfield until the end of the regular 46-round season, they would have to play in the promotion play-offs.

At that point, whether they could still get promoted would be truly hard to say.

Swansea, on the other hand, had been docked six points and still secured promotion early with an overwhelming advantage!

Against this backdrop, the Welsh derby was about to begin at Liberty Stadium.