Chapter 147: The Tower Returns
Inside the lively little bar, Levin and Ibrahimović sat at the counter and drank for a while before Levin spoke first.
"How have things been lately?"
"How else could they be? Just like what you see at the team every day."
"What are you thinking?"
"What can I think?"
"Watching David, Angelos, even Robert scoring and conquering on the pitch while you sit on the bench as a spectator... Zlatan, you're about to rust, aren't you?"
"I'm perfectly fine. As long as I get on the pitch, I can score a hat trick anytime!"
Ibrahimović took a drink, his tone somewhat gloomy.
Joseph Levin simply ordered a whole bottle of whisky and placed it in front of himself so he could refill his glass whenever he wanted.
He raised his glass to Ibrahimović and said, "I'm happy to hear you say that. Looks like you still have plenty of fighting spirit."
Seeing Levin drink so freely, Ibrahimović let out a long sigh and said in a low voice, "I haven't rusted yet, but I'm close. Fuck, when is this kind of life going to end? It's only been a month. Only one month!"
Since the league began, a month had already passed. Sitting on the cold bench had nearly driven Ibrahimović mad.
Joseph Levin said lightly, "If you want to leave Swansea, you'll have to endure at least three more months. You won't be able to leave until January next year. And the situation isn't optimistic. If you don't play for half a season, no one will know what your form is like. If the price is too low, Swansea won't let you go."
Ibrahimović slammed his fist on the table and said harshly, "I know that too! But what else can I do? I don't understand what the Boss is thinking at all. What exactly does he want? If he's punishing me, I've already been punished enough. Why won't it stop?"
In truth, what Ibrahimović feared most had happened today.
When the team was without him and fell into adversity, they still completed a comeback. The heroic role that should have belonged to him had been taken by someone else!
Joseph Levin turned and stared at Ibrahimović, patiently advising him.
"Looks like you still don't understand. Lynn isn't punishing you. He is the owner and manager of the club. He is Swansea's king. The king has locked you in prison because you have not submitted at his feet.
"Zlatan, let me tell you what I see.
"Swansea have a tyrant looked down on by all of Britain. But this man, a tyrant to the outside world, has led his people to unleash an incredible fighting power. That is simply unbelievable!
"Why are your thoughts the same as Fleet Street's, or the same as our enemies'?
"You only see Lynn's race, age, résumé, background, and so on. Why can't you look fairly and objectively at his coaching achievements?
"Which teammate around you has Lynn abandoned?
"And which one of them hasn't made huge progress over the past year?
"What is the reason for that? The players themselves?
"Don't be stupid. If players could train themselves into success, this world wouldn't need coaches.
"Even if you think most of your achievements came from yourself, to put it bluntly, what achievements do you actually have?
"Nothing.
"And yet at a time like this, you're so full of yourself. How is the king supposed to be happy with you?"
Ibrahimović drained a large mouthful of alcohol and said helplessly, "Then what should I do?"
"If you want to play, go back and admit your mistake. Lynn has been waiting for you for a long time."
After saying that, Joseph Levin stood up, looking as if he was about to leave.
Ibrahimović asked curiously, "Where are you going?"
"There are a few people at 411 Nightclub. I should go over and remind them to head home early. You too. Finish that glass and go home obediently to rest."
Joseph Levin walked straight out of the bar. Ibrahimović looked at his back and shouted, "Don't you think you're meddling too much?"
"I'm a senior gofer. I don't manage anything, but I also manage everything."
Joseph Levin's reply came without him even turning his head, leaving Ibrahimović caught between laughter and helplessness. He finished the alcohol in his glass and got up to leave.
Levin stood outside a restaurant across from the entrance to 411 Nightclub. After lighting a cigarette, he took out his phone and called James Cook.
"James, are you lot still at 411? Run. The Boss knows you're here, and he's on his way to kill you."
Before Joseph Levin had even finished his cigarette, he saw James Cook dragging Friedrich, Grosso, and the others out of the nightclub in a panic. They jumped into taxis and fled at top speed.
Joseph Levin watched the entire process of their escape, a faint smile appearing on his clean face. He flicked away the cigarette butt and walked home.
...
The next day, the Welsh media gave grand coverage to Swansea's great comeback victory at the Britannia Stadium.
Unfortunately, because the aftershocks of the September 11 attacks had not yet settled, even explosive football news felt somewhat hard to sell. It definitely could not attract attention as much as financial news.
Since the next match was a week away, Lynn had enough time to pay attention to the financial markets.
He went through his work step by step while also watching his financial accounts.
After 9/11 broke out, panicked investors sold stocks crazily in the stock market, causing the domino effect to reappear across global markets.
For the first time in the fifty-six years since World War II, the U.S. stock market suspended trading for four consecutive days. After those four days of closure, it would reopen on the 16th.
From the day trading resumed, stocks across major financial centers—New York, London, Frankfurt, from America to Europe—began falling across the board!
Two-thirds of global liquidity was affected, and estimated losses reached 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars!
The following week, Wall Street would begin a tragic "Black Week," with stock losses reaching 1.4 trillion U.S. dollars within one week!
Lynn, who had fully shorted U.S. stocks one week before 9/11, watched the profits in his accounts grow rapidly every day!
Every financial agency he had entrusted had someone at manager level or above call him, hoping to provide Lynn with more thoughtful and thorough wealth management services, because Lynn had become richer, and kept getting richer!
And what they saw was only the tip of the iceberg.
Before the weekend league match arrived, Lynn walked alone by the side of the pitch. The team was training. He looked around, stopping from time to time to think, leaving people unable to figure out what was on his mind.
Lynn was thinking about how to upgrade the training base again, to make it even better. On one hand, it would improve the team's training efficiency. On the other, it would also make Swansea Football Club look more attractive.
Suddenly, Ibrahimović jogged up behind Lynn and said stiffly, "Boss."
Lynn turned back calmly. A trace of surprise flashed through his eyes, but it immediately disappeared into stillness.
"What is it?"
Ibrahimović, who was more than ten centimeters taller than Lynn, wore a serious expression as he looked slightly down at him. Lynn, meanwhile, remained calm and carried an authority that did not require anger.
Ibrahimović said in a deep voice, "Boss, I want to play."
Lynn answered without hesitation, "You're not ready yet."
"I'm ready."
"You're not. All right, conversation over. Go back to training."
When Lynn was about to turn around, Ibrahimović hurriedly said, "What exactly do you want me to do before you'll forgive me? What did I do wrong? Is every player who wants to leave Swansea going to be frozen out by you? Are they all going to become your enemies?"
Ibrahimović's tone had already revealed a trace of grievance and anger.
His voice was loud, and the players on the training ground all looked in his direction. Everyone nervously paid attention to the conversation between Lynn and Ibrahimović. Some even worried that the two fiery-tempered men might start fighting.
Lynn's expression instantly became fierce, almost ghostlike, as he roared at Ibrahimović.
"What did you do wrong?
"In your heart, you've never done anything wrong!
"Because you can't see what others have given. You can't see the help others have offered you! You ignore me, your teammates, and every coach here!
"You were determined to leave. What did I say?
"I let you go!
"But what did you do?
"When SFX Agency contacted you, did you tell me honestly?
"You only wanted to go to Manchester City, without caring that I might become an object of ridicule while SFX Agency raised glasses and celebrated!
"When UEFA banned us from signing players, did you ever think about how much we needed you?
"I forcibly kept you here because at that point, this was no longer just about whether you transferred or stayed!
"I had to be responsible for them! Look clearly! Every single one of them! Swansea!"
Lynn swept his hand out and pointed toward the players on the training ground.
Ibrahimović was left speechless by Lynn's roar.
Lynn continued shouting at him.
"If they fight hard for an entire season, only to fail to earn promotion or win the title because we lack numbers on the front line, and have to stay in the Second Division, I will suffer. But they will suffer even more!
"If not for UEFA's punishment, then if you left, you left. We could buy another forward. But we can't! I have to be responsible for the club! I have to be responsible for this team! For every single person who fights for Swansea!
"Fuck! Zlatan Ibrahimović!
"What did you do? Did you think about any of this? No! You threw your teammates to the back of your mind. And then? You even refused to return for training!
"You were throwing your little tantrum. How fucking manly!"
Ibrahimović was scolded by Lynn until he had no face left.
He could not help glancing toward the training ground. His teammates were all staring at them expressionlessly. It seemed everyone had reached the same position because of Lynn's words:
Ibrahimović was wrong!
The autumn wind swept past, leaving the ground bleak.
After a painful struggle, Ibrahimović finally lowered his head in front of Lynn.
That head of his, so proud it seemed as if it would never bow.
"Boss, I was wrong. Please give me a chance!"
Under the witness of every coach and player, Lynn let out a soft sigh, stepped forward, patted Ibrahimović's arm, and said, "I've been waiting for those words for a long time. Start from the bench. If you want your starting place back, go and fight for it!"
Ibrahimović nodded lightly.
He did not care whether he was a substitute or a starter. As long as he was given a chance to play, he was certain he could win back the starting position. He believed that without the slightest doubt.
...
In the eighth round of the Second Division, Swansea hosted Tranmere Rovers.
Because Brunel and Cromwell were absent, Swansea's defensive quality clearly declined.
Fortunately, their attacking firepower was strong enough, and they beat the opponent 4–2 at home.
Ibrahimović came on as a substitute in the 75th minute and received applause from some of the fans. Although he only assisted Villa for one goal, he still received unanimous praise after the match.
After the match, the Welsh media focused heavily on Ibrahimović being "unsealed"!
BBC Wales used the phrase "Swansea's heavyweight signing" to describe Ibrahimović returning to the matchday squad after burying the hatchet with Lynn.
After eight league rounds, Swansea suddenly climbed to second place, only one point behind Brighton!
Two promoted teams sitting in the top two places of the table shocked every team in the Second Division!
Micky Adams and Lynn also became the "magical young managers" stirring up storms across the Second Division.
On September 24, in the second round of the League Cup, Swansea fielded a substitute lineup. After a hard ninety-minute battle, they lost away at Elland Road. During the match, Villa was injured after being crashed into by Ferdinand, which made Lynn furious. Fortunately, Villa only needed to rest for three weeks.
But after losing to Leeds United, opposing manager David O'Leary's post-match comments enraged Swansea's fans.
"Swansea are a young team described by the outside world as a youth army sweeping across the pitch, but in reality, they have not experienced any major tests. Before reaching the Premier League, they should not be praised so highly. But perhaps they will never have the day when they rise to the Premier League."
David O'Leary had the capital to talk big. The Leeds United youth guard he led had stirred up shocking storms on the European stage, and the White Rose under his management had never fallen out of the Premier League's top five.
Swansea under Lynn were also called a youth guard, and naturally, that made David O'Leary very unhappy.
Of course, O'Leary's comments did not anger Lynn. Instead, they annoyed Swansea's fans.
Lynn did not have too many thoughts about O'Leary's words. In truth, O'Leary was right.
Before Swansea reached the Premier League, it was better for them to stay low-key and not live inside unrealistic praise.
However, Leeds United had not faced Swansea's main squad, and their win had not been easy. David O'Leary's comments still gave the Welsh media a chance to mock him, saying he was arrogant and thought he had beaten Swansea at 100% strength and form.
The only thing that made Lynn unhappy was Villa's injury.
The day after Swansea were eliminated from the League Cup, the team had a day off. Lynn went to visit Villa. Not only did he bring gifts to Villa's home, he also brought a new contract from the club—a very generous one that gave Villa a raise, directly increasing his weekly salary to £8,000!
This was to reward Villa for his contributions over more than a year, as well as his loyalty to the team!
Villa's parents happily welcomed Lynn, and Villa himself was extremely moved. During the low point of his injury, the club's attitude, along with Lynn's actions, directly made him feel how valued he was.
Because all at once, he had become the highest-paid player in the entire team!
After leaving Villa's home, Lynn made a rare trip to Swansea University. After his mother got off work, he gave her a surprise, had dinner with her outside, then accompanied her to the Quadrant Shopping Centre for a wild shopping trip.
When Tang Yue saw her son spending money like water, she could not help reminding him to save a little. But Lynn "made it worse" instead, deliberately taking her into the world's top luxury brand stores. From autumn and winter coats to jewelry, cosmetics, and handbags, Lynn even specially called over a shop assistant to help carry bags for him.
Only when Tang Yue was almost "begging" Lynn to stop did Lynn finally end this crazy shopping trip.