Gao Shen was clearly taken aback for a moment, then smiled bitterly and shook his head. "I don't know either."
That was what he truly thought.
Given his personality, he would always try to prepare in advance to avoid falling into such dilemmas. He had always been like this, whether in his previous life running a business or now, coaching a European team.
But if one day he really did fall into such a predicament, he honestly wouldn't know what to choose. Because no matter which path he took, it would be both right and wrong.
That's life. When you feel like you still have options, the truth is, you don't.
Just like Kaka. Is giving up necessarily the wrong choice? Will transformation really bring opportunity?
Anyone can see that Toni Kroos, Modrić, and Verratti are the central midfielders most trusted by the team. Add to that two homegrown youngsters, Granero and Isco. Even if Kaka successfully transforms, can he really compete with them?
In situations like this, no one has the right to stand on the moral high ground and demand others make choices based on their own ideals.
It was only after more than a month of pre-season training that Gao Shen and his coaching staff dared to speak openly to Kaka.
That was Gao Shen's way of being responsible to him.
Kaka's dilemma lies in the fact that while it appears he has two options, in reality, he has none.
In other words, he is merely choosing between two mistakes.
"Boss." Kaka suddenly walked back, smiling lightly. "I just wanted to hear what you truly think."
Though there was a smile on his face, there was helplessness in his eyes.
This was the Kaka standing in front of Gao Shen.
Gao Shen looked at him silently for a moment, then spoke after some thought.
"You know, I was born in September, I'm a Virgo. Sometimes I think I'm not a good person. I'm quite calculating and pragmatic."
"People in our industry constantly face tough decisions. For example, a player might be excellent, but not the right fit—what do you do? Or he works very hard, but still doesn't meet the standard—what then?"
"There are always choices to make."
"Most of the time, I don't know if my choices are right or wrong, but I can say that I always follow my heart and do my best. I don't want to have regrets. I want to do things with a clear conscience."
Kaka understood what Gao Shen meant.
In fact, under a different head coach, a conversation like this might never have happened.
That coach might have simply stayed silent and waited for things to play out. Eventually, when Kaka couldn't take it anymore and made his own decision, he'd walk away without causing embarrassment.
But Gao Shen didn't do that. He chose to be direct and honest, which in itself was an expression of care and respect for the player.
As Gao Shen said—he acts with a clear conscience.
"Have you heard of Leeds United?" Gao Shen suddenly asked.
"Of course," Kaka nodded. "Everyone knows it's your and your wife's team."
Gao Shen smiled. There really were no secrets in this world.
"There's a player in the Leeds United first team named Jamie Vardy. He's 25 years old and has played fewer than ten professional matches."
Kaka was stunned. Leeds had such a player?
He really had zero presence.
Gao Shen, worried he wouldn't believe it, opened the team app and pulled up the Leeds United squad. Jamie Vardy's name was indeed listed. He handed the phone to Kaka.
"There's nothing special about this player. He's quick. His youth team, Sheffield Wednesday, wasn't a big name, always in the lower leagues. But even there, he couldn't get a contract, so he dropped down to play in very, very low-level leagues."
"I saw him play once, and I thought, this guy gives everything, fights with all he has. And I asked myself—how does he still fight so hard under such terrible conditions? What keeps him pushing so hard in matches?"
Kaka fell silent.
Are there players like that?
Yes, many. But not every one of them would be spotted by Gao Shen.
Top-level football today has become a place of fame and fortune. Pure players like that are rare.
So Vardy remained stuck in the lower amateur leagues.
"But I saw a spark in him. I wondered—if given a chance, could someone like him succeed? Could he become a solid professional? Could he find a place in the Premier League? Even break into the England national team?"
"I also wondered, if he went from amateur leagues with no fame or fortune into the English Championship, or even the spotlight of the Premier League, could he still keep the same mindset?"
"I talked with him many times and finally decided to give him a chance. So I signed him for Leeds United."
Kaka let out a quiet breath. It sounded like something out of a Cinderella story.
"Jumping straight from amateur football to the Championship, especially with a competitive team like Leeds United, brought huge pressure. Vardy had a lot of bad habits from amateur football that had to change. His original style of play didn't match Leeds' system either, so he had to adapt."
"That's a pain ordinary people can't imagine. But I believe you can understand. You've felt it yourself."
Kaka nodded firmly. He could relate.
"One night, he suddenly called me, crying over the phone. He said he was in pain, that it was unbearable. He didn't want to do this anymore. He didn't want to play football. He wanted to go back to working on the assembly line. He said he couldn't take it anymore."
"At that moment, I felt awful. I even questioned whether I had pushed him too hard."
That was Gao Shen's honest feeling.
Because at that point, he truly felt that by bringing Vardy from amateur football straight to the Championship, he might have done more harm than good.
"But I still hardened my heart and told him I'd pretend I never got the call. If he really wanted to give up, he could call again the next day and I'd help him."
"He didn't call, did he?" Kaka asked expectantly.
Because Vardy was still on Leeds United's Premier League registration list.
Gao Shen nodded. "No, he didn't. In fact, since then, he's never shown any sign of giving up."
"I think maybe that night, he really hit his lowest point. But he pushed through, and that's why he's still here."
"Last season, Leeds United coach Sarri told me the kid had made great progress. He was given a few appearances and performed well. And then, Leeds got promoted to the Premier League."
"He'd finally adjusted to the Championship, and then the team got promoted, and he couldn't keep up again."
"I watched Leeds United's summer training and warm-up matches. He's ranked near the bottom, maybe the fourth or fifth striker."
"The club's technical director told me that even so, he still shows up to training every day, gives his all every session, and puts in everything whenever he plays."
"I don't think he's a smart man. A smart man wouldn't cling to such a slim hope. But he's someone worth admiring. Because in him, I see the purest light of football!"
After hearing this, Kaka took a deep breath and nodded heavily. "I understand, Boss. Thank you."
…
Gao Shen didn't know what Kaka had taken from the story or what decision he would ultimately make. But whatever the outcome, he would respect it.
The same was true for Real Madrid.
After all, a superstar of Kaka's level, even in decline, deserved to be respected.
After seeing Kaka off, Gao Shen also left and called Zidane to go with him to the Bernabéu.
The team's summer friendlies hadn't gone well—or rather, they'd played terribly. This had caused an uproar, and the fans were panicking.
After conducting a public opinion survey, Real Madrid's PR department felt it was necessary for Gao Shen to speak publicly to clear the air.
In short, he needed to reassure the fans and club members.
Sometimes, Gao Shen really disliked the media's tendency to stir the pot. Although he himself had once benefited from their hype, that same hype now caused him no end of trouble.
To put it bluntly, they were only looking for clickbait and headlines, so they pushed to create controversy.
Is there a problem with Real Madrid right now?
Of course. Who doesn't have problems?
Hasn't Gao Shen always had poor results in friendlies over the years? Don't they know that?
Of course they know.
So why keep hyping it? Are they stupid?
No, they're not. On the contrary, they're doing it deliberately, to create talking points, stir up fans, and boost sales.
Some people might ask, why doesn't Gao Shen care about friendly results?
Please, friendlies are for training and preparation.
Take Toni Kroos, for example. Everyone thought it was ridiculous when he played as a centre-back.
But on one hand, it gave him a better understanding of that position. On the other, in advanced tactical systems, a single defensive midfielder often has to drop into the back line. If Kroos never tries it, what happens when it becomes necessary?
Training?
If training alone could replicate match conditions, it wouldn't be called training anymore!
In reality, the effect of friendlies is nothing like real matches.
Gao Shen always uses friendlies to test players and systems, and to maximize their value. What's wrong with that?
But the media love to sensationalize.
As the world's biggest football celebrity club, Real Madrid became the center of attention overnight.
Of course, it didn't help that their friendly performances were indeed poor.
So Gao Shen had no choice but to agree to hold a press conference at the Bernabéu.
He planned to use this opportunity to speak openly with the media and Real Madrid fans.
There were many things, especially over the past few years, that had caused issues between the media and Real Madrid fans.
Gao Shen felt it was time to have an honest conversation.
Only then could his team play in a cleaner and calmer environment.
(To be continued.)