Chapter 506: Chapter 506

The current date is December 7, 2015.

In just 10 days, this year’s European Golden Boy Award will announce its final winner.

The European Golden Boy Award, initiated by Italy’s "Turin Sports Newspaper" in 2003,

is voted on by major European media to select the best young player of the year, regarded as a "coming of age" for young talents.

Nominees must be young players under 21 years old playing for European clubs.

Undoubtedly, considering the performance of players under 21, Tang Long is absolutely the strongest contender across Europe for the European Golden Boy Award!

Inside the office of Manchester City Club CEO Belgistan.

Commercial Director Belada placed the latest edition of the "Manchester Evening News" in front of Belgistan, pointing at a piece of text with his finger.

"Look, Tang’s odds are far ahead now, which is exactly what we are happy to see."

Belgistan glanced at the newspaper.

There was an article introducing the most favorable contenders in this year’s European Golden Boy Award shortlist and the odds set by betting companies for them.

Tang Long (Manchester City) 1:1.15 Read complete versıon only at novᴇlfire.net

Martial (Manchester United) 1:3.3

Correa (Atletico Madrid) 1:7.7

Obviously, at least in terms of odds, Tang Long’s probability of winning the Golden Boy Award leads dramatically!

"So? My dear CEO, are you going to place a bet on Tang? This is a 15% profit guaranteed investment, sure to be profitable," Belada joked.

Belgistan shook his head, scratching his hair.

He seemed uninterested in this.

"For a Golden Boy Award, you’re promoting Tang so much and advocated for him to be promoted as the fourth captain, is it that necessary?"

In Belgistan’s mind, this Golden Boy Award is really a rather dispensable honor.

The Golden Boy Award is not the Golden Ball Award, so what if you win it?

Besides, it’s not that Manchester City hasn’t had players who won the Golden Boy Award, didn’t Sterling win it?

"Sterling? No, no, no, Sterling was bought from Liverpool, he won the Golden Boy Award last year. If Tang wins the Golden Boy Award, he will be the first player in Manchester City’s history to achieve this honor since the award was established."

There was a look of pride in Belada’s eyes.

Belgistan looked again at the report, which reviewed players who had historically won the Golden Boy Award.

These included players like Messi, Rooney, Fabregas, and Agüero who later became superstars;

and also players like Balotelli, Pato, and Anderson whose careers fell short of expectations.

In Belgistan’s heart, he still didn’t think highly of this award.

He didn’t understand why the Commercial Director put so much effort into this, would actually winning this award truly bring glory to Manchester City?

"Let me remind you, this award is set up by ’Turin Sports Newspaper’, they are Juventus’s affiliated media, there’s no need for me to elaborate on Juventus’s relationship with Tang, is there?"

"Two Champions League group matches, Tang almost drove them crazy, would they award it to Tang? I don’t believe it!"

"That’s where you’re wrong, Mr. CEO. This award, like the Golden Ball Award, is determined by voting. ’Turin Sports Newspaper’ has already distributed ballots to over 30 European media outlets, and I know the names of all these media outlets."

Seeing Belada’s persistence, Belgistan couldn’t say much more.

Even though he internally disliked this Commercial Director a lot, as his subordinate, he repeatedly clashed with him, and the two always had differences on major club management issues.

Belgistan once thought, whether the Abu Dhabi Consortium deliberately placed someone with opposing views beside him to balance the distribution of power in the club’s management team.

Like the last time, Belada put his feet on his desk right in front of him, with such an arrogant stance that didn’t fear anyone. If they were outside and away from others, Belgistan truly wanted to have a proper fight with this guy!

However, now Belgistan could only endure it.

The Nasri scandal caused a massive media uproar in England, and the Abu Dhabi Consortium top executives came to inquire.

Belada somehow managed to dodge the inquiries from the Abu Dhabi Consortium executives;

The fallout didn’t land on Belgistan as the CEO at all.

As a deputy, if Belada can alleviate some pressure for him, it is a good thing, and Belgistan couldn’t overly criticize this subordinate thereafter.

In the afternoon, after lunch, Belada was humming a tune while taking a walk in the park below the club building.

He folded the ’Manchester Evening News’ with printed odds into a roll and tucked it in his hand.

The weather in England in December is still mild, and today for the first time in half a month, the sun shone, with temperatures around 16 or 17 degrees, quite pleasant, not cold at all.

Belada strolled leisurely, and before long, found himself on an arched stone bridge.

The green lake surface, calm like a mirror, shimmered with golden hues under the sunlight.

Belada picked up a small stone from under his feet, threw it in an arc skywards, and with a splash, it plunged into the water.

Ripples spread across the lake, breaking the golden and serene surface.

Two red koi leapt from the spot where the stone fell, adding a touch of vitality to the afternoon lake.

"Tang, rest assured, not only will I help you win the Golden Boy Award, but I’ll also nurture you into Manchester City’s first Golden Ball Award winner, heh heh. Everyone will wait and see; I’ll make Abu Dhabi Consortium recognize who is truly the outstanding talent in the entire City Group."

Since becoming the fourth team captain, Tang Long clearly noticed a change in how people looked at him and spoke to him, a difference from the past.

Previously, when he entered the club’s training base, the old doorkeeper simply smiled and nodded at him, sometimes engrossed in his phone.

But now, 20 meters from the gate, the old man enthusiastically waved to him, "Good morning, Tang! Here for training!"

Walking down the tree-lined avenue of the training base, club staff would proactively greet him.

Even at the cafeteria, the lady serving food would specially select better-cooked steaks with tender meat for Tang Long.

Of course, besides the staff, the most noticeable change was among his teammates.

Kolarov and Alarnokia always called out to Tang Long with smiles, "Captain, Captain."

Tang Long waved, raising four fingers, "Fourth, please add a prefix."

On the training field, Tang Long used to stand in the second row;

But after joining the team committee, he stood center stage in the first row alongside Agüero, Kompany, and Yaya Toure.

Members of the team committee had the privilege to communicate training content with head coach Pellegrini.

Generally, before daily training starts, Pellegrini would call these four members for a brief five-minute meeting to explain the day’s training content, then pass it on to the other 20-plus members through them.

As such, team committee members must arrive early at the training ground, as lateness equals incompetence.

However, this simply didn’t happen at Manchester City. Driven by Tang Long, the team is extremely competitive, players are often seen leaving the gym drenched in sweat 20 minutes early, everyone adding extra practice.

Even Tang Long, perceived by outsiders as a player who rarely overtrains yet remains a starter, no longer arrived on time, showing up at least 10 minutes early.

The attitude change from veteran Premier League players towards Tang Long was evident.

For instance, Sagna, though never hostile to Tang Long, maintained a merely collegial relationship, sometimes barely nodding and rarely smiling.

Since Tang Long joined the team committee, Sagna showed him more warmth, even offering him water at times.

"Damn, even Sagna is cozying up to Tang now?"

That day, Clichy complained to Yaya Toure in frustration.

"Work hard, Clichy, I’m aging. You need to step up as the leader of the French Language Gang!"

Yaya Toure sighed at Sagna, then spoke earnestly to Clichy.

Young Iheanacho eagerly wanted to clean Tang Long’s muddy and grass-stained boots. Tang Long refused, so Iheanacho clung to Tang Long’s leg and reached down to untie his laces;

Bony promised to shuttle Tang Long to and from work every day, sparing Ranocchia the hassle.

"Tang, is my Q7 uncomfortable for you? I’ll go to the Mercedes dealership and get a Maybach, with back seats so spacious you can lie flat!"

In short, both previous "friends" and "non-friends" were reaching out.

By Wednesday noon, the entire Manchester City team gathered, boarding a charter flight to Germany, preparing for the sixth and final round of the Champions League group stage against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Boarding the plane, Tang Long once again enjoyed the membership privileges of the team committee!

Manchester City’s charter plane exuded luxury, with everything configured as top-tier business class, yet the committee members had privileges to choose their seating first. Once they selected, other players chose from the remaining seats.

Captain Kompany always preferred sitting in the first row. Entering first, he took a spacious seat.

Agüero was still recovering from injury and couldn’t travel with the team, and third-captain Yaya Toure liked sitting in the last row, which no one dared contest.

With players waiting and watching, Tang Long casually chose a spot in the middle and sat.

After Tang Long settled, other players found their places.

Kolarov cheerfully seated himself next to him.

"How does it feel? Being part of the team committee feels great, right? I’d love to join, but sadly I lack the ability; they don’t fancy me!"