Chapter 005 Three Hours Ago
Sudden stop, abrupt start, many defensive players may accidentally fall to the ground, but Bai Haonan, however, steadily took a large step to the right in advance, blocking the opponent's habitual breakthrough on the right side
Without such momentum, one cannot be considered an excellent athlete, so as long as one does not lose their head, coaches also encourage this kind of behavior
The change in this atmosphere is something that cannot be seen in any statistical data. Old Chen's lips curled into a satisfied and proud smile as he leaned back against the coach's chair, no longer standing up frequently to shout and yell like he did in the first half
8:45 PM
Therefore, this does not put Bai Haonan in a difficult position. If he can strive for victory, he should do so. The key point is whether the bookmaker has bribed the opponent to throw the game. If he loses, it does not make much difference whether he loses by two or three points or by four or five points.
The young forward, who had been playfully wrestling with Bai Haonan at noon, took a few good steps off the ground, shaking off the defender. However, the angle for the shot he took in the end was not ideal, and with the disappointed murmurs of tens of thousands of spectators, he managed to take a wild shot!
Bai Haonan greatly dislikes the feeling of standing on the court, even though he fell in love with this black-and-white object to the core from the very first glance.
Bai Haonan was not disappointed; he glanced at the forward who was dozens of meters away, filled with frustration. He ignored the winger who was incessantly cursing his teammates for not passing instead of shooting. Turning back, he helped the foreign player who was clutching his chest in pain to his feet, smiling yet speaking with venom: "Shit! Fuck you! Fuck you! Shit!"
In a closely contested match, it would be remarkable for all players to execute three to five clean and decisive interceptions. When the newly substituted player displayed such performance, all the spectators were as excited as if they had been injected with adrenaline
At this moment, any small gesture of the referee that he observes carries significant meaning
It is clear that this right-footed foreign player excels at using the outside of his foot to deftly maneuver past opponents. He has successfully done this five or six times in the first half alone. Therefore, Bai Haonan deliberately created an empty space, essentially feigning a shot, as if teasing a child, swaying his entire body back onto the path, and effortlessly intercepting the ball. Even the most critical referee, who has been paid, could find no fault, instantly provoking a thunderous roar from the tens of thousands of spectators in the stadium.
Originally filled with joy, the player felt a sharp pain in his calf as he was tripped to the ground. In his ears, he could still hear a series of incomprehensible insults. In disbelief, he looked down and discovered that the opponent's studded shoes were aimed directly at his calf, viciously piercing it open!
In such weak teams, the midfield and defense are also the personnel that the bookmakers prefer to bribe, and of course, the more discreet, the better. The bookmakers do not want the manipulation behind the scenes to be obvious to everyone, allowing those naive fans to believe that everything on the field is a genuine contest of skill and strength
Bai Haonan felt the pressure of his foot pressing against the ball, which is what is known as foot sensation. He raised his head to survey the field, observing all the players from both sides moving and running. He used the sole of his foot to nudge the ball forward, and then he swung his leg to make a long pass from thirty meters away
The new black player quickly closed the distance between the two to within two meters, which is a very subtle range for professional players. Athletes with outstanding explosive power can change the relationship between the two at any moment through sudden bursts of speed, while players with delicate and flashy footwork can alter their opponent's center of gravity with their movements. This black player, however, utilizes a combination of varying speeds, along with the unique jumping ability and flexibility characteristic of African descent.
The SG steel studs make a crisp sound as they strike the concrete floor of the corridor. Now, stepping onto the grass field, it is easy to gain traction. However, Bai Haonan rarely needs such sudden stops and sharp turns; he leisurely wanders just in front of the defensive line, yet his mind is still occupied with the question: should he let go or should he block?
Not every match has requirements; the fixed mysterious text messages are only sent out the night before the game. Most of the time, they are blank, but sometimes they explicitly state what kind of score to aim for. Given the mid-to-lower tier level of the Blue Wind team, losing is normal, while winning would be an upset. Therefore, except in special circumstances where they aim for a complete upset victory, most of the time they are instructed to lose by a few points, losing in an unexpected manner, causing the participating bettors to suffer significant losses.
With a loud thud, what seemed like a natural action turned out to be a solid collision as the foreign player crashed into Bai Haonan's shoulder. The twenty-eight-year-old veteran subtly lifted his elbow, a very discreet movement, as if the hardest point of his elbow was waiting there, anticipating a close encounter with the foreign player's soft spot just below the chest and above the abdomen. It was as if the entire body's functions during high-intensity aerobic exercise had been triggered, leaving the foreign player gasping for breath and staggering back.
Bai Haonan may not remember how many times he has brought victories to the team through meticulous efforts, but in the past two years, since that mysterious phone call reached him, no one really pays attention when he occasionally misses a ball, kicks air, or makes a mistake in interception that gifts the opponent. Compared to spending a large sum to bribe front-line players to score and change the outcome, bookmakers are more inclined to seek out these inconspicuous weak teams' defense and midfield to set up their schemes, especially the defensive midfielders where anything is possible
Bai Haonan took a deep breath. Since he could not know the content of that text message and there was no time to check the odds on the gambling website, he could only assume that he would win. Winning would basically ensure that he satisfied the dealer. With this momentary decision in mind, Bai Haonan lifted his right foot to make a large lateral intercepting movement.
It is not just that you want to play football properly
Looking at the fervent crowd in the stands, then at the greedy face of the referee, and those mysterious calls from the bookmakers, Bai Haonan felt as if he had arranged a hookup with an unattractive woman, and even with tears in his eyes, he had to finish the game. This is what is called the professional ethics of a professional player
If someone were to meticulously analyze the entire career of Bai Haonan, a seemingly inconspicuous perennial substitute, over the span of more than ten years as a professional player, they might discover that he often brings about changes in the game once he steps onto the field. This impact may not necessarily be reflected in the scoreline, but rather in the intangible atmosphere of the match that statistics cannot capture. At times, he completely neutralizes the opponent's most flamboyant player, while at other times, he suddenly revitalizes the attacking front. There are also moments when he inadvertently becomes a significant liability on defense. It is not merely about the score; it is more about the nuances of the game that statistics fail to convey.
The foreigner was momentarily taken aback, unable to believe such treatment
Therefore, considerable effort has been invested in this, and while we cannot speak of precision to the size of a coin, at least the accuracy of a watermelon is assured.
In the eyes of the fans in Jiangzhou, Lao Nan's relentless fighting spirit is incredibly fierce. In the first half, he effortlessly took down the opponent's top weapon twice, causing excitement to surge through the crowd, who roared and cheered incessantly. Some sections of the stands had already begun to chant in unison, urging him on, "Take him down!"
It was merely a matter of blinking; the Brazilian foreign player, who had never regarded this domestic substitute, did not think twice. He instinctively reacted with his most familiar physical response, mockingly targeting the clumsy interception attempt. With a gentle flick of his right foot's outside instep, he skillfully maneuvered past this foolish defensive midfielder's interception, advancing into the space facing the defensive line.
Now everyone knows how terrible Chinese football has become, and Bai Haonan, who entered the industry at the age of nine, is even more aware of the filth and corruption within it
What the hell does that damn text message want me to do?!
The more confident a player is in their own skills, the more they prefer to use their strengths to outmaneuver their opponents, as this allows them to erase the humiliation they just experienced. This is a common occurrence on the football field, much like one-on-one challenges in basketball, where the aim is to completely break you down both physically and mentally
This feeling is akin to being madly in love with a pure and innocent girl, who is as pristine as ice and jade, to the point where even the thought of touching her hand sends one into a frenzy. However, upon turning around, one discovers that she is in a small alley salon, where even the butcher next door can pay and queue up to see her, which is simply revolting enough to make one want to vomit
He is very aware that the right foot of this new black player is far superior to the left; in about 70 to 80 percent of the dribbling, it is done with the right foot, while the left foot merely serves as support. Perhaps the opponent's left foot is even better than his own, but the right foot is too outstanding. When the body instinctively reacts in an instant, it is the right foot that takes the initiative. Therefore, the defensive interception from the midfielder makes the black player quite uncomfortable, forcing him to use his left foot to nudge the ball, preparing to adjust to his right foot. Bai Haonan then takes a step to press on the right side, leaving the right foot with no choice but to go left. After two or three consecutive moves, the two players drifted from the center of the field to the left side. Other players from both sides continuously exchanged positions, trying to assist these two. However, the already agitated black player did not lift his head, shouting in frustration. Relying on his physical attributes, akin to the incredible elasticity of black rubber, he suddenly jabbed with his right foot and charged past Bai Haonan. This difference in technique and physical ability cannot be compensated for by mere intellect, as he quickly opened up a half-meter gap.
Bai Haonan leaned closer to the other person's ear and said more fiercely: "Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuck you, you bastard!" The reason he could only say these two phrases was that he had learned them in bars and nightclubs. If he were facing domestic players, he would be able to use various local dialects.
The entire stadium seemed to be heated up significantly, as if fuel had been added to the fire
Bai Haonan did not hesitate to directly slide in with a tackle, while continuously cursing: "Shit! Fuck you... damn it!"
However, the effect was still achieved. A few minutes later, when the new black foreign player regained possession of the ball and attempted to break through, he had an opportunity to pass. Seeing Bai Haonan's expression, which was both smiling and yet not smiling from about seven or eight meters away, he chose to act defiantly
In fact, the entire sequence from the new foreign player's rush up to Bai Haonan's long pass happened in the blink of an eye, with movements fluid and seamless, executed in one go. The match ball landed steadily in front of the team's forward, who was sprinting along the path. The entire audience couldn't help but stand up, holding their breath for a moment before collectively shouting "Score!"
Nearly twenty years ago, Bai Haonan became enamored with football after hearing about the captain of the Brazilian national team from a promotional poster. One of the skills of that world-class expert was the ability to kick a ball from fifty meters away and hit a coin. The naive youth at that time was simply astounded by this extraordinary feat
Satisfying the dealer once brings in two hundred thousand. Bai Haonan feels that he is no different from the girls in the nightclub who are on display for sale. He understood at a young age just how dark and realistic this society is. If he does not sell himself, there will be others who will. It is only natural to seize the few years of youth he has left to sell at a good price.
The new foreign player, a genuine and formidable black athlete, has already charged in with the ball