Chapter 5 was originally him

Moreover, Robben cannot be considered a typical product of Dutch youth training; he grew and progressed under his father's guidance from a young age

No need for that, they lack the courage and confidence; let us not stoop to their level! Ye Qiu still wore a confident expression.

"Damn it, what luck!" Westhoff exclaimed indignantly

September 4, Saturday, Durham

The youth training philosophies of Michels and Cruyff are rooted in a tactical style that emphasizes simplicity and teamwork. This approach is also championed by the Dutch Football Association, centered around them, and is particularly evident in Ajax's youth training, where positioning is trained from a young age, and any overly elaborate techniques are viewed as violations of the principle of simplicity and are thus suppressed

Not only he, but Westhoff, who also received the intelligence, is the same.

However, for the time being, Ye Qiu could no longer defend himself, nor did he intend to persuade Waters any further

Are you still undergoing the same training today

After the completion of the third round of the Eredivisie, a two-week break commenced; however, the youth league continued without interruption, maintaining a weekly match schedule.

Ajax scored one goal each from Sneijder and forward Ruud, but on the other side, Graafschap's tall center forward scored 5 goals in one go, which nearly made Ye Qiu vomit blood in frustration, cursing that this guy was too ruthless.

... ...

Encouraging him at this time will ultimately have the opposite effect

I understand! The spy brother nodded in agreement without hesitation

Of course, he definitely wouldn't dare to ask that, otherwise Roland would probably go all out against him

In the director's office of the De Tocqueville Training Building, Westhoff inquired with a serious expression about the spies he had dispatched

He thought about it, but still decided to follow through, as he had to listen to Ye Qiu now

Previously, Ye Qiu had communicated with Waters and Van Plag. It was certain that during the early stages of the reform, it would be impossible to guarantee results. Both of them acknowledged Ye Qiu's efforts, and even Van Plag promised that even if Ye Qiu lost in two months, he would find a way to keep Ye Qiu. However, it would be quite difficult to grant him significant responsibilities.

Victory and defeat on the football field are commonplace in warfare; moreover, Team B2 has just undergone adjustments, and many aspects require adaptation. I have mentioned before that the poor performance in the early stages is understandable. Did you not also have no objections previously

"By the way, who is the opponent of Team B 2 tomorrow?" Westhoff asked again

In Team B1, apart from Van der Vaart and Heitinga, Ye Qiu had never even heard the names of the other players. Moreover, he had previously reviewed some assessments, noting that the team's performance was outstanding, largely relying on their overall tactics

Sometimes Ye Qiu secretly wondered, with Ajax's graduate employment rate exceeding 95%, how terrible must Roland Chepas be to become part of the 5% that cannot enter professional leagues

Certainly, they also value technology, but they do not emphasize guidance. Their traditional approach to technical training is akin to providing books for players to explore on their own. One of the most famous sayings in their philosophy is, "Pass the ball to him and let the player learn to dribble on his own"

Snyder is still a young boy, sporting the half-inch haircut required by De Tocqueville, and adhering to the discipline of the training camp. He does not dare to express any resistance to Ye Qiu, yet internally he feels somewhat unconvinced, as he has always been receiving a different kind of education

Although it was later proven that this system had flaws, the entire Dutch football suffered as a result. However, in the year 1999, this system remains the Bible, an unchallengeable authority, especially after Van Gaal achieved a new round of success.

"What on earth is going on? Our strength is superior to that of our opponents, how could we lose 2:5?" Waters' tone even carried a hint of reproach, as he felt embarrassed for himself due to Ye Qiu's loss

... ...

In the view of Westhoff, given the strength of Ajax B2, it should not be a significant challenge to surpass these two teams.

What you say has some validity, but I also want you to understand one thing: if you continue to play the way you have been, even if you win today, and even if you eventually make it to the first team, it will be very difficult for you to have significant competitiveness in European leagues, because you are heading in the wrong direction

This pool of water is too deep and murky, making it unsuitable for him

This old man is quite shamelessly suspecting that Ye Qiu would spy on his training, and has unceremoniously moved the training ground of Team B1, which should have been next door, to a corner. This has resulted in Teams B1 and B2 training at the far east and far west ends of the high-age training area respectively

Among them, the relatively well-known coach in the Netherlands, Ten Cate, started his career as an assistant to Koeman

The club has reached a consensus on this matter, which is why I have been appointed to coach the B2 team. I firmly believe that as long as you follow the methods I outline, you will undoubtedly achieve success. At that time, the club will promote the entire youth training reform, even including innovations for the first team. You will be better adapted to the new style of the first team than anyone else!

As Ye Qiu commanded a group of young players, including Sneijder and Maduro, with unprecedented concentration and focus at the training ground of the De Tokmost B 2 team, implementing his new training methods, Westhoff was equally busy.

... ...

Groningen is a team that ranks in the lower mid-tier of the Eredivisie. The club lacks competitiveness in the league and does not have notable products in its youth training system. The only aspects that allow this club to be remembered are two former notable figures: one is Guus Hiddink, and the other is the German coach, Klaus Kurbach.

Given the strength of the team, defeating this team should not be a significant issue. What about the next match

Of course, the youth team is currently facing a score of 2:5, which is quite common in their matches. The only thing to mention is that they lost to an opponent they should not have lost to. However, Ye Qiu was already mentally prepared for this, so it does not matter to him anymore

The reason he is referred to as De Toekomst rather than Ajax is that this 32-year-old individual takes the greatest pride in having spent his formative years from age 7 to 20 at De Toekomst. However, after graduating from De Toekomst at 20, he retired because he did not meet the requirements for the first team, and no professional clubs showed interest in him

Ye Qiu felt somewhat dissatisfied; after all, Waters was still too impatient.

This is the only requirement put forth by Ye Qiu, yet it is evident that the players are performing quite poorly on the field

Many people have said that Ajax is the talent pool of the Netherlands, and Ajax's youth training is the barometer of football talent in the Netherlands

Roland wore a mournful expression; he felt that Ye Qiu was indifferent to the loss, instead competing with the opposing forward. Isn't this quite a frustrating situation?

Just as he had made up his mind, Roland approached from behind

It is better to be cautious. For the upcoming matches, keep a close watch on him and provide me with a report every day.

Each age group of Ajax's youth team is assigned two individuals: one is a dedicated coach, and the other is the team manager, commonly referred to as the team leader. The person currently speaking with Ye Qiu is the team leader of the B2 team, whom he met in the morning. His name is Roland Shepas, a native of De Toekomst.

Ye Qiu could not discern that those sneaky individuals peering from outside the training ground were all James Bond. However, there was nothing secretive about his training; he only had this little bit of substance at hand. Any attempt to put on airs would be futile, so he simply allowed them to watch, even adopting a demeanor of a gentleman while feigning the posture of a petty person.

Graff Sharp

More importantly, just now, the Westerhof team defeated their opponent 2:0 at home, with Van der Vaart scoring both goals. This is tantamount to a slap in the face of the reformists, and even Van Praag's expression was not very pleasant.

... ...

Yes, it is quite strange. For several consecutive days, he has been conducting the same training. Generally, he has the players engage in passing and receiving drills within a 10 by 10 area, while the remaining time is spent on small-sided games of 4 versus 4 or 8 versus 8.

Upon reaching this point, Ye Qiu felt an inexplicable sense of annoyance. He did not enjoy such scheming and intrigue; he preferred a more relaxed environment. Therefore, he resolved that in two months, if he were to lose, he would no longer remain with Ajax.

Ye Qiu casually took it and opened it. Upon seeing it, his eyes lit up. "What the heck, it's actually him!"

Every year, De Tocqueville not only conducts rigorous assessments of the players but also evaluates the coaches in various aspects. If they do not meet the standards, they will be directly dismissed by the club and replaced with a new batch of recruits.

If he wins, after completing this season, he will also choose to leave

I believe that the reason for our defeat lies in the significant differences between your demands and the usual expectations of the club. This fellow is quite outspoken, but after speaking, he raised his head with a hint of concern and secretly glanced at Ye Qiu.

Groningen

He has spent time in Groningen and is naturally aware of the situation there. The first team of this club is currently in the Dutch Second Division, performing relatively well. However, the youth team is quite average in the Netherlands and cannot be compared to strong youth training teams like Ajax.

A commander who is incompetent can exhaust the entire army; Ye Qiu's coercive demands indeed carry a significant responsibility

Because he scored a bit more goals

"What is strange?" Westhoff inquired with concern

What is even more shameless is that he neither wants Ye Qiu to secretly observe his training, yet he arranges for someone to secretly watch Ye Qiu's training.

Seeing Ye Qiu's relaxed expression, which seemed to indicate a sure victory, Roland felt quite worried. However, after observing Ye Qiu's demeanor, he also felt a sense of reassurance. In short, his emotions were in a state of extreme turmoil.

Alright, everyone! Ye Qiu did not pay attention to Roland's thoughts behind him and directly approached the players, "Don't look so glum; losing is losing. The key is to understand how we lost and why we lost"

The Westhoff has already arranged several batches of spies to infiltrate and gather military intelligence, yet there has been no movement from Ye Qiu's side

If these requirements were placed in 2013, any fan with a basic understanding of football would know that they are nothing special. The key issue, however, is that Ajax's youth training requirements are different from those in 2013

Looking back at Leo Benhak and Westhoff, although they are rivals, Ye Qiu must admit that these two are indeed far superior to Waters in terms of character and demeanor. Especially Leo Benhak, who is undoubtedly a cunning old fox; Waters is simply not a match for him.

What kind of trick is he playing? Westhoff cannot figure it out. It has been several days; does he not feel the slightest bit worried about the upcoming competition? Or is it that he is truly this confident?

Roland shook his head, feeling utterly helpless. "How about this: I sneak over to take a look for you"

A newcomer is indeed a newcomer, eager for achievements and lacking composure; these are significant drawbacks, especially for a football head coach. Walters' personality is absolutely undesirable in this regard

The forward you asked me to look into has been identified; here is his information! Roland directly handed him the report in his hand

However, there is one thing that is very strange!" said the spy brother, furrowing his brow.

This individual has the same temperament as when he played football years ago. Relying on his team's three consecutive victories, he has become rather arrogant, believing that coaching a team and leading it to victory is not a difficult task. He has also started to think that it is unforgivable for others to lose.

Currently, Roland and Ye Qiu are in the same boat. If Ye Qiu loses, although he does not have to resign, he is still concerned that it will affect his performance evaluation at the end of the season

... ...

Aren't you planning to practice something

This led to a significant complaint from the later national team head coach, Marco van Basten. In 2005, he vigorously advocated for Kalou to acquire Dutch citizenship, emphasizing his individual capabilities. This matter caused quite a stir at the time, and van Basten's reasoning was quite compelling, stating that among Dutch players, apart from Robben, no one was capable of performing solo operations.

Rest assured, I know my limits!" Ye Qiu displayed an air of complete confidence, as if victory was already in his grasp. This was essential; he absolutely could not show any signs of weakness at this moment. He needed to inspire those around him with his confidence. "As we Chinese often say, one must eat rice bite by bite, and tackle matters step by step. Do not rush; haste makes waste!"

However, after players like Van der Vaart, Sneijder, and Robben emerged, everyone discovered a rather interesting flaw within that Dutch team: in one-on-one situations, apart from Robben, or perhaps Van Persie to a limited extent, there was no one with sufficient assurance and confidence to take on opponents individually

Reform requires growing pains, as it brings about turmoil and a sense of disorientation

In light of this situation, Ye Qiu had already mentally prepared himself. Therefore, after the match concluded, he did not feel the slightest bit of anger over the defeat; he was merely indignant towards the tall center from the Graff Sharp team.

This is somewhat similar to the national team of Ye Qiu in his previous life. In his youth, he excelled due to tactics and physical attributes, achieving remarkable results. However, once he reached the adult team, he could no longer gain advantages in these aspects, leading to setbacks.

Ye Qiu was not as unhappy as imagined; instead, he nodded and pointed at Maduro, "What about you?"

It is no wonder that they have grown up under the influence of Ajax's traditional youth training, which has instilled in them a certain inertia, relying on Ajax's established methods of passing and receiving. Now, for Ye Qiu to change some details that have become deeply ingrained for them is undoubtedly very difficult and will require a considerable amount of time

Ye Qiu studied football knowledge day and night in a place where no one could see him, reading football theories. Westhof naturally would not know this, nor would he be aware that Ye Qiu's training method relied on the principle of practice makes perfect, which is why he would have such speculations

... ...

At this point, Ye Qiu pointed to Sneider and said, "Wesley, why don't you share your thoughts!"

The match between Ajax B2 and Graafschap B2 took place at the modest stadium of the Graafschap youth training camp. This was also the first match led by Ye Qiu, despite being just a youth team game

This is essentially a flaw in youth training that has existed since the times of Michels and Cruyff, which was later obscured by the abundance of talent in the Netherlands. Now that there is a gap in talent in the Netherlands, this flaw has been exposed in all its severity

Ajax B 2 continues to deploy a 4-3-3 formation, with Ye Qiu pushing all three core midfield players, Sneijder, Maduro, and De Jong, forward, and then instructing the players to play according to the methods used in their regular training sessions

If he wins, the first team will definitely change, and at that time, everything he said will come to fruition. But what if he loses? If the person leaves, what else can be done?

Both the 4v4 and 8v8 training formats are quite standard, as they are part of Ajax's traditional youth training program. All coaches entering the Ajax youth academy are familiar with these two sets of drills, aimed at training players to pass and move from different angles

This is a large pancake, painted by Ye Qiu.

Sometimes reformists are like this: the previous generation plants the trees, and the later generation enjoys the shade

Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, due to Westhoff's team winning the game, Walters became anxious

With only one week of training, whether in one-on-one sessions or passing drills, they made numerous mistakes. Once they stepped onto the official match stage, facing a group of opponents who were invigorated at the sight of the Ajax emblem, the outcome was predictable

He generally does not speak during training; once the training is arranged, he runs to the side and leaves everything to Roland, merely watching from the sidelines. Occasionally, he shouts a few words, urging the players to run more, reminding them not to stick the ball to their feet, to make more one-touch passes, and to be decisive in one-on-one situations, encouraging them to attempt to dribble past opponents whenever there is an opportunity

I believe that Wesley is right; the opponent is not strong. If we play as we usually do, we will not be disorganized and we will not lose. Instead, in order to meet your demands, we have become disorganized ourselves! Maduro's tone is somewhat better, but he clearly also thinks that the reason for the loss lies in Ye Qiu's excessively harsh requirements.

Quick and decisive, a single touch of the ball

Ye Qiu certainly does not wish to become a predecessor who plants trees; he also hopes to become a descendant who enjoys the shade.

Roland, go back and investigate this kid's background. He's as thin as a monkey, yet he can score so well. I can't believe it!" Ye Qiu had a very angry expression.

However, it is evident that the first team holds an inexplicable allure for this group of 15-year-old boys, and Ye Qiu is not wrong in saying that if the club did not believe in him, how could they allow him to coach the B2 team

Upon returning from Duthingham to Amsterdam, the first person Ye Qiu encountered was Waters

In fact, in the history of Ajax, after the resignation of Waters, Michael van Praag invited Co Adriaanse. Although this Dutch master did not achieve significant results at Ajax, he implemented a series of reforms that profoundly influenced Ajax in the years to come and laid a foundation for future generations