Chapter 8: On the Road to Reconstruction
After raising the transfer fee to £350,000, Millwall's negotiation team flew to the Netherlands to discuss contract terms with Stam
One is not afraid of the other party's exorbitant demands, but rather fears that the other party will not negotiate.
However, the high salary offered by Aldridge is sufficient to make star players consider the benefits and drawbacks carefully
This quotation has not received a response from Crystal Palace, which likely indicates disdain.
Seventeen-year-old Zambrotta was abducted by Andrew to London before preparing to sign with Como
After Aldridge introduced himself, he placed a contract in front of Southgate
Head coach, yes, that is me
£350,000 was obtained from the Dutch club Den Bosch for their youth talent, the 18-year-old king of the penalty area, Van Nistelrooy
It is natural for people to seek to earn more money, and there is nothing to be overly proud of in that.
In a small apartment in Southgate, South London, Audridge and Andrew personally visited Southgate for a face-to-face meeting.
Geographically, West Ham United is closer to Charlton, as is Millwall; however, it is precisely Millwall and West Ham United that have become fierce rivals in the East London derby for over a century. This rivalry can be traced back to history from a hundred years ago
However, most of the players on Aldridge's acquisition list have had contact with Andrew over the past two years. This opportunity, coinciding with Aldridge's recruitment efforts and high salary temptations, also allows him to officially take his first steps as an agent
The goalkeeper, the club has retained Kasey Keller, a player with ability, but when it comes to handling matches at the level of the Premier League, it cannot be said that he is completely inadequate, but he is certainly not a top-tier goalkeeper
Aldridge returned to Millwall Club and began sending transfer offers via fax to clubs across Europe
This is undoubtedly much more than what he earned at the Crystal Palace
£100,000 was paid to AS Cannes in France for 18-year-old Patrick Vieira
At just 17 years old, Michael Ballack, who had not yet signed a formal professional player contract, was directly lured to London by Andrew with a weekly salary of £3,000.
Perugia has just been promoted to Serie B in Italy, and it is a time when they are in need of funds. Audric took their young player Gattuso for £300,000, which led Perugia's president, Saranni, to mock Audric as a fool in front of the Italian media
Millwall has established a derby relationship with Crystal Palace from South London, and the South London derby features Millwall prominently. In contrast, Charlton, which is situated in between, seems to have only a faint presence of derby atmosphere regardless of whom they encounter.
Gareth, I am not here to persuade you to join Millwall; I have come personally merely to express my sincerity. Crystal Palace has accepted my offer of £2.8 million, which allows for your transfer. If it were me, I would not hypocritically claim that a player is priceless, but you, in my eyes, are worth at least £15 million. I recognize your value, and I believe this contract is what you deserve. I hold a coaching qualification certificate, which I do not need to show you, and I do not have time to prove to you whether I can coach the team. If time permitted, I could demonstrate over 20 corner kick tactics, more set-piece strategies, and concepts for offensive and defensive play. However, I am the owner and the coach of the team; I do not need to prove anything to you. My team is called Millwall, the future most successful team in England. I do not care what you are thinking; the opportunity is in front of you, and missing it would be your loss.
If it were not for Andrew having contacted Nedved before he joined the first team of Sparta Prague, this transfer would likely have fallen through
Southgate was taken aback, as he did not expect the contract presented to him to be so generous
Hehe, where is the next stop, m.hetushucom.com
However, the current players' market value has not yet been inflated; the truly valuable ones are, of course, the forwards who can score goals.
In his eyes, Aldridge possesses a demeanor that is not akin to that of a mere boastful jester; this pride and confidence are sometimes precisely what is most needed on the court, and are also essential qualities for a coach
Is Southgate worth this price
The goal is Gareth Southgate
Andrew gladly accepted the assignment. Although he had encountered Southgate before, by that time Southgate was already a key player for Crystal Palace, and their relationship had become quite distant.
£2.8 million, this is even the market value of a top striker
Aldridge arrived in South London with the club's transfer team, where Millwall's South London derby rival, Crystal Palace, who won the League One championship last season, will step onto the Premier League stage in two months
Southgate remained silent for a long time before finally nodding in agreement
Thus, Aldridge sought to acquire the young goalkeeper Hans Jörg Butt from the German second division team Oldenburg
As Audridge was preparing to depart for France to meet a friend, Andrew surprised Audridge once again
The team is undergoing a complete rebuild, so he is starting to scout talent for every position.
The initial quotation is 1,000,000 pounds
Aldridge opened the contract and held it upright in front of Southgate, saying lightly: "Weekly salary of £6,000, upon successful promotion the contract will be updated to a salary of £8,000, followed by an annual increase of 10%. Additionally, bonuses will be awarded based on the team's ranking at the end of the season. The contract term is five years"
Listening to Aldridge's tone, there is a distinctly condescending feeling, which aligns with the traditional arrogance of the British.
£100,000 was taken from the Italian Serie C team Modena for the soon-to-be 18-year-old Luca Toni
However, just half an hour after the second quotation of 2 million pounds was faxed to Crystal Palace Club, the other party responded.
A look of surprise flashed across Southgate's face, which was soon replaced by a bemused smile.
As he left South London and got into the car, Andrew said absentmindedly, "This is the first time I've seen negotiations like this."
Sosgate is only 23 years old this year and is an outstanding center-back. Although he currently plays as a midfielder for Crystal Palace, he is a key contributor to the team's promotion efforts and has a background rooted in Crystal Palace.
Ultimately, after a protracted negotiation, Millwall's offer of £2.8 million compelled Crystal Palace to concede
He feels somewhat moved; professional athletes rely on their youth for their careers. Their athletic lifespan is not only short but also comes with risks such as injuries and other health issues
The reasons for Audridge's acquisition of Southgate are twofold. Firstly, Southgate is young, capable, and is expected to be a key member of the future England national team. Having a domestic international player in the locker room is something Audridge requires. Secondly, bringing in a star player from a rival team is highly beneficial for boosting the morale of the fans
Millwall harbors a deep-seated hatred for Chelsea, despite Chelsea being located far away in West London
5 million pounds
£300,000 was brought back from the German 2. Bundesliga for 20-year-old Bernd Schneider
Aldridge sat in the passenger seat and said lightly: "I am the boss, I am the head coach, I do not need to consider anyone's feelings. If I have to beg players to join my team, what authority do I have?"
In response to such a reply, Aldridge smiled
Milwall is a magical club, at least in the eyes of Aldridge
Aldridge casually said: "Take me back to the club. From now on, I will stay at the club, and you can work a bit harder running around. Your company can take this opportunity to sign some players. Perfect, I will offer high salaries, and you can make the connections. It's a win-win situation."
The transfer request of 1 million pounds directly shocked the president of Sparta Prague. Transfers in Eastern European football are naturally not as expensive as those in mainstream European leagues. Therefore, after raising the price to 1.2 million pounds, Millwall gained the opportunity to negotiate a transfer with Pavel Nedved, a star player from Sparta Prague.
Andrew smiled and asked, feeling that his younger brother was starting to gain a bit of authority
He naturally thought Aldrich was joking; if he wasn't joking, then it was sheer nonsense
From a purely competitive perspective, it may not be worth it that Andy Cole, who scored 41 goals in a season, transferred to Newcastle United for only £1.75 million, even though he transferred to Manchester United for £6 million next spring, setting a new transfer record
£200,000 brought a 17-year-old French youth named David Trezeguet back to Europe from Platanense, Argentina
Audric subsequently offered £500,000 to the French club Metz for the acquisition of Robel Pires.
Because Gattuso only signed a contract with Perugia a month ago, Perugia earned nearly £300,000 without spending a penny
Aldridge's indifferent expression simultaneously revealed a confidence that was certainly not feigned, causing Southgate to stare at Aldridge for a long time before regaining his composure
Aldrich said calmly as well
Although Andrew maintained a smile on his face, he was truly anxious for Aldridge deep down
Southgate pondered for a moment and retorted, "My position in the team?"
With the addition of Southgate in the center-back position, his height of just over 1.8 meters is somewhat insufficient for aerial defense. Audric has made a transfer offer to Cambuur, which was relegated to the Dutch Second Division last season: £200,000 to acquire center-back Jaap Stam
A quote of £100,000 is a considerable transfer fee for a small team, especially for a goalkeeper who lacks both fame and proven ability.
It was not enough for Andrew to merely convey Aldridge's grand vision to Nedved; Aldridge personally expressed his sincerity after a phone call with Nedved, proactively suggesting the inclusion of an automatic termination clause in the contract that would prevent promotion for the next season. Only then did Nedved indicate his willingness to join, which can be seen as an attempt to venture into the English league. If it does not succeed, earning money for a year before leaving would still be quite worthwhile.
Aldridge placed the contract documents on the table, his gaze steady and unperturbed as he looked directly at Southgate. Both men were approximately 1.85 meters tall, so neither was in a position of superiority.
The other party has softened their stance. Aldridge said in a deep voice: "You came to the team as my captain, but in the future, your position will undergo some changes. At Crystal Palace, you played as a midfielder, but at Millwall, you will be the starting center-back. Trust me, I have the video footage of your performance for the entire season; I understand your role and capabilities better than you do."
However, at that moment, Millwall submitted a transfer offer to Crystal Palace
Although Aldridge is from East London, the Millwall Club is located in Southeast London
Southgate's acquaintance with Andrew can only be described as a mere recognition. Regarding the arrival of the Aldridge brothers, Southgate did not exhibit much enthusiasm. His wife served tea to the two men and then left the living room for the men.
This future third goalkeeper for Germany has only just been promoted to the first team of the club. Last season, he had only two appearances in the 2. Bundesliga. Not to mention making a name for himself, he may still be in the stage where Oldenburg is assessing his abilities
Soon, the transfer of 20-year-old goalkeeper But was approved, with a final offer of £150,000
Southgate said calmly without even looking, "Please leave, I have no interest in going to Millwall, a club that doesn't even have a head coach; I see no future there"
He said, somewhat hesitantly: "You are so young, head coach?"