Football Dynasty

Rumors about the winter transfer market were flying around.

The Premier League saw a notable breakthrough as Fulham once again made headlines—this time by breaking the Division Two transfer record, signing defender Chris Coleman from Blackburn Rovers for £2 million.

Tottenham's relegation worries grew heavier after a crushing 5–0 home defeat at the hands of Manchester City. Meanwhile, Manchester United's title hopes suffered a blow with a 1–0 away loss to Liverpool—a result sparked by a costly mistake from Czech winger Karel Poborský.

Mistakes like that—especially in a fierce Manchester derby—would not be tolerated. Sir Alex Ferguson, speaking in the post-match press conference, publicly offered his support for Poborský. But behind his measured words, Ferguson knew exactly what awaited the winger in the days ahead.

And sure enough, it didn't take long for the media to catch the scent of a fresh headline.

By mid-morning, BBC Sport had already run with it: "Manchester United Agree to Sell Poborský to Benfica."

The Czech winger would leave Old Trafford after just eighteen months, in a deal expected to be finalized in Lisbon this week.

Within the hour, Sky Sports News was looping grainy footage of Poborský in training, intercut with shots of his infamous miscontrol at Maine Road. The anchors spoke with the cool certainty of those who knew the decision had been coming for weeks.

The tabloids, of course, went for blood. The Sun blared across its back page:

"POBO–GONE! From Euro 96 hero to United misfit—Fergie ships Czech flop to Portugal."

Even the more restrained The Times ran an editorial questioning whether Poborský had ever truly fit the Premier League style, noting his "moments of brilliance buried under long stretches of anonymity."

In Portugal, A Bola greeted the news with open arms, splashing a photo of the winger in full Czech kit across its front page with the headline:

"Poborský vem para conquistar" — Poborský comes to conquer.

It was official. The whispers were now ink on paper, pixels on screens. Poborský's time in Manchester was over.

Of course, Manchester City was not left behind in the transfer rumors. Ronaldo, especially with Manchester United, was at the center of attention. Despite Sir Alex Ferguson's efforts to push the transfer through, interest from Barcelona, AC Milan, and then Real Madrid kept intensifying.

These European giants were all eager to secure the young Brazilian's signature, seeing him as one of the brightest talents in world football. Meanwhile, Manchester City was determined to hold on to their rising star, aware that losing him would be a massive blow to their ambitions.

The transfer saga was heating up, with each club trying to outmaneuver the others—fueling endless speculation among fans and the media alike.

The day after the derby match concluded, Richard was busy with his work in the United States. So, Miss Heysen—now the CEO of Manchester City—went about her day, following her usual routine.

"Eh?"

However, when she had just arrived at Maine Road, she noticed a large crowd of fans wearing Manchester City jerseys gathered outside the stadium. They had unfurled a banner that read: "Ronaldo, this is your forever home!"

Her Range Rover 100 was parked by the roadside as she watched the winding crowd, which was considerate enough not to block the road.

As she rolled down the car window, she immediately spotted a young boy standing beside her car.

"Hey kid, what are you doing here instead of going to school?"

With his chest puffed out, the boy replied defiantly, "I don't want Ronaldo to leave either. He is my hero, my idol."

"Ronaldo?" Hearing his answer, Miss Heysen looked confused.

Some fans recognized Miss Heysen in the car. Richard led a discreet life, so even though some people knew him, he often spent his days in the office. Miss Heysen, on the other hand, appeared more publicly, especially when football-related matters needed attention.

"Miss, please keep them with us!"

"Right, the club should give them a raise!"

"Yeah, Ronaldo deserves better treatment."

"The club made a fortune selling off so many great players last summer, right?"

As the fans' chatter grew louder and more exaggerated, Miss Heysen felt a sense of frustration.

It wasn't that she didn't care about wages; it was just that the team was enjoying a stable atmosphere. Everyone was motivated by a streak of consecutive wins. Suddenly discussing money felt superficial and distracting. If one player got a raise, what about the others? Especially the starting players?

They were just ordinary people, and it was natural to feel envious. After all, Richard himself had already warned all the staff about the importance of team spirit, and it didn't make sense to favor one player over the others.

Miss Heysen only nodded before stepping onto her car. Inside, she immediately dialed Richard Turner.

"Mr. Turner..."

After Miss Heysen briefly explained what had happened, she continued, "I assure you that nobody will be leaving the club this winter. Please advise the fans not to gather here; it could have the opposite effect and make it seem like they are threatening our players."

Even Turner, sitting in his bar, was confused. He was not stupid; he understood exactly what was happening.

Just as she was discussing matters in the car, finally the person who had become the center of attention today appeared, arriving in his Ferrari F355, seemingly heading for training.

Of course, some die-hard fans already recognized his car; some had even marked it beforehand.

The security team and Miss Heysen's faces turned ashen.

She immediately stepped out of her car. What she feared most was that the players might feel disheartened by the tense atmosphere.

But unexpectedly, Ronaldo inside the car handled the situation with ease. He rolled down his window and popped his head out, addressing the crowd calmly, "What's up?"

The fans scattered slightly—some asking for autographs, others hoping to shake his hand or simply touch him. Some called out for him to stay, urging him not to accept offers from any other clubs.

"Hey, hey, watch out!" the security guard shouted, trying to keep control, but Ronaldo waved his hand, signaling it was okay. Only after hearing their pleas did he realize what was truly happening here.

"I won't leave, don't worry," he said gently, signing a jersey held out by a young child.

Hearing his promise, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause, relief and hope shining in every face.

Seeing the scene, Miss Heysen finally felt relieved. She smiled and got back into the car.

As long as there was no chaos in front of the stadium, she could work peacefully and sleep easy.

Today's routine went as usual—it was a training day. The training plan had been arranged, and the coaching staff was in charge of every aspect.

Offense, defense, place kick, stamina, ball control, and various other things. Everything was going smoothly according to the plan. The players' mentalities, after going through so many matches, had also been optimized.

For the next two days, the last fixture of 1997 saw Manchester City preparing to face Arsenal, whose manager was going through a tough time in London.

Wenger had recently become the center of Premier League headlines after complaining about the scheduling and criticizing the FA Cup's policy of requiring replays for drawn matches. His remarks sparked criticism as he had barely settled before he started questioning long-standing traditions.

The relentless pressure from the media made Wenger acutely aware of how tricky the British press could be. Under such scrutiny, he naturally became more cautious with his words and actions—an excessive caution that eventually irritated those around Fleet Street.

The scheduled match was set for a Saturday evening. After concluding a training session with the players, O'Neill and Zanetti attended the press conference.

Now, every Manchester City press conference drew a packed room, often attracting more attention than the usual "big six" clubs like Chelsea, or even Blackburn Rovers—and sometimes even more than Manchester United, at least within the context of the Premier League.

In the press conference room, a reporter asked, "What are your thoughts on replays for draws in the FA Cup? Have you considered suggesting reforms to the FA?"

The fellow journalists smiled knowingly at the question.

O'Neill sighed lightly and replied, "What do you want me to say?"

The FA Cup has a proud history, but the replay system—especially when fixtures pile up in December and January—can be brutal. It puts unnecessary pressure on squads and can lead to injuries or burnout.

The football calendar is already crowded, and the demands on players today are higher than ever. If that means fewer replays or more flexible scheduling, then it's worth considering.

Of course, some things are thought but not spoken aloud. O'Neill, already experienced in the English league, naturally knows how to handle situations like this.

Seeing that the media was seemingly focused on the FA Cup and Arsène Wenger's remarks about it, O'Neill reluctantly stood up.

We're done here. The pre-match talk is more important!

Unlike other teams whose main tactics remained unchanged despite player rotations, Arsenal was the only team whose core structure had remained largely intact but whose playing style had undergone a revolutionary transformation. Therefore, he needed his players to recognize that Arsenal was no longer just the "boring Arsenal" of years past.

Wenger transformed Arsenal's style within a month, emphasizing European-style, ground-based passing football. He revamped the training and management, renewing the team's spirit. Once stagnant, they now played dynamic and aesthetically pleasing football. Wenger is a coach with profound football knowledge.

That's why City can't afford to underestimate Arsenal.