Chapter 1 This Is the End of an Era (Ninety-Five/One Hundred and Thirty-Four)

When Kate Gracie, the winning agent, walked out of the Lazio club headquarters building on Via Valenzinha in Rome, reporters who had been waiting for a long time quickly swarmed him and surrounded him. m

The microphones were also extended to him.

"How is the progress of Chang's contract renewal negotiations with the club?"

"Will Chang continue to stay at Lazio after this season?"

"Has the club agreed to Chang's conditions?"

…

Facing these noisy reporters, Kate Gracie said nothing, and with a straight face got into the commercial vehicle parked on the roadside under the cover of the driver who came to pick him up.

Then the car started, and the reporters could only move out of the way and let the car drive away.

Then everyone stood in front of their respective camera lenses and began to broadcast the latest situation here.

"Judging from Kate Gracie's expression, we can guess that the contract renewal negotiations between Lazio Club and Chang are not going smoothly..."

"Chang's contract renewal negotiations with Lazio began before the start of last season, but have been intermittent, and were suspended for four months... Until now, there has been no result... Chang's contract with Lazio Club There is only one year left, maybe this will be his last year at Lazio..."

"Chang and Lotito, the golden partners in Italian football, have actually had conflicts for a long time. It started about three years ago... The two people had differences on the future development of the club. Chang hoped that the club would increase investment, especially The intensity of transfer signings, after all, everyone knows how difficult it is for Lazio to buy people now. Sometimes they can only spend money... But Lotito is obviously unwilling to do this kind of trick. He hopes to tap potential internally and promote as much as possible. Youth training camp players to strengthen the team... This is just a trigger... But anyway, the relationship between the two people has cracked, which should be the reason why the two parties have been unable to negotiate a contract extension..."

"Lazio lost the league title and the Champions League last season. This is the second consecutive season that they are empty-handed. For Chang's Lazio, this is the first time such a situation has occurred. Perhaps this is also related to the relationship between Chang and Lotito. Conflicts are related. When two people who used to work together have conflicts, it will definitely affect the team's performance..."

"...It's really sad that after sixteen years of working together, this pair of tacitly matched partners finally parted ways. Perhaps it really confirms the saying: There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests. ...When they were inseparable, everyone thought they would go all the way to the end.

That should have been a legendary story in football. Perhaps sixteen years is too long and has erased the tacit understanding and friendship between the two people, and eventually they turned against each other and parted ways. Even Lotito and Chang couldn't make it to the end. How can we still believe in...friendship? "

※ ※ ※

Kate Gracie called Chang Sheng in the car: "Chang. The negotiation broke down. Tare refused to let go. I will never give in. I tried my best, but they all refused to write the annual transfer fee investment guarantee." Go into the conditions for contract renewal..."

Chang Sheng said to the phone: "Okay. I understand, thank you for your hard work. Kate..."

After hanging up the phone, Avril came over with a pregnant belly: "Failed again?"

Chang Sheng hugged his wife and slowly sat down on the sofa.

This is Avril's third pregnancy. The first two times they had a son and a daughter. Now 49-year-old Chang Sheng is going to be a father again.

"We may have to move, Avril." Chang Sheng said.

"That's really hard to let go. After all, I have lived here for sixteen years..." Avril caressed her own body and murmured in a low voice. "However, I listen to you. We will go wherever you tell us to go."

Chang Sheng put his arm around Avril's shoulders and squeezed her shoulders hard.

Then he stood up again, picked up his phone and walked out the door.

Standing in the sunny courtyard, Chang Sheng dialed Lotito's phone number.

In the address book of the mobile phone, the name displayed on it is "Lao Luo".

"The renewed soap opera has been running for two years. I think it's better to end it here, Mr. Chairman." Chang Sheng said after the phone call was made. "After two years of tug-of-war, we should have fully realized that contract renewal is impossible, so why are we still getting hung up on it? I will not discuss contract renewal with the club anymore. We still have some remaining contracts. Let’s finish this last year quietly and not get caught up in the endless news hype, okay? You should have seen those reporters outside the headquarters building, right?”

On the other end of the phone, Lotito was silent for a while and then said: "Okay, Chang. In the last year, we can get together and relax."

Chang Sheng smiled: "Yes, it's easy to get together and to part ways. After all, it's not easy to be able to work together for sixteen years. You are the club president I have worked with for the longest time in my coaching career. In most of the past During the time, our cooperation was quite pleasant, wasn’t it? ”

Lotito, who was watching the news about Chang Sheng's contract extension with Lazio on TV at his home, felt a little sad when he heard Chang Sheng's words.

He also remembers what kind of spirit he used to impress Chang Sheng, and Chang Sheng also brought unprecedented glory to his team.

"Chang, what I want to say is... maybe we have some differences in the past two years. But you will always be the proudest signing in my life."

Chang Sheng smiled: "I know. So, that's it? Let's not negotiate a contract extension anymore. When the contract expires, I will leave Lazio."

Lotito's mouth opened and his lips trembled, but in the end he didn't say anything to save her. The two sides have been talking for two years and have still been unable to reach a consensus. So now it is impossible to turn things around with just two simple sentences.

"I respect your wishes, Chang." In the end, that was all he could say.

※ ※ ※

"Lazio Club has just announced this sensational news. The contract renewal negotiations between Lazio Club and Chang have completely broken down. Lazio Club has announced that the two parties will no longer engage in contract renewal negotiations..."

"Chang released this news through his personal website, announcing that the 2021/2022 season will be his last season with Lazio! This is really shocking! Chang's sixteen-year cooperation with Lazio will also be announced in the 2021/2022 season. Seventeen years are coming to an end..."

That night, not only Italy and China, but also media all over the world reported the news immediately.

As they say, this is indeed sensational news!

Even though we are only halfway through the year, some people believe that this incident can become the top ten most sensational sports news of the year.

Chang Sheng has cooperated with Lazio for sixteen years. In today's increasingly impetuous football world, it is not easy to coach a team for sixteen years. Even in England, there are very few head coaches who can coach a team for sixteen consecutive years, let alone in Italy... In Italian football, it is the league that changes coaches most frequently.

And those who win often can sit as the coach of a team for sixteen years!

Many people are even used to him appearing in public as Lazio coach. He is used to winning championship trophies again and again as Lazio head coach and celebrating victory again and again.

And there is no doubt that Chang Sheng will stay at Lazio until his retirement, becoming the most legendary coach in the history of Lazio football and the real godfather of the Blue Eagle!

I just didn't expect that in the seventeenth year, everything would come to an abrupt end...

"Chang coached Lazio for sixteen seasons. During these sixteen seasons, he led this team that was once on the verge of bankruptcy to win twelve league titles, ten Italian Cup titles, eight Champions League titles, and other titles. There are countless more. He made Lazio the team with the second most Champions League titles in European football after Real Madrid. He made Lazio a real giant. But this great legend will not happen until this time next year. it's over……"

"No team has contacted Chang yet, and Chang has not announced where his next stop will be. But we have reason to believe that with a successful coach like Chang, there will be no shortage of new players. So Chang's coaching legend will definitely continue. It just won’t be in Lazio... But no matter what, for Italian football, the news announced by both parties today means the end of an era..."

※ ※ ※

When the TV was discussing the news that the contract renewal negotiations between Chang Sheng and Lazio Club had completely broken down, Chang Sheng received a call from Jose Passarella.

"Boss, does this mean that the new season will be your last season at Lazio?"

Chang Sheng hummed: "At present, it seems that this is it..."

"Then, I can retire, boss." Jose Passarella said.

"Actually, you don't have to. At the age of thirty-nine, you can still maintain your peak condition for several seasons..." Chang Sheng advised.

Jose Passarella said seriously: "I said it before, boss. I can retire at any time, but the reason why I stay is because you are still my head coach. As long as you are still my coach, I will I will continue to play for you until I really can't play anymore. But now that you have retired, boss, I don't want to play for other coaches anymore. I can't imagine such a day. Jose said to me in front of me. "It's not you who did the job well, boss. If you leave Lazio, then I will retire."

Chang Sheng was silent. He didn't know how to answer Jose Passarella.

"So although I still have two years of contract with the club, I will retire after the new season, boss."

Chang Sheng nodded: "Okay, Jose. Let's have a good fight in this last season. I want to win the championship again, you help me!"

"I will, boss."

PS: The last volume has begun, and this book has also entered the countdown state. Thank you for your support along the way, thank you!