I AM the Football Star

Chapter 203: Chapter 78: Good Samaritan Moral Excellence Award

”What do you mean?” Martivini somewhat already understood Maniero’s meaning but asked to know Maniero’s specific plan.

”I’ve said it before, Lu Yang never causes trouble, but if trouble comes to him, he absolutely won’t back down.” Maniero said, ”This time, the issue fundamentally lies with Kubo; everything is caused by Kubo, and society’s opinion has already reached this conclusion.”

”Back to your tenure issue... This summer, your Star of Italy project achieved great success, but similarly, it can’t cover up the embarrassment of Italy Team’s exit in the World Cup group stage this year.”

”We all know this isn’t your fault; you’re merely taking the blame for your predecessor. But there’s no choice; you’re the current chairman of the Italian Football Association, and someone has to step forward and take responsibility, right?”

Maniero laughed, ”After the World Cup exit, the national Head Coach was naturally dismissed as the scapegoat, but such methods can’t continue indefinitely.”

”Next year’s European Youth Championship, the European Cup the year after, if in these two tournaments Italy Team doesn’t make a breakthrough, you... no, if the European Youth Championship doesn’t achieve a good result, you’ll likely be in trouble next summer.”

”After all, although the results of Italy Team don’t have much to do with you, the newly appointed football association president, the National Youth Team has always been managed by your people, so you’re tied to it.”

Maniero said a lot.

Martivini’s eyes shifted, ”So, you think Lu Yang is the key to leading the team to achieve good results in next year’s European Youth Championship?”

Maniero shook his head.

Arthas chuckled nearby.

This is the top midfielder’s intellectual dominance over the defender.

When it comes to making things happen, Maniero is exceptionally skilled.

In Arthas’s mind, the only person capable of matching wits with Maniero is the one everyone notices for his toughness but often overlooks his wisdom - Lu Yang.

Moreover... this matter was the result of discussion between Maniero and Lu Yang.

From the moment he left the restaurant after hitting Kubo, Lu Yang called Maniero and gave him some opinions regarding follow-up handling.

After chatting with Lu Yang at that time, Maniero told his brother Arthas, ”This is why I’m willing to tell Lu many things because he can potentially help me in some areas. He has the capability, but the premise is that he needs to obtain enough information.”

It was then Arthas understood why Maniero and Martivini decided to promote San Remo and Lu Yang, and why Maniero personally notified Lu Yang when it theoretically should have only been told to Sotu and the chairman of San Remo, not necessarily to a player.

Looking back now, if Lu Yang didn’t know the Italian Football Association wanted to promote him and the team, how could he propose what Maniero was later going to discuss with Martivini?

Is he really just a football player?

Sure you don’t want to consider running for Italy’s Prime Minister in the future?

”The problems of Italian Football were not created overnight, and naturally, they won’t be solved overnight either. Do you truly think you can change Italy Team’s weak performance in international competitions in such a short tenure?” Maniero shook his head, ”Instead of expecting this, maybe you should hope you win the lottery instead.”

”What I mean is, you need to let more people see that under your leadership, the Italian Football is showing a different side. Let everyone see that Italian football is improving! Even if the tournament results are weak, as long as people have confidence in the team, you’ll have enough time to truly transform Italy.”

”You need time more than anyone else!”

Martivini’s appointment was after Italian Football’s biggest scandal of match-fixing.

He came to clean up the mess.

Meanwhile, the old forces hadn’t completely retreated; they were merely temporarily hidden, but they still occupied various facets of Italian Football.

Thus, Martivini’s first term has reached the last year, yet he still doesn’t have much say.

The fact that his people can only manage the National Youth Team reveals the clues.

The major parts of the national team and league are not under his control.

To genuinely achieve something, unless he secures a second term.

But currently, the prospects seem slim.

This is why this summer, Martivini took unconventional steps by initiating the Star of Italy and recently hoping for grassroots miracle in Italian Football.

He needs people to regain trust in Italian Football and let them know that Martivini isn’t doing nothing.

However, this approach, in Lu Yang and Maniero’s view, is relatively inferior.

The reason has been stated above; it’s too difficult.

The truly superior approach should allow the fans to leap out of football.

”Before many conflicts can honestly be resolved, diverting the conflict is the best method.” Maniero said, ”Italian Football is ready to regain its former glory. But not starting with the toughest outcomes, instead starting with public opinion.”

”There are two ways to gauge the influence of Italian Football.”

”One is for the influence of Italian Football to spread across European Football, with more Italian stars appearing in other leagues... this isn’t easy.”