Super Wingstorm

Every year during the winter training period, Ajax heads south to escape the cold and ensure the quality of their training camp.

The south of Portugal became Ajax’s top choice.

Lagush, a small city in southern Portugal with a population of only twenty thousand, boasts some of the country’s most beautiful beaches.

Ajax chose a training ground on the city’s southernmost tip, situated right on the famous Pedra da Gavea. Nearby were renowned beaches, as well as Lagush’s unique sheer cliffs and bizarre rock formations.

The team stayed at a resort made up of individual villas. Ajax booked an entire section for themselves. Next to the resort were two standard-sized football pitches and a smaller training field.

In addition, it had a full range of supporting facilities, including a swimming pool and a gym, all fully equipped.

Having learned from the first half of the season, Ronald Koeman had clearly tightened his control over the players and demanded more discipline. As soon as they arrived at the resort and unpacked, they immediately began training.

The next day, a steady drizzle fell over Lagush. But the coaching staff still dragged everyone out of their warm beds early in the morning and took them directly to the deserted beach for special training.

The intensity was clearly higher than on a regular training pitch.

After a short break for lunch, everyone went to the training ground next to the resort in the afternoon. Half the players did strength training while the other half worked with the ball. After thirty minutes, the two groups swapped activities.

The final half-hour consisted of fifteen minutes of tactical drills and fifteen minutes of scrimmage.

After getting through a full day of training like this, everyone felt completely spent.

The Christmas holiday had been wonderful, but this winter training camp was going to work them all to the bone.

Although Yang Yang was young and didn’t have a physical advantage, he had kept training every day during the Christmas break, never daring to slack off. His physical condition was quite good, but the intensity of the winter camp was still a bit much for him.

Ronald Koeman and the coaching staff didn’t give the young players any special treatment. In fact, they added extra physical conditioning drills specifically for Yang Yang, hoping to quickly improve his physique and strength in challenges.

Fortunately, the rain only lasted a day, and warm sunshine soon returned to Lagush.

Yang Yang continued to train with the team every day, but he also had his own extra sessions in the morning and evening. In the mornings, he would usually go to the beach to jog while juggling a ball. In the evenings, he did one-on-one special training with Luther Carroll.

John van Schip was an assistant coach for the second team and couldn’t come to Lagush. He had temporarily handed over Yang Yang’s special training to Luther Carroll. Although Carroll had a good relationship with Yang Yang, he was meticulous during training and wouldn’t let him cut any corners.

Being in Lagush, far from the hustle and bustle and without the attention of the media and fans, allowed everyone on the team to focus more intently on their winter training. The days passed by, full and peaceful.

But a steady stream of news still trickled in from the Netherlands.

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”A pair of fours.”

In the living room of the small villa where Yang Yang was staying, the Swedish striker grinned and played two cards with a mischievous look.

”Have you guys heard? That damn old man Van Gaal is restructuring the scouting department. They say a lot of people in the scouting team are getting laid off. It’s causing a huge uproar in Amsterdam, and a lot of people are complaining about him.”

”A pair of sixes.” Maxwell played a pair as well. ”Is Tony Bruins Slotts okay?”

”Blocking you with a pair of Kings,” Yang Yang said, also playing a pair.

He wasn’t familiar with Lagush, and it was pitch-black outside at night, which was inconvenient, so he didn’t go out to train. With nothing else to do, he started playing Fight the Landlord with Ibrahimovic and Maxwell.

Yang Yang and Vermaelen formed one team, while Ibrahimovic and Maxwell each played for themselves. They didn’t bet money, but other things—for example, if someone lost enough rounds, they’d have to strip down to their underwear and run a lap around the villa.

At first, the other three didn’t know how to play, but after one game, they were all hooked. It became their nightly ritual.

”Heh heh, just what I needed to beat you. A pair of Aces,” Ibrahimovic said, confidently playing another pair. ”Tony should be fine. His position as chief scout is secure, but a lot of the people under him will be let go.”

”Damn, I have nothing. Pass,” Maxwell said, frustrated. ”From what I know, some will be laid off, but the main thing is a restructuring. The old scouting team was too inefficient. I heard Van Gaal wants to streamline the staff to improve efficiency. He also intends to expand the scouts’ operational scope. Besides Northern Europe and Africa, they’re apparently making Eastern Europe and South America key areas for the club’s scouting network.”

Yang Yang listened intently but didn’t interject. ”A pair of twos. Are you going to play a bomb?”

Vermaelen was grinning from ear to ear on the sidelines. He and Yang Yang had both figured out what cards Ibrahimovic was holding.

”Huh? How do you still have a pair of twos?” the Swedish striker grumbled.

”Landlord, weren’t you counting cards? Only one two has been played, so of course we have a pair,” Vermaelen chimed in.

The Swedish striker looked at Maxwell. ”You don’t have a two?”

”Who told you I had a two?”

”Stop dawdling. Make it quick. Are you gonna bomb or not?” Yang Yang urged.

Ibrahimovic looked glumly at Maxwell, then at Yang Yang and Vermaelen. He felt like these three had backed him into a corner. It was giving him a headache.

”Hurry up already! I’ll die of old age waiting for you,” Maxwell said with a chuckle, imitating something Yang Yang often said.

Ibrahimovic thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth. ”Bomb!”

He slammed the two jokers onto the table, seething with frustration.

”A single two. None of you have one, right?” Ibrahimovic declared, revealing the last two cards in his hand.

”Damn it, I knew you still had a two,” Maxwell said, heartbroken. ”You bastard, hiding it so well.”

”Don’t mention it, don’t mention it. You three, hurry up and get undressed. Time for your run,” the Swedish striker said with a triumphant grin.

”Wait, wait,” Vermaelen said with a laugh.

”Wait for what?”

”First, take back that stinking seven of yours. You only played the two,” Yang Yang said, separating the two cards with a smile.

Ibrahimovic suddenly had a bad feeling. ’This kid is too devious.’

Maxwell, on the other hand, saw a glimmer of hope in the darkness. It was a miraculous turnaround, and he was ecstatic.

”You really weren’t counting cards. Didn’t you notice that no one has played a three yet?” Yang Yang said with a grin, laying down four threes.

Ibrahimovic looked as if he’d been hit by a 250-ton truck. He let out a cry and slapped his thigh hard. He truly hadn’t expected Yang Yang to be hiding another bomb.

”You’re just as sly and cunning as that damn old man Van Gaal.”

Yang Yang didn’t retort. He just grinned, played a pair, then a trio with a single attached, and was finally left with a single small four.

”Landlord, that’s two bombs. You lose four times the stake,” Yang Yang said with a beaming smile.

Maxwell and Vermaelen were already on the sidelines, grinning from ear to ear. They were on the same side now and couldn’t be happier to see Ibrahimovic lose badly.

The Swedish striker’s face changed. He was filled with regret.

After a long silence, he took a deep breath and squeezed out a single word, ”Later.”

The three of them exchanged a smile. They didn’t really care, since it was all in good fun. They continued playing, but didn’t forget to tease and mock him.

”Man, if we were playing for money, you’d have lost your underwear by now.”

”Exactly. You bid to be Landlord with a good hand, you bid with a bad hand. You deserve to lose.”

”It ain’t easy being the Landlord.”

Ibrahimovic sullenly shuffled the cards, not daring to say a word in rebuttal.

”When I was on vacation in Brazil, I heard from my old teammates at Cruzeiro that Ajax’s scouting team has already started looking for a right-back. Their top choice is Cruzeiro’s main right-back, Maurinho,” Maxwell said.

”Who’s Maurinho?” Yang Yang asked, interested.

It was crystal clear that Talabesi intended to leave at the end of the season. It would be a joke if Ajax didn’t plan ahead. He just hadn’t expected them to choose a Brazilian player.

But on second thought, it made sense. Brazilian full-backs were very strong, and they offered great value for the money.

”He just turned twenty-five. He transferred from Santos early last year and has risen through the ranks very quickly. He even made it to the Brazil National Team and played in the 2003 Confederation Cup. He played well and is currently the hottest right-back in Brazil. He’s even keeping the National Youth Team’s Maicon on the bench. He’s attracted the attention of quite a few European teams.”

The age of twenty-five fit Ajax’s team-building requirements well. After all, Ajax had the youngest average age in the UEFA Champions League this year—just twenty-two. Bringing in a twenty-five-year-old who could contribute immediately was a good fit.

”How are the negotiations going?” Ibrahimovic asked.

”There are supposedly some minor disagreements. Ajax wants the transfer to happen during the winter break, but Cruzeiro doesn’t want to let him go right now. The two sides are still negotiating, but it probably won’t be a big issue,” Maxwell said.

It was only then that Yang Yang suddenly remembered—didn’t Maxwell come from Cruzeiro?

”Why does the team want to sign Maurinho during the winter break? Didn’t they say there would be no new signings this winter?” Vermaelen asked, concerned.

He was also concerned about his own prospects. After all, if there were problems in the back line, he, as a substitute who could play both center-back and left-back, would get more opportunities.

”That’s a media misconception,” Maxwell said, shaking his head. ”This year is an African Cup year. After our training camp in Portugal, six or seven African players, like Talabesi, Pinaar, Yakubu, and Oubadaie, all have to go back to participate. The African Cup runs from late January to late February, which is really bad for the team.”

Hearing Maxwell say that, Yang Yang finally understood. If they all really left, wouldn’t the right flank be completely empty?

”I heard the club tried to negotiate with the African National Teams, but they all refused the club’s request and decided to call up their national players for the tournament. Players like Talabesi and Yakubu are sure to make it to the knockout stages, so they won’t be able to return before mid-February.”

Everyone had a moment of realization. No wonder the club was pushing for Maurinho to transfer during the winter break.

”Besides a right-back, they’re also looking to strengthen the midfield and forward line. I heard John Sten Olsen has strongly recommended another player to the club, saying he has the potential to be the next Zlatan.”

As soon as Maxwell finished speaking, Yang Yang’s interest was piqued. ”Who is it?”

Ibrahimovic, however, just gave an arrogant purse of his lips, clearly not believing there could be a second Zlatan in the world.