Chapter 62: Long Pass

Coach Casemiro used to say that any player's goal should be the absolute highest one!

Only by treating those people as goals and anchors can one fully perceive the gap and thereby strive for self-improvement.

Of course, this might also lead to aiming too high, but for Wei Lai, striving hard is always the right thing to do.

Set the goal high, and then achieve it step by step.

It does not necessarily mean playing in a top-tier league at the age of sixteen; after all, generally speaking, it is normal for players to enter the top five leagues in their twenties.

Still, it is ultimately a goal!

Moreover, next year, He Chaoyue will likely enter the Primera Federación, which is Spain's third-tier league, commonly known as the third tier!

Wei Lai felt that he also needed to find a path leading to the professional leagues!

......

"El Niño?"

At the hotel reception desk, a middle-aged man with a full beard grabbed He Chaoyue's arm, seemingly seeking confirmation over and over again.

"It's you, right? El Niño!"

He Chaoyue did not speak, but Yang Fan, who was standing beside him, stepped forward immediately, pulling the man away and staring at him with a vigilant expression.

The bearded man waved his hands hurriedly and said, "I mean no harm, I just..."

He Chaoyue finally spoke. He took a step forward, pulled Yang Fan back, and then looked at the bearded man, nodding slowly. He said in Spanish, "Long time no see, Uncle Andrea!"

Andrea immediately said with pleasant surprise, "Oh, God! I knew it was you. You look exactly the same as when you were a kid. Goodness! How much time has passed? You've grown this tall!"

"It's been ten years!" He Chaoyue nodded. "How is Pimon doing?"

"That kid is doing all right, except he didn't continue pursuing football. Ever since you left, he seemed to have lost interest in the sport!"

Andrea walked over with a smile, draped an arm around He Chaoyue's shoulder, looked at the training kit He Chaoyue was wearing, and said with a gratified expression, "I'm so glad to see you're still persisting with football. After all, you were Dosans's El Niño!"

He Chaoyue grinned instantly. "Please don't make fun of me. That was just a nickname you guys gave me!"

Andrea pursed his lips. "Your father..."

He Chaoyue: "He is working as a youth coach."

Andrea: "That is the best news I've heard today. That was truly an unfortunate accident!"

He Chaoyue did not speak. Andrea asked the receptionist for a piece of paper and a pen, then quickly jotted down his contact information.

"I still have things to take care of. This is my contact information. I serve as the general manager at Dosans. Shall we find some time to chat?"

He Chaoyue took the slip of paper and nodded. "Alright!"

With that, Andrea hugged He Chaoyue tightly once more. "Kid, I'm really glad to see you're still playing football!"

Watching Andrea leave, He Chaoyue's gaze flickered slightly.

Yang Fan, who did not understand Spanish, stood nearby, completely bewildered.

"Old He, what's going on? Who is this bearded guy?"

He Chaoyue: "My dad's former teammate!"

"Your dad... Uh... Fine, I won't ask!" Yang Fan stopped immediately, knowing that certain topics could not be brought up.

He Chaoyue turned his head. "There's nothing unspeakable about it. What's in the past is in the past."

At this moment, Yang Fan turned around and saw Wei Lai and George walking out from the direction of the restaurant.

"Old Wei is out too. Let's go over and take a look!"

After Wei Lai and George shook hands and parted ways, He Chaoyue and Yang Fan immediately walked up to him.

"How did the chat go?" Yang Fan asked.

Wei Lai: "Just like that. We briefly understood the situation. He said he would recommend my profile to major European youth academies!"

He Chaoyue: "Don't hold too much hope. These freelance hunters cast a wide net, catch many fish, and choose the best."

Wei Lai nodded. "I know. How did your chat go over there?"

Yang Fan shrugged. "About the same as yours. They're all freelance hunters or temporary workers; there are no real scouts at all!"

The group walked upstairs together, preparing to return to their rooms.

Indeed, they did not harbor overly high expectations. They would give it a try if an opportunity arose; otherwise, they could also pave their way to playing abroad through foreign clubs cooperating with the football school.

This was also a channel for going abroad to play!

......

During the simulation session, Shinji Kagawa patiently guided Wei Lai through the fundamentals.

Wei Lai's progress was quite noticeable. His ball feel, passing, and various ball-and-player coordination breakaway moves were all starting to look the part.

Of course, whether these skills could be applied in actual matches was the crucial point.

"As a midfielder, composure is the primary element. You must not pass blindly, and certainly not with urgency. Midfielders have the highest frequency of receiving and distributing the ball, so once your position becomes impatient, the entire team will fall into a state of impatience. When the tempo needs to be fast, make it fast; when it needs to slow down, you must know how to dial down the tempo to let your teammates catch their breath! Blindly attacking fiercely might yield counterproductive results!"

Wei Lai appeared somewhat absent-minded.

When executing movements, he was always a bit sluggish, lacking the crisp and decisive execution he had before.

Shinji Kagawa took all of this in and directly halted the training session.

"Do you have something on your mind?"

Shinji Kagawa asked.

Wei Lai pursed his lips. "I really do have some troubles. I play more of a defensive role in the team, but Coach Hairdryer said that modern football requires a more well-rounded type of player. In other words, besides defending, I also need some other abilities."

"And sometimes it's quite frustrating. Clearly, I can spot certain loopholes, understand the flow of the match, and know where passing the ball would be the most threatening, but my own insufficient ability prevents me from playing more fluidly!"

"Hmm..." Shinji Kagawa nodded; he understood Wei Lai's thoughts.

"Generally speaking, aside from passing, receiving, and controlling the tempo, a midfielder also needs some progression and threat-creating capabilities."

"Yes!" Wei Lai nodded. "But my position is deeper, and I cannot push too far forward. Once I leave that defensive zone and fail to track back in time, the backline will fall into crisis."

Shinji Kagawa: "Your ability to carry the ball forward is indeed lacking, and pushing too far forward strays from your scope of responsibility!"

Wei Lai: "That's the frustrating part for me. Sometimes opportunities vanish in a flash. I clearly saw it, but there is nothing I can do; I am too far away from it."

Shinji Kagawa looked at Wei Lai with a smile and said, "But it's not without a solution!"

Wei Lai lifted his head abruptly: "There is a way?"

"Of course!"

Shinji Kagawa smiled: "Not many people play this way in matches nowadays, but in your opinion, what method is the fastest during a transition from defense to attack?"

Wei Lai blinked and immediately said, "Passing!"

"That's right." Shinji Kagawa: "A person can never run faster than the ball, and the fastest method during an offensive and defensive transition is called... a long ball!"

"A precision-guided long ball allows you to instantly locate a threatening player in the frontcourt from the backcourt, thereby completing a swift transition from defense to attack. That is much faster than running with the ball or carrying it forward."