In the office at the Newton Heath training ground, it was quiet. Ethan was alone, leaning back on the sofa and staring at the ceiling.
The players had already finished their morning training, so the entire training ground was deathly silent. Only the faint sounds of the staff tidying up the training equipment could be heard, but by the time they reached the office, they were already very faint.
Today was the draw for the third round of The FA Cup, which would determine New Manchester United's opponent.
To be honest, for a team in the tenth tier of English football to reach the third round of The FA Cup was, if not unprecedented, certainly extremely rare. Furthermore, with powerhouses from the Premier League and Division One entering in this round, it was impossible for New Manchester United to get an easy draw.
For the current New Manchester United, whether the opponent came from the Premier League, Division One, or even Division Two or League Two, as long as they took the match seriously, New Manchester United would hardly stand a chance of winning.
This was why Ethan had previously felt that giving up on The FA Cup would not necessarily be a bad thing.
Now, both the media and the fans were pleasantly surprised by New Manchester United's performance in The FA Cup this season. Speculation was everywhere, and some people had even written to The FA, suggesting a Red Devil Derby between New Manchester United and Manchester United, believing it would be an FA Cup match worthy of the history books.
But in reality, Ethan was unwilling to meet Manchester United so early.
This year was a year of achievement for Manchester United. The Premier League title, The FA Cup, and the Champions League, the feat of winning the Treble was enough to shock the football world. If New Manchester United faced Manchester United now, it would be an absolute tragedy.
Although Ethan believed the team should have the courage to draw their swords, that was only for unavoidable situations. Right now, he still had a choice, so he was unwilling to face Manchester United, even though he really wanted to know how the Red Devils fans would treat them when New Manchester United stepped into Old Trafford.
After being the owner of New Manchester United for a while, Ethan's way of thinking had begun to change.
If he were still the fan he used to be, he would have longed for New Manchester United to face Manchester United, because the hype would be immense, and it would surely be an explosive match. But as the owner of New Manchester United, he wanted to protect the club like his own child.
A Red Devil Derby would happen sooner or later, but now was too early.
With a swish, the office door was pulled open, and a gust of cold air immediately rushed in.
"The results are out, Ethan!" Walsh said excitedly.
Seeing his excited expression, Ethan's heart skipped a beat.
Although The FA repeatedly insisted to the media that the draw was not manipulated, in reality, everyone knew that was nonsense. Just like UEFA manipulating the Champions League draw, there was no absolute fairness in the world.
The FA Cup had declined. Who could guarantee that The FA would not pair New Manchester United and Manchester United together just to increase viewership?
Sometimes Ethan thought to himself that New Manchester United's luck in The FA Cup draw this season had truly been good. The only two weakest teams in the second round had actually been drawn together, almost as if it had been arranged to help New Manchester United advance.
The more he thought about it, the more Ethan felt that might actually be the case.
"It's not really Manchester United, is it?" Seeing Walsh's excitement, Ethan felt the possibility was extremely high.
Walsh's smile stiffened when he heard this. He sat down opposite Ethan and curled his lip. "I would have loved to face Manchester United too, but unfortunately, we drew Arsenal!"
"Ah, Arsenal?" Ethan's mood brightened during the first half of the sentence, but he immediately became dejected when he heard the second half.
Voluntarily giving up and being eliminated were two completely different things.
"Does Bruce know?" Ethan asked.
"Yeah," Walsh nodded. "I just called to notify him!"
"And how did he react?"
"No reaction. He was very calm. He just said 'oh,' mentioned he was having dinner with his family,"
"and then hung up!"
Arsenal were the new arch-rivals for Manchester United fans because, just last year, they had snatched the Premier League title from Manchester United's hands. This season, the competition between Arsenal and Manchester United was equally fierce, with the two teams neck and neck on points, separated by only 1 point. Either side could fall behind at any moment.
For fans, any team competing for the title against their beloved club could be considered an enemy, let alone an arch-rival who had snatched the championship away.
As soon as The FA Cup draw was announced, the outside world immediately paid immense attention to this third-round match to be held at Highbury. Even television stations granted it live broadcast status, which was almost unimaginable for a team from the tenth tier of English football.
...
The next day, almost all English newspapers published reports on the results of The FA Cup third-round draw, giving particularly significant attention to the match between New Manchester United and Arsenal.
Arsenal had snatched the league title from Manchester United last year and were breathing down their necks again this season, so the grudge between the two clubs was deep. However, the relationship between New Manchester United and Manchester United was equally complex and ambiguous. The nickname "Red Rebels" in particular was heart-wrenching, especially for those fans familiar with the process of New Manchester United's founding.
It was precisely because of this complex background that, although New Manchester United and Arsenal had no direct enmity, the involvement of Manchester United made the clash between the two teams full of hype, attracting the attention of almost every major newspaper in England.
...
...
"Why haven't you asked me what I think about this match?" Bruce asked Ethan, who was sitting in the passenger seat, while driving.
"What is there to think? It's just an ordinary FA Cup match. For a team like ours to reach the third round, I'm already satisfied. So I can't ask for more from you and the team, can I?" Ethan said with a bitter smile.
"Although I'd like to treat this as an ordinary FA Cup match, in reality, we both know that's almost impossible. I heard that nearly two thousand fans have already booked travel services to Highbury through the Manchester City Travel Agency. This definitely won't be an ordinary match!" Bruce also had a bitter smile on his face.
Sometimes, the thoughts of the people involved became secondary. That was what it felt like to be caught in circumstances beyond one's control.
"Do they really expect us to beat Arsenal? Please, Bergkamp's annual salary alone is worth more than our entire squad. Then there's Anelka, Seaman, Overmars, Vieira, and so on. Which one of them isn't an international star?"
Speaking of this, Ethan sighed. "Steve, sometimes I really hate this feeling of helplessness. I have money now. If I wanted to, I could buy a team in Division One or even the Premier League, then lead them to glory step by step!"
"But you know what? Every time I see Jim, old John, and those fans who support the team at every match, I wonder, would that be meaningful? Is it better to build a club that completely belongs to me according to my own will, leading it to glory step by step like watching my own son grow up, or to buy a Premier League club and take it further based on its existing traditions?"
"Which way is happier? Which gives a greater sense of achievement? Which is more fulfilling, Steve?"
Feeling Ethan's gaze, Bruce actually felt a little intimidated. After hesitating for a while, he sighed. "Ethan, I can only say that everyone has different choices. New Manchester United is a magical club, and you are a person full of magic, so I believe you will definitely be able to lead this magical team to glory."
Ethan looked out of the car window with some disappointment. Bruce still would not say that he was willing to stay and grow with New Manchester United. This left Ethan disappointed, but it was understandable. After all, everyone had their own ambitions.
"Steve, no matter what, I hope you can continue to stay next season, even if it's just for one more year!"
As the car arrived outside his residential area and he was about to get out, Ethan suddenly said this.
Bruce was stunned. By the time he realized what had been said, Ethan had already gotten out of the car.
Watching Ethan's back as he walked into the residential area, Bruce suddenly felt a wave of shame, because Ethan had trusted him so much from beginning to end, yet he could not give him any guarantees.
But he also knew very well that his ambitions did not lie with New Manchester United. His character was not the type suited to starting from the bottom, so his willingness to coach New Manchester United had already been a deviation from the goals he had previously set.
But then again, if Manchester United and Arsenal were only lower-league teams, would Ferguson and Wenger have stayed there for ten or twenty years?
Bruce drove away, and only then did Ethan turn back, staring blankly at Bruce's taillights. To be honest, he did not blame Bruce, because everyone had different pursuits. Ethan could not demand that others live according to his will. He was no longer a child who did not understand how the world worked.
"Hey, why do you have such a long face? You're not worried about the match against Arsenal, are you? But it's no wonder. You're bound to lose anyway!" Scarlett walked out of the apartment and teased Ethan when she saw him staring blankly at the road.
Ethan took a deep breath to calm his emotions, turned around, and said calmly to the blonde beauty, "I was thinking, would it be better for you to streak along this main road, or would it be better for me to enjoy it privately at home? What do you think?"
Scarlett kicked Ethan's left shin with her high heel, making him cry out in pain, his face twisting.
"Hey, let me tell you, you definitely won't get away this time, unless you want to go back on your word. But if you do, I definitely won't let you off easily!" Ethan shouted at Scarlett's back as she ran back into the apartment.
Scarlett stopped, turned around to glare at Ethan, snorted, and ran inside even faster.
"That really hurts. This woman's legs are probably thicker than Roberto Carlos', otherwise how could she be so strong?" Ethan grumbled as he dragged his injured left leg toward the apartment.
(To be continued.)