Starting With Real Madrid

"I believe now, you really are a die-hard fan of mine."

After attending the post-match press conference, Gao Shen invited Ferguson to an office at San Paulo Stadium for a drink.

Just like the French wine he had gifted Mourinho, Gao Shen had also prepared a box for Ferguson.

These were rare wines, sourced through Zidane's personal connections.

But Ferguson wasn't just referring to the wine, he was impressed by Gao Shen's knowledge of his past.

Paisley was a small town in the southwestern suburbs of Glasgow, Scotland's largest city.

Back in the day, Ferguson had spent four years coaching St. Mirren there, his second managerial job.

It took him two full seasons to lead the club from the second division into the Scottish Premier League. He was 36 years old at the time.

Fans who had read Ferguson's autobiography would be familiar with St. Mirren. It was where his coaching career truly took off but also where he suffered humiliation. Despite his success, his time there ended bitterly, as he was unceremoniously dismissed in 1977 or 1978, forcing him to move on to Aberdeen.

But very few people knew that during his time coaching St. Mirren, Ferguson had another identity: bar owner.

He had bought two pubs from a young entrepreneur named Edward Brunton, a man known for driving a Rolls-Royce.

One of these bars was in Paisley, the Paisley Turnpike.

The other was in Ferguson's hometown, located in the High Bay area of southern Glasgow, not far from Ibrox Stadium, home of Rangers. It was at the intersection of Paisley Road West and High Bay Road and was called Paisley Avenue West.

The reason Gao Shen remembered this particular bar was because of a story from Ferguson's autobiography, Managing My Life.

The bar's basement lounge had a rather peculiar name—"The Elbow Room."

Yes, the elbow—as in, using one's elbow to gain an advantage.

Why was it named that?

Because when Ferguson played football, he was notorious for using his elbows to fend off defenders.

To be honest, if Gao Shen hadn't studied Ferguson's book multiple times in the tactical library, he probably wouldn't have remembered this minor detail let alone the name of the bar.

---

"You know the bar, so you must know the story behind it too, right?" Ferguson asked.

Gao Shen nodded.

In his younger years, Ferguson wasn't fully committed to football. Instead, he dabbled in several business ventures, running multiple bars, Paisley Avenue West being one of them.

But one night, a violent altercation broke out in his bar between two rival gangs. Guns were involved, and things quickly spiraled out of control.

As the bar owner, Ferguson was caught in the mess. His bar manager was even arrested.

Thankfully, this was long before the internet era, otherwise, the scandal could have ruined his career before it even started.

Most of his bars weren't profitable either. Balancing football and business proved impossible. Over time, Ferguson fell into serious debt and struggled financially.

On top of that, Scotland in the 1970s was a rough place, and bar fights were common.

Ferguson himself wasn't spared, he once got caught in a brawl and ended up with a deep head wound from a broken beer bottle.

After a series of unfortunate events, including his bitter departure from St. Mirren and personal family struggles—Ferguson finally had enough.

He shut down all his bars and left for Aberdeen.

From that moment on, he fully committed to football.

And the rest was history.

But in a twist of fate, even though he quit the bar business, Ferguson later became obsessed with horse racing, leading to his infamous fallout with Manchester United's owners over the Rock of Gibraltar stud rights, a controversy that shook the football world.

---

"Listen, young man," Ferguson said, his tone serious as he looked at Gao Shen.

"What I want to tell you is this: No one is a prophet. No one knows exactly where they're headed or how their future will unfold."

His voice carried a weight of lived experience.

"We're all blindfolded, stumbling forward, trying to find our way. No one is born knowing what they're meant to do or what they're capable of.

"Autobiographies? They're edited to sound inspiring, to deceive fans. The truth is, I was backed into a corner. I had no choice but to go into coaching full-time."

"If my bars had been successful… If my other businesses had worked out… I wouldn't have even bothered with football!"

Ferguson said it lightly, but Gao Shen could sense the deeper meaning behind his words.

The real reason Ferguson had devoted himself to football wasn't because of some grand ambition but because life had forced him onto that path.

Now, after achieving so much, he could reflect on it all with ease.

But if Gao Shen took his words too literally, it would be no different from believing the fairy tale version in his autobiography.

Because the truth was there were no fairy tales in this world.

"So, young man," Ferguson continued, his expression softening, "don't be discouraged. You've still got a long road ahead of you."

Gao Shen understood.

He hadn't expected Ferguson to be this kind of person.

It almost felt like he was giving a motivational speech.

"Sir," Gao Shen said with a grin, "I heard this wine has a bit of a sour taste. But why does it feel like I'm drinking chicken soup for the soul?"

"Chicken soup?" Ferguson blinked in confusion.

"There's still a second leg to play," Gao Shen said, still smiling. "Aren't you being a bit too confident?"

Hearing that, Ferguson chuckled. "What? You actually think you can turn this around?"

Instead of answering directly, Gao Shen started counting on his fingers.

"Among the 'Big Four' in the Premier League, Arsenal's Highbury and Emirates, and Chelsea's Stamford Bridge, I've already conquered them all."

At that, he smirked and continued, "It's just a shame we didn't get a chance to play Liverpool this season. Otherwise, I'd be close to collecting all four away wins."

He paused for effect.

"You know, I heard that after collecting all four, something special happens. Must be something incredible. What do you think?"

Ferguson laughed. "What, you think you can summon a dragon?"

"I don't know," Gao Shen said, dead serious. "But I'd like to try."

Ferguson studied him for a long moment, then gave a slow nod of appreciation.

"Alright," he said finally.

"I'll be waiting for you at Old Trafford."

With that, Ferguson waved a hand and turned to leave.

Chapter 489: Absolute

Just as Ferguson reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back slightly, and said, "That's good wine. Make sure to send me another box when you come to Old Trafford."

Gao Shen watched as Ferguson walked away, feeling as if his admiration for his idol had cracked just a little.

So, this old man is a shameless rogue!

He was already holding a box of wine in his hands, yet he was already thinking about the next one. Did he think Gao Shen owned a winery or something?

…Wait a minute.

He actually does own a winery!

At that realization, Gao Shen nearly slapped himself.

Why hadn't he thought about giving away his own wine as gifts before?

The wine from his vineyard was supposedly quite good, and giving it away would double as free advertising.

Damn, Ferguson had asked for it, so why not seize the opportunity? Not using this moment for promotion would be a waste.

The first thing that popped into Gao Shen's mind was an iconic advertisement featuring Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldobut now, he imagined it photoshopped into an ad for Ferguson endorsing his wine.

The thought of the legendary Scotsman holding a bottle of wine with that classic serious expression... Perfect!

Absolutely brilliant!

---

Napoli 1-1 Manchester United.

For Napoli, this wasn't an ideal result.

At the post-match press conference, Gao Shen admitted that the team hadn't played to their full potential.

"The players performed well. The draw was my fault."

He acknowledged that he had made mistakes both in preparation and during the match itself.

However, when asked by the media, Napoli's players were quick to take responsibility themselves. Many felt they hadn't executed the coach's game plan well enough.

Defensively, the players focused on the conceded goal. They admitted that they hadn't done enough to contain Manchester United's attack—especially Vargas, who blamed himself for failing to track Cristiano Ronaldo, leading to his solo goal.

Thiago Motta also stepped forward, saying he hadn't marked Berbatov well enough when the crucial pass was made.

The attackers didn't shy away from criticism either.

Napoli had created more chances than Manchester United and had 60% possession, but they hadn't turned that dominance into enough clear-cut opportunities. Both the midfielders and the forwards admitted they could have done better.

Gao Shen, however, placed the blame on himself. "Our tactics were too conservative. That's on me."

Ferguson, on the other hand, was full of praise for Gao Shen's coaching. He acknowledged that Napoli had displayed impressive tactical discipline, making it difficult for Manchester United to impose their game.

"In reality, we only had one real chance and we took it."

Ferguson was satisfied with the 1-1 draw away from home. With the second leg at Old Trafford, Manchester United had the upper hand.

But Gao Shen wasn't giving up.

"We will score in the second leg."

Napoli's players echoed his determination. They were fired up for the return leg.

The Italian media largely rallied behind Napoli, recognizing them as Serie A's last remaining hope in the Champions League.

With AC Milan eliminated in the group stage, and both Inter Milan and Roma knocked out in the Round of 16, Napoli's run to the semifinals was already a massive achievement.

Now, facing the defending champions and one of Europe's strongest teams, Napoli had matched Manchester United for large stretches of the game and even had the upper hand at times. Their performance proved they were legitimate contenders.

Arrigo Sacchi, writing in his column, pointed out that Gao Shen was clearly feeling the pressure of facing his idol, Ferguson but he had still done an excellent job.

"After all, he's only twenty-eight, while Ferguson is sixty-seven."

Ferguson had been coaching for forty years, dating back to his player-manager days in Scotland. Adding in his playing career, his experience was unmatched.

Sacchi believed there was no reason to be overly critical of Gao Shen.

"He's up against Ferguson one of the greatest managers of all time!"

The European media largely agreed. Gao Shen's tactics had been solid, and Napoli still had a fighting chance in the second leg, even if they were at a disadvantage.

But in Asia—Gao Shen's home region—the reaction was far more heated. The match had sparked intense debate, and strong divisions had emerged over Napoli's performance.

***

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