"Hey, Alberto, so early. Have you had breakfast yet?" Ethan opened the door and was a bit surprised to see Alberto.
Could it be that the promise he made yesterday was not enticing enough to move the De Rossi family?
If that were really the case, Ethan would truly have to consider giving up on De Rossi.
With his football knowledge that surpassed others by more than a decade, he naturally knew there would be many world-class defensive midfielders in the future. De Rossi was one of the more outstanding ones, but he was not Ethan's only choice.
Moreover, the most important thing was that Ethan detested players who were overly calculative and only cared about money.
He even felt that if a player's agent were to pester him for a raise in the future, using interest from other clubs as leverage, Ethan would sell him off without hesitation.
In Ethan's eyes, a club's human touch was worthless to certain vampires!
"Haha, sorry, Ethan, for coming so early and waking you up!" Alberto said with some embarrassment.
Seeing his expression, Ethan became even more pessimistic.
"It's fine. I'm already awake and was just about to go for breakfast. Let's go together!" Without waiting for Alberto's reply, Ethan walked straight out of the room.
Alberto was stunned for a moment before immediately following Ethan.
This was a countryside hotel, so the facilities naturally could not compare to the luxury hotels in big cities. Ethan did not like staying in those extravagant places anyway. He preferred quiet spots where he would not be disturbed.
Unlike his usual insistence on familiar food, Ethan felt that when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since he was in Italy, he naturally had to try the local Italian cuisine.
After having Alberto recommend a few Italian breakfast items, Ethan also ordered a cup of hot milk.
For some reason, he just did not like coffee, finding it too bitter.
"Alberto, is something the matter?" Ethan asked before the breakfast was served.
Alberto was clearly a bit awkward, hesitating as if he did not know how to start.
"Feel free to speak plainly, Alberto. I consider you a friend. Truly, what can't be said between friends?"
Alberto nodded heavily. "It's mainly my wife. She doesn't object to me working in Manchester, nor to the whole family moving there, but..."
"What's the problem?" Ethan encouraged. He felt that Alberto seemed to be someone who valued his pride.
This also made him breathe a sigh of relief. He could bet that Alberto had already accepted his offer. The key issue was just some other concerns.
"You know Daniele is still in school, and we're unfamiliar with Manchester. I'm afraid that moving there so suddenly will affect my family," Alberto finally admitted.
Ethan was stunned for a moment, then quickly burst into laughter.
"So that's what it is. Alberto, this is my fault too. I should have told you yesterday that you don't need to worry about these things at all. I'll have someone arrange the housing in advance. When you arrive in Manchester with your luggage, you'll be able to move in that very night."
"As for Daniele's schooling, we can help contact schools in Manchester."
"I can guarantee that we will resolve this for Daniele in the shortest possible time. Besides, our club's youth team has a long-standing partnership with schools."
Hearing Ethan's words, Alberto clearly looked relieved.
This guy was henpecked. After telling his wife about it last night, Mrs. De Rossi did not object but asked about the details of the move. Alberto had no answers and was scolded by his wife, who then sent him to ask for details first thing in the morning.
However, Alberto's concerns reminded Ethan of a problem.
Football clubs in the future still had a major flaw in this regard. Ethan had read a book that detailed this issue. The European football writer stated that fewer than five clubs could even reach an acceptable level in caring for the lives of players and staff from other regions.
The book cited Drogba as an example. After his transfer to Chelsea, the club did not provide any help with his personal life. They just rented a hotel suite for him and his family, then gave him a real estate agent's number to find his own housing and schools for his son.
Makelele, Gallas, and Geremi had similar experiences, to the point where they joked about it constantly.
Then there was Anelka. This introverted and somewhat reclusive star arrived early at the club on his first day at Real Madrid, but no one was there to take him to the dressing room. Later, he did not even have his own locker. He tried three different ones only to be told they belonged to someone else, forcing him to keep moving his gear.
Although the team captain eventually solved the problem, it set a very bad tone for Anelka's tragic stint at Real Madrid.
In contrast, AC Milan did the best job with player and staff relocation, though that was later when they began to hire dedicated staff to handle these matters and help with daily life issues.
AC Milan's slogan at the time was: from the moment you step off the plane, you only need to worry about winning matches. Everything else off the pitch will be handled by specialists.
Besides AC Milan, Lyon in France was also worth learning from in this regard.
Ethan had not paid much attention to this before, but when Alberto mentioned it, he realized he had indeed overlooked it.
Curtis, Evra, Messi, and the others were simply placed in fans' homes after joining New Manchester United. While this was common practice for many English clubs, it actually had significant downsides.
Ethan often said he wanted to give players the best, so at this moment, he immediately etched this issue into his mind.
"Thank you, Alberto. You've reminded me to pay attention to a very important matter!" Ethan laughed as he ate his breakfast.
Alberto was confused and wanted to ask why, but seeing Ethan lower his head to eat again, he held back.
"By the way, Ethan, when do you want me to start work?" After finishing his meal, Alberto asked while wiping his mouth.
Ethan thought for a moment. "Are you free?"
"Of course!" Alberto replied. The team was on holiday now, so there was nothing for him to do.
As for leaving Ostiamare, Alberto could settle it with a single phone call. After all, it was an amateur club without formal procedures, and the owner was his friend, so there was nothing they could not agree on.
"Then I hope you can start today!"
"Today?" Alberto was a bit surprised.
Ethan nodded and smiled. "Of course, but I will respect your opinion." He was not a boss who liked to force people.
Alberto thought about it and decided it would not be good to refuse the boss on his first day, so he nodded in agreement.
"Then you'd better go home first, pack some clothes, and bring your passport, because we're going on a trip!" Ethan said cheerfully.
Alberto was stunned. Was this for a trip or for work?
For Ethan, this job was a mix of work and travel, so it could be called both.
After being sent home by Ethan to pack, Alberto spent a long time explaining things to his wife before driving to the hotel to pick up Ethan. The two then headed straight for Rome, a hundred kilometers away.
Ethan first had Alberto take him to the Stadio Olimpico, shared by Rome's two giants, Roma and Lazio.
The stadium was not new. Although it had been renovated several times, its age was still apparent. Iron fences surrounded the perimeter. In front of the main entrance was a large open space with trees planted along the roads, where many pedestrians sat in the shade to cool off.
"Italian teams have a major flaw, and that's the stadiums!" Ethan sat in Alberto's car and pointed toward the Stadio Olimpico through the window.
Alberto was a bit puzzled by Ethan's sudden remark.
"A stadium that doesn't belong to the club naturally can't be renovated or expanded. At the same time, the management of the stadium and its surrounding area is also much worse. Do you know how expensive the land around the Bernabéu is? The location of the Stadio Olimpico naturally can't compare to the Bernabéu, but if managed well, it would definitely become another major source of income for the club."
Alberto was clearly unfamiliar with club management and could not contribute much to the conversation.
"It might not be obvious now, but Alberto, you'll see. In a few years, as professional football becomes increasingly commercialized, this backward system of Italian clubs will become a major obstacle to their development!"
Ethan's words came from his own personal experience, so they carried a particularly convincing tone, making Alberto feel that it really seemed to be the case.
Ethan patted the latter's shoulder. "Let's go, let's head to the airport. Another colleague should be arriving at the destination soon."
Alberto nodded and drove straight to Fiumicino Airport on the western outskirts of Rome.
They flew directly from Rome to Valencia, Spain. While transferring there, they picked up Jim Cassel, who had rushed over from Manchester. After the three met, they immediately flew to Cartagena, Spain.
This was a bay city located in southern Spain. Further south across the Mediterranean, you reached the borders of Africa.
As soon as Ethan got off the plane, he immediately hailed a taxi. Half an hour later, they were standing at the entrance of FC Cartagena.
(To be continued.)