Before the match ended, Utrecht couldn't hold back and launched a full-scale attack, which Ajax capitalized on with a counterattack, resulting in Blind scoring another goal.
The final score of the match was 2-0.
Ajax secured another three points, remaining tied with Eindhoven at the top of the League.
This match seemed difficult, but Ajax's victory was actually quite stable.
With the team winning and him scoring, Sean was naturally very happy, but...
When will we get a big-score victory?
After this round of the League, the Eredivisie entered a week-long break.
During this period, the draws for the Dutch Cup semi-finals and the Europa League round of sixteen were announced.
In the Dutch Cup semi-finals, Ajax will challenge AZ Alkmaar away.
The winner will compete for the championship against the winner of PEC Zwolle and NEC Nijmegen.
Clearly, Ajax has a high chance of ultimately winning the championship.
The Europa League is different; Ajax's opponent is Salzburg Red Bull.
Although Salzburg Red Bull is only an Austrian giant, it's a Red Bull team, so it cannot be underestimated at all.
Current RB Leipzig has not yet been promoted to the Bundesliga, so Salzburg Red Bull is their benchmark.
Their biggest feature is youth training, and the results are very impressive.
Their tactics, youth training philosophy, and methods go without saying; these are areas others can research and learn from, but the core methods cannot be replicated.
The Red Bull group's acquisition of football clubs around the world primarily serves to reduce youth training costs and increase youth training revenue.
Let's compare them with Ajax.
Ajax's youth training level is among the top three in the world, but every year, a large number of young players leave Ajax to join other clubs.
There's no other way; one Ajax team simply cannot provide more positions.
These players don't actually bring much revenue to Ajax.
They are all young players, either having never played or having only limited professional football experience. How much money do you expect to sell them for?
These people are not those top-tier talents.
Top-tier talents' gifts are visible to the naked eye, and their value is absolutely high; Ajax keeps them for their own development.
Second-tier talents can only be let go. If they can recoup some fees to cover youth training costs, that's already very good.
These are also acceptable, as everyone goes through this.
However, since they are top-tier talents, they naturally have great ambitions. Once their abilities improve, they will definitely demand a starting position.
If the original starter in that talent's position happens to be nearing the end of his career, then it's naturally a win-win situation.
But what if the original starter is in his prime?
How should the team handle it?
They can only sell one. Selling an original starter in his prime affects the team's immediate combat strength—after all, super talents who can seamlessly integrate are few.
What about letting the rising star go?
Originally, he could have been developed to be worth fifty or sixty million, but now he can only be sold for ten or twenty million. The loss is absolutely huge!
Ajax generally keeps rising stars, waiting for an opportunity to activate the 'black shop' mode, so the financial loss is not significant.
The loss in competitive performance, however, is substantial, which is a significant reason why Ajax has not been able to return to its peak.
Some teams choose to sell rising stars, which can lead to even worse results.
Top rising stars don't appear every year. If, after the star in his prime ages, the team happens not to have developed a rising star in the same position, then there will be trouble, which will definitely affect the team's rebuilding efforts.
Red Bull teams don't have these worries.
Can't get a starting position at Salzburg Red Bull?
Go to RB Leipzig or other Red Bull teams. Play in a lower-level League to gain experience, and his value will increase, won't it?
Even if the value only increases by a few million or hundreds of thousands, it's still a profit.
Of course, after RB Leipzig is promoted to the Bundesliga, the internal ecological niche will have to change.
Not only top-tier talents, but even second-tier talents, they let go significantly fewer than other teams.
And this is only regarding talent development.
Other aspects can all be interconnected, saving a lot of money and greatly increasing the success rate of youth training.
Traditional youth training strongholds like Ajax, even with a century of history and numerous affiliated teams, cannot compare in efficiency to Red Bull teams.
They really only need to do internal accounting.
Of course, more importantly, their track record is outstanding.
Salzburg Red Bull has long been a regular in the Champions League, and reaching the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Europa League is commonplace.
In the current Salzburg Red Bull squad, Sean is very familiar with several names.
The most familiar is Mane.
Mane is certainly not the world-class winger he would later become, but he is not to be underestimated now.
He's a formidable force, like a'smoke-stained King Kong, fire-scorched Tai Sui'.
In later history, I didn't hear about Ajax winning the Europa League. Could it be that they were knocked out by Salzburg Red Bull?
Sean could only secretly pay attention. The most important thing now was to finalize his agent.
According to the agreed time, Sean returned to Brussels, Belgium, to meet with Raiola, who came to visit him at home.
The reason Sean chose to return to Brussels was, first, to return home in glory during the rare holiday.
It had been a full month since he last left Brussels. It was time to show his face and make the rumors he had heard since childhood disappear.
Secondly, it was to fulfill his promise and involve Anna Martins.
He couldn't always have his mother running to Amsterdam. If conditions allowed, Sean didn't mind traveling a bit more himself.
Raiola arrived at Sean's house on time.
Sean had already spoken to Raiola several times on the phone, and Raiola had even watched Sean play in person, but this was their first face-to-face conversation.
Raiola was very enthusiastic.
After exchanging pleasantries, the lawyer Anna found began to review the contract Raiola brought.
The big fat man continued to gush, "You have to believe in my professional ability. Everything I said before is true and valid.
The highest possible salary within your skill range, the most comfortable professional career, the maximum increase in fame—everything is fine.
Just like Balotelli and Pogba, your talent is no worse than theirs, and your future will definitely..."
Sean shivered. Damn it, what if I want to back out now?
Why did you have to use those two as examples?
No one denies they are talented, but unfortunately, they are both eccentric talents.
Balotelli was truly world-class below the neck. After a few stunning performances, he disappeared from mainstream Leagues, accompanied by his 'Balotelli-isms'.
Pogba, on the other hand, achieved success, winning the World Cup—impressive!
Unfortunately, his mind isn't exactly clear either. He self-destructed and cut short his own career, and whether he can rise again is still unknown.
However, these are all future matters. Right now, both of them are at the peak of their careers, so using them as examples isn't a problem, right?
"Can you ensure Sean's life is as smooth as possible?" Anna interjected, asking.
Although Anna always defended Sean externally and would argue with anyone who mocked Sean's football dreams, she honestly didn't initially believe Sean could achieve much in football.
So, when Sean truly began to show his talent, Anna was also a bit panicked: How will I protect my son in the future?
Once professional players become stars, they face too many temptations, and the situations they might encounter in the future are too complex. Anna realized she wasn't prepared to accept all of this.
...
If you want to read chapters ahead with daily uploads and to support me subscribe to my P*tr+-n below
p*tr+-n.com/Not_Thor
( *=a ; -=o ; +=e )
Also join my D!sc0rd
Invite code: BcnJNygFc9
...