The fans are truly kind.
The idea that I would become a pawn in a power struggle between higher-ups is indeed rather amusing.
How could I possibly be manipulated by those old fogies who clearly haven't got all their marbles?
Evidently, there are still some rational voices among the fans. Who is Cao Baiming? If the higher-ups wanted to play him, it would only prove that they themselves were already beyond foolish.
Because they would stand no chance of winning.
In the distance, a colossal portrait of Cao Baiming had appeared on a tall building, catching the eye.
Upon closer reflection, the irrational voices of the fans weren't entirely without merit.
Li Gang benching himself was indeed a reluctant necessity. Though he himself wished to continue fighting for honor, the higher-ups were too cautious, and their fear of repercussions was understandable.
Instead, the matters concerning the higher-ups that were brought up by this incident were indeed a long-standing, real issue, and Cao Baiming had long since observed this.
There had previously been a plan to personally reform the atmosphere of Tangguo football. He believed that relying on anyone else was unreliable; the prerequisite was to take control of the entire industry himself.
He didn't want to be the chairman of the Football Association, nor did he want to buy the team. In truth, those were far from enough. What he envisioned was to possess the entire football industry and personally dictate its development.
Only in this way could Tangguo football truly have a future.
This was initially a spur-of-the-moment, impulsive thought, but now it seemed he genuinely intended to pursue it. Aren't all great endeavors born from passionate impulse?
After a day filled with various events, Cao Baiming returned to his villa alone that evening and sat in a specially decorated lounge area.
The atmosphere here was quiet, with only the dim yellow light in the distance and the sounds of the swimming pool and flowing water beneath the floor-to-ceiling windows.
It was perfectly conducive to contemplation.
Here, Cao Baiming needed to devise his grand plan to take control of the Tangguo football industry.
What else could be more interesting, more meaningful than this?
The current situation was that his power was far from sufficient. Forget the power hierarchy required for the development of the entire industry; he couldn't even influence the leaders of the Football Association. He could only bully the head coach within the team.
However, there were two other extremely important assets that he, Cao Baiming, possessed: money and influence!
Regarding money, the billions he currently held might seem insignificant to some wealthy individuals, but that was because he had never actively sought to earn money.
Now, it seemed the easiest thing in the world was to make money. With the help of this almost omnipotent system, multiplying his principal a hundredfold within half a month should not be difficult.
If he had wanted to make money, he would undoubtedly have become the world's richest man by now. He simply hadn't cared before, thinking that having enough money to spend was sufficient.
And as for influence, there was even less need to elaborate. His influence in Tangguo was so widespread that it was known to everyone; even street beggars or reclusive artists might be his fans.
Within Tangguo, if Cao Baiming claimed to be second in influence, no one would dare claim to be first.
Look at whose name adorned the skyscrapers outside, and whose portrait was displayed. Unfamiliar? Impossible!
His current influence had even surpassed Tangguo. Globally, anyone who had heard the word "football" would likely know Cao Baiming. His name had also been mentioned in other fields.
Whether it was medicine, physics, chemistry, economics, sociology, psychology, or even art, when he was bored, he would dabble in them, incidentally solving problems that had long plagued those industries. He had now gained some notoriety.
No choice, his capabilities were simply that formidable.
Now, he would wield the two sharpest weapons in his hands and proactively seek battle.
This battle would undoubtedly be silent and unseen. The first step, naturally, would be to seize control of the national team. Spending money to buy it was far from enough. At this juncture, he needed the support of all the fans even more.
Thus, it would be necessary to make a grand show of it, to let everyone know his plan. The fans would naturally lend their support.
Throughout this night, Cao Baiming contemplated much and gained much.
For the league, players were granted a week of leave. Cao Baiming, however, specifically allowed half a month's rest. In reality, if he had informed the club about his injuries, a month's leave would not have been difficult.
Nonetheless, half a month was sufficient. This matter didn't require such complications. Too long a break would make life tedious, and returning to the field sooner would be an exciting prospect.
He decided to stay in Tangguo for now and consider leaving later.
Messi and the other players had not yet returned. Henry was naturally celebrating with fans in his homeland, but the national fervor there could not compare to Tangguo, even though they had won the championship while Tangguo was only a runner-up.
The moon climbed high into the night sky, and the leaves outside rustled gently in the breeze, creating a natural lullaby.
Cao Baiming fell asleep in this atmosphere.
The next day, Tangguo Football had scheduled a gathering, a belated celebration.
They had already gathered once abroad, but how could abroad compare to domestically?
Returning to the most familiar and closest homeland, it was naturally necessary to do it again.
More importantly, this time, more influential figures and behind-the-scenes higher-ups would be present, and the formality of the meeting would naturally be elevated a notch.
Word had been sent out in advance. Players, being at the bottom of the food chain, would face severe consequences if they were late for such an important event, potentially jeopardizing their future in the Tangguo team.
Cao Baiming had specifically prepared a black suit, as today he intended to implement his plan and take the crucial first step.
The banquet was held at the most luxurious restaurant in the entire capital, ranking among the top in Tangguo, at least in terms of price, which was exceptionally high.
The average individual consumption per visit ranged from 60,000 to 150,000. The price itself made it clear that ordinary people would have to think twice before dining there.