Chapter 10 Liverpool's Tribulations

By the end of October, Liverpool had played eight league games, with two wins, three draws, and three losses, ranking fourteenth.

For a team that had won the league title for fourteen consecutive seasons and was the league runner-up last season, this was a disgrace.

If the head coach wasn't Gerrard, he would have been driven off the stage by the fans long ago.

Even so, different voices emerged among Liverpool fans.

Some fans were already saying that even if Chen Hero ended his suspension and returned to the team, he would only be able to play for half a season before retiring. Liverpool should seriously consider what the team would do without Chen Hero.

This time, he was only suspended for nine months, but next time, he would retire permanently. Liverpool would no longer be able to rely on Chen Hero's strength.

At that time, where would Liverpool go?

Besides, even if Chen Hero ended his suspension and returned to the team, it was doubtful how much strength he could contribute to the team. After all, he hadn't played a game for nine months. Although he had been playing internal team matches.

But how could such a game be compared to a real match?

If they only bet on Chen Hero without making other preparations, what was the difference between putting all their eggs in one basket?

What if Chen Hero wasn't in good shape when he came back? By the time he slowly adjusted, when would that be?

Wouldn't Liverpool be back to square one? And who knew what Liverpool would become after Chen Hero retired?

Therefore, they hoped that Liverpool, not just the team, but the entire club, should abandon their illusions, abandon their dependence on Chen Hero, and decisively choose another path—to treat Chen Hero as if he had already retired after the game against Manchester City last season.

At first, not many people held this view, and it only occasionally surfaced. But as Liverpool's performance fluctuated, more and more people agreed with this view. It finally reached the "part" level, although it was only a "small part."

But after all, it had influence.

It was no longer just the ramblings of one or two people.

These people clashed with Chen Hero's "underdog" Red Giant Bears.

The Red Giant Bears were determined to defend Chen Hero, and they regarded this argument as an insult and provocation to Chen Hero. How could a legendary player who had brought so many championships to the club and contributed eighteen years of his life be subjected to such insults?

The main battlefield for the two sides was on the Internet—now that the Internet was well-developed, and its influence on reality was increasing day by day, fighting on the Internet was actually equivalent to fighting in reality.

The Red Giant Bear fans accused these people of being ungrateful, enjoying the many benefits that Chen Hero had worked so hard to bring them, but now they wanted to kick Chen Hero out.

"Minority"—this was what they called themselves, to distinguish themselves from the majority of Liverpool fans who were still waiting for Chen Hero and believed in him—argued that they were not trying to kick Chen Hero out. They had never denied the many contributions Chen Hero had made to Liverpool. They just wanted everyone to calm down and seriously consider the future of Liverpool Football Club. After all, Chen Hero would retire, but Liverpool would always exist.

The two sides engaged in fierce debate, but any online debate would eventually turn into a quarrel, with crude personal attacks and various f-bombs emerging one after another.

The two factions seemed to be at odds with each other.

Liverpool's internal team hadn't yet experienced infighting, but Liverpool's fans had already begun to split.

Chen Hero couldn't possibly not know about this, which was a major event among Liverpool fans.

Because even his son looked unhappy after coming home one day.

※※※

Chen Yongxiang was six years old. He was in elementary school and went to Liverpool's youth team football training camp for training.

In the training camp, his teammates were all "brainless fans" of Chen Hero. So he had never felt the hostility of others towards his father.

But the situation was different in school. An elementary school had both football fans and non-football fans. Since there were Liverpool fans, there were naturally Everton fans.

Everton and Liverpool were arch-rivals, and the relationship between Everton and Liverpool fans wasn't very good.

This was especially prominent in children—they wouldn't hide their views and positions like adults, and they would desperately defend what they liked, so conflicts were more likely to occur.

Chen Yongxiang had been unhappy since he came back from school.

After his mother, Cabreala, asked about the reason, she comforted her son, but it obviously didn't work. Because the one who tied the knot must untie it.

The reason why Chen Yongxiang was unhappy was related to his father.

Chen Hero finished training and found this out when he returned home from the team.

In the past, the first one to rush up to him after he came back wasn't Cabreala, but his six-year-old son, Chen Yongxiang.

But today, he didn't see Yongxiang.

His girlfriend was standing in the living room looking at him, as if she had something to say to him.

"Where's Yongxiang? Isn't he home yet?" he asked.

Cabreala walked up and said softly to him, "I was just about to tell you about this. He had a fight with his classmates at school and is feeling very upset."

"Isn't it normal for children to quarrel?" Chen Hero found it strange. Which child didn't have conflicts? In the past, Yongxiang had quarreled with other children, or even fought, but he had never been as absent as he was today.

"What's making him unhappy isn't the quarrel with his classmates, but it's related to you," Cabreala said.

"Related to me?" Chen Hero was surprised.

Cabreala nodded: "His classmates said that Liverpool has no future relying on you. They will definitely end up empty-handed this season, and they will have to wait until the next life to surpass Manchester United. And recently, you also know that Liverpool's performance is not very good. So my son suspects that what his classmates said is true. Even if you come back, you won't be able to save the team's fate."

Chen Hero didn't know whether to laugh or cry after hearing this. He put his hands on his hips and wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. He wanted to get angry but couldn't.

His own son actually doubted his father…

You know, a father is basically the first idol in his son's life.

He touched his chin. It seemed that this problem was really serious.

He wasn't just referring to his son doubting him, but also the trend of thought among Liverpool fans.

If it spread to the team, it might cause internal strife. At that time, even if everyone looked normal on the surface, no one would know what they were thinking in their hearts. If it was displayed on the field, it would cause very serious consequences. If the team really lost too many points in the first half of the season, then even if he was possessed by God, he might not be able to do anything.

Cabreala looked at her boyfriend stroking his chin and looking troubled, and didn't say anything, just watched.

She believed that the man she loved had the ability to solve this problem.

Chen Hero, who had been stroking his chin for a long time, clicked his tongue: "I'll go see my son first."

He threw down his training bag and went upstairs.

As soon as he went upstairs, he saw that his son's bedroom door was tightly closed, and there was a "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging outside.

Seeing this sign, Chen Hero shook his head. It seemed that his son was really not in a good mood. Because whenever he was in a bad mood, he would lock himself in his room and hang out such a sign to tell everyone that he was unhappy.

He didn't know if he really didn't want others to disturb him, or if he hoped that everyone would come and comfort him.

Anyway, Chen Hero always chose the latter.

He ignored the words on the sign and went forward and knocked on the door.

"Son, it's me."

"Who are you!"

Yongxiang's answer made Chen Hero laugh or cry. He raised his voice: "I'm your dad!"

"Is that the idol of all Liverpool fans, the one who brought countless championships and honors to Liverpool, who never gives up in the face of difficulties, and who is not afraid to fight against the English Football Association and FIFA?"

Listening to this long series of prefixes, Chen Hero also understood his son's mood.

As a person regarded as an idol by his son, he couldn't contribute when Liverpool needed him most. And his son had to be humiliated by other students at school. The pain in his heart must be deeper than he had imagined.

"Of course it's me, who else could it be? Do you have another dad?" Thinking of this, he answered simply and pretended to be surprised, as if his son's question surprised him.

There was no sound inside.

Chen Hero sighed in his heart and continued, "Son, you need to know that your dad is now encountering a big difficulty. This difficulty may be the biggest in my career. I think you know what this difficulty is, right?"

Yongxiang's voice finally came from inside again.

"I know, you've been banned by the English Football Association for nine months…"

"Cough, it's good that you know. So now is the most difficult time for your dad and the Liverpool team. We need to work together to overcome this difficulty. But I can guarantee you, in your dad's name—we will definitely be the league champions this season!"

"How can you prove it?"

"I can't prove it, but you have to believe your dad. Think carefully, when has Dad ever let you down, let those Liverpool fans down? Think about the statue outside Stanley Park Stadium, do you know the meaning of that action?"

"Of course I know!"

Of course he knew. This was one of his favorite moves. At home and in the youth team, he had imitated his father's signature move many times.

"Then what are you still doubting?"

There was no sound inside again.

"Okay, open the door and come down for dinner. Your dad is starving… If you don't let me eat my fill, I won't have the strength to help Liverpool win!" Chen Hero said aggrievedly.

Sure enough, the door was opened quickly, and Yongxiang's small face appeared in front of Chen Hero.

"I can let you eat, but you have to keep your word!" The expression on his face was very serious.

"Do you want to make a pinky promise?" Chen Hero raised his little finger.

Yongxiang walked past him with his head held high, ignoring his father's request.

"Forget it, it's too childish!" he said.