Starting With Real Madrid

To be honest, meeting Gao Shen these days is no easy task.

He's simply too busy.

Liu Wenda had made the call three days ago, but Gao Shen was only able to find time to meet them tonight, taking advantage of the afternoon match. The UAE representatives, however, had shown considerable sincerity.

In fact, they seemed determined not to give Gao Shen any room to refuse.

Emirates Airlines offered Gao Shen a position as their global ambassador with an annual fee of 5 million euros.

All Gao Shen needed to do was shoot two advertisements for Emirates Airlines each year, attend several annual promotional events organized by the company, and work with them on internet promotions.

Additionally, it was vital for Gao Shen to maintain a positive public image.

As for the UAE Tourism Board, they offered even more money.

Gao Shen would only need to travel to the UAE for a couple of days to shoot a tourism promotional video, after which he could walk away with another 5 million euros.

All costs associated with the trip and shoot would be covered entirely by the UAE Tourism Board.

Gao Shen genuinely hadn't expected that someone would voluntarily offer him such a substantial amount of money, let alone this much.

The best part? All the money was after-tax.

In other words, any taxes related to the income would be paid by the UAE, leaving Gao Shen to simply collect the full sum.

This approach is common in celebrity endorsements, as managing tax matters can be overly complicated.

Even top executives negotiating salaries typically discuss net compensation after taxes.

The UAE's proposal was well-prepared and brimming with sincerity, leaving Gao Shen with almost no reason to decline.

---

Mubarak's presence in Naples was noteworthy. He had traveled from the UK and stayed in the city for three or four days, clearly not just to meet Gao Shen, exchange pleasantries, or indulge a supposed "Gao Shen fan" mentality.

When he jokingly claimed to be a fan, not even he believed his words.

After the formal discussions concluded, Mubarak finally found his chance to speak.

The relatively tall Arab man spoke fluent English, a result of his time studying in the United States.

Since taking over Manchester City in late September, Mubarak had struggled to find the right path for the club.

According to him, tens of millions of pounds had already been invested, yet there had been no visible results.

Not only were results lacking, but Manchester City's extravagant spending was causing numerous side effects.

First, scrutiny from other Premier League clubs, and even the league itself, had grown regarding the club's finances.

Second, players like Robinho, upon arrival, immediately began to regret joining the team. Frustrations arose, and managing them became a headache.

Mark Hughes, the current head coach, was another major issue. Though his limitations as a coach were widely acknowledged, there were no high-profile managers willing to take over the job at Manchester City.

This was no surprise.

If a big-name coach had been willing to step in, Mark Hughes would have been dismissed long ago.

But Mubarak couldn't shake a lingering question.

"Mr. Gao, I have a question: why do Manchester City and other top clubs, like Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Manchester United, receive such drastically different evaluations despite spending the same amount of money?"

Mubarak was genuinely puzzled.

What he truly wanted to understand was how Manchester City was perceived within the inner circle of European football, particularly among elite coaches.

After all, there were only a handful of individuals qualified to provide insight, such as head coaches in the Champions League knockout stages or attendees of UEFA's Elite Coaches Summit.

Gao Shen looked at Mubarak, considered his question for a moment, and replied, "Do you want to hear the truth?"

"Of course."

"I've heard many people talk about Manchester City, and their reactions are largely consistent with what you see from the media and fans, mixed reviews. So, where do the negative opinions come from?"

Mubarak nodded, curious.

"It's actually very simple: you disrupted the system. You touched someone else's cake."

After a brief pause, Gao Shen elaborated.

"Take last summer's transfer window as an example. You swooped in and hijacked Robinho at the last minute. Do you think Chelsea would feel good about that? Especially now, when Chelsea is short on wingers. They're likely thinking, 'If Manchester City hadn't taken Robinho, then…'"

Gao Shen shrugged and spread his hands innocently.

"Additionally, because your team isn't performing well, you've had to pay premiums to attract players. Otherwise, they wouldn't come. While this is perfectly rational economic behavior, it inevitably forces other teams to spend more to retain their players, offering higher salaries and bonuses.

"Those same teams competing with you for players also have to pay higher prices.

"So, can you blame them for not liking you? And beyond that, the transfer market is already fiercely competitive, with big clubs fighting over the limited pool of top talent. Now, here comes Manchester City, a new contender storming in like a barbarian, raiding every star they can find to bolster their ranks."

Gao Shen chuckled.

"From your perspective, there's nothing wrong with this approach. But from the perspective of your rivals, it's a source of frustration."

"Money itself isn't inherently good or bad, it's all about the person spending it."

Mubarak, though only 31 years old, was struck by the wisdom of these words coming from someone even younger than him.

He felt like a light had been turned on in a dark room.

"In fact, if Manchester City performed well, much of the negativity would dissipate. Professional football is, at its core, a jungle where the strong eat the weak. If you're strong enough to win titles, others will respect you. If they don't? Beat them until they do."

Mubarak burst into applause, clapping vigorously.

"Yes, that's exactly it!" he exclaimed.

"There's no way I'm spending this much money just to endure ridicule. The one with the money should call the shots!"

"When I first arrived in England, people in London advised me to learn from Chelsea. They said Chelsea was a model of how a nouveau riche club could transition into an established giant."

Chelsea's success was indeed widely recognized.

And why?

Two Premier League titles and a Champions League runner-up finish were enough to cement Chelsea's reputation among Europe's elite clubs.

The key, of course, was Abramovich's consistent investment.

"In Abramovich's first season, when Ranieri underperformed, everyone called Chelsea a nouveau riche. The media and fans mocked them relentlessly.

"Manchester City's situation now is far worse than Chelsea's back then. Why? Because there's already a Chelsea ahead of you, and your local rivals, Manchester United, are at their peak. On top of that, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham are all very strong."

Mubarak sighed. "We need our own 'Mourinho'—someone who can lay a solid foundation for Manchester City, establish a strong tactical system, and transform the team into a legitimate contender."

That much was clear. Mark Hughes wasn't capable of doing any of that.

---

Mubarak continued asking more specific questions. For instance, Manchester City wanted to establish a tactical philosophy and youth development system. However, building such a foundation often required poaching talent.

But how should they determine their direction? Which style should they emulate?

"Learn from Barcelona," Gao Shen replied without hesitation.

"Barcelona?" Mubarak asked, surprised.

Gao Shen nodded.

"Barcelona's system isn't easy to replicate, it requires a deep foundation. But their approach represents the future. Once you've implemented their system, you can adapt it to Manchester City's unique characteristics and the realities of English football. This would allow you to develop your own identity over time."

Mubarak nodded thoughtfully. He seemed to grasp the essence of Gao Shen's advice.

Gao Shen hesitated briefly before offering one last suggestion.

"And stop being superstitious about superstars."

Mubarak blinked, startled.

"I heard that you offered nearly 100 million pounds for Kaka, plus an astronomical salary. I don't think that's a wise decision. Instead of spending that much on one superstar, you could use the same amount to sign several high-quality, young, and talented players with potential."

"Think about it: when Chelsea first rose to prominence, their stars—Drogba, Essien, Robben, Terry, and Lampard—weren't big names. They became superstars at Chelsea. That's part of why Chelsea earned respect.

"On the other hand, look at the big-name signings Chelsea made later: Shevchenko, Ballack, Deco. It's not that they weren't skilled, but in terms of value, it wasn't worth it."

"Modern football is about teamwork. Instead of chasing established stars, invest in building your own."

To Gao Shen, Mark Hughes was currently Manchester City's biggest obstacle.

Without a head coach capable of establishing a system, even a roster filled with stars would struggle to succeed.

If Manchester City wanted to thrive, they had to align with the broader trends in European football: tactical innovation, youth development, and collaboration.

And, most importantly, they needed to find their own Mourinho.