When Su Dong arrived at Carrington that morning and ran into Guardiola in the parking lot, the Spaniard told him they would hold a meeting after lunch.
Although Guardiola had not said what it was about, Su Dong had already guessed.
Even after spending a year in the Premier League, he still could not understand what some English players were thinking. Joe Hart was a perfect example this time.
He had conceded two goals in the match, so his post-match rating was never going to be high. Giving him a six—a thoroughly average score—wasn't unreasonable, was it?
But why had he said those things?
What good could come from criticizing the team's tactics and blaming his teammates up front?
Did he really think putting pressure on the club through the media and local fans would ease his current situation?
Man City was not like the other Premier League clubs, nor was it the same Man City Mark Hughes had managed. The current Man City had barely any Englishmen, from the management to the coaching staff. They were all professionals from continental Europe.
There would have been no problem if he had said those things in the dressing room. But why take them to the media?
Guardiola had hit back bluntly: "You have no right to say those things!"
See? Things had turned ugly.
Su Dong could not help recalling what had happened during the national team matches last season—one disaster after another.
Su Dong had once read a book that said English footballers generally came from working-class families. Very few were even middle class, and their education levels were low. They had started playing football from a young age, while the level of professionalism throughout English football was poor: match-fixing, alcoholism, gambling, physical strength...
Add to that the highly developed