His first conversation with Van Basten lasted only about twenty minutes.
The former legend, who had only just taken his first step into independent coaching this season, appeared extremely patient. He told Yang Yang a great deal about his past experience as a player and laid out his expectations for Yang Yang.
In fact, there was nothing particularly unusual about them. He hoped Yang Yang could continue his performances at Almere, becoming a sharp blade on the team's right flank and opening up the attack.
After several players had been called up to the First Team, the Second Team was seriously short of attacking options on the right.
Afterward, Van Basten called over his two assistants and introduced Yang Yang to them.
Van Basten's assistants had also come through Ajax. Both had been his teammates in the 1980s: John van 't Schip, who had once played as a right winger, and Rob Witschge, who had played in midfield.
Yang Yang's first impression of the two coaches was excellent. They were both quite approachable, and that was what struck him most deeply.
Back when he was at Almere, even when his performances had been terrible, both Head Coach John Rep and Dick Van Pool had shown him enough respect. They had never insulted him, and had not even shouted at him. It seemed they had been deliberately—or perhaps unconsciously—maintaining a relaxed environment in which young players could feel at ease.
That atmosphere was even more obvious at De Toekomst. From Van Basten to Van Schip and Witschge, everyone Yang Yang met habitually wore a smile, and their tone was always calm and even. They placed no pressure on him at all.
However, when he followed Van Schip to the Second Team's locker room and met his other teammates, Yang Yang still