He Had Not Reached Genius Level Yet

He Had Not Reached Genius Level Yet

After the match, Erik ten Hag accepted interviews from local reporters at Utrecht's home ground, Galgenwaard Stadium.

Click!

Click, click!

The press conference was exceptionally lively. The photographers gave Erik ten Hag the highest level of attention, and the constant clicking left the Dutchman unable to keep his eyes open.

"Erik, the number 99 player who provided the assist at the end today—we understand he was just promoted from the second team. Did you bring him into the first team because you think he deserves special cultivation?"

"Yes, that's right."

"We learned that he also made spectacular passes like that in the second team's warm-up matches. So... is he a genius?"

"A genius?"

Erik ten Hag raised an eyebrow. "Tang is very talented, but he has not reached genius level yet."

"Then how do you explain today's pass?"

"Oh, you mean that pass? That was the result of training."

Erik ten Hag smiled at the reporters. "After Tang was promoted to the first team, I created a specialized training plan for him. That plan helped him develop better passing ability."

Huh? The reporters looked at one another.

So that pass was not some natural talent, but the result of the head coach's targeted training!

Erik ten Hag! A famous coach, truly capable!...

"Teenage prodigy returns with an assist for a last-gasp winner against Groningen"

"Only makes godlike passes! Utrecht head coach Erik ten Hag claims responsibility for Tang Ye's passing!"

"Two last-gasp winners in four rounds! Utrecht officially enters the Erik ten Hag era!"

The fourth-round match brought Tang Ye into the view of more Chinese fans, and everyone was astonished by this teenage prodigy.

Sixteen years old, Dutch Eredivisie, two substitute appearances in garbage time, one assist and two tackles.

Thanks to his outstanding performances, Tang Ye successfully stepped through the doors of the first-team cafeteria.

It was just as he remembered. The first-team cafeteria had at least three times as many dishes as the second-team cafeteria! Tang Ye and Amrabat sat together to eat. Since they had both been promoted from the second team, they had more in common to talk about.

"Hey, Tang!"

Haller walked over to Tang Ye carrying his tray. "Can I sit here?"

"Okay, of course. No problem, sit!"

Tang Ye shifted his butt slightly inward, leaving the outer seat open for Haller.

Haller took a small sip of grapefruit juice without touching his food, then immediately began thanking Tang Ye. "Tang, that pass of yours was great, really great. I never thought you could actually get the ball into that position. God, unbelievable."

Being praised so lavishly by the captain suddenly made Tang Ye a little embarrassed.

"You must train hard from now on."

Haller placed a hand on Tang Ye's shoulder and spoke earnestly. "You need to fight Erik for a starting spot, understand? I'm not saying this because of your passes. I'm saying it purely for your future. Tang, you're only sixteen. This is the time when you need to work the hardest!"

"I've always been working hard."

"But it seems you were late for training today. Is that right?"

"Uh, I'm working hard not to be late. That counts as effort too."

"..."

There were still two weeks until Utrecht's next match against Vitesse, so Tang Ye took the opportunity to return to China.

Because of his age, he could not obtain a Dutch work visa. That meant he was holding a Dutch tourist visa, which was valid for only three months.

Every three months, he had to return to China and then use a new visa to go back to Utrecht for training.

The process was rather troublesome, but until Tang Ye turned eighteen, he had to keep doing it unless he chose to give up playing abroad entirely.

Since he would not be staying long, Tang Ye did not bring a suitcase. He simply returned with a Nike backpack issued by his sponsor.

"Lecong Town, thank you."

Tang Ye tossed his backpack onto the seat beside him. After giving the driver the address, he prepared to sleep.

But the driver immediately struck up a conversation with him.

"You look fifteen or sixteen. You flew abroad by yourself—are you an international student?"

Airport terminals were separated into domestic and international sections, so the driver knew Tang Ye had returned from overseas.

"No, I play football abroad."

"Football? You mean soccer?"

The driver had assumed Tang Ye was an international student. The moment he heard that he played football overseas, he instantly lost interest. "Soccer doesn't really have much of a future, does it? It's already 2015. What's popular now is IT—computers, you know? Computers."

"I know a little. It seems pretty impressive, but I can't figure that stuff out."

After completing the middle-school curriculum at a sports school in China, Tang Ye went to the Netherlands. There, he attended a high school partnered with Utrecht and only needed to go two days a week, on weekends.

Tang Ye took only four subjects: Dutch, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Computer science was not among them.

"Then you should make up your mind early and switch paths. A kid of one of my classmates got a master's degree in computer science. His starting annual salary was 300,000!"

The driver shared his experience with Tang Ye from the perspective of someone who had been around.

If Tang Ye played football, unless he played in the Chinese Super League, he would not earn an annual salary of 300,000 in leagues at other levels.

Besides, computer science was mental labor, and that was respected.

"Mm, it's fine. There's no rush. I'll think about it slowly."

Tang Ye put on his earphones and did not continue chatting with the driver.

A little after one in the afternoon, Tang Ye arrived home. Since he had not told his family in advance, when he ran into his mother at the door, she looked utterly stunned.

Looking at Tang Ye standing before her with his backpack, Zhang Qingqing hurriedly took it from him, then painstakingly pulled out her phone. "Zhengxiong, come down quickly! Come down quickly! Your son is back!"

"Mm, Tang Ye, Tang Ye..."

Zhang Qingqing casually set Tang Ye's backpack on the floor, then hugged him tightly. The bunch of keys in her hand kept jingling.

"I'm here, I'm here!"

Three minutes later, Tang Zhengxiong's voice rang out. He had run so fast that one of his slippers had fallen off on the way. "Hey, damn, wait, wait."

After putting his slipper back on, Tang Zhengxiong came before Tang Ye. "Tang Ye, mm, you've gotten taller!"

"I think I have, a little."

Tang Ye scratched his head and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Um... I'm only back for one day this time."

"Ah, only one day? Why?"

Tang Zhengxiong's smile suddenly froze. Tang Ye was also a little helpless. "I'm in the first team now, and we got a new coach. That coach only gave me five days to renew my visa. I have to leave tomorrow afternoon."

"What the hell???"

Tang Zhengxiong frowned, becoming somewhat angry at Tang Ye's coach. "Hey, Qingqing, go get ready. We'll go out for a bit and have dinner together tonight."

"Ah, but I still have things to do."

Zhang Qingqing pointed at the bunch of keys in her hand. There were roughly sixty or seventy of them. "I haven't collected this month's or last month's payments yet. I probably won't be back until eight or nine tonight."

"Hey, it's fine. That stuff isn't urgent. Take our son out first."

"But I told them I'd collect the money today."

Tang Zhengxiong waved a hand. "We need to celebrate. Just waive today's payments for them."

As he spoke, Tang Zhengxiong kept grabbing at Tang Ye's shoulders. "Damn, you've definitely gotten taller. That's awesome—you're almost taller than me already!"