I Fluked It

"I fluked it!" **

Utrecht scored an equalizer, and the stands suddenly came alive.

Unlike Utrecht's reserves, who had been stuck in the Eerste Divisie for ages, Go Ahead Eagles had spent years bouncing back and forth between the Eredivisie and the Eerste Divisie.

Given the gap in strength, no one had expected Utrecht to draw before this match began. "Jesus!"

Merent rubbed his bald head, the wrinkles on his forehead twisting together.

Standing beside him, assistant coach Karen shrugged. "Well... the boss's advice is never wrong."

"Why? He never told me he could do that!"

Merent spread his hands in confusion.

As far as he remembered, Tang Ye wasn't supposed to have that skill!

Merent said nothing and continued watching the pitch. Tang Ye, who had provided the assist, spread his arms and welcomed his teammates' embraces.

What the hell was that?

No way, bro, you could do that too?

Wait, wait, who was it that said Tang Ye was deadweight? Step forward! Damn it, because of you, I didn't bet on 1-1!

Wasn't that trivela a little too outrageous? Are you sure Tang Ye was only sixteen?

I finally know why Utrecht paid 50,000 euros for that deadweight back then. Tang Ye really did have talent.

After seeing Tang Ye deliver a pass of that caliber, both the Fun Beans players in the livestream and the home fans at the stadium were completely dumbfounded.

No, with that level of ability, why had you sat on the bench for an entire season last year?

The match continued. For the rest of the game, the broadcast director gave Tang Ye more screen time, but Tang Ye did not produce much else.

"Beep, beep-beep!"

The referee blew the final whistle. In the end, Utrecht's reserves, playing at home, defeated the formidable Go Ahead Eagles and claimed their second preseason victory of the season.

"Tang, what was that? Come on!"

Zaka ran over and hugged Tang Ye tightly.

Nearly ten minutes had passed since Tang Ye's outside-of-the-foot pass, yet Zaka still could not believe it when he thought back on it.

It had been so precise, so delicate, that Zaka only needed to stretch his foot forward slightly to go one-on-one with the keeper!

You have completed your first preseason match since coming out of retirement.

Reward obtained: Comeback Points ×15

Comeback Points? Tang Ye frowned, unable to make sense of the voice he had suddenly heard. However, he had no time to study it. Coach Merent was walking toward him.

"Coach."

Tang Ye spoke, thinking Merent wanted to hug him. Instead, Merent walked right past him toward Zaka.

"Great job, Isaac. We owe it to your goal!"

"..."

Tang Ye shrugged. Merent's actions made him feel a little uncomfortable, but considering how he had slacked off all last season, it was understandable.

The truth was that no coach would like a player who constantly slacked off.

The team locker room.

Merent stood in the middle and summarized the day's friendly, praising Amrabat, Zaka, and several other players for their outstanding performances.

Tang Ye received no praise from Merent. However, after Merent had finished praising everyone else, Tang Ye was taken out alone.

"Why? What was that? Tang, tell me, what was that?"

"What?"

Tang Ye did not quite understand what Merent meant.

"You can pass with the outside of your foot! You can make a pass like that. You should have told me. Why didn't you tell me?"

Merent was furious now.

Because he felt Tang Ye had been playing him!

Utrecht's reserves had lacked any usable midfielders all last season. If Tang Ye had been capable of passes at that level back then, Merent would have had no reason to keep him on the bench.

After today's match, there would probably be plenty of Utrecht fans criticizing Merent, saying that the team had such a genius but had never properly used him.

Was it because Merent refused to use him?

No. It was because Tang Ye had been fucking playing him all along!

"Sorry, sorry."

Tang Ye was a little panicked after being shouted at by Merent.

To be honest, since that pass had come about with the system's help, Tang Ye himself had no idea why he could produce such a beautiful outside-of-the-foot pass.

"Um..."

Tang Ye hesitated before finally speaking.

"I fluked it."

"You fluked it? Who the fuck are you trying to fool!?"

Merent stared into Tang Ye's eyes. As an experienced coach, he knew very well which balls could be flukes and which could not.

How could an outside-of-the-foot pass at Tang Ye's level possibly be a fluke? "I'm really not lying to you. Believe me, sir!"

Tang Ye looked utterly sincere. Merent frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. I'm sure!"

"..."

Merent said nothing. Based on what he knew of Tang Ye, if it had been a fluke, that actually seemed more plausible.

"Tang Ye's Godlike Outside-of-the-Foot Pass, Utrecht Reserves Draw Go Ahead Eagles in Friendly"

"Fallen Genius Finally Awakens, Creates One-on-One Chance in Friendly and Delivers on His Talent"

After leaving the locker room and taking the team bus back to the dormitory, Tang Ye looked at the newly appeared panel and fell into deep thought.

Tang Ye (37 years, 4 months)

Ball Control: 69; Passing: 70

Shooting: 44; Heading: 38; Set Pieces: 55

Speed: 48; Stamina: 55; Physicality: 40

Defense: 40; Vision: 91

Overall Rating: 58

After looking over the panel, Tang Ye finally understood why Merent had kept him on the bench all last season.

Aside from his passing, which had been enhanced by the template, Tang Ye only had three attributes above 60: 69 ball control, 70 passing, and 91 vision.

As for his vision, when Tang Ye had first seen his scouting report, he discovered that Utrecht's scouts had placed great importance on his talent for vision. Tang Ye himself could not really feel it, though.

Then there were those Comeback Points. After winning the friendly, Tang Ye received one Comeback Point as a system reward.

The system did not explicitly explain what Comeback Points were for. It only gave Tang Ye a mission.

Having completed your first friendly after returning, you are now extremely excited, and your determination to make a comeback has reached an unprecedented high.

Score 1 goal in a friendly match.

Reward: Bone Density Enhancement Capsule ×1

"Phew..."

In the dormitory, Tang Ye lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

He had already prepared himself to keep slacking off, only to suddenly receive a system like this.

So should he slack off or not?

Tang Ye did not know. He only knew that he was a little sleepy now.

When he was sleepy, he needed to sleep.

The next day, Utrecht's reserve players gathered at the training base.

Like many other clubs, Utrecht's first team and reserve team shared the same training base. On his way to the training pitch, Tang Ye saw several first-team players. Among them, striker Haller took the initiative to walk over to Tang Ye.

"Tang, that's how you say it, right?"

"I saw the news. That outside-of-the-foot pass of yours was really brilliant."

Huh? A first-team striker had seen news about him. Tang Ye was somewhat surprised. "I made the news?"

"Of course. A goal of that level had to make the news."

A voice came from behind him. It belonged to a bald man wearing a black Nike jacket.

Erik ten Hag, Utrecht's first-team head coach.