Mr. Erik, You Need to Trust Me

With less than a week remaining until Utrecht's next match against Zwolle, Tang Ye checked the time.

Tang Ye could wait, but he truly wanted that Portuguese Treasure Chest.

After a bout of inner struggle, Tang Ye knocked on Erik ten Hag's office door.

Knock, knock!

"Come in!"

"Wow?"

Seeing that it was Tang Ye, Erik ten Hag set down the Zwolle materials in his hands. "What is it? Do you want to take leave tomorrow?"

"No."

Tang Ye greeted Mitchell van der Gaag, who was sitting on the sofa reading a football newspaper, then walked straight forward.

"Then... the day after tomorrow? Or the day after that? Don't tell me you want to take leave during the match. I won't let you take leave during a match. The day after tomorrow won't work either; we're doing endurance training that day."

As Erik ten Hag spoke, he organized his documents. Tang Ye pulled the office chair from the corner of the wall and sat down in front of Erik ten Hag. "Erik, you've got it wrong. I'm not that kind of person. I won't take leave."

"You wouldn't even take a free day off tomorrow if I gave you one?" Erik ten Hag raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I wouldn't have to make it up later?"

Tang Ye's eyes lit up, but then he realized he had fallen into the trap. He quickly coughed to ease the awkwardness. "No, sir, I was joking with you just now. What I mean is, whether it's real or not, whether I have to make it up or not, I won't take leave."

"I'm focused on the team's training."

Tang Ye's gaze was resolute. Seeing that expression in Tang Ye's eyes for the first time, Erik ten Hag inexplicably felt like laughing.

"Oh, sorry. I thought of something funny."

"Mr. Erik, you should be more serious. I'm being very serious right now."

Tang Ye reminded him. Erik ten Hag coughed twice, then straightened up. "Right, I should be more serious. So, what did you want to tell me? Do you want a raise? I can bring that up with the club for you."

"No."

Tang Ye shook his head and pointed at the documents in Erik ten Hag's hands.

"You want to look at these?"

Erik ten Hag handed the materials to Tang Ye. They had been compiled by Mitchell van der Gaag and detailed the traits of each Zwolle player, as well as the tactics their manager Omond liked to use.

The materials were so detailed that Tang Ye felt he could become a coach himself with a dossier like this.

Tang Ye returned the materials to Erik ten Hag. "If I want to start in the next match, would I have a chance?"

"..."

"You've already brought this up with me before. The truth is, you can't be too impatient right now."

Erik ten Hag answered.

He had not expected Tang Ye to come to him twice over the matter of starting.

"I think I can start now. I can run through an entire match."

Tang Ye's words carried a hint of bravado.

But honestly, if he drank a bottle of Vardy Red Bull before the match, playing ninety minutes was not impossible at all.

"Mm... I know. You've improved very quickly lately. I've seen your determination. You've been trying to find ways to become better."

Erik ten Hag gently rubbed the index finger of his left hand with his right.

He had his own difficulties too.

Tang Ye was simply too young.

A sixteen-year-old starting in the Eredivisie.

What the hell kind of concept was that? "Mr. Erik, I think you should trust me once, just like when you put me on in the Dutch Cup."

Tang Ye had prepared his argument long ago.

Today, he had to move Erik ten Hag!

For his starting spot.

And for that Portuguese Treasure Chest!

"..."

Hiss—

Erik ten Hag took a deep breath.

He remained silent for nearly twenty seconds.

"How about this? We still have three days. If you're not late for the next three days, I can consider letting you start."

Erik ten Hag had made his decision as well.

"Tang, you know that you still don't have the ability to start in an Eredivisie match. But if you're willing to move me with your attitude, you'll have a chance."

Erik ten Hag gave him a vague answer.

So vague that Tang Ye still could not tell whether he had a chance of starting the next match.

But since Erik ten Hag had said that, Tang Ye could only do as instructed.

For the next three days, he would probably have to set his alarm half an hour earlier! Tang Ye walked out, then remembered something and opened the door again, leaning into the room sideways.

This time, however, only his head appeared.

"Mr. Erik, you need to trust me!"

"Thank you!"

"I know, I know. Remember to close the door!"

Bang! After the door was shut for the second time, Mitchell van der Gaag, seated on the sofa, lowered his newspaper. "Mr. Erik, why are you deceiving a footballer who is only sixteen?"

"I'm deceiving him? What am I deceiving him about?"

Erik ten Hag shrugged indifferently and picked up the materials again.

"He already has the ability to play in the Eredivisie. You're not letting him start because of Ayoub, aren't you?"

As a member of the coaching staff, Mitchell van der Gaag knew the details.

Janssen and Ramselaar were both undisputed starters. If Tang Ye wanted to start, he would have to take Ayoub's position.

The problem lay with Ayoub.

Ayoub had contributed a great deal to Utrecht, and his seniority far exceeded Erik ten Hag's.

If Ayoub were removed from the starting lineup directly because of his poor early-season form, Utrecht's dressing room might develop problems! That was what Erik ten Hag worried about most right now!

"I don't think a player should be nailed into the starting lineup just because of what he contributed in the past. This is—"

"Alright, alright, stop talking."

Erik ten Hag looked up and cut off Mitchell van der Gaag. "I'll consider it, alright? Stop talking."

Over the next few days, Tang Ye adjusted his alarm according to the plan.

Training began at eight-thirty. He needed to arrive at the cafeteria by eight, finish eating, and account for the time required to complete his daily tasks, so Tang Ye had to get up at seven in the morning.

It was a challenge for Tang Ye, but he ultimately succeeded.

He arrived early at the training ground for three consecutive days, fulfilling Erik ten Hag's requirement.

On the morning of the final day, after careful consideration, Tang Ye gave up on the chance to talk to Erik ten Hag.

He had already done this much.

If Tang Ye could start, then he could start.

If he could not start, then no amount of talking would matter.

He needed to wait! Wait for tomorrow's match! For some reason, Tang Ye was a little excited now.

It was the excitement of anticipation, so much so that even Tang Ye, who had not been in the mood to train, became fired up.

The time came to 2:30 p.m. Amsterdam time on October 23.

There was half an hour left before Zwolle versus Utrecht in the tenth round of this season's Eredivisie.

Utrecht simultaneously released the starting lineup for this match on Twitter and Instagram.

The most eye-catching part was the forward line.

99 Tang Y (U17)

The large letters U17 struck straight at the fans' hearts.

The Eredivisie!

A U17 player starting!