Zhang Kuang's interview about Cristiano Ronaldo, Mourinho and Guardiola was leaked from Manchester DoubleTree by Hilton Swinton's reception room. It only took a few hours to detonate the public opinion field of the entire Europe football world.
It even spread to Asia and the whole world.
"Marca" was the first to post a striking headline on the official website. "Zhang Kuang: Cristiano Ronaldo was left out, Mourinho does not know how to use superstars"
It was accompanied by a photo of Zhang Kuang speaking, and a blurb below the title. "Manchester United's new king bombarded Real Madrid's tactical system. Frankly speaking, if Cristiano Ronaldo had stayed in Manchester United, Ballon d'Or would have been captured again."
The wording of "AS" is not so direct, but it still captures the explosive point. "Zhang Kuang criticized Guardiola for not being successful without Messi, and praised Ferguson as a 'model of building a team around stars'! A 19-year-old young man is teaching lessons to the world's famous coaches."
Catalonia's "Mundo Deportivo" and "Sport" are obviously more sensitive. After all, the Guardiola "named" in Zhang Kuang's remarks is the godfather of Barcelona.
The title of the column of "Mundo Deportivo" is very direct. "Zhang Kuang accuses Guardiola of not knowing football, is it arrogance or ignorance?"
For a time, the entire Europe sports media was in a state of excitement.
Sky Sports's flagship program "Soccer Saturday" specially opened a special discussion session. The host Jeff Sterling summoned four guests to sit around the studio.
"In a recent interview, Zhang Kuang expressed some rather... sharp opinions on several of the world's top coaches and stars." Sterling's opening remarks were very restrained, "He bluntly said that Mourinho' is not very good at using superstars. ', and suggested that Guardiola's tactical system is completely dependent on Messi. At the same time, he also said that it was a wrong choice for Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Manchester United and go to Real Madrid. What do you think?"
Former Liverpool defender Carragher laughed directly, "I have to say, this kid is really brave. He has only played Premier League for less than half a season, and he dares to point fingers at Mourinho and Guardiola?
Mourinho won two UEFA Champions League, Guardiola won six championships with Barcelona. What did Zhang Kuang win? Premier League Player of the Month?"
Another guest Paul Merson frowned and shook his head. "No, Carragher, what you said is wrong. Whether a player can evaluate a coach has nothing to do with how many championships the player has won. Whether what Zhang Kuang said makes sense is the key."
"Then do you think it makes sense?" Sterling asked.
Paul·Merson was silent for two seconds. "... It makes some sense. He said that Cristiano Ronaldo was built around the team during the Manchester United period, and the information was very explosive. This is correct.
But what Mourinho is doing in Real Madrid is actually building a team around Cristiano Ronaldo. It's just that Mourinho's method is to let the whole team defend and counterattack, and quickly hand the ball to Cristiano Ronaldo.
This is different from the Ferguson period, but essentially the same."
"What about Guardiola?" Carragher asked, "He was directly named by Zhang Kuang."
Paul Merson shrugged. "I won't comment on this. I'm not a fan of Guardiola. But I have to say that players of Zhang Kuang's level can indeed feel the limitations of some coaches' tactical arrangements on their personal performance on the court. What he said may not be wrong, but the way he said it was too direct."
At the same time, the BBC's "Match of the Day" program was also discussing this topic. The host Gary·Lineker invited Ian Wright and Alain·Shearer.
Wright is very straightforward. "I really like Zhang Kuang's character. Today's young players are all interviewed with clichés, 'We played well', 'The opponent is very strong', 'Thanks to the coach', which makes people want to sleep."
Zhang Kuang is different, he tells the truth, and he speaks quite well. If you look at his evaluation of Cristiano Ronaldo, his understanding of tactics is very clear."
Shearer is more calm. "Whether what he said makes sense depends on who is saying it. Zhang Kuang's current data is indeed explosive, with 31 goals and 14 assists. This is outrageous.
But he has only played 15 rounds of Premier League, and the sample size is still too small. By the end of the season, if he can maintain this state, the weight of his words will be different."
Lineker summed it up with a smile, "So his current remarks can be regarded as a 'Rising Star Declaration'?"
Spain's public opinion field is even more explosive.
In Cadena SER's flagship program "El Larguero", host Manu Carreño had a lively discussion with several guests.
"Zhang Kuang said Mourinho doesn't know how to use superstars," Carreño read the original text of Zhang Kuang's remarks, "But has he forgotten Mourinho has taken Ronaldo, Shevchenko, Drogba, Eto'o? Aren't these superstars?"
One of the guests, "AS" reporter Roberto Gómez, took over the conversation. "But he was not entirely wrong. Mourinho was even transformed into a winger in Inter Milan, Eto'o.
Mourinho really likes to 'tool' the stars, which is different from Ferguson's way of letting the stars play freely."
"But Mourinho took two UEFA Champions League," another guest retorted, "You can't say that a coach who took two UEFA Champions League doesn't know how to use superstars, right?"
"What about Guardiola?" Carreño turned to another topic, "Zhang Kuang said that he would not succeed if he left Messi. This is cruel."
"Ah, this is even more harsh," Roberto Gómez laughed, "but I have to say, Zhang Kuang's words actually make sense. Guardiola's success in Barcelona is indeed built on the cornerstone of Messi.
But having said that, which coach's success is not based on good players? Ferguson relies on Cristiano Ronaldo, and Zhang Kuang doesn't rely on himself now?"
The atmosphere of Catalonia's "Stadium Studio" program was not so relaxed. Host Jordi Guerra West Asia said coldly, "A 19-year-old young man, after playing 15 rounds of Premier League good football, starts to comment on the world's top coaches? Who does he think he is? Messi was not so arrogant when he was 19 years old."
Another Catalonia reporter echoed, "And he said that Guardiola 'leaving Messi will not succeed', which is a denial of Guardiola's entire tactical system.
Guardiola's football philosophy: possession of the ball, high pressure, position rotation, these are beyond the existence of any single player, Zhang Kuang simply does not understand these."
Germany's "Sportschau" program cuts through it from another perspective.
Host Thomas·Wagner said at the beginning, "Zhang Kuang of Manchester United criticized Mourinho and Guardiola, but what is really interesting is his evaluation of Cristiano Ronaldo. He said that Cristiano Ronaldo 'should not leave Manchester United'."
Let's analyze it: If Cristiano Ronaldo stays with Manchester United, and there are teammates like Zhang Kuang on the flanks, will Portugal's information be more terrifying?"
Guest and "Kicker" reporter Karl-Heinz Wilder took over. "This question is interesting. What Zhang Kuang said actually implies a logic: superstars need to be 'surrounded' rather than 'used'.
Cristiano Ronaldo had Giggs and Scholes feeding him the ball during the Manchester United period. In the early days of Real Madrid, he had to adapt to Real Madrid's system, but two years later, Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't seem to be as comfortable as a fish in water."
"But Zhang Kuang himself has only played in the top league for less than half a season," another guest reminded, "His sample is too limited.
What if his condition declines next year? When you look back at these words, will you feel a little conceited?"
"Conceit is a standard feature of a superstar," Wilder said with a smile, "Look at Cristiano Ronaldo when he was young, wasn't he also called a 'showman'? Look at Ibrahimović when he was young, wasn't he also criticized for being 'flashy'? Zhang Kuang now has this information to back him up, and he is confident in everything he says."
The discussion of Italy "Sky Sports Show" was relatively mild. The host Fabio·Caressa invited the former Italy international player Di Canio.
Di Canio is a "fan" of Zhang Kuang. He showed obvious affection when he spoke, "There is nothing wrong with what he said. He just said what many people want to say but dare not say."
Mourinho's tactics do have restrictions on superstars, and Guardiola's system does need players of Messi's level to drive it. This is a fact, not a criticism."
"Then how do you think Mourinho and Guardiola will respond?" Caressa asked.
"Mourinho will definitely have something to say," Di Canio smiled, "He is the kind of person who says 'you say one thing to me, and I will say ten things back to you'."
Well Guardiola... he might respond lightly, saying Zhang Kuang is a good player, and then continue to do his own thing."
France "JourdeFoot" host Thierry Dubois lamented on the show. "When a player's profile is so strong, everything he says will be amplified.
Zhang Kuang scored 31 goals in the 15th round. This information is too outrageous. Therefore, no matter what he says, no matter whether it is correct or not, someone will take it seriously."
Japan's "Football Live Studio" also specifically discussed this topic. The host Satō Kōichi invited the former Japan international player Nakamura Shunsuke.
"Zhang Kuang's point of view is very interesting," Nakamura Shunsuke considered his words, "The idea of 'building a team around superstars' he said is actually very common in Asia football.
For example, if the national team has a core player, the tactics will be tilted towards him. Zhang Kuang's role in Manchester United is very similar to this. He is the core, and his teammates create space for him."
Satō asked, "Then do you think he is right? Will Guardiola really not succeed if he leaves Messi?"
Nakamura laughed, "Well... I don't know. But I think a 19-year-old player dares to say this, which shows that he has his own understanding of football.
This understanding may not be comprehensive, but at least it is thoughtful. It is much better than those players who only say, 'We played well'."
Hong Kong's "Premier League Express" program host Chan Yan Nang directly quoted Zhang Kuang's remarks as his opening remarks, and then turned to guest He Hui: "He Hui, what do you think of Zhang Kuang's remarks?"
He Hui pushed his hat. "I think what he said is quite pertinent. You may think he is arrogant, but if you look at his analysis of Cristiano Ronaldo, he said that Real Madrid may not be as suitable for Cristiano Ronaldo as Manchester United. This is not said casually.
Cristiano Ronaldo took Ballon d'Or from Manchester United, and after going to Real Madrid, he took a while to adapt and slowly found his rhythm, but still failed to give full play to his advantages. So far, it can be said that he is not happy playing, which shows that Ferguson's system is indeed more suitable for him."
"Then do you think Zhang Kuang's statement that 'Mourinho won't use superstars' makes sense?" Chan Yan Nang asked.
"Mourinho used Eto'o in Inter Milan, and Drogba in Chelsea," He Hui said slowly, "These are all superstars.
But his usage is indeed instrumental, putting stars into the system rather than building a system for the stars. This is indeed slightly different from Ferguson.
Ferguson is not saying that he is specifically building a system around stars, but he did rely on two generations of superstars, Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, to win two UEFA Champions League championships. Zhang Kuang is just talking about this difference, and it is not a criticism."
"What about Guardiola?"
He Hui smiled, "This topic is too sensitive, I dare not talk nonsense. But I admire Zhang Kuang's courage. There are not many people who dare to tell the truth."
Japan's "Football Live Studio", South Korea's "Football News", France's "JourdeFoot", Italy's "Sky Sports Show", Germany's "Sportschau" and "Doppelpass"... Almost all mainstream football programs have focused on Zhang Kuang's remarks this week.
In the field of public opinion, the boundary between the "support Zhang faction" and the "anti-Zhang faction" is becoming increasingly clear.
Javier Mascaro, the columnist of Spain's "Mundo Deportivo", wrote a long article titled "Zhang Kuang, please take Ballon d'Or first before speaking."
The article was full of fire. "It's true that you score a lot of goals, but you started commenting on the world's top coaches after playing 15 good rounds at Premier League?"
Mourinho won two UEFA Champions League, and Guardiola won two UEFA Champions League. What about you? You haven't even won a Premier League league championship. It won't be too late to talk after you win the Premier League championship, UEFA Champions League championship, and Ballon d'Or."
But United Kingdom's "The Guardian" columnist Barney Ronai holds a different attitude. The title of his article is "Zhang Kuang's words make sense. Don't ignore his views just because he is young."
The article reads, "When a player can crush the league with data like Zhang Kuang, his understanding of football is obviously unique. He said that the idea of 'building a team around superstars' is actually a refined summary of Ferguson's success philosophy.
Ferguson's multiple reconstructions in Manchester United all focused on configuring the lineup around one superstar. During the Beckham period, the Cristiano Ronaldo period, and now the Zhang Kuang period. There is nothing wrong with this idea."
Germany's "Bild" made a very interesting "data comparison" feature: putting together the data of Zhang Kuang, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Messi in the first 15 rounds of their respective leagues, and then asking readers to vote, "Is Zhang Kuang's remarks worthy of his data?"
As a result, 72% of readers voted "worthy".
This voting result itself illustrates a problem: data and performance are the hard currency.
If you play well, no one will listen to anything you say; if you play poorly, no matter how much you say, no one will listen.
On the afternoon of the third day, at the press conference before the 14th round of La Liga, reporters brought the topic of "Zhang Kuang's remarks" to Guardiola.
Guardiola's expression is very calm, even with a little smile.
"Zhang Kuang is a very good player. I have watched many of his games and his data is very amazing." Guardiola spoke neither too fast nor too slowly, "but for the comments on the head coach's tactics...
I think he may be a little early. Football tactics are a very complex thing and require many years of research and practice to truly understand.
He should focus more on football itself: scoring goals, assists, and helping the team win. These are the things he should do most now."
The reporter asked, "Do you agree with his view of 'building a team around superstars'?"
Guardiola shook his head. "Every coach has his own philosophy. My philosophy is ball control, pressure, and position rotation. I will not change my philosophy because of a certain player, because philosophy transcends players.
But I also respect the methods of other coaches, such as Sir Ferguson, who has his own method and is very successful. There are many roads in the world that can lead to success, and I am not qualified to judge whether other people's roads are right or wrong."
This passage was interpreted by "Sport" as "Guardiola elegantly responded to Zhang Kuang's arrogance".
The next day, Mourinho was asked the same question at Real Madrid's pre-match press conference.
Mourinho's expressions are much richer.
He smiled first, and then said slowly, "Zhang Kuang is a phenomenal young player, and his information is so crazy. So every word he says will be amplified, which is normal."
The reporter asked, "But he commented on your tactics..."
Mourinho waved his hand. "I don't mind. There are countless ways to the right path in this world, but not every one of them is suitable for everyone. Just because some people don't take the path that everyone thinks is right doesn't mean they are wrong."
He paused, with a trademark smile on his face, "And what if someone who doesn't follow the right path wins two UEFA Champions League championships?"
There was laughter and the sound of flashing lights.
Mourinho's response was rated as a model of "using softness to overcome strength" by the media. There was no direct conflict, but results were used as the most powerful counterattack.
It wasn't until the fourth day that Cristiano Ronaldo himself was asked this question.
During a break in Real Madrid's business activities, reporters gathered around him.
"Cristiano, have you seen Zhang Kuang's evaluation of you? He said that you are his idol, and he admires your self-control and unyielding spirit. He also said that you should not leave Manchester United, saying that Real Madrid is not necessarily better than Manchester United..."
Cristiano Ronaldo was wearing a crisp suit with a standard smile on his face. He was silent for two seconds and then spoke, "Zhang Kuang is a very good player. I am very grateful for his recognition and support."
The reporter asked, "Then do you regret leaving Manchester United?"
Cristiano Ronaldo's smile faded a little, but his tone was still very calm. "I only focus on the future. Whatever happened in the past is over. I'm very happy at Real Madrid. It's a good place here."
"Then what do you think of Mourinho's tactics? Zhang Kuang said..."
Cristiano Ronaldo interrupted him, "I'm trying to do what a top player should do. As for tactical issues, that's the head coach's job. My job is to score goals and help the team win. I can't answer other questions."
After saying that, he turned around and walked into the venue.
This short interview has been repeatedly interpreted by various media.
The title of "Marca" is. "Cristiano Ronaldo thanks Zhang Kuang for the recognition and avoids talking about Mourinho's tactics".
The title of "AS" is even more meaningful - "Cristiano Ronaldo refuses to comment on Mourinho, are there cracks inside Real Madrid?"
At the same time, Ferguson was finally blocked by reporters.
On December 6, the sixth round of the group stage for UEFA Champions League, the day before Manchester United faced Valencia at home, Ferguson was "besieged" by reporters at the pre-match press conference.
"Sir, Zhang Kuang's recent remarks about Cristiano Ronaldo, Mourinho and Guardiola have caused a great response in public opinion. What do you think?"
Ferguson was chewing gum with a calm expression, as if he had expected to be asked this question.
"Zhang Kuang is still young," Ferguson said slowly, "He is at an age when he is extremely hungry for football knowledge. After he has understood a little knowledge, he can't wait to show what he thinks and gains. This is normal, many young players have this stage."
The reporter asked, "Do you agree with his point of view?"
Ferguson glanced at the reporter. "I neither criticize him nor fully agree with him. Football tactics are a big proposition, and you need to accumulate many years of experience in practice to truly understand.
Zhang Kuang has seen something now, but his understanding is still superficial. When he plays for a few more years and experiences different tactical systems, his views may change."
"Then do you think what he said about 'building a team around superstars' is right?"
Ferguson smiled, "This question... I have to say that every coach has his own way. My way is to give the core players enough freedom in the tactical system and let them use their creativity.
But this does not mean that other coaches' methods are wrong. Mourinho has won two UEFA Champions League, and Guardiola has also won one. You can't say that these two coaches who have won the UEFA Champions League championship don't use stars."
He paused and his tone became more relaxed. "However, I appreciate Zhang Kuang's courage. It's a good thing that young players dare to express their opinions. As long as he doesn't talk like this in the locker room."
There was a burst of laughter.
Ferguson's words were interpreted by the media as "a paternal response that neither protects nor criticizes."
Barney Ronai, the columnist of "The Guardian", wrote in the article that night, "Ferguson is obviously protecting his disciples. He did not criticize Zhang Kuang, but he did not fully agree with his views.
He left a message to Zhang Kuang: 'You are still young, and your opinions will change!' This not only protected Zhang Kuang, but also prevented public opinion from continuing to ferment. This is the public relations wisdom of a top coach."