The more Chu Zhongtian thought about it, the more he felt confused and surprised.

There are midfielders like Gerald and Barack who run from the backcourt to the frontcourt, but they are not considered free agents. If you just want to be a player like Gerald or Barack, it doesn't seem to take so much time.

He looked up and looked at Rangnick in confusion.

Rangnick knew what he was wondering.

"I've watched all your games at Metz, and every game has not fallen. If you go to my house, you'll find that I have a whole wall of game videotapes, all about you."

Chu Zhongtian opened his mouth wide and was very surprised. He even felt that the head coach in front of him must be lying in order to join his unknown small team.

"I know you don't believe it, Chu. But I can tell you what you scored and assisted in any game, and you can ask."

Chu Zhongtian really wanted to ask, but after he pondered, he wanted to dig out several masterpieces from his memory, but found that he didn't remember so many details... He shrugged: "Even I can't remember so many games myself, Mr. Rangnick."

Rangnick smiled and pushed his glasses that were sliding down from his nose: "I noticed that you are very flexible in Metz. Although you are a midfielder from the starting list, you are actually very erratic in the game and there is no fixed limit. Because you have good physical fitness, strong overall view, and outstanding passing skills and determination to penetrate forward, so let Fernandez gives you a lot of freedom."

This is nothing. Anyone who has read a few comments from the media about himself can say it well. Chu Zhongtian still doesn't believe it.

"I have studied your game video and found that you are not a few games that have such performances, you are almost every game, very stable. I got inspiration from it. I remembered Beckenbauer and Summer, of course, the main thing I think of is Summer, because he is closer to me." Rangnick continued to explain.

Chu Zhongtian was shocked. The German coach indeed mentioned these two only "free men".

"It's obvious that you have a very high degree of freedom in football. This degree of freedom is not only reflected in your running range, but also in your 'freedom' of independent decisions on tactical strategies."

Hearing this, Chu Zhongtian suddenly remembered that he had asked Jean Fernandez in the game: "What should we do next, sir?" Fernandez replied at that time: "You are the team's brain, you decide for yourself, Chu."

Isn’t this just let him decide on tactical strategies independently?

He is now beginning to believe that the German in front of him is really having a whole wall at home to video his own game.

"Chu, do you know Matthias Summer?"

Chu Zhongtian nodded: "I know that he is another free man after Beckenbauer."

Rangnick was very satisfied with Chu Zhongtian's understanding of German football. In fact, he didn't know that Chu Zhongtian's basic understanding of German football was limited to this level. Because Summer and Beckenbauer were really famous.

"But do you know? In fact, Summer was not a libero before. He played the offensive organizer and the scavenger. But another game changed his fate with German football." Rangnik seemed to be trapped in memories of the past years, which was the last glory of German football. "In the 1994 World Cup, we lost to Bulgaria, and Mattus, who changed to the libero, performed poorly and disappointingly, so the whole German football world was in the 1994 World Cup.

A big discussion lasted for a long time, and at the end of the discussion, there was always someone who was taken out to make assumptions: Matthias Summer. If he was a 'free man' in the US World Cup, what would happen? The reason was his skills, his thinking ability, and even his 'World Cup and European Cup teams were not without the German team, it would be like the fish and water. Similarly, the German team did not have me, and the arrogance of what they did was like the former Beckenbauer."

Chu Zhongtian quietly listened to the German academic head coach telling interesting stories about the past.

"At the end of this discussion, everyone's answers were unanimously inclined to Summer, especially as the forward partner, who both thought that 'that would be better'. Mueller, who played in the midfielder, also said: 'We will win the World Cup again'. So, in the 1994-95 League Cup quarterfinals, Dortmund's away challenge to La Coruna on the eve of the away game, had already played in Dortmund's 'scavenger' in Dortmund on the eve of the away game against La Coruna in Dortmund.

Summer knocked on the door of head coach Heathfield, and he boldly stated his point to the coach: 'In the game, on-the-spot situation often requires players to act independently, adapt to the situation, and use their brains. For example, La Coruna team, they have a midfield composed of Donato, Ardano and Fran, which is both skillful and cooperative. If I stay behind to strictly complete the work of dragging the back of the central defender according to my usual style, our offense will be difficult to reach the frontcourt. Therefore, I hope to participate in the offense more and strive to create an advantage in the midfield'."

Speaking of this, Rangnick spread his hands and looked at Chu Zhongtian. "Sumer himself realized that as a player, he had to have higher degrees of freedom. This is actually the idea of ​​a free agent. But if the head coach disagreed, it would not work. Fortunately, Heathfield agreed, because he never doubted Summer's ability. He once said: 'Since there was Summer in the team, the team has gradually forgotten the word at a loss'."

This was a very high evaluation, and Chu Zhongtian also began to imagine how glorious Summer was at that time... "Later he became famous and became a free man. I remember many people's various evaluations of Summer, and then I compared it with you. Guess what I found, Chu?"

Chu Zhongtian shrugged, how could he guess?

"I found you have amazing consistency in some places."

Chu Zhongtian's mouth couldn't close again.

"German midfielder Miller once described Summer's 'independent action of adapting to change' like this - 'When I saw Summer suddenly running past me, I felt a little overwhelmed. But in an instant he appeared where someone should appear. His current position can better observe the whole audience, everything is in front of him, and he can quickly make the right decision in the melee. He wants me to move forward, and I will move forward. I believe him, he almost never makes any mistakes'."

After recounting Mueller's reply, Rangnick began to analyze the similarities between Summer and Chu Zhongtian: "Don't you think you are very similar to what Mueller described? When you command teammates on the team, you want them to move forward, and they all trust you because you have never let them down."

Chu Zhongtian thought about it carefully and found that it was really like this. If he said so, he really had a "free man" smell in Metz.

"But that's not enough." Rangnick suddenly changed his tone. "You can't become a real free man now. You still have many shortcomings that need to be corrected and improved. You need to improve your scoring desire and shooting ability. You need to clarify your own ideas. You need to lead the team more proactively. You need to establish a leader's psychology... But these are not the most important. The most important thing is that I see hope in you - a potential that can become a legend."

"I hope you can join Hoffenheim. That's right, we can't give you the qualification for European war now, but I believe we will have it soon. I not only hope you will be the core of the midfield, but I hope you can be a truly free person in Hoffenheim." Rangnick leaned forward and looked at Chu Zhongtian and said.

Every word he said echoed deep in Chu Zhongtian's heart. Everything he heard now was so shocking - the free man tactics had disappeared for ten years, but now someone told him that he wanted to be a free man. He didn't know if that person was too crazy.

"I... I've learned about your past before, Mr. Rangnick. You are a admirer of parallel four defenders, which is completely contrary to the freeman tactics..." After hesitating, Chu Zhongtian asked his doubts.

Rangnick did not express his dissatisfaction with Chu Zhongtian's problems, but he was very happy. Because this shows that Chu Zhongtian is a player who always thinks, and only such a player is qualified to be a free agent because he has independent ideas, rather than the head coach's line-up puppet on the court.

"Yes, I don't like the scavenger tactics. But now the football world does not need scavengers. You are not a completely retro free agent, but a new free agent who combines modern football tactics. For example, I don't plan to arrange you in the central defender position, and you are still in the midfield. This will not affect your overall situation. On the contrary, you can be closer to the offensive area, which will help you participate in the offensive faster. The pace of the game is faster than more than ten years ago, and closer to the opponent's penalty area, which means we will have more chances to score."

Rangnick still told Chu Zhongtian what the "neoliber tactic" in his mind looked like. On the surface, he was no different from those midfielders who were both offensive and defensive. He pushed up when attacking and retreated when defense.

But the biggest difference is that it cannot be easily seen from the outside, that is, Rangnick promised to give Chu Zhongtian the right to tactical independence.

Chu Zhongtian was very surprised after hearing this: "Aren't you afraid of me doing things randomly? For example, when I assisted, the ball passed was cut off by the opponent and quickly counterattacked. As the only player in the midfield who was in the middle, I was not in the position, and I was completely empty in front of the back line..."

Rangnick said: "I believe that your tactical awareness can enable you to make necessary and correct analysis of various situations. You should know when you can take risks, when you should be conservative, when you can go crazy, and when you should follow the rules. I believe you must be very clear that you don't need me to yell at you off the court, Chu."

Chu Zhongtian still felt incredible, and he shook his head and said, "Why do you trust me so much, Mr. Rangnick? We have known each other for less than a long time."

"You have only seen me for a long time, and I have known you for two seasons, Chu." Rangnick said with a smile.

Seeing his smile, Chu Zhongtian understood and murmured: "I know... that whole wall..."

"Yes, that's it. Just like I studied Sakchi's AC Milan twenty years ago. I edited and sorted out every game of your game, and then analyzed your running, passing and other moves in the process, even when it was time to stop, I built a database specifically for you. So you've been imprinted in my mind, Chu. I can't know you much. I can say that... I know yourself better than you, Chu."

Chu Zhongtian looked at Rangnik's eyes hidden behind the lens and fell into silence.

At first, he thought that meeting Rangnick was just a routine meeting and would not have any substance. But now he changed his mind. He admitted that the serious German workaholic in front of him touched him, not by the illusory championship and core position promises, nor by the passionate cliché. Every word he said had practical content, and Chu Zhongtian could outline his future in his mind based on his speech - he ran all over the game, appeared in every corner, he took the ball, he passed, he defended, and he scored. He participated in it with all his heart, mobilized his teammates to play with him, and he was a real leader, just like the bright Beckenbauer and Summer.

Thinking about it, it seems to be pretty good... Although he also enjoyed freedom at Metz, as Rangnick said, this is just superficial freedom, and he still has to listen to Fernandez in tactical decision-making. Just like all the players in world football now, players play according to the head coach's wishes. Before the game, the head coach always considers them as much as possible, takes into account all possible situations, and then makes corresponding arrangements. But what if the head coach has omissions? That's all.

However, football matches are becoming more and more intense, and the pace on the court is getting faster and faster. There are many unexpected situations that the head coach does not expect. Most of the time, in football matches, what we see is not the head coach's excellent tactical arrangements before the game, but the players' temporary performance on the court. This is one of the main reasons for determining the outcome of the game. Players who have independent thinking and can adapt to the situation can take the lead in the game and thus dominate the game.

※※Rangnick saw Chu Zhongtian silent and did not bother him. He knew that his plan touched the player in front of him.

No exaggeration or lying to say anything he said today. He really intends to make Chu Zhongtian a new "free man" under his command, so the team's tactics will be built around him. Because to create new tactics, it means that the previous tactics will be overturned, so time is tight. He must let the team enter the training of new tactics from the beginning of the new season. The new Bundesliga season started early and whistled in mid-August. He didn't have much time.

This is why he couldn't wait to come to China to have an interview with Chu Zhongtian just after the season ended.

There is obviously no clear explanation of so much content on the phone, and it is impossible to rely on the agent to forward it. Only in person can I talk in person. Fortunately, Chu Zhongtian himself knows German, so it is no problem for two people to communicate, otherwise it will be really troublesome.

He said everything he should say, and now he can only wait for Chu Zhongtian's reply.

What if Chu Zhongtian doesn’t agree?

It’s not that Rangnick hasn’t considered this issue. If he really failed to convince, Chu Zhongtian thought that Hoffenheim was not famous, a promoted team, a small team, and a fortune, he had no choice but to do so. Because the decision was entirely in the hands of the players.

In addition to feeling sorry for Chu Zhongtian, he could only follow the old path of the season. The team's performance will fluctuate, but it is not impossible to survive in the Bundesliga. For him, his losses are very small, and the biggest loss is Chu Zhongtian. Because he missed the opportunity to become a legend.

Such an opportunity may only be once in a lifetime for professional players.

If Chu Zhongtian chooses to join Hoffenheim, it is a win-win situation. If not, Chu Zhongtian will still become an excellent star, or even a first-class star, but he will be like hundreds of thousands of other professional players in the world. The only difference is that he may win many championships, he may make a lot of money, and he may be more famous. But in the final analysis, he is still an ordinary professional player.

He will not be a person beyond this, he will not be a legend.

Rangnick didn't tell Chu Zhongtian these words, he just waited patiently for Chu Zhongtian to make the final decision.

※※※Rangnick was waiting for Chu Zhongtian to make a decision, and Chu Zhongtian was indeed analyzing the situation he encountered.

There are many teams that are interested in him, and he also has a team he likes, and there is absolutely no Hoffenheim on this list of favorites - of course, it was before today.

Now that he heard about Rangnick's plan, he was moved. Not only because of the content of this plan, but also because of Rangnick's serious attitude. Rangnick was the first to give it, and may also be the only team coach who traveled thousands of miles to Sichuan, China to interview him.

He truly felt the "value" from it.

There is a "Wuhou Temple" in Chengdu, which commemorates the famous politician and military strategist Zhuge Liang, a famous politician and military strategist during the Three Kingdoms period. In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, there is a plot where Liu Bei visited the thatched cottage three times to invite this person with a talented talent out of the mountain.

Chu Zhongtian felt that Rangnick's performance was similar to that of Emperor Liu, but as for him, he felt somewhat of the original mood of Kong Ming - a soldier died for his confidant... Uh, it's a long way to go.

He has no idea of ​​dying for Rangnick yet.

But Hoffenheim's position in his heart has changed from being disdainful to a target that needs to be considered.

This is at least a very good improvement.

Chu Zhongtian looked at the time and it was almost late at night. It was definitely impossible for him to give him an answer today. He needs to seriously consider such a thing. If possible, he must listen to other people's opinions.

"Uh, sorry, Mr. Rangnick. I don't think I can answer you right now..."

Rangnick nodded in understanding. "But I hope you can answer me sooner, Chu. Because I have to determine whether you will transfer before I can start my transfer plan. Because I have to formulate tactics around you and train the team. The Bundesliga season started early and we don't have much time..."

Chu Zhongtian was stunned for a moment after hearing Rangnick say this. Then he nodded: "I think I will give you an answer in these few days, Mr. Rangnick."

Rangnick smiled.

"By the way, I forgot to tell you: Chengdu welcomes you, Mr. Rangnick. In the past few days, you can take a walk in Chengdu and relax. I can be a tour guide for you."

Chu Zhongtian said with a smile.

"I will seriously consider your suggestion, Chu."

"Goodbye, Mr. Rangnick. I have to go back. You should also have a good rest."

Rangnick waved his hand and said goodbye to Chu Zhongtian.

Before leaving, he had the last sentence to Chu Zhongtian: "I think that only by becoming a truly free person can you achieve greater achievements on the court, Chu. And only my Hoffenheim in the world can give you such an environment."

Chu Zhongtian did not answer, but just smiled, then said goodbye to Rangnick, closed the door and went out.

After Chu Zhongtian left, Rangnick looked at a folder called "Chu Zhongtian" on his computer and was tragic.

Going out for a trip? He doesn't have the intention.

He came to China just to convince Chu Zhongtian, and he was not interested in the beautiful scenery and food here. If he could not defeat Chu Zhongtian, he would not stay here for a long time. This season, the team has been promoted to the First League, and they face many unknown strong enemies, and the team's current lineup also needs to make major adjustments.

With such heavy work and so many things, how could he have a leisurely vacation here?

He now only hopes that in a few days what he hears is good news.
Chapter completed!