Gao Shen boldly declared that he would win the Premier League title!
This news spread rapidly overnight, sparking heated discussions across the football world.
As always, controversy followed.
Supporters of Gao Shen argued that, over the past three years, nearly every ambitious goal he had set had become reality. Time and again, those who doubted him were proven wrong, and they believed this time would be no different.
"As he said at the press conference, his journey has always been accompanied by doubts and controversy. He has never feared challenges—in fact, he thrives on them. He enjoys the satisfaction of proving people wrong and silencing the skeptics."
Gao Shen's supporters pointed out that Manchester City had spent over 200 million euros—a staggering sum. With his coaching ability, he had the resources to build a formidable team.
"Just look at what he did at Napoli!"
"In Serie A, with limited funds, he developed young players and led Napoli to an unprecedented domestic treble. Now, in the Premier League, with Manchester City's near-limitless budget, what can't he achieve?"
Manchester City fans were undoubtedly the most excited.
After all, the club had never won the Premier League title in its history.
The last time they were crowned champions of England's top division was 41 years ago.
Even their last domestic cup victory was over 30 years ago.
For decades, Manchester City had been a club without real presence in English football, especially when compared to their city rivals, Manchester United.
And how did United view them?
They called them "The Noisy Neighbors."
The nickname was dripping with contempt, disdainful, dismissive, and superior.
When Thaksin Shinawatra took over the club, City fans felt a glimmer of hope. But after three years, neither his ownership nor the Abu Dhabi consortium had managed to truly transform the club.
But now, Gao Shen had arrived!
With the prestige of his Serie A treble and back-to-back Champions League titles, he had come to the Etihad Stadium.
As the most sought-after manager in world football, his arrival focused global attention on Manchester City and reignited hope among the fans.
They believed he would succeed—because he never failed!
---
Of course, where there was support, there was also skepticism.
Even within the same newspapers, opposing viewpoints were being presented side by side.
Critics argued that money alone couldn't buy trophies and that building a squad full of mercenaries would never lead to lasting success.
Their reasoning was simple: last season, the Abu Dhabi owners had already invested over 150 million euros in the squad. And what was the result?
Manchester City finished 10th.
"This year, they've spent 250 million euros, an extra 100 million. So does that mean they'll finish seventh? Maybe fifth?"
But breaking into the Premier League's top four was incredibly difficult, and winning the title? That was simply impossible.
"People only remember José Mourinho winning the league in his first season at Chelsea, but they forget that Claudio Ranieri spent years building that squad before him. Before Abramovich took over, Chelsea were already a top Premier League side. Can Manchester City really compare to that?"
"When Abramovich bought Chelsea, look at the caliber of players he signed."
"In the summer of 2003, they brought in world-class striker Hernán Crespo, midfield powerhouse Claude Makélélé, Premier League star winger Damien Duff, and top-tier players like Juan Sebastián Verón, Adrian Mutu, Scott Parker, Wayne Bridge, Geremi, and Joe Cole."
"In 2004, after Mourinho arrived, they strengthened even further—Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira from Porto's Champions League-winning squad, Didier Drogba, Tiago, Petr Čech, and Mateja Kežman, all outstanding players."
"And now, look at Manchester City. They signed Rakitic and David Luiz because of personal connections. Felipe, who won the Champions League, couldn't even get a game at Real Madrid and had to go to Deportivo La Coruña. Robben, cast aside by Real Madrid, is no longer the player he once was."
"With this squad, Manchester City wants to win the Premier League?"
"Is Gao Shen being overly optimistic, or is football simply losing its mind?"
"Maybe his past coaching career has been too smooth."
"From Real Madrid to Napoli, everything has gone perfectly for him. Perhaps that's made him overconfident, he thinks he can do anything. But this season, the brutal reality of English football will teach him a lesson."
"Sorry, this is the Premier League!"
T/N: Hahahaha classic.
---
As Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson rarely gave media interviews.
But this time, a reporter just so happened to ask him about Gao Shen's bold claim of leading Manchester City to the title.
Ferguson chuckled and said he was happy to see Gao Shen in the Premier League.
"I've told him this before, I think he should test himself in the Premier League. This is the most competitive league in the world. Every match here is a battle."
Then, Ferguson shifted his tone, offering a word of caution.
"When you come to the Premier League, you have to forget your past achievements and start over."
"If you count my years as a player, I've been in professional football for decades. I've seen a lot. Gao Shen is the most unique young man I've ever met. If he were a player, I'd sign him without hesitation. But unfortunately, he's a manager—so he's destined to be my rival."
Ferguson also defended his previous criticism of Manchester City's spending, arguing that the current transfer market was spiraling out of control. Many clubs were scrambling to sign top players, leading to a frenzy of spending that wasn't sustainable.
"Nowadays, when I speak to agents about a player, they tell me that Manchester City is also interested, offering massive salaries and transfer fees. It's all part of their strategy to drive up the price and negotiate better deals with us. But there's not much I can do."
"This isn't normal. When clubs like Manchester City and Real Madrid spend 200 to 300 million euros in a single summer, that's madness."
"I never believed that simply spending money could win a championship. Over the past few decades, plenty of clubs have made massive signings every season, but only a few have actually succeeded in the end."
"As a personal friend and as the manager of Manchester United, I must congratulate our neighbors on having a world-class coach, one of the best in world football today."
"But I also want to remind Manchester City, and my friend Gao Shen, that titles are never bought with money—especially not in the Premier League, the toughest league in the world. If they want to win, spending alone is far from enough."
—
Ferguson's remarks immediately heightened tensions between the two Manchester clubs, igniting the rivalry between the legendary manager and the ambitious Gao Shen.
And soon after, when the Premier League fixtures were announced, everyone realized just how brutal Manchester City's opening schedule was.
Their first match? Blackburn Rovers—a physically intense, hard-tackling side. Then, in the second round, they would face Everton.
In the fifth round, they would host Arsenal at the Etihad. And in the sixth round, an away clash at Old Trafford, an early-season Manchester derby.
But to be fair, it wasn't as if the league was deliberately targeting Manchester City. Manchester United's schedule was equally challenging.
In the fourth round, they would host Arsenal. In the fifth, they would visit Tottenham Hotspur. And in the sixth, they would take on City at home—right after the international break.
In short, the difficulty was about the same for both sides.
If anyone was to blame, it was simply the unforgiving nature of the Premier League.
On top of that, this season coincided with the South Africa World Cup, meaning domestic leagues had to condense their schedules. The Premier League's traditional winter fixture congestion would be even more intense than usual.
In the lead-up to Christmas, teams would be playing twice a week. After Christmas, things would get even crazier—matches on December 26th, 28th, and 29th. Then, on January 2nd, the FA Cup third round. And immediately after that, the Premier League resumed.
Looking at the schedule, it was clear that this period would be relentless.
And if a team slipped up during the Christmas run-in, it could spell disaster. With matches coming thick and fast, losing form at the wrong time could lead to a string of dropped points.
Unfortunately for Gao Shen and his staff, they had no prior experience managing a Premier League winter schedule.
The Times ran a special feature analyzing this very issue.
Gao Shen's teams had always been known for their intricate passing, exceptional movement, and relentless high-pressing style—all of which required tremendous physical exertion.
On top of that, the physical demands of the Premier League were far greater than those of Serie A or La Liga. And while those leagues had a winter break, the Premier League did not.
Because of this, The Times was highly skeptical of Manchester City's title chances in Gao Shen's first season.
"He must understand just how difficult the Premier League really is!"
However, the article also acknowledged that Gao Shen had always been an innovator, known for his unconventional approach. As a young manager, he embraced modern technology and advanced methodologies.
"Reports indicate that after taking over Manchester City, he immediately revamped the team's nutrition program, bringing in one of Italy's top sports dietitians to design personalized meal plans for the players."
"Not only that, but he also poached medical expert Marcos Sala from AC Milan's renowned Milan Lab to oversee City's medical department. On top of that, he recruited a leading Italian sports psychologist."
"It's clear—Gao Shen is completely overhauling Manchester City from the ground up."
At Real Madrid, he was merely a head coach.
At Napoli, he had full control over the squad, but due to financial limitations, he couldn't make large-scale changes.
Now, at Manchester City, he was transforming the entire club. This was his team, built entirely in his image.
"He's doing what Ferguson did at Manchester United!"
"Whether it will be a success or not—that will take time to determine."
—
While all of Europe and indeed, the entire footballing world focused on Gao Shen and the Premier League, something else was unfolding in a small town in eastern France.
Roughly 100 kilometers from Lyon, a young man sprinted up a steep, winding mountain road, his breathing ragged as he reached the peak.
From the summit, he gazed out at the endless rolling hills before him. His chest heaved, not just from exhaustion, but from the fire burning within him.
"I want to succeed!" he gasped, clenching his fists. "I must succeed!"
The only response he received was the lonely echo of his own voice, fading into the mountains.
(To be continued.)