In his previous life, when Gao Shen was working in a company and had just been promoted to team leader, he once sought advice from a senior executive.
After several meals and a few bottles of wine, he finally got the man to reveal his seven-word secret to success:
Set goals, lead people, and monitor the process.
According to his mentor, these seven words had been the foundation of his decades-long success in the corporate world.
Each phrase represented a key leadership principle.
First, set goals.
This was straightforward—every team needed a clear objective to work toward.
Whether it was meeting the KPIs set by upper management or establishing internal team targets, having a goal provided direction and motivation.
But goals had to be realistic.
Set them too high, and they'd be unattainable, leaving the team demoralized.
Set them too low, and while the work environment might seem relaxed in the short term, ambitious and capable individuals would quickly grow frustrated and leave.
Next, lead people.
Leadership wasn't just about management, it was about teaching, delegating, and developing talent.
An employee only needed to know how to do the work.
A leader needed to know how to guide others, inspire them, and get them to willingly work toward a shared vision.
A great leader was like a great teacher and teaching was never easy.
It was difficult in school.
It was even harder in the workplace.
Finally, monitor the process.
This required balance. A leader couldn't be too controlling, nor could they be too hands-off.
The work environment needed to be structured yet motivating, with clear rewards and consequences. Everything had to be managed properly, so the team could stay focused.
By the third stage, a leader's job became much easier, which was why some department heads and company executives seemed to take it easy while their teams continued running efficiently.
Many people who transitioned from being employees to managers found themselves overwhelmed and frustrated.
The problem?
They failed to adapt from an employee's mindset to a leader's mindset.
In his previous life, Gao Shen's smooth career progression had been thanks to these lessons—learned over dinners and drinks.
…
After traveling through time, Gao Shen had continued practicing these principles, whether at Real Madrid, Napoli, or now at Manchester City.
Early on, he had set a clear goal for the team: win the league title.
This wasn't an empty statement.
With Manchester City's current squad and an investment of over €200 million, not aiming for the championship would be a major blow to morale.
Fortune favors the bold.
If a coach didn't even dare to aim high, how could players trust him to lead them forward?
As for leading people, Gao Shen had been doing that every step of the way.
His coaching staff? No issues there. They were experienced colleagues who required no extra oversight.
His players? That was where his real work was needed.
From Robinho to Sturridge, and now Giroud, Gao Shen had been addressing one challenge at a time.
Now, the biggest concern in the squad, the most frustrating problem—was Robben.
Looking at the last two league matches, Robinho's form had been improving steadily.
His physical fitness had increased significantly, and as a result, his performances were sharper and more consistent.
The Brazilian had always been technically gifted and had excellent positioning awareness.
During his time at Real Madrid, under Gao Shen and Capello, he had moved away from his old habit of holding onto the ball too much. Now, he understood the value of quick passing and better decision-making.
Gao Shen's next job was to keep Robinho on track—ensuring he didn't slack off and monitoring his conditioning, especially during international duty.
But Robben's situation was much more complicated.
On one hand, he was in a transitional phase.
On the other hand, his muscle training was affecting his form.
Adjusting to Manchester City's system and the Premier League's pace was proving difficult.
As a result, Robben had yet to truly showcase his world-class level.
Making matters worse, the British media had been relentless in their criticism.
The pressure was mounting.
And the greater the pressure, the more desperate he became to prove himself—which, in turn, made mistakes more likely.
Gao Shen and his coaching staff had done everything possible to protect Robben, but the Dutchman was someone who demanded the highest standards from himself and was fiercely competitive.
Watching Suárez and Robinho shine, seeing Sturridge score twice, and Hazard put in strong performances, how could he possibly stay calm?
Gao Shen knew that Robben's issue had to be addressed.
If he could get the Dutchman back on track, everything else would fall into place.
But how easy was that?
…
After the match, Gao Shen followed his usual routine—walking to the touchline and hugging each player as they left the pitch.
As he glanced toward the bench, he noticed Robben, head down, trying to slip away into the tunnel.
"Arjen, wait a moment."
Robben froze, looking at Gao Shen with a puzzled expression before stopping.
The other players noticed but said nothing. They all knew this conversation was private.
Carlo and the rest of the staff also understood and quietly left, allowing Gao Shen and Robben to speak alone.
Above them, Portsmouth fans continued booing from the stands.
"I think you've been putting too much pressure on yourself lately. You're too tense, it's not good for you," Gao Shen said.
Robben narrowed his eyes and forced a small smile. "I'm fine, Boss."
Gao Shen draped an arm around Robben's shoulder, guiding him toward the dugout to ensure their conversation wasn't overheard, or worse, caught on camera for lip-readers to analyze.
"I checked the Netherlands' schedule," Gao Shen began. "You've already qualified for the World Cup, and the upcoming matches in September—a friendly against Japan and a group match against Scotland—are meaningless.
"I suggest I call Van Marwijk and ask him to leave you out of the squad. Instead of training or playing, I'll give you two weeks off to rest and recharge completely."
The Dutch national team had already secured qualification with a 10-point lead in their group. The match against Scotland was meaningless, and the Japan friendly had no real stakes.
"Boss, I can handle it," Robben said, shaking his head.
Gao Shen held his gaze. "Arjen, you know your own body better than anyone. If you keep pushing yourself like this, how much longer can you last? And you're at high risk for injury."
"I'm sure Van Marwijk also wants you in peak condition for next year's World Cup. Getting back to your best is in both Manchester City's and the Dutch national team's best interest."
Gao Shen patted Robben's shoulder firmly. "Listen to me—take the break. Go anywhere you want. If you fancy Dubai, I've got Emirates flights and Burj Al Arab suites lined up for you. Take your family, relax, and come back refreshed. What do you think?"
At this point, Robben couldn't refuse.
The truth was, he was exhausted.
After reluctantly nodding, Gao Shen wasted no time.
A few days ago, Van Marwijk had called to check in on Robben's progress. Gao Shen had already been considering this plan back then. Now, with Robben's approval, he immediately called the Dutch national team coach.
As expected, Van Marwijk was on board.
Given how insignificant the matches were, resting Robben made sense, especially if it helped him regain top form.
A fully fit, confident Robben was crucial for the Netherlands.
After hanging up, Gao Shen turned back to Robben, waving his phone.
"It's settled. I'll take care of your flights and hotel today. My assistant will contact you with the details. Just focus on relaxing—no football, no stress. Understood?"
Robben hesitated, then finally nodded.
"Thank you, Boss."
His voice carried a rare hint of gratitude.
It was the first time he had ever seen a manager personally pay for a player's vacation—mid-season—and for a full two weeks.
Yet, despite his pride, hearing that he would be getting a break actually made him feel lighter.
…
As Robben walked off, Gao Shen let out a long exhale.
He truly hoped Robben would use this time to reset, physically and mentally.
This decision hadn't been made on impulse. He had consulted psychologists and his coaching staff, ensuring it was the right move.
Now, he just had to wait and see if it worked.
With the fourth round completed, the first phase of the Premier League season was over.
Next up: two weeks of international duty.
Players like Robinho, Suárez, and others would be leaving for their national teams within the next 24 hours.
This period would be stressful for Gao Shen.
He was constantly worried about how national teams trained and handled injuries, especially since some team doctors were notoriously unreliable.
However, this break also gave Gao Shen a chance to shift his focus.
With some key players away, he could dedicate more time to developing his squad's younger or fringe players, Henderson, Adam Lallana, Sturridge, and Gareth Bale.
He had never had enough time before, but now, with two weeks, he could work intensively to help them integrate into the squad.
But what Gao Shen didn't know, as the transfer window neared its close, a major signing was quietly in the works.
(To be continued.)