Starting With Real Madrid

"The whole of Italy is your enemy now, huh?" Zidane joked as he walked into Gao Shen's office.

Gao Shen greeted him with open arms, an exaggerated smile, and a warm hug. "Ha! What wind blew you from warm France to cold Naples, my friend?"

Zidane laughed awkwardly, thinking to himself that France was actually much colder than Naples at the moment. But he knew Gao Shen was just teasing him, so he played along.

It had been a long time since they'd seen each other, and Gao Shen had been so swamped with work that he asked the club to quietly send someone to pick Zidane up from the airport without attracting attention. The entire process was discreet and private.

After some pleasantries, Zidane took a glance around Gao Shen's office. It was simple but well-equipped, though a little messy.

"What? You don't work with the coaching staff anymore?" Zidane quipped, sarcastically.

Gao Shen was a little embarrassed, rubbing his head as he realized the state of his office. "Ah, well… sometimes I like to take a break, you know?"

He quickly changed the subject, inviting Zidane to sit down while he prepared some special tea he'd brought from China.

Boiling the water, rinsing the tea utensils, and brewing the tea all part of a meticulous process that soon filled the room with the rich aroma of tea leaves.

"So, why are you really here?" Gao Shen asked with a grin, handing Zidane a cup.

"You've been the talk of the town lately. I heard the whole of Italy is against you," Zidane chuckled.

Gao Shen shrugged with a helpless smile. "I don't get it either. I've always been a perfectly friendly guy, haven't I?"

Zidane nearly spat out his tea laughing. "You? Friendly? Come on."

Gao Shen kept a straight face, pretending to be offended. "Hey! I'm being serious here. What's not friendly about me?"

Zidane shook his head with a smile, setting his cup down. "I've noticed something about you you've gotten a lot better at brushing things off. That skin of yours has gotten much thicker."

Gao Shen grinned. "Okay, okay. If you're going to insult me, I'll call up my Paladins and send them to Orgrimmar to let those brutal orcs deal with you!"

It was clear that Zidane had moved past the shadow of the World Cup final defeat. Since retiring, he had spent his days relaxing with his wife and children, enjoying life in both France and Spain. He had no immediate plans to return to professional football.

For Zidane, the stress of the professional game was no longer something he wanted to deal with. The pressure, whether as a player or a coach, was intense.

For Gao Shen, it was different. He was still at the beginning of his career, hungry for success and constantly pushing forward.

Zidane's visit to Italy was mainly to catch up with Gao Shen and give him a bit of grief for missing the World Cup final.

In fact, Zidane had arranged everything for Gao Shen tickets, hotel rooms, everything. But Gao Shen never showed up.

"You didn't even come to the World Cup final! The tickets were free, and the hotel was already booked! Do you know how angry I was?" Zidane feigned annoyance.

Gao Shen burst out laughing. "So that's why you headbutted Materazzi in the final? You were mad at me?"

Zidane rolled his eyes and laughed. "He looked too much like you buzzing in my ear the whole game, talking nonstop. I just couldn't take it anymore."

Gao Shen shot back, laughing, "Oh please, you and Materazzi look alike. You're both troublemakers."

The two friends exchanged playful banter, laughing like they hadn't in a long time. Despite what many thought, Zidane wasn't dwelling on the past. Life goes on, and so does football.

Back when Gao Shen coached Real Madrid and Zidane was still a player, their relationship was professional. But now, with Gao Shen having left Madrid and Zidane retired, their friendship had deepened.

Especially after being apart for so long, they had a lot to talk about. Zidane even mentioned how this year's Spanish professional coaching summit had felt a bit empty, with neither Rijkaard nor Capello attending.

"Why didn't they go?" Gao Shen asked, curious.

"Well, Rijkaard probably didn't want to be reminded of how you stole the double from him last season," Zidane joked.

"And Capello?" Gao Shen continued.

"Capello? Oh, please, with his pride? There's no way he'd sit through a summit with people talking about your success at Real Madrid. Plus, didn't you beat him with Juventus last season too?"

Gao Shen couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, it does seem like I've caused a bit of trouble wherever I go."

Zidane smirked. "The problem is that you're too young. People aren't used to seeing someone your age outsmart them."

Gao Shen nodded thoughtfully. "You're probably right. If it had been someone like Ferguson or Wenger beating them, they could take the loss. But when it's a 25-year-old like me, it stings a little more."

Zidane also brought up how Real Madrid was struggling a bit this season. The team that Gao Shen had left behind was solid, but Capello's style didn't fit well with the players. Despite this, players like Beckham, De la Red, Arbeloa, and Negredo had all flourished, thanks to the foundation Gao Shen had laid.

"Do you know something? More and more Real Madrid fans are saying they miss you," Zidane said with a smile.

"Really?" Gao Shen wasn't surprised. He had read similar things in the press.

Fans and media were fickle. They often didn't realize what they had until it was gone. It was the same when Gao Shen was at Real Madrid people constantly reminisced about the days of Vicente del Bosque.

"Now that you're gone, people are starting to appreciate your work. Florentino, Butragueño, and Valdano all asked me to send you their regards. They're keeping an eye on you, especially with all the headlines coming out of Italy. It's like you're becoming the public enemy number one over there."

Zidane seemed amused by this, but he also admired Gao Shen for it.

To be great, you had to be different. Being liked by everyone was often a sign of mediocrity.

Even Sacchi, during his time coaching AC Milan, had faced constant criticism. Now he was considered one of the greatest tacticians in football history.

Gao Shen was in a similar situation. Being at the center of controversy wasn't a bad thing it meant he was making an impact.

Gao Shen, for his part, was grateful for his time at Real Madrid. The connections he had made at the club had opened doors for him in ways he couldn't have imagined. It had broadened his horizons and given him the chance to work with some of the most influential figures in football.

"I'm lucky," Gao Shen said. "I've met a lot of great people in this game. I just need to make sure I don't waste the opportunity."

Zidane nodded in agreement. "Come on, stay for a few days," Gao Shen suggested.

"Why?" Zidane raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you're not doing much these days, right? And Naples has some cool spots to visit. Board and lodging are all on me. You can explore the city, relax. Consider it an apology for missing the World Cup final," Gao Shen said with a mischievous grin.

Zidane scratched his bald head, unsure what to make of the offer. "You're not usually this generous."

"Come on! I've always been like this. You just didn't know me well enough before."

"Yeah, right. What's the real reason?"

"Why do I need a reason? It's not like you're a player anymore, and you don't have a coaching license yet. What could I possibly want from you?"

But Zidane wasn't buying it. His skeptical expression said it all.

Finally, Gao Shen sighed, dropping the act. "Alright, alright. I've got a few players on my team that could really use some of your guidance."

Zidane smirked, finally understanding. "I knew it! This is what you were after all along."

"I've got this guy Hamsik he's an attacking midfielder, reminds me of Nedved a bit. And then there's Sánchez, who plays on the wing. Could really use some tips. Oh, and Rakitic"

"Hold on, hold on," Zidane interrupted. "This sounds like you want me to be your assistant coach!"

"You've got Guardiola already, don't you?" Zidane added, amused.

"Yeah, but Guardiola's been working more with the midfielders. You're the attacking expert."

Zidane shook his head, laughing. "Alright, why don't I just call up David Beckham and bring him over too?"

"Hey, don't joke! My defenders could use some tips on long passes!" Gao Shen quipped back.

Zidane was speechless, but all he could do was laugh. It seemed like Gao Shen was turning Naples into a football academy, bringing in legends to help train his players.

Though he had come to check on Gao Shen, Zidane now realized he had been roped into something much bigger.

"I can stay for a few more days," Zidane finally agreed, "but only because you promised food, drink and fun.

In fact, this is a high-level idea, so there must be something more to it, right?

He discovered a very interesting phenomenon: successful coaches, like Zidane, Ancelotti, and Guardiola, often have a background as excellent football players. However, this isn't always the case.

There are many great stars who haven't been able to effectively teach players after transitioning to head coaches. Why is that?

Because they know how to play, but not how to teach.

The most typical examples are Maradona, as well as Van Basten and Rijkaard.

Gao Shen believes that this presents an opportunity for the young players in Naples. How much they can learn in just a few days depends on their own fortunes.