The Rise of Millwal

After wrapping up Millwall's warm-up tour in Asia, the team departed Shanghai that same evening and returned directly to London. However, Aldrich stayed behind to prepare for an exclusive interview scheduled for the following morning. To him, it simply meant canceling a single day off while the players enjoyed a day of rest back in London.

Early the next morning, Aldrich rose before dawn, meticulously groomed himself, and donned a sharp suit. He asked the hotel staff to prepare coffee and was ready promptly by 8:30 a.m., when a knock at his suite door signaled the arrival of his guest.

The interview was to take place in the suite's living room, and the host this time was none other than Huang Jianxiang.

The interview was hosted by Huang Jianxiang. Aldrich wasn't surprised; Huang had been making strides in his career over the past few years. Though not quite a household name, his reputation was growing fast. He had just finished live commentary for the European Championship and was set to cover the Olympics next, earning him the title of China's Best Sports Host from numerous media outlets.

"Mr. Hall, hello. Allow me to introduce myself..."

Aldrich had grown accustomed to this. Over the years, his skyrocketing reputation had led to offers from even the biggest names at the BBC, which he had often declined. By now, he met such interviews with a calm demeanor, unfazed by the respect others showed him.

Once the production team set up their equipment, Huang briefly outlined the interview's main topics, giving Aldrich a sense of what to expect.

The interview officially kicked off with an obvious focus: Millwall.

The first question was one Aldrich had heard countless times before.

"What's the secret to Millwall's success? Is it the youth academy?"

"I've answered this question many times, and my answer remains the same: there's no fixed formula for success. It's like Millwall's tactics—sometimes we use 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, or even 4-3-2-1. People say our 4-3-3 is the strongest. So, here's the question: if 4-3-3 is our best, why do we still use 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1?

Success in football, much like in matches, depends on recognizing your strengths, observing the situation, and adapting flexibly to maintain an advantage.

As for attributing Millwall's success solely to the youth academy, I think that's unfair—especially to players like Henrik Larsson, Pavel Nedvěd, or Gareth Southgate. Strictly speaking, they're not products of Millwall's academy. By that logic, they wouldn't be crucial parts of our success. The truth is quite the opposite."

Aldrich's remarks were pragmatic. In Millwall, players who join the club before turning 18 and spend at least three years with the team are considered academy graduates. By this definition, stars like Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, Jesper Grønkjær, Ronaldinho, Gianluca Zambrotta, and Marco Materazzi could all be considered Millwall academy products.

But to chalk up Millwall's success to the academy alone would diminish the contributions of players like Nedvěd, who joined as an established professional.

Huang Jianxiang looked genuinely surprised at Aldrich's explanation. His eyes shifted slightly, as if he had never truly considered the matter before. Perhaps it was because the outside world often assumed that when Nedvěd followed Aldrich while still an unknown, he became an inseparable part of Millwall. It was as if his past in the Czech league had been completely erased—as though he was born to be a Millwall player.

"What's your take on youth development, then?" Huang pressed.

"I believe youth development is an integral part of a club's success," Aldrich replied. "For example, during one era, Barcelona focused on signing big stars, while Real Madrid emerged with their legendary 'Quinta del Buitre,' who dominated Barcelona. You could argue that Madrid's academy outshone Barcelona's spending.

But during that period, Madrid didn't dominate the Champions League. In contrast, AC Milan's dynasty was built on players like Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta, and Paolo Maldini—all academy products. They were incredibly strong, but would Milan have risen without the Dutch trio of Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard? I don't think so. Their addition turned Milan into a powerhouse.

The peak of academy success was Ajax under Louis van Gaal. However, in the post-Bosman era, replicating that success is nearly impossible. Frequent player transfers and the growing power of wealthy clubs mean teams filled with star players are becoming the norm. In this environment, a strong academy ensures survival but isn't enough to build an empire."

Aldrich's remarks left Huang Jianxiang momentarily puzzled.

Aldrich enjoyed discussing such topics with people in the Chinese football circle. It was better than nothing; after all, the influence of media insiders was far greater than that of ordinary fans.

His stance on youth development wasn't overly reliant, but he recognized its critical importance. His current efforts to strengthen Millwall's youth academy were part of a long-term strategy—to establish a reputation that, in a decade, when Aldrich could no longer personally discover rising stars, talented players from around the world would willingly gravitate toward Millwall.

However, when academy players couldn't meet the club's ideal requirements, decisively seeking more suitable replacements was the best choice.

For example, Thierry Henry's arrival had resulted in Ruud van Nistelrooy's departure after five years—a player who undoubtedly counted as a Millwall academy product. Such scenarios were common not only in Millwall but also in Real Madrid and other major clubs now and in the future.

Developing youth players offered more than just providing fresh blood for the first team, reducing squad-building costs, or fostering loyalty and a sense of belonging. Perhaps most importantly, academy players brought long-term stability to the club—be it maintaining locker room harmony, enduring through success or failure, or shortening the rebuilding cycles. AC Milan was the perfect example.

Generations of veterans like Paolo Maldini contributed more than just their on-field performance; their presence solidified Milan's foundation.

As Aldrich wrapped up this topic, he expressed his expectations for players like David Villa, Ronaldinho, Joe Cole, Pedretti, and Barzagli, who had joined the team at a young age and were now regarded as products of Millwall's academy. He emphasized the importance of cultivating their sense of belonging, responsibility, and honor for the club. However, this was premised on their ability to maintain a level of performance commensurate with Millwall's status in football. Outstanding youth development often benefited clubs over cycles of more than ten years.

After concluding the discussion about Millwall, Huang shifted the conversation toward Aldrich's personal life.

To outsiders, Aldrich's life seemed like a legend in the making. From the age of ten, he had set his sights on becoming a coach, traveling far and wide to learn. To most people, his journey seemed almost unfathomable. Yet, perhaps it was precisely because ordinary people wouldn't embark on such a path that Aldrich's efforts ultimately succeeded, giving the impression of inevitability.

When discussing this part of his life, Aldrich spoke freely—except when it came to topics unrelated to football, such as tabloid-worthy details about his romantic life. Instead, he recounted some amusing and bewildering experiences during his time in Europe.

In interviews with foreign football figures in China, one question was almost inevitable.

Before broaching the third major topic, Huang paused briefly and then asked softly, "Mr. Hall, what's your understanding of Chinese football?"

Aldrich smiled and shook his head. "Please don't take this as a sign of disrespect toward Chinese football. Let me put it this way: would China's badminton or table tennis teams study the competitive levels of South Africa, Norway, or Iceland?"

Huang couldn't help but laugh. It was as though Aldrich had delivered a slap in the face, yet his demeanor made it impossible to get angry.

Indeed, Europe was the center of the footballing world. At most, they paid some attention to South America, once a rival in the global hierarchy. But beyond that, who would care about football in other regions?

It was similar to China's dominance in table tennis and badminton. As the global hub, China not only produced exceptional players but also exported athletes and coaches to other countries to perform or provide guidance.

With a wry smile, Huang asked, "In recent years, we've had a few Chinese players playing in Europe. Have you heard of them?"

Aldrich replied with a smile, "Yang Chen and Xie Hui, who played in the German leagues, as well as Fan Zhiyi and Sun Jihai—two players from Crystal Palace, our neighbors and rivals."

Huang was impressed. This foreigner seemed to know quite a bit!

"Have you seen them play?"

"No, only heard of them. If I'm honest, Chinese fans might not like what I say."

"There's no shortage of things to upset us, so a few words from you won't make much difference."

"I'm the head coach of a Premier League champion and a Champions League winner. I don't concern myself with the matches of a League One team like Crystal Palace, nor do I focus on lower-tier teams from the Bundesliga or the second division. So no, I haven't watched their games. From a professional standpoint, it's not valuable. Even when we analyze Bayern Munich, we tend to focus on matches where they face stronger opponents, using video footage or sending scouts to observe in person."

"Your honesty stings, but that's reality," Huang Jianxiang replied. "This reflects the current status of Chinese players in Europe—still far from being on the radar of top-tier clubs. What about the future? You mentioned in a pre-match interview that you believe in the future of Chinese football, citing the large population and its potential to produce talent. Millwall recently established a football school in Japan and is reportedly working on similar projects in mainland China. Do you foresee a Chinese player playing for Millwall someday?"

Aldrich tilted his head back and closed his eyes with a smile.

Football schools are part of the club's branding efforts. Whether or not they produce competitive results, clubs do it because of the substantial commercial value it brings. Football schools are profitable, much like the club's memorabilia shops in Hong Kong.

"I think it's unlikely in the short term. First, due to labor permit restrictions, it's difficult for non-EU players to join the Premier League. Second, if Millwall invests in a player or develops talent, the age limit would be 21. By 23, a player's technical skills are essentially set. We need to shape them before that, giving them time to integrate into the club while instilling tactical concepts and football philosophy. The older the player, the harder this process becomes. At Millwall's current level, any player over 23 we sign would be a highly cautious and significant investment. For example, when we signed Henry and Klose, it wasn't necessarily about immediate impact like Henry, but they needed to at least have significant potential, like Klose."

Huang Jianxiang asked curiously, "Has no Chinese player ever been recommended to Millwall?"

Aldrich chuckled. "Clubs from all over the world recommend players to us, China included. But, I'm sorry to say, even the most outstanding players in the Chinese league often fall short of our recruitment standards."

Huang Jianxiang sighed in frustration. "It's a sad reality. Chinese football doesn't garner attention in Europe, and when we finally produce a talented player who gains some fame, they've often passed the age you mentioned—their formative years, where their potential could've been maximized. It's like being a top student in primary school, but missing out on attending an elite school. By the time they graduate university, they might show some ability, but they're nowhere near the heights they could have reached."

Aldrich considered this analogy and nodded with a thoughtful smile, acknowledging its validity.