The God of Football Starts With Passive Skills-Chapter 218 - 61: A Solo Run! Wang Shuo the Hunter! Klopp’s Three Moves Fail! Bayern’s Most Feared Opponent
By the time Demichelis managed to regain his balance, Wang Shuo had already used the push-off to instantly change direction, cutting to the defender’s right.
At the Arc Top District, as the ball came down, Wang Shuo gently controlled it with his right foot, knocking it toward the right side of the penalty area.
The next moment, he sprinted after it, taking another touch to get the ball under control. Sizing up Butt’s position, he unleashed a powerful shot with his right foot.
The ball practically skimmed across the wet turf, kicking up a spray of water as it rocketed into the near corner of the Bayern goal.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!"
"2–0!!"
"The 31st minute! It’s the 31st minute, and Mainz have scored again!"
"It’s Wang Shuo again!!"
"A long ball from the midfielder Kalhan, and Wang Shuo once again charges into Bayern’s half all on his own! He chips it over Demichelis, breaks into the box, and scores again for Mainz!"
"Wang Shuo has scored a brace!"
"My God, Wang Shuo is like a sharp spear, piercing through Bayern’s defense time and time again!"
As Wang Shuo ran to celebrate below the section of stands holding the Mainz fans, his teammates caught up and mobbed him in a massive hug.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines in front of the home team’s coaching bench, Klopp was already unleashing his trademark "farmer’s three punches" celebration.
...
"This kid improves at an incredible pace!"
In the presidential box at the Olympic Stadium Berlin, watching Wang Shuo score repeatedly against Bayern, the Football Emperor, Beckenbauer, was full of praise.
Beckenbauer had always held Wang Shuo’s performances in high regard, especially the speed of his improvement.
Although he hadn’t watched many of Wang Shuo’s games, every time he did, he was struck by some brilliant new sign of progress.
Just like today.
’It’s a strange feeling. It’s as if Wang Shuo is faster, his movements are quicker, and his technique and touch are more refined.’
Of course, his rational mind told him this shouldn’t be the case; it was probably just an illusion.
But that was what it felt like.
"A player like Wang Shuo, given another two or three years to let his body fully mature, will only become more dominant than he is now."
As Beckenbauer said this, he turned to look at Hennes and Rummenigge.
"Personally, I think if it’s possible, you should sign a player like him as early as you can."
"Otherwise, he will become the kind of opponent that Bayern dreads facing!"
Hennes and Rummenigge exchanged a glance, both seeing the surprise in the other’s eyes.
They hadn’t expected Beckenbauer to rate Wang Shuo so highly.
After all, there were very few players in the Bundesliga who could become an opponent that Bayern truly dreaded!
Because most of them ended up being signed by Bayern.
For example, Klose, and the soon-to-arrive Gomez.
"We’ve already reached an agreement with Mario and his agent. The player is willing to work with us to put pressure on Stuttgart so we can sign Gomez for the price in his release clause," Rummenigge said with a smile.
"If Gomez comes, then along with Klose and Thomas Müller, we’ll have three men up front."
If they were to use a 4-4-2 formation, three forwards wouldn’t be considered excessive.
Especially for a club like Bayern, which had to compete on multiple fronts in Germany and Europe, having three or four forwards was standard practice.
But Bayern was about to undergo a revolution.
In fact, promoting Klinsmann to head coach had been a signal of Bayern’s intention to reform.
Although that had failed, the pace of reform would not stop.
Bayern had already reached an agreement with the famous Dutch coach Van Gaal, who would take charge of the club this summer.
Although Van Gaal had endured two disastrous stints coaching Barça and also suffered setbacks at Ajax, his time at Alkmaar had shown the entire European Football Scene what the famous Dutch manager was capable of.
Especially Alkmaar’s advanced tactical philosophy.
This was what Bayern needed most right now.
More importantly, unlike Klinsmann, Van Gaal was more mature, seasoned, and far more experienced.
Klopp’s Mainz, Rangnick’s Hoffenheim, and Labbadia’s Bayer Leverkusen had all shown the entire Bundesliga the direction and trend of tactical reform.
In the eyes of Rummenigge, Hennes, and the other executives, since the best young coach in the country, Klopp, wouldn’t join Bayern after Klinsmann’s failure, their only option was to invite the best, most forward-thinking, world-class manager in the European Football Scene to take the helm.
Only that would befit Bayern’s status!
And Van Gaal’s coaching style had always favored a single-striker formation.
In that case, three forwards were already more than enough.
Luca Tony?
He was already 32 years old.
"I personally think we should let him develop elsewhere for another couple of years. By then, Klose will be older, and it will be the perfect time for him to join us."
Hennes conveyed his thoughts to Beckenbauer with a smile.
’That’s certainly not a bad option!’
Beckenbauer nodded repeatedly as he listened.
Between Mario Gomez and Wang Shuo, any German would choose Mario Gomez without a moment’s hesitation.
Because he was Germany’s best homegrown center forward!
As Germany’s top powerhouse, signing the best German players was a matter of course for Bayern.
If Wang Shuo gained experience elsewhere for another two years, he would be more mature and physically developed, making him even more of a threat.
A high transfer fee?
For a club with deep pockets like Bayern, that was not an issue at all.
How much did Stuttgart’s star center forward, Mario Gomez, cost?
Hamburg’s star forward, Olic, was coming on a free transfer.
"As long as you have your plans in order, that’s fine. I just think that for a player to show such astonishing ability at only 18... given time, he is certain to shock the entire European Football Scene!" Beckenbauer praised.
