Reborn in Football to Build Top Clubs from English League Two

124: Uninvited guests and the ”disturbance” in PhoenixThe September sun gently bathed the Phoenix Training Center’s pitch, where players were engaged in their usual mid-season training.

Lin Feng stood on the sidelines, tactical board in hand, occasionally giving instructions based on the players’ performance.

Since their promotion to League One, Hartlepool United’s training intensity had noticeably increased.

Players needed to adapt to the pace and physicality of a higher-level League, which meant more tactical drills and physical conditioning.

“Vardy, watch your positioning!” Lin Feng shouted, “When Henderson has the ball, you should move into the open space on the right side of the attacking third, not charge directly into the center!”

Jamie Vardy nodded, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and immediately adjusted his position as instructed.

Lin Feng watched the players’ training with satisfaction. Although the first few matches after promotion had been challenging, the team had gradually found its footing in League One.

Just then, a commotion erupted outside the training ground.

Several staff members suddenly stopped their work, their gazes all directed towards the main gate. The players’ attention was also drawn, and the training rhythm was instantly disrupted.

Lin Feng frowned and followed everyone’s gaze.

A black Bentley sedan slowly pulled up to the entrance of the training center. The car door opened, and a tall woman stepped out.

She took off her sunglasses, revealing a face that was instantly recognizable worldwide—Keira Knightley.

“Is that... Keira Knightley?” Henderson stopped, asking in disbelief.

“Oh my God, it really is her!” Vardy also widened his eyes in surprise.

The atmosphere on the training ground instantly became restless. Players stopped their movements, whispering to each other. Even Old John, usually so serious, couldn’t help but take a few extra glances.

Keira Knightley ignored the reactions of those around her and, accompanied by her agent and a tall bodyguard, walked directly towards Lin Feng.

It was a face that was overly photogenic, even in Hollywood. Keira Knightley surveyed her surroundings, the cuffs of her white shirt casually rolled up, exuding a casualness that treated any place like her own backyard.

Lin Feng put down his tactical board and stood calmly, waiting.

Ever since their last encounter at the Oldham stadium, he had anticipated that Keira Knightley would eventually come looking for him. He just hadn’t expected it to be on such an ordinary training day.

“Mr. Lin, we finally meet.” Keira walked up to Lin Feng, extended her hand, and said in a charming British accent, “I’m Keira, a viewer very curious about your ’work.’”

Lin Feng politely shook her hand, his expression still calm, as if he were just meeting an ordinary visitor.

“Miss Knightley, welcome to Hartlepool. I’m honored that my ’work’ has such a distinguished viewer as yourself.”

Keira’s eyes narrowed slightly, seemingly surprised by Lin Feng’s composure. She had expected her sudden visit to catch the mysterious club chairman off guard.

“I’ve been following your story, from League Two to League One; it’s practically a Hollywood movie.”

Keira said, looking directly into Lin Feng’s eyes, “I couldn’t resist coming to see for myself how it all happened.”

Just then, a familiar figure walked over from the sidelines.

Sophie Green, holding a notepad, was recording the details of the training. When she saw Keira Knightley, her steps clearly faltered, but she quickly regained her professional journalist’s demeanor.

“Miss Knightley, I’m Sophie Green, a reporter for the Hartlepool Mail.” Sophie smiled and stepped forward, extending her hand, “May I ask if your visit is simply a tour, or are you also interested in investing in English football?”

Keira turned her head to look at the suddenly appearing reporter. Her gaze lingered on Sophie for a few seconds, seemingly assessing this unexpected interlude.

“Miss Green, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Keira elegantly shook Sophie’s hand, “I’m just a viewer with a passion for football. As for investing... who knows? Perhaps I’ll be persuaded.”

Keira’s gaze shifted from Lin Feng to Sophie’s face, with a hint of scrutiny. Sophie did not flinch, calmly meeting her gaze.

Sophie was wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans, her brown curly hair casually tied in a ponytail, with almost no makeup on her face.

Compared to Keira’s exquisite elegance, she appeared more natural and unadorned. But her intelligent eyes and confident demeanor were in no way inferior to the international movie star before her.

Lin Feng stood between the two, feeling a peculiar pressure. He did not favor either side but made an impeccable decision.

“Miss Knightley, since you’re here, why don’t I give you a tour of our training base?” Lin Feng said calmly, “There are many stories here that might satisfy your curiosity.”

He then turned to Sophie: “Sophie, perfect, you can also do a special report on ’Club and Celebrity Interaction.’ I think the fans would be very interested.”

This arrangement not only satisfied Keira’s purpose but also gave Sophie an undeniable reason to stay on-site, turning a potentially private meeting into a semi-public public relations event.

A complex emotion flashed in Sophie’s eyes, but she quickly regained her professional smile: “Of course, that’s a great idea.”

Keira, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly amused by Lin Feng’s handling of the situation: “Then I’ll trouble Mr. Lin.”

Lin Feng gestured for the two to follow, and the tour of the Phoenix Training Center began.

“We’ll start with the training pitch.” Lin Feng said, pointing to the wide expanse of grass, “This field was re-laid last year, using the same standard of turf as Premier League teams.”

Keira nodded, but her gaze occasionally swept towards Lin Feng’s profile: “I heard you had no football management experience before taking over the club; is that true?”

“Yes.” Lin Feng admitted frankly, “I was just a football enthusiast before.”

“I’m very curious,” Keira’s gaze moved back and forth between Lin Feng and the surrounding players, “what exactly does it take to make all of this a reality?”

Lin Feng smiled slightly: “Perhaps it’s luck, perhaps it’s sticking to the right direction. In football, sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to achieve.”

Sophie was taking notes on the side, but her attention was clearly not just on her notebook.

She observed Keira’s every expression, every movement, trying to understand the true purpose of the Hollywood star’s sudden visit.

The tour continued, and they arrived at the player rehabilitation center.

“This is our physiotherapy room.” Lin Feng introduced, “We’ve brought in some advanced rehabilitation equipment to help players recover faster from injuries.”

Keira walked into the room, looking at the various medical devices with interest: “These devices look very professional; the investment must have been substantial.”

“Healthy players are the club’s greatest asset.” Lin Feng replied, “Investment in this area can never be too much.”

“You seem to care about every detail.” Keira commented, “This doesn’t seem like the professionalism a ’mere football enthusiast’ would have.”

Lin Feng did not directly respond to this implicit challenge but continued to lead the two on the tour.

As they passed an office, Keira suddenly stopped, looking through the glass window at an antique chessboard inside.

“Is that Chinese chess?” she asked, a peculiar glint in her eyes.

Lin Feng’s expression faltered slightly but quickly returned to normal: “Yes, that’s a small hobby of mine.”

“I didn’t realize you were also interested in Eastern culture.” Keira said meaningfully.

Sophie keenly picked up on this subtle interaction between the two; her pen paused on her notepad for a moment, then quickly wrote it down.

The tour continued, and they arrived at the players’ dining hall.

“Our nutritionist creates personalized meal plans every day based on the players’ physical condition and training intensity.”

Lin Feng introduced, “In football, nutritional support is just as important.”

Keira nodded, her gaze sweeping over the various facilities in the dining hall: “Your attention to detail is impressive. However, I’m more curious about your decision-making process. For example, how do you discover young talents overlooked by other clubs?”

“Intuition, plus a little data analysis.” Lin Feng’s answer was brief, clearly not wanting to delve deeper into the topic.

Sophie added from the side: “Mr. Lin has a very unique eye. He can see potential in players that others overlook.”

Keira turned to Sophie, a slight smile playing on her lips: “You seem to know Mr. Lin very well, Miss Green.”

“It’s my job.” Sophie replied calmly, “As a sports journalist, understanding how a club operates is fundamental.”

The atmosphere between the two became subtle once again.

Lin Feng timely steered the conversation: “Let’s continue the tour; next is the players’ changing room.”

Inside the changing room, players’ equipment was neatly arranged. Each locker was labeled with the player’s name and number.

“It looks very tidy here.” Keira commented, “I thought a football player’s changing room would be more... chaotic.”

“Discipline is the foundation of success.” Lin Feng said, “We require players to maintain professionalism both on and off the field.”

Keira nodded, her gaze falling on Vardy’s locker: “He’s one of your most successful discoveries, isn’t he?”

“Jamie is a talented striker.” Lin Feng admitted, “But his success comes more from his own hard work and talent.”

“Modest.” Keira chuckled, “But I heard that you personally persuaded him to join Hartlepool United. Before that, he was almost ready to give up professional football.”

Lin Feng looked at Keira with some surprise: “You know more about us than I thought.”

“I did some homework.” Keira smiled, “After all, it’s not every day you see a football miracle like this.”

Sophie was quietly taking notes on the side, but her eyes had become more alert. Keira Knightley’s understanding of Hartlepool United far exceeded that of an ordinary “football enthusiast.”

The last stop of the tour was the club’s trophy room.

In the glass display case, the EFL Trophy gleamed under the lights. Beside it were various awards and memorabilia the team had won over the past year or so.

“This is your first major trophy.” Keira walked up to the EFL Trophy and said softly.

“Yes, the night at Wembley was one of the most important moments in our club’s history.” Lin Feng replied, a glimmer of recollection in his eyes.

Keira turned around, looking directly into Lin Feng’s eyes: “Lin, this trophy is beautiful. But I think, compared to that antique chessboard from the East in your office, it still lacks a bit of ’soul.’ Don’t you agree?”

These words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

Lin Feng’s expression became more cautious; he looked into Keira’s eyes, trying to understand the meaning behind her words: “Everyone’s understanding of ’soul’ is different, Miss Knightley. For me, this trophy represents the hard work and dedication of the entire team, and that is where its soul lies.”

Sophie keenly sensed the subtle shift between the two; her pen paused on her notepad and then quickly stopped.