Pep Guardio stood at the entrance of the trainier in Castel Volturno. He never imagihat Napoli's training base would be tucked away inside a golf course, and the area seemed surprisingly small for a professional football club.

  The security guard at the gate, upon hearing that Guardio was from Spain, articurly friendly to him.

  After all, the entire coag staff of Napoli had a strong Spanish e, although their head coach was ese. This gave the club a unique affinity with Spain.

  Guardio mused for a moment. Perhaps this Spanish e could make him the coach of Napoli.

  He had spent the st two years in Italy, pying for Brescia and Roma, and was familiar enough with Italian to engage in basiversation. In his halting Italian, he chatted with the security guard, asking casual questions like how the team was doing and what ges the young head coach had brought.

  The security guard, slightly cautious, avoided giving too much away. "You'll see for yourself once you join us here in Napoli."

  Guardio chuckled, realizing the guard must have mistaken him for someone seeking a job at the club.

  After a few more light-hearted exges, the security guard, still urict orders to be discreet, expihat their head coach had instructed them to be particurly wary of outsiders trying to gather information about the team's tactics or strategies. "Too many people outside trying to spy," the guard said seriously.

  Guardio couldn't help but smile. "Why does this feel like preparing for war?"

  Still, he had to admit that he respected the attention to detail and secrecy.

  When Guardio shifted the versation to hooli fans viewed their head coach, the guard's expression ged instantly pride aement spread across his face, as if he himself were Napoli's head coach.

  "Do you know Maradona?"

  "Of course," Guardio nodded.

  "Well, let me tell you something: what Mr. Gao is doing in Naples now is simir to what Maradona did here years ago. You imagine what that means to the fans."

  Guardio uood immediately. Gao Shen's style of football aggressive, high-energy, and passionate perfectly matched the character of Naples and its fans.

  They tinued chatting, toug on topics like the security situation in Naples.

  The guard, assuming Guardio might be worried about safety, quickly reassured him. "Do you know the Mafia? ao's first day coag Napoli, all the local gangs made it clear no one is to bother Mr. Gao. They're his first line of prote."

  The security guard leaned in closer, l his voice spiratorially. "One of the local gangs even promised that Mr. Gao could leave his door wide open, and no one would dare step foot inside."

  Guardio was taken aback by this. Was this really the mafia or just an overly protective fanbase?

  "In Naples, football is everything," the guard said proudly. "It's what unites us."

  This passion for football was why the security guard remained dedicated t for Napoli, even though his sary wasn't the highest. His pride in the club trumped all else.

  As their versation tinued, Guardio noticed someone approag from the trainier it was Lorenzo Bueura.

  "Pep! You should've let me pick you up! Why e by yourself?" Bueura asked, hurrying over.

  Guardio stood up, smiling as he shook Bueura's hand and embraced him. "I didn't want to bother you. I know you've been busy tely, so I just grabbed a taxi."

  Bueura shook his head, clearly frustrated but amused at Guardio's indepe nature.

  "My student from the coag course always like this. Never wants to trouble anyone."

  "e o's head inside ahe boss," Bueura said, grabbing Guardio's suitcase.

  As they walked together, Guardio couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.

  Gao Shen, the head coach of Napoli, was only twenty-five years old. Bueura, who wasn't much younger, referred to him as "the boss" without aation. This simple detail spoke volumes Bueura, a highly respected figure, was pletely won over by this young coach.

  Guardio knew his own teacher's capabilities well. For Bueura to be so thhly impressed by someone younger must mean that Gao Shen truly had something special.

  "I've already told him all about you," Bueura said as they walked. "He didn't eveate he immediately weled you to observe and learn. He even asked if he should pay you a sary!" Bueura ughed.

  Guardio, slightly embarrassed, said nothing. Here he was, a 35-year-old man, ing to a 25-year-old to learn. It felt a bit awkward.

  ...

  Gao Shen had first heard about Guardih Bueura about a week ago.

  He knew Guardio's story well: a legendary pyer for Bara, who had pyed for Brescia and Roma in Italy, then moved on to Al Ahli in Qatar. There, he earned €4 milliowo years a retively easy gig that gave him time to pn for life after football, including obtaining his coag badges.

  One particurly iiail was Guardio's brief stint at Maer City, where he went on trial to prove his fitness. After impressing the City staff, he was offered a six-month tract, which he turned down, wanting a longer deal. Guardio couldn't have knowhat he would one day bee one of City's greatest managers.

  After that, Guardio joined his friend Juanma Lillo in Mexico, pying for Dorados de Sinaloa. Lillo was somewhat of a legend in Spain, having started coag at 20 and leading teams like Samand Tenerife in La Liga by the age of 29. He was regarded as one of Spain's brightest tactical minds.

  During Guardio's time in Mexico, he and Lillo spent tless hours discussing football. It was there that Guardio first heard about Gao Shen's rise leading Real Madrid to an improbable La Liga and Champions League double. Lillo told Guardio that many of Gao Shen's ideas closely aligned with his own.

  When Guardio returo Spaiurned down several coag offers from La Liga clubs, opting io travel tentina to meet with Marcelo Bielsa, who was another major influen his footballing philosophy.

  Bielsa spoke highly of Napoli, and more specifically, of Gao Shen.

  "This is the team that has excited me the most in the past ten years. Maybe even longer!" Bielsa had said.

  He told Guardio that Napoli, under Gao Shen, pyed football like a predator a team full of energy and aggression, stantly hunting for the ball.

  Inspired by this, Guardio reached out to Bueura, and after receiving a warm invitatiao Shen, he made the jouro Naples.

  ...

  When Guardio finally met Gao Shen, he felt no particur awe he had seen tless photos of the young coach during his rise at Real Madrid. The man before him looked much like he had expected: calm, posed, and fident, with only slight traces of youth in his appearance.

  Despite the massive aplishments Gao Shen had already achieved, he seemed approachable, almost as if they were equals.

  To be ho, Gao Shen had seey of pictures of Guardio from his pying days as well. The future world-css coach looked much the same as he would a decade ter, aside from a few mray hairs and a more distinguished beard.

  Gao Shen had anticipated meeting Guardio. He knew of Guardio's jourhrough football and his growing i in coag. But to have him e to learn from him it was araordinary feeling.

  It wasn't lost on Gao Shen how remarkable this was. The future number one manager in the world had e to *him* to learn.

  Though he pyed it cool oside, internally, Gao Shen was ecstatic. He wao call Su Qing right away and tell her: The future number one manager in the world is here to learn from me!

  It was the kind of thing that could make him wake up ughing from a dream.

  But no matter how giddy he felt on the inside, Gao She his posure oside. He had to maintain the dignity of a seasoned manager, after all.

  However, he did treat Guardio like a close friend. He asked about his journey, how long he po stay, and whether he had found a pce to live yet.

  When Guardio mentiohat he hadn't secured a pce yet, Gao Shen immediately invited him to stay at his own home. "We chat more, eveo the night. We could have ih discussions about football every evening!"

  Guardio hadn't expected such hospitality from someone so successful. He immediately accepted, feeling incredibly grateful.

  After all, he was here to learn. To have such open access to Gao Shen and the Napoli team was a rare opportunity.

  Gao Sheold Guardio that he could e and go freely at Napoli's training facilities, participate in staff meetings, and attend training sessions. He'd have ris he would be treated as if he were part of the coag staff.

  Guardio was deeply moved by this level of generosity.

  Bueura, who had facilitated the introdu, was even mrateful. He had vouched fuardio, and now, seeing Gao She him with such kindness and respect, he felt immense gratitude.

  This kind of hospitality wasn't something you could fake. Bueura knew Gao Shen was genuinely ied in helping Guardio.

  After all, Gao Shen was from Real Madrid, and Guardio was a Baran they were supposed to be rivals.

  But Gao Shen's openness and willio help showed Bueura just how great of a man his boss truly was.

  Of course, Gao Shen had his own thoughts. He was already thinking about how to let the world know that Guardio had e to learn from him. Years ter, when people discussed Guardio's achievements, they will think of his mentao Shen. It's iable.

  Refleg on it, Gao Shehat this was an excellent oute!

  As for the fear of Guardio stealing his teiques, there was o worry.