The players' reporting day arrived quickly.
On the morning of July 5, 2017, all first-team players arrived at the training ground on time, lining up in two rows.
Zhao Zhao also walked over with His coaching staff.
Once both sides were face-to-face, the Coaches behind Zhao Zhao also formed a line, while Zhao Zhao walked towards the players.
He walked from the left to the right of the two rows of players, like a commanding officer inspecting His troops, nodding slightly after making eye contact with each player who looked at Him.
"Not bad, this team, at least their looks are top-notch," Zhao Zhao thought to himself.
Isn't that right?
Among the coaching staff, Zhao Zhao and Alonso could both be described as undeniably handsome.
And among the players, Ben White was a typical English heartthrob, while Rice was the "delicate and charming" type, and Ruben Dias was even hailed as a "national husband"-level presence.
In the front, Brahim Díaz was proper, Foden was fair-skinned, Sancho had a touch of wildness, and Haaland ate… Hmm?
Alright, this guy who looks a bit fierce, if he's not ugly normally, he's actually quite handsome.
Never mind, let's get down to business.
"Alright, before we start today's training, there are a few things I must clarify first."
Zhao Zhao said, then turned sideways, waved to the Coaches behind Him, and then faced the players to introduce them:
"First, let's get to know the members of the coaching staff. Some Coaches here today are new, but I will also introduce the old Coaches, because we also have many new players."
"This is Breswell, this is Alan Tate, this is Xavi Alonso… They are My Assistant Coaches, and they will also be responsible for your daily training. You will undergo different training programs under their guidance."
"Then this is Lafuente, this is Sergi Perez, they are the fitness Coaches. Perhaps none of you like boring fitness training, but trust me, as long as you can meet their requirements, then you can run freely on the field!"
"This is the Goalkeeper Coach…"
As Zhao Zhao introduced them, the players listened very attentively.
Most of these players were young, but all had very good professional ethics.
They also knew very well that only by diligently following the Coach's guidance and training hard here could they gain the Coach's favor and then establish themselves in the team!
Only in this way, when they truly stepped onto the Premier League stage they had long yearned for, could they face challenges fearlessly and defeat strong opponents!
"And I am Zhao Zhao, the team's Coach. I believe everyone knows me."
Finally, Zhao Zhao pointed to himself and smiled, "You can call me by my name, or you can call me Coach Zhao, or follow the older players and call me Boss, I don't care. Of course, if someone calls me Handsome Zhao, I might enjoy it more."
The players also laughed.
Especially the new young players, who had been feeling a little nervous, also relaxed.
Although most of them were under 20, this Coach was only 25, so he was considered a peer.
Unlike those older Coaches who often kept a stern face, this Coach Zhao spoke more casually and was more approachable.
At this moment, Zhao Zhao said again, "We have added ten new players to the first team this season, and I won't introduce them one by one. You will naturally get to know each other during the upcoming training."
Then he called out, "Defoe!"
Defoe immediately said loudly, "Here, Boss, what is it?"
Zhao Zhao had already pulled out a captain's armband from somewhere, then walked over and personally put it on Defoe's shoulder.
Defoe was slightly stunned, then heard Zhao Zhao say, "From today onwards, Defoe is our Captain. He is our team's best player, top scorer, and also a long-time member of the England National Team. I believe no one has any objection, right?"
Defoe still wanted to say something, but Cattermole had already led the applause.
The players also followed suit, and the training ground was instantly filled with enthusiastic applause.
For an older brother like Defoe, who worked hard and performed excellently on the field, and was kind and approachable off the field, everyone was naturally convinced.
Even the young players who had just joined the team greatly admired Defoe's abilities and achievements.
Of course, Defoe himself was also Sunderland's biggest and most famous player. Who wouldn't know him?
Moreover, he had been playing for the team for several years and was very familiar with the club's situation.
So, naturally, no one would have any objections to Zhao Zhao's appointment.
Then Zhao Zhao said to Cattermole, "You will continue to serve as Vice-Captain. I believe you can work with Defoe to lead these youngsters well! Oh, and don't teach them to pick up unnecessary red and yellow cards."
There was another burst of laughter on the training ground, and Cattermole also scratched his head a little sheepishly.
He had arrived at Sunderland in 2009, so he had been with the team for 8 years.
Although he sometimes acted rashly on the field, this was mainly because he was a righteous person and liked to stand up for his teammates.
This, of course, made him prone to getting cards, but teammates would also like such an "older brother" type of player.
So, he and Defoe were considered a "blend of rigidity and flexibility," just right to balance things out and manage the locker room together.
Finally, Zhao Zhao pointed to Pickford and said, "And then, you are the Third Captain."
This surprised Pickford greatly, and he even pointed to his mouth with his finger: "Me? Third Captain?"
After all, he was only 23 years old this year, and he felt that he was still too young to be a Captain, even a Third Captain.
But Zhao Zhao smiled and said, "You are the player who has been with the team the longest here. Let's see, it must be… 15 years, right? So as an old player, you must lead everyone well!"
Zhao Zhao was joking, but he wasn't wrong.
Pickford joined the Sunderland youth academy at the age of 8, signed a professional contract with the club at 17, and then began loan spells for experience.
It wasn't until last season that he truly returned to Sunderland's first team and started playing matches.
This season, he has firmly held the team's starting position and has performed exceptionally well.
Among Sunderland's current first-team squad, Pickford is also the only "club youth academy player," truly the team's prince.
So, it was natural for Zhao Zhao to appoint him as the team's Third Captain.
What's so strange about being a Third Captain at 23?
Torres became Atlético Madrid's Captain at 19; that's the value of a prince!
Besides, although 23 is not old, in front of this group of kids like Sancho, Haaland, and Foden, he is already a big brother!
And Zhao Zhao's action could also, to some extent, motivate Pickford to dedicate himself more fully to Sunderland!
Indeed, after hearing Zhao Zhao speak so definitively, Pickford also nodded heavily, his eyes filled with determination.
Then Zhao Zhao looked at all the players again, his voice suddenly becoming deep:
"My demands for the team are simple: first, discipline, and second, unity."
"There are no privileged players within the team, not now, and not in the future. Whether on or off the field, if you encounter any difficulties, you can come to me. If you can't find me immediately, find the three Captains."
"One thing you need to remember is that any problems within the team must only be resolved internally. You must trust me, trust the coaching staff, and trust your Captains."
"Playing football is your career, and it requires not only your technical ability but also your professional ethics and integrity. Understand?!"
All the players said in unison, "Understood!"
The players' professional ethics are truly too important, and the harmony and unity of the locker room are also too important!
Of course, these two are closely related.
Players with high professional ethics will not only go all out in training and matches but also be less likely to cause trouble in the locker room.
And if a team wants to perform at its maximum capacity on the field, it obviously cannot have any issues in the locker room.
If the Coach and players spend their energy on internal friction, then what's the point of playing football? What a joke!
Using these three Captains to help Zhao Zhao manage the players was also something He had carefully considered, so He announced it today right at the start, to let everyone be aware.
After announcing the basic discipline, Zhao Zhao said to Pickford, "Captain, you tell everyone, what honors has our Sunderland won in its history?"
Pickford was stunned again.
Although he didn't know why, he still stood at the front of the team and said, "Our team was founded in 1879, and it has a history of 138 years. In these years, we have won a total of 6 top League titles and 2 FA Cup titles."
Zhao Zhao nodded slightly.
Truly worthy of being Sunderland's prince, he was very familiar with the team's history.
And after hearing Pickford's words, some players actually showed surprised expressions.
Because for many people who were not familiar with Sunderland, this was just an English relegation team, and it actually had a glorious past?
6 top League titles, isn't that on the same level as Chelsea?!
And if you count the English League titles, such a record can even rank among the top few, with only a few teams like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal ranking higher than Sunderland!
But then Zhao Zhao asked, "When did we win our first League title, and when was the last time?"
"Uh…" Pickford hesitated for a moment, then answered, "The first was in 1892, and the last was in 1936."
This answer made many people have an "I see" expression again.
Such distant events, of course, no one would remember.
Zhao Zhao continued:
"Yes, it was 1936. At that time, I believe many of your grandfathers hadn't even been born yet, right? Not to mention the first time, back then Britain was still in the Victorian era."
"In other words, our team hasn't won a League title in 81 years, let alone the Premier League title which was founded in the 1990s."
"And even for the FA Cup, it has been 44 years since we last won it! At that time, your fathers hadn't even been born."
"That is to say, the club we are in now has not won a decent trophy for a very, very long time, nor has it participated in higher-level European competitions."
"Do you know, Chelsea only has 6 top League titles, and Manchester City has 4. But now, when people talk about them, they consider them strong teams, title contenders, and Premier League giants."
"Even Tottenham, their last top League title was in 1961, but they are also considered part of the BIG6, with the strength to contend for the championship."
"Why do you think that is?"
Pickford was the first to answer: "Because… because we have been fighting for relegation all these years, and distant honors are not remembered by anyone."
"Exactly." Zhao Zhao nodded:
"Our fans, every year, can only pray for the team to avoid relegation, then cheer after successfully avoiding relegation, or feel sad after relegation."
"At this time, who would remember that you once won the championship in 1936??? "
"Even Nottingham Forest, who won the Champions League twice in the 1980s, does anyone say they are a strong team or a giant now? Because they are just an EFL Championship team."
"So, no team can rest on its past history, otherwise it will only remain silent."
"So now, I congratulate you all, we are now in a team that has been silent for eighty years!"
As soon as Zhao Zhao said this, the players were all stunned.
Veterans like Defoe and Cattermole had initially expected Coach Zhao to deliver an impassioned speech, similar to the one at the end of last season, urging everyone to set goals higher than mere relegation.
But Coach Zhao's sudden remark about "congratulating everyone" completely stumped them.
What the hell is there to congratulate?
It's not like they joined Real Madrid…
Many players would indeed be happy, even celebratory, if they could join Real Madrid.
But after all that talk, wasn't Coach Zhao just saying that Sunderland is currently seen as a weak team, a relegation candidate?
In a team like this, what is there to be proud of, and why should they be congratulated?
At this moment, Coach Zhao's gaze swept over the players in front of him, and a smile once again appeared on his handsome face:
"Think about it, last season's League champion was Chelsea. When people talk about Chelsea in the future, they will indeed think of Conte, of Hazard and Diego Costa, but they will talk more about the former Mourinho, and his players Drogba and Lampard."
"Similarly, if I were currently leading Manchester United, and you were also playing for Manchester United, and we won this season's championship. Would people talk about us? Yes. But when they talk about Manchester United, what they will talk about most is definitely Sir Ferguson and his Class of 92, and how they pulled Liverpool off their throne!"
"Arsenal is the same. Wenger, Henry, Bergkamp, Vieira, and their 49-game unbeaten run, are the eternal topics for Arsenal fans."
"Therefore, if we were at these clubs, even if we achieved some success, it would very likely be drowned in the immense waves created by our predecessors."
"Even if we created a dynasty, it would be somewhat diluted by their glorious history. But it's different here."
Coach Zhao waved his hand, and at this point, everyone was staring at him intently, including the Coaches.
They seemed to understand what their boss was about to say.
"Yes, Sunderland's glory is too distant. Because it all happened before World War II, when the competition system was not very complete, and few people even remember who the players and Coaches were who won the championship back then."
"Why is the statue outside the Stadium of Light of Coach Bob Stokoe, who led the team to win the 1973 FA Cup, and not of the Coaches who won four League championships in the 1930s, or even between 1892 and 1902?"
"It's because it's too far away, so far that many of you don't even know Sunderland once had such a history."
"And now, we have the opportunity to recreate history, to create a miracle. And such history and miracles will belong exclusively to us!"
"That's why I want to congratulate you. Because this is a team with history and heritage, and at the same time, it is the most suitable place for me and you to create new history!"
"We can make Sunderland great again!"
Looking at Coach Zhao, who was holding his head high and full of fighting spirit, the players and Coaches exchanged glances.
But unlike their bewildered expressions moments ago, now it seemed as if a burning flame had ignited in everyone's eyes.
Who wouldn't want to create their own history!
"Perhaps at first, we will stumble, and we will encounter some difficulties, but as long as we have such a great goal, we will not shrink back. More importantly, we must be responsible, and we must want to be the protagonists!"
Coach Zhao continued to speak with conviction:
"Some players might have won championships at certain teams, seemingly gaining some honor. But if they only sat on the bench at a big club, only played during garbage time, and then received a championship medal, what's the point?"
"I believe you all hope to earn your own honors step by step through your own hard work and effort, rather than just piggybacking on someone else's championship!"
"Have you heard Ronaldo say he was a 1994 World Cup champion? No, because he felt he didn't contribute."
"But he will say he was a 2002 World Cup champion, and he will be very proud, because he was the top scorer and the core of the team!"
"Perhaps someone is thinking right now, Ronaldo? That's a god of football, how can I compare to him?"
"But what I want to say is, everyone standing here today has been carefully selected by me, and all of you have the potential to become world-class stars in the future!"
"I believe everyone has talent, but you must also put in one hundred percent effort to realize that talent and become a star."
"If you fail to leave a glorious mark on the green field due to laziness, then there's nothing more to say. I won't feel sorry for it, because you brought it upon yourselves!"
"So, from now on, train hard!"
Coach Zhao finally finished speaking, clapped his hands, and then began to have the Coaches lead the players onto the field!
And on the players' faces, it was clear that each of them was still filled with excitement and surprise!
Because they really hadn't expected Coach Zhao to say so much to them, and in such an inspiring way, on the team's first gathering today!
It really made everyone's blood boil.
The boss even said they could all become world-class stars!
Perhaps veterans like Defoe and Cattermole felt alright, but young players like Sancho, Brahim Díaz, and Haaland, who are seventeen or eighteen years old, are still dreaming young players, and they were truly thrilled to hear it!
They wished they could start training right now, and then immediately start playing matches, all the way to the Champions League final, the World Cup final…
Well, the boss is indeed decisive; he said training would start, and it did, without any buffer.
At Coach Zhao's command, the team officially began their first day of training!
First, they collectively jogged around the field to warm up, while Coach Zhao stood by, observing the players' performance.
With the three captains leading the way, plus the morale boost from the recent speech, all the players naturally didn't slack off, and the 22 individuals jogged around the field in an orderly fashion.
Haaland, striding with his long legs, whispered to Sancho, who was a size smaller than him: "Hey, do you think you can become a world-class star?"
For some reason, Haaland felt a strong connection with Sancho; perhaps the two could indeed become good teammates.
Sancho smiled and said, "I've always thought I could. That's why I sought a transfer instead of staying at Manchester City playing youth team games."
"Wow, you were from Manchester City? That's impressive." Haaland opened his big mouth, "I'm just from a Norwegian team."
"Then why don't you have an accent?" Sancho asked curiously.
Haaland laughed, "I was born in Leeds. Actually, when I was little, I was always a Leeds United fan, and my father played for Leeds United at the time."
"Really? Then why didn't you develop in England? Why did you go to Norway?" Foden also took two quick steps and joined them.
Sancho and Foden, being teammates in the Manchester City youth team, were naturally already very familiar with each other.
They were just a bit curious about Haaland, this cheerful big guy, so they started chatting while running.
Haaland tilted his head and saw him; oh, this one was even smaller.
But for some reason, he felt Foden also seemed quite likable, and could perhaps become a good teammate too.
So Haaland replied, "Because I'm a true Norwegian. Although I could choose to play for England as my National Team, I still feel… England's performance in major tournaments is so poor. And didn't the boss just say that we should create our own history? I also want to create history with the Norway National Team!"
"Hmph." Sancho and Foden, both English, snorted.
Foden even rolled his eyes at Haaland: "Who said we can't create history in England? The last time England won the World Cup was in 1966, isn't that even more fitting with what the boss said, about creating our own new history!"
As soon as this was said, many people in the team immediately laughed.
After all, the team had the most English local players, and young players like Ben White, Rice, and Pickford would naturally also look forward to being selected for the National Team and bringing glory to their country in the World Cup!
And Foden's words also hit home for them.
Yes, create new history at Sunderland, and at the same time, create new history in England!
-----------------
Sideline.
Since such slow jogging doesn't actually consume too much physical energy—of course, consuming energy isn't the purpose of slow jogging anyway—the players chatted while running, and Coach Zhao didn't stop them.
On the contrary, since this was the first training session, Coach Zhao hoped it could be conducted in a more relaxed atmosphere, and also promote mutual acquaintance among so many new players.
See, aren't Haaland and Sancho getting to know each other in minutes, laughing and chatting?
In Coach Zhao's previous life, Haaland was teammates with Sancho at Borussia Dortmund, and with Foden at Manchester City; they had chemistry.
If their relationships at Sunderland were even better, their on-field coordination would certainly be more seamless, which would benefit the team.
At this moment, Alonso also walked up to Coach Zhao's side: "I didn't know you were so persuasive."
Coach Zhao's expression remained unchanged: "I'm telling the truth, the absolute truth! Don't you think they will become stars? Don't you hope to create brand new history at Sunderland?"
Alonso laughed: "Well, I admit, you've got me excited too. However, this season's Premier League won't be easy; everyone is recruiting, and I feel the competition will be even fiercer than before."
Coach Zhao nodded.
Alonso was right, but when has the Premier League ever been easy?
To stand out in the Premier League is even more difficult.
And Coach Zhao knew even better that if the BIG6 were the big mountains weighing down on many mid-to-lower-table Premier League teams, then Guardiola's Manchester City would become a colossal boss in the Premier League.
In his previous life, Manchester City's dominance of the Premier League began this season.
In the following seven seasons, Manchester City actually won six of the championships!
Only once was it snatched away by Klopp's Liverpool.
And from 2021-2024, Manchester City won four consecutive titles, which also set a 136-year historical record in England's top League.
And specifically for Guardiola's coaching career, it's even more terrifying.
As of 2024, he had coached for a total of 15 seasons and won 12 League titles.
In other words, he only allowed the League title to slip away three times!
Besides the time Liverpool intercepted it, the other times were when he first arrived at Manchester City this season (2016-2017), and when Mourinho's Real Madrid (2011-2012) stopped him.
And this doesn't even count the various cup titles he won, such as three Champions League titles…
Therefore, if Coach Zhao was to lead Sunderland to create a history of their own, then Guardiola and his Manchester City would absolutely be a super mountain to overcome!
However, a certain wise man surnamed Lu in China once said: The road must be walked step by step, and food must be eaten bite by bite.
So Coach Zhao wasn't in a hurry.
Even Guardiola could only fight for fourth place in his first year in the Premier League! — Well, that third place last season was already the worst result of his entire professional career.
After thinking for a moment, Coach Zhao turned to Alonso and said:
"In a few days, once their physical condition is roughly up to par, we'll arrange some friendly matches. The motivational speech has been given, but I still need to get these new recruits to gel as quickly as possible!"