Chapter 15 A farewell letter to Sofia fans

I still remember and will always remember July 2027, 7.

I received a great welcome at the Red Rocks Stadium that day, with a total of 44722 Sofia fans coming to welcome me.

I am flattered.

I had never enjoyed such treatment before I came to Sofia, so when Mr. Matt Perkins, then General Manager of Sofia, told me that the club had prepared a welcome ceremony for me with tens of thousands of people in attendance, I thought he was joking.

You know, when I left Atletico Barcelona, ​​they said I would never be a top player, they said I didn’t deserve a high-paying contract, they said I couldn’t be a core player in a big club, they said I wasn’t as helpful to the team as I thought, they said without the platform of Atletico Barcelona, ​​I would never be able to achieve what I did then…

They said a lot more, some of which I can no longer remember.

I never denied it, I was like a lost dog at that time.

It was Sofolian that embraced me with open arms.

Mr. Perkins told me that Sofia needed me and that I could achieve unprecedented success here.

I felt the long-lost “respect” and “love” from Mr. Perkins and Soflian.

That’s why when I signed with SofaSoccer, my annual salary was not as high as what I asked for from Athletic Barcelona.

Some people attack me as a “football mercenary” who only cares about money, but I am not.

If I were a football mercenary, I would only be hired for “respect”, “need” and “love”.

I still remember how excited I was when I stood in the players’ tunnel at Red Rock Stadium, listening to the thunderous singing outside.

I felt it was almost impossible to move my legs and step onto the stairs.

To be honest, even my first Champions League final didn’t make me lose my composure like this.

So when I walked down the long red carpet, stood on the high stage, and heard you calling my name, I secretly vowed in my heart:

I will give my all for this team and its fans, and I will not let your love go to waste.

In these nine and a half seasons, I have never forgotten the vow I made that day.

I had my moments of injury, my ups and downs, but I never slacked off. I always gave my all, whether in training or on the pitch.

Over the past six months or so, some voices and some people have told you too many rumors about me. I wanted to prove myself with practical actions, but unfortunately, I didn’t have many opportunities to prove myself.

So unfortunately, this is the only way I can tell you what happened.

At the end of last season, when the team had already confirmed that it would miss the Champions League next season, there was a lot of criticism of me from the outside world.

I said at the time that if the team needed to rebuild, it could start with me, no problem.

But my words were interpreted as me being angry and threatening the club.

But what did I threaten?

I didn’t take the opportunity to re-sign a high-paying contract with the club.

Actually, when I said that, I was very serious. Although I did think about retiring from Sofia, if I became a burden to Sofia and could no longer contribute to the team, then leaving would be the best option.

As of now, the team is already rebuilding, so I am willing to leave on my own initiative.

I am not satisfied with my performance and the team’s performance last season: last season was the only season since I joined Sofia that I failed to score 20 league goals. We also failed to win the qualification for the Champions League.

I once thought that if I could score ten more goals, we could win a ticket to the Champions League.

So at that time I said I was willing to leave.

So why didn’t I leave then?
Because Mr. Sven Helden, who has been confirmed to coach the team next season, had a private talk with me and told me that he needed me and that I would still be an important part of his new plan.

When he said this, he seemed very sincere.

I chose to believe him.

It’s really ridiculous to think about it now. I don’t even have any audio or video recordings to verify that Mr. Helden ever made such a promise to me.

So I can’t prove to you what I said.

But you should know that I am not good at lying.

I know I am not a perfect person and I have many shortcomings, but hypocrisy and lying are not among them.

When I heard Helden’s commitment, I was very happy that I was still needed by the team and could still contribute.

So I rejected invitations from many clubs and stayed to prepare for the new season.

I admit that the news of my mother’s injury last July disturbed me and made me uneasy and unable to devote myself to pre-season preparations, so I did not perform well in the pre-season training.

So when the head coach thought I was not ready and did not plan to let me start at the beginning of the league, I accepted his arrangement. I did not complain or feel dissatisfied. I just worked harder in training and made up for the lost time.

But perhaps it was my unconditional cooperation that led Mr. Helden to make some misjudgments.

From then on he put me on the bench without even any explanation.

The head coach certainly has the power to choose who will be on the bench and who will start, but shouldn’t he give an explanation to the players he treated like this?

Am I not working hard enough in training?

Or is it that my ability does not meet his requirements?

Or do I not fit his tactical vision?

I kept waiting for him to explain.

But sorry, no.

There is no explanation.

Even when he substituted me in the last 1 seconds of the 0- win over East London United, he didn’t give me any explanation or tell me what to do – even when he said to me at the time, “I need to use this substitution to delay the game”? He didn’t say anything, just hid behind assistant coach Demos in silence, letting Demos tell me to go on the court. I looked at him, but he treated me like air.

If anyone doesn’t believe me, you can just watch the video of the last moments of that game and you’ll know I’m not lying.

My agent Fernando said at the time that Helden’s actions were humiliating and disrespectful to me. I didn’t say anything. I was wondering if I would get an explanation after the game. But I didn’t. It wasn’t until I expressed my anger and dissatisfaction within the team that I got a perfunctory explanation:
Letting me play in the last few seconds was just to not disappoint me after waiting for the whole game. It was a respect for me.

Dear fans, how do you feel when you hear this explanation? Do you feel respected? Do you think I, Wang Lie, am the kind of person who would be happy if I was given a few seconds of playing time in every game?
My agent expressed his dissatisfaction, but I didn’t say anything and I didn’t even give him a thumbs up. Now I can tell you frankly what I thought at that time:
Yes, I agree with my agent 100%. I just feel that Helden is humiliating me. I don’t see any respect from him at all. His so-called “respect” is just humiliating me.

He is sending a message to other players of Sofia in this way:
I can even control Wang Lie at will, let alone you!
I was criticized for being hostile to the head coach, for not respecting the head coach, and for being the culprit that destroyed the atmosphere in the locker room and the unity of the team.

But at least when he humiliated me for the first time, I didn’t confront him, I didn’t disrespect him. I didn’t criticize him in the locker room or openly oppose him.

So why did I disrespect him when I played against him in the FA Cup?
Because I found that tolerance and considering the overall situation could not bring me respect. My love for the club and my concern for the collective interests of the team became a handle for some people to threaten me.

Okay, now back to the game against East London United.

It was also from that time that I decided to leave Sofia during the winter transfer window.

I never thought of leaving in this way, but if it really comes to the time to leave, then I will leave. I have no choice.

I was no longer needed or respected by the club. Helden just used me as a stepping stone to establish his authority, and by humiliating and suppressing me, he told the locker room that he was the boss of the team and everyone had to listen to him.

I am willing to cooperate with the head coach and I will always respect the head coach, but if I am required to do this in order to respect the head coach’s authority, then I’m sorry I can’t do it because I cannot destroy my own personality.

I am very sorry that I have to say goodbye to you in this way, and I am also very sorry that I have to end my career in Sofia in this way.

Since Mr. Perkins retired, Sofia has become a stranger to me.

But I never complained before, I just tried to do my job as a player.

I love Sofia United so much that I am always trying to help the team in any way I can.

But the club didn’t seem to think so. They thought I was the culprit for the team’s decline in performance. I became a burden that they couldn’t wait to get rid of.

When rumors about me were circulating, the club did not express its support for me, not even in private – by the way, there are idiots now saying that it was the glory of the “Seven Crowns” that led to Sofia’s current decline, and that the championship hurt the team. I don’t know whether the club will stand up to refute this nonsense this time. After all, the “Seven Crowns” is related to me.

However, when Mr. Helden deceived me, the club’s general manager, Mr. Jonathan Hall, vouched for him with the club’s reputation and told me that I could trust Helden – don’t worry, Mr. Hall, you can deny it because I don’t have any audio or video evidence.

After all, how could I have thought that you were talking like farting? How could I have thought that the general manager of a wealthy club would play such a trick with his own players?
Sorry, it’s my bad.

I underestimated the evil of human nature and overestimated your spirit of contract. It was my fault. I should not have used the standards of Mr. Matt Perkins, a legend in the history of the Sofia Football Club, to judge you, a successful professional manager in an American football club.

After all, American football and soccer are different.

I heard that you immediately cleaned out my locker in the locker room of the first team training base, and you also removed my advertising posters on the outer wall of the Red Stone Stadium, as if you were eager to erase all traces of my presence in this great club.

Let me remind you that you missed one place. On the wall of the Red Stone Stadium, there is not only my poster, but also my Golden Foot nameplate.

You can open this letter after you see it.

I don’t care, because you can’t take away my 454 appearances for Sofia United, nor can you erase the 411 goals I scored for Sofia United.

You also can’t hide the fourteen major trophies I won here.

You can’t erase my memory from the hearts of Sofia fans.

So that’s it.

I will always be a supporter of FC Sofia, but I am very disappointed with the current management team of FC Sofia. I firmly believe that FC Sofia will be better in the future, but it is a pity that I can no longer be a part of it.

Finally, I’m sorry that I didn’t have the chance to say goodbye to the fans of Sofia United. After all, you gave me such a grand welcome. I will always remember that day.

Love you forever Wang Lie
2037.01.20
※※※

“Oh!”

“Snapped!”

“There’s a roar…”

After reading the “Farewell Letter to Sofia Fans” suddenly released by Wang Lie, Jonathan Hall was so angry that he wanted to throw the phone in his hand away.

It can’t really fall – how troublesome would it be if it broke?
But something has to fall.

So he vented his anger on the books, documents and coffee cups on the table.

The wife heard the noise, came in and saw the mess in the study. She didn’t ask what had happened, but squatted down and cleaned up the place silently.

She knew why her husband was so angry, because she had just secretly read Wang Lie’s letter when she was alone in the living room…

She could fully understand her husband’s anger – the person had left, but he still stabbed her in the back and made up nonsense with no evidence. It was so despicable and shameless!

Hall thought so too. He gasped and cursed with gritted teeth, “Damn it! Damn bastard! How dare he?! If I had known he was so despicable, I shouldn’t have agreed to their request to terminate the contract. I want him to stay in the youth team until the end of the contract! Damn it! Who does he think he is?!”

His roar was still echoing in the study when the cell phone rang – it was Sven Helden calling.

Hall answered the call while feeling lucky that he didn’t drop his phone.

As soon as the call was connected, Helden’s gloomy voice came: “Have you read the letter, Jonathan?”

“I just finished watching it!”

“How can he… say such nonsense?!” Heldon’s voice was a little exasperated. “The club should stand up immediately and protect my reputation!”

Seeing that Helden was angry, Hall quickly comforted him, “I will call the club right away and ask them to issue an official statement to refute Wang’s nonsense! The club will also mobilize media resources to fight back! In short, don’t worry, Sven, the club will always stand with you.”

After getting the club’s promise, Helden’s anger subsided a little, and his tone returned to its previous slightly gloomy calm: “Fortunately, the team has won the rematch with Dretin, so his letter did not cause serious consequences. But I must warn you, Jonathan, I don’t want this matter to affect the team. You know our goal this season is to return to the Champions League…”

“I know, Sven, I know, I value this more than you do. Don’t worry, after Wang left, Sofu League has entered our era! We can finally do something big without any restrictions!”

After hanging up the phone, his wife had already cleaned up the garbage on the floor and brought him another cup of coffee.

Jonathan Hall forced a smile at his understanding wife, rubbed his nose and sighed, “I thought if I let him leave the team, the trouble would go away. I didn’t expect…”

His wife gently squeezed his shoulders and massaged him: “This is not your problem, dear, you have done a good job. Don’t worry about the rumors outside. As long as you lead Sofia back to the Champions League, all doubts and slander will automatically disappear, just like you did in Los Angeles.”

Before becoming the general manager of the Sofia United Football Club, Jonathan Hall worked for the famous American rugby club Los Angeles Stars for eight years. When he first took office at Los Angeles Stars, he also encountered a crisis of trust and difficulties, but he eventually overcame many difficulties and achieved great success in Los Angeles.

Encouraged by his wife, Hall’s mood finally improved. He tilted his head and gently rubbed his cheek on the back of his wife’s hand.

Just as his wife said, as long as the team can return to the Champions League this season, the stab Wang Lie suffered today will not affect him at all.

In the world of football…or the world of sports, the winner is king.

How much of a stir can the nonsense of a loser who has been kicked out cause?

※※※

“…Sofo United Club officially issued a statement to refute the content mentioned in Wang’s previous farewell letter. They denied that General Manager Jonathan Hall and Head Coach Sven Helden had deceived Wang together… At the same time, the club officials deeply regretted Wang’s remarks after leaving the team. The club has always respected Wang. They believe that Wang’s remarks hurt not only Mr. Hall and Mr. Helden, but also Sofo United Club and all Sofo United fans…”

“Sven Heldon said in an interview that he could understand Wang’s leaving Sofia in this way and that he had a lot of dissatisfaction in his heart. But he firmly denied all of Wang’s accusations against him. Wang said that he did not give any explanation for substituting him in the last 30 seconds, but in fact he did explain it, but Wang chose not to believe it… He also believed that what Wang did was a betrayal of Sofia. He put the team in the spotlight and interfered with the team’s preparations for the next game. At the critical moment when the team was striving for the Champions League qualification, this was a very selfish and irresponsible act…”

“My God, Wang actually blamed his poor mother for his poor form this season and difficulty in getting stable playing time. His mother’s fall and injury are still being brought up to gain sympathy… For a guy who can even take advantage of family affection, is there any credibility in what he says?”

“This is the most despicable and shameless farewell letter I have ever seen. I have never seen a player attack and humiliate his former team in this way after leaving his old club! He keeps saying that he loves the team and the fans, but is this how he loves them?”

“Marvin Bullock, who was once Wang’s teammate at Sofia United, fiercely criticized Wang’s so-called farewell letter. He believed that this was an arrogant act that proved that Wang did not take the club seriously. It is reported that since the FA Cup refusal to leave the field, many of Wang’s former teammates have publicly criticized him…”

“Wang even listed his achievements complacently, as if he had accomplished all of them by himself. He didn’t even think about it. Without the support and publicity from the Sofia United Club, could he have snatched two Ballon d’Ors from Ronaldo? Does he really think that the Ballon d’Or is purely based on personal performance? He only emphasized his personal contribution, but never mentioned the huge amount of resources that Sofia United Club spent on him to promote him. Is there anything wrong with me calling him ungrateful?”

“Sofosun’s propaganda machine has been activated. Look at how many media people have criticized Wang in such a short period of time? In just half a day, in the mouths of these media people, Wang has gone from being Sofosun’s historical legend to Sofosun’s historical sinner… Ha! Wang said that they can’t erase his memory in the hearts of Sofosun fans. They really can’t erase it, but they can modify it. Perhaps it won’t be long before Wang will be kicked out of the list of heroes of the ‘Seven Crowns’, and all Wang’s achievements in Sofosun will become his boasting. Don’t doubt it, this is the power of the media…”

“Breaking news: Wang’s Golden Foot nameplate on the outer wall of the Red Stone Stadium was destroyed, and traces of filth were left at the scene… Apparently Wang’s farewell letter to the fans did not work, but instead aroused the anger of many Sofia fans. They chose to vent their emotions and stance by destroying Wang’s Golden Foot nameplate…”

“After Wang published an open letter to all Sofia fans, our reporters went to the streets of Manchester to interview Sofia fans and hear what they think of the open letter…”

Respondent A: “I think Wang was too impulsive… Yes, I know he is always impulsive, but it is definitely not the way for Essef United to do this… I have mixed feelings. The club did not treat Wang correctly, but Wang’s counterattack… also embarrassed me…”

Interviewee B: “What Wang did was absolutely wrong! He was destroying Sofia United! He brought shame to this powerful club! He…”

The reporter interrupted him: “Excuse me, are you a Sofia fan?”

Respondent B: “Me? Oh, no, I am… uh, I am a fan of Clayton Athletic… But that’s not important. I look at this matter from a neutral and objective perspective. I think Wang’s whole article is full of accusations and speculations without any evidence. Does he think that Sofia fans will believe what he says? Even I, a fan of Clayton Athletic, can’t stand it! Believe me, I have no selfish motives. After all, Sofia hasn’t beaten Clayton Athletic for a long time, so this matter doesn’t actually affect us…”

Respondent C: “I support Wang 100%! He is our Sofia United hero! Look at how the club treats this hero! How can they take down the posters outside the stadium on the first day of announcing the termination of the contract? Shame!”

Interviewee D: “Wang’s problem is that he is always so conceited… He feels that the club and the head coach have let him down, but he forgets that he is almost 38 years old. If I were him, I would not need to ask the team to notify me at this age, I would just leave… In the history of Sofia, there are so many players who have done this, why does he think he is the ‘special one’?”

Respondent E: “I don’t care what Wang said, I only care about where we will be after this season. Oh please, I don’t want to watch the Europa League next season…”

……

“This Wang…” Cesar Varo shook his head and sighed, “He’s really good at making trouble. To be honest, looking at the things he has done, I thought he was a twenty-year-old rookie… Are you sure that he can stabilize the locker room by coming to Tyne? Why do I feel that he will stir up even bigger waves in the locker room?”

Sam McNeill laughed and said, “It’s too late to talk about this now, Cesar. We have already signed a contract with him. Do you want the club to break the contract?”

Varro rolled his eyes at him and said, “I’m not that stupid. But look at Wang’s traffic. You brought him to Tyne, and you also brought a huge amount of traffic that follows him. The greater the traffic, the greater the pressure. I can fully imagine that Tyne will not have a few days of peace in the future…”

McNeill asked provocatively: “So you’re scared, Cesar? You’re afraid of pressure?”

Varro snorted disdainfully: “I’m scared? Are you kidding! I’m worried about you, Sam. Because if you can’t stand it and leave, I’ll lose my job. My whole family is counting on me!”

McNeill laughed. “Don’t worry, Cesar. I have never been more confident than I am now. And this letter from the king has given me this confidence.”

Varro was very curious: “Why?”

“Because I saw anger in his letter – he was just like anger itself. And from what I know about him, no one has ever gotten away with angering Wang Lie in all these years. His heart is still not old, Cesar.”

Cesar Varo was not so easily convinced. He muttered, “I hope you are not mistaken, and I hope he is really not old – oh, I am not talking about the heart, but the body…”

※※※

Wang Lie’s open letter caused a lot of controversy, and the aftermath has not yet subsided.

Some people expressed their support for him, while others harshly criticized Wang Lie for being ungrateful. Wang Lie’s haters and fans opened up a new battlefield.

Amidst all this turmoil, on January 21, the Premier League Tyneside Club released a video and a news release:
“We are very honored to announce that top star Wang Lie will join Tyne Football Club on a free transfer. Although we cannot prepare a grand welcome ceremony for him due to the ongoing season, we can’t wait to see him on the field!

“WELCOME, CHINA WANG!

“The legend continues!”

(End of this chapter)