The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 335: Goals for the New Season

Chapter 335: Goals for the New Season

To deal with a player like Henry, who had already won the World Cup, Aldrich knew he had to be patient and sincere. That's why he personally visited him, engaging in an open conversation. Aldrich never assumed a superior posture over the player; the authority of the head coach was one thing, but communication between coach and player was entirely another.

When Henry inquired about his standing within the team, Aldrich was equally candid.

For Millwall's new season, if they decided to adopt a three-forward strategy, the seasoned forwards over twenty years of age would include only Van Nistelrooy, Larsson, Klose, and Gronkjaer—just four players. Ronaldinho, Duff, and Van der Meyde were all under twenty and, considering their fitness and the need to protect young players, Aldrich planned to limit their playing time to no more than thirty games. Naturally, there would be distinctions; for instance, Ronaldinho would appear in more critical matches, while Van der Meyde and Duff would primarily fill roles in the substitute lineup.

How many games would Millwall play in the new season?

The Champions League, League, League Cup, FA Cup, plus the European Super Cup and Toyota Cup, if these games all reach the finals, there may be nearly 60 games this season.

And that's not even counting the international games players would be involved in with their national teams throughout the season.

Moreover, players' form tends to fluctuate, and when they're not performing well, it's essential to take a break and recover before stepping back onto the pitch.

Aldrich stated, "If you're concerned about playing time, I can at least assure you of a fair opportunity. As long as you're in good form and performing well, I won't keep you on the bench. Sometimes, too many matches in a season aren't good for players your age. You need to balance work and rest, adjusting calmly when your performance fluctuates instead of stubbornly insisting on playing every match."

Henry pondered this in silence.

Looking at Millwall's forwards, it was clear that Larsson and Van Nistelrooy would be the regular starters, while Gronkjaer had some limitations in his style of play. The younger players—Van der Meyde, Duff, and Ronaldinho—were all very talented, and Henry didn't believe he had lesser skills than them. Was there competition for a starting position?

Competition brings pressure, and having stronger rivals only serves to unlock one's potential.

After three hours of lengthy discussions, Henry agreed to join Millwall. The only remaining question is the details of the contract. Millwall has no shortage of funds and is in good financial shape. Offering a player like Thierry Henry slightly less than the maximum wage won't raise any eyebrows; after all, he's a World Cup winner, not a nobody.

Aldrich returned to London with Henry. Henry first checked into a hotel while the club searched for a suitable home that met his needs. Millwall's little community felt a bit shabby for a player of Henry's caliber; he needed a much larger residence to enjoy a more pleasant and comfortable life.

The next day, Henry underwent a medical examination with Millwall's medical department. The feedback for Aldrich was that he had minor injuries, with a recovery time of two to three months, and he would certainly be fine.

Another day passed, and with less than three days to go before the Premier League opened, Millwall held a press conference to announce their new signing.

Henry attended the press conference in casual attire alongside Aldrich, showcasing the new team jersey.

Fleet Street was caught off guard by Millwall.

Just the day before, they were busy doing pre-season round-ups for the Premier League teams, and while other clubs might still be making signings, the media's analysis of Millwall was built upon the assumption that there were absolutely no new signings at all.

Just after the media concluded their previews, Millwall announced Henry's signing, which was indeed significant news.

The young winger, who had scored three goals for France in the World Cup, had transferred from Monaco for ten million pounds!

Tomson, a reporter from The Sun, joked, "Congratulations, Mr. Hall, Millwall has set a new record for signings."

Aldrich was in good spirits, and Henry smiled beside him.

"Indeed, this is the most expensive signing in the club's history, but I think it's worth every penny. I won't view Thierry through the lens of a ten million-pound player. He needs a greater challenge and a better stage—Millwall can provide that for him. With his joining, our competitiveness will significantly improve, and I'm filled with confidence for the upcoming season."

It sounded, in truth, somewhat lackluster.

Champions of the Champions League, and their single transfer spending record is just ten million pounds? That doesn't exactly reflect the might of a top club.

With the Premier League teams making a full recovery and rapidly enhancing their competitiveness across Europe, last season they jointly claimed two of the continent's most prestigious cup titles. Many foreign media outlets sent reporters to follow and cover the Premier League, and Gancarlo from Gazzetta Dello Sport was among them.

He wouldn't measure Millwall's transfers in solely financial terms; instead, he believed that Italian clubs should learn from Millwall's business model.

Don't buy expensive players, only buy the right ones!

Gancarlo, with his Italian accent, asked Aldrich, "In the last two seasons, Millwall won a league title and a Champions League title, in addition to capturing two major domestic cups. The past two years were undoubtedly successful, but what are Millwall's goals for the future? More realistically, what are the targets for this season? Henry is an excellent forward, but there's a clear drop in Millwall's overall strength."

Aldrich calmly replied, "It's true that we lost several crucial players over the summer. The outside world claims that Millwall's power has diminished, but I don't think that's entirely accurate. People are overlooking one key point: my team is on the rise. Van Nistelrooy scored eleven league goals last season; this season, he can net at least fifteen. Ronaldinho had seven assists and five goals last season, and he will perform even better this season. Additionally, with the improvements of players like Van der Meyde, Duff, and Lampard, the overall strength of the team hasn't taken a severe hit. And now, with Henry joining us, if you want to know what Millwall's goal this season is, it's simple—the league title is our primary objective!"

The calm confidence that Aldrich expressed was not an act; he genuinely meant it: Millwall was among the favorites to win the league title!

Gancarlo found himself deep in thought, unable to determine whether Aldrich's confidence was merely bravado.

After Ajax won the Champions League, they faced the threat of losing key players but could only sell them gradually, afraid to strip the squad of its main talent. This cautious approach ultimately led to many players leaving the team for new opportunities. In contrast, after Millwall's Champions League triumph, they swiftly sold five crucial players along with a promising substitute. This decision was driven not only by the necessity to clear debts and secure significant profits from the transfer market, but also by the need to strengthen the team's foundation.

Over the past few years, there had always been talk of how young Millwall was, but no one ever claimed their squad lacked depth. A large number of young players were continuously developing, and the age structure was remarkably balanced, clearly showing a tiered distribution. This meant that even if they sold star players at their prime, immediate replacements were ready to step in, avoiding any gaps in personnel.

The more Gancarlo thought about it, the more he found Aldrich hard to decipher. Building a pyramid-like team isn't difficult; the real challenge lies in ensuring that each block of the pyramid is of high quality. If young players cannot live up to expectations and fail to inherit the legacy of their predecessors, then that pyramid could collapse in an instant.

"Millwall is determined to reclaim the league title, but who do you think are the biggest competitors this season?"

Aldrich's priority this season was indeed the league. The Champions League has too many uncertainties; the length of the competition and the intervals between matches leave room for unexpected events. Moreover, losing several star players means that the league serves as the foundation for the club's survival. Millwall must first help the new generation of The Lions gel and mature in the league.

The most crucial reason is that to determine whether a team has dominance, one must first look at the league. Millwall may have won a league title, but if they fail to maintain that success, their reputation—even with strong performances in European competitions—would lose credibility. The priority is the league. Who remembers Blackburn, the Premier League champions three years ago?

"If we fail to win the league title in the next two years, the perception of our success will diminish significantly."

"The biggest competitor is Manchester United, followed by Arsenal."

Aldrich stated unequivocally.

Richard of the Daily Mail asked curiously: "Why not Arsenal, who won the league title last season, but Manchester United, who were narrowly defeated by Millwall's substitutes at the last minute? Do you think this is the biggest Threat?" "

Aldrich chuckled, "It's simple. Arsenal is going back to the Champions League this year after many years. However, their squad does not have the depth to sustain competing on two fronts. Even if they exit in the group stages, it will affect their performance in the first half of the season. Many people think that six group stage matches are just six games, but the reality is, if you treat each of those six matches as critical, they will impact twelve league matches! Traveling for away games in the group stages poses significant challenges. Last season's inexperienced Manchester United found that out the hard way in October and November. Millwall's failure to defend their title was similarly caused by too many draws in the first half due to the pressures of European competition. I believe Arsenal will face the same issues this season. Manchester United is top of the list because their squad is just as strong as Millwall's. If Keane hadn't been injured last season, they might have secured the title much earlier. Although they also face the Champions League, their experience over the last two years—reaching the semifinals and the quarterfinals—will help them navigate it more smoothly. Therefore, Manchester United is Millwall's biggest rival for the league title, not Arsenal."

"What about Liverpool and Chelsea?"

"I don't know about Liverpool, but as for Chelsea—they've spent heavily again, and I don't know their debt levels, but it doesn't matter. Millwall's title race is between us and Manchester United and Arsenal; Chelsea isn't even in the same league as us."

After Aldrich finished, laughter rippled through the audience.

This young coach surely stands firm, displaying unyielding disdain for his rivals!

After the press conference concluded, Aldrich took Henry to the training grounds for his official introduction to the team, allowing him to change into a jersey and pose for a team photo.

Once the family photo for Millwall's 9899 season was taken, it was just a matter of waiting for the new season to kick off.

### New Season's Millwall Roster

**Goalkeepers:** Butt, Keller, Wright.

**Defenders:** Schneider, Ferreira, Mills, Materazzi, Southgate, Ferdinand, Zambrotta, Neil, Cole.

**Midfielders:** Makelele, Gattuso, Pirlo, Lampard, Nedved, Duff, Van der Meyde.

**Forwards:** Larsson, Van Nistelrooy, Henry, Klose, Gronkjaer, Ronaldinho.

**Total: 25 Players.**