The problems were not yet solved, and the matches continued.
On December 10th, Cambridge United lost 0-1 to Dagenham away, exposing the team's lack of personnel.
Fortunately, Cambridge United returned home to beat Stevenage 1-0 and Canvey Island 3-1, providing a perfect close to the old year.
As the New Year approached, Huang Hao became exceptionally busy.
Club scouts were traveling across England, searching for young talents hidden in reserve teams, and then, with their persuasive skills, convincing opposing clubs and players to come to Cambridge United to prove their worth.
Regarding outgoing transfers, Harris and Johnson both moved to new clubs on free transfers, while Bennett and Brophy brought in tens of thousands of pounds in revenue for the club, which was an unexpected bonus.
However, there was almost no progress on incoming transfers, which greatly troubled Huang Hao.
After all, in the later stages of the League, player fatigue would gradually accumulate, and injuries would be more prone to occur.
Therefore, in addition to the three newly recruited scouts, Huang Hao even dispatched the Football Director to negotiate, hoping to bring in several immediate impact players for the team as soon as possible, so they wouldn't falter on their path to promotion.
Huang Hao had to admit that the departure of the four key players greatly affected Cambridge United's strength. Although the difference in strength among teams in the National League was not that exaggerated, experience could not be improved overnight.
This also became Huang Hao's most important task during the winter transfer window.
If he could, Huang Hao wished he could sign top players like Marcelo and Bale tomorrow, but unfortunately, this was not a football simulation game where he could buy whoever he wanted.
Every day, Huang Hao had to sift through a pile of player data provided by scouts, hoping to discover a few uncut gems. Unfortunately, either they were already committed to other clubs, or they simply looked down on Cambridge United, which was currently in the fifth-tier League.
On January 3rd, Stevenage returned home and defeated Cambridge United 3-1, further solidifying Huang Hao's determination to sign new players.
Just as Huang Hao was feeling dizzy from flipping through documents and was leaving his office in disappointment, he bumped squarely into someone at the door!
Huang Hao rubbed his dazed head and looked at the somewhat flustered strong man in front of him; it turned out to be Perrotta, whom he had demoted to the reserve team.
“Boss… I’m sorry.”
Perrotta hesitated, but finally opened his mouth to apologize to Huang Hao.
Harris and Bennett had successively left, but Perrotta was not so lucky and had not yet found a suitable new club.
“I want to know what you’re apologizing for?”
Huang Hao looked at the embarrassed Perrotta with a hint of amusement.
“Boss, I know I was wrong. My contract has less than half a year left. Please believe me, I will do my best in every match! And I have nothing to do with Bennett and them.”
Perrotta lowered his head after speaking.
For him, admitting fault was not an easy task. Six months ago, he could never have imagined that he would have to bow to an Oriental man younger than himself.
But now, only by playing in matches could he increase his value.
Otherwise, when his contract expired in the summer, he would only join the ranks of the unemployed.
“Duff, I have no grudge against you. I want to win matches, and you want to prove your worth. OK, this is not a difficult thing.”
“I can give you one chance, and I hope you won’t disappoint me.”
Saying that, Huang Hao extended his hand to Perrotta.
“No problem, thank you, Boss, I will.”
Perrotta quickly extended his hand and firmly shook Huang Hao's.
There was no major conflict between the two to begin with. Huang Hao had only wanted to establish his authority initially, but now with the identity of the club chairman, he no longer needed to do so.
Moreover, Duff Perrotta had rich experience in lower-tier League matches, which was still very important for Cambridge United.
“Report back to the team tomorrow!”
Huang Hao didn't want to make Perrotta too uncomfortable, so he turned and left the office after speaking.
Perrotta, on the other hand, let out a long sigh of relief and secretly clenched his fists.
Perrotta's return brought some relief to Cambridge United's stretched frontline.
Sager could originally play as a left winger, and at only 180cm tall, he often struggled alone on the frontline. His return to left winger not only filled the void left by Iliat's departure but even made the left flank stronger.
On the frontline, Huang Hao promoted 18-year-old Vardy from the reserve team. Although the young man had been brought in at the beginning of the season, as an inspiring representative of grassroots heroes, Huang Hao had kept him in the reserve team for training to let him adapt first. Now it was Vardy's time to shine.
As for Iliat, the departed left winger, Sager could play there, which essentially solved Cambridge United's left-wing problem.
Adams, the team director, who had been almost driven crazy by Huang Hao recently, did not disappoint his Boss. Relying on his connections, Adams successfully secured a free loan for a young player named Jack from Sunderland, who could play on both flanks.
Just as Huang Hao was preparing to conclude the winter transfer window operations, Cole knocked on his office door.
Although he had been with the team for nearly half a year, he still looked the same as when Huang Hao first met him in the cafe, always polite.
“Sir, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Cole, I told you, call me Boss, Boss!”
Huang Hao said helplessly, holding his forehead with his hand.
“Okay, okay, Boss. Um, I want to recommend someone to you, a teammate of mine from Bolton. You can take a look.”
“Bolton? Are you sure he’s willing to come here? He’s not named Aaron Cole.”
Facing the somewhat shy Cole, Huang Hao always couldn't help but tease him. As expected, Cole's face instantly flushed red.
“Uh, uh, well, we often keep in touch on ICQ. I told him about my situation here, and he admires you greatly, especially since he’s not getting playing time at Bolton now.”
Cole didn't feel that playing in a lower-tier League was something to be particularly aggrieved about.
It was precisely his attitude that made his former teammate develop a strong interest in Cambridge United.
“OK, good job, Cole, no problem.”
“I’ll have Adams communicate with Bolton about this immediately. I hope he can become your teammate soon.”
For the current Cambridge United, a player of Bolton's caliber could be used with eyes closed, and there wouldn't be much of a problem.
“Sir, oh no, Boss! Are you sure you don’t need to scout him first?”
Seeing Huang Hao make a decision without even asking for specific details, Cole asked in great surprise.
“Cole, I trust you.”
“Also, your current mindset is very good. Believe me, one day, I will make you stand on the same field as Bolton, and make them regret their past choices.”
Huang Hao looked at Cole with immense trust, his eyes filled with affirmation.
This was the second time Cole had heard Huang Hao's promise.
Although the team was currently in the fifth-tier League, Cole didn't know why, but he inexplicably believed this Head Coach who was only a few years older than him.
Adams's efficiency was excellent, and he quickly brought back the young Scottish midfielder from Bolton.
19-year-old Grove was a bit thin, and his style was very similar to Cole's, only he focused more on offense than Cole's defense, which was also a good addition to the team.
Thus, throughout the winter transfer window, the cash-strapped Cambridge United only signed three players, and the adjusted starting lineup of Cambridge United also emerged:
Goalkeeper: Jack Stevens, 19 years old
Left-back: Sweeney, 20 years old
Center-back: Emmanuel Longolo, 24 years old
Right-back: Watts, 25 years old
Left Midfielder: Sager, 23 years old
Playmaking Midfielder: Aaron Cole, 22 years old
Defensive Midfielder: MacKenzie, 20 years old (on loan from Hull City)
Attacking Midfielder: McConnell, 25 years old, Brazil, Cambridge United youth academy
Right Midfielder: Pasquel, 18 years old, Cambridge United youth academy
Forward: Perrotta, 30 years old
Forward: Vardy, 18 years old
This Cambridge United team, with an average age of just over 22, and a Head Coach who was also only 28, became the youngest team in the England National League.
Despite being unfavored by the outside world and even their own fans, the transformed Cambridge United was about to unleash a youth storm on the English football scene. Reorganized, this young Cambridge United team was full of passion and vitality.
Their tireless high-pressing also made life difficult for the technically crude teams in the lower-tier Leagues.
However, similarly, the lack of experience and inconsistent performance of the young players also left Huang Hao helpless.
When they were in form, it was a youth storm; when they misfired, they were just a bunch of inexperienced players.
After all, the team only had one 30-year-old “veteran,” Perrotta. This unconventional team could cleanly defeat the League leaders 2-0.
Yet, they would also inexplicably lose to weak teams struggling in the relegation zone. It could only be said that in the lower-tier Leagues, the level of teams truly didn't differ much, and sometimes luck also played a decisive role in matches.
Cambridge United's performance caused a huge sensation among Chinese fans.
On Hupu Tieba,
“That throw-in from Cambridge United is something else, their scoring rate is pretty good.”
“Indeed, that ball is like throwing a grenade, accurate and fast, whoosh, and it’s right in front of the goal.”
“They also have many set-piece tactics, it feels like every set-piece creates an opportunity.”
“The China team could learn from them. If they learn it, they won't be afraid of Korea or Japan anymore.”
As more and more people discussed it, the “grenade throw” tactic became a universally recognized term, gradually spreading from China to other countries.
