Hamburg, Barmbek district.
Hamburg Sport Business Vocational College.
Certified by the college, student 【TAO FAN】 is hereby officially graduated.
Major: Sports Management (IHK Certified)
In the academic affairs office, a certificate lay on the table.
"Fan, congratulations on your successful graduation."
"Ms. Bach, thank you for your help. To be honest, I'm a bit reluctant to leave the college."
This was true. Germany is a country that is very strict on issues of racial discrimination, especially within colleges, where it has zero tolerance.
Most of the students in the college were youth academy players striving for their professional dreams. They showed both hostility and friendliness towards outsiders. As the saying goes, life has many facets, and people are all different.
Fan Tao was very fortunate to receive a lot of help at the college. When he first came to Germany, he encountered many problems due to the language barrier, and Ms. Bach, who was in front of him, provided him with a lot of assistance.
Ms. Bach smiled slightly at Fan Tao: "You were so green when you first came, but now you look much more composed."
"Yes, I'm about to become a professional player, so I have to be composed."
"Oh!" Ms. Bach gave Fan Tao a hug. "Then congratulations to you! You must be a hardworking and excellent player. I'll come to watch your games. Are you with Hamburg?"
"Yes, but for now I'll probably be on the bench, or with the second team, who knows?" Fan Tao smiled helplessly. This depended on the new head coach Tietz's arrangements for him.
"Fan, don't be discouraged. As long as you work hard enough, the day will come when your efforts bear fruit."
"Yes, I will work hard."
Looking at Ms. Bach, whose face and expression were completely different from an East Asian's, Fan Tao suddenly thought of his mother. Perhaps it was time to call her.
After officially bidding farewell to the campus, Fan Tao went directly to Hamburg's first team training base—Wolfgang Training Center.
Before meeting the head coach, he was going to see the Football Director, Bolt, today.
Fan Tao, carrying his graduation certificate, gently knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Pushing the door open, the room was simply furnished yet grand. Bolt sat at a large desk.
"Fan? Is that right? Please sit." Bolt simply pointed to the chair opposite him.
"Yes, Mr. Bolt." Fan Tao slowly took his seat.
"Wait a moment." Bolt merely glanced at Fan Tao and continued looking at the documents in front of him.
Time passed by second by second. Bolt's assistant brought a glass of water and quietly comforted him: "Mr. Bolt has been very busy lately, please bear with him."
Fan Tao just nodded slightly. He was very familiar with this feeling of not being valued; it was the same in his previous life.
Five minutes later.
Bolt looked up, letting out a long sigh: "I'm sorry, Fan, you've waited a long time."
His words were polite, but his tone was flat, without the slightest hint of apology.
Bolt pushed a contract towards Fan Tao: "You should have heard about head coach Tietz promoting you. You can consider this contract."
Fan Tao quickly scanned it—€2500/week, starting bonus €1000/match, contract valid from July 30, 2018, to June 30, 2022.
......
"Mr. Bolt, are you joking?" Fan Tao frowned, unable to believe the offer.
"Fan, this is the best offer after considering the club's current finances." Bolt looked unperturbed.
"To my knowledge, youth academy players in previous years never signed formal contracts with less than €3000 weekly salary, and they always included an annual salary increase percentage."
"Unfortunately, that was when we were still in the Bundesliga. Now that the club has been relegated, all players' salaries will be reduced."
"Can I still live in the youth academy apartment then? Rent is a big expense."
Bolt shook his head: "Unfortunately, no. New youth academy players will be joining soon. Once you sign the contract, you will no longer be a youth academy player, and you'll have to find an apartment yourself."
"What about a rent subsidy?"
Bolt continued to shake his head.
Fan Tao felt a surge of anger in his chest: "What about goal bonuses and assist bonuses?"
Bolt still shook his head, leaving no room for negotiation.
"If that's the case, I'm afraid I cannot accept it." Fan Tao shook his head firmly.
Bolt said with a hint of anger: "Fan, this is a professional contract that all youth academy players dream of. Compared to other players' salaries, this price is indeed not high, but it's enough to give you a stable life. You need to think carefully before answering!"
"Mr. Bolt, I've thought it through very clearly. This price cannot buy four years of my time."
"Three years?" Bolt asked tentatively.
As long as the price was low, he didn't care if it was four or three years. Contracts for such youth academy players were just a formality, especially for players from a 'football desert' like him, who only wanted to get some experience in Europe and then go back home to make money.
He firmly believed that Fan Tao was just lucky to have had a slight performance in a friendly match. He didn't think much of him and didn't understand why the head coach was willing to promote such a slacker.
"I do want a professional contract." Fan Tao's tone suddenly changed, becoming more assertive, "But I will absolutely not accept an insulting offer!"
"This is not an insulting offer." Bolt's tone was firm. "This is a reasonable offer given after analyzing your ability."
Bolt stood up and walked to the window, looking at the figures running on the green field: "The football world sees so-called talents emerging every day, but less than one percent of them achieve anything in the end. Many young players think highly of themselves and want big contracts as soon as they debut."
"Why?" Bolt's sharp gaze swept towards Fan Tao. "Do you think kicking two brilliant passes will get you a big contract? That was just a friendly match in a fourth-tier League! It doesn't even count as an official match!"
"Is fan recognition important? We are a professional club; we only give big contracts to strong players. Every number in the amount represents the blood and sweat they've shed for the club!"
Bolt walked up to Fan Tao, looking him directly in the eyes: "Now, tell me, why should I give you a higher weekly salary?"
"What you said is true, but you're downplaying my performance and potential." Fan Tao wasn't really 18 years old and hadn't struggled in professional football.
It was true that the first contracts for youth academy players were generally low-priced, but not so low as to be less than €3000 a week. Moreover, Fan Tao had shown significant potential, but Bolt simply didn't trust him, and that was the key.
So Fan Tao still insisted on his point: "€3000 weekly salary, for two years."
"A €3000 weekly salary is fine." Bolt still shook his head. "But two years is too short; it doesn't make sense."
"There's no other way, Mr. Bolt." Fan Tao spread his hands. "You can't offer better terms, and two years is already not short."
"Am I to understand that you're rejecting this contract?"
"€3000 weekly salary, two years, that's my bottom line."
Fan Tao calmed down. He wouldn't leave future problems for the sake of temporary comfort.
"Then, I'm very sorry." Bolt pointed to the door. "You may leave."
Fan Tao stood up and said clearly: "The next time we meet, you'll willingly give me a reasonable contract."
Bolt's lips curled into a cold smile: "Is that so? I look forward to it."
Watching Fan Tao's departing back, Bolt didn't take it to heart—the probability of an East Asian player truly making it was simply too low.
His salary budget only had €9000/week left, and head coach Tietz still insisted on bringing in a substitute player. He was currently scouting candidates in the free market and needed to reserve at least €6000/week in salary space.
This meant that the highest offer available for Fan Tao was only a €3000 weekly salary. More importantly, club regulations clearly stipulated that a youth academy player's first professional contract must not be less than three years, a clause related to the return on investment in youth training.
If he were to raise Fan Tao's weekly salary in exchange for a longer term to keep him, it would directly violate the club's current transfer strategy. After weighing the pros and cons, Bolt was very clear: Fan Tao was not worth him disrupting the existing balance.