Chapter 115: The First Day

Newcastle is located on the north bank of the River Tyne in the northeast of England, just fifteen miles from where the river meets the North Sea, and serves as the administrative center of Tyne and Wear. This city is the political, commercial, and cultural hub of Northern England. The people of Newcastle are renowned for their remarkable achievements, distinct personality, and unique accent. The city’s reputation as a "City of Vitality" dates back to the 19th century, when George and Robert Stephenson developed the steam engine and Joseph Swan improved the incandescent light bulb. Every weekend, thousands of tourists flock to Newcastle from across Northern England. The large student population makes the city’s nightlife vibrant and diverse. Newcastle has been ranked as one of the world's top eight entertainment cities. With a population of over 300,000, the local football club, Newcastle United, founded in 1881, boasts one of the largest fan bases in all of England and has long been considered one of the country's elite teams. Its home ground, St. James' Park, is also one of the most famous stadiums in the UK and even all of Europe.

Chinese fans' earliest impressions of Newcastle United likely stem from the Kevin Keegan era, when the team nearly clinched the league title, only to be overtaken by Manchester United after squandering a twelve-point lead. Later, the acquisition of Alan Shearer, the best striker in England, set a record; the £15 million transfer fee remained a benchmark until it was broken in 1997 by Ronaldo’s $29 million move to Inter Milan.

Although it is the most popular club in England—far surpassing the current powerhouse Manchester United and the historically greatest team, Liverpool—Newcastle United has not historically been as popular in China. Perhaps this is because Chinese broadcasts of European football have favored the Bundesliga and Serie A, with coverage of the Premier League and La Liga lagging behind. This situation only began to improve after Chinese players started moving to the Premier League in large numbers, and it was further cemented once Pei Wei acquired Newcastle United and brought in Nie Fei, China’s most famous star. Chinese fans began to grow familiar with Newcastle.

As the plane landed at Newcastle Airport, the players—who had been excited the entire journey but had finally drifted off to sleep—woke up one by one. Gazing at the scenery outside the windows, they were filled with excitement once again: This was Newcastle!

Unlike the gray, smoggy skies of an industrial city as they had imagined, the area, which was once a grimy industrial wasteland, was now transforming into a vibrant cultural center—who could have guessed?—as well as a destination for tourists. A beautiful pedestrian bridge stood miraculously high into the clouds; its elegant lines resembled a human eye, with ships passing along the river below. By the riverside, an old granary had been converted into a striking arts center, and a winding concert hall was under construction. A trendy, grand hotel stood just behind it.

As Long Bisheng and the others exited the airport terminal, they eagerly surveyed the city. Their team leader, Xia Liquan, began searching for the Newcastle club staff who were there to meet them.

"Coach Xia from Yunjia Tianyu?" A middle-aged man with a thick local accent approached him. Despite having studied abroad and possessing decent English skills, Xia found the Geordie accent—known for being uniquely distinct even within the UK—very difficult to comprehend.

Fortunately, the man pronounced the four characters of "Yunjia Tianyu" quite clearly. Xia nodded immediately: "Yes, that’s me. May I ask who you are..."

"John Carver," the middle-aged man said, reaching out to shake Xia’s hand. "Assistant coach at Newcastle... The Chairman arranged for me to pick you all up." He then gestured toward another stern-faced man beside him: "This is David Geddes, the Head of the Youth Academy. He will be your collaborator for the coming season."

Xia shook hands with Geddes, whose tone was not as severe as his expression. "I am looking forward to exchanging ideas with our Chinese friends regarding youth development... I’ve learned a bit about Yunjia Tianyu’s youth training capabilities from the Chairman. To be honest, it’s hard for me to imagine a club in the Far East that values youth development so highly and possesses such excellent capabilities, but I cannot doubt the boss's word... so, I am very much looking forward to what I see and experience this season."

"David is actually quite talkative," Carver said with a smile. "He just keeps that stern face because he’s used to it in front of young players... Let’s go, the club has prepared a bus. We’re heading to the Longbenton training ground now; there is much to do. Although we have arranged dormitories for you all, you will need time to overcome the jet lag."

Xia Liquan nodded and turned to shout at his players: "Alright, lads, it’s time to head out! Newcastle is a beautiful city, but you aren't here for a vacation. Newcastle doesn't need thirty more tourists!"

Carver, standing behind him, laughed and remarked to Geddes, "It seems this Coach Xia is just as strict with his players as you are."

Geddes shrugged. "You have to be like that with those arrogant young boys... otherwise, they’ll just be shooting stars."

It took two hours for Long Bisheng’s group to finally settle in. The accommodations at the Longbenton training base were quite good—certainly no worse than those at Yunjia Tianyu. The rooms were shared by two, and though they were small, they were sufficient. They even had televisions and internet access, though the latter was currently useless to them as none of them owned personal computers yet.

"The televisions are there to help you quickly familiarize yourselves with the local atmosphere," Xia said. "Your English is decent, but the Newcastle accent is very unique. You should watch local programs to get used to the way they speak... I am not your nanny, and I won't stop you from going out to explore during your spare time... but if you don't want to be taken for a fool, you’d better start learning the local customs. If you ever have the chance to play in Europe, the first thing you must do is integrate into the local culture quickly; it will make your performance much more natural."

After they were settled, Xia waved his hand: "Now, everyone back to your rooms. No sleeping before ten o'clock. I don’t want to see any of you still struggling with jet lag tomorrow. Watch the TV, talk to each other if you like, but sleep at ten... Reserve team training starts in three days. You are all elites back home; now it’s time to see what the elites among your peers in Europe are really like."

A player muttered a cynical "Tch" under his breath, but as Xia’s piercing gaze swept over him, he immediately went silent.

"Newcastle’s youth academy is famous throughout England and is exceptionally talented. Since the boss took over, he has also begun to focus heavily on youth development. This year, the club has signed three outstanding young players: seventeen-year-old English winger Alan Lennon, who once held the record for the youngest player to appear in the Premier League; fifteen-year-old Welsh full-back Gareth Bale, who is the same age as you; and sixteen-year-old English forward Theo Walcott. Over the next year, you will be training alongside these players who are already making a name for themselves in the UK. My requirement is for you to identify the gap between them and yourselves, while also recognizing your own strengths. Playing with your head isn't just on the pitch; it’s about observing the abilities of your teammates and opponents during training, strengthening your own advantages, and bridging those gaps. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" the players replied in unison, chests puffed out, as if trying to show their mettle to the elite peers of the Newcastle reserve team who weren't even present.

"Dismissed!" Xia said, ending the talk and sending them to their dorms to adjust to the time difference.

Long Bisheng sat on his bed, staring blankly at the television. The volume was turned up high—every room was the same. The dormitory was filled with the sounds of the distinct Geordie accent. If there hadn't been so few people around, someone might have called to file a complaint.

Li Jie walked out of the bathroom yawning, having splashed his face with water to wake himself up. "This is brutal. I’m exhausted, but it’s only six o'clock—I can't sleep... Long, you’re watching TV? Can you even understand that?"

"It’s alright," Long Bisheng nodded. "The Newcastle accent is unique, but it’s still English. I can understand five or six out of every ten sentences now."

"I’ve always said you were a genius," Li Jie said, sitting on his bed. "To me, it sounds like a Chinese person listening to Japanese—it sounds familiar, but I have no idea what it means... Sometimes I really admire you. Whatever the coach says, you execute it meticulously, whether it seems reasonable or not... Zhou Wei and the others came by earlier. What did they want?"

"They asked me to play cards. I didn't want to go. Are you going?" Long Bisheng replied.

Li Jie’s spirits instantly lifted. "Go! Why wouldn't I? I was just worrying about how to kill time... How many people do they have? I hope they don't have four yet; I need to hurry."

He slipped on his sandals and headed out. Long Bisheng called after him, "Remember to keep the TV on! The coach wants us to get used to the Newcastle accent!"

"Got it," Li Jie waved without looking back. "I’ll tell them."

Long Bisheng smiled and turned back to the television, muttering along with the sounds coming from the screen.

Today was Long Bisheng’s first day in Newcastle. From this day forward, he would lead an entirely new life. From a kid playing street football in the residential compound to a member of the Yunjia Tianyu U-17 youth team sent to Newcastle for exchange training, Long Bisheng had spent five years on this journey. Those five years of hard work had laid a solid foundation for him, and in the years to come, he would begin to realize just how significant those five years had been.