Godfather Of Champions

In the blink of the eye, the new season had already begun for more than a fortnight. Nottingham Forest’s results were one win, one draw and one loss. This was a mediocre result and nobody knew what to evaluate it as.

Twain could hardly get any information about Nottingham Forest unless he went online as he was in America now.

During this fortnight, he completed another massive task——His second autobiography was finally done, and it was being published at the same time all over the world. Twain had announced that this would be his last autobiography. Since he had already retired, what else would there be for him to write about?

This autobiography talked about Twain’s whole managerial career. The difference between this and the previous autobiography was that his time with the national team took up a large portion of it this time. At the same time, this was his first time talking about the details about him leaving Nottingham Forest even though the media had already dug out most of the information about that.

Next, he flew to Los Angeles with Theresa to participate in a book-signing event for his latest autobiography there. After that, he met up with a few Hollywood stars and directors after introduction by Shania and his good friends, Beckham and Tom Cruise, to discuss about another major event——An autobiographical movie. This movie would be produced by Tom Cruise’s United Artists Studios. Twain and Shania also donated a huge sum of money. It was an autobiographical movie after all, so it was not completely commercialized and there was no need to expect too much in terms of ticket sales. It was mainly for audiences who like Twain. If one wants to watch the story of the most arrogant and most successful manager in the footballing world on the big screen, then this was a movie that must not be missed. As for whether he was popular amongst the viewers…that was not important.

In truth, it was Twain using his own money and the help of his friends to complete a small wish of his——Making a movie out of the story of his life.

As the producer, Cruise thought that this was good material for a sports movie——This was because it accurately reflected the football culture in England.

However, the media provided a different view after catching wind of this news.

“…Arguing with his opponents, full of vulgarities, going against the Football Association, criticizing the referee, arrogant, causing trouble everywhere… I really worry about the effects of this movie on kids when it’s made. Anyway, I’ll not be allowing my son to watch this movie in the theatres!”

“This piece of news shattered the last trace of good feeling I had for him because of the World Cup… The thought of seeing his face on the big screens sounds like a tragedy to me…”

Cruise did not mind the criticism of the media. In fact, that was the exact effect that he wanted. As a controversial character in the sports world, Twain’s presence brought along voices of differing opinions everywhere he went. This was his advantage as he was able to attract enough attention. The producing studios had already witnessed the power of this advantage——The movie had not even started to be made yet and there were many calls from different media sources calling for an interview with the studios. Many other media sources became free advertisement for it too.

※※※

“As a movie that’s planned to be about 100 minutes long, we’ll definitely not be able to show the full 15 years of your managerial career. Therefore, we’ll have to take certain parts…” The United Artists Studios’ producer was telling Twain about his ideas for this movie. Tom Cruise, the boss of United Artists, was accompanying Twain and Shania by their side as their good friend. “This won’t just be purely a sports movie. We wish to express some thinking towards soccer as a sport.”

“We’ve read your two autobiographies thoroughly,” Next to the producer’s hand were the two autobiographies by Twain. The one below was the first autobiography that Twain published after 10 years of managing, “Ten years”. The book below was the latest new autobiography that was being published at the same time all over the world, “Champion”. “We think that the story that is most suited to be made into a movie is your first season in Forest, or should we say, half a season. It was very dramatic and at the same time, it provokes thought… I love Shankly’s quote, ‘Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don’t like that attitude. I can assure them it is more serious than that’. I think what you experienced during that half season was proof and an introspection of that quote…”

It was a good thing that this producer was Scottish and not an American who knew nothing about football. Otherwise, the movie would bear no resemblance to the real thing——Even though there were no good players from Scotland, there were many good managers from that country. He had some pretty good insights regarding a movie which featured a manager as the main lead.

Twain, who had been listening quietly all this while, suddenly interrupted him, “Sorry, can I ask you a question? Did you just say you want to use the second half of the 2002-2003 season as the base for the movie?”

“That’s right!” The producer replied, “Even though your team failed in their bid to win the title, but that’s okay. We can list out all your achievements during the end credits of the movie…” He thought that Twain was worried that the eventual failure at the end of that season would not be able to satisfy the audience.

Little did he know that Twain was worried about something else.

He stroked his chin in consideration for a while before shaking his head and saying, “I’m afraid I have to discuss this with someone…”

Tom Cruise looked at Shania next to Twain and she could only smile at him helplessly. She did not know what had gotten into Twain as well.

“Okay then, we’ll do this again next time…” Cruise looked at the producer who was going off to get his car, then turned back and asked Twain, “How long are you going to stay here, Tony?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be here for quite some time.”

When the producer drove the car over, Cruise gave Twain and Shania a hug before saying goodbye to them. After he left, Shania asked Twain, “Who are you going to discuss the movie with?”

“An old friend,” Twain smiled at Shania, “an old friend whom I’ve not met for many years… I wonder if he still remembers me.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” Shania asked as she lied within Twain’s embrace.

“No, it has been too long, I’m afraid that it might become awkward, “Twain patted Shania’s shoulder gently.

※※※

Their young daughter was chasing butterflies on the lawn, exclaiming in joy here and there while Fiona Bernard was seated on the white lawn chair, reading her magazine and asking her daughter to lower her voice occasionally.

“Shannon, keep it down, you’ll disturb the neighbours!”

“Don’t dirty your skirt. I just washed that yesterday.”

Her daughter’s voice was actually reminding her mother what she was doing. If she did not make a sound, then something would be wrong.

Now, Fiona could feel that something was wrong as her daughter was no longer making a sound. She dropped her magazine and looked up to search for her daughter. She found her on the lawn, shyly looking at a strange man standing outside their door.

That man was in a dark suit, wearing sunglasses, and he was standing right outside the door which reached his waist.

“We don’t need a vacuum cleaner or whatever you’re selling…” She stood up and walked to where her daughter was, grabbing hold of her.

“Madam, I’m not here to sell you anything. May I know if this is Michael Bernard’s place?” That man asked politely.

Fiona nodded.

A smile broke out on the face of the man in front of her and he removed his sunglasses, placing them in his shirt pocket. “Hello Madam. I’m a friend of your husband’s. We’ve met once, but you might not remember me anymore. My name is Tony Twain and I’m a long-time friend of your husband’s.

※※※

When Michael returned home from work, he realized that there was a pair of man’s shoes at the door.

“We have a guest?” He asked his wife who came to receive him.

“A friend of yours,” Fiona said as she took her husband’s coat and suitcase.

“My friend?” Michael changed his shoes as he thought about who it might be. Could it be that bank executive he met at the golf club, or maybe the lawyer he met when he went fishing the other time… But he was stunned when he entered the living room and saw who it was.

“Hi Michael,” Twain stood up and greeted Michael Bernard.

Michael looked at the man in front of him in shock for a long while before muttering, “Ton…Tony? Why are you…why are you here?”

“Good thing you didn’t move, otherwise, I won’t be able to find you,” Twain laughed as he said, “Actually, I have a place in Los Angeles too. I’ll come over here to keep my wife, Shania, company sometimes, you know about that, don’t you? I’m very sorry that I haven’t come see you all this while, because… Um, I’m worried that I won’t know what to say when I meet you.” He shrugged, then shook his head and sighed. However, he smiled again shortly and said, “I’m glad to see that you have such a cute and beautiful daughter now.”

Shannon was holding on to her mother’s skirt as she stayed close to her. She looked at her daddy and the stranger with much curiosity.

“Actually, I came to look for you because of Gavin…”

The Bernard couple shuddered when Twain said this name.

Later, Twain told the two of them his reason for coming and hoped to get an answer from them. Ever since he reached Michael’s place and saw pictures of Gavin all over the place, Twain felt that he made the right decision to come. Little Gavin still held a very important place in Michael and his wife’s hearts.

Since he was going to bring the incident involving Gavin to the big screens, he definitely had to seek his family’s approval.

If he was being honest, Twain thought that Michael’s wife would object violently. He even prepared to get a scolding from her, but he did not expect Fiona to take a look at Michael, then stood up and walk away saying, “I’ll go make dinner.”

Next, Michael examined Twain for a long time before saying, “I heard that you’ve retired?”

Twain nodded.

“Why retire?”

“Erm… I have nothing to fight for anymore, I guess I’m tired…”

Michael laughed, “Who would have thought that the arrogant Tony Twain would feel tired too? Too bad… The World Cup final was very exciting.”

Twain was a little surprised to hear him say that, “I thought you stopped watching football? Didn’t you cut all ties with football?”

“I can still watch the match on television.”

Twain stole a glance at the kitchen, “Your wife…”

“I told her everything. Come to think of it, I have to thank you, Tony.”

“Thank me?” Twain did not know what Michael meant.

“Thank you for sending me tickets for every final. It wasn’t until the European Cup final before I realized that I can never leave football…” Michael sighed, “Even though I won’t watch matches live at the stadium now, I don’t have to think of football as a terrifying devil. I have finally found peace… Do you know, Tony? If you had asked about this two years ago, we would definitely have not agreed to it. Gavin is like a stone in our hearts that we cannot put down, and it was getting harder for us to handle it. Now…” He shrugged. “We’ll allow you to bring the story of Gavin to the big screens. I believe this will be a kind of consolation to Gavin.”

This was the answer that Twain wanted, and he was very happy about it. Out of reflex, he reached out, looking to shake Michael’s hand, but he did not expect Michael to give him a high five instead.

“Don’t treat me as a negotiation partner. Do you remember how we met, Tony?”

Twain laughed as he heard him say that, “Of course, that’s a piece of beautiful memory…”

Twain gave Shania a call that night, telling her that he would be staying at Michael’s place and would not be going home that night. He reminded her and Theresa to rest earlier, then he continued to chat with Michael, all the way till late night. Ever since Michael left England in 2003, they had not talked to each other so amicably. Even though they did not drink a single drop of alcohol, they were flushed with excitement, as if they were both drunk.

They would laugh for a while, then cry for a while. The two of them were in their fifties, yet they were behaving like youngsters then. Thinking of how fast the past decade passed for them, they could not help but reminisce about it. When the two of them first met, they were enemies who fought with each other. At that time, the two of them never thought that they could ever sit and chat like this one day.

※※※

The next morning, Twain said goodbye the Michael, his wife and their daughter, Shannon, then took the car back home.

Next, Twain gave the producer a call to agree to his proposal and gave him the go-ahead. There was nothing else he needed to say as there was someone more professional than him taking charge of it, so he had no need to worry about it. All he needed to do was to be an extra for some scenes and enjoy himself, that was all.

What was left were some miscellaneous stuff such as signing the contract. When all these were done, Twain was enjoying the company of his wife and daughter at his home in Los Angeles when he saw the calendar and suddenly realized that it was almost 9th September.

His fiftieth birthday was coming soon.