Soccer: I’m Building a Giant in the Premier League

Chapter 35 – The Miracle Doctor Arrives

Lisbon, Portugal.

As the fresh RTP1 channel logo flashed across the screen, the TV cut to the studio broadcast.

"This is Channel One of Rádio e Televisão de Portugal.

Welcome back to our special Euro coverage: Road to Lisbon!"

As the host spoke, the footage cut again—this time to the gates of the Portuguese national team's training complex.

"This afternoon, Prime Minister Barroso visited the national team's training camp.

There, he checked in on the players' preparations and training conditions, urging them to show the determination to win in the upcoming home Euro 2004 tournament."

Right on cue, Prime Minister Barroso appeared on-screen, addressing the team.

"Here, you are the true heroes. I ask nothing more than that you bring the Euro Cup home to Portugal!"

"Portugal's revival needs a great footballing triumph!"

"I and all the Portuguese people believe in you. We're already counting down the days to that glorious moment, just over twenty days away."

"We have some of the best players in Europe—and the best chance in history."

"I, the government, and the entire nation… stand behind you!"

The shot shifted to the team's captain—superstar Luís Figo.

"Captain Figo presented the Prime Minister with a national team gift."

"He said the team is ready for the challenge, following a focused and intense training camp."

A close-up of Figo filled the screen.

"This past season has been filled with success for Portuguese players."

"Six national team players from Porto won the Champions League and the Portuguese league.

Six from Benfica won the Portuguese Cup.

Rui Costa won Serie A.

Pauleta won the Coupe de France.

Fernando Couto lifted the Coppa Italia."

"And then there's Cristiano Ronaldo, who just won the FA Cup with Manchester United."

"Of our 23-man squad, 17 players are coming off championship-winning seasons.

We're full of confidence heading into the Euros!"

The screen returned to the studio, and the host began summarizing recent headlines around the national team.

"Yesterday, some media reported that Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was furious after Ronaldo missed a training session due to injury.

Reporters caught up with the Manchester United winger."

Footage of Cristiano Ronaldo played—shots of his impressive movement in training, followed by a brief interview.

"Yes, I missed one session due to an ankle strain.

But I've recovered—it won't affect the Euros.

I'd never allow that."

"Was Scolari mad?"

"No, I don't think it was personal.

The tournament's close. Everyone's under pressure.

He just wanted to remind us to take care of our bodies and stay sharp."

…

Watching from his grandmother's living room sofa, José Fonte stared at the TV, filled with envy.

On the screen was Cristiano Ronaldo—his former youth teammate at Sporting Lisbon.

And two years younger than him.

José Fonte had watched Ronaldo come up through the lower youth ranks, overtake him, and break into the first team.

Last summer, CR7's raw talent caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, earning him a high-profile transfer to Manchester United.

Now he was a rising superstar, a national team regular, Portugal's golden boy.

And José Fonte?

Unemployed.

He was lost. Anxious. Broke.

He had to move back in with his grandmother.

His father, Artur Fonte, had been a professional footballer himself—an academy product of Sporting Lisbon, even making Portugal's U20 national team.

Thanks to his father, both José and his younger brother Rui Fonte had joined Sporting's youth academy early.

Step by step, he'd risen through the ranks.

But the older he got, the harder progress became.

He'd joined the B team at 19. Now he was 21—and still no call-up to the first team.

Meanwhile, Quaresma, Ronaldo, and others had already moved on to top clubs and national team call-ups.

José Fonte couldn't stand it.

His father agreed: wasting away in the reserves at 21 was a dead end.

So that summer, José decided to leave.

But once he left, he needed to find a new club—and that's when the real problems began.

His agent, Fernandes, was no big-shot.

He didn't have the star-making clout of Jorge Mendes or the connections of José Veiga.

And to make matters worse, José had never broken into the national youth teams.

His record in Sporting B was nothing special.

He was stuck.

Even mid-table clubs in Portugal's second division weren't interested.

In recent years, a flood of South American players—like Porto's Deco—had further squeezed opportunities for local Portuguese talents.

José wasn't just invisible in the top flight—he wasn't even marketable in Liga Portugal 2.

Eventually, Fernandes helped him secure interest from Salgueiros, a third-tier club with big promotion ambitions.

They treated José seriously.

Even head coach Norton de Matos traveled to Lisbon to recruit him personally.

José joined full of hope.

But just as the season ended, disaster struck.

Salgueiros went bankrupt—the club was liquidated.

His signed contract?

Void.

It was like a hammer to the head.

Suddenly, José Fonte was without a team again.

Panic. Despair. Directionless.

His father and agent were scrambling to find him options.

Everyone knew—at 21, if you didn't have a club, your career could be over.

Now, sitting in his grandmother's home, watching Cristiano Ronaldo shine on national TV, José felt the weight of his own misfortune more than ever.

Once teammates.

Now, one was a national icon—

The other, a castaway.

He clenched his fists.

He swore—

If anyone, any club, would give him a chance—just one professional contract—

He would give everything.

His body. His soul. His life.

Because, deep down, he knew—

Football was all he had.

In Lisbon, Portugal.

With a gloomy sigh, José Fonte shut off the television and hugged his knees, curling up on the sofa like a miserable, anxious puppy.

At that moment, the Nokia phone beside him began to ring.

"…Hello." José answered weakly. It was his agent, Fernandes.

"Got a club interested," Fernandes said, "but I'm not sure if it's something you'd want."

José's eyes lit up instantly. Like a spring, he bounced off the sofa.

"I want it. I'll go!"

"Hold on. Listen first—it's a Championship team."

"Championship?" he blinked.

"Yeah, that's what the old First Division is called now."

"Which club?"

"Bayswater Chinese FC. Newly promoted. Won League Two last season."

That sounded… familiar. Just like Salgueiros—a club with ambition, recently on the rise.

Except this time, it was in England.

"How strong are they?" José asked, cautious after getting burned once already.

"They're not a big club, and conditions aren't great, but their owner told me they just spent a few million pounds buying land for a youth academy and plan to invest £20 million in building a training complex. Seems like they're serious."

"Oh, and their backers are Chinese investors."

José was tempted, but still a little nervous.

"The owner also said, if you're open to it, they'll fly you to London for a visit—all expenses covered."

"Really?" José's face lit up.

"Of course. If you want to give it a shot, I'll set it up."

"I'll go!"

…

Back in London, Yang Cheng had no idea what was happening in Portugal.

He was just too busy.

Although Dan Ashworth, Gary Worthington, Mark Crook, and Mike Rigg had all now joined and started work on youth development, Yang Cheng was still deeply involved.

He couldn't rest easy being a hands-off boss—not when he was pouring his heart and soul into Bayswater Chinese FC.

While overseeing the academy integration, Yang Cheng was also moving on other fronts.

Brian Kidd had recommended the legendary "miracle doctor" David Fevre from Blackburn Rovers.

Fevre, a long-time friend of Kidd's, had served as Manchester United's head physio in the 1990s.

Before that, he worked at St. Helens Hospital in East Liverpool and provided medical services to rugby league teams in the Wigan area, earning quite a reputation.

In early 1994, Brian Kidd—then assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson—brought an injured youth player to Fevre for treatment. The doctor's skill left a deep impression.

That June, after United's head physio McGregor left, Fevre—on Kidd's recommendation—joined the Red Devils and remained until 1999.

After helping United win the treble, Fevre left to better care for his diabetic son, accepting Kidd's invitation to join Blackburn.

In Yang Cheng's past life, Fevre's reputation as a "miracle doctor" was widely known—both in real life and in Football Manager. He even went on to work at Chelsea.

Now, he was joining Bayswater Chinese FC as Director of Medical Services, overseeing all medical affairs for the first team and academy.

Also joining was Rob Price, previously with the FA.

Only 32 years old, Price held a degree in physiotherapy and a master's in sports rehabilitation.

After graduating, he worked in private clinics, and in 2000 joined the Football Association, working primarily with the England U21 squad.

Brian Kidd had worked with Price at the FA and had been impressed. Fevre knew him too. Now, the two would officially partner at Bayswater.

With the first team continuing to train in central London for the time being, the medical department would have to operate in two separate locations.

Even though the club was still tight on funds, Yang Cheng promised to meet Fevre and Price's requests for equipment and supplies as best as he could.

Right as the medical department began to take shape, Yang Cheng got a call from Fernandes, the Portuguese agent.

José Fonte was eager to visit London.

Yang Cheng was thrilled.

He considered Fonte a classic example of a misjudged talent—undervalued at Sporting CP, plagued by bad luck and misfortune after leaving, with a career derailed by injuries and bankrupt clubs.

But his abilities were legit, and he'd later earn the nickname "center-back incubator".

Yang Cheng planned to keep both Koscielny and Roger Johnson, but would move on from Luke Chambers and Baptiste.

So he needed to sign two new center-backs this summer.

And just before José Fonte's scheduled trip to London, Bayswater Chinese FC received confirmation from QPR and Martin Rowlands' agent: terms had been agreed.

Martin Rowlands would transfer to QPR for £3 million.

Bayswater also signed a 3-year stadium lease with QPR for Loftus Road.

The first year's £500,000 rent would be deducted from the transfer fee.

The remaining £2.5 million would be paid in full.

Rowlands signed a new contract at QPR worth £5,000 per week.

At Bayswater, under Xia Qing's new wage structure, the highest weekly salary was £2,000.

Aside from the Rowlands deal, Yang Cheng's desk was also covered in faxed offers.

Arsenal and Chelsea had both submitted official bids for Ribéry.

Devaney, who scored 13 goals last season, and midfield engine Huddlestone were also drawing plenty of attention.

And now, Yang Cheng could feel it:

The pressure was starting to build.

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