Chapter 256: Chapter 255 Tai Chi, Deng Kai (Request for Full Subscription)
Although speed is ultimately what matters in dribbling past opponents, at least there’s a bit more flair in the movements now.
He was now basically able to maintain control over Pepe.
It has to be said, stimulated by Pepe, Ronaldo had made great progress during this time.
As for Feng Te...well, let it be, just a player with no distinguishing features—let him train however, not important anymore.
"You’re not on your game today?"
On the pitch, Pepe completed another tackle once again.
Ronaldo seemed off form today.
"Hehe, I’ve got things to do today, I’ll take care of you next time," Ronaldo said as he greeted Deng Kai, "I’m heading out for a bit, don’t wait for me for dinner tonight."
Seeing Ronaldo hurry off, Deng Kai frowned.
This feeling... something’s not right.
Ronaldo never used to leave early.
Moreover, today he lost to Pepe.
Given his temperament, he should have insisted on going one on one with Pepe until Pepe lost or purposefully threw the game.
Unusual, way too unusual.
Two hours later, night had fallen, and the extra training was over.
Barzagli, Pepe, and Drogba were going out to eat, Feng Te was going home.
Ibrahimovic would eat later on, headed back to the players’ dormitory first.
After walking a few steps, he noticed that Deng Kai was following him.
"What are you doing?" Ibrahimovic knew that Deng Kai didn’t stay in the players’ dormitory.
Deng Kai walked alongside Ibrahimovic: "I was watching your movement today, it looks like you’ve had training. Karate? Taekwondo? Muay Thai?"
Ibrahimovic was slightly stunned: "Karate."
Deng Kai asked, "Blue belt?"
Ibrahimovic: "Black belt."
Deng Kai laughed.
Ibrahimovic thought Deng Kai was mocking him and felt somewhat annoyed, "What? You want to try it out?"
Deng Kai shook his head: "I just think you chose the wrong one."
Ibrahimovic snorted coldly, no longer speaking.
There’s no use talking when there’s no common ground.
"You’re tall and big, but your heading isn’t up to the mark," Deng Kai said bluntly, "You’re not that strong in duels either. Your physical fitness doesn’t even compare to Drogba, let alone a powered-up Jia De’er."
"I’ve watched your football videos, you like to dribble past opponents with your foot skills. You have excellent balance and flexibility, able to make a lot of outrageous dribbling and shooting movements."
"You’re not a player who likes to solve problems physically. That’s why when you find yourself in trouble, no matter if it’s against Matthaus or Jia De’er, or even against me, you don’t instinctively resort to brute force."
"With that kind of personality, it’s no use even if you practice Karate, not to mention if you were sent to the Red House, you wouldn’t become an assassination machine."
Ibrahimovic’s pupils contracted.
Veins on his hands throbbed.
He was completely dumbfounded.
Why did Deng Kai... understand him so well?
Even Ibrahimovic himself didn’t realize he was like that, but after Deng Kai spoke, he found out he really was.
"If I have to use a metaphor to describe your situation, you’re actually quite similar to an elephant," said Deng Kai, "You both appear as battle behemoths, possessing power to move mountains and raze everything."
"But actually, what you both excel at isn’t the rampaging and crushing. What you’re truly good at is more of a yin, subtle, and artistic approach. You always make yourself look aggressive, all that Zlatan-never-does-trials stuff."
"But deep down, you’re an artist, not O’Neal, you’re Olajuwon. You have no interest in the aesthetics of violence, what you prefer are the dreamlike dance steps."
After a long silence, Ibrahimovic neither acknowledged nor denied but asked, "You just said I made the wrong choice, that karate doesn’t suit me. So what does suit me?"
Deng Kai stood still, suddenly making a gesture as if he were playing mahjong.
Ibrahimovic: "What’s this?"
Deng Kai: "Tai Chi, Deng Kai!"
For some reason, Ibrahimovic had a strong impulse to retort with, "Wing Chun, Ip Man."
Deng Kai explained, "Tai Chi may seem gentle and slow, but without that gentleness, where comes the surge? To defend this peace, ’when there is no more endurance, there’s no need for further tolerance,’ that’s when the explosion comes."
"The soft becomes the hard, as the hard turns into soft."
"Tai Chi can not only enhance your natural talents for flexibility and coordination, as well as your gentle and peaceful nature, but it can also teach you when and how to explode."
"Of course, your football can resound with the beautiful music of a waltz, but equally, you can’t ignore the decisive cut after the gentleness."
Bang!
Deng Kai took a powerful shot, trying to show Ibrahimovic the sudden burst after calmness.
Clang!
"Fuck! Who’s kicking the ball next to the dorm again? Isn’t the big training field enough for you?"
"That Ibrahimovic, I have something else to do, so I’m leaving now. If someone asks, don’t say I was here."
"Don’t worry, Kai!"
"Shit! Is that you, the Swedish kid?"
"Nonono, not me, it was Kai, Deng Kai, Caesar, it was him..."
...
Whether Tai Chi had any effect or not, Deng Kai didn’t know, but the issues with Ibrahimovic were real.
Rich kids often declare, "My success has nothing to do with my family," after achieving minor accomplishments.
That’s obviously laughable.
Poor people also tend to not admit their poverty unless when someone asks to borrow money from them.
It’s the same with football.
Players with strong physiques hope others praise their technique.
Technically skilled players wish they had a bigger and more intimidating build.
Only when the rich kids truly accomplish something great, and ordinary people really understand the hardships of poor parents, do they admit the wealth or poverty they already possess.
It was only as Ibrahimovic aged that he gradually began to realize his body was his greatest asset, employing more physical play in the striker role to unleash a tremendous pivot effect.
But it was perhaps too late.
Understanding the meaning of his height and strength earlier might have been the key for Ibrahimovic to unlock the door between him and Mei Luo.
"Ibrahimovic’s playing style seems to have undergone some transformation," Trigella observed from the sideline, witnessing the recent changes in Ibrahimovic.
"I heard he joined Kai’s extra training group," Maxa of course couldn’t see any change in Ibrahimovic, but he knew how such change came about.
"He’s using his body more frequently. Look at this ball, how he leans against Deschamps, chests the ball to lift it, and heads it twice in a row," Trigella said, "Deschamps is right next to him, but he can’t do anything about it and lets Ibrahimovic break through."
"If it was the earlier Ibrahimovic, he would have dodged the physical confrontation and gone for a flick-over. But because he didn’t restrict Deschamps, Deschamps had a complete chance to knock him down during the process."
"His style of play has gained a hint of pragmatism. From the flamboyant karate to a Tai Chi with dynamic stillness!"
Maxa puzzled: "But he used to practice karate."
"Fuck!"
The noise from the field interrupted the exchange between Maxa and Trigella.
