In a hospital in Liverpool, when George Lee arrived, he found that Alan Smith was already undergoing final examinations.
George Li quickly went to ask about the team doctor who had accompanied Smith.
When I learned that it was nothing serious, I felt relieved.
In his previous life, this season, Smith, who had moved to Manchester United at the time, in a game against Liverpool, in order to block Riise's shot, he stretched out his kick to try to block it, but the ball hit his supporting leg, causing his left The calf was severely fractured and the ankle was also dislocated. The situation at the scene was extremely tragic. Smith fell to the ground in pain and was carried off the field on a stretcher after the team doctor provided temporary first aid and was sent to the hospital for treatment.
Smith ultimately missed the 2006 World Cup and spent seven months recovering from surgery, which required 10 steel pins implanted in his ankle. After recovering from injury, Smith not only suffered a decline in competitive form, but also lost his position at Manchester United. Both the frontcourt and midfield were overcrowded, and he could only move to Newcastle two years later.
"I knew it would be difficult for me to continue playing football after that injury. It might be easier to leave the pitch because people will remember you as a Manchester United player, but I didn't want to do that because I love playing football. With that love I went through those painful years.”
"I still train day after day, but the movements that I could do easily before can no longer be done no matter what I try. I can no longer return to my previous state."
"My left ankle has always been very stiff and sometimes it's difficult to even walk normally. I wanted to try running a few kilometers this summer, but I had to stop and walk instead because I felt pain in my ankle. I went to see him last month The surgeon, he warned me not to run in a straight line anymore.”
"It's always a difficult choice to leave the court, but early retirement is a normal decision. I don't want to worry my family. I don't regret it."
Afterwards Alan Smith sadly retired.
So when George Li learned that Smith was not injured in his leg, he was slightly relieved, but he was still worried about whether he had injured other places.
"Boss, can I be discharged from the hospital?"
After George Li thanked the doctor who examined him, Smith, who was lying on the hospital bed, said to George Li.
"Haha~, Alan, are you really brave enough to risk your life?"
"Boss, I didn't think about anything at the time. I just thought about blocking the goal. After all, we were behind at the time and we couldn't afford to concede any more goals."
"Then what?"
"After being kicked, the first thing I felt was pain, and then I seemed to lose consciousness and fainted. Then I woke up and found that I was about to fall apart."
"Do you regret it, Alan? Do you regret blocking it?"
"No!"
Smith said it without thinking, and then continued.
"If it happens again, I will still jump up and block that blow regardless of my own safety."
George Li looked at the young Leeds United vice-captain and said nothing.
After the end of the 2003/04 season, Leeds United barely managed to avoid relegation. Many main players left the team one after another. Many teams also offered an olive branch to Smith, but they were all rejected by Smith. With the team's future uncertain, Smith resolutely chose to stay with the team, still wearing a white jersey.
There are no rhetoric, only actions and efforts. Whether playing as a lone forward or transitioning to midfield, Smith never complains and gives everything he has as long as he plays.
George Lee thought that after any player on the team was violated by a teammate, Smith would always be the first to run to support, leading Leeds United's "villain gang" to besiege the opponent's players and find arguments with the referee.
Li George thought that although Smith was wearing the captain's armband, he would not criticize his teammates loudly for making mistakes. But he always silently fills in the gaps for his teammates. George Lee has discovered many times this season that after Baynes was attacked along the way, Smith deliberately leaned to the left when defending. These are things that Baynes himself didn't discover. Baynes would only ask Smith after the game where he was going to get high tonight.
Li George thought that when the team's offense was in trouble, it was Smith and Van Persie who stood up and used forward penetration and confrontation to challenge the opponent's defender, thereby breaking the deadlock on the field.
George Li thought of how when the team was being counterattacked by the opponent, Graveson couldn't keep up with his speed. Many times, Smith chased him all the way back from the frontcourt and used fouls to stop the opponent's attack. This is why Smith has already received 6 yellow cards in the 11th round.
George Lee thought of how in the small bar of the hotel when he checked in for training in the Netherlands, when Lee asked Van Persie if he would leave, Smith rushed to answer that he would never leave.
After thinking about this, George Li looked at Smith on the hospital bed again.
The Elland Road fighter was ready to get up and talk to himself after not seeing the manager for a long time.
"Wait a minute, lie down." George Li said to Smith in a commanding tone.
"Boss, I'm really fine."
"I will stay with you in Liverpool for one night and check again tomorrow morning that there is no problem before returning to Leeds."
"Need not......"
"If you don't agree, I won't play you in the next game against Blackburn Rovers."
"Boss, our next game is West Bromwich Albion."
"Don't think about winning the next league game. I'll see if I let you come back when we win the League Cup with Blackburn..."
"Boss...I said I'm fine." Smith interrupted.
"I'm serious too. I have something important to announce during the League Cup game."
"What's up?"
"In the League Cup game, I wanted you to start with Gary, but both Gary and I wanted you to wear the captain's armband."
"What! Gary...I...Captain?"
This is what the team captain Gary Kelly took the initiative to talk to Li George in the previous stage. Although the 31-year-old Kelly is no longer young, he is not too old at this age. However, long-term injuries have caused Kelly to miss many Leeds United games, so now the team's right back has been Mills starting, and then Milner or Ferdinand came on the bench, and Kelly's position has been very deep.
However, the native Leeds United right back has no intention of leaving. Instead, he is preparing to obtain a football coaching certificate after listening to George Lee's advice, and then engage in football coaching work, or he may also enter his hometown of the Irish Football Association in the future.
Lee George also needs this funny locker room "glue" to help him stabilize the locker room.
Later, Kelly, who felt that his chances of playing were getting less and less, simply asked Lee George to hand over the captaincy to Smith. After all, Smith's status in the team was obvious to all.
"Gary would like you to officially succeed him as captain."
"Can I... do it?"
"He and I both think you can do it, Alan."
"Fine."
Smith didn't hesitate and directly shouldered the responsibility of captain.
"Get some rest early. I'll come back to check with you tomorrow and then go back to Leeds."
After George Li finished speaking, he was about to turn around and leave, but was stopped by Smith.
"Boss..."
"What's wrong?"
"Does the new captain need a cool new hairstyle?"
Smith brushed back his blond hair.
