Chapter 174 I Will Try it Since it's so Difficult

Kabulera's words awakened the dreamer. When Chen Hero heard her ask himself "Don't you want to try something so difficult?", he was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up instantly.

Whenever he encountered a very challenging goal, he would always say, "I want to try something so difficult." How could he have forgotten it now?

Yes, I am Chen Hero, not just Header Chen Hero. Could it be that without headers, I'm useless? If that's the case, then it can only mean that I, Chen Hero, am an unqualified center forward.

What were those days of hard training in off-ball movement, long shots, and free kicks for?

Just to make up the numbers?

He suddenly thought of what Dekura had said to him not long after they first met, asking him whether he wanted to be a true hero or just a first-class center forward.

He had answered without hesitation that he wanted to be a true hero.

Dekura had told him that if his goal was to be a true hero, then his current skills were far from enough, and he needed to improve a lot, that the task was arduous and the road ahead long. But if he wanted to choose an easy path and just be a first-class center forward, then all he needed was headers. He didn't need to practice anything else. That alone would be enough for him to make a name for himself in European football and even do well, maybe even have the opportunity to go to a big club, win a few championships, even the Champions League, and then after his peak, go to a worse team and continue playing, and finally, when it was time to retire, go to West Asia or the United States to make one last fortune in his career. That would still be considered a legendary figure in Chinese football.

After going around in circles for so long, it turned out that he was still just a first-class center forward. He couldn't do anything without headers!

Damn, I've been a real failure!

Can't I achieve something without headers?

What if I don't use headers? I still have two legs!

I've practiced shooting with my feet, too. It's just using myself as Ibrahimović… Although being like Ibrahimović isn't something to be happy about, it's not difficult for me!

Okay, okay, since it's so difficult, then of course I have to try it!

Having figured this out, Chen Hero suddenly felt a sense of clarity. Something that had been bothering him for half a day was actually revealed by his girlfriend in one sentence.

It might be an exaggeration to describe his mood at this moment as "in an instant, flowers bloomed all over the world, sunlight broke through layers of dark clouds and poured down from the sky, and the wind blew, bringing the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers," but Chen Hero was truly happy.

He even suddenly felt that he was more awesome than before, awesome not in strength, but in state of mind.

To put it in a very pretentious way... yes, he had an epiphany!

There is nothing in this world that can stump me, Chen Hero! I will do what I want to do, no matter how many difficulties, no matter how many obstacles, I must do it! That is the meaning of life!

Abandoning his most得意 (dé yì - most outstanding) offensive weapon seemed to make him weaker. But in fact, Chen Hero felt that this was an opportunity to upgrade. If I can break through the previous fixed pattern, I believe I can really roam freely in the world of football!

Okay, I'll have some fun!

Having figured out this problem, a look of joy appeared on Chen Hero's face. The person he should be most grateful to now was his girlfriend, Christine Kabulera.

He suddenly hugged Kabulera.

"You are really my lucky goddess, Christine!"

"You've figured it out?" Christine Kabulera asked, held in his arms.

Chen Hero nodded.

"I've figured it out, I definitely want to try something so difficult! I want them to know that I am the best even without headers!"

Kabulera smiled, and then she saw Chen Hero leaning in with his mouth.

"As a thank you... this is a reward! Mmm..."

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Dalglish considered for a whole night, just considering one thing – how to completely persuade Chen Hero to accept this arrangement. He had decided to modify the tactics. Currently, Liverpool's tactics were mainly focused on Chen Hero's head, with many high crosses from the wings and balls from the backfield directly to Chen Hero's head.

If he wanted to modify it, it would definitely involve a lot of things. It might even make the team feel inexplicable and affect the team's performance. In fact, he could completely ignore Brookner's words. Anyway, there were only a few months left before the end of the league. While he was in charge, he could maximize the use of Chen Hero's headers to help the team achieve a good result so that he could leave gracefully.

Then he could pass the problem on to his successor and Chen Hero.

This was the best approach after rational analysis. Because if headers really posed a risk of concussion to Chen Hero, it wasn't urgent to change it in these eight or nine league games. It was impossible for Chen Hero's brain damage to increase significantly after playing a few more games.

In fact, what Brookner said was just a possibility, although this possibility had strong scientific basis and past case support, it didn't mean that Chen Hero would definitely be affected. There were many players in the world of football who were famous for their headers and used them frequently, but not everyone died badly after retirement...

In the end, it was just a matter of probability, and the probability wasn't even high.

But there was always this possibility, and Dalglish now had such a good relationship with Chen Hero that he couldn't bear to see such a free-spirited player end up with Alzheimer's disease or die young from a head injury... Moreover, he sometimes felt that Chen Hero was really risking his life for goals. What if one day he accidentally hit his head on the goalpost while fighting for a header with someone else?

In addition, the Mwanba incident made Dalglish particularly sentimental during this time.

Life is too impermanent. Mwanba, who was so strong, healthy, and lively, suddenly collapsed on the field. That was it. He had just woken up, and it was still unknown whether he could continue playing football in the future. If he couldn't, his wife and a three-year-old child would all have to rely on him, which would be a lot of pressure.

Many football players who look particularly strong are actually very fragile, and the probability of sudden death is higher for them.

This may be related to the fact that they always rely on their excellent physical condition and rush around recklessly. This further increases the burden on the body, accumulates over time, and ultimately leads to serious consequences.

Dalglish didn't want Chen Hero to go down this path. He always felt that if Hero was forced to leave, it would definitely be the biggest loss in the world of football today, even exceeding the departure of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

For Chen Hero's sake, and for Liverpool's sake, he had to persuade Chen Hero to give up his reliance on headers. Although this would bring temporary harm to Liverpool, he believed that with Chen Hero's talent, he would not be worse than he is now even if he changed his style. Look at his free kicks – how long has it been since he started practicing free kicks after training? His free kicks were already looking quite good, and they were still the difficult dipping shots and knuckleballs. He was really an amazing guy!

He had imagined many strategies, such as putting on a stern face and scolding him severely, telling him to change his path. Or he could reason with him, telling him the dangers of sticking to headers... Or he could use both hard and soft tactics.

But he didn't expect that when he called Chen Hero over alone, Chen Hero's first sentence would surprise him.

"I've thought about it, boss. I can use headers as little as possible. Unless it's absolutely necessary, I won't use headers."

"Huh?" Dalglish was stunned.

"Huh what?" Chen Hero also found it strange. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Uh... I'm just wondering, how did you figure it out overnight? You didn't seem like such an easy-going person when you left yesterday..."

Chen Hero laughed: "Ha! Because I figured it out, Hero doesn't have to rely on headers to score. Whether I have headers or not, I'm still that Hero, and I'll be even better without headers! Since that's the case, then there's nothing to worry about."

After listening to Chen Hero's explanation with some surprise, Dalglish also laughed. "You're more mature than before to have this idea, Hero. I'm really glad to hear you say that." He suddenly stopped smiling and frowned: "But... I'm afraid your Golden Boot this season will be gone, right?"

For ordinary people, after just completing the most important choice and turning point in their lives, the honor of the Golden Boot would probably not be on their minds for the time being, and the most important thing would be to successfully transform.

But Chen Hero wasn't an ordinary person.

Chen Hero spread his hands and shrugged: "How is that possible? Of course I want to win the Golden Boot!"

His answer surprised Dalglish: "But your most important scoring weapon can't be used anymore..."

"I want them to know that even Chen Hero without headers can win this Golden Boot!"

"That's too difficult..." Dalglish shook his head with a frown.

Unexpectedly, Chen Hero smiled: "It's precisely because it's difficult that it's worth a try. I don't do things that aren't difficult! Hey! Hmm... Boss, now that you mention it, I'm going to make sure I don't score with headers in the rest of the games this season!"

He said decisively.

"This... don't force yourself, Hero."

"Not forcing myself, not forcing myself at all!" Chen Hero squeezed his fist joints with both hands, making a cracking sound. "Don't you think it's more interesting this way, boss? If it's just to compete for a Golden Boot, it's too easy for me. Adding some hype and increasing the difficulty makes it interesting!"

Dalglish was speechless at this guy who never knew what "humility" meant.

But isn't this the reason why Chen Hero is who he is today?

A person who is never frightened, because arrogance does not produce a shrinking mentality, has rushed all the way forward, and many obstacles have been broken by him "accidentally"...

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ps, today is still four updates, thank you for your strong support in March!