The entire Luton team flew back to England the next morning.
The players had been so excited the night before that they all fell asleep as soon as they got on the plane the next day.
Gao Bo, on the other hand, had rested quite well. The result of the other match in the group was also out: Basel defeated Roma two-nil at home. Gao Bo wasn't entirely surprised by this result, because although Roma had a bigger name than Basel, in terms of actual strength, the two teams were quite evenly matched.
Basel is a powerhouse in the Swiss Super League, and their strength should not be underestimated. It's just that due to the limitations of the small Swiss league, many foreign fans are not familiar with them. In particular, Basel's home record is formidable; even big teams like Manchester United haven't had an easy time at their home ground, St. Jakob-Park. Moreover, Roma's recent form has been poor, with Claudio Ranieri's team having lost three consecutive league matches.
As a result, after the two group matches, Luton and Basel are currently tied on the same points in the standings, both with three points. Their goal difference and goals scored are also the same, so they are currently joint first in the group.
However, the next round of the group stage will be a direct confrontation between these two teams, so Gao Bo has also focused his attention on the Basel team.
After returning to Luton, the team had a day off before immediately diving back into preparations for the league match.
Since the recent schedule involved a match every three or four days, the team's training volume wasn't too high. The players mostly engaged in more relaxed practice sessions, such as playing small games.
"No more than five passes inside the penalty area!! If you haven't shot after five passes, or if your shot is blocked by a defender other than the goalkeeper and doesn't hit the target, you will be punished!" Gao Bo announced the rules of the game on the training ground.
Gao Bo divided the team into two groups for quick passing practice inside the penalty area, aiming to improve the players' understanding of each other. This game-like training method was relaxed, didn't make the players feel too tired, and was also quite effective.
There was laughter and cheer on the training ground. The losing team did push-ups amidst the cheers of the winners, and of course, they had smiles on their faces too.
Gao Bo, meanwhile, observed the effectiveness of the training from the sidelines. Opportunities inside the penalty area are fleeting, so he wanted his players to learn to handle the ball decisively in that area.
September 21st, League One Round 8: Luton faced Leeds United away!
So far, after seven rounds of League One, only three teams remain undefeated. League leaders Charlton and second-placed Leeds United both have nineteen points from six wins and one draw, while third-placed Luton has fifteen points from four wins and three draws. Therefore, the result of this match is likely to break one team's undefeated streak.
"We won't focus on the undefeated record. The team is currently third in the league, and if we want to climb higher, we must perform well when facing the top two teams in the standings," Gao Bo said at the pre-match press conference.
"We are focused on promotion, and our goal is to get three points against any opponent!" Leeds United manager Simon Grayson also showed no weakness.
Grayson took over the 'Whites' after Gary McAllister was sacked due to poor results after Christmas last season.
After a painful period of poor results last season, Leeds United started to perform exceptionally well in the second half of the season. Grayson ultimately led the team to fourth place in the standings, but they were defeated 1-2 on aggregate by Millwall in the playoff semi-finals.
This season has just begun, and Grayson's team is in excellent form. They are currently undefeated with six wins and one draw, tied with Charlton at the top of the League One table!
Gao Bo was very familiar with the Leeds United team because they are very famous.
Leeds United's local nicknames in England include "Whites", "United", and "The Peacocks" (derived from the previous name of Elland Road stadium, "Old Peacock Ground"). The team's English abbreviation is "LUFC".
However, Chinese media and fans prefer to call Leeds United "White Rose" or "The Young Guard!"
Leeds United had a very glorious period. They were the last champions of the old English First Division. In the years between 1998 and 2001, David O'Leary and his Leeds United were considered one of the best teams in Europe. At that time, Leeds United had many talented young players including Kewell, Bowyer, Hart, Alan Smith, Woodgate, and Robbie Keane. Leeds United was also given the nickname "The Young Guard" by the Chinese media at the time.
However, due to the club's financial problems, many players left, and the restless dressing room and the team's performance on the field plunged Leeds United into complete turmoil. They were first relegated from the Premier League to the Championship, and then in the 2006-2007 season, the club was placed under financial administration and deducted 10 league points, being relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history.
After two years of decline in League One, Leeds United's financial chaos eased, and the team finally got back on the right track. And this season, Leeds United looks very likely to return to the Championship.
Of course, for Leeds United fans, what they hope for most is Leeds United's return to the Premier League. However, in the current competitive environment, the difficulty for Leeds United to return to the Premier League is indeed too great.
However, Gao Bo didn't care what Leeds United fans were thinking. For him, Leeds United was a very valuable opponent. They were currently the best performing team in League One, and Gao Bo vaguely remembered that after this season, Leeds United would return to the Championship.
So this was a match against the strongest opponent in League One, and Gao Bo dared not take it lightly.
"We press them in the front! We tackle them! Fast! Direct!" Gao Bo's volume increased.
"They are a very dangerous team, but this opponent can also serve as a test of the quality of the best team in League One. We will see how we perform against the best performing team in the league, and whether our training results can be realized on the field. Let's see the result of this match against Leeds United!" Gao Bo gave the final motivation to the players in the locker room before the match.
"We have always won this way, and this time is no different!"
"Let's go!! Lads!!!"
Gao Bo waved his arms, while the Luton players stood up and walked out of the locker room with their heads held high.
As the players ran out of the tunnel, listening to the huge cheers from the fans, Gao Bo became excited.
The feeling of standing on the sidelines directing the match was exhilarating.
Football manager is the best job in the world!
Gao Bo thought to himself while applauding.
Passion comes from love, and Gao Bo was obsessed with it.