Miserable, Stubborn, and Competitive ...... These are the three labels Fei Yu put on himself before the interview began.
Humor, persistence, filial piety, winning, simplicity, sincerity ...... These are the impressions Fei Yu left on the reporter at the end of the interview. As a matter of fact, Fei Yu is also a person who knows how to be grateful, easily satisfied, humble and enthusiastic.
He spent three and a half hours reviewing his career. Although he has tried to state the past in a calm and even self-deprecating tone, if he strings together the pictures he describes, one after the other, the reporter has to say admiration. What he has been through, the average person has gotten away with, but he has persevered, and his initial aspirations remain intact.
There is no complaining, no stopping to move forward. If it were us, could we move forward as bravely as Fei Yu?
"I was talking to Director Shea one time about being a kid and he was so emotional. He said nine out of ten coaches say they can't kick. Hearing his words, I felt very proud and secretly thought I finally have a head coach who can surpass me. He only has nine out of ten who dismiss him, while I, eleven out of ten dismiss him ......"
The reporter interrupted, "Ten coaches, eleven denied you, where did the extra come from?"
"People passing by, even if passers-by look at me they deny me, no one thinks a fat guy can kick ass. They used to say: is it just this fat guy? Has he learned to play soccer? He's a ball himself! It's easy for him to break the rules, because there can only be one ball per game, and he'll be misinterpreted as the team privately bringing the ball onto the pitch ......'" Fei Yu finished in a particularly calm tone. Now he can say this in a flirtatious tone, but for a kid who was only eight or nine years old back then, it's sad.
Perhaps he grew up with all kinds of indifference and ridicule because of his size. Few developed an indomitable character without realizing it and insisted on proving that he could kick ass. "I wanted to be a flexible fat guy. I want to play soccer well, all the time. Growing up with all the taunts and blows, I just didn't want to lose or admit defeat easily." He said. Despite Fei Yu's own strong beliefs, not many starter coaches saw him as a capable talent.
"Shenhua Football School was founded around 2000. At that time, I was already in the third grade and the second semester. After the school year started, I would face the first major choice in my life, whether to continue to study hard or to go to Shenhua Football School." In the early days of Shenhua Football School, each student had to pay not only 30,000 yuan in sponsorship fees, but also more than 10,000 yuan in annual tuition. For an ordinary family like Fei Yu, this fee belonged to an aristocratic school and was hard to read.
A lot of people say Fei Yu can't play at all, so out of the goodness of their hearts, they advise Fei Yu's parents not to listen to their child. It was a waste of money and life to let him enter the Shenhua soccer school. As a teacher, Fei Yu's mother considered the matter for a long time and had an in-depth conversation with her son. She didn't want her children to have any regrets. This is because Shenhua was going to enroll about three classes, but these three classes were arranged based on the results of the entrance exam. The top 32 children could go to one class, hoping to enter the Shenhua club ladder. In the next class, the coaches were equipped and trained very differently from one class, and it was difficult for the children to kick out.
"In the end, my parents and I came to an agreement. If I couldn't get into a class, I would continue to study at Quangling Road Primary School. If I got into the top 32, my family would sell a small house to support my soccer studies." Fei Yu did not disappoint his parents' pain. He finished 31st in the general quality competition for all players, and his parents kept their promise by selling a small house in their family and using the money from the sale to pay Fei Yu's soccer school tuition and living expenses.
"Before I reported to Shenhua Soccer School, two things happened. First, our principal was angry because since the school's inception, I was the first child who did not transfer to another school because I left the city, and I did not transfer to a key elementary school at the same level as Guangling Road. To the principal, this behavior was disrespectful and even humiliating to the school. My mom and I cried that day, but we had to make a choice for our dreams in life."
"Secondly, after entering Shenhua Soccer School, I signed an agreement with my mom. My mom asked me for three things: the first was not to give up on my studies and I had to get a scholarship every year; the second was to learn English; the third was to meet the standards and get good grades in all soccer training; and if I couldn't do just one thing, I would immediately drop out of school and cut off my financial resources. I signed the agreement with my mom without hesitation."
Later, Fei Yu won a scholarship every year at Shenhua Soccer School. His English grades were very good. He was still the captain of the school and received honors such as District Outstanding School Cadre. Fei Yu's mother kept the certificates. Unfortunately, the "three must do's" could not be found because of the move.
