Gao Shen once said that Mourinho wasn't good at utilizing technically gifted players.
In fact, that's only half the story.
Mourinho also isn't great at developing young players.
His strongest coaching ability lies in management.
He excels at managing mature or nearly mature players, uniting them, and forging a competitive, cohesive squad.
But developing young players requires more than just management. It requires patience, guidance, mentorship, and time.
Every head coach has strengths and weaknesses.
Take Wenger, for instance. He's outstanding at developing talent, but poor when it comes to managing the locker room and motivating players.
In contrast, Ferguson is a manager who excels across all areas.
The same applies to clubs as a whole.
Why do people often say that Real Madrid lacks an environment for nurturing young players?
Isn't that strange?
If that were truly the case, how did Raul emerge back then?
How did players like Casillas and Guti rise through the ranks of Real Madrid's youth system?
To put it bluntly, it's not about the environment. It's about the club's operational philosophy.
Just like Wenger's Arsenal—before the plan to build a new stadium, the club was spending freely. Later, when money dried up, they began focusing on developing youth talent—quality players at a lower cost.
The same thing happened with Real Madrid in Gao Shen's previous life.
When transfer fees soared to insane levels and even Real Madrid struggled to afford top stars, Florentino turned to gambling on young talent—expensive scratch-offs, essentially.
And despite the gamble, Real Madrid had a high hit rate.
Vinícius, Rodrygo, Valverde, Camavinga—these "lottery tickets" all paid off.
So it's never about lacking the right "soil." It's about the club's management model.
…
Jerome Boateng's current issues could be seen as a case of talent bottleneck.
At 15, he was fast-tracked into the U17 age group.
At 17, he was promoted to the U19s.
At 18, he joined the reserve team.
At 19, with the first team struggling and the head coach dismissed, the reserve team coach took over and promoted Boateng to the senior squad. After just half a season, he made a name for himself and was sold to a struggling Bundesliga giant—Hamburg—for €1.1 million.
It sounds like a typical protagonist script.
If this were an online novel, this rising star would've led the fallen giant to a dramatic comeback.
But reality isn't a web novel.
The truth is, when this "prodigy" arrived at Hamburg, he experienced four head coaches in three seasons.
At a stage when he most needed training and development, there was no coach to teach him how to play properly. He had to figure things out himself, relying on instinct and self-exploration.
And yet, he still made it into the national team and youth squads, played at the World Cup, and won the UEFA U-17 Championship.
Frustrating, isn't it?
Just because you're talented, you can wing it?
But clearly, if a genius isn't properly coached, no matter how gifted or self-driven they are, their ceiling will be limited.
Over time, unaddressed issues accumulate and severely hinder progress.
Thankfully, Jerome Boateng was still just 21, turning 22.
This is prime development age for a defender.
Gao Shen had told Boateng over the phone that he wanted to give him a "gift." What he meant was a tailored training program to rapidly boost his level. But now it was clear—there could be no shortcuts.
Especially not in defense.
Boateng had told Gao Shen that he always believed defending was instinctual. No one had ever taught him how to defend systematically.
But Gao Shen assured him that in Italy, there's an extremely detailed, systematic way to train defenders. From technique and positioning to organizing the backline, these are advanced skills.
"You know, when Cannavaro first started, he was reckless too. When I was in Naples, I even heard stories about him and Maradona. But he kept progressing, refining his game. He went through injuries and setbacks. Then in 2006, he reached the pinnacle of his career—and the pinnacle of central defending in world football!"
Whether in his past life or this one, Gao Shen had always believed that Cannavaro's 2006 version was iconic.
Many people believed that his Ballon d'Or and World Player of the Year awards gave him a special aura.
Gao Shen didn't deny that, but purely from a performance standpoint, Cannavaro was unmatched at the 2006 World Cup.
You could even say he used flawless defending to lead Italy to a world title.
In terms of his entire career, Cannavaro had highs and lows. Compared to legendary figures like Nesta or Maldini, he might be slightly behind.
But that didn't take away from his peak performance in 2006.
From his debut up until that World Cup, Cannavaro had been growing, evolving, and adapting—especially after dealing with injuries.
To reach that height as a 1.75-meter-tall center-back was an incredibly difficult feat, let alone doing so while delivering a perfect World Cup campaign.
Gao Shen used Cannavaro's example to tell Boateng that being rash or over-aggressive wasn't the problem. What mattered was a consistent drive to improve, and maintaining a learning mindset.
During his three years in Italy, Gao Shen had developed a deep understanding of defensive systems. He and his coaching staff were experienced in teaching defenders and clearly understood Boateng's issues.
For example, center-backs used to love going to ground with slide tackles.
Like the famous case in the World Cup where Cannavaro tackled three times in a row.
But Gao Shen told Boateng that the role of center-backs had evolved. You can't just throw yourself to the ground anymore.
"Cannavaro is only 1.75 meters tall, so he can get back up quickly after sliding. But can you?"
"More importantly, when you go to ground, it's a one-shot move. Either you win the ball or you're beaten. The risk is too high. Modern defensive systems don't support that kind of risk."
Defending today—and going forward—is all about positioning!
It's like when Gao Shen used Biglia and Rakitic as double pivots at Napoli. Many questioned it, thinking they were too technical and not true defensive midfielders. But they didn't get broken through—why?
Because their positioning was excellent. When the team needed them, they were always where they should be.
For center-backs, winning the ball is no longer the first priority.
Once the opponent has launched their attack and you're the last line of defense, your primary responsibility isn't to win the ball—it's to protect the goalkeeper and the goal.
So what's the biggest difference between attackers and defenders?
Defenders are defending on their own turf.
If an attacker loses the ball, their chance is gone. So possession is crucial.
But if a defender loses the ball, they're putting the goal at risk. There are no more teammates behind them.
This conceptual shift was huge for Boateng.
He had excellent physical attributes—strength, speed, agility. As long as he could master positioning and suppress his opponent's space, he could shut down most attackers.
…
Jerome Boateng was stunned.
From Hertha Berlin to Hamburg, he'd worked under several managers, including Martin Jol, a well-known Premier League coach—but none had broken down defending like this, let alone given him such specific guidance.
In short, Gao Shen gave him three rules:
If you can stay on your feet, don't slide.
If you can block the angle, don't swing your leg.
If you can control the situation, don't rush to tackle.
It was like Gao Shen was tapping the chalkboard, reminding him: Pay attention, this will be on the test!
Not only that, Gao Shen also instructed Lucas to prepare a personalized video set for Boateng—carefully edited clips showing his common defensive issues—to help him watch, learn, and improve.
Most importantly, Gao Shen wanted to reshape Boateng's mindset.
In the past, Boateng believed he defended through physical strength. But Gao Shen told him that his method was inefficient and wasted his physical gifts.
Strength, speed, agility, height—these were all top-tier.
The key was to use them wisely. Stop making rash challenges. Don't dive in unnecessarily. Don't collapse at the slightest sign of pressure.
"As long as you stay on your feet, hold your position, and control your opponent—with your physical tools—who can get past you?" Gao Shen asked.
Those words hit Boateng like a bolt of lightning.
Suddenly, things clicked.
All the confusion and doubts from before now had answers.
He might not fully understand everything yet, but one thing was clear.
This was the path he wanted to follow.
"Boss, I get it!" Boateng jumped up from the sofa.
Given his size, the sudden movement startled Gao Shen.
"From now on, I'll do exactly what you say!"
Boateng had once thought that Germany manager Löw was an excellent coach. But now, he realized Gao Shen was on another level.
Gao Shen was very pleased with Boateng's response. He gave him a few encouraging words, some motivational "chicken soup," painted a promising future, and sent the German off to review his "homework."
Ah, these players… such a handful!
(To be continued.)
***
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