Actally being pushed to the forefront is something that Gao Shen did not expect.

  Initially, he just had a small iion to solidify his retionship with Guardio. However, things developed far beyond his expectations, making him quite frustrated.

  Acc to the club's public retioment, media reporters were calling every day, eager to interview Gao Shen. Some requested phoerviews, others video interviews, and some were even willing to travel to Naples for face-to-faterviews.

  Gao Shen never anticipated being famous once again.

  Although it might feel cool to be a celebrity, he found the situation quite helpless because it was beyond his trol.

  He had always been a man with a strong desire for trol and didn't appreciate situations where things were outside his grasp.

  Of course, his trol freak tendencies weren't as extreme as Benitez, Mourinho, or Van Gaal. Those guys were truly paranoid about trol. Gao Shen, by parison, was more le. He could allow pyers to think indepely och, even encing them to do so.

  However, there rerequisite: the pyers' aust still align with his tactical system.

  Guardio, oher hand, was deeply embarrassed by all the media attention.

  He wasn't even officially Gao Shen's assistant, but he was still living in Gao Shen's house in Naples, making him feel somewhat out of pce.

  After some media came to Naples, Guardio mentioo Gao Shen that he felt guilty for causing trouble a it was inappropriate to stay any longer.

  However, Gao Shen ftly rejected that notion. He emphasized how much he had beed from his discussions with Guardio and insisted that he was happy to have Guardio stay.

  Who wouldn't be?

  After Guardio got his coag certificate, Gao Shen noticed that several books by Guardio had appeared in his tactical library. Although they were quite thin, indig that Guardio hadn't accumuted much yet, Gao Shehrough them quickly.

  As they got to know each other better, Gao Shen found that talking with Guardio was easy. Many of their ideas meshed perfectly, making Guardio feel like he had found a kindred spirit, someone he should've met much sooner.

  Now, although Guardio felt he was bringing trouble to Gao Shen, Gao Shen not only didn't bme him but also enced him to stay. What else could Guardio feel but gratitude and a sense of deep appreciation?

  Gao Shen had already figured out Guardio's personality early on and khat he was idle at home. So, after giving him a stern "lesson," Gao Shen pyed his trump card to further solidify their retionship.

  He proposed a tract!

  Since Guardio was embarrassed about staying in Naples without an official title, Gao Shen offered a solution: "Sign a tract, be my assistant. I'll take care of your room and board, let you learn from me, and even pay you a sary every month."

  "How loyal am I!" Gao Shen thought.

  There was no need for words; Guardio sighe tract immediately, moved by Gao Shen's siy.

  After all, Guardio did want to stay in Naples and learn from Gao Shen. So, joining the coag staff and helping out seemed like a natural step.

  Gao Shen gave him enough freedom. The tract was short, ending after the current season, and if Guardio wao re afterward, he could.

  What more could Guardio say? Finding such a fidant, such a mentor, all he could think of was how to repay the kindness he had been shown.

  But there was something else to sider: Guardio seemed to carry some bad luck with him.

  Fans who followed his career might remember that in his first game as a coach for Bara's B team, he lost.

  Yes, he lost. This was the fourth tier of Spanish football, and even Bara's sed team lost. Unbelievable, right?

  A year ter, wheook charge of Bara's first team, his first game was also a loss 0-1 to Numancia.

  Even funnier, wheer took over Bayern Munich, his first game was another loss, this time to Dortmund.

  Of course, wheer managed Maer City, he started with a winning streak, but this didn't stop his usual habit of starting out poorly.

  And this time, he seemed to have brought his bad luck to Naples.

  ---

  In the eleventh round of Serie B, Napoli pyed Bari away.

  Yes, this is the same Bari where the etric Cassaed, and it's still his hometown. Here, Cassano even earhe niame "Brad Pitt." Who knows if the people of Bari all share Cassano's quirky charm?

  But it was in this stray, with this straeam, that Napoli suffered their first defeat of the season.

  0-1!

  What Juventus, Ascoli, Parma, and many other famous teams couldn't do, Bari mao pull off.

  They defeated the mighty Napoli on their home turf!

  Who would have thought?

  Napoli couldn't believe it either.

  Despite taking nearly 30 shots, they failed to score a single goal.

  Meanwhile, the oppo sent in a cross that ricocheted off Bonucci's leg and bounced into Napoli's goal.

  Surprising, right? No shots but still a goal!

  In the locker room after the game, Gao Shen couldn't help but ugh.

  "You... you..."

  He didn't know whether to ugh or cry, he was truly speechless.

  "Everyone will submit a review after we return," he said.

  The pyers were shocked. They had been prepared for a serious scolding.

  Just a review?

  What happeo the fierce temper that made even Zidane and Ronaldo too scared to speak?

  If Gao Shen had known what the pyers were thinking, he might have suspected that they lost on purpose just to see him lose his temper.

  Looking at Guardio, Gao Shen sighed deeply.

  Look at that bad luck his own abilities couldn't even shield against it!

  ---

  The external rea to Napoli's defeat was retively calm.

  After all, they still topped the Serie B standings.

  More importantly, Napoli had just pyed back-to-back tough matches against Juventus and Parma. With the stant rotations, it was natural to have some fluctuations in performance.

  Besides, Bari didn't even take a shot and still mao win what more could anyone say?

  On the trary, Juventus celebrated their 2-0 home win over Pescara.

  The Turin-based La Gazzetta dello Sport was ecstatic, prog that Napoli was crumbling and Juventus would sooake them.

  While this victory didn't ge the standings, it was enough for Deschamps to keep his job a little longer.

  The Fren had been having a tough time.

  ---

  Iwelfth round of Serie B, Juventus had barely finished ughing at Napoli when they ran into their own misfortune.

  After a week of rest, they pyed AlbinoLeffe away, managing only a 1-1 draw.

  AlbinoLeffe was ruthless, fielding a formation with five defenders and four midfielders, clearly fog on defending Juventus's attacks.

  Ih minute, AlbinoLeffe unched a quick terattack that tore through Juventus's defense and reached the penalty area. Buffon, in an attempt to save the situation, fouled the attacker.

  The result? A red card and a penalty.

  Juventus mao equalize in the sed half, but the final result was a 1-1 draw.

  Once again, Deschamps' job was on the line.

  ---

  After a week of rest, Napoli returo a, refreshed and ready to face Bologna at home.

  All the frustrations from the previous round's loss were unleashed on Bologna, and Napoli destroyed them 4-0.

  Bologna's coach, Ulivieri, kept exg in disbelief during the post-match press ference.

  At 65 years old, the Italian coach had once managed Napoli ba 1998. He hadn't expected his former team to thrash his current one so pletely.

  By the way, you might not have heard of Ulivieri before, but he's quite a big deal.

  Covilo is Italy's premier training ground for young coaches essentially Italy's "Academy" for coaches. Nearly all head coaches, assistants, and even general coaches have e through this system.

  Ulivieri is a key figure at Covilo, responsible for training many of Italy's coag students.

  Even some current and former pyers, including Italian iionals who had just won the World Cup, had studied under Ulivieri.

  A, Gao Shen had thhly defeated this highly respected man.

  No wohe Italians were in a hurry!

  ---

  After beating Bologna, Napoli still hadn't had enough.

  Ihirteenth round of Serie B, they visited Pescara and put in another dominant performance, winning 3-0.

  This result pushed Pescara even closer tation.

  The match itself wasn't particurly hy, but a small i afterward caused quite a stir in the media.

  Before the game ended, Gao Shen noticed a young pyer from Pescara in the pyer tuhe youth was rather scruffy and small, but for some reason, Gao Shen was drawn to him and immediately began discussing a transfer with Pescara's interim coach, Ammazzalorso.

  When he didn't get the result he wanted, Gao Shen immediately called Napoli's sp direarino and asked him to make tact with Pescara.

  An hour ter, the scruffy Italian youth officially beloo Napoli, with the transfer set to be pleted during the winter break.

  "Trust me, he will bee one of the best midfielders in Europe," Gao Shen fidently told Guardio.

  Guardio was fused he didn't uand why.

  Gao Shen didn't kher. He just had a feeling.

  ---

  In this round, Juventus pyed at home again, fortably beating Lecce 4-1, which temporarily secured Deschamps's position.

  Deschamps, who had just regained some stability, drew 1-1 against Genoa in an away match, and his position was once again in jeopardy.

  Looking at Gao Shen, he couldn't help but worry for Deschamps. How could he mahings so poorly?

  You're not that young anymore; 't you steady the ship?

  After all, you, Deschamps, are a head coach who once led a team to the Champions League final. How are you struggling to figure out your oppos in Serie B?

  Look at us, Naples 2-0, easy rotation, aook care of Frosihout any issues.

  After that loss to Bari, Napoli bounced back with ahree secutive wins. The key thing was that we ceded zero goals, demonstrating our dominant strength. From the match performances, it's clear that Napoli is gettier aer.

  ...

  Three days ter, Napoli visited the Tardini Stadium to face Parma.