After the score became 3-1, the game had lost all suspense.
Fan Tao was protectively substituted. The opposing players had already started tearing his jersey. Who knew if they would tear his shorts next, revealing something unpresentable, and the referee wouldn't know who to card.
Hofmann was red-carded after pulling a jersey, and St. Pauli II's players clearly lost confidence, failing to organize any decent attacks in the last ten minutes.
The final whistle blew, and Hamburg II secured the victory as desired.
Hamburg fans could properly humiliate their arch-rivals away from home, though that would be a war between fans, usually involving family greetings or fighting tournaments outside the stadium or in bars.
After the players showered and changed, Schweinsteiger praised them heartily. After all, such a comeback fully demonstrated the players' fighting spirit and strength. The head coach was not stingy with words of praise, especially for Fan Tao and Betz, who performed outstandingly.
"Fan, Betz, come with me to the post-match press conference."
Fan Tao was stunned: "Isn't this just a friendly match? Why is there a press conference?"
Schweinsteiger said proudly: "Of course, it's because of the city derby. I notified the official media in advance. If you had lost, I really wouldn't know how to clean up the mess."
It was then that Fan Tao realized that being a head coach involved a bit of a gamble. Fortunately, they won, otherwise, it would have been awkward.
It's worth noting that post-match press conferences are the second battlefield for professional coaches and players. If you lose, you get humiliated and hit with various questions that strike at your pain points. Of course, if you win, it's great publicity and very helpful for increasing the fame of the head coach and players.
Head coaches generally only bring high-profile players or the Man of the Match to these conferences.
Arriving at the press conference, Fan Tao, accustomed to the media's cameras from his previous life, sat beside Schweinsteiger with a relaxed demeanor.
Betz, however, was very nervous, being still too young. Schweinsteiger brought him along to help him adapt early.
The press conference battle officially began.
"Mr. Schweinsteiger, congratulations to the team for completing a comeback in the away derby! You were trailing and on the back foot in the first half. What did you say to the players at halftime? How do you view the team's resilience and fighting spirit shown in the second half?"
"I don't think we were on the back foot in the first half. Their shots clearly had a great deal of luck involved. We always maintained the initiative. Of course, I highly commend the players' fighting spirit. At halftime, I just gave a little encouragement, and the tactics didn't change much."
"Playing in a compact, hostile environment like the St. Pauli training ground, do you think this is a test or motivation for young players? How do you help players block out that noise?"
"This is thanks to our daily training. Hard training brings immense self-confidence, helping players perform to their full potential in any environment."
After the pleasantries, the reporters revealed their true intentions.
"At the beginning of the match, you received a yellow card for dissatisfaction with the referee's decision and were very emotional. Do you believe this affected the team? In a high-pressure environment like a derby, how do you balance your passion with calm guidance?"
Schweinsteiger frowned and responded strongly: "That was an unfair decision, and Joshua's subsequent injury proved that point. The referee's standards were a bit too lenient today. When such situations occur, as a head coach, I must protect my players and speak up for them to remind the referee."
The reporters were in an uproar; this was tantamount to the head coach directly criticizing the chief referee.
The reporters excitedly jotted down Schweinsteiger's response, already having a clear idea of how to sensationalize the news tomorrow.
"Fan's performance was particularly outstanding. How would you evaluate this player?"
"Fan is a very creative player. I look forward to his future growth."
A St. Pauli team reporter showed a mischievous smile and stood up to ask: "We saw Fan sometimes appear lazy on the field, and you seem to tacitly approve of his playing style. Is this part of your tactical arrangement?"
This question was really hard to answer. If he admitted it was his tactic, other players might feel uncomfortable, wondering why only Fan Tao could get away with not defending. But publicly criticizing Fan Tao would hurt his feelings and be too unsparing.
Schweinsteiger remained silent for a moment, but he still chose to protect his player: "There's no problem with letting our best attacking player conserve energy. It's precisely because of the hard work of the other players that opportunities were created for Fan to attack. This is a team victory."
Fan Tao looked at Schweinsteiger in surprise. He had already prepared his own response, but he didn't expect the head coach to fend off the question for him. When he played in his previous life, many head coaches were eager to shift blame to players, afraid of being criticized for losing.
"Fan once again demonstrated extraordinary vision and passing ability today, and also scored a world-class goal. How far do you think he is from the first team? In what areas does he need to continue to improve?"
Schweinsteiger raised the microphone and emphasized very seriously: "Fan still needs more training. It's too early for him to join the first team now; this is not conducive to the development of young players. In the Second League, he will get more playing opportunities!"
The St. Pauli reporter began to take his words out of context: "So you mean you don't think he has the ability to join the first team?"
Schweinsteiger retorted angrily: "Those are two different things. Fan is an excellent player!"
A Hamburg team reporter snatched the topic, asking something fans would care about: "What is Joshua's injury status, and how long will it take for him to recover and return to the team? What are your thoughts on Zander's apology and the referee's handling of the situation?"
Schweinsteiger calmed down and slowly began: "It's unfortunate that Joshua will be out for 2-3 weeks. Fortunately, it's just a calf laceration. I believe it won't affect his playing ability, and I look forward to his return."
"Seventeen-year-old Betz made his first derby start today, taking on an important defensive organizational role. Although he struggled a bit in the first half, his performance improved in the second half. How do you evaluate his derby debut?"
"Betz is a very promising player. He trains hard and plays seriously. I look forward to his future performances."
The head coach finally praised Betz, but unfortunately, he didn't hear any of it. He listened to the media's rapid-fire questions, his mind a blank.
That year, at 17, he sat like a minion.
Fan Tao gently patted his back, as if comforting a small animal.
This kid was so scared his body had stiffened up. If he wasn't still moving, one might have thought he had left a while ago.
Seeing that the head coach was flawless, the St. Pauli reporter began to attack Fan Tao.
"During the match, you were often caught on camera strolling, even leading the head coach to shout at you from the sidelines. Yet, you contributed decisive passes and goals. How do you explain this seemingly contradictory phenomenon? Is this your playing style?"
It's my time to shine. Watch how I draw the fire!
Fan Tao crossed his legs, looking like a boss: "That's right! I love strolling! Strolling gets assists, strolling gets goals!"
The reporters had never seen such an arrogant young player and immediately became angry, starting to criticize Fan Tao's professional attitude.
"Coach Schweinsteiger yelled at you at least three times from the sidelines to run into position, and you ignored him every time! Is this a blatant disregard for the head coach's tactical arrangements and authority? Do you think a professional player can decide whether to follow the coach's instructions on the field based on personal preference? Do you think as long as you have assists and goals in the end, it doesn't matter how lazy the process is?"
Fan Tao picked at his earwax and flicked it towards the St. Pauli reporter: "You heard wrong. The coach told me to run less so I wouldn't get tired."
Schweinsteiger: ???
Faced with such a blatant lie, the reporter continued to badger.
"After scoring the last goal, your jersey-ripping celebration was very eye-catching. Was this action a response to the insults from St. Pauli fans, or a provocation towards Knight?"
Fan Tao responded solemnly: "I want to thank Knight for tearing my jersey; he made my goal even more charming. Of course, if you didn't see him pulling my jersey, I suggest you find a good ophthalmology professor to check your eyes."
The St. Pauli reporter's face turned red with anger, and he loudly questioned: "Top professional football is not just about talent, but also discipline, teamwork, and absolute obedience to the coach. With your attitude on the field today and your off-field controversies, do you really think you're ready to enter the more competitive and demanding First League, or even higher-level Leagues?"
Fan Tao scoffed: "None of your business."
"You! You! How rude! Do you even look like a professional player?"
"Haha, he's triggered!"
The press conference ended in a clamor. Thanks to Fan Tao's aggressive remarks, Betz escaped the reporters' questions.
He looked at Fan Tao, his eyes filled with gratitude.
