Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 82

82. The End and a New Beginning

A fierce championship battle and a shocking league table with many unexpected results.

The 2021/22 Premier League season, which brought great joy and pain to fans depending on their team, ultimately saw Liverpool snatch the title from Manchester City, who suffered an unexpected defeat against Burnley.

Of course, from Liverpool’s perspective, having lost 1-0 to Burnley themselves in the second half of the season, they might argue that each team fairly took one loss from Burnley.

Whatever the case, Liverpool fans, thrilled by the dramatic come-from-behind victory, poured into the streets, singing Burnley’s anthem in celebration – a rare scene broadcast on the evening news.

With all 38 rounds of the Premier League completed, the club and individual record holders were also confirmed.

Burnley recorded 19 wins, 9 draws, and 10 losses in 38 Premier League games, earning 66 points, their best ranking and points total in the Premier League era.

Looking at the club’s entire history, it was their best performance since the 1973/74 season.

In addition, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup [a major English football cup competition] with 3 wins and 1 loss in 4 games, but they won all 6 FA Cup [Football Association Challenge Cup, another major English football cup competition] matches, winning the title for the first time in 108 years since the 1913/14 season.

Meanwhile, in the Premier League overall, Mohamed Salah of Liverpool topped the scoring charts with 26 goals, as Chris Wood failed to maintain his scoring pace from the first half of the season after moving to Newcastle.

In assists, Dwight McNeil recorded 14, finishing second. He had seemingly found his scoring touch and focused on goals instead of assists towards the end of the season. Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United took first place with 17 assists.

And Burnley Football Club, who thoroughly interfered with the Premier League title race and caused chaos, held their FA Cup victory parade the very next day, thanks to the abuse of power by the Mayor of Burnley, who declared an emergency holiday on Monday.

***

You can drive around the town of Burnley in about 30 minutes.

Therefore, to make the parade last, I planned a route that started at Turf Moor [Burnley’s football stadium], went around the town, and then arrived at Burnley General Hospital. Even so, the actual distance to travel wasn’t that far.

So, the parade’s double-decker bus, which departed at 2 PM, a little after lunchtime, moved at a pace slightly faster than walking, as virtually all of Burnley’s residents poured into the streets to enjoy the spectacle.

The players, who were initially cheering and enthusiastic, waving the FA Cup trophy wildly, were now mechanically throwing commemorative t-shirts and scarves to the crowd, continuing their conversations.

Everyone knew that the team would begin a full-scale rebuilding as the magical season came to an end.

And most of the veterans who were released on free transfers at the end of this season had already reached agreements with other clubs.

“I was thinking about playing soccer overseas like Jack,” said captain Ben Mee, who had signed a contract with Real Sociedad in Spain.

“Me too. Anyway, I heard the club is holding a testimonial match [a friendly match to honor a player’s long service to a club] for you?” asked veteran striker Jay Rodriguez, who nodded, captivated by the beautiful Austrian scenery that Karim Adeyemi and Nicolas Seiwald had described, and signed a contract with FK Austria Vienna.

A testimonial match is held by the club at the time of departure only for players who have played for the same club for more than 10 years and are recognized for their significant contribution to the team.

Usually, they invite a club that is meaningful to the player as the opponent. In Ben Mee’s case, he spent his entire career at Manchester City and Burnley, so he is probably planning to invite Manchester City as the opponent.

Of course, it is uncertain whether the Manchester City executives, who lost the championship trophy along with the defeat in the final game of this season and ruined their reputation, will readily accept the testimonial match proposal.

Ben Mee shrugged at Jay Rodriguez, who spoke with a hint of envy.

“Are the others all set?”

“It doesn’t seem finalized yet… Wolves have been interested in Matt for a long time, so I think they’re talking to him again. I heard that both Johann and Connor have received offers from Norwich.”

“That’s good. Ashley is there too.”

Right-back Matt Lowton had been of interest to Wolverhampton since before the start of this season, and when Burnley expressed their intention to sell, they immediately jumped on it.

He will probably go there and compete for a starting position with Nelson Semedo, a right-back and wing-back from Barcelona who was signed in the summer transfer market, before gradually becoming a backup player.

On the other hand, if striker Johann Berg Gudmundsson and right-back Connor Roberts go to Norwich, they will join midfielder Ashley Westwood, who transferred there at the beginning of the season.

“What about Wayne?”

“Well… I think he’ll probably stay in England? Wycombe Wanderers, who we faced in the FA Cup last time, must have thought he was good because they made an offer, and he’s considering it.”

It was a drop from the Premier League to League One [the third tier of English football], but goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was also 35 years old, close to retirement.

It might not be too bad to get regular playing time, or even be a backup.

“What about the youngsters?”

“Well? Hey, youngsters! What are you going to do?”

When captain Ben Mee shouted loudly from the front of the bus, the loanees, who were sitting at the back of the bus and excitedly throwing club merchandise to the residents who had poured into the streets, answered in turn.

“I’ll probably return to Barcelona, won’t I?”

“Me too, I guess?”

Nico Gonzalez and Oscar Mingueza returned to their parent club, Barcelona.

“We’ve been notified that the transfer process has been completed.”

Nicolas Seiwald and Karim Adeyemi remained at Burnley on permanent transfers from RB Salzburg.

“We’re just…”

“…going back and competing for a starting position now.”

Hannibal Mejbri and Jacob Ramsey returned to their respective parent clubs.

“Wow, so how many are left now?”

Jay Rodriguez muttered in surprise, counting on his fingers.

Among the 23 first-team players on the bus, there are not many players who will actually wear the Burnley uniform next season.

Only one goalkeeper, Nick Pope.

Four defenders: James Tarkowski, Abdou Diallo, Nathan Collins, and Charlie Taylor.

Two midfielders: Nicolas Seiwald and Josh Brownhill.

And four attackers: Max Cornet, Dwight McNeil, Karim Adeyemi, and Wout Weghorst.

With only 11 players remaining, it’s no exaggeration to say that they are not rebuilding the team but creating a new one.

Moreover, the original members from the Sean Dyche era [Burnley’s long-serving former manager], excluding the players who newly joined this season, are only four: Nick Pope, James Tarkowski, Charlie Taylor, and Josh Brownhill.

“It’s becoming a completely new team…”

Jay Rodriguez muttered with a mixture of regret and envy.

Finally, the parade bus, having circled the town of Burnley, arrived at Burnley General Hospital.

Of course, there was a good intention to encourage the patients, but the main reason the parade bus’s final destination was the hospital was that Arthur was waiting in front of the entrance in a wheelchair.

“Arthur!”

“Coach Brimlow!”

Burnley’s players and coaches surrounded the British old man, who was in a wheelchair but still wore a stubborn expression.

“Thank you, Arthur.”

When captain Ben Mee carefully placed the FA Cup trophy on his lap, Arthur replied with a snort.

“Hey, I saw this plenty of times on the day we won, you know? More than that…”

Oh, it feels like a nagging is about to start.

As the coaches, captain Ben Mee, and the veterans’ expressions hardened, Karim Adeyemi made a preemptive strike.

“We’re going to give gifts to the patients!”

“We’ll help too!”

The quick-witted loanees and young players took the items piled up on the parade bus and ran away into the hospital.

The coaches and veteran players, who were caught by the old man who needed someone to complain to while trapped in a stuffy hospital room, exchanged glances, chuckling at Arthur.

We probably don’t have many days left to hear this nagging, do we?

Yeah. Let’s think of this as a memory.

“Hey! What are you doing, exchanging glances?! I’m not dead yet! You guys! Back in my day…”

***

The day after the parade around Burnley.

The afterglow of the FA Cup victory parade had not yet faded, but as if to signal the full opening of the summer transfer market after the end of the season, breathless transfer news was announced one after another.

First, the three veterans who were released on free transfers from Burnley as their contracts expired announced their respective destinations.

Captain Ben Mee to Real Sociedad, which has recently been showing its strength in the Spanish Primera Liga [the top professional football division of the Spanish football league system].

Veteran striker Jay Rodriguez to FK Austria Vienna, which belongs to the Austrian Bundesliga [the top level of the Austrian football league system].

Veteran goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey to Wycombe Wanderers, a League One team in the English third division.

In addition, Jonathan Landris, who moved quickly, finalized the transfers of the veterans who had received offers.

Veteran striker Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Connor Roberts, a Welsh national team player who was signed in the summer transfer market but failed to compete for a starting position, joined Norwich for a combined 9 million pounds, successfully remaining in the Premier League.

Matt Lowton, a veteran right-back who played a major role in both attack and defense this season, confirmed his transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers, who had settled in the mid-table under the leadership of coach Bruno Lage, for 7 million pounds after a long courtship.

On the other hand, the signings of targets that had been aimed at early on were also announced.

To replace right-back Matt Lowton, Guga, a 23-year-old right-back from Atletico Mineiro, was signed for 4.6 million pounds.

Mika Marmol, a 20-year-old prospect from Barcelona B, was signed for 1.8 million pounds as a left-back, a position that needed continuous reinforcement.

And Christian Medina, who was the second priority for midfield signings after Marcus Solbakken’s work visa did not come through, was signed from Argentina’s prestigious Boca Juniors for 4.6 million pounds.

Some critics pointed out that it was too expensive to sign a 19-year-old prospect with no first-team appearances, but Jonathan Landris had strong recommendations from South American scouts and his own conviction after personally attending reserve team games.

In this way, many veteran players who were the mainstay of Burnley in the 2021/22 season left the team, and promising players began to fill their places.

Everyone expected Burnley to innovate their aging squad.

However, the main focus was on how and who they would bring in with a limited budget, and unknown prospects began to appear in Burnley’s signing announcements one by one.

Burnley fans were nervous about Burnley’s moves, which had been attracting attention this season for discovering and nurturing promising players, while neutral fans and critics were watching Burnley’s moves with an interesting attitude.

However, the CEO, CFO, and manager of Burnley Football Club were in an uproar for completely different reasons.