It didn't take long for the news to spread through Li Cheng and his roommate.
Soon, most of the Chinese international students at King's College knew: Juninho D'Alessandro, a young coach of Brazilian-Chinese descent, was creating a sensation in English football.
Even some Chinese students who weren't football fans felt a wave of pride and excitement.
After all, in the world's most beloved sport, Asians—especially East Asians—were often looked down upon or ignored in coaching roles.
But now, Juninho had earned some real respect.
And not through luck or connections—through results.
Nine consecutive wins in the English fourth division.
A foreign coach making headlines.
Even though it was "just" the Fourth Division, it still meant something. It meant a breakthrough. A foot in the door.
---
Phones began to ring in the student apartments across campus.
"Xiao Fei, did you hear? A Chinese coach is managing a team in England!"
"Dad, remember how tough it was for Uncle to get a coaching license overseas? Now someone our age is doing it at a pro club!"
"Nine straight wins! And they say Asians can't coach? Nonsense!"
"Fourth division? So what! He's young—who knows where he'll be in five years?"
"If he makes it to the Championship or Premier League one day… we'll be telling everyone we saw him first."
Messages were sent back home.
Parents. Football-loving uncles. Online friends.
Everyone was talking about it.
On forums and post bars in China, early discussions about this mysterious overseas coach slowly began to pick up traction.
His name? Juninho D'Alessandro.
Of course, in the year 2000, internet access in China wasn't widespread—only students and families with better financial means were online.
But the buzz was beginning.
And even though Juninho was still just a coach of a Fourth Division club, some already saw the bigger picture:
> In a quiet English town, a young coach of Asian descent was quietly changing perceptions.
---
Beijing, China – DDTV Headquarters
Inside a modest office at the DDTV5 building, sports journalist Duan Xuan sat beside his supervisor, both staring at an old desktop monitor.
"Xiao Xuan," the supervisor said, "Should we include this guy in the show?"
He pointed to a growing discussion thread online.
Duan Xuan nodded thoughtfully. "Even if he's only coaching in the fourth tier, he's one of the first Chinese-descended coaches to do this in Europe. Fans will be interested."
"Alright, include him," the supervisor said. "But compress his segment. Airtime's expensive—we can't let it interfere with our main content."
"Understood," Duan Xuan replied.
The program in question?
A new show being launched by DDTV5 for Chinese football fans, titled "World Football."
Scheduled to air every Monday evening, 7:30 to 9:25 PM.
"I think I'll head out early and learn about him in person," Duan Xuan suggested.
The supervisor gave the nod. "Fine. Get your team ready tomorrow. You leave the day after. We'll wire you the funds tonight. Don't mess it up."
---
Two Days Later – Nightfall, Morecambe, England
Duan Xuan, accompanied by a camera crew and photographers, arrived in Morecambe—a quiet town in northwest England.
After a long journey involving multiple bus transfers, they arrived near the Morecambe FC training base.
As they got off the final bus, a junior reporter turned to Duan Xuan.
"Brother Xuan… aren't we pushing too hard? Shouldn't we rest first?"
Duan Xuan shook his head. "They have a League Cup match against a League Two club tomorrow. If we make contact now, we might be allowed to film the game. Let's try."
They made their way to the gates of the training base.
There, an elderly guard stood watch. His tone was a bit gruff, suspicious of a group showing up at night.
"What are you doing here?"
Duan Xuan stepped forward politely.
"Hello, we're from DDTV5, a sports channel in China. We'd like to interview your head coach, Juninho D'Alessandro."
The old man raised an eyebrow.
"Chinese? You're from the coach's home country, eh?"
He paused, then said, "Wait here. I'll make a call. Not sure if the boss has gone home yet."
"Thank you," Duan Xuan said with a slight bow.
The old man shuffled back to his post and picked up the landline.
After a few rings, someone picked up.
"What is it?" came a tired voice.
"Zach, you still in the office?"
"Yeah."
"There's a group from the coach's homeland. Reporters. Want to see him."
"He hasn't left yet. I'll ask."
A moment later, Zach returned.
"He said let them in."
The old man hung up and turned to Duan Xuan's group.
"You're in luck. Head straight that way. Look for the building with the lights on."
---
The group made their way down the dim path, eventually spotting a small administrative building glowing with light.
"That should be it," Duan Xuan said.
As they approached, a group of sharply dressed staff walked out to meet them.
At the front of the group stood a tall young man with short black hair, warm brown eyes, and a composed presence.
Duan Xuan immediately recognized him.
"Coach Juninho!" he greeted with a big smile, extending his hand.
"Hello," Juninho replied, shaking his hand firmly.
He was a little surprised at how quickly word had traveled—but he wasn't displeased.
Seeing Duan Xuan in person, he couldn't help but feel a mix of familiarity and nostalgia.
Back in his previous life, he had watched Duan Xuan host football shows for decades.
Now, here they were, face to face.
---