Alan Smith was incredibly jealous of Claire Lee's influence on the pitch!
Aside from Rooney and Ronaldo, Claire Lee was widely recognized as the third player on the team who could truly energize the crowd. Despite his limited appearances, his song The Nights made him a household name across Britain, and One Day introduced his family background to anti-war advocates worldwide. Labels like "tragic backstory," "self-made," and "gifted talent" were thrown at Claire by the media like they were going out of style. But Claire never disappointed his fans—whether on the field or in the stands. Every time he played, he either scored or set up a teammate's goal.
Against this backdrop, Claire's popularity skyrocketed, Old Trafford's tickets sold like hotcakes, and even those tacky sunglasses Ronaldo endorsed sold out after Claire was spotted wearing them! Comparing himself to Claire, Alan Smith felt outmatched and frustrated—he couldn't compete.
When the winter transfer window opened, Alan knew he was on the chopping block. Claire had taken his spot. But he didn't resent Claire. This season's Manchester United could be described as a "gathering of giants." If Claire had performed like this in any other league or team, he'd likely be a starter by now. Yet, he was still just a substitute midfielder.
To secure a better future, Alan had his agent scout which Premier League teams were interested in him. If none were, he was even willing to play in Portugal—breaking through at United was just too tough. Fortunately, Leeds United offered him a £3.5 million deal as a versatile starter, with his role as a forward or defender depending on his performance.
Leeds' offer was sincere, and unless something unexpected happened, this was likely Alan's last game for United. That's why he was on the pitch today.
But once on the field, Alan stuck to Claire like glue, completely ignoring the assistant coach's instructions. Seeing Carlos Queiroz's frustrated expression, Ferguson whispered, "Don't get mad. He's probably getting traded. I bet he's talking to Claire about it right now—they're likely negotiating something."
Queiroz followed Ferguson's gaze and saw Alan running alongside Claire, the two muttering to each other.
"I'm probably getting traded to Leeds," Alan said, sounding a bit pitiful. "Our roles overlap, so I'm out of options."
Claire was surprised, glancing at Alan. There hadn't been even a whisper about Alan's potential transfer within the team. He agreed with Alan's point about their overlapping roles. Since returning from injury last season, Alan had shifted to a backup forward role—largely because Claire had taken over as midfielder. But Claire couldn't say that outright. "Is there anything I can do to help? I've been caught up with my own stuff lately. I'm sorry, I had no idea this was happening."
"No need to apologize," Alan replied. "If I'd known you were this easygoing, I might've tried to be friends sooner. But it's not too late. I want to leave my new boss a good impression. Can you help me out? I mean, if the Manchester Evening News calls you 'Old Trafford's Sherlock,' I'm inclined to believe it!"
Claire hesitated, scanning the pitch. He didn't respond immediately. It wasn't until France's current international, Abidal, took possession of the ball that Claire pointed to the edge of Lille's penalty area and said, "When they cross into our half, just stand there."
A gambler's mentality can make you rich overnight—or lose everything. That's exactly how Alan felt. With the mindset of someone about to leave United, he skeptically moved to the left-back position to defend.
To Claire, a rising star on the pitch, Ligue 1 was arguably France's weakest league—no question. Its diverse player makeup made it hard for teams to develop consistent tactical identities. Lille was dominating United today largely because of their standout players. Take Abidal, for instance—his performances for France would soon land him at Barcelona. And then there was Benzema, a future teammate of Ronaldo.
But Claire's confidence in exploiting Abidal's weaknesses came from the system in his mind. Four minutes into his appearance, the match was as tense as ever. Evra's mistake had rattled United's players, making them hesitant. The crowd's relentless booing of Evra, along with objects thrown at him, only added to the chaos.
Abidal charged into United's half with alarming speed. At 5'10", the wing-back's ball-handling was lightning-fast. He shrugged off Ronaldo with his physicality and breezed past United's midfield. On the sidelines, an irate Sir Alex Ferguson was yelling at the midfield, though it was unclear what exactly he was saying. United's performance in this home game was dismal.
Meanwhile, Lille's forward, Sylvain Wiltord, sprinted from their half into United's. Claire watched the disorganized United midfield, unsure what to say. Ferdinand's late arrival didn't help matters.
Ignoring Benzema's trash talk, Claire focused on the holographic display in his mind, analyzing Abidal's movements with the ball:
- Option A: Pass through the legs – 50%
- Option B: Break to the right – 50%
The choices made Claire hesitate, but the real-world situation didn't give him time to overthink. After Abidal tested him with a shoulder barge and realized Claire wasn't the "fragile" player the media made him out to be, he didn't say much. Instead, he kept signaling to Benzema.
Claire deliberately left an opening, widening the stance of his feet as Abidal continued to show off his footwork. As more United players closed in, Abidal grew anxious. The gap Claire left soon caught his eye.