I Am Jose-Chapter 70 - : A False Alarm

"Victory in the UEFA Cup! Mallorca returns home in glory!"

"Breaking news! After winning the UEFA Cup, the entire Mallorca team took a brief rest overnight before heading back to the island, where they were greeted by enthusiastic fans welcoming them!"

"Breaking! It has been reported that, shortly after winning the UEFA Cup, an incident occurred when the entire Mallorca team disembarked from their plane. Coach José fell off the plane and was immediately rushed to the largest hospital in Mallorca..."

"Accurate information has come through: Coach José Alemany of Mallorca was carried off the plane by stretcher. It's said that he injured his back during the celebrations in Copenhagen, and had to return home in this uncomfortable manner..."

"New UEFA Cup-winning coach José Alemany has returned home with a back injury. It's still unclear whether this injury occurred during celebrations or due to another reason."

"Reports indicate that during the wild celebrations that night, Mallorca's entire team was caught up in the excitement. José went out alone, spending the night with ten women, leading to severe strain on his muscles..."

Within a single night, all the media turned into gossip mills, with even the historic UEFA Cup win by Mallorca being overshadowed by José's dramatic fall from the plane. The picture of him being carried off the plane by young players Mota and Luke became the headline, sparking a mix of laughter and curiosity over how José had actually injured himself.

"These bastards are really something, can they just stop guessing?"

José cursed out loud, sprawled on his hospital bed, looking far from dignified. Standing before him was Natal, who was barely holding in his laughter. The various speculations from the newspapers had been so amusing that he'd been chuckling nonstop. And now, seeing José like this, it was only making it worse.

"Looks like I won't be able to coach the final round of the league... but it's no big deal. The last match doesn't really matter anyway. Just let the starters rest and send in the substitutes. You handle the tactics," José said.

Natal nodded. The final match was essentially a formality. With Mallorca securing their spot in the top ten, and after the UEFA Cup victory, this was the perfect opportunity for those rarely used substitutes to get some playing time. Atlético Madrid, their opponent, had already been relegated two rounds earlier, so there was no risk of being accused of throwing the game.

"By the way, don't let Thiago and Alberto start. Give them a chance to come off the bench in the second half. They're still young, and I don't want to overwork them," José added as Natal prepared to leave.

Natal was a bit surprised at this request, but after spending half a season with José, he had come to respect him deeply. So, without asking further, he simply nodded and took his leave.

José shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position as he thought about the next steps. He had been resting in the hospital for two days now, and his back pain had eased considerably. However, the doctors still hadn't given a clear diagnosis.

Two days earlier, when he lifted the UEFA Cup trophy, José felt a slight twinge in his back. At the time, he didn't think much of it and pushed through the celebration. However, by the time he returned to the hotel and slept, it had worsened. His teammates had to carry him onto the plane, and now, here he was, carried off it as well...

"Dammit, what the hell is going on? My back can't be in trouble. I'm still a virgin!" José grumbled internally, annoyed by the slow pace of the doctors. He'd been here for two days, and how much longer was he going to stay?

Just as José was about to lose himself in more thoughts, the door to his room opened. His father, along with Dr. Joan Peris, the best sports injury specialist in Mallorca, walked in.

Peris was almost sixty, with neatly combed silver hair, though his energy and vigor were still impressive.

When José saw him, he lifted his head, looking at him with hope in his eyes.

"José, your father and I have been friends for many years. Don't worry, I'll take care of you," Dr. Peris said seriously, almost making José's heart skip a beat. Was this some serious illness? It was his back, after all. If it affected his future... lifestyle, then he might as well not have been reborn. Even with all the power in the world, no one wanted to come back only to become a 90-year-old!

"Overwork caused a slipped disc, nothing too serious," Peris continued, quickly revealing the diagnosis.

"Slipped disc?" José was momentarily stunned. He knew that term from his past life, especially from playing CM or FM games. If a player suffered from such an injury, it usually meant months without playing.

"It's not too severe. With conservative treatment, it might be healed in two to three weeks," Peris assured him.

"That easy?" José was cautious, considering the implications for his, well, personal life. "There won't be any long-term issues, right?"

"Hard to say. Slipped discs are prone to recurring issues with conservative treatment," Peris chuckled.

"Shit, does that mean I'll have to be careful during... well, other activities?" José asked, now wide-eyed.

Peris shrugged. "If you don't want future problems, you could have surgery. That'll prevent it from coming back. Just make sure not to sit at a desk for too long, get an ergonomic chair, and you can stay healthy and active without issues."

"Really?" José was relieved and started warming up to the old man.

His father, however, couldn't take it anymore. Seeing his son and the doctor so casually chatting, he coughed twice to make them stop laughing.

"Son, you should think carefully. After surgery, you'll need to rest for at least three or four months. That means you won't be able to coach Mallorca next season," his father reminded him.

José paused.

Peris waved his hand. "You can discuss it. But once you choose surgery, you can't coach the team for the next few months. Besides resting, you'll need physical therapy to ensure full recovery without any issues."

José's father nodded, then gestured for Peris to leave. After the doctor exited, José's father turned to him with a smile.

"You know, this could work in your favor. You only planned to coach for half a season anyway. Now you have a perfect excuse to take a break and focus on other things. The club won't wait for you that long, so it's a good chance to step back."

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José laughed. "A chance to move behind the scenes? That works for me. After all, the fans already love me after this half-season. They won't forget about me."

His father smiled, clearly proud. "I know you're talented, but this level of success is impressive. Your performance this season has been top-notch."

José's father then asked, "So, have you decided on the club's share purchase?"

José thought for a moment before responding, "I'm waiting for the right moment. The Asensio family won't sell until they think the club can't provide enough returns. I have to wait for them to show their hand first."

His father nodded. "Good. Just focus on your surgery and recovery. I'll take care of the club."

José then asked, "How's the club's financial situation this season?"

His father sighed. "Not great. Even with the UEFA Cup win bringing in a few million, and TV broadcast revenue, the season still ended with a deficit. Players' salaries were adjusted based on the Champions League participation, but since we didn't qualify, we've lost millions."

José sighed. "Looks like some players will have to be sold."

His father nodded. It was a given. In seasons with profits, players were sold, so in a season with a deficit, selling players was a must. But with few players left of value, it was clear that veteran players wouldn't fetch much. The likely candidates for sale were Ibágaça and Tristan—especially Tristan, whose performance had been outstanding. It was rumored that Real Madrid and Deportivo La Coruña were keeping an eye on him.

José muttered to himself, "These guys really don't leave room for sustainable development. Even if you bring in young players, it's still better than relying on old veterans."

After a brief discussion, José's father went to find Peris and inform him that his son had agreed to surgery. Meanwhile, José fell into deep thought. If players were to be sold, Mallorca didn't have many options. The old defenders were unlikely to attract much interest from other clubs, and up front, Eto'o was a Real Madrid player. His loan was expiring at the end of the season, while Stankovic was getting older. It seemed likely that Ibágaça and Tristan would be sold, with Tristan being the most likely target.

"These guys really know how to tear down everything I build. Even if they brought in some young talent, it's better than relying on aging players," José thought, reaffirming his resolve to take control of the club before officially taking over as coach.

He didn't want to see the players he nurtured sold off, nor the system he'd built destroyed in a single summer. After all, he wasn't just any regular coach. No coach had nearly two billion dollars at their disposal like he did.

The next day, at the press conference before the final round of the league, Mallorca's club announced the situation regarding coach José Alemany's injury. The hospital's diagnosis confirmed that José's back injury was due to prolonged sitting during the last six months and worsened during the celebrations. In other words, it was the fault of both José and his players.

Mallorca's fans, though concerned, were touched. Here was a young man who had worked himself to the bone for the club, becoming a loyal hero in their eyes...

And unknowingly, José's reputation among Mallorca's fans only grew stronger.