NOVPUB
Chapter 120: PSV Eindhoven Trick
"Another damn draw?"
Harry van Raaij, the current chairman of PSV Eindhoven, bellowed angrily from the directors’ box as PSV once again failed to win—this time at home against SC Heerenveen.
"Score a goal already! Let’s finally get a win!" he shouted.
"What? You missed that? Defense is the only thing you’re good at, and now you can’t even do that? Useless lot!"
He finally exploded, no longer caring that people were now staring at him with strange expressions.
FWEEEET!
The referee’s whistle blew. Full time.
1-1.
Technically, it wasn’t a loss—but the atmosphere in the stadium felt like it. From the stands behind the bench, he could hear frustration, see fans shouting and cursing.
"We have to win at home. A draw is no longer enough. The fans feel the same way," he muttered under his breath.
His face was grim. Now, he had to admit it—the decision to let Romário go to Barcelona last year was a mistake.
With the £8 million they received from that transfer, they had hoped to rejuvenate a squad that was beginning to age—looking at the long term. And more importantly, they wanted to challenge Ajax, who had been dominating Dutch football for the past year and were still unbeaten in the league.
(P.S.: Transfer fees were often quoted in pounds—especially before the euro was introduced—because the pound was more stable and trusted than many volatile European currencies. As a result, international deals were sometimes negotiated in pounds or even U.S. dollars.)
He sighed heavily.
Aad de Mos, the previous manager, had built a solid squad with players like Phillip Cocu, Jaap Stam, Boudewijn Zenden, and Wim Jonk. They had even signed Luc Nilis, hoping he could fill the void left by Romário.
If Richard had been around, he would’ve definitely understood what was going on with PSV Eindhoven.
In fact, former manager Aad de Mos had predicted it perfectly. Had Richard not interfered with Ronaldo’s transfer and allowed him to join PSV, then this year, Luc Nilis and the 17-year-old Ronaldo could’ve formed a deadly duo.
The young Brazilian striker went on to score 30 goals in his debut season, while Luc Nilis was named Dutch Footballer of the Year—even in an otherwise trophy-less campaign. Unfortunately, Richard’s involvement created a butterfly effect that altered the course of PSV’s entire season.
Harry van Raaij suddenly remembered what Aad de Mos had said before being sacked:"I only need one more striker. Luc Nilis is the kind of forward who needs a partner to truly unlock defenses, you know? Just one! Let me get that kid from Cruzeiro!"
But they failed.
He pursed his lips as he flipped to page 9 of The Sun, the bold headline jumping out at him in thick, black letters:
[...New Signings Ronaldo & Solskjær Shine Again! Dynamic Duo Lead City to Thrilling 2–1 Victory Over Huddersfield!...]
Just below it, a smaller line drove the point home:
[...Ronaldo is on fire—19 goals by mid-season! Manchester City owner Richard Maddox personally signed the young phenom from Cruzeiro!...]
He stared at the paper in silence, the corners of his mouth tightening.
’Nineteen goals... in just half a season?’
He instantly began to regret it—the decision to delay Ronaldo’s transfer. He had wanted to wait, to see how the young Brazilian would perform at the upcoming World Cup before making a move.
It seemed like the cautious, smart thing to do. But that hesitation had cost him everything.
And just like that, the rising star who could’ve been the jewel of Eindhoven was now lighting up English football in sky blue. (Chapter 75: Back to England — Ronaldo’s Transfer to Manchester City Edges Out PSV)
After the conclusion of the 20th fixture in England’s second division, it could be said that, despite City’s somewhat inconsistent record, Ronaldo was always there—scoring goals and either securing victories or forcing draws. It was a remarkable achievement.
Mainstream media was hardly paying attention to English football—especially the Second Division—but for them, it was different. Ronaldo was making waves and they was still craving another Ronaldo.
So, he called the newly appointed manager, Dick Advocaat and current PSV sporting director, into his office, and together they began formulating a strategy.
"According to this newspaper, Ronaldo recorded one goal and two assists in the last match against Huddersfield. Are those stats accurate?"
At his question, the sporting director hesitated before replying, "Yes, it’s accurate."
Harry van Raaij took a deep breath. "You said it was better to wait and see how he performed in the World Cup first, so we could potentially lower his price if he got limited playing time, right? Give me the report," he demanded sharply.
Their current sporting director—often criticized for his limited tactical knowledge—was nonetheless known for his excellent club management. His reports were always thorough and clearly written, allowing Harry to understand a player’s strengths, weaknesses, and even the flow of matches without being there in person. That’s the reason he still kept his job.
He removed his glasses and reread the report.
The flow and details of the game were clearly outlined—how the goal was scored, how the assists were made. It was pure skill. Just like Romário. In other words, they might’ve just missed another Romário... only younger, tougher, and possibly even more skillful?
He wasn’t sure how to answer that.
While the report highlighted that all of Ronaldo’s contributions—his goal and two assists—stemmed almost entirely from individual brilliance, it still raised one important caveat: this was the third tier of English football. It was entirely possible Ronaldo was simply exploiting the weakness of lower-division defenders.
That thought gave him a bit of comfort.
After rereading the report once more, he looked up. "Is there any chance we can still sign Ronaldo next season?"
"That... was..." The sporting director faltered, struggling to find the right words.
Harry van Raaij clicked his tongue in irritation, and the director visibly flinched under the weight of his glare.
"If a shot goes in, it’s because the player trained for that relentlessly. If a deflection leads to a goal, it’s because the team practiced positioning until it became second nature," he said sharply. "But if he can dribble, shoot, pass, and defend..." He stopped, glaring. "You told me to wait and watch. Well, I waited. And now that kid’s tearing up the English league while we’re still drawing matches here."
The room fell silent, the weight of his words settling like fog.
"So, tell me," Harry van Raaij said, eyes narrowing. "Is there any chance we can get Ronaldo next season—or have we truly missed our last shot?"
"..."
The scathing words left the sporting director drenched in cold sweat. Grinding his teeth, he finally mustered the courage to speak.
"It will be very difficult for us to get Ronaldo now... he currently has five years left on his contract."
Both Dick Advocaat and Harry van Raaij were dumbfounded.
"Five years?!" Advocaat repeated, shocked. "A six-year contract?!" n𝚘𝚟𝚙u𝚋.co𝚖
The sporting director nodded awkwardly, not meeting their eyes, then quickly tried to redirect the conversation.
"But, sir, I’ve already found another potential replacement. Take a look at this."
He handed over another report—one related to a player he believed could fill the role they had once meticulously prepared for Ronaldo.
"Rivaldo?" Harry van Raaij asked, raising an eyebrow. Just from the name, he could tell it was another Brazilian.
"Where is he playing now?"
"He’s currently on loan at Bristol City... from Manchester City."
"Interesting. A visionary playmaker, but also a prolific scorer," Advocaat muttered as he skimmed the profile. "But wait—he’s only played nine matches so far. Why is that?"
The sporting director shrugged. "From what I’ve heard, it’s partly due to Manchester’s weather. Plus, when City first brought him in, he was a bit too skinny for the league. That made them hesitant to play him regularly. But once they saw his skill in training and matches, their stance changed—they’re now seriously considering keeping him permanently."
If Richard found out that his previous move had already tipped off the ambitious PSV—that they were now eyeing Rivaldo to fill the void left by Ronaldo—he’d probably want to pull his hair out in frustration.
After all, his ultimate goal was to unite the legendary "Trio R" at Manchester City!
"Dick, what do you think?" Harry van Raaij asked, turning to his manager.
"I think he’s a good option on the left wing," Dick Advocaat replied. "The formation I prefer is 4-2-3-1, so in the end, I’d rather have a strong winger than another out-and-out striker."
"Is that so?" Harry van Raaij nodded thoughtfully, then turned to his sporting director.
"Can you handle the Rivaldo situation with Bristol City?"
"Yes. If you approve, I’ve already prepared a draft agreement. We can offer Bristol City a friendly match next season as part of the deal. In addition, we could loan them one of our academy players—it’s a win-win. Our player gains experience, and they get something in return."
He leaned forward, voice steady.
"As for Rivaldo, we’ll pitch him on the promise of top-flight football and remind him of Romário’s success here. PSV isn’t just a club—it’s a launchpad. We want him to be the next big Brazilian star in Europe. We can also offer favorable climate, excellent training facilities, and comfortable living conditions."
Richard, still in the U.S., had no idea what was happening back in Europe. He was fully immersed in the whirlwind progress of both Yahoo! and Netscape.
As for Yahoo!, he had already discussed the topic of equity with Jerry Yang and David Filo. The initial agreement valued the company at $5 million, with Richard set to invest $1,000,000 in exchange for a 20% stake.
However, things had developed further.
After Richard shared several unique concepts—including a monetization strategy and structural ideas for scaling—both Jerry and David agreed to increase the equity offer.
This was part of Richard’s condition: in total, he would receive 25% equity in the company.
20% would be purchased with $1,000,000 in cash, and the remaining 5% would be granted in exchange for his ideas.
He had tried to negotiate for more, but Jerry and David were only willing to give up 25%. Richard didn’t press too hard. From the company documents, even without his revenue idea, the company will still be valuable since there are already several key patents registered.
The fact that he was able to almost double their original offer was already a huge win. With a 25% equity stake, even future dilution wouldn’t stop him from eventually appearing on the list of billionaires.
"Jerry Yang will hold 37.5%, David Filo will also hold 37.5%, and Maddox Capital will take the remaining 25%. Please confirm if everything looks good."
With that, the three men signed the final legal documents.
And just like that, they were officially the three founders of Yahoo!
