In European professional football, every manager has their own philosophy when it comes to team-building. But there is one concept that is universally accepted:
The central axis.
This is something no team can afford to overlook when forming its foundation.
In fact, fans can often analyze a team or evaluate a manager's team-building ability by starting from this point, because the central axis functions as the backbone of the squad.
Even though Gao Shen clearly saw the rising importance of full-backs in the modern game—and even at Leeds United, he asked Sarri to fully unleash the attacking potential of the full-backs—the true foundation of Leeds United still revolved around the central axis.
From this perspective, many questions become clearer.
For example, why did Gao Shen always believe André Villas-Boas would fail?
Terry, Lampard, and Drogba—this was the spine of Chelsea.
Didn't Villas-Boas know that?
He absolutely did. But he arrogantly believed he could reshape the team and assert control.
Yet in the end, he had to fall back on those three veterans.
Ferguson once said in his autobiography that when he was building his Manchester United team, he always structured it around the central axis. The foundation always started with the central defenders.
"My Manchester United team is built around centre-backs. It has always been centre-backs. I'm always looking for a stable and reliable pairing."
These were Ferguson's own words from the tactical section of his book, representing his true philosophy.
If you carefully analyze Manchester United's golden eras and periods of decline, the pattern becomes obvious.
Ferguson's first dynasty at Old Trafford was built on the dominant partnership of Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister. Bruce later became a well-known Premier League manager, while Pallister was a towering presence at the back.
When those two aged and were gradually phased out, Manchester United's performances also dipped. It wasn't until the second dynasty, with the Class of '92 and the Treble era, that the club surged again.
During the Treble season, United had arguably the best central defender in the world at that time—Jaap Stam. Alongside him was Ronny Johnsen. While injuries were frequent, that pairing was instrumental in United's historic Treble.
But unfortunately, Ferguson sold Stam later for various reasons.
To correct that mistake, he spent a then-record fee to bring in Rio Ferdinand.
Anyone familiar with Manchester United wouldn't be surprised by that move. The club had long favored homegrown talents, and Ferguson always preferred the best local central defender available. At that time, Ferdinand was the best in England and among the best in the world.
But Ferdinand alone wasn't enough. With the departures of Beckham, Keane, and Van Nistelrooy, coupled with Chelsea's rapid rise, United faced a rough patch.
Until Ferguson discovered Nemanja Vidić.
The pairing of Ferdinand and Vidić allowed Manchester United to dominate Europe once more.
But three years later, Ferdinand was about to turn 33, and Vidić was also entering his 30s. United's strongest center-back pairing in history was clearly on the decline.
Worse yet, throughout these years, United had never had more than two dependable center-backs. This forced Ferguson to push Ferdinand and Vidić to their limits, leading to injuries of varying degrees.
This season, Ferguson spent big to sign Phil Jones from Blackburn, hoping the young English defender would become the future leader of United's backline. At the same time, he continued to patiently develop Ace.
Ace had long been seen as a liability in the United defense, with inconsistent performances. Some media even mocked him, saying that whenever he was on the pitch, United were effectively playing with ten men.
The implication was that Ace contributed nothing.
But this season, his performances showed signs of improvement. Against Tottenham, Arsenal, and Chelsea, he delivered solid displays and earned praise from Ferguson and the fans.
Many United supporters began to believe that Ace might inherit the mantle from Ferdinand and Vidić. Even the player himself seemed eager to seize the spotlight.
Ahead of the Manchester derby, Ace proudly told the media he was satisfied with his form and believed he was entering the peak of his career.
"I always tell myself that when I don't play well, I have to face the pressure and sometimes endure the unpleasant noise."
Although he added that with Phil Jones arriving, if his performances dipped again, he could be dropped. So he had to stay composed and let his play speak for itself.
But both media and fans criticized his choice of words—calling criticism "noise"—believing he was too arrogant.
Ferguson, though, remained patient with his favored student. He believed Ace was a mentally strong player.
"When you've seen enough, you'll realize that many young players have one or two standout seasons, but then hit a rough patch. Those who can't push through end up fading."
"I think Ace has made it through the tough times and is entering his golden years."
With confidence and the full backing of Ferguson, Ace looked poised to take the next step.
In the Manchester derby, Ferguson fielded what he considered his strongest lineup, with Ace starting alongside Ferdinand.
But the young defender failed to live up to expectations.
In the 21st minute, Hazard carried the ball in from the left and played a horizontal pass. Sturridge darted to the near post, drawing Ferdinand's attention and distracting Ace—causing him to lose sight of his primary target.
Van Persie rushed into the gap and slotted home from close range. Manchester City led 1-0.
And that wasn't the worst of it.
Just 30 seconds into the second half, City intercepted the ball and launched a counter. Van Persie drifted to the left channel to receive the pass, then turned and threaded a ball through the defense. Sturridge faced off one-on-one against Ace.
Ace could have used his body to shield the striker, but for some reason, he didn't. He allowed Sturridge to gain the advantage.
Everyone knew the English striker's biggest assets were pace and explosiveness. Once he got moving, Ace had no chance of catching him. Sturridge broke into the box and calmly finished into the far corner.
2-0!
Both goals came from Ace's defensive lapses.
Old Trafford erupted with boos directed at him once again.
And Manchester City beat United 2-0 away from home, with both goals coming from their forwards.
This marked the third straight season that City had won at Old Trafford.
Before the match, Gao Shen had sent Ferguson two boxes of wine.
After the match, the legendary United boss invited Gao Shen to have a drink in his Old Trafford office.
While it's not uncommon for the home manager to host the visiting manager post-match in European football, such traditions have become increasingly rare in recent years.
After all, with the intensity of modern competition, it's a small miracle if rival coaches don't clash on the touchline.
Mourinho once poked Vilanova in the eye—would he still expect Guardiola to invite him for a glass of wine?
Then there's someone like Ferguson, whose status in English football's underworld is unmatched. He doesn't just casually offer invitations.
Even Mourinho, during his Chelsea days, didn't often receive such treatment.
But Gao Shen was an exception. Every time he came to Old Trafford, Ferguson would invite him in for a drink.
Of course, Gao Shen only drank water.
The two sat together, not even bothering to talk about the match.
Honestly, there wasn't much to discuss about this Manchester derby. From every angle, United had very little chance of winning.
Ace was young and inexperienced. He'd played well recently and got a bit carried away. Then, bad luck struck.
But it wasn't all on Ace. Even if Vidić had started alongside Ferdinand, United still would have lost.
To be blunt, the difference in strength was too obvious.
Why else would Ferguson play down the derby against City in front of the media after the Liverpool game a week earlier?
Because he knew his chances were slim. He was managing expectations in advance.
If he had been confident, he'd have publicly dismantled Manchester City already.
This was a top-of-the-table clash, after all.
And when it comes to mind games, how many in European football can match Ferguson?
If not the match, then the only topic left was Gao Shen himself.
"This might be the last time we drink together as opponents like this."
Ferguson looked at Gao Shen with a smile and raised his glass. "Sure you won't have a little wine?"
Gao Shen shook his head. He really didn't drink.
"Have you made up your mind?"
A few days earlier, Mubarak had mentioned having dinner with representatives from Manchester United. He said it was about discussing Gao Shen.
"Manchester United's position won't change!" Ferguson was resolute.
"I'm almost 70, Gao. I've always said I want to retire with one last league title. But if you stay, I'll never get that chance. I'll be stuck coaching forever. You don't want me on the sidelines until I'm 80, do you?"
"You're wrong. I'd love to see that," Gao Shen said with a grin.
"But even if you settle things with Manchester United, it won't matter. Several clubs have already talked. United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal will all vote against it!" Ferguson paused, glanced at Gao Shen, and added, "You know why."
Silence.
It all came back to the same tired narrative: new money versus old money.
That's why they were pushing UEFA and the Premier League to investigate City's finances.
Ultimately, it was Manchester City who disrupted their status quo and threatened their vested interests.
Gao Shen and Manchester City had already mentally prepared for this.
Even if it weren't about him personally, they would have found other excuses eventually, like City's wage structure and the fiscal deficits that followed.
To Gao Shen, the hypocrisy was clear. Why were Arsenal's real estate losses or the massive debts dumped on Manchester United by the Glazers not a problem, but City's investments always were?
(To be continued.)