Chapter 144: Back to the Fight

Words : 1113 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

Chapter 144: Back to the Fight Chapter 144: Back to the Fight Monday, 30 September, 2010 The air on Monday was cold and damp, a fitting start to a week of reckoning. The training ground, once filled with laughter and light-hearted banter, had turned somber. The players arrived in silence, their expressions marked by a grim determination. The emotional and physical toll of the weekend was still written across their faces. Dev Patel was the first to step onto the pitch, moving with a sense of urgency unfamiliar even to him. Without a word, he headed straight for the corner flag, grabbed a handful of balls, and began drilling crosses each one sharper than the last, his jaw clenched in focus. He knew his mistake had played out in front of everyone, and he was determined to put it right. Niels stood off to the side, a steaming cup of coffee in hand, watching in silence. He hadn’t addressed the players yet letting the chill in the air and the heavy quiet speak for him. When the whistle finally pierced the morning, he called the squad into the center circle. His voice, when it came, was a sharp contrast to the upbeat, motivational tone of the week before. "This week isn’t about Gillingham," he began, his eyes scanning the tired, bruised faces in front of him. "It’s about us. About remembering what it means to be a team that fights." He let the words settle before continuing. "We won’t watch a single second of Gillingham footage until Thursday. Everything we do this week is about proving to ourselves that we are not the team that lost on Saturday. We are the team that fought in Germany." The new training session was a baptism by fire. Niels had introduced a series of brutally simple drills designed to strip away any pretense, any hint of glamour. The first exercise was a two-touch game in a cramped, suffocating box, walled off by mannequins and cones, it was football under pressure, with nowhere to hide. It forced the players to think fast, move faster, and make every touch count. There was no room for fancy flicks, no time for hesitation, the kind of overthinking that had cost them dearly against Hartlepool. Paul Pogba, with his world-class vision, thrived. He was in his element, his feet moving like lightning, firing crisp, one-touch passes through impossibly tight gaps. The ball seemed to dance at his feet, as if it knew where to go before anyone else did. For others, though, it was a struggle. Dev Patel looked hesitant, his first touch often too heavy, the ghost of his mistake in Leverkusen still clinging to him. He tried to force moments of brilliance, but the ball kept slipping away intercepted, misplaced, and lost. Frustration crept in with each misstep. His shoulders slumped, and the effort in his eyes began to give way to doubt. Niels pulled him aside, his voice slicing through the noise of the session. "Your head’s still in the clouds," he said quietly, but firmly. "That goal’s done. It’s in the past. What matters now is your next touch, your next pass, not the highlight reel." He paused just long enough to let it land. "Now get back in there and be a footballer." Dev, humbled and still simmering with frustration, gave a small nod and jogged back into the drill. The next drill was even more punishing. Two lines of players charged toward a lone defender as Niels barked commands from the sidelines. "Attack! One-on-one! Quick!" It was a brutal test of stamina and mental sharpness, a simulation of the relentless pressure they’d faced in recent matches. They were still weary from their European trip, the players pushed themselves to the edge. Harry Thompson and Liam McCulloch, the two center-backs, found themselves locked in a string of grueling duels. Their legs burned, muscles screaming with every turn, but they didn’t quit. They shouted each other on, their voices breaking the silence raw, urgent, defiant. This was the unity that had gone missing on Saturday. And now, piece by piece, it was coming back. The change in Dev Patel was slow, but it came. After a particularly clumsy touch, he stopped, took a deep breath, and calmly slipped back into the drill. This time, he didn’t reach for something flashy. Instead, he played a simple, one-touch pass to a teammate, who quickly finished with a clean goal. It wasn’t a world-class moment, but it was a team goal. For the first time all morning, a faint smile tugged at the corner of Dev’s mouth. He’d found his rhythm again. He remembered what Niels had said: play for the team, not for the headlines. The days blurred together early mornings, relentless drills, and no room for shortcuts. Fatigue settled deep in their muscles, but something stronger was taking root. Conversations became sharper, glances exchanged on the pitch carried unspoken promises, and every player started carrying the weight of the team, not just themselves. The small moments of connection, the quick nods, the quiet words of encouragement started to build something bigger than individual effort. It was a growing sense of unity, a shared belief that they could rewrite the story of the season. Practice sessions grew tougher, but no one backed down. Every drill, every sprint, every pass was a step toward something greater, toward a team reborn. Mistakes were met not with frustration, but with quiet understanding and support. Niels watched from the sidelines, a small smile playing on his lips. He knew this was more than just physical conditioning; this was the rebirth of their spirit. The week of intense training wore on, and by Friday, the team had changed. Their bodies were worn down, but their minds were razor-sharp. The doubts and disappointment from the Hartlepool game hadn’t disappeared, but they’d been forged into a fierce, collective resolve. Each player knew what was at stake, and they carried that weight together united by a shared purpose stronger than any setback. No longer were they the team broken by one bad day; they were a squad reborn, ready to fight for every ball, every point, and every inch on the pitch. They were no longer the exhausted, unfocused side that had faltered after their European high. They were Crawley again hungry, determined, and ready to prove themselves all over. The Europa League had shown them the heights, but this week had brought them back to the hard, cold earth. As they boarded the bus for their away match against Gillingham, a new sense of purpose filled the air. The long climb back had just begun.

Chapter 144: Back to the Fight

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