Chapter 95: Rumors and Realities

Chapter 95: Rumors and Realities Chapter 95: Rumors and Realities Tuesday, May 18, 2010 The morning sun lit up Crawley with a golden glow, but the air was still cold as Niels walked to the club’s training ground. His boots crunched on the gravel, each step reminding him of the pressure he felt. He could still picture Sunday’s victory parade the crowd shouting "Craw-ley! Craw-ley!", Max holding up the FA Cup, Luka dancing on top of the bus, and red scarves waving everywhere like flags. But after the talk about his contract extension, the surprise emails from Barnsley and Nottingham Forest left Niels feeling uncertain. A tight knot formed in his chest. His phone buzzed non-stop in his pocket, each notification a sharp reminder of the big decision he now faced, as heavy as the trophy they had just lifted. By midday, everything outside Crawley had exploded with news. Headlines were everywhere, turning Niels’s quiet walk into something unreal. The Sun shouted, "Niels Wanted by Europe!" in big red letters. The Daily Mail guessed, "Crawley’s Hero Coach Eyed by Giants." On Sky Sports, pundits kept talking about his future, throwing around names like Barnsley, Nottingham Forest, and even hinting at interest from clubs abroad. Their voices were full of excitement. Twitter was buzzing—#KeepNiels was trending, with fans sharing clips of Max’s Wembley goal and messages like "Stay, Coach!" and "Crawley’s yours!" One tweet from a young fan hit hard: "Niels gave us Wembley. He’s our heart. #KeepNiels." Another, from a dad outside a pub, said: "My kid dreams of being Max because of you, Niels. Don’t go." As Niels passed a corner shop, he saw the headlines looking back at him, the town’s strong love clashing with the doubt inside him. At the club headquarters, the atmosphere was hectic. Emma Hayes, the Sports Director, met Niels at the door, her eyes full of a mix of frustration and amused disbelief. "Have you seen all this?" she asked, handing him a pile of newspapers. "Mainz in the Bundesliga and Torino in Serie A are contacting us directly. No agents involved just straight to the club." She took him to her office, where her laptop showed emails from both teams. Mainz, a mid-level Bundesliga team, offered a two-year deal, praising his tactics and promising a chance at European football. Torino, a Serie A club with passionate fans, sent a tempting offer with a big salary to help rebuild their team. Both clubs had skipped agents, recognizing Niels’s unique path, a small-town coach surprising the football world. Niels sank into a chair, staring at the emails like they were a crossroads. "Mainz? Torino?" he said, rubbing his temple, voice tired and surprised. "I don’t have an agent, Emma. How is this even happening?" She half-laughed and shook her head. "You outsmarted Chelsea at Wembley. That’s how. You’re not just Crawley’s coach anymore, you’re a legend now, and Europe is paying attention." Her words hit him hard, a truth he couldn’t ignore. The offers from Barnsley and Forest were already dizzying, a chance to fight for Premier League promotion but now the Bundesliga and Serie A were knocking, offering stages he’d only dared imagine in fleeting moments. He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling, feeling the weight of everything. "This is crazy," he said quietly. "Barnsley and Forest yesterday, now Bundesliga and Serie A? I’m just a guy who got Crawley a cup." Emma laughed warmly but looked at him seriously. "You’re more than that, Niels. You’re a story. A small-town coach who made a League Two team FA Cup champions. Mainz and Torino are hoping you can do the same for them. This isn’t just about a cup, it’s about what you stand for." Then Emma’s tone grew firmer. "And as Crawley’s Sports Director, I want you to stay here. We need you. You’re part of this club’s future." Needing a break from the noise of the office, Niels walked to the training ground, wanting the familiar smell of grass and sweat to clear his head. The pitch was quiet, morning dew still shining on the grass like tiny jewels. As he got closer to the locker room, he heard laughter and shouting pure, joyful noise. Inside, a group of youth players, barely teenagers, were huddled around an old TV, rewatching the FA Cup Final. Their eyes lit up as Max’s goal flew past Čech, and they cheered like they were back at Wembley. One tall striker, a red Crawley scarf around his neck, punched the air. "That’s us! That’s our Crawley!" he shouted, while his friends whooped and laughed. Another kid, maybe twelve, tried to copy Thiago’s skills, juggling the ball with wobbly confidence. Others attempted Luka’s wild dance, crashing into each other in a pile of giggles. One boy, his boots still muddy from training, turned to the youth coach with bright, determined eyes. "I’m gonna play like Max one day. For Niels." Another shouted, "I want to score at Wembley, just like that!" The youth coach saw Niels standing in the doorway and gave him a big grin. "You’ve got these kids believing, boss. You’ve changed this town." Niels stood still, his heart full. These kids weren’t just playing, they were chasing a dream he helped bring to life. In Max’s grit, Luka’s passion, Jamal’s heart, and Thiago’s flair, they saw themselves. And they truly believed they could rise from Crawley’s streets to football’s biggest stages. He stepped onto the pitch, the empty stands watching like silent witnesses to a dream made real. The parade flashed through his mind, the girl with the "Max, My Hero" sign, the old man whispering, "Fifty years for this," tears on his cheeks, and the boy’s crumpled drawing of the team, still in his pocket. Crawley was like a family. A dream built on muddy pitches and stubborn belief. They had risen from obscurity to Wembley’s spotlight. And as he stood there, he knew, it wasn’t the offers that pulled at him. It was the echo of every voice that had believed in him first. But the offers were hard to ignore, Barnsley wanted a fresh start, Forest had Premier League dreams, Mainz offered structure, and Torino brought passion. The Championship, the Bundesliga, Serie A—these were big leagues, big chances. A chance to prove he wasn’t just lucky at Crawley, but a coach who could succeed anywhere. His phone buzzed again and again, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked and saw Twitter notifications piling up fast. Fans were flooding his mentions with #KeepNiels—some joked, "Sign him for life!" others begged, "Don’t go, Coach. We’re just getting started." A local pub had put up a banner: "Niels Stays or We Riot!" Another fan shared a photo of Broadfield Stadium at dusk, lights glowing, with the caption, "This is your home, Niels. Don’t leave us." A group of kids posted a video, chanting, "Coach, please stay!" as they kicked a ball in the park, their faces painted red and their voices full of hope. Later, at a quiet café near the training ground, Niels met Milan his former mentor who had once led Crawley to great success. Milan was retired now but still a big influence in Niels’s life. He was the one who gave Niels his first coaching chance. Over hot mugs of coffee, Milan looked at Niels with knowing eyes. "Is it true? Europe’s after you?" Niels sighed and set down his mug. "Barnsley and Forest are emailing me, while Mainz and Torino are contacting the club directly. I don’t even have an agent, but they keep finding me." Milan laughed and shook his head. "You did what I couldn’t, lad. Took Crawley to Wembley and lifted the FA Cup. No wonder they’re coming for you." Niels stared into his coffee, the steam swirling like his mixed thoughts. "For me, Crawley is more than a club, the fans, the kids, their passion... it’s like a home. Those boys training out there," he said, nodding toward the pitch, "they’re dreaming because of what we’ve built. Because of you too, Milan. You showed me how to fight for a club like this." Milan’s smile softened, filled with pride. "You’ve gone further than I ever did, Niels. But these offers from the Championship, Bundesliga, Serie A, they’re your chance to prove what you’re really made of. What’s your heart telling you?" Niels’s voice caught, his eyes distant. "It’s home here. The kids practicing Max’s shot, the fans with their banners, that drawing in my pocket from some boy who thinks we’re heroes... it means everything. Milan, I want to accept one of these offers, I really do. But after all we’ve achieved, after this glory, it feels too soon to leave Crawley now." Milan leaned forward, his voice low and steady. "You gave this town a miracle, Niels. Whatever you choose, they’ll sing your name forever. But don’t choose for them. Choose for yourself. What do you want your story to be?" Niels nodded slowly, the weight of the conversation pressing on him. He stood up, thanked Milan, and stepped out into the cool afternoon air. The streets of Crawley stretched before him, familiar and alive with quiet energy. As he walked home, memories of the victory parade, the cheers, and the faces of the kids he coached filled his mind. The town felt both comforting and demanding, reminding him of everything he’d built here, but also whispering of the unknown beyond. Each step brought him closer to the doorstep of the home he loved, yet further from the certainty he once had. He stood there, the breeze carrying the distant hum of Crawley’s pride, the town’s heartbeat pulsing through him. Milan’s words "Choose for yourself" echoed in his mind, sharp as a blade cutting between home and the unknown. He closed his eyes, the fans’ roar blending with distant possibilities, feeling the heavy weight of a choice yet to be made.