848 A Suboptimal Situation (1/2)
On the Wilford training ground, Bale shaded his eyes with his hands and looked up at the sky. He said, ”The weather is fine today.” His surroundings were clear as a crystal, and the sun was vibrant. ”We will play our last league game in good weather.”
”That's good. I hate the rain,”Şahin said. As a technical midfielder, the pitch being wet was extremely torturous for him.
The team had just finished a training session and gathered to rest. The atmosphere among the Forest team had always been good. During breaks, the players would get together and chat. Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please clickfor visiting.
The conversation naturally shifted to the ownership of the league title. Nottingham Forest's players were sensible. Everyone knew that the decision of who gained the league title was not just up to them.
”I called Bendtner yesterday,” Bale said. Everyone looked at him.
”I asked him if he was starting in the match. He was sure he was starting. I told him I hoped he did his best to beat Arsenal...”
”You actually went to beg him?” Pepe dismissively asked. There were still people on the team who did not approve of Bendtner leaving the team and considered him a traitor.
”So many years have passed, so let bygones be bygones,” Bale said. ”And I didn't beg. I only wanted him to bring up his sportsmanship.”
”How did he answer?” Some teammates were more interested in Bendtner's reaction.
”He did not agree or reject,” Bale replied.
Pepe snorted and said, ”Look at the way he is now. What did he get by leaving Nottingham Forest? No champion, and no honor for so many years. Playing the Confederations Cup every year was his highest pursuit.”
Bale knew Pepe looked down on Bendtner, so he did not go on.
”Don't bother yourself with what happens to others. Just focus on winning this match of ours,” said Wood, who had been listening. He was right. It was pointless nonsense. No one had any interest in continuing to discuss the subject.
”If, and I mean if, we don't win the league, how would our coach face that?” Ibišević tried his best to make his tone sound like he was joking.
Everyone stared at him.
”Well, OK, OK, let's not talk about this.” Ibišević raised his hands to show that he surrendered.
”Hey, for tomorrow's game are you guys under a lot of pressure?” Woodgate asked.
”Are you under a lot of pressure?” Someone next to him immediately rebutted.
Woodgate honestly replied, ”A lot.”
”I'm still OK.” Pepe was laying on the grass. With a strand of grass in his mouth, he said, ”As long as we win the game, being able to be the champion depends on the results between Arsenal and Manchester. Still, putting my fate into other people's hands makes me unhappy.”
”I'm not happy either.”
”Me either.”
The same answered echoed among the group.
Pepe looked at the white clouds in the blue sky and muttered, ”No matter how great our pressure is, it's worse for the coach. Every time I see him, I always think that I don't ever want to be a coach after I retire. At least, I don't want to be a head coach.”
As he spoke, the players all looked over to the other side of the field. They saw their coach talking to the coaching team about something.
※※※
”I always thought the team was not competitive enough.” Eastwood, who had recently switched over to coaching after being a full-time player, was more aware of his teammates' mental states than any other coach.
Twain did not speak. He just looked over to the other side of the field for a while. Chris Kerslake laughed and asked, ”So, how do you think it should be, Freddy? Should we get everyone together and shout slogans?”
Eastwood did not care for Chris Kerslake's words. He frowned and said, ”Perhaps it is the reality that we are unable to guarantee victory after winning matches that makes everyone think that no matter how hard they work, it would be of no use.”
Chris Kerslake wanted to object. He thought Eastwood was mindlessly worrying. Nottingham Forest had been under him for nearly a decade. He knew the team better than anyone else. Twain opened his mouth first and said, ”You're right. Don't just talk about them. Sometimes I also think back about this reality and lose my fighting spirit.”
Chris Kerslake looked at Twain in amazement.
Twain bowed his head. He stood silent for a moment before saying, ”I f*cking hate this feeling of placing my fate into other people's hands. It feels helpless.”
Eastwood looked at the head coach and did not reply. He could understand this feeling because he was feeling the same way.
”I have a lot of ways to make sure we win against Sunderland, both tactically or psychologically, but I don't feel very motivated. Do you think Wenger will give us a chance? Will they make mistakes? If I was Arsène Wenger, I would ask the team to defend once they scored a goal. This time, 1:0 and 5:0 are no different.” Twain paused and continued speaking to his colleagues. ”The Football Association prepared for two scenarios. They took two champions trophies to both the Emirates Stadium and our stadium. The trophy that came to us is a replica because everyone thought that Arsenal's chances of losing the title were too small.
A month ago, I promised everyone a better tomorrow and that we could win the league, the FA Cup, and the Champions League three times and become triple champions. Now, it seems that the probability is too small. It's no wonder they're feeling unmotivated.”
Twain looked at the watch. Break time was over, so his face immediately changed. ”Well, forget what I just said. Don't let them sense anything unusual. Keep training!”
He was instantly revitalized. Eastwood had seen a similar scenario after Nottingham Forest's 3-2 win over Aston Villa in the 31st round. Twain had initially been tired and then instantly rejuvenated. He was seemingly two different people.
Was this his way of self-regulation?
※※※
”Well, this is the end of today's training. I hope you guys don't play too late and have an early break,” Twain said to the team before concluding the training. ”Tomorrow's game is very important. This season of hard work will be decided in 90 minutes. Also, don't be too nervous. It's just a league game.”
Twain waved and let the team disperse.
He was the last person to leave the training base. When he picked up his belongings before driving away, he saw Pierce Brosnan waiting at the door. After seeing him come out, Brosnan frantically waved to him.
”Is there any issue, Mr. Journalist? I'm in a hurry to go home. It wouldn't be nice of me to make my wife wait.”
”The media's been quiet the past two days,” Brosnan said as he approached Twain. ”I would like to ask you, Tony, are you sure you don't want to say anything?”
”What would you like me to say?”
”We all thought you were going to use psychological warfare again against Wenger and Arsenal to put some pressure on Manchester City.”
Twain looked at Brosnan. He thought for a while and said, ”OK, then. Just say that I celebrated pre-emptively for Arsenal obtaining the title, and, to be honest, I don't think Manchester City poses any threat to Arsenal. They already qualified for the Confederations Cup and have no additional desires. As you know, Manchester City and us have a strained relationship. I'm prepared enough to say that Arsenal's win over Manchester City is a definite thing. After all, the two teams are not on the same level. Of course, against Sunderland, we will win since I said I would have a victorious match as I bid farewell to the city stadium.”
Having said that, he pointed to Brosnan's little book. ”Have you written it all down?”
”No more?” Brosnan was a little surprised.
”No, that's it. Just upload what I said without changes. There's still a day left anyway.”
After dealing with Brosnan, Twain drove away.
Brosnan looked at the notes he rapidly took down. He could not find anything worth hyping up. Twain was telling the truth. First, Arsenal and Manchester City were not on the same line in terms of ability. Second, Manchester City qualified for the Confederations Cup early and arguably had no desire or motivation for the last game. Third, the relationship between Manchester City and Nottingham Forest was bad. It was a fact that Manchester City did not have to work hard to beat Arsenal in an unnecessary game to let Nottingham Forest reach the top. They were not modern new heroes of the new century. Fourth, now that McClaren was the Manchester City manager, his and Twain's feud was enough to write a book about. What reason did he have to fight with all his might with Arsenal to help Twain? He might even deliberately send three points to Arsenal and gleefully watch as Twain suffered. Fifth, the relationship between Bendtner, Ashley Young, and Twain was not good. There was no need for them to help Twain's team win the title and try to beat Arsenal, even if Nottingham Forest was their initial team. Having been gone for so many years, that relationship was long over. Sixth...
There was no need to analyze anymore. If he were to go any further, Manchester City not automatically scoring into their own goal was already giving face to Tony Twain.