955 If You Hate Me (1/2)

The major victory of four goals made the England players wild with joy and they were also made feted by many media outlets. After Twain dealt with the reporters, he waited for them in the locker room. He had waited for twenty minutes before people came back in succession. Ten minutes later, the players had all returned.

No one was willing to sit properly on the benches. As soon as they entered the room, they took off their drenched jerseys and tossed them on the floor. They jumped around the locker room, either naked, or just in their underpants as if they were a bunch of drunk monkeys.

”WOOOOOOW---” Rooney even jumped on a table with drinks on it and other miscellaneous stuff and let out a long yell with his head thrown back.

”4:0! 4:0! 4:0! Oh, oh!” The teammates below were chanting the final score of the game in unison as they splashed him with water.

”I've never played such a smashing game! It's so f**king sweet!” Even if he was drenched from head to toe by the others, Michael Johnson did not care either. He wiped the water off his face and shouted at Chris Cohen next to him.

Despite the fact that Twain and the members of the coaching staff were in the locker room, the players did not stop their frenzied celebrations. There were even people who splashed water at the coaches, making them look like wet dogs.

Twain did not speak up to stop it. Instead, he happily stood at the door and looked at the players making a scene. But he was careful to hide behind Des Walker to dodge a ”stray bullet.”

What was the saying for it?

”You can hide for the present, but you can't run forever.”

Poor Tony Twain was still spotted by the sharp-eyed players. The strong and tall combination of Rooney and Mitchell rushed up to pull Twain out from behind Walker, and then everyone swarmed up and poured water on Twain's head. They finally let off some ”steam.” This would show the boss for looking down on them before the game. Look at the results now - 4:0! 4 for England and 0 for France, the team that Twain said was the strongest team!

”Well, guys... Enough!” Twain felt chilly from being drenched but luckily it was summer, and not the World Cup in South Africa. Otherwise, he would definitely catch a cold outside. The players ignored Twain's plea for mercy. They poured the water from all the water bottles in the locker room over Twain' body, leaving him completely looking like a drowned rat.

After the players dispersed in a rush, everyone saw Tony Twain looking like he had just been fished out of the water and burst into laughter in the locker room.

Twain wiped the water off his face with his hand. Looking miserably cold with his neck curled against his shoulders, he gave the players a stern glare. But no one was scared of such a boss because his current appearance was so comical.

There was even a distinct smile on George Wood's face. Those who were lively in nature were bent over with laughter on the floor.

Twain stared at those people who laughed the hardest and said, ”Look what you guys have done. How am I supposed to go to the press conference?”

There was another burst of laughter.

Amid the sounds of laughter, Twain's expression also changed, from pretending to be angry into a helpless smile, and finally a wide grin, revealing a row of white teeth. He smiled exceptionally bright.

”You did great, guys. I'm sorry to have made you feel wronged before the game. The whole English media scolded me for not being confident in my team. But actually, it was not a lack of confidence. It was a strategy to make the French opponent underestimate us. And now... does everyone see the results?” He clapped his hands and was pleased to see the surprised expressions on the many faces of the players.

He laughed more happily.

”All right let's put aside what happened and enjoy the night to the fullest. That's the reward you've won! After tonight, forget this game. You have to face even more serious challenges. We are only two games away from being the king of Europe. I will not allow you to fall until you touch the championship trophy! Listen well, before you win the championship title, tonight is your last chance to relax. So, enjoy it to the fullest!”

Having said that, Twain took Des Walker along with him and walked out of the locker room.

He only say Twain wiped the water from his head with a towel he had brought out, while he reached out to him.

”What's the matter, Tony?” Walker was puzzled.

Twain stuffed the used towel into Walker's hands and said, ”Your clothes, take them off quickly.”

”You want me to undress? Over here?” Walker turned his head and looked around, feeling a little awkward.

”I'm not asking you to strip naked. What are you thinking? I'm in a hurry to go to the press conference, and in fact I'm already late... I can't go, dressed like this.” He did not know whether to laugh or cry as he pointed to his suit, which had been ravaged by water and the players.

It would indeed be an insult to the winner's status if he were to be dressed like this to meet the reporters.

Walker laughed and obediently took off his jacket to hand it over to Twain while he took Twain's suit at the same time.

”Do your best, Tony. You're the winner!” He said to Twain, who was wearing his clothes.

”Of course, when have you see me make the loser feel good?” Twain winked at Walker and walked out wearing Walker's suit.

”Damn, I've been working so hard and yet I've put on weight...” Walker laughed happily after hearing Twain muttering to himself.

※※※

The French team manager was being interviewed when Twain rushed to the press conference hall. But it was almost at the tail end. The French reporters were rather dejected. Even so, someone had to be responsible for the fiasco. Seated on stage, Claude Puel naturally became the target of public criticism – holding all the good cards in his hands, yet he did not know how to play them. As a result, Tony Twain played all the cards in his hands, and Puel was still holding the original cards, dumbstruck.

When Twain saw Puel at the press conference, he was already exhausted by the flurry of questions from the French reporters.

”... I'm responsible for this loss...” Puel glanced at Twain, who stood waiting at the entrance. The expression on his face changed and very soon returned to normal. He said, ”... However, I will not resign unless the French Football Federation sacks me. I think the achievements of my team for more than two years are obvious to all. But football matches are always full of all kinds of surprises...” Seeing Twain, Puel suddenly felt energized, and spoke more words. The press conference, which was due to end, was extended.

”I'm proud and please with the lads' performance. We were just unlucky.”

The corners of Twain's lips curled up as he listened below: from this game alone, the French players' performance did not deserve the slightest bit of pride and dignity. They did not lose because of bad luck.

”... I repeat, I will not resign. I am satisfied with my work. My contract will run until the end of the 18th World Cup and I will stay to work there until then. I think the French team will accomplish much at the World Cup.”

After saying his piece, Puel rose angrily from his seat.

Seeing his action, Twain immediately stepped onto the stage, reached his hand out, and intended to shake Puel's hand. He did not expect Puel to walk off from the other side without even giving him a glance.

The scene surprised the reporters. Claude Puel, who had always lived as an authentic French gentleman and maintained a charming manner, had ignored Twain's invite to shake hands and rudely walked away.

Twain was shunned on stage by Puel but fortunately he reacted quickly. He shrugged it off and then sat down. He said to the numerous microphones on the table, ”Obviously, Mr. Puel is a little flustered and exasperated.”

Since the other party did not give him face, he did not have to give the other man any face. He was a lot more skilled than Puel when it came to humiliating people.