On the night of August 8, at the entrance of Sheffield United training base.
A bus engraved with the team's logo slowly drove over. On the bus were Sheffield players and coaching staff who looked dejected, looking like a defeated team.
They were already surrounded by more than 200 angry local fans, who immediately surrounded them as soon as they saw them coming.
"All the main players are playing like this, Kevin, what are you doing?"
"Are we going back to League One this season? Kevin, give us an explanation! Otherwise, go home!"
"If you don't have the ability, get down from there earlier!"
"get out of class dismissed! get out of class dismissed!!"
"."
They pointed at the team bus indignantly, venting their dissatisfaction.
Many people even threw their water bottles and hot dogs at the bus, causing a loud crackling sound.
Many people on the bus quickly pulled up the curtains, not daring or too embarrassed to face the group of angry fans.
After driving slowly for a while, the bus finally entered the parking lot of the training base, and the fans were blocked outside by the police who arrived.
The players got off the bus one after another. No one talked to each other. They drove their own cars from the parking lot and rushed home.
The members of the coaching team came down next, and formed a circle with their hands on their hips or their heads bowed, trying to discuss something but unable to speak.
After a long while, it was finally head coach Kevin who broke the silence. He looked heavy and said, "I'm over 50 years old and have been in this industry for so many years. I'm really tired.
"Last year was the most hardworking year of my life, but everyone saw the final result. I put in everything, but the result was not satisfactory. I messed up the team."
After a pause, he lowered his head and confessed everything, "Yes, as you thought, there is no performance requirement in my contract. The team unilaterally fired me and needs to pay me liquidated damages.
"I am staying in this position not because I want to fight with the players to the end, not because I want to save face for myself, but because I want to get the money to spend my old age.
"But you can see that the board is still trying to waste time with me. They want to wait until I lose face and take the initiative to terminate the contract."
"I'll tell the board of directors." A voice sounded, and everyone turned to look and found that it was Gary Speed who took over the conversation.
At this time, he shouldn't have been so anxious because everyone had already assumed that he would be the successor.
But he still said that this was the first time he had talked to Kevin about this topic face to face.
"Give me a week or two, and I'm sure I can convince them."
Gary Speed looked directly at Kevin, at the old man he hated so much, "But please agree to two requests of mine."
"what?"
Kevin's face was calm, and his mood could not be seen. "I have no fight with you. As long as I can, I will try my best to agree."
"Add the 4-4-2 formation training to daily training."
Gary Speed stated his first request seriously, and the meaning was very clear: he would change the formation after he took office.
He was not worried about Kevin's training level. Coming from the British professional system, the coach was definitely familiar with the traditional 4-4-2 formation.
"Okay, what else?" Kevin still had a blank expression on his face and nodded to agree to the request.
"In the next game, use Mahel and Gilbert."
Gary Speed said his second request, which attracted the attention of the people around him. "The team will definitely use them later. I want them to adapt to the professional league as soon as possible and accumulate experience in the Championship."
Kevin turned his head away, thought for a while, and finally took a deep breath and said, "I agree to all your requests, and please fulfill your promise to me."
"must."
Gary Speed left a word and turned away.
The remaining assistant coaches looked at Kevin with mixed feelings; they had not yet decided what to do next.
On August 8, there was one day left before the second round of the Championship, away against Cardiff City. In the morning, in the gym of the training base.
Maher arrived early and started lifting weights after drinking a glass of water.
Gilbert didn't come with him to do strength training, he wanted to do some physical training today.
"Mael! Mael!"
After just a few minutes of practice, Maher heard a hurried sound coming from outside the door, coming from far away, accompanied by the sound of brisk running.
Gilbert ran in quickly, looking excited.
"Yes"
Maher didn't hold out much hope, but looking at his expression, he still had some guesses in his mind, "Are we selected for the big list?"
This morning was when the roster was announced. The players needed to get ready in the morning, set off at noon, and after arriving at the destination in the evening, they had to conduct on-field training at the away stadium.
He didn't pay attention to it, mainly because he didn't believe that Kevin could suddenly change his mind.
"The big list?"
Gilbert was so excited that he was a little incoherent, "Starting! What big list! You are in the starting lineup!"
"I?"
Maher pointed at himself, then opened his mouth, walked quickly to Gilbert, clenched his hands subconsciously, and said in a trembling voice: "Really?"
He had actually seen the answer from the other person's face. This expression couldn't be faked.
Two minutes later, the two ran into the locker room of the team's training base and saw the roster for today's game at the door.
"Starting lineup. Center Evans, right winger Ward, left winger Maher."
When Maher saw his name, he suddenly felt unreal, as if the list in front of him was twisted, and everything was suddenly shattered and then blended together again.
All of a sudden, he became the team's starting player?
Skip the substitute career and go straight to starting?
"Although I didn't start, it was my first time to experience the Championship in a stadium."
Gilbert next to him was smiling happily, happy for Maher as well as for himself. "Come on, if you can score a goal in the Championship, everything will be different."
"The way this team's coaching staff does things is really hard to understand."
Maher spoke calmly, but he was already grinning from ear to ear with surprise, and his calves were trembling slightly.
He has been longing for this day for a long time.
At one o'clock in the afternoon, Maher packed up and got on the team bus, heading to Cardiff, where Cardiff City is located.
Along the way, he was so excited that he didn't close his eyes for a moment.
The street scenes and buildings that passed by quickly on the roadside seemed to have turned into cheering and clapping fans, encouraging and celebrating for him.
The first time is always beautiful.
At around 4:30, they arrived at their destination, checked into the hotel and had something to eat.
At seven o'clock in the evening, Maher and his teammates came to the Cardiff City Stadium for warm-up training.
This was the first time he walked onto the grass inside the stadium. The grass was soft under his feet and the air was filled with the smell of mist.
The light from dozens of headlights shone on his face, making him feel as if he was in another world, but he subconsciously straightened his back and raised his chest.
I am finally going to stand on this playing field!
This was destined to be a sleepless night. Countless thoughts burst out of his mind, making him laugh from time to time and take deep breaths nervously from time to time.
(End of this chapter)