CHAPTER 173: THE NEW DAY

Chapter 173: The New Day

November 14th, 2010

After they got home, they went straight to bed, exhausted from the long day.

But the peace didn’t last long.

The next morning, something felt off.

When they arrived at Crawley Town’s training ground, a place that was usually calm, almost hidden away behind a thin wire fence and the quiet, green hills of Sussex there was a strange tension in the air.

It wasn’t the usual pre-match nerves or training focus.

This was different.

A cluster of reporters and photographers had gathered at the entrance, their cameras flashing, microphones ready.

They weren’t there for the game.

They were waiting for answers.

Every player who stepped out of their car was met with a barrage of questions, their quiet routine suddenly thrown into chaos.

The team bus, which used to just be a simple part of their routine, a quiet symbol of their modest life in football now felt like a shield.

As it pulled into the training ground, the players stayed low in their seats, not because they were scared, but because they were tired.

Tired of the questions, the flashing cameras, the sudden spotlight.

There was a quiet frustration in the air. Last night had felt like a dream, full of magic and celebration.

But this morning?

Reality had returned, and it wasn’t nearly as kind.

The fairy tale had ended, and all that was left was the mess it left behind.

Inside the locker room, Niels stood quietly in front of the whiteboard.

But there were no formations drawn, no set plays or strategies.

Today wasn’t just about football.

"This isn’t about tactics," he said, his voice calm but firm. "This is about something harder."

He paused, letting the room settle.

Every player was listening.

"Look outside," he continued, nodding toward the door. "This is a new kind of pressure. Reporters won’t be asking about how you played or what formation we’re using. They’ll ask about agents. About contracts. About where you see yourself next year. And they’ll keep pushing until you slip up and say something you didn’t mean to."

The room stayed quiet.

Everyone felt it.

Football was still the game, but now, there was a whole new match being played off the pitch.

He looked at each player, his eyes scanning their faces. "Your job is to do what you’ve always done. Stay focused. Stay disciplined. The only thing that matters is the team and the game. Everything else is just noise." He paused, his gaze settling on Dev.

"And Dev, you’re the one who will get most of the questions."

Dev just nodded. He wasn’t nervous. He felt a quiet, almost cold determination.

He had made his choice.

This was just a consequence of it.

Niels led the team out to the pitch, walking past the line of reporters.

The microphones were shoved in their faces, but Niels just walked on, a quiet wall of defiance.

Training that day felt different but not because of the media outside.

The players were locked in and focused.

Every pass snapped into place, every run had intent.

It wasn’t just practice anymore, it was like a natural process. They weren’t chasing a dream now. They were living it.

And with that came pressures and expectations.

This wasn’t a fairy tale anymore.

This was reality.

After just over an hour of hard work, Niels and Dev were called aside.

No warning.

Just a quiet word from the club’s media officer and then suddenly, they were standing in front of a swarm of reporters.

Cameras clicked.

Microphones were thrust toward their faces.

A wall of flashing lights and shouting voices surrounded them.

It felt less like a conversation and more like an ambush.

"Niels, how do you feel about the rumors of a big club being interested in Dev Patel?" a reporter called out from the front of the crowd.

Niels didn’t flinch. He turned slightly, glanced at Dev, then faced the cameras with a calm smile.

"I’m not in the business of rumors," he said evenly. "I’m in the business of wins. And right now, Dev’s a key part of my team. He’s focused. We’re all focused on the next match. That’s what matters."

But the reporter wasn’t done.

"Dev," he pressed, leaning forward, "a lot of people are calling you the future of English football. How does that feel?"

There was a slight pause.

Dev shifted his weight, eyes flicking toward the crowd, then back to the sea of lenses pointed at him.

You could almost see him weighing every word.

Dev took a slow breath, steadying himself under the weight of the question and the spotlight.

"It’s an honor," he said, his voice calm, thoughtful. "Really, it is. But I’m not thinking about the future right now. The only thing that matters is the team. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, and I’m focused on that on being present, staying sharp, and giving everything for the guys next to me."

There was a quiet confidence in his voice not arrogance, but purpose.

He wasn’t chasing headlines.

He was chasing progress.

The cameras clicked furiously, capturing the moment.

Dev didn’t smile. He didn’t need to. His words had done the work.

Another reporter stepped forward, changing the focus.

"Thiago," he called out, raising his mic, "that winning goal was absolute brilliance. Was that something you’d practiced, or was it instinct?"

Before Thiago could even open his mouth, Niels stepped in, shaking his head gently.

"We’re not going to get into that right now," he said firmly, but without harshness. "We’ve got a game to prepare for. That’s where our focus is."

His tone was clear: the time for celebration had passed.

The message wasn’t just for the reporters, it was for the team, too.

He took a few more questions, his answers short and to the point.

He was a shield, protecting his team from the noise of the outside world. He knew what he was doing.

The press conference wrapped up, and slowly the crowd of reporters and flashing cameras began to fade.

Voices quieted, equipment was packed away, and the chaos at the edge of the pitch dissolved into the background.

Without a word, the players drifted back to the training ground. No one needed to be told what to do. The shift was immediate back into rhythm, back into focus.

Whatever noise had been outside, it stayed outside.

Now, it was just the game. Just the team.

And they knew exactly what was expected of them.

Dev walked over to Max Simons, who was casually kicking a ball against the wall, lost in his own rhythm.

Dev’s lips curled into a small, knowing smirk.

"How was that?" he asked, nodding toward the now-empty spot where the press had been moments before.

Max looked up, laughing softly. "You handled it well," he said, tossing the ball up and catching it.

"But, honestly? The fairy tale’s over, mate. Now it’s all about the long haul. The grind. And that’s exactly what we’re good at."

There was a quiet confidence in Max’s voice no illusions, just hard work and belief.

Dev nodded, feeling it deep down.

This was just the beginning.

A moment later, Thiago jogged over, a big grin lighting up his face.

"Did you see me on the news?" he asked, eyes sparkling. "They’re calling me ’The Magician’ now. I kinda like it."

Dev shook his head, a genuine smile breaking through. "It was a good goal, mate. You earned it."

Thiago chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, it was a perfect pass," he said, grinning even wider. "A magician always needs a good assistant."

Dev laughed, the tension of the day easing just a little.

For a brief moment, it felt like just another day with the lads no pressure, no headlines.

As the three of them stood there, the late morning sun casting long shadows across the pitch, the noise of the outside world seemed to fade away.

The cameras, the questions, the rumors they were all still there, waiting.

But right now, none of that mattered.

What mattered was the team.

The work ahead.

The journey they’d chosen together.

Dev looked around at his teammates at Max’s steady calm, Thiago’s infectious energy, and Niels’ quiet determination.

For the first time in a while, he felt ready.

No distractions.

Just football.

And that was enough.

[ IMPORTANT NOTICE! A Dark Time in Nepal

I’m scared.What started as peaceful protests against corruption has turned into chaos. Students and innocent people are being shot and killed. I never thought I’d feel unsafe in my own home... but I do now.

The government has already banned several social media platforms, and there are strong rumors that the entire internet may be shut down. If that happens, I won’t be able to post and I don’t know for how long.

But as long as I’m safe... and still connected... I’ll keep posting 2 Chapters a day. It’s the one thing I can still hold onto right now.

Please... keep Nepal in your thoughts. We’re living through something terrifying.]