The Chance to Play Finally Arrived!

The chance to play finally arrived! On the night of August 12, outside the gates of Sheffield United's Training Base.

A bus marked with the team crest slowly drove up. On board were the Sheffield United players and coaching staff, all looking utterly dejected, like a defeated army.

Around them, more than two hundred furious local fans had already packed the area. The moment they saw them coming, they immediately swarmed forward.

"You played like that with the full first team? Kevin, what the hell are you doing?"

"Are we going back down to EFL League One again this season? Kevin, give us an explanation! Otherwise, go home!"

"If you're not capable, step down from that position sooner!"

"Out! Out!!"

"."

They pointed indignantly at the Team Bus, pouring out their dissatisfaction.

Many of them even threw the water bottles and hot dogs in their hands at the Team Bus, sending up a burst of clattering noise.

Quite a few people on the bus quickly drew the curtains, not daring—or perhaps not having the face—to confront these furious fans.

After driving slowly for a while, the bus finally entered the Training Base parking lot, while the fans were blocked outside by the police who had rushed over.

The players got off one after another. No one exchanged a word. They drove their own cars out of the parking lot and headed home.

The members of the coaching staff got off next, standing in a circle, some with hands on hips, some with heads lowered. They wanted to discuss something, yet no one could get the words out.

After a long while, it was ultimately Head Coach Kevin who broke the silence. His expression was heavy. "I'm over fifty now. After so many years in this industry, I really am tired.

"Last year was the most driven year of my life, but you all saw how it ended. I clearly gave everything, but the result was far from satisfactory. I made a complete mess of the team."

After a pause, he lowered his head and laid everything bare. "Yes, just as you all thought, there are no performance requirements in my contract. If the club unilaterally dismisses me, they have to pay me compensation for breach of contract.

"I've stayed in this position not because I want to fight the players to the end, not because I want to win back my pride, but simply because I want that money to live out my old age in peace.

"But you've all seen it too. The Board of Directors is still dragging this out with me. They want to wait until I can't save face anymore and propose terminating the contract myself."

"I'll talk to the Board of Directors." A voice rang out. Everyone turned and saw that Gareth Speed had taken up the conversation.

At this moment, he should not have acted so eager, because everyone had already tacitly accepted that he would be the successor.

But he still said it. This was the first time he had spoken face-to-face with Kevin about this matter.

"Give me one or two weeks. I'm confident I can convince them."

Gareth Speed looked straight at Kevin, straight at this old man he disliked so much. "But please agree to two requests."

"What?"

Kevin's expression was calm, and his mood could not be read. "I have no fight left with you all. As long as it's within my ability, I'll agree as much as I can."

"Add training for the 4-4-2 Formation to daily sessions."

Gareth Speed stated his first request seriously. The meaning was clear: once he took over, he wanted to change the formation.

He was not worried about Kevin's training standards. A coach who had come through the United Kingdom's professional system would absolutely know the traditional 4-4-2 formation like the back of his hand.

"Fine. What else?" Kevin remained expressionless and nodded in agreement.

"In the matches after this, use Maël and Gilbert."

Gareth Speed stated his second request, drawing sideways glances from the people nearby. "The team will definitely need them later. I want them to adapt to the professional league as soon as possible and build up Championship match experience."

Kevin turned his head away and thought for a while. In the end, he took a deep breath and said, "I agree to all your requests. Please also keep the promise you made to me."

"I will."

Gareth Speed left those words behind and turned to go.

The remaining assistant coaches glanced at Kevin, their feelings extremely complicated. They had not yet figured out where they themselves should go from here.

August 13, with one day left until Championship Round 2, the Away match against Cardiff City.

Morning, inside the gym at the Training Base.

Maël arrived early. After drinking a glass of water, he began his weight training.

Gilbert had not come with him to work on strength. Today, he wanted to do some fitness training.

"Maël! Maël!"

Only a few minutes after he started training, Maël heard an urgent voice coming from outside the door, drawing closer from afar, accompanied by the sound of quick footsteps.

Gilbert soon ran in, excitement written across his face.

"Is it..."

Maël did not hold out much hope, but looking at his expression, he still had a guess. "We made the Squad List?"

This morning was when the Squad List would be announced. The players needed to get ready in the morning, set off around noon, and after arriving that evening, they would still have to do a pitch-familiarization session at the Away stadium.

He had not paid attention to it, mainly because he did not believe Kevin could suddenly change his mind.

"Squad List?"

Gilbert was so excited that his words were a little jumbled. "Starting! What Squad List? You're in the Starting Lineup!"

"Me?"

Maël pointed at himself, then his mouth fell open. He hurried over to Gilbert, his hands clenching instinctively, his voice trembling. "Really?"

From the look on the other boy's face, he had actually already seen the answer. That kind of expression couldn't be faked.

Two minutes later, the two of them ran into the locker room at the team's Training Base and saw today's Squad List posted by the door.

"Starting Lineup. Center Forward Evans, Right Winger Ward, Left Winger Maël."

When Maël saw his own name, he suddenly felt as if it were unreal, as though the list in front of him had twisted, everything shattering all at once before being kneaded back together again.

All of a sudden, he had become a starting player for the team?

Skipping life on the bench and going straight into the Starting Lineup? "Even though I'm not starting, I'll still get to experience a Championship match from inside the stadium for the first time."

Beside him, Gilbert was smiling happily, both for Maël and for himself. "Come on. If you can score a goal in the Championship, then everything will be different."

"The way this team's coaching staff does things really is impossible to figure out."

Maël spoke calmly, but he was already so pleasantly surprised that he couldn't stop grinning, his calves trembling slightly.

He had longed for this day for a very long time.

At one in the afternoon, Maël got himself properly ready, then boarded the Team Bus and headed toward Cardiff, where Cardiff City was located.

All along the way, excitement filled his heart, and he never once closed his eyes.

The street scenes and buildings flashing past the roadside seemed to turn into cheering, applauding fans, encouraging him and celebrating for him.

The first time was always beautiful.

At around four thirty, they arrived at their destination. After checking in at the hotel, they had something to eat.

At seven that evening, Maël followed his teammates to Cardiff City Stadium for a pitch inspection and warm-up training.

It was his first time walking onto the grass inside a major stadium. Beneath his feet was soft turf, and the air was filled with the scent of water mist.

The light from dozens of floodlights shone onto his face, giving him a feeling as if a lifetime had passed, yet he instinctively straightened his back and lifted his chest.

He was finally about to stand on this pitch! This was destined to be a sleepless night. Countless thoughts burst through his mind, making him smile at times and draw deep breaths in nervousness at others.