Chapter 3: Making a Mark
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Matchday 12: Crawley Town vs Macclesfield Town
It was a cold Saturday morning in Crawley. The sky was gray, and there was fog all around the stadium.
The car park was almost empty. Niels walked toward the training ground, his boots making noise on the wet ground.
As usual, he was the first one there. Milan and the players hadn't arrived yet.
Niels liked getting there early. It gave him some time to think. He sat with a tactics board in front of him and a cup of cheap coffee that had already gone cold.
Last weekend's 1-0 win had moved Crawley from 21st to 20th in League Two. They were still only seven points above the relegation zone, so there was no reason to relax.
But today's match was different.
It was Niels' first away game as interim coach. There would be no home crowd behind them and no familiar pitch.
They had a long bus ride ahead of them to face Macclesfield Town.
Niels knew this game would show whether the win against Grimsby was the start of something or just a lucky result.
Macclesfield's Moss Rose ground wasn't anything special. The stands were small, and the pitch was in poor condition, with plenty of dirt and patches of grass.
Still, Crawley had a job to do.
Niels was sitting in the small away team room, looking at his tactics board. He moved the magnets around for a while.
A 4-2-3-1 felt too defensive. A 4-3-3 seemed too risky.
In the end, he chose a 4-4-2 diamond. It would keep the team strong in the middle and give Luka more freedom to play between the lines.
Niels was still looking at the board when he heard someone coming in.
"You planning to sleep here?" Milan asked from the doorway, holding a cup of tea.
"I got here early," Niels said without looking away.
Milan looked at the formation.
"Nervous?"
Niels gave a small laugh. "Yeah, a little."
"Good," Milan said, taking a sip of his tea. "It means you care about this team."
They sat together and went over the plan. It felt more like two friends talking about a Sunday league game than a professional match.
Milan suggested a few things, like when they should press and how Jamal Osei could drop back when there were gaps. But he didn't try to take control. He let Niels make the final decisions.
Niels appreciated that more than he expected. Milan was starting to trust him.
The trip to Macclesfield took about three hours. The bus was noisy, the seats weren't very comfortable, and it rained most of the way.
When they finally arrived at Moss Rose, Niels wasn't as nervous anymore. He was focused. It reminded him of how he used to feel before games when he was still a player.
The away dressing room was small and smelled of damp clothes and muscle rub. Some players were putting on their boots, others were taping their ankles, and a few were listening to music.
Niels picked up the whiteboard.
"We're not here to play like Barcelona," he said. "We're here to work harder than them. They'll probably start fast and press us, so stay close together and move the ball quickly. Let them run. Keep the passes simple and don't make stupid decisions."
Luka nodded from his seat. The seventeen-year-old had been improving in training, especially with his movement and positioning.
Marko stood near the back of the room, listening carefully. He had earned his place in the starting eleven after a good performance in training.
He still had plenty to learn, but he was ready for the chance.
The referee blew the whistle and the game started.
The first ten minutes were difficult. The pitch was in terrible condition. The ball kept bouncing in strange directions, and passes often stopped in the mud.
Macclesfield played a physical game. They used a lot of long balls and didn't give Crawley much time on the ball.
Crawley struggled to put passes together, but Niels' diamond formation was working. Jamal Osei picked up loose balls in midfield, while Liam McCulloch kept talking to the defenders and making sure they stayed organized.
Reece Darby looked after the right side, and Haines kept things simple on the left.
Then, in the 27th minute, Crawley finally created something.
Luka got the ball near the halfway line. He went past one midfielder and then another before being brought down just outside the box.
It was a good position for a free kick.
Several players gathered around the ball. Dev Patel, McCulloch, and Robbie Sharpe all looked toward the bench.
Niels knew who he wanted.
"Luka!" he shouted.
Luka looked over, surprised. He had never taken a free kick in a senior match.
"You can do it," Niels said.
Some of the older players didn't look convinced, but Niels had seen Luka take free kicks in training. He could hit the ball hard and keep his shots low.
Milan leaned toward Niels.
"Top corner?"
Niels shook his head.
"Low near post. Get it to bounce before the wall."
Niels looked at Luka and pointed toward the ground, then toward the near post.
Luka nodded.
The whistle blew.
Luka took a breath and stepped up to the ball. He hit it low and hard across the rough pitch. The ball bounced just before the wall, hit a defender's leg, and changed direction.
The goalkeeper had no chance.
The ball went into the net.
"GOAL! Crawley lead 1-0!"
The away fans started celebrating. The Crawley players on the bench jumped up as well. It wasn't the best-looking free kick, but it had worked.
The second half was much harder.
Macclesfield started attacking more and kept sending long balls and crosses into the box. They won several corners and kept putting pressure on Crawley's defense.
In the 64th minute, one of their headers hit the post. A few minutes later, Adam Fletcher made a great save to stop another shot.
Then, in the 79th minute, Marko Simic threw himself in front of a shot and blocked it before it could reach the goal.
Everyone was working hard to protect the lead.
Finally, the referee blew the whistle.
Crawley had won 1-0.
The away fans celebrated again, singing "Red Devils!" The players were exhausted, but they were smiling as they walked off the pitch.
It was Crawley's second win in a row and another clean sheet.
They had moved up to 19th.
For the first time that season, Niels felt like the team could actually be building something.
Back in the dressing room, everyone was tired but happy. The players were sitting on the benches, some talking and laughing while others just sat quietly trying to catch their breath.
Milan walked over and patted Niels on the back.
"Good job, lad. Two wins in a row."
Niels smiled, but he was already thinking about the next game. He wanted more wins and more moments like Luka's goal. For the first time, he could see what this team might become.
The bus ride home was quiet. Rain ran down the windows as the countryside passed by.
Some players were sleeping while others were on their phones.
Niels sat by himself and looked out the window. His reflection looked different somehow. He didn't look like the injured player who had started this journey anymore.
He had made a plan. The players had followed it, and it had worked.
Two games and two wins.
He still wasn't officially the manager, but he had already shown what he could do.
As the bus continued down the road, Niels knew this was only the beginning.