Chapter 26: No Room for Winter Myths
Sunday, 21 December
The morning after the draw at Burton was quiet.
It wasn't a win, but it wasn't a loss either. They had taken a point, and nobody was complaining about it. Not in the dressing room, not on the bus home, and not while the players dealt with the usual soreness from the game.
It hadn't been their best performance, but they had done enough. Sometimes a point is all you need to keep things moving. Over a long season, those results can make a difference.
Niels arrived at the training ground before most of the players. Fog covered the pitch, and he stood with his hands in his coat pockets, looking across the empty grass.
Sunday was supposed to be an optional recovery session, but players started turning up anyway.
A few joked around. Some went for light runs. Others passed the ball around without much effort.
Max stayed out the longest.
He stood near the touchline, juggling the ball to himself. He wasn't doing anything special. He just kept going.
Nobody asked him to stay.
He didn't seem ready to leave.
Niels watched from a distance and gave a small nod.
The team didn't need another speech this week.
They needed to stay focused.
Monday, 22 December
Christmas was getting closer, but it didn't feel like much of a holiday at the training ground.
There was a small plastic Christmas tree in the staff office and some tinsel hanging from the window. Someone had left a tray of mince pies near the physio room.
Reece picked one up, took a bite and nodded.
"Decent enough."
That was about as much praise as anyone expected from him.
The video room was different. Nobody was thinking about Christmas in there.
The whiteboard had one thing written across it:
Matchday 20: December 26 — Bradford City (H)
Niels stood at the front of the room.
"Some of you are already thinking about Christmas," he said. "That's fine. Just don't lose focus. You've got Christmas Eve off. Christmas morning too. After that, we're back."
The players listened.
"No late nights. Don't go overboard with the food. We play on the twenty-sixth, and it's at home. We've got a chance to move up the table, so let's not waste it."
Nate took another drink of water.
Luka nodded.
Dev made a quiet sound under his breath, probably thinking about the plans he'd already made.
Max was sitting near the front.
"Got it, boss."
Niels gave them one final reminder.
"You'll have plenty of time with your families. Right now, we've got a game to prepare for."
Tuesday, 23 December
The weather had turned colder.
Training was sharp from the start. The players moved the ball quickly and didn't waste much time between drills.
Luka was finding space between the lines and playing passes into areas that gave the defenders problems.
Nate was relaxed as usual, but once the small-sided games started, he became much more involved. He kept finding ways around defenders and making things difficult for them.
Qazi scored during the shooting session too, sending one into the top corner before jogging back without saying much.
Niels didn't need to shout.
He watched, made notes and spoke to players when he saw something that needed changing. Nothing major. Just small adjustments.
As training came to an end, the players started making their way inside.
Niels clapped once.
"Good work. But we're not done yet."
Nobody needed him to explain what he meant.
The team was in a good place.
They just couldn't afford to lose focus.
Wednesday, 24 December: Christmas Eve
It was only a half-day session.
They kept things simple with some light drills, finishing work and a bit of tactical practice. Enough to keep everyone sharp without making the session too serious.
The mood was better too. There were more smiles around the dressing room.
Someone had brought in a Bluetooth speaker, and Christmas songs were playing quietly in the background. Even Dev, who normally kept to himself, was singing along to "Fairytale of New York." He was barely loud enough to hear, but a few of the others noticed.
Niels didn't stop them.
They had worked hard. They deserved a bit of time to relax.
As the players were leaving, Reece stopped Niels near the door.
"You staying in tonight, boss?"
Niels nodded.
"Not really a holiday person."
Reece thought for a moment.
"Some of the lads are having Christmas dinner with their families. They know the game comes first, though."
"I'm counting on them," Niels said. "Don't let me down."
Reece smiled.
"They won't."
That evening, Niels was back at his flat.
A bowl of reheated pasta sat on the table while a football match played quietly on the television.
He wasn't unhappy. The flat was just quiet.
His phone buzzed.
It was Elise.
Mum's saving you a plate. Dad's complaining because you're not coming. Your seat's still there. And Merry Christmas, I suppose.
Niels read the message twice.
He waited before replying.
Tell them I've got a match to win. I'll sit in that chair when it feels right again.
A few seconds later, Elise replied with a heart.
Nothing else.
She didn't ask him to come home or try to change his mind.
She understood.
Thursday, 25 December, Christmas Day
Training that morning was short.
They spent about an hour doing some warm-ups, passing drills and a little finishing work. Nothing too demanding. The main thing was to keep everyone moving and ready for the next day.
After the warm-up, Max handed out chocolate bars to the others. He was clearly enjoying himself.
Luka even put on a Santa hat for a few minutes. He tried to keep it on while sprinting, but it soon fell off and landed on the grass.
Nate was smiling too.
That was probably the strangest part of the morning.
At the end of the session, Niels brought everyone together.
"Enjoy tonight," he said. "Spend time with your families and the people close to you. Tomorrow, though, we're back to work. Bradford are coming here for three points. Don't let Christmas take your focus away. Be ready."
The players started heading inside.
Reece walked over and put a hand on Niels' shoulder.
"You know some of these lads would probably skip dinner if you told them to."
"I know," Niels replied.
He smiled slightly.
"That's why I didn't tell them to."
That evening, Niels' phone rang.
It was Elise.
He looked at the screen for a moment before answering.
"Hey."
"You sound tired," she said. "Have you been standing outside in the cold all week?"
"Pretty much."
She laughed.
Then her voice became quieter.
"They asked about you again."
"I know."
"I told them you're doing okay. That you've got a team now. That you're building something for yourself."
Niels was quiet for a moment.
"Was that okay?"
"Yeah," he said. "It's true."
They stayed on the phone longer than he expected.
They didn't talk much about football. They didn't talk about what had happened either.
Instead, they talked about normal things.
Elise told him about a few films she'd watched and a café near her office that served terrible coffee. She mentioned a song she thought he would like.
It felt easy.
For a while, Niels wasn't thinking about how long he'd been away or everything that had happened between them.
He was just talking to his sister.
Friday, 26 December, Matchday 20
Boxing Day was cold.
There was frost around the edges of the pitch, and the players could see their breath as they walked into the stadium.
The team arrived wearing jackets and extra layers.
Niels stood near the tunnel and greeted each player as they came through.
There was no speech.
There didn't need to be one.
Bradford were waiting for them.
They wanted the points.
Crawley wanted them just as badly.