Chapter 214: Big Decisions
3rd December, 2010
The private jet flew through the morning clouds leaving Florence behind.
Niels woke up during the flight with a stiff neck and a bad taste in his mouth. He took his phone out of his bag and as soon as it vibrated, he was reminded of the news waiting for him.
He was right.
The football world had ignored the secured qualification and focused only on the defeat and the young players.
He scrolled through the headlines. Each one felt like a punch, turning his honest post-match comments into something else.
The Sun: Niels Admits Blame! Manager's European Gamble Backfires in Florence Defeat.
Sky Sports: Price Check: Dev Patel's Value Soars Past £25M Mark After Florence Masterclass.
Daily Mail: Max Simons Stays Home, Crisis Looms! Has Crawley's Focus Shifted From Trophies to Transfers?
The media was already putting a price on Dev. It was a huge amount that, in the 2010/2011 market could completely change a club like theirs.
