Chapter 170: You or Him or Me
As David walked through the tunnel into the stadium, his heart pounded—fast and wild. Every step echoed in the corridor, but none louder than the drumbeat in his chest. This wasn’t just another day of training. It was the eve of something greater. Tomorrow, the Premier League. His possible debut.
The thought made his stomach flutter.
To wear the red jersey—not just in training, not just in youth games—but on the biggest stage in English football? It was the kind of moment he’d dreamed about for years. He could already imagine stepping out into the roaring stadium lights, his name echoing through the stands, his boots on the green turf as millions watched. If the coach picked him for the starting eleven... it would change everything.
And somewhere deep inside, even though nerves twisted in his gut, David dared to hope. He felt it. His faith in what was to come was already beginning to take shape. It was already being sealed.
Meanwhile, in the manager’s office...
The air inside the locker room office was tense, heavy with something unspoken. Erik ten Hag sat behind his desk, reviewing his lineup notes, until the door creaked open and Ed Woodward stepped in.
"You want me to what?" Ten Hag said, looking up sharply.
Ed’s face remained composed, his tone clipped and businesslike. "David. The club’s owner believes it’s in our best interest to... keep him out of the squad for now. I came to inform you that you should not include him in the lineup."
There was a beat of silence. Ten Hag’s brow furrowed slightly. His eyes narrowed, not in anger—yet—but in surprise. A different kind of surprise. One that felt like a warning.
Ed, sensing the hesitation, pressed on. "Well, it shouldn’t be that much of a big deal, right? I mean, it’s not like he’s a household name or anything. We could move him back to the reserve squad. Maybe give him time in the lesser competitions. And by the next window—if we play this right—we could at least recoup some of the money we spent on him."
The words felt clinical. Cold. Stripped of all the passion Ed once showed.