Touchline Rebirth: From Game To Glory-Chapter 216: Doubt

Evening had fallen over the training ground.

Inside the office, a single desk lamp lit Niels's desk with a warm glow.

A soft knock at the door broke the silence.

"Come in, Dev," Niels said quietly. He didn't need to look up to know it was him.

Dev Patel stepped into the office and stopped by the door. He looked tired not from playing football but from something heavier that weighed on his shoulders.

He didn't look like the player who had amazed everyone in Florence just a day ago. He looked like someone who had suddenly realized the world was bigger and harder than he thought.

He sat down heavily in the chair across from Niels, staring at the desk as if it could give him answers he wasn't ready for.

Niels stayed quiet leaning back as the chair creaked.

For Dev, everyone else was always talking agents, family, teammates, the press. Silence was the only thing Niels could give that really mattered.

"Coach," Dev finally whispered, his voice shaking a little. "27 million pounds transfer offer. My agent… he's called me sixteen times since we landed. He says I don't get the numbers. That kind of money… my parents would never have to work again. My sisters' tuition… we'd be set for life. A different world, Coach. A world I never thought people like us could enter."

"I know it's a huge amount of money, Dev," Niels said softly. "In 2010, that's not just a transfer fee, it's the kind of number that turns a person into a financial asset."

Dev looked up his eyes red and glassy in the lamp's light. "He says I'm crazy. He says if I wait until the summer, the chance could disappear. One injury or one dip in form… and the club just moves on. He says Valencia is my shot at the Champions League, and you can't make a giant wait."

"I know what you're worried about, Dev," Niels said softly. "But what do you think? Not your agent nor the headlines. I'm asking you to leave all that behind and… tell me what you really want."

Dev swallowed hard and looked down at his hands. "I… I don't know," he admitted. "Part of me wants it all the money, the chance, everything. But… I'm scared.

Niels nodded slowly. "That's normal, Dev. Big choices always feel scary. But fear doesn't mean you're not ready. It just means this matters."

Dev lifted his eyes, still uncertain. "What if I fail? What if I go there and… I'm not good enough?"

"Then you play," Niels said quietly. "You play, you learn, and you keep going. Nobody expects perfection. They expect effort, heart and honesty. That's all anyone can ask of you."

Dev's shoulders slumped. "I want to… but it's hard to stop thinking about everything else. The money, the pressure… what people expect of me."

"That's exactly why I asked you what you want," Niels said gently. "It's not always about the hype, not the club, not anyone else. It's about you. Forget everything else for a moment. What do you want?"

Dev looked up, his eyes glistening in the lamplight. He swallowed and whispered, "I want to play. I just… I don't want to screw it up."

Niels gave a small, steady nod. "Then that's where you start. Focus on the game. The rest… we'll handle as it comes. You're ready for this, Dev. You just have to trust yourself."

A smile finally touched Dev's lips. It was the first sign of genuine emotion he'd shown all evening.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do, Dev," Niels continued, his voice firmer now. "I can't as this is your life and your family's future. But here's the truth whatever you decide, you have to be all in. If you stay here then you can't be half-in and half-out. Your teammates Max, Thiago, Korey, they count on you. If your heart is in Valencia while your feet are in Crawley, you'll fail at both."

Dev swallowed and nodded slowly. The weight of the choice pressed on him but Niels's words cut through some of the panic.

"What if I don't know what I want?" Dev asked his confusion returning. "One minute I'm dreaming of the Valencia, and the next I'm thinking about the Round of 16 with us. I feel like I'm being pulled apart."

"Then don't decide tonight," Niels said. "January is still a month away. The board has agreed to wait until the summer to finalize anything, though they'll be hovering like vultures."

"I won't hold you here if you truly want to go but you don't need to answer the world today. Focus on tomorrow morning. The next training session and focus on your play, Dev. It's the only thing in your life right now that isn't trying to sell you something."

Dev sat in silence for a few minutes, the weight of the decision still heavy, but the panic in his eyes had faded. He stood slowly and gave a small nod.

"Thanks, Coach. For not… for not just telling me to stay because you need the points."

"I do need the points," Niels said with a faint smile. "But I need the player more. See you at 8:00 AM tomorrow."

"Thanks, Coach," Dev said quietly and walked to the door.

Niels watched him go. The door clicked shut behind him.

He had fought the board to keep Dev and calmed the boy's mind tonight, but he knew it was only a small victory.

The words he had used to warn the board echoed in his head: "Even if it means leaving at the end of the season."

Niels stayed in the dark, staring at the empty chair and thought, 'He's talented, no doubt… but talent alone doesn't survive this world', he thought. It's about the mindset and the choices… and even then, it's fragile'.

He rubbed his temples and let out a slow sigh. 'Tonight, I gave him space and a moment to breathe. But tomorrow, the questions, the pressure, the press, they'll all be back. And he'll have to face them. Can he?'

Niels closed his eyes and allowed himself to imagine Dev on the pitch, chasing the ball with the same fire he'd seen in Florence. 'If he keeps that form, maybe… maybe he'll survive it all'.

Eventually, Niels got up and stretched. He switched off the desk lamp and left the office, stepping out into the quiet night.

When he got home, he ate something quickly and went straight to bed.

For now, all he could do was wait and hope for the best outcome.