The players settled onto the benches in the dressing room, their jerseys clinging to their sweat-soaked backs. Some grabbed bottles of water while others toweled off their faces.
Despite the commanding lead at halftime, no one was resting on their laurels. Not with the aggressor, Gertjan Verbeek, pacing the room.
The manager clapped his hands sharply, demanding attention. Conversations fizzled out, and the room fell silent except for the faint creak of boots shifting on the tiled floor.
"Alright, listen up," Gertjan Verbeek began, his voice sounded calm but was edged with intensity. His piercing gaze swept across the room, lingering on each player as if daring them to lose focus. "First off, that was a fantastic half. That's how you play football."
He pointed toward the whiteboard where the score, 4-0, was scribbled in bold, red marker.