Reece Hannam's group was solid. Good organization, but Reece stepped up too early, creating a gap. "Reece, good aggression, but you stepped up before the midfield closed the space. Timing. Wait for the second line to engage, then step. Again."

The second attempt was perfect. Collective press, turnover in six seconds. "That's it! Reece, perfect timing. That's leadership. That's captain quality." He grinned, fist-bumped his teammates. Reece Hannam Respect 58% → 64%.

We moved into the 11v11 tactical game. Reds pressing, Blues trying to play out. The first ten minutes were chaos. Players pressing individually, no coordination, Blues playing through with ease. The system showed: Pressing Success Rate 22%. Terrible.

I blew the whistle, stopped play. "What's the trigger?"

"Center-back under pressure?"

"Exactly. So why are you pressing before the trigger? You're wasting energy. Wait. Be patient. Then explode." I made specific corrections.

"Connor, you're pressing when the goalkeeper has the ball. That's not the trigger. Wait. Nya, good patience, but when the trigger happens, you need to close faster. Explode. Reece, you're stepping up too early. Wait for the second line. Timing."

They restarted. Slightly better. Pressing Success Rate 34%. Improving, but not there yet.

Then came the moment I'd been dreading. The Blues center-back received the ball, and the trigger activated. Nya pressed perfectly, cutting the passing lane. But Connor didn't engage. He jogged lazily, didn't cut the other passing lane. Blues played through easily, counter-attacked, and scored.

I blew the whistle, my voice sharp. "Connor, you're the first line. If you don't work, the whole system fails. Again."

"I'm a striker, not a defender," he shot back, his voice dripping with arrogance. "My job is to score goals."

The pitch went silent. Every player, every staff member, was watching. This was the moment. I kept my voice firm, steady. "Your job is to be a professional footballer. That means working for the team. If you won't do that, you won't play. Simple."

"You can't bench me," he said, stepping closer. "I'm the best player here."

"Then prove it," I said, meeting his gaze. "Show me you're not just talented. Show me you're professional. Because right now, you're letting your teammates down."

Silence. The air thick with tension. Then Connor, his ego challenged, his pride stung, nodded sharply. "Fine. Let's go."

Connor Blake Respect 33% → 35%. Small progress, but his ego was driving him now. That was something I could work with.

The game restarted. Connor worked harder, not perfect, but better. The pressing improved. Pressing Success Rate 48%. The team was learning, adapting, clicking. I circulated the sideline, coaching in real-time.

"Ryan, hold your position until the press is set. Trust your defenders." Ryan adjusted, stayed deeper. Ryan Fletcher Positioning 10 → 11.

"Reece! That's it! Perfect timing!" Reece pumped his fist, and his teammates high-fived him. Reece Hannam Respect 64% → 68%.

"Nya, that angle is elite. You're cutting two passing lanes at once. Brilliant." Nya grinned, his confidence soaring. Nya Kirby Respect → 81%.

And then, the breakthrough. The Blues center-back received the ball under pressure. Connor, finally working, cut the passing lane to the defensive midfielder.

Nya closed from the other side, cutting the passing lane to the fullback. Reece stepped up, compressing the space. The center-back panicked and played a poor pass. Turnover. Quick counter. Nya to Connor. Connor shot. Goal.

The players erupted, celebrating, shouting, embracing. I blew the whistle and gathered them in the center circle. "THAT! That's what I'm talking about! Collective. Coordinated. Timed. That's how we play!"

"Connor, that's the work rate I need. You pressed, you won the ball, you scored. That's a complete striker."

He was breathing hard, his face flushed, but he nodded. A small, almost imperceptible nod. Connor Blake Respect 35% → 38%.

"Nya, your angle was perfect. You made that happen. Reece, your timing stepping up created the compression. Captain's performance."

Pressing Success Rate 61%. Excellent for a first session. The staff on the sidelines were impressed. Gary nodding, Richard taking notes, Marcus analyzing footage.

I gathered them for the debrief. "What did we learn today?"

Nya: "Pressing is about timing, not just effort."

Reece: "We have to work together. One player out of position breaks the system."

And then, surprisingly, Connor: "The striker has to work. If I don't press, the whole thing fails."

I looked at him, genuinely surprised but pleased. "Exactly, Connor. You got it. That's growth."

"This is day one. We have a long way to go. But you showed me something today. You showed me you can learn. You showed me you can work. You showed me you care. Tomorrow, 10 am, we build on this. Get rest, hydrate, and eat well. See you tomorrow."

As they dispersed, Nya approached me. "Coach, that was brilliant. I learned so much."

"You were brilliant, Nya. Keep that up."

Reece: "Good session, coach. Different from before. I like it."

"Thanks, Reece. Captain's performance today."

Connor walked past, didn't say anything, but nodded slightly. I watched him go, thinking: Progress. Small, but progress.

First Session Complete: 84/100. Player Engagement: 78/100. Squad Respect Average: 56% → 61%. It was a start. A small, fragile, but significant start.

After the session, Gary pulled me aside. "Good session, Danny. Structured, clear, demanding. Exactly what they needed."

"Thanks," I said, still buzzing from the adrenaline. "But Connor Blake is going to be a problem."

Gary sighed, gestured to a bench. "Sit down. I'll tell you the Connor Blake story."

He explained it all. Connor had been at Palace since he was nine, talented from day one, scoring goals for fun at every age group. At fifteen, he was called up to England U16s and scored on debut. Everyone thought he was the next big thing.

Then his father got involved, started telling Connor he was too good for Palace, should be at Chelsea or Arsenal. Filled his head with nonsense. Connor's attitude changed. Stopped working hard in training. Thought talent alone was enough. Started skipping sessions, showing up late.

***

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