Eze hesitated, then nodded. I watched them walk toward the gym, Rebecca talking to him in a low voice, her tone professional but encouraging. She was good at this, at making players feel like the extra work was an investment in themselves rather than a punishment. I made a mental note to thank her later.
With Eze in the gym, I ran the rest of the squad through a passing drill. The setup was simple: two teams, eight versus eight, trying to complete ten consecutive passes without losing possession. The team that lost the ball had to do five burpees.
It was a drill designed to emphasize quick decision-making and movement off the ball, and the lads knew it well. Connor was sharp, his passing crisp and accurate, playing with the kind of confidence that came from being the established striker.
