I turned to the rest of the squad.
"This is our first preseason match. It's about performance, not just the result. I want to see everything we've worked on. The pressing, the transitions, the communication. Brighton are good well-organized, physical, and aggressive. But we're better. Go out there and show me what you've learned."
The coach ride to Brighton's training ground was quiet, filled with that pre-match tension that's both unbearable and necessary. I sat at the front next to Sarah, who was reviewing her tactical notes one last time, her expression focused and calm in a way that I envied.
"You ready for this?" she asked, not looking up from her tablet. "No," I admitted. "But I don't think I ever will be." She smiled, a small, knowing smile. "Good. The day you feel ready is the day you stop improving."
