Unlimited Potential System-Chapter 79: Aftermath [2]
After Juliette left him, a few interviewers stood with the cameraman, microphones in hand, and started asking him questions. While one asked, the others pointed their mics at him, making it possible for them to hear his answers amidst the chatter inside the stadium.
["Alright Tyler, how does it feel coming off this very intense match with a goal and an assist. It's your first away game for the club, and I'm sure that you must feel elated to have contributed as much as you did to the outcome of the match"]
Tyler cleared his throat. "Uh... I think it would've meant more if we did end up winning the match. I might have gotten a goal and an assist, but in the end we didn't win, so it doesn't matter. I would happily trade my goal and assist for a stinker if it meant we ended up winning. Football is a team sport, so a performance is only as good as the collective outcome, not the individual one."
["What can you tell us about how it felt playing in the match. At different points of the match you played at a higher intensity than the norm, especially in the closing stages where you took the game by the scruff of the neck and it was basically a one on one battle between you and Nuno Mendes. Do you have anything to say about that?"]
Tyler chuckled when he heard the question. "Well, I was just trying to win the match, to be honest. In the closing stages, Paris sat back and it was a bit frustrating to me, watching the ball being passed around as we tried to create an opening, so I just thought that I'd create the opening myself. Obviously, it worked out well and I got a goal, but like I said, we ended up losing the match so it's not really relevant."
Tyler was asked a few more questions and he answered them well, at least in his opinion. Juliette signaled the reporters, and they decided to ask the last question of the night.
["The last question diverts from the match a bit. Before you did make your debut for Monaco, you were involved in a bit of a controversy where your words were twisted a bit and misunderstood by the greater population of Monaco residents, which led to quite a few nasty comments towards yourself. How did that affect you, or rather how did it make you feel coming into the game against Paris FC for your debut. Was there an increased pressure on you or..."]
Tyler smiled when he heard the question. He expected to be asked about it sooner or later, he just didn't know that it was going to be sooner.
"Well, I think there was definitely pressure on my side to perform, but it wasn't due to the outside noise, it was because of the expectations that I had set out for myself. I don't really pay attention to what anyone's saying on social media, I don't really let it affect me because the narrative on there changes very quickly. Two or three weeks ago, if you went on there, I was the villain. Last week, I'm suddenly a once in a lifetime talent, so as I said, the narrative on there changes very quickly, and I try my best not to let whatever is said there affect me. I just keep my focus and play my football."
["Well, thanks for answering our questions today, Wilson. That's the last for today"]
"You're welcome," Tyler muttered into the mic before nodding briefly at the reporters and hurriedly leaving the scene.
"I think you did well." Tyler turned his head and saw Juliette walking beside him.
"Me too," Tyler muttered.
The pair talked for a little bit, with Tyler asking her about when the interview would be released and other details before they eventually parted, and Tyler made his way to the locker room for the first time since the full time whistle was blown.
Tyler was a bit taken aback by the sight he was welcomed by. Everyone sat by their lockers and were waiting in silence. It was so silent one could hear a pin drop. Their silence didn't constitute a gloomy atmosphere. In fact, it was something very different.
The atmosphere inside the locker room was a bit difficult to describe. There was the obvious gloom after having lost the match, but there was a bit of quiet determination brewing inside each and every one of the players present.
"Looks like everyone's here now," Adi Hutter said after briefly glancing at Tyler, who made his way to his locker. He looked questioningly at George, who was sat beside him, but the striker shrugged. Most likely, he didn't know what was about to happen.
"Alright boys, we went out there and we played our hearts out. A few players more than others, but I watched you run, I watched you duel, and I watched you play for the win, and even though we didn't come away with it, I want you to know that I am proud of the display I saw from each and every one of you," Adi Hutter started talking a few moments after he acknowledged Tyler's presence inside the dressing room. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
He then took a step forward, bringing him closer to the players, and sighed. "I would also like to apologize to you all," he began, causing the players to have confused expressions on their faces. As far as they could tell, he hadn't really done anything to them.
"I apologize for the game plan that I gave you all coming into this match. I was a bit too pragmatic, I underestimated your abilities and overestimated those of the opposition, and for that I apologize. I won't be making that mistake again. I would like for us to rest and reset before going into our next match, but that won't be possible. In fact, it took the convincing of our fitness coaches for us to still have a recovery day tomorrow, because while I want you to get some well deserved rest, I can't allow that, because as you all know, our next match will be at home to...
OGC Nice."
