Other players were drifting in. They glanced at Steven and Javier with worried expressions.
“Boss?” Adam said. “What are you going to do?”
Javier rubbed his beard. A surefire sign of stress. Steven was reassured by this. At least the club weren’t trying to sweep things under the carpet. Everyone frowned on treachery of this sort.
“I don’t know,” Javier replied. “I want to hear his side of the story first.”
Steven couldn’t believe that. “I’m sorry? He lays into the club and you want to sit him down and talk about his feelings?”
Javier’s face was stone.
“Perhaps you should go upstairs,” Javier said cooly.
Steven took a breath. Acting irrationally wouldn’t help him or Udo.
“You’re right, forgive me,” he said. “I hate this new attitude from Shaun. What the hell is his problem?”
Adam scratched his head. “He’s not taken to Holtmann, that’s true. He did a real number on him in that interview.”
He really had. Shaun had suggested that Udo was getting special treatment at Brockton to keep his price high for selling him over the summer.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Udo would see out his playing career at Brockton if it killed Steven. He would not lose him at this point.
“Things have been better since London,” Javier said.
“Not the other day. He took his shitty mood out on Udo right in front of us.”
They all fell silent as Shaun walked in. The arrogant bastard had his head held high and a pathetic grin on his face.
“I guess I’m in trouble.”
“Too fucking right you are,” Steven replied.
“Locker room,” Javier said. “Now.”
They all walked toward the door. Javier turned to Steven.
“Are you going to calm down?”
Steven nodded. “Sorry, boss. I don’t like this.”
“Me neither. You losing your shit isn’t going to help anyone.”
When they got inside, Udo sat on a bench. He looked terrified. Steven’s heart went out to him. Just when things were on the up, Shaun had to go and do this.
Colin and Edi were watching from their lockers. As wereEwen, Ingvar and Goran. Adam went over to join them, shaking his head.
“Listen up,” Javier said, standing in the centre of the room. “I’m not going to insult your intelligence by pretending we don’t know what’s happened. I’m also not intending on holding a kangaroo court.”
“Will I be given detention with the assistant coach too?” Shaun asked.
He pulled off his T-shirt and threw it into his locker.
“I would think twice about giving attitude, Riggs,” Steven said.
“What’s the matter? Has your favourite got a little upset?” Shaun fired back.
Steven took a step forward. “You’ve slagged off the club to a journalist. We’ll be overrun with them now. You’re lucky to even be standing here.”
