Brendan Rodgers sat stiffly at the press conference table, his jaw clenched, his hands tightly gripping the edge of the desk. The bright camera flashes flickered like relentless reminders of his humiliation.
Just days ago, he had confidently dismissed Tiger King as a rookie—an unworthy successor to Manchester United's legacy. Now, after suffering a devastating 3-0 defeat at Anfield, the footballing world had turned on him. The media, the pundits, even former legends had lined up to question his leadership.
Gary Neville, never one to mince words, had called it "tactically naïve." David Beckham, who had always been diplomatic in his criticism, had simply said, "Rodgers played right into Tiger King's hands."
He had no choice but to respond.
Rodgers took a deep breath, forcing a composed expression as he leaned towards the microphone. His voice was firm, but there was no hiding the edge of frustration beneath it.
"We will learn from this. The season is long, and we will make amends. What we lost at Anfield, we will take back at Old Trafford."
The journalists in the room exchanged knowing glances. They had seen this before—managers trying to regain control after a public embarrassment. Some nodded, others scribbled their notes, but one fact remained clear: Rodgers was now a man under pressure.
In a private meeting room at Carrington, Mike Phelan, Eric Steele, and Paul Scholes sat together, reviewing Rodgers' press conference.
Steele leaned back in his chair, impressed. "Tiger played this perfectly. He deliberately angered Rodgers before the game, forced him into an attacking mindset, and led the snake out of the hole. That was the key to victory."
Scholes chuckled. "And now Rodgers is trying to save face. But it's too late—he knows he walked into a trap."
Phelan, ever the pragmatist, tapped a pen against his notepad. "It doesn't matter now. We won. What's important is that we focus on what's ahead."
Scholes nodded. "Champions League is starting. Then the fourth round of the league. No time to celebrate."
Steele's expression turned serious. "More than that—look at this schedule. From September 14th to October 5th, we have seven matches in 22 days: four league games, two Champions League fixtures, and a League Cup match. That's a match every three days."
Phelan exhaled. "Tiger is going to have a headache figuring this out. We'll have to rotate the squad."
Scholes frowned slightly. "Rotation is necessary, but the quality of the squad depth isn't the same. If we change too much, we might struggle in some matches."
Phelan nodded. "We don't have a choice. If we don't rotate, the main players will burn out. It's about finding the right balance."
Steele interrupted, "Don't forget the international break just before this devil schedule! We also need to take into account fatigue of the players as well!"
The room fell into a momentary silence, each of them deep in thought. They had won the battle, but a long, grueling war awaited.
As the club season momentarily paused for the international break, attention shifted towards the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. Players departed for their national teams, each carrying their own pressures and expectations.
Among the key matchups:
1.) England: Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones, and Michael Carrick joined the England squad as they prepared for crucial qualifiers. With pressure mounting, England needed strong performances to secure a spot in Brazil.
2.) Spain: David de Gea, although not the first-choice keeper, was called up for the Spanish squad, gaining invaluable experience training alongside legends like Casillas.
3.) Netherlands: Robin van Persie, the talisman of the Dutch team, aimed to continue his goal-scoring form and push his country closer to World Cup qualification.
4.) Belgium: A young Toby Alderweireld joined an exciting Belgium squad featuring Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku, as they neared qualification for their first World Cup since 2002.
For Tiger King and his staff, the break was both a relief and a source of anxiety. On one hand, players would return with renewed confidence if they performed well. On the other, any injuries during international duty could derail Manchester United's plans for the crucial weeks ahead.
All they could do was wait and prepare—for the real challenges were yet to come.