England's Greatest

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After three grueling rounds of Premier League action, the international break arrived like a deep exhale after a marathon. England's top flight, with its relentless pace and unforgiving demands, had pushed players to their limits, leaving many yearning for a moment to catch their breath. For the Leicester City squad, the pause was a welcome reprieve as many in the team weren't called up by their country.

St. George's Park: September 1, 2014 - Early Morning 

…..

A blue Range Rover pulled into St. George's Park, the roar of its engine slicing through the crisp September air. The driver's window rolled down just slightly, allowing faint strains of loud, bass-heavy music to spill out. 

Tristan seated behind the wheel wearing a white shirt with black short pants topping it off with a Leicester City hat with the number 22 on the back, a pretty basic outfit. With Vardy in the passenger seat wearing a full on white adidas tracksuit.

The blue Range Rover smoothly rolled into the players' parking area at St. George's Park, its engine humming as Tristan Hale guided it into an empty spot. Shutting off the ignition, Tristan exhaled, his gaze shifting briefly to the sleek cars already parked around them—an array of luxury vehicles that spoke volumes about the players inside.

"Alright, get out, I'm not gonna be picking you up next time you with blasting that garbage in my car." Tristan said, unbuckling his seatbelt. 

Vardy, leaning back casually with a grin, shook his head. "Your car?" He jabbed a thumb toward the dashboard with a laugh. mate—it's not your car. Range Rover handed you this beauty, didn't they? You're just borrowing it, same as me."

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but I'm the one driving it. That means I get final say on the music."

"Driving doesn't mean ownership," Vardy shot back with a smirk, grabbing his bag from the footwell. "You're just a chauffeur today, lad. Next time, maybe Range Rover can send me the keys, and you can ride shotgun."

Tristan opened the driver's door and stepped out, shaking his head. "I'm just saying, if this is the price of carpooling with you, I might start coming here solo."

"Sure, sure," Vardy said as they started walking.

As they approached the entrance of St. George's Park, the sound of footsteps echoed in the morning stillness. Johansson, the team photographer, stood just inside the door, camera in hand, ready to snap a few shots of the arriving players.

"Good to see you both again," Johansson greeted with a friendly smile, his camera lowering for a moment.

Tristan and Vardy shook hands with before before he snapped a few pictures of the two together.

"You too, mate. How you been, haven't seen you since the World Cup?" Tristan looking around to see if anyone else had arrived.

Johansson chuckled. "I been busy with family, oh right congrats on the Arsenal win, by the way. Big result. Had me shouting at the last minute."

Tristan nodded, a bit of pride in his voice. "Apperciate it"

Vardy shrugged, grinning. "Just another game, trust me."

Johansson smirked, lowering his camera. "Well, you two might want to brace yourselves. Wilshere's already inside, so... could be a bit awkward, but you guys are the last ones, the others just arrived like ten minutes ago."

Tristan gave a half-smile, shrugging. "Awkward? Nah, we'll be fine."

Johansson laughed,"Alright,if you say so, but stay of his sight, Tristan, I'm sure he hates you at this point."

....

The doors to the main hall swung open, and the faint sound of conversation filtered in before Tristan and Vardy even stepped inside.

"Oi, Tristan! Vardy!" Rooney's voice boomed across the room, instantly grabbing the attention of the arriving pair. The new England captain stood at the center of the hall with Gary Cahil, the new vice Captain besides him talking with that players that had already arrived. 

 "Morning, how's everyone," Tristan said simply, setting his bag down before shaking hands with the two and everyone else.

"Morning, we were just waiting for you, that boss wants everyone out in the meeting room, you know how things are gonna go forward now with Lampard and Gerrad gone" Rooney replied, his tone welcoming. "You're the last ones in."

Unlike that first time Tristan and Vardy were called up and almost had no status in the team until at least the start of the World Cup, everyone now had to treat them with some respect especially Tristan, he wasn't just a 19 year kid anymore, but someone that entire country considered the future of the team from fans, pundits, the FA, to retired legends of England. 

"Blame him," Vardy said with a shrug, pointing at Tristan. "His mom was double checking everything."

Tristan shook his head. "Shut up."

Rooney raised an eyebrow but let the banter slide. "Right, well, now that you're here, let's get settled. Everyone's inside."

Cahill stepped forward, shaking Tristan's hand. "Good to see you again. That game against Arsenal—quality stuff."

Tristan gave a small nod. "Thanks. Good to be here."

Rooney gestured toward the group of players scattered around the room. "Alright, let's make this a smooth start. We're here to get the work done, we have a game against Norway in two days so keep it sharp and professional." Normally he wouldn't do those kinds of speeches, those were more of Gerrad's thing, but since he's the Captain now, he has to step it up.

The two Leicester players nodded, and as they moved to join the rest of the squad, Tristan caught a quick look from Wilshere, standing by the far corner of the room. 

"Looks like it's going to be an interesting camp," Vardy muttered under his breath as they walked, earning a small chuckle from Tristan who sat down next to Shaw. 

Tristan, how you been?" Shaw said, extending a hand. "That last mjinute goal against Arsenal—world class finish, mate. Second time you did that against Arsenal."

"Been good, can't complain," Tristan replied, shaking his hand. "And yeah, thank you."

"You too, Vardy, two goals in three games, I don't wanna know talk about his stats" Shaw added "Leicester's got everyone talking."

"About time, eh?" Vardy replied, smirking.

 Henderson walked over next, joining the small circle. 

Before the conversation could carry on, Rooney's voice cut through the group. "Alright, lads, enough catching up. Meeting room now. Let's get on with it."

The players began moving toward the meeting room, their casual chat replaced by silence now.

"Big expectations now,Tristan" Henderson said. "You're not just another young player anymore. People are expecting you to deliver every time."

Tristan shrugged slightly. "Comes with the territory, doesn't it?"

"True," Lallana said. "But you've earned it. Just keep doing what you're doing."

Vardy, walking just ahead, turned back and gave a quick grin. "Don't worry about him. He's loving it."

Tristan rolled his eyes but didn't respond. As they entered the meeting room and found their seats, the light banter faded. With a friendly against Norway in two days, the time for jokes was over—it was all business now.

Tristan glanced around the room, taking in the mix of familiar and new faces. Rooney sat near the front, Cahill beside him, their positions as captain and vice-captain evident not just in their seating but in the way the room unconsciously deferred to them. Vardy plopped into the chair beside Tristan.

The door opened, and in walked Roy Hodgson, accompanied by assistant coach Gary Lewington and Gary Neville now a proper assistant manager for the team.

"Morning, everyone," Hodgson began, his voice calm as he moved to the front of the room. He took a moment to look around, his gaze landing briefly on the newer faces in the squad before moving back to the veterans. "It's good to see you all again."

Hodgson's eyes softened slightly as he continued. "Before we get into the business of this camp, I want to take a moment to acknowledge two players who have left an indelible mark on this team and this country—Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Their contributions over the years have been immense, and they'll be sorely missed."

But football moves on, and so must we. With them retiring from international duty, we look to the future. Wayne—Gary," he gestured to the captain and vice-captain, "this team needs your leadership now more than ever. You both know the standards we need to maintain."

"And to the rest of you," Hodgson continued, his tone shifting slightly, "this is your time to step up. Whether you've been here for years or this is your first call-up, you're here for a reason. Show us what you can do."

His gaze landed briefly on Tristan before continuing. He was worried about that young lad under the constant eye of the media, he was thriving in the league which was good but that only added more pressure to a 19 year old.

 "Now, let's talk about the schedule. We've got a friendly against Norway in two days. Use it to get your legs under you, but don't take it lightly. We're here to win, always."

He paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. "After that, we start our European Championship qualifiers against Switzerland. We've been placed in Group E, and yes, on paper, it's a favorable draw. But let me be clear: that means nothing if we don't perform. There are no guarantees in football. I don't want anyone getting complacent because we're not facing Spain or Germany."

There were a few quiet murmurs of agreement around the room. Hodgson glanced at his assistant, who handed him the clipboard. "Lewington and Gary will go over the specifics of the schedule and training sessions after this. But for now, remember this: we're building something here, and every single one of you is part of that. Show me you deserve to be here."

With that, Hodgson stepped back, allowing Lewington to take over. The assistant coach quickly outlined the itinerary for the next few days: light training that afternoon, a full session tomorrow, and the match against Norway at Wembley following that. 

...

The England squad gathered on the training field as they quickly did their warm ups and prepared for the day's session.

"Alright, lads," Gary Neville called out from the sideline with Hodgson and Lewington besides him with the other coaches, his voice carrying across the field. "Let's make this one count. Full intensity, no shortcuts."

The squad split into two teams, one half wearing green vests whilst the other half wore red ones. 

Green Team:

Goalkeeper: Joe Hart (Manchester City)Defenders: Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton)Midfielders: Tristan Hale (Leicester City), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), James Milner (Manchester City)Forwards: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Red Team:

Goalkeeper: Fraser Forster (Celtic)Defenders: Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Leighton Baines (Everton)Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Southampton)Forwards: Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Rickie Lambert (Southampton)

The game kicked off with the green team in possession, and immediately, it was clear the pace would be high. Tristan Hale took charge in midfield, his presence commanding the flow of play. As the ball rolled toward him, he quickly passed it to Milner on the wing and immediately shouted, "Milner, go wide! Wilshere, find space! We need quick movement!"

Milner darted down the right flank, drawing pressure from Baines. But Milner, with his experience, kept the ball tight and laid it off for Vardy. Vardy's pace was electric as he sprinted toward the edge of the box, only for Baines to close him down. Vardy, however, shifted the ball inside, outsmarting Baines and laying it off to Rooney.

"Quick pass!" shouted Rooney, as he received the ball and fed it straight back to Tristan.

Tristan took a touch to steady himself before playing an inch-perfect through ball to Vardy, who had made a clever run behind the defense. Vardy took a first-time shot, a low driven effort that beat Forster with ease and found the back of the net.

"YES!" Vardy shouted as he jogged back to midfield, a wide grin on his face. "Tristan, that was magic!"

Tristan pumped his fist in approval but called out, "Let's keep the pressure on. Move it quicker—no time to rest."

As the game progressed, the red team responded strongly. Barkley took control of the midfield, driving the ball forward with intent. "Sterling, take the space!" he called out to his teammate as he surged toward the green defense. Sterling, always dangerous, raced down the left wing, forcing Johnson to track back.

Sterling used his pace, cutting inside to dodge the challenge from Johnson. He saw Welbeck making a run and played a perfectly weighted ball to him. Welbeck latched onto it, his shot clean, but Joe Hart was equal to it, diving low to his right and pushing it out for a corner.

"Good hands, Joe!" Neville shouted from the sidelines, his tone full of approval.

The red team continued to press. Lallana, central to their offensive play, spread the ball to Barkley. Barkley tried a through ball to Lambert, who was looking to break the defensive line. But Gary Cahill was there, intercepting with a well-timed sliding challenge. He passed it to Wilshere, who quickly shifted it to Milner.

"Push, push!" Tristan barked as he saw an opening in the middle. He found the ball at his feet, looked up, and spotted Vardy making a run down the wing. He sent a long ball over the top, and Vardy was off—no one could catch him.

Vardy's control was sublime, taking the ball down with his chest and finding Rooney in the center. Rooney was quick to react and, despite a tight angle, powered a shot that Forster managed to parry out for a corner.

The intensity was growing. Both teams were battling for supremacy, pushing forward with every opportunity. On the sidelines, Neville was speaking with Hodgson.

"This game's picking up. They're showing real intensity, that's good, they need to show us they are putting effort to be here," Neville commented, his eyes scanning the field.

Hodgson nodded. "Yes, they're testing each other, that younger players want starting roles whilst the older ones want to hold on to their positions.

Meanwhile, the red team tried to exploit the green defense again. Lallana found Barkley just outside the box. Barkley attempted to thread a ball through to Welbeck, but Jagielka was alert, stepping in to clear the ball with authority. The green team immediately launched a counterattack, and once again, Tristan was in the thick of it.

"Vardy, get moving!" he shouted as he turned, looking to break quickly. Milner switched the play, and the ball found its way to Wilshere on the opposite side. He drove forward and laid it off for Tristan in midfield, who looked to make something happen. Just as he shifted the ball past a lunging Jones, he spotted Vardy in the box, a defender on his tail.

"Vardy!" Tristan called, threading another brilliant through ball into the box. Vardy controlled it with ease, before cutting it back to the center for Rooney, who made no mistake, firing the ball into the bottom corner to double the green team's lead.

"Well done, lads!" Neville shouted from the sideline, clapping his hands. "That's how it's done!"

With only a few minutes remaining, the red team threw everything forward. Barkley, trying to make an impact, managed to slip a ball through to Welbeck. Welbeck was one-on-one with Hart, but the England keeper was quick off his line, diving at Welbeck's feet to snuff out the chance.

"Great reaction, Joe!" Lewington called out, impressed with the save.

But there was no letup from the red team. Sterling tried to get in behind Johnson again, cutting inside and sending a curling shot toward goal. However, Hart was alert, diving to his left to make another key save.

As the final whistle blew, the green team emerged victorious 2-0.

....

The coaches gathered together for a quiet conversation on the sideline watching the game.

"Have you noticed the change in him?" Hodgson asked, his eyes following Tristan as he jogged back to the center of the pitch. "His confidence is through the roof. You can see it in his leadership on the field now. He's running the midfield with authority, not just for himself but for the entire team. Of course he did it before but now it's come naturally to him. I think he was a little bit intimidated by the status of the the players before now. But that has changed."

Gary Neville nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, now instead of feeling awe, he feels he's better then everyone here. He has that type of confidence in himself now, it's something all great players go through. It's good for us."

Lewington, standing a little further away from the conversation, added, "The difference is noticeable. He's starting to lead now."

Hodgson smiled slightly, his gaze never leaving Tristan. "He's growing into the role of a leader. He's still young, but the signs are there. And we've got to nurture that. After Rooney, it will be his turn next if everything goes to plan."

After the game, the players gathered around the coaches for a debrief.

"Good game, lads," Neville said, his tone encouraging. "A lot of positives there, but let's keep pushing ourselves. We've got to be sharper, quicker, and more decisive. We've got the talent, now we just need to show it consistently."

Hodgson nodded. "I'm happy with the work rate today. Keep that mentality up for the coming matches, we are going to need it."

...….

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