WSL Oneshots

Nightmare Return to Training

Alessia Russo stood in front of the mirror in the changing room, tying her boots as she looked at her reflection. She had just returned to Manchester United Women after her period of absence. Her time away had been a crucial moment of self-reflection, but now, as she prepared for her first session back, a knot formed in her stomach.

The news had spread quickly—Manchester United Women had a new manager, and from what she'd heard, he was notoriously tough. Alessia had no idea what to expect, but she knew that this would be a test not just physically, but mentally.

As she entered the training pitch, the new manager, a tall, stern figure with sharp eyes and a no-nonsense approach, stood at the forefront of the team. His presence immediately shifted the mood from relaxed to tense.

"Right, everyone," he said, voice cutting through the air. "Today's session is about commitment and endurance. We push ourselves beyond what we think is possible. No excuses."

Alessia exchanged a glance with some of her teammates, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. But no one said anything. They all knew the drill.

The session began with a few light warm-ups, but it was clear that the new manager had a different philosophy than the previous one. Alessia's legs still ached from her time off, but she pushed through, trying to shake off the lingering fatigue.

Then came the first challenge.

"Alessia," the manager called out. "I want you to run laps. No stopping until I say. Everyone else, keep going as well, but I want you to push yourself. Don't rest."

Alessia frowned, a sense of dread creeping up her spine. She had just come back from a period of absence, still recovering, still building up her strength. But she didn't dare question him.

She started running, her breath coming faster as her legs protested. The sound of her teammates' feet pounding the turf was almost deafening in the silence that enveloped the field. Every lap felt like an eternity. Her mind raced with frustration. She was trying her best, but the pressure of the manager's relentless commands made it feel impossible to keep going.

As the laps stretched on, her teammates began to notice. Their eyes flickered to Alessia, and a few of them exchanged concerned glances. Chloe Kelly, who had recently come back from her own period of absence, slowed to a jog.

"Alessia, are you okay?" Chloe called, voice laced with worry.

Alessia waved her off, forcing a strained smile. "I'm fine. Just... a bit out of breath."

But the manager was watching, his gaze intense and unrelenting. "Don't talk. Keep running," he snapped.

Chloe looked at the manager, her eyebrows furrowing. "She needs to rest," she said, though her voice was barely above a whisper.

The manager's eyes narrowed. "No. She doesn't get to rest. She pushes through."

By the time Alessia had completed what felt like an endless number of laps, her body was screaming in protest. Her chest burned with each breath, and her vision blurred. She could feel the energy draining from her, but she kept going. The pressure of the manager's command weighed on her, and she didn't want to seem weak in front of her teammates.

But it wasn't just physical exhaustion she was battling. The mental strain of being pushed so hard after such a break, coupled with the isolation of the new manager's harshness, was beginning to take its toll.

"Again," the manager barked. "Back to the gym. No stopping. Don't even think about it."

Alessia's heart sank. She could barely stand, let alone go back to the gym. But she didn't have a choice.

The gym was cold, the hum of the machines and the silence in the room unsettling as Alessia stumbled through the door. The manager stood at the far end, watching her with cold eyes.

"Keep going until I tell you to stop," he instructed.

Her body trembled as she approached the treadmill, dragging herself onto it. Her legs felt like lead, and with every step, her mind screamed at her to stop, to listen to her body. But the manager's voice echoed in her ears, urging her to push harder, to keep going.

And so, she did.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. Her vision darkened, her body teetering on the brink of collapse. She pushed herself even harder, desperate to meet his expectations.

It was at that moment that Chloe, who had been lingering outside the gym, noticed Alessia's labored movements. Something was wrong.

Without thinking, Chloe rushed into the gym, her voice cutting through the silence. "Stop! Alessia, you need to stop!"

The manager stepped forward, his face hardening. "She doesn't stop until I say so."

But Chloe wasn't having it. She moved quickly, pressing a hand to Alessia's shoulder, feeling the ice-cold sweat on her skin. "No, this is too much. She's not okay."

Alessia swayed on the treadmill, her face pale, eyes unfocused. And then, just as Chloe's hand gripped her arm, Alessia crumpled, collapsing to the floor with a sickening thud.

Chloe fell to her knees beside her, heart hammering in her chest. "Alessia?" she whispered, shaking her.

The manager stood still, his expression unreadable. But it was clear that the scene unfolding before him wasn't the result he had been hoping for.

Within moments, two other teammates, Lauren and Millie, rushed into the gym, their faces pale with concern. "What happened?" Lauren asked, kneeling beside Chloe.

"She passed out," Chloe replied, voice strained with panic. "She wasn't ready for this."

Lauren shot a furious look at the manager, her hands hovering over Alessia's limp form. "She needs medical attention, now."

The manager took a step back, clearly unprepared for the backlash. "She wasn't supposed to pass out," he muttered under his breath, though his words fell flat in the chaos of the moment.

As Millie and Chloe helped Alessia, Lauren shot a final glare at the manager. "You've pushed her too far. You're supposed to be a coach, not a dictator."

The manager said nothing. He stood in silence, realizing too late that his approach had failed—not just for Alessia, but for the team as a whole.

Chloe's hands trembled as she helped Alessia sit up. "Come on, Less," she whispered, brushing her hair back. "You're okay. We're here."

The room fell into an uneasy silence as the team began to gather, their eyes shifting between the collapsed Alessia and the manager who had pushed her too far. The consequences of his actions were clear. Alessia's absence now was inevitable, but the true question remained: would the manager's methods ever be accepted by the players again?