Page 49 of Offside

Polášek

everyone is awake, kid. the whole floor is awake. that is what tonight is

Horak

sorry about their goal. I keep replaying it

Polášek

the finish was clean, kid. there was no save in it. ask anyone who has ever stood where you stand

Novotný

you kept us in it twice before the half. that is the replay I am keeping

Hájek

no apologies on this channel tonight. that is a rule I am inventing right now and it is permanent

Mareš

proud of this squad. that is all. that is the whole message

Polášek

the fans stayed. forty minutes after the whistle, singing. somebody should tell them we lost

Novotný

they know. that’s why they stayed

does anyone want food. I still have my guy on the night staff. he does a goulash

Polášek

you met him three weeks ago

Novotný

we have history now

Hájek

order the goulash, Novotný. tonight the kitchen is open

Šíma

one item tonight

the margin was an inch and the effort was ninety minutes wide, plus everything after the whistle that nobody measures. both go in the record. the record keeps what matters, and tonight it is full

sleep if it comes. breakfast happens either way. the committee stands adjourned until it is needed, which will be sooner than tonight believes

Hájek

no curfew tonight. sleep when it lets you. bus goes at nine forty whether we are poetic about it or not

night. all of you. proud is the word. it needs exercising