The truly disturbing thing for everyone in Nottingham Forest is that, since their friend and club size Taiwo Awoniyi lies in the hospital, they know that this should not have happened at all.
If an assistant referee had set up her flag as a clear offside Anthony Elanga walked to a ball in Forest's 2-2 draw against Leicester on Sunday, there would have been no intersection to the distant mail.
There would have been no collision between Awoniyi and the frame of the goal.
It is a relatively new rule – the one who tells assistants like Sian Massey -Lis to wait until the passage of the game is over before he signals – but it was a long time ago as an accident that waited. And now the accident is here and Awoniyi is the victim.
“Anthony was Miles Bantside,” Forest Right-back Ola Aina nods.
'The whole world could see it and I could do that from where I was.
'You think' offside 'immediately. You could just lift the flag?
'I personally liked how it used to be when they just set it up immediately for offside.
'A simple decision and continue with the game.
'To look it and then just seeing happen … Well, this would not have happened with' t 'if the flag had just risen, would it be?
'I mean…'
Aina is with Postsport a while ago for an interview. The 28-year-old is one of Forest's Massien one of the most fascinating and charismatic characters of English football.
He is an artist, a YouTuber, a Christian and – as it happens – a very good football player. He will be of many people in the Premier League team of the year when those opinions will be delivered in the coming weeks.
But circumstances have changed the nature and rhythms of this conversation. There are some smiling along the way, but it is also difficult to get away from a story that the news agenda has dominated since it unfolded on Sunday evening.
It is a very cooled man, “says Aina softly.
“He doesn't like to get in the way. He is about his own company, but he can also have fun.
'He has been in a few of my videos, but I know he doesn't like the cameras too much, so I don't try to put them in his face. I respect that about him.
'Of course I sent him a message. The whole team has.
'I heard that he is recovering well, so hopefully we will hear from him soon.
“I knew he had hurt himself at the time, but just didn't realize that it was to the extent. I only really heard when everyone sent messages on our group treasure for players.
'We have many things in common, me and Taiwo. Like our faith.
'But this is our teammate and brother and someone we spend most of the year by day in day out.
'It affects everyone in one way or another. All we can do is show our support and hopefully everything goes well for him now. '
On Sunday's late drama, forest owner Evangelos Marinakis led to walk to the field and his manager Nuno Espirito Santo why Awoniyi was initially liberated to try to play.
A lot of hassle has been followed, but Aina's perspective is that of a player and offers insight into the way they are conditioned and programmed. Fall down, stand up, go on.
“When I saw again, I thought:” He will run it away “or whatever,” he explains.
“I thought it was one of those things.
'I know from my experience that if I get injured I think I can come back. You don't want to stop.
'The owner just wants us to do well. He founded the club and the team for success and, like everyone else, he was fully invested in how well we do it and how big the club is growing.
“I have nothing but praise for him. I am so grateful to him and what he does for the club. '
This has been a progressive forest season, one that has surprised everyone inside and outside the city.
However, it is now on what feels like a critical moment.
European football is already insured for the following season and that is the first time that the Trent has happened since the mid -1990s.
But nobody pretends that a recent drop from the Champions League places that have been occupied for so many weeks and months has not influenced the mood.
While we are talking in Nottingham's Theater Royal, the launch of next season's forest kit is being prepared. As usual, the shirt will wear two stars above the badge – one for each of the European cups that were won by the Brian Clough team in 1979 and 1980. This is what everyone in Forest wants to pass next season.
“It's frustrating,” says Aina.
'Me and the team have worked so hard to put ourselves in the best situation.
'But sometimes football doesn't work the way you want, you know? These things happen.
“We are here now and must have to do with what we are for us.”
In particular, what is between Forest and Europe's main class, competitions in West Ham and then at home at Chelsea, the club where Aina started his career. Win both and they have a chance.
“Yes, simple if …” says Aina, a smile who returns.
'I think it is still huge for the team and the club, which is the competition next season.
“The club went without it for so long. Europe is in itself a huge achievement.
'But speaking for myself, as players you dream and have ambitions, so it's a bit frustrating. We just have to look at the positives. We will still be somewhere in Europe. '
Perspectief sometimes helps if this and Aina find a number in the way. From time spent under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte in Chelsea – Conte gave him two performances – to spells on loan at Hull and then Torino in Italy.
Hull was a culture shock – “Have you been?” He jokes – while Turin was too, or for various reasons.
While he tried to speak the language in Italy and he got the best out of the afternoon to continue marking Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for Juventus at that time.
“I really wanted to talk to him and couldn't wait until after the game,” he remembers.
“I said,” Hello “during the game. He said, “Hello, good?”
“I wanted to chat. He gave me a small reaction and that was it. Then there was something back and forth, but he didn't really respond.
“I can be a talker, but I don't try to get into someone's head.
“If I take someone, it will be:” big, size? Let's go again “. Things like that. Nothing malignant, no spirit games.
“I can do that, but I don't really. I did it before. In my academy days. I am not real and I don't need it.
“But yes, hull and then Turin. It was a huge change of what I was used to at that time. I saw life as a larger image.
'So we must be grateful to be in this position and be grateful for things we are fighting for. It is good to remember that. '
A gymnast and a long sweater as a child in Essex, Aina was always fast, but is not particularly interested in wearing it as an honorary sign.
Told for the joke that he helped to show the end of the Manchester City career of Kyle Walker by bursting past him in the city area last season, he doesn't have it.
“No,” he says.
“I didn't think I would even win that foot race. And the pass then was quirky.
“He's still fast. Don't be turned.
“Half of the people who think:” He is ready or whatever “. Put them against him in a foot race and see what happens. He's gone, size.
'To be honest, I have always wanted to play and be better on the ball. I didn't really see speed as a thing. Not really.
'I got older and I started to be exploited that way [by coaches] And only then did I realize that I was a bit of a cheat code quickly.
“But I think:” I'm a football player, not a sprinter “.
“You want to be known for playing football.”
Walker is – namely it happens – one of those who has already placed Aina in his team of the season.
“It's really fun and a good bonus to have,” he says.
“But those things only take one season. They will reset again next season. So it's about being consistent. '
It is not without relevance that we are in a theater. Aina is standard artistic. His YouTube channel is noticed, just like his videos are usually made without warning in the dressing room of the forest. Even Nuno was caught dancing in one of them.
At home there are now a number of unfinished watercolors and drawings. He showed some to Gary Lineker during a recent podcast chat and they are impressive.
Has he already sold one?
“No, I have to take it more seriously, but I haven't done that yet,” he says.
“It has been a hobby since school. I enjoy it and I like it but I have not sold anything.
'I made some things for people. My friend has set up one in his house. An abstract painting. '
Aina is certainly some depth. He takes his faith seriously and is involved in the Ballers in God group set up by former Tottenham and Crystal Palace -forecast John Bostock.
“I don't know how the two sides of my personality match,” he nods.
“Other people have called it.
“But God knows us all one by one and personal. If I am how I am – Jovial and Funny – God knows for sure who I am. Do you know what I mean?
“That is how I think it fits perfectly if that makes sense.
“There are a few of us in Forest who are Christians.
'I, t, anthony [Elanga]Callum (Hudson-Odoi), the Brazilians. We all believe in the same faith.
'You will see that some of us wear the ballers in God socks and shinpads. It helps. It's all good. '
With his large hair and large shorts (Size XXL worn because smaller makes him 'uncomfortable'), Aina is a recognizable part of the Forest season in all respects.
They will take their rope-a-dope tactics to West Ham on Sunday and hope for a kickstart. Nuno and his players did not possess the possession of new levels this season, even a bit by accident.
“Initially, it was just about a basis to be solid,” he explains.
'Maybe we as players were dragged along with the whole is solid, but it worked.
“So when the season started to unfold a bit, it was like:” What's going on here? “.
'Because of the players we have, we actually like to play with the ball and we do in training.
“Do you understand?
'We have good ball carriers and players who like to do One-Twos. Good dribblers.
“The other was, however, working, so we grew in it.”
Whether it finally saw enough to have worked enough to take the forest where they have been intended for so long, can still be seen. Aina is no doubt about what the owner of Marinakis wants.
“I would not say that he is buying to be an underdog,” he explains.
“That's not what he wants.
'It is more that he knows the potential of the club to be able to compete and challenge things for season after season.
“He talks to players. Every time I see him, it is: “Hello, how are you?”
'Short and sweet, which I don't mind. He has things to do. '
Forest also has things to do. Two games left. Two chances. But also a concept of large photos.
“You have to try to take things in your pass and be grateful for the situation in which you are and hopefully the good things that can happen in the future,” Aina explains.
'Our teammate hurt himself during the weekend. That's what it's all about. That is the perspective there. '