The context of the following conversation is Lee's team needed more practice, so Lee wanted to protect them from the harsh realities of competing.:
Lee says How do I communicate this to my team without offending or demoralising them?.
The friend responds What is it Lee?.
Lee responds I've decided we need more time to practice. So no league games this week. We're getting better, But I just don't think we're ready to face competition yet..
The friend responds Haven't they been training hard for months?.
Lee responds Take it from me. Any amount of training is preferable to defeat..
The friend responds Okay, Lee. You know best..