Thomas Gaardsoe did not notice the cold weather or even that the heating had been switched off in the reception area at West Bromwich Albion's training ground.
It was 9.15 am on Monday and he had more important things on his mind. He smiled but that was an unconvincing reaction, for he was just hours away from announcing that he was retiring from football because of injury.
His days as a defender, one good enough to represent Denmark at full international level, were over in the time it takes to make one telephone call.
Even Tony Mowbray, the Albion manager, was taken by surprise. Mowbray and Gaardsoe go back a long way, to when they were together with Ipswich Town.
But Gaardsoe could never fully recover from a serious groin injury and not even an operation last summer could help him. He has not played for Albion since the 6-1 defeat away to Fulham last February.
Aged 27, he made 89 appearances for the club, scored four goals, and played twice for Denmark. Although he knew of his decision when I spoke to him on Monday, he wanted to announce his decision in Denmark.
"I have made the decision," Gaardsoe said. "It seems like there is nothing to do and now it is just a matter of finalising my negotiations with the club regarding the remainder of my contract.
"It is, of course, sad but I have had some good years as a footballer and now I have got to find something else to do.
"The doctors can't find a solution as the injury is strange and has become chronic."
Mowbray was either not expecting the announcement so quickly or was more optimistic of Gaardsoe's chances of recovery. Either way, on Monday, his reaction to my question about Gaardsoe was met with unenlightenment.
"I am not sure how he is, which sounds strange because I know him so well from our days together at Ipswich Town," Mowbray said. "He is in the middle of a long-term rehabilitation programme.
"He is doing his work away from the training ground and, hopefully, his future will be sorted soon."
Gaardsoe joined Albion in July 2003 during the Gary Megson era. The club had just endured relegation but were strengthening with a view to a swift return.
The defender's first season was successful, but he was never as comfortable during the Bryan Robson era, which began in November 2004 and lasted two months shy of two years.
In truth, Gaardsoe was no longer part of the equation and Mowbray has long been looking to build without the player. If Curtis Davies leaves The Hawthorns, as is possible, Mowbray will need a central defender quickly. He is also trying to sign a goalkeeper.
Maikel Aerts, a Dutch goalkeeper, has returned to Feyenoord after a trial. Mowbray could still pursue the player but there will be others over the course of the next few weeks.
"We've had a few lads on trial," Mowbray said. "That will continue over the next month or so. Maikel Aerts was put to us. I had studied him on video but I don't make decisions from videos and I wanted to have a look at the boy, bring him in, have a look at his personality, his size and see him work in training.
"He came in for three or four days and has now gone back to his club. If we're going to make any decisions, we'll make them in January.
"I expect a few more individuals over the next few weeks if I haven't seen them play live before. I like to look into players' eyes and see what makes them tick and how they interact around the dressing room."
For now, Mowbray is looking to improve on Albion's wretched away form. The squad will fly to their next match, away to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, the hope that cutting down on travelling time will help.
"We've tried to change around our match preparations and the fact we'll be travelling down in a different mode of transport will help," Mowbray said.
"We'll be leaving Coventry Airport on Saturday morning and flying down there. Hopefully, that lack of a long coach journey will help the preparation.
"It's all part of the thinking at a very busy time, when we've also got a long trip to Southend [on New Year's Day]. "When you are stuck in a poor sequence, you do need to change things; otherwise, with the same routine, you get a similar level of arousal."
