Tournaments...You would think that I would be excited as hell jumping around no? Wrong! I froze in place when the whistle blew. Why I hesitate so much? Because I was remembering my first tournaments in my past life, they were awful. And not just one, they were like 20 or 30 until I managed to win one.
Well back then I was just playing to hone my skills and I was just a beginner, but now I had an idea of the importance of your record. The bigger your win account is, the bigger is the chance to get noticed by a good headhunter.
Sure, I could ask Butch to get me on a 3rd class European league. But I didn't want that. I wanted to train with the best from my earliest age possible. I didn't want to waste more time.
The time I wasted waiting for the Champions League to end was big enough! Well, I didn't reeeeeally wasted my time and trained as best as I could with the resources I got available... But still! It wasn't at the pace I liked training.
Well in resume I need to win all the tournaments, complete the mission and get noticed by a good headhunter. But the first step is to win, I need to win in order to advance, or even if I don't win I have to at least make a good show for the people. Like the Coliseum, winning the crowd means you win your freedom. My freedom, in this case, would play whatever team I wanted as long as I have fans supporting me!
Wait a minute, can you get fans playing underage on smaller teams? I don't know, maybe a couple!
Let's go back to before the tournament started, shall we?
....
The next day arrived and my mother and I hopped on her car and followed behind Butch car. A discreet black car, it looked imported but since I never was a car kind of guy so I don't know what brand of car was, it looked expensive though.
We arrived at a professional football field, an 11 vs 11 football field. Jesus, you expect for kids to run on this immense field? Well, I suppose they can make 2 halves of 20 minutes in order to don't stress on the kids so much.
I arrived at the field and Butch came to me and gave me a football attire, with the number 10 on it. And he said while patting on my back "I used my connections to let you in on this team kiddo! And even got you your favorite position! Don't disappoint me, and most important of all...Have FUN!!"
He left for the street vendor to buy a couple of hotdogs for her and my mom. My mom was busy telling me to play safe, to have fun, to watch out for nasty kids and even cleaning my cheek with her saliva. Ew, I never get used to her doing that!
Anyway, after I dress in the dressing room really quickly I was ready to go on the bench on our side. Our team was called the puppies! And our attire was light blue with a German pastor puppy as the team shield. I wish I had puppies on my side, because of what I was seeing this team was as weak as a newborn calf. A couple of them were already dozing off on the beach because of how early in the morning it was, and the other half was actually playing "You are at it" while running like fools. Our coach was a fresh football coach student trying to make order on this chaos. I looked at the grades and saw Butch smiling with a hotdog on his mouth and waving his hand like a fool with his mouth still stuffed.
My mother was busy chatting with the other mothers next to her, obviously saying that his kid was the best, and for the looks of this, at least on my team, she was right. Jesus, at least tell me I have someone I can pass the ball on. Nope, that kid wanted to go home because he scratched his knee while playing "You are at it", great.
The other team was called the foxes, with an ugly brown and white attire. The kids were peacefully drinking water while chatting with their coach. A couple of them even began to warm up. Aaaaand my number 7 ate a worm, nice, proteins for the match I suppose.
The referee was a caveman looking man, he told our coaches that it was time for the match to began and we need to get in our positions. The kids were euphoric for beginning the match, I suppose that is a good thing. The match began and the other team had the kickoff, they began to run past our player. My teammates only followed the ball, and the other kids just pass the ball between them. It wasn't even 5 minutes that half of my team was without a breath and fell on the ground.
I recovered from my freeze state when I saw the kid who ate the worm began to throw up, thanks for waking me up little worm! Your sacrifice was not in vain! Now I was alone near our defense line without anybody but the whole opposite team in front of me. I shouted to my teammates "You, you and you! (3,6 & 5) Go the middle, don't move and if a kid with a ball is near you try to steal it WITHOUT kicking him or push him! You, number 2, come with me on the left side right now!! And you, goalkeeper, go to the middle-right side of your goal post! Don't worry we will catch the ball if it comes from the middle or the left, but if they come from the right, CATCH IT!"
Why did I call the number 2 that was on the right side to come all the way to the left side? Because he was the only one with a bored looking face. Like if this was not entertaining or difficult enough. Or maybe he didn't like playing football. Anyway, I had to risk it thinking it was one of the first 2 options.
They followed my instructions because our coach was shouting names about a couple of tactics that the kids didn't know or remember. The number 2 came to my side with a surprised face, like he didn't except to someone to take charge on the field. I looked at him and said "Look, I will try to steal the ball, in the worst case scenario, you will be left alone against all of them, in that case, do what you can and I will support you from behind. But if I steal the ball you follow me. If I the case I see I can't steal the ball I will try to make him kick the ball a little long so you can steal it, okay? GO PUPPIES GO!"
Shit, that was embarrassing as hell to shout, a couple of parents began to laugh while some began to shout! GO PUPPIES GO! After those shouts I was finally in front of the kid with the ball, it was fortunate that they were running with ease like they didn't have us on their eyes at all, and left me enough time to arrange my team. Anyway, the 11 of their team was in front of me. And he was fast and had good coordination with the ball. I stomped and made a defensive pose and he tried to pass me from my left, I quickly tried to steal the ball and succeed!
It seems that their coach focused on a rush attack tactic while passing the ball. They were overconfident of winning so they didn't pass the ball near the goal post. Obviously, the number 11 wanted to make a goal that why he didn't pass the ball.
Anyway, the biggest flaw about this tactic is that if the opponents manage to counter attack you are overexposed to their attack like a vulnerable hamster! I quickly dribble with the ball and went running to their goal post, the foxes where confused, a couple of them even continued to run to our goal post. Only 2 or 3 managed to run behind me, more exactly behind my number 2.
We passed my teammates on the ground panting for air and I had two defense opponents in front of me. I told with my hand behind my back to my number 2 to go on the right, he quickly understood and went over the right.
The 2 defenses of their team were focusing on me, a great mistake, this is a team sports kiddos! I made a high kick passing the ball to my number 2, the ball landed and he stopped it after it bounced 2 times, my bad I passed the ball like in my old times, I subconsciously assume that he would stop the ball immediately and shoot towards the goal post, shit!
One of the defense guys decided to stay with me while the other went to my number 2 while the offensive side was coming from behind to encircle the poor kid. I made a gesture to my hand like a long wave. I hope he gets the meaning and started to run.
He kicked the ball high near the goal post and I made my characteristic big jump while hitting the ball with my head. Making the first....
GOAAAAALLL!
1st Chapter of the day!
PS: Happy friends day! (At least in my country it's today!)
Note: 1557 Words, Edited by KoFu_
After the first goal, I keep my momentum going! I made the puppies triumph easy peasy... not! I wish I could have said that.
The opposite team made their characteristic Blitzkrieg tactic and made an easy goal. Since our defense consisted of kids who some still wet their beds I can't call it strong. They simply passed them from the left side while I was on the right, didn't matter that they were like 5 or 6 kids on the defense, they didn't have even the basics learned yet. Jesus, just give me puppies at least they would be more helpful than this guys.
So, in the end, we had a fierce match. The first half we ended 2-1 with us winning. The second goal I made making a simple faint and the goalkeeper just jumped the wrong way.
On the break between the halves, our coach congratulated us, especially me, and tried to make an illusion that all of this result of winning against one of "the top dogs" was the result of all the training they did. Some of the kids were excited, while others were busy playing who could splash water the farthest. I always admire their ability to get distracted so easily, maybe if this were the future they would diagnosticate them with ADHD.
Anyway, the second half began and I had a plan in my mind. I met with my trusty number 2 puppy, HAHA number 2 puppy. The moment I calm myself my kid instincts kicked in, Jesus be serious over here! As I was saying, I called him and another player, he was the biggest, slowest kid in our whole team. The mighty worm-eating number 7! He was a black kid with 1.25 meters tall! I was only 1 meter tall and the number 2 was 1.05 meters tall. So it this dude was huge for our age.
As I was telling them my idea they nodded, at least he wasn't dumb as he looks. I was worried I had to tell him 3 times the plan before he understood. So I intentionally told them my plan in the simplest way I could do it.
With that out of our way, I told the remaining 8 players to go to all-in on defensive playing. If they can't steal the ball, make fouls. Hey, it's not my fault that the old man and the fucking system are forcing me to win all the matches, if some kids need to get hurt they will get hurt. Either way, this will help them to realize if they really like football or not, I'm actually helping them!
As all the pieces were in place we began to play, we had the kickoff since the other team had it on the first half. I took the ball and began to dodge player left and right but I was slowly being encircled by no least than 8 players. Perfect! I kicked the ball all in the air with direction towards the left side of the field where a huge black kid was standing like a fool. He made a lame 20 cm jump and the ball hit him squarely on the face. Ouch! That must hurt like hell!
As the ball bounced off with the direction towards the goalkeeper, this dude actually wanted to grab the ball while leaving his goal post empty! FOOL! Our quick number 2 actually was behind this giant but nobody paid any attention to him since he was behind him all the time. He was a screen to let our number 2 advance smoothly!
The number 2 took the ball that was a few centimeters away from the goalkeeper's hands and made a quick dribble and made a...
GOAAAL!!!!
I shouted with all my strength while the number 2 was lifted in the air by the worm-eater! It seems that it was the first goal of the kid, he was even crying. Oh, how good memories of my first goal, it was on the 7th tournament against also a top dog, that's why it was so satisfying. Good old days..Wait a minute, this is the same time, so wasn't my first goal on the first half? And my first goal was with a team named the puppies? That motherfucker old man! I will get him when the match is over!
I looked at his direction and his mouth was filled with nachos with cheese! He was shouting with the mouth full of food! My mother was smiling at me, looking like "as expected" not even a cheer for your little guy? Maybe she didn't need to do it because of that old man antics! Yep, that must be it, yep, sure is because of that.
Denying? You are denying! Your whole family is denying!
After that score, the morale of the foxes was instantly crushed, their coach tried to lift their spirits but it was no use. We even scored one additional goal using the number 7 as a wall between their team defense and our passes between the number 2 and me. It was a simple but effective tactic!
With the whistle marking the end of the match we made a big circle and congratulated each other, mostly they were praising me and the number 2. I also mentioned that the number 7 was a huge help, making the giant blush while they congratulated him! We made a round of handshaking with the opponent team and we were off to our excited parents!
I went to my mother and she handed me a bottle of cold water and told me "Good thing that all the expenses and training we made were actually working! Keep winning so we actually have a reason to come here!"
I chuckled and thanked her, my mother was not good at encouraging me, she tried very hard but she always made a comment to splash my winning. It took me a long time in my past life to realize that, even got mad at her a couple of times.
My coach was running with a beer in his hand while coming towards me. Where did he get a beer on a kids game match? I made a signal with my hand at my back and the number 2 who was near chatting with her mother kicked the ball towards the back of my feet. I stomped on the ball and made a quick strong kick towards my coach.
He dived toward the ground and his beer splashed on the ground. He looked at the can of empty beer and shouted at me "WHY DID YOU DID THAT YOU ... KIDDO?" he even controlled his insult on the peak of anger, his awareness of the environment and quick reflexes are top notch that's for sure.
I whistled and said "Not bad at all old man! Next time put me in a team with a cool name like "the lions", "the dragons" or "David and the rest"!"
That quickly made him laugh and said "HAHAHA this is a lesson! A lesson! Sometimes you would go to a team with no info whatsoever and have to coordinate with them! If you are not worthy to make use of your teammates and exploit the other team weak spots you are not worthy of my coaching!" He fished saying that and took a huge swing of a new beer can that appears from nowhere.
And with that, I won the first game on the first tournament that will be just the beginning of the tournament tour that was ahead of me.
Hey there! Sorry and not sorry!
I will not write when I'm not in the mood since I only write this for fun. If I don't have fun while writing where is the point or writing it?
Also on Sunday was my birthday! Yey! 26 years old! A lot of cans of beer died this weekend. R.I.P. you mighty cans.
I said sorry because of the loyal readers out there that just simply enjoy reading for fun.
Anyway, enjoy!
Fist chapter of the day/week/century!
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