章節 22: Chapter 22: Could This Be God's Plan?
Hearing Gunnard's words, Coach Carter's eyes narrowed. Just a moment ago, he had been loudly praying for heaven to send him a left-back! Could this be divine intervention?
Nonsense! Things don't happen that conveniently.
Coach Carter chuckled, his gaze sharp as he scrutinized Gunnard. "Kid, if I'm not mistaken, you're saying this just to get onto the school team, right? Heh, little tricks like that don't work on me. So, before I lose my temper, you'd better leave."
What? He saw right through me? This coach is sharp! But I can't admit it! If I do, there's no chance I'll make the team!
Gunnard steadied himself, putting on his best serious expression. "No, Coach, I can really play left-back. If you don't believe me, you can test me."
In his previous life, Gunnard had played as a forward in amateur teams, and left-back wasn't a position he had ever tried. But as a forward cutting in from the wing, particularly from the left side, he was familiar with the area. He often played as an inverted winger—a role similar to what Cristiano Ronaldo played in his early days—a left forward who cuts inside using his stronger foot.
Many top forwards in football history were inverted wingers, like early Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Robben, and Henry. Among them, Messi was particularly noteworthy. Although a right-footed player, Messi's left foot was his golden weapon. On the pitch, he would often receive the ball on the right flank—his inverted side—then cut horizontally across the field to shoot from the edge of the box. This style wasn't just a simple inside cut; it was more of a horizontal cut. This path, along with Messi's dribbling and breakthrough ability, was so effective that it became known as the "Messi Corridor."
Given Gunnard's experience as an inverted winger and his familiarity with the left side of the field, his claim to be able to play left-back wasn't entirely far-fetched. Of course, playing the position well was another matter altogether.
Right now, the team wasn't lacking a forward; they needed a left-back. If Gunnard had said he was a forward, Coach Carter would likely have dismissed him immediately. But by positioning himself as a potential left-back, Gunnard could get his foot in the door and then slowly work his way back up to the forward line. After all, many great players started in one position and transitioned to another, like Gareth Bale, who began as a left-back before being converted into one of the top forwards of his era.
Seeing the determination in Gunnard's expression, Coach Carter hesitated. "Alright, kid, I'll admit, I do need a competent left-back right now—listen carefully, not just any left-back, a competent one. I don't expect you to be at Orlin's level, but if you can prove you're a competent left-back, I might consider making an exception and letting you join my team."
Gunnard let out a sigh of relief in his heart and maintained a calm expression as he said, "Thank you, Coach."
Coach Carter replied coldly, "Don't thank me just yet, kid. Our school team is one of the top high school football teams in all of England! We defeated more than a dozen high school teams in the southern region during the qualifiers, earning our ticket to the top 32 in the national group stage. So, not just anyone can join our team; our selection process is very strict and comprehensive."
Gunnard solemnly responded, "I understand, Coach. I have great respect for the achievements of the Bucks Steelhorns, and I know that the Bucks Steelhorns are very strong in the national high school league. These accomplishments were all made under your leadership."
—The workplace experience from his past life wasn't for nothing!
This is the art of workplace language, a required course in the University of Life!
How could these British guys, who have little experience in this area, possibly resist such an art?
Coach Carter's stern old face immediately softened a bit.
The disciples under his command were all like Rusty, high-end cases with fancy lights, but with 286-level CPUs and graphics cards inside. None of them spoke as well as this kid, and he was spot on, too! Hmm?
Coach Carter nodded at Gunnard with satisfaction. "Listen, our previous selection process took at least two weeks, but the situation is special now, so I'll simplify the assessment. First, I'll test your defensive capabilities in a one-on-one matchup—you can choose any player from our team as your opponent."
"Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Coach."
Gunnard calmly pointed to Rusty, who was wrestling with his teammates in the distance, and said, "I'll choose Rusty as my opponent because we already had an agreement for a one-on-one duel."
Choosing Rusty as his opponent wasn't just about fulfilling the agreement; Gunnard had deeper considerations.
Rusty indeed had a high strength attribute, and his defensive skills like close marking, body checks, interceptions, and tackles were all decent in high school amateur matches. However, Rusty's acceleration, dribbling, speed, and turning were weak points—practically failing.
Since Gunnard was being tested as a defender in a one-on-one scenario, choosing Rusty meant that Rusty would be the one attacking.
Rusty was primarily a mainstay defender, with strengths in defense rather than offense. Having Rusty attack would naturally limit his ability to showcase his strengths in interceptions, tackles, and positioning.
Rusty's only remaining advantage would be his body checks.
But Gunnard now had the skill "Proper Body Check," and his strength attribute was up to par. Combined with his experience playing street football in his past life, he wasn't afraid of Rusty's body checks at all.
If Gunnard were to choose another forward or midfielder from the team, his current defensive abilities would likely make him falter in front of the coach.
Therefore, choosing Rusty as an opponent was the smartest move.
"You choose Rusty? Are you sure?" Carter sneered. "Kid, I don't care about your personal grudges. Even if you slept with his mom, it's none of my business. But I have to tell you, you've picked a very dangerous opponent."
Gunnard's lips curled into a confident smile. "Coach, I'm not afraid of danger. In fact, the more dangerous, the more interesting, right? I'm sure—I want to go one-on-one with Rusty."
Carter's eyebrows furrowed tightly, and his expression showed some concern. "You... you didn't really sleep with his mom, did you?"
What the hell!
Gunnard quickly responded, "No, no! Absolutely not!"
"That's good then..."
Coach Carter muttered quietly, "Then it won't lead to a fatal incident..."
end.
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Ilham_Yamin
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