Jasper Zammit Soccer Legend 3

by Deborah Abela

‘If it’s all right with you two, could we finish this chat with me on the ground?’ Lil asked from over Vince’s shoulder.

  ‘Do you hear anything?’ Vince joked.

  Now that Jasper knew Vince was Lil’s brother and not some crazed attacker he was going to have to fight, he answered easily. ‘Nope. Don’t think so.’

  ‘You two are going to get it,’ Lil cried. ‘Let me down, Vince, or I’ll tell Mum where you keep your secret stash of magazines.’

  ‘So you play dirty?’ He scowled and lowered her to the ground.

  ‘Only when I need to,’ Lil answered smugly.

  ‘What happened to the sweet, innocent sister I left behind?’

  ‘She’s long gone.’ Lil waved her hand. ‘Vince is coming to training,’ she explained as they began walking towards the fields. ‘As long as he promises not to take over.’

  ‘You couldn’t afford me,’ Vince joked.

  When they’d arrived at the fields, other teams had filled the surrounding playing areas, and Lil made her way to the Rovers to introduce Vince.

  ‘Hey everyone, this is my brother, Vince. He plays …’

  But before she could say any more, she was nudged out of the way in favour of her brother, who was surrounded by most of the Rovers swamping him with questions.

  ‘What’s it like being famous?’

  ‘Do you get to stay in lots of fancy hotels?’

  ‘Do you get free stuff like holidays and cars?’

  Lil shook her head and threw her bag over her shoulder. ‘I’ll be over here getting ready for training if anyone wants to ask me anything.’

  Lil moved away and sat on the ground beside Josie, Nippy and Diego.

  ‘I’ve got a question,’ Diego smirked. ‘What’s it like to be the sister of a famous soccer player?’

  Lil laced up her boots. ‘He’d better not come home with a fat head. It’s already big enough as it is.’

  Vince tried to answer all their questions when Tricky pushed in with his own brand of questions. ‘What about girls? Do you get lots of them chasing you? And is it hard to know which one to ask out, or do you ask them all out and draw up some kind of roster?’

  Everyone stopped and looked at Tricky.

  ‘What?’ He asked. ‘You know you all want to ask that as well.’

  Josie shook her head. ‘How can he play in a mixed team from the age of five and know so little about girls?’ She slumped forward over her knees to put in her shin pads.

  ‘I don’t know.’ Nippy shook her head. ‘I guess some things take a lot longer to sink in for boys.’ She looked up and winced. ‘Sorry, Diego.’

  ‘That’s okay,’ he looked across at Tricky. ‘I think you’re right, but if you tell the guys I said that, I’ll deny it.’

  ‘It’s like with the school dance,’ Nippy went on. ‘Tricky doesn’t understand why every girl in school hasn’t thrown herself at him like he’s some soccer legend.’

  ‘Girls have asked him?’ Aamir asked.

  ‘Yeah, heaps, but he’s keeping them on hold in case he gets a better offer,’ Nippy scowled. ‘Tell me again why we like him?’

  ‘I can’t remember,’ Josie said almost to herself.

  ‘Me either,’ Diego added.

  ‘Hey, Josie,’ Nippy scowled. ‘You’ve been asked by heaps of guys. How come you haven’t said yes to anyone yet?’

  Josie kept her head low, concentrating on straightening her socks. ‘It’s hard to think about the dance with the finals coming up.’

  ‘No one’s going to be brave enough to ask you if the answer is always no.’ Nippy gently elbowed her in the side.

  Josie shrugged like she didn’t want to talk about it anymore. ‘Maybe I haven’t been asked by the right boy.’

  A whistle sounded from behind them. ‘Okay, team, let’s start.’ It was Coach Riley with his backwards baseball cap and a Juventus shirt pulled a little too snugly over his paunchy stomach.

  ‘Better go.’ Josie jumped up quickly, happy to stop talking about the dance.

  ‘Can you come to the game on Saturday?’ Tricky asked Vince before he ran onto the field. ‘I’ve got lots more to ask.’

  Vince nodded before catching his sister’s eye. He held up his fists and mouthed, ‘Forza!’

  Lil smiled back. ‘Forza!’

  Aamir caught up with Jasper on their way to the coach. ‘You going to ask Lil to the dance?’

  ‘Who said I was going to?’ Jasper answered defensively.

  Aamir’s eyebrows rose up his forehead.

  ‘Okay,’ Jasper admitted. ‘Not yet. I’m waiting for the right moment.’

  Coach Riley didn’t let up on his promise of hard warm-up sessions. This time he added five-minute sessions of high-knee lifts, skipping from sideline to sideline and sit-ups to the routine.

  ‘If I die before the session’s over, tell my mother I love her,’ Diego moaned as Josie clutched onto his ankles.

  ‘If I don’t die first from the smell of your socks,’ Jasper wheezed from beside him.

  Coach Riley blew his whistle and paired them up. ‘Today you’re going to practise front block tackles. When we play the Wanderers this weekend, I don’t want them hanging on to the ball any longer than necessary before you get it off them. Remember, firmly plant your non-tackling foot, lean into the tackle and be determined to take that ball. Let’s go.’

  Lil picked up a ball and grinned at Jasper. ‘Come on, big guy. I dare you to get it from me.’

  ‘I’ll go easy on you, but you know I’ll get it.’

  Lil laughed.

  That’s good, Jasper thought as he tried to tackle. She’s laughing at my jokes. The same old Lil and Jasper. Like always. Friends and soccer team-mates. Maybe now would be a good time to ask Lil to the dance. Don’t panic, he reminded himself. ‘Just think of the ice-cream.’

  Jasper cringed.

  ‘Sorry?’ Lil frowned and tried to dribble away from him.

  ‘Nothing.’ His voice broke as he swiped at the ball with his foot.

  Good one, Zammit. He silently told himself off. You nearly blew it. Come on! Just ask her.

  ‘I was wondering if you wanted … well, if you thought you might like to …’

  Aamir looked up from where he was practising with Mugger and winked his encouragement.

  Jasper breathed in deeply. ‘You see, the ice-cream thing, it’s like that really, would you?’

  ‘Get a move on.’ Coach Riley shouted as he passed by them. ‘You should have had that ball by now, Zammit.’

  ‘Sorry, Coach.’

  He walked past and Jasper tried another tack. ‘My grandad once ate a whole chicken.’

  Lil frowned through a confused smile as Jasper slumped. It wasn’t going well.

  ‘What I really want to ask is …’

  ‘You’re not getting it, Diego.’ Coach Riley’s voice boomed over their heads. ‘Let Aamir take your place; he’ll show you how to do it. In fact, Aamir can show everyone.’

  Vince had grabbed a sandwich from the canteen and had walked back to the sidelines in time to hear Coach Riley.

  The Rovers stopped and watched as Diego froze for a moment before moving away. Aamir looked at him guiltily but Diego wouldn’t look back.

  ‘Come on, Aamir.’

  Aamir reluctantly walked over to the coach, who put the ball at his feet and began dribbling. ‘Good. That’s the way. Try and get the ball from me.’

  Coach Riley did well to keep Aamir away from the ball.

  ‘That’s the way, Aamir,’ he puffed. ‘You see how he does it, Diego?’

  Diego looked up briefly and gave a sluggish nod just as Aamir leapt in and stole the ball. ‘Well done, Aamir. You’d all do a lot better if you followed his example more often. Now, let’s play a game.’

  Vince scowled as he saw the team slowly move into position, and Diego’s shoulders slumped forward as if the coach’s words had siphoned all the confidence out of him.

  ‘Get in there, Diego,’ the coach yelled. ‘W
hat are you waiting for?’

  Diego was trying, Vince could see that, but he’d also witnessed this hundreds of times before. When a player loses their nerve, they play like they’re lost.

  After two short halves, the coach took them through a warm-down that went overtime. When the team went to pack up, they felt as if they’d been training all day.

  ‘Aamir, Tricky and Nippy, you all did well tonight. Josie, I expect more from you and Diego; I expect to see a big improvement. I’ll see you all on Saturday, an hour before the game.’

  The coach looked down at his clipboard and began taking notes.

  Josie screwed up her lips. She kicked her bag before picking it up and walking off to the sounds of other teams laughing and playing around them. The rest of the Rovers quietly changed their shoes, grabbed their bags and jumpers, and walked towards the sidelines and their parents.

  Vince walked beside Lil and Jasper. ‘He’s tough on you, the new coach.’

  ‘He’s okay,’ Lil yawned. ‘He says it’s what we have to do to get to the grand final.’

  ‘Is that what you think, Jasper?’

  He wanted to answer but all his brain could focus on was an image of a large, comfortable floating bed.

  ‘Jasper?’

  ‘Mmm?’

  ‘What do you think of the new coach?’

  ‘He’s okay.’

  They walked on in silence.

  ‘And what’s going on with Tricky and Diego? You told me they were best friends, but they didn’t even talk to each other out there.’

  ‘They’ve had a fight,’ Lil explained.

  ‘Recently?’ Vince guessed.

  Lil nodded.

  ‘No offence, you two, but you look like you’ve just walked away from a week’s worth of hard labour, not a training session. I thought you loved soccer, Lil?’

  ‘I do. We all do.’

  ‘Well, you’ve all got a funny way of loving something.’

  Vince looked down at the heavy, scraping steps of Lil and Jasper and stopped. ‘I think I might have a word to your new coach.’

  Lil’s eyes flung wide open. ‘What are you going to say?’

  ‘Not sure yet. I’ll think of something when I get there.’

  Vince looked around to see the coach walk inside the sheds. ‘Wait here.’

  Jasper swallowed. ‘Should we stop him?’

  ‘No point,’ Lil answered with a slightly shaken air. ‘Once Vince has an idea in his head, there isn’t any way to shift it.’

  ‘But Coach Riley hates being told what to do.’

  ‘I know.’

  What was Vince going to say? Jasper thought. Would he make the coach angry? And if he did, what was going to happen? If Coach Riley thought it was him and Lil who’d said something, maybe they’d be in for it. He might work them harder or maybe he’d even throw them off the team.

  Jasper watched Vince disappear into the sheds, hoping he wasn’t watching the last moments of his soccer career go with him.

  JOHNNY SAYS:

  I found very early in my career that there was too much emphasis on fierce competition and winning. Concentrate on learning the fundamental skills of soccer and work on them in carefree, non-competitive pick-up games in the schoolyard or at a nearby park or beach.

  As Vince rounded the corner of the dressing sheds, he saw Coach Riley standing in front of a small mirror trying out different ways to wear his hat. Vince raised an eyebrow and stepped inside.

  ‘Coach Riley?’

  The coach immediately dropped his hat down and jammed it into his bag.

  ‘Yes?’ He didn’t look up.

  ‘My name’s Vince. I’m Lil’s brother. I was wondering if we could talk?’

  The coach paused in his packing. ‘Vince Spinelli?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  Coach Riley went back to his packing. ‘Sure.’ He folded his shirt carefully into his bag and started wiping grass off his shoes with a cloth.

  ‘You’ve taken over the coaching of the Rovers while Coach Wallace is away?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘I saw you out on the field today with those kids.’

  ‘They’re a good bunch. Not quite up to finals form yet, but with a little more work on my part, I just might be able to pull them through.’

  A small twitch of anger shuddered in Vince’s stomach. ‘I think you’re too rough with them.’

  Coach Riley stopped and slowly looked up for the first time since Vince had entered the room.

  ‘What did you say?’

  Vince stood firm, his legs pinned to the ground, going nowhere until he’d had his say.

  ‘You’re too rough with them. They are a good team, but if you treat them like you did today, you’re going to break them right before their chance at the finals.’

  Coach Riley took in a deep breath. ‘They tell you to come in here and say that?’

  ‘No.’ Vince stared at him firmly in the eye. ‘It’s what I think.’

  ‘Have you coached them before?’

  ‘No, but –’

  ‘Watched them play often?’

  ‘No, but anyone can see that –’

  ‘That it’s none of your business how I coach them.’ Coach Riley’s eyes were cold and hard. ‘I’m trying to build them up.’

  Vince stared back defiantly. ‘You’ll end up knocking them down.’

  ‘I’m trying to teach these kids to be hungry. That if they want something badly enough they have to work for it. Any great soccer player will tell you that. Without the will, even the best players will only ever be second best.’

  ‘And what about the desire to play soccer and have fun? Some of the players aren’t even talking to each other.’

  ‘It’s good for them,’ he smiled. ‘Puts a bit of fight in their game. Besides, they’re not out there to work on their friendships, they’re out there to win.’

  ‘You can’t play as a team if you aren’t even talking to your team-mates.’

  The coach looked at Vince for a few long seconds before he answered.

  ‘How do you feel when you’ve played really well against a team of champions, when all the odds are stacked against you and you win?’

  Vince paused. ‘There’s no other feeling like it,’ he answered confidently. ‘But that’s not what –’

  ‘It’s better than fun, isn’t it?’ The new coach put his arm around Vince’s shoulder. It made Vince want to back away.

  ‘Look, Vince, I like these kids. A lot. And all I’m trying to do is get that fire going in their bellies that makes people like you want to be the very best. That makes them want to play for Australia one day. You’ve got that in you – I can see it. It’s what made you come in here and say what you said, and it’s part of what makes you the soccer player you are.’

  He leant in even closer.

  ‘I’ve heard about you. Good things. You’ll be lucky to stay in this country another year with the offers I hear are going to come your way.’

  Vince felt his stomach tighten. He’d heard the rumours too. The same ones that kept him up at night, made him want a club contract so badly it hurt. Made him lose his appetite, train harder and feel terrified about what he’d do if the big time never came.

  Coach Riley slipped his hand away and let out a big grin. ‘Of course those kids are out there to have fun, we all want that, but why settle for only having fun when you can have victory too?’

  Vince stared warily. What he’d said was true, but there was also something about it that made him feel like he’d been conned.

  Coach Riley slapped him on the back like some kindly grandfather.

  ‘See you at the game on Saturday.’

  He turned away, putting an end to the conversation whether Vince liked it or not.

  ‘Oh, and Vince? Even good players have their bad days. We all know that. Some even blow finals games when they’ve had the chance to take their team to victory.’

  Vince’s body tensed and his face burned red-hot.
>
  ‘I missed the shot. It happens.’

  ‘That what you’re calling it, eh? Not someone buckling under the pressure like the rest of us saw it.’

  Vince felt an anger rise in him that was like a runaway train, grinding and crunching against the tracks, ready to smash through everything in its way.

  He took a step forward. He was taller than the coach and easily overshadowed him. ‘You can try your little humiliation games on me; I can see them from a mile off, but if you don’t leave those kids alone and start training them like a real coach, then you’ll have to deal with me.’

  Coach Riley laughed like he was prodding Vince’s temper to explode. ‘If you don’t get all scared and lose your nerve first.’ He laughed even harder.

  Vince rarely lost it, but the way Coach Riley was laughing made him want to slam his fists into the pathetic man’s chest to make him stop. To teach him a lesson.

  He turned in disgust and left the room with the sound of laughter following him like a taunt. A menacing challenge.

  And Vince wasn’t someone who said no to a challenge.

  JOHNNY SAYS:

  In the 2002 World Cup, punters had their eyes fixed on which teams were likely to win, but some of the big name teams, like Italy, bowed out early. Underdogs like Japan and North Korea did really well. Turkey came in third! No one expected that! Never underestimate what might look like an easy opponent because no one can know who will win until the game is over.

  ‘Grrrr …’

  ‘Ronaldinho, will you cut it out.’

  Vince, Lil, Jasper and Ronaldinho stared from the sideline of the soccer field as the coach stood on the hill talking and laughing with some of the association officials and parents.

  ‘I’m with Ronaldinho.’ Vince raised a sceptical eyebrow. ‘I don’t like that guy either.’

  Coach Riley looked around and saw them. ‘Hey, Vince!’ he yelled like they were long-lost friends.

  Vince offered a curt nod and turned away. ‘He’s a total fake.’

  After the Rovers finished getting kitted out, the coach ran down the hill and gathered them together for another tough warm-up session. Ronaldinho stood protectively beside Jasper’s feet.

  The coach was pumped. His cheeks were flushed, and he could hardly stand still as he finished the pre-match session and dished out some last-minute advice before the game started.