Jasper Zammit Soccer Legend 3

by Deborah Abela

  JOHNNY SAYS:

  The lasting message I’d like to leave for the next generation of soccer players is this: leave the game better than when you entered it. Your time on the pitch should make you a better player and a better person.

  ‘Coach Riley apologises but he had to go interstate and won’t be able to coach you anymore.’

  ‘What?’ Tricky blurted at Vince’s announcement. ‘But he was going to help us win the grand final.’

  ‘Believe me, Tricky,’ Vince zeroed in on the deflated striker, ‘if you want the final, it’s up to all of you as a team.’

  The rest of the team had arrived at the soccer fields for training, and even though Tricky was annoyed, there was a wave of smiles quietly forming on the faces of the other Rovers.

  Tricky kicked his boot into the dirt. ‘What are we going to do now?’

  ‘I can stick around if you like. I’ll need to speak with your parents and get the okay from the association, but it needs to be all right with you first.’

  Diego’s face exploded into a wide grin. ‘That’s more than all right with me!’

  ‘We’d love you to be our coach,’ Josie added. ‘As long as you don’t carry a clipboard or a whistle.’

  ‘I promise.’ Vince laughed. ‘And the rest of you?’

  ‘We’d be honoured.’

  The Rovers stood in confused silence at Mugger’s words. Mugger never said anything, until it mattered.

  ‘Thanks, Mugger,’ Vince nodded. ‘But there are a few conditions. One thing about a great player is they care about the game, about how they play as an individual and as part of a team. Now that you’ve had a taste of what it’s like to play against each other, I want you to start playing with each other again.’

  Vince circled the team with his eyes.

  ‘All the great players like Pelé, Warren, Charlton. They weren’t only respected for their skills but because they were great human beings as well. I’ll only help if you promise to play as a team. Otherwise, there’s nothing I can do for you. Okay?’

  ‘Okay,’ Jasper beamed along with the nods and okays of the other players.

  ‘Go the Rovers!’ Lil let loose her rallying cry.

  ‘Good. Now we can get down to the business of playing soccer. Oh, and no training on Thursday. You’ll need to rest up before Saturday.’

  Vince took them through a slow warm-up and continued with his coaching tips, as Nannu sat on the sidelines and watched. He locked eyes with Jasper and smiled. This was more like a proper training session.

  ‘The most important contribution you can make to yourself and your team is to give your best to the game. Winning is important, but how you play is the real sign of a great sportsman.’

  Josie looked up and was about to protest.

  ‘Or sports-girl,’ Vince hurriedly added. ‘Now, let’s have some fun.’

  He set them up in two lines for tunnel ball, followed by unders-and-overs and finally a soccer version of Piggy in the Middle.

  ‘For this one, you have to think and act fast and, ultimately, avoid being the piggy. The players who do that get their choice of chocolate from the canteen when we’re finished. My treat.’

  During this last game, Vince pulled Tricky aside.

  ‘Tricky, you’re a good player. You have a real flair for controlling the ball, and it’s easy to see that soccer is in your blood. That’s important if you want to go far as a player.’

  ‘Thanks, Vince. Coach Riley said that I –’

  ‘But the way you’ve been playing, you’re in danger of throwing a potential soccer career away.’

  Tricky went quiet.

  ‘The way you act on a soccer field is how you should act when you’re off it. You give your all, play fair and treat everyone out there the way you want to be treated. Do you understand what I’m saying?’

  Tricky’s face reddened. ‘Sounds like something Coach Wallace would say.’

  ‘Then that makes him a wise man.’ Vince smiled.

  ‘But I was the only one to score in the last game,’ he said defensively.

  ‘And how did that feel?’

  ‘It felt good.’

  ‘I’m going to guess you’ve scored goals that felt better. That had you cheering louder and with your team-mates.’

  Tricky screwed up his face and looked away.

  ‘What felt better, when you played well and had fun with your team or when you tried to win the game by yourself?’

  Tricky didn’t answer.

  ‘Don’t blow this chance, Tricky. Soccer’s like family. It’s all right to have a few bust-ups, but you never turn your back on them. Ever.’

  Vince heard the faint crunching of tyres in the car park. ‘Ah, right on time.’

  The car stopped and a small figure climbed out and ran towards them, slowing down as she reached Vince and Tricky.

  ‘Sorry I’m late,’ Nippy blurted to Vince.

  ‘We’re just glad you’re here, and Tricky has something he’d like to say.’

  Tricky’s face burnt red. He looked to Vince.

  ‘Go on,’ Vince urged him. ‘We were just talking about what you’d say to Nippy if you had the chance.’

  Tricky wiped his hands on his shorts and looked over his shoulder as if he wanted to run away. The rest of the Rovers had stopped their game and tried to work out what was happening.

  ‘You’d better hurry,’ Vince urged. ‘Training will be over by the time you’ve started.’

  Tricky sighed and mumbled into his chest, ‘You’re a good player. I shouldn’t have said you weren’t.’

  ‘And there was that other thing you wanted to say as well.’ Vince put his finger on his lips.

  ‘And … I’m … um … sorry?’

  Vince’s smile almost exploded off his face. ‘That’s exactly what he was telling me he wanted to say.’

  Vince slapped Tricky’s back. ‘Now get out there and let’s see some real soccer from you. Okay?’

  Tricky went to walk away but turned as if he’d remembered something. He ran to Vince’s side and whispered in his ear, ‘You’ll still give me tips about girls, won’t you?’

  Vince smiled. ‘If I think you deserve it.’ He turned to Nippy. ‘Welcome back. Now get your boots and pads on and I’ll run through some drills with you.’

  Nippy kitted up and ran over to the rest of the team.

  ‘What made you come back?’ Lil asked.

  ‘Vince came to my house and told me Coach Riley had to leave. He promised he’d get the team back the way it was. I wasn’t sure, because I’d already said yes to the Eagles, but he’s pretty convincing when he wants to be.’

  ‘You’re lucky he didn’t make you punch him.’ Jasper shook his head.

  ‘What?’ Nippy frowned.

  ‘Nothing.’ Lil nudged Jasper in the ribs.

  ‘Oh yeah.’ He remembered the punching incident was to be a secret. ‘Nothing.’

  Jasper winced at his big mouth. He never seemed able to control it so it’d say what he wanted it to at the right time.

  Vince began kicking the ball around with Nippy, and Jasper smiled as he watched the Rovers – the old Rovers – settle into training. He smiled when he thought about how far they’d come in the season and that they were about to play in their first grand final. He felt a belt of electricity surge through him, and despite how many times Coach Riley had told them, for the first time he knew they had a real shot at the cup. If they played as a team, there was nothing that could stop them.

  JOHNNY SAYS:

  Whatever the result, be satisfied that you gave it your best effort. Win or lose – either way you had fun and a chance to be with your mates.

  ‘And there he is, sports fans. The man who managed to get the game back on its feet, bring the world’s greatest team out of its slump, and now he’s walking like a lion onto to that field, ready to do battle. Ready to give the world a show like they’ve never seen before.’

  ‘And look at that, Higsy. A female fan has just r
un onto the high security field and thrown herself at him. Always the gentleman, Zammit chats to her before she is surrounded by security guards and led away.’

  ‘What a man, Richy!’

  ‘What a human being!’

  ‘And it’s our privilege to call a game with one of the world’s greats on that field.’

  ‘And after all he’s been through this season, surely there’s nothing that can stop him. Nothing that will bring him down, nothing that can …’

  ‘I don’t think I can make it to the game.’

  Nannu was at the back of the yard, on his knees and hovering over his vegie patch.

  ‘But I …’ Jasper stuttered. ‘I thought you were looking forward to it?’

  ‘I was. I am, but,’ Nannu drove a small hand shovel into the dirt, ‘I’m not good with crowds, you know that. I think it’d be better if we do like we always do, and you tell me about it when you get home. It’ll give you a chance to relive it all again.’

  Jasper watched Nannu’s hands, covered in dirt, digging away at the soil. He was standing on solid ground but felt as if he’d just fallen over the edge of a giant pit.

  ‘I might not want to relive it if we lose.’

  ‘Just play a good, fair game. The winning or losing part comes second, and if you do lose, make sure you’re gracious about it.’

  Jasper didn’t understand. Nannu said he’d come to the game. He even looked excited about it. About maybe seeing Jasper win his first finals trophy.

  ‘Anyway, I don’t think I can stand the pressure of a grand final anymore.’ Nannu waved his hand. ‘When I was younger I could, but the ticker doesn’t handle it as well these days. You go and play a match to make your old grandfather proud, and I’ll be here when you get back to hear a blow-by-blow account of everything that happens.’

  Jasper watched as his grandad poured some seeds into the newly dug holes. He covered them over with dirt and patted the soil down firmly.

  ‘Okay, sports fans, who’s in for a ride to the match of the day?’

  Jasper’s dad stood at the head of the drive, waving them over.

  ‘Are you sure?’ Jasper gave it one last shot.

  ‘I’m sure. Now go on. You don’t want to miss your own final. You got those socks?’

  Jasper patted his bag and nodded. He swung it over his shoulder and walked to the car.

  ‘What about Nannu?’ his dad asked.

  ‘He’s not coming,’ Jasper said quietly.

  Jasper’s dad gave Nannu a quick look. He rubbed his son’s head affectionately. ‘You know he hates crowds.’

  ‘Yeah.’

  Jasper climbed into the car, followed by Ronaldinho, who let out a soft moan. They both watched as Nannu continued digging in his garden and within seconds, Bessie, their old family wagon, had wheezed its way out of the drive, onto the street and was chugging its way to the game after a clunking of gears.

  Nannu listened as the sound of the car had faded. He turned and looked down the empty drive. ‘Good luck, son.’ It was barely a whisper.

  Something bothered Jasper as he sat in the car and thought about his grandad. It wasn’t that he’d changed his mind about the game. He did hate crowds. His whole family knew that. It was something else.

  His grandad had always given him a hard time when it came to calling him old. It was like a kind of joke between them. Jasper would call him ‘old man’ and Nannu would warn him, ‘Easy on the old man stuff.’ And now for the first time in his life, Nannu had called himself old. Maybe he was just tired. It happened, he guessed, but Jasper wasn’t used to thinking about his grandad as old.

  Ronaldinho crawled further up Jasper’s chest and rubbed his furry face against his.

  ‘You okay, son?’ Jasper’s dad looked at him in the rear-view mirror.

  ‘Yeah. Just a bit nervous.’

  ‘You’ll be fine. Just think of it as another game and enjoy it like you always do.’

  The roads into the grounds were crowded with cars, bikes and whole families carrying beach umbrellas, bags and eskies, pushing prams and grabbing the hands of young kids eager to run all over the place.

  His dad found a park and within seconds Bessie was surrounded by Rovers players.

  ‘About time you showed up.’ Josie leant into the car.

  ‘I’m so nervous I have to keep running to the toilet.’ Noggin jogged on the spot beside her.

  ‘I’d be more worried about that scarf if I was you.’ Diego scowled at Noggin, who had another of his grandma’s knitting projects on. This one was bright pink with purple tassels and sparkling silver threads running through it.

  ‘Grandma’s here. I had to wear it.’ Noggin looked up and waved at a woman in the crowd with purple-grey hair piled on top of her head and a pair of knitting needles in her hands. ‘What if I have to go to the toilet during the game?’

  ‘You’ll be so focused on the game you won’t even think about it.’ Jasper’s dad unloaded their boot. ‘You wait and see.’

  Diego spotted their coach on the sidelines. ‘There’s Vince. Let’s go.’

  Before Jasper got away, his mum and her red hair swooped in for a final hug. One that lasted so long he was worried he wouldn’t get away from it in time for the game. ‘We love you,’ she squeezed. ‘So very much. You’re our precious little man.’

  Precious little man? Jasper hoped no one had heard.

  ‘I know.’ Jasper tried to pull himself away as a few giggles tittered around him.

  ‘Good luck, son.’ It was his dad’s turn. He stood back and held Jasper by both shoulders. ‘We’re all here for you. You know that. All of us.’

  ‘Thanks, Dad.’ Jasper knew he meant his grandad as well. ‘I know.’

  He ran from his parents towards the field and his team-mates.

  Jasper hardly remembered putting on his gear or anything that he’d said, just a blur of faces, noise and excitement as the Rovers got ready to face their first grand final.

  After their warm-up, Vince took them through some breathing exercises to calm them down and help them to focus, while Aamir’s dad tried to catch every moment on his video camera.

  ‘Before my first big final,’ Vince began, ‘the coach made us sit in the change rooms and meditate for an hour.’

  ‘I haven’t been able to sit still all week,’ Nutmeg complained. ‘There’s no way I’m going to be able to do it for an hour.’

  ‘Don’t worry, there’s not going to be any meditation today. Okay. Huddle up.’

  The Rovers and Vince formed a circle with their arms around each other’s shoulders. ‘I want you to look each of your team-mates in the eye. You owe it to everyone you see here to play your best game. One that you can be proud of, whatever the result.’ The Rovers’ eyes wandered from player to player. ‘Soccer is a team game. No one is playing alone. Success depends on your whole team being a single unit.’ Vince smiled. ‘Pelé said that, and that’s exactly how he meant it.’

  ‘Yes, Coach,’ Diego called out.

  ‘Vince will do, thanks, Diego.’

  There were nervous giggles all round.

  Vince pulled his hands in front of him and made two fists before his chest. ‘Forza!’ he cried.

  ‘Forza!’ The cry rang out from the Rovers and covered the field.

  ‘Play fair, play well and play as a team,’ Jasper added.

  Vince smiled. ‘Now get out there and play some great soccer.’

  On their way to their positions, Lil turned to Jasper. ‘Did your grandad make it?’

  Jasper looked down and straightened out his shirt. ‘No. He wants to hear about it later, like usual.’

  They walked on a little further.

  ‘He doesn’t like crowds, right?’

  ‘Right,’ Jasper answered quietly.

  ‘I’ll come with you and help you tell him if you want. That way you won’t leave anything out.’

  Jasper smiled, ‘That’d be good.’

  Lil smiled widely, ‘See you on the winner�
��s podium.’ She laughed and ran to the midfield area, and as the Rovers took their positions, both they and the crowd were ready for the final game of the season.

  JOHNNY SAYS:

  Finish the game as strongly as you began it. Many games are decided in the closing minutes when both sides are tired. My father taught me that nothing is yours in life until it is really yours; in other words, don’t assume victory before it actually happens.

  ‘Go the Rovers!’ Lil’s cry was echoed by the rest of the team, Vince and all the parents.

  Nutmeg had trapped a high kick from Jasper with his thigh, settled the ball with his feet and sent it quickly over to Nippy, who quickly took control and raced upfield.

  The old Rovers chemistry that had been missing was back. It was well into the second half and neither team had scored, but to Jasper it didn’t matter. The Rovers were in fine form, playing sharp, well-timed passes and set plays. It seemed like nothing else mattered.

  ‘Your girlfriend’s got a big mouth.’

  The Rovers were playing the Eastville Kings, a cashed-up team sponsored by the local TV station with bright, new shirts and overinflated opinions of themselves. Jasper’s opponent, Badger Mackenzie, was particularly thorny and had a reputation for putting players off their game by badgering them, but today, nothing could distract Jasper from his play. Not even Badger Mackenzie.

  ‘You should see her when she really gets excited.’ Jasper smiled then ran around Badger and burst forward. ‘Over here!’

  Nippy saw Jasper was free and quickly flicked it over to him. He easily took her pass and dribbled down the field with Badger only barely managing to keep up. A wall of Eastville Kings players had moved into defence in front of their goal. Jasper saw Lil out on the wing, unmarked. With Badger closing in on the side, Jasper turned his back on him and passed the ball safely out to Lil, who immediately ran along the sideline.

  ‘Go the Rovers!’ Vince yelled, hardly able to keep off the field.

  Lil spied Tricky running towards the pack in front of the goal and sent a curve ball swinging around the other players, directly to him. Tricky leapt high and caught the ball with the inside of his foot. He brought it smoothly to the ground and looked towards the crowded goal area, ready to have a shot, when he saw Josie. She’d run in from behind him, undefended and had a clearer shot at goal. He hesitated for a second before kicking the ball.