The next weekend, Neto returned for training. It was finally time to kick a ball.
"Our priority is to get promoted and stop getting relegated", Samba said, "And that means that we must avert all mistakes as much as may come", Samba continued.
They stated with passing sessions to test how accurate their passes were. Michael gave an accurate pass to Samba. Dogo's pass was a little off target from Samba. It was Neto's turn. Looking at the ball, he engaged his leg and blasted his pass in a completely different direction. Samba told him to try again. He kept on throwing passes till he blasted a ball at Samba's face.
"Sorry", Neto apologized. "Try reducing the force of your kicks", Samba advised. Neto took it into action and managed to take a less-powered pass, which wasn't accurate to Samba.
The next session was to practice shooting and scoring. All scored goals, but Samba found a bit of fault in Neto's shooting. Neto's shot in the center, but Samba told him that in a real game, he had to shoot to the left or right of the post for a higher chance at goal. This was said to all rookies.
They retook turns in shooting exercise. All shots were goals, but when Neto made an attempt, he shot the ball over the post. "Sorry", chuckled Neto. Samba approached him after much thought and exposed, "I think I see the problem. You're shooting with your toes instead of your side foot. Your toes are mostly needed in clearing, but most times, your side foot are what are used to manipulate your kicks."
The next session was dribbling and ball control. Samba started with juggling, which he instructed the rookies to try out. Samba tried first, and juggled the ball 30 times. Michael juggled the ball 18 times. Dojo juggled the ball 12 times, but Neto took two juggles before accidentally clearing the ball.
The dribbling sessions were now at hand. Obstacles were set across the pitch for the rookies to evade and pass. Michael went first. There were 8 obstacles to evade. He evaded all eight, Dojo evaded all eight while Neto evaded them, losing the ball at various time intervals.
The final training session for the day was a training match, where the already I.land XI were distributed to make a match with other substitutes and academy scouts I.land had. Samba's team was Team A and Neto's was Team B
Team A: Samba(CF), Andol(RB), Lewee(MF), Xavez(MF), Luthra(LW), leiser(LB), Lexar(MF), Dogo(CB), Don(GK) and Thrist(CB)
Team B: Michael(AM), Neto(CB), Rico(RB), Riley(MF), Ral(CB), Poker(LB), Alexis(RMF), Shroder(RW), Jolar(LW) and Kim(GK)
It was a 10 v 10 game.
Samba's team began the match- a 45 minute game. Samba passed to Lewee, who passed back to Xavez. Xavez ran into Team B's territory and passed the ball to Luthra.
Luthra was pressured by Poker and Alexis, but was still in control and found a pass to Leiser. As the ball arrived, Riley came for an interception, but Leiser feinted a shot, misdirecting Riley. He passed back to Luthra, and he immediately crossed the ball to the right wing- to Dogo. Dogo trapped the ball, and upon charge by Neto, he dribbled him and passed back to Xavez, who gave a long pass to Luthra.
Immediately, Luthra passed a through ball, pass Shroder and Rico for Samba. Samba trapped the ball. Neto charged at Samba, restricting and marking his movements, but he found Leiser and passed the ball to him.
Leiser sighted Alexis charging at him, and paced to the left wing. Alexis still on him, he used a roulette to get pass Alexis, and crossed the ball. One of Team B's defender watched the ball thinking it would go out, but a figure reacted, jumping and heading the ball into the post-Dogo. Kim (GK) deflected the shot, and on its return, Luthra shot a bounce shot over Shroder into the post. Match score: 1-0
In 15 minutes, Team A already leading the match.
Alexis continued the game, passing to Shroder. They took control of the game, using one –two passes, but it wasn't enough to bypass Luthra. Luthra stole the pass to Alexis and sent a long pass to Samba. He trapped the ball and began running in. He "snake –bit" Ral, body-feinted Poker and Riley, used 2 step-overs to pass Rico and continued pacing in.
Neto- last man, was all that was left in Samba's way. "Left or right?" Neto thought, "Read his movements." Neto watched his legs, stepped backwards, then tackled Samba and cleared the ball out.
It was a throw –in for Samba's team. Xavez threw the ball to Dogo, who passed to Lewee. Lewee passed the ball to Lexar and he passed it back to Dogo. Michael charged in trying to block Dogo's path. Xavez came to assist, blocking Michael's view to give Dogo space.
Dogo passed to Luthra- his teammates began pacing inside the other team's half for an all-round assault. Luthra paced in to be blocked by Jolar. Jolar offered resistance to his options till Leiser came to assist. Luthra passed to Leiser. With a onetime attempt, he gave a long pass to Lexar, on the right, who was unmarked. Riley came to intercept. It became a pressuring game to who could get to the ball first.
Riley made it to the ball, trying to guide to a pass, but it was blocked by Lexar. Riley pushed his leg for a tackle, but Lexar pulled the ball and directed it to his right, averting Riley. He sighted Samba and crossed to him. Samba saw a clear line of goal, if he could trap the ball.
2 meters from the entre line, Neto jumped and cleared it once again. The ball was heading Don-who was in the post. Jolar paced towards the ball, but Don caught the ball.
Team B started marking their opponents. Don sent it high, but Poker trapped it, passing to Alexis, who passed back to Poker. Team B decided to take possession of the ball. Team A's players rushed back and forth like aimless flies. It continued till the ball came to Neto- who had just received his first pass in the game. He didn't know what to do. He eventually tried passing to a marked Ral, but Samba swooped in, and tapped the ball.
He paced in down the left side of the pitch. Neto continued to monitor his movements, waiting for him to strike. Guessing he was going to shoot, Neto followed his legs, and deciphered the striking foot- left, which was already in motion. Neto jumped to clear what he thought would be a high strike.
"Was he right?"
Samba did intend to shoot, but realizing Neto was monitoring him, he feinted the shot, passing to Leiser on the opposite side. It was a clear opportunity for a 2-0. Leiser shot hard, but the Kim saved the ball, taking it out for a corner kick.
Lewee decided to take the corner kick. Everyone struggling to outwit the other while Neto watched his eyes. Lewee signaled his right hand looking at Don. Neto decided to maintain his movements that they may not know he'd found him
"The cross is going to Dogo. I know it", Neto thought. Lewee sent the cross.
Players jumped to get the ball, but to no avail. Just as Neto anticipated, the cross came to Don, not before Neto tapped and kicked it in.
An already free Shroder passed to Alexis, who began pacing in. There were only two defenders in. Alexis thought, "Should I take my chanc…." Jolar arrived to the extent of his vision. "Nah", murmured Alexis. Alexis passed to Jolar, beating the two defenders, but one of them was quick enough to grab Jolar's jersey- Leiser, who had just put his leg from behind to tackle Jolar.
Jolar kept control of the ball, and gave a through pass to Alexis. He paced towards the ball. Don began stepping out to catch the ball. The ball was on its own journey to the end of the pitch for a goal kick. Alexis' only option was to slide the ball in-which he did. The ball got pass Dogo, but was going out. "I have this one". "BAAM!" The ball was in the net as Michael tapped it in. "Where did you come from?" Don asked. Michael chuckled back at him.
As Neto cleared the ball, Michael was already tailing Alexis and Jolar. When the through pass was made, most attention was on Alexis, gaving Michael the space to get through and score. Match sore: 1-1
The match ended in a draw. The training sessions for the day had ended.
The team withdrew to talk about the new transfers. In general, their opinions of them were good. They said that Jolar was okay, Dogo could keep up, Michael was already a starting substitute while Neto was okay as a CB; at least he could defend.
Everyone went home. Samba met Neto and asked him why he was down. "It's nothing", Neto said. "It's obviously something." "Fine. You know my dream in the soccer career is to be a striker or at least an offence. But I don't see it happening, when I can't dribble, pass or shoot accurately. I'm only good in marking and clearing. I ...…"
"Do you think defending isn't important", he asked, directing Neto to sit on a public bench. "Let me tell you something. Every position in soccer matters. The GK is the last hope of every team. If a team is that bad, they are still on track if they have an efficient GK. Take Diogo jr for example. Didn't you see what he did in last year's Nations league?" "Yeah, thanks to him, they were able to win through penalty kicks", Neto said.
"Then comes the defenders. Their main aim is to defend the GK. The wing backs are there to support the offence while the CB's guard the post.The midfielders are the support; the balance between offence and defense", Samba continued.
"The forwards are offence of every team. The wingers are there to assist the striker and also to score goals." "You tell me", Neto said, "You said it yourself. They do most of the work."
"That is not true. Every role is important in a team", Samba said, "Do you think the game is all about goals? That mentality won't get you anywhere."
"But I won't get goals as a defender", Neto stressed. "Let me tell you something. A good striker or rather, a good player is one who is ready for goals, not one who goes for goals", Samba said
"Besides, if you really want to be a striker, or at least something more than what you already are, there's one thing to be done", Samba said.
"What? A secret pill?"Neto asked with so much enthusiasm.
"Training", Samba said. "Oh", Neto said, enthusiasm lost.
"Train yourself and maybe you could be a world class striker", Samba said as he got up to leave.
Neto, still on the bench, wondered, "A world class striker, huh!"