"Is this the new guy? Why does he look that way? I heard he' English", All Xhota crew were mumbling in Japanese. To Kibb, it sounded more like "Niki no ma pu shin to wa", all around. Hopefully, Yoo could speak a little English. He addressed Xhota telling, them that Kibb was English, and was a transfer from I. Land FC.
"Why was he transferred; was he a waste of space?" One of the players asked in Japanese, and the others began laughing. Neto was confused. "Enough", said Yoo in Japanese. "Thank goodness this guy doesn't understand Japanese", Yoo thought. "I. Land, huh. That is the one Samba san is in." "Oh yeah, our dear brother Samba." "So, he knows Samba."
All Neto could hear was Samba, but he wasn't even sure if it was Samba they were saying or just another Japanese word with a proposed meaning.
"Ok, let us get to practice", Yoo ordered in Japanese. "Hai (Yes)", the boys responded. "Brother, don't feel out of place, I'm English too." Blake a Xhota Port player said.
"Seriously? I thought I was the only one who spoke English here", Neto replied.
"So what brought you to Japan? My name's is Blake Norgard." "I was kind of transferred from my original club cos I cost them matches", Neto responded.
"Oh sorry", Blake said. "Don't waste it; sorry, I mean don't sweat it", Kibb said. "I'm kind of here for the same reason you know, except I was actually sold to Xhota." "Sorry man", Kibb said. "Why are you saying sorry. It was for a good cause. I mean my career wasn't meant to die in one club, and am doing better here." "What position do you play?" Neto asked. "I'm a Left Fall back", Blake said. "I'm a Centre Back", Neto said. "Well I'd like to see how you fare here", Blake said. "Same", Kibb replied.
The team were practicing individually. Some at dribbling, shooting, passing, marking. Kibb went to where players were testing shots. He shot the ball, but it went out. "If I can't get better here , then I 'll never be of used to I.Land ", Kibb thought.
Team A was playing a 3-1-3 formation while Team B was playing a 3-2-2 formation. A practice match among Xhota players; Neto excluded.
After the days' activities, everyone left except Kibb. Kibb went to the playing field and tried scoring a penalty goal with no keeper. He took the first shot, sending the ball out; took another and sent it over; then another and another and another. He pushed the ball 3 yards from the post and shot it, but it hit at bar. "More than 25 shots, no goal" .Neto realized, "And I've always wished to be a striker ".
Yoo, who was still around saw him and came outside. "You haven't gone yet? ", he said in Japanese. As soon as he realized it was Kibb, he said, "Oh! You are the western person, I forget? Why you are still here? Don't wish to rest? " Yoo' s English was not that fluent.
"No, sir I don't, I wish to get better, so I can prove that I can be useful to my club ". Yoo asked him if he wasn't already good, and Kibb told him he wasn't.
He added that he really wanted to get better so that if he were to go back to I. Land, they would let him on. "I already cost I.land much ", Net sobbed. " Why tearing? ", Yoo asked, "You think crying does anything for you?" "No great footballer was good from the start. They only got better. Don't stop trying until he become good / perfect rather than keep trying until he cannot get it wrong ", Yoo said . He walked up to a ball, juggled it 10 times, 40 yards, left off the post and shot it with his left leg into the post. "That took me 5 years to learn ", Yoo revealed. " Besides, aren't you a defender, why you thinking of penalties?" "Cos I wanna be a striker", Neto answered. Yoo chuckled and asked what if striking was just not his calling. Kibb argued that it was. Yoo took the ball and told him to stop him from scoring a goal. "But", Neto was puzzled. "Just friendly small match", Yoo said.
Yoo rushed him and took 3 step overs, pushing the ball to the right. Neto stretched his leg for a tackle, and Yoo "snake-bit" him. Neto luckily was still balanced, and tried tackling again. Yoo held the ball with his left leg and moved his body to his left, tricking Neto there, and passed it to his right leg, pushed the ball forward, and paced down. Neto chased after him, and he began accelerating. Neto held his jacket on, but he immediately unzipped it, leaving Neto astray, and scoring.
"I give you just 3 goals. This is one", Yoo reminded. Yoo took the ball again and tried dribbling through, but this time, Neto was ready for his dribbling. He stated following him cautiously, not letting himself lose balance over his dribbling. In as much as he didn't have the ball, he still blocked Yoo's spaces. Seeing this, Yoo pushed the ball to his left, and sprinted in that direction. It was clear to Neto that Yoo was faster than him, so he had to go at top speed to meet Yoo, and that was what Yoo was waiting for.
As Neto approached him, he pushed the ball backwards, letting Neto slide forward. Neto recovered, and chased after him. Yoo tried to use the same skill again, but Neto was already ahead of the skill. Realizing that he kept control of the ball, pushed it to his right leg, and prepared to swing a kick. Neto sighting this, put out his leg for a tackle, but Yoo stopped, pushed the ball forward and accelerated down, scoring again.
"Be ready for all skills. That's 2"
"Dribbling and speed, I gotta be ready, third time's a charm", Neto said.
Now it was even harder for Yoo to just get pass Neto. Kibb was carefully matching up with him being ready for all movements.
Yoo told him again that there were many ways to score a goal. Yoo housed the ball, using his rear to obstruct Kibb's view of the ball. He kept control of the ball until at a space of about 50 yards from the post, he juggled the ball up and took and overhead kick. "Cramp!!!!!!!" That hurt the old timer. "Baam!!" The ball struck on bar. "That was almost accurate", Neto thought, "How can this guy be retired? He's still much active."
"You ok?" Neto asked. "Of course, just little back cramp, that's all", Yoo assured, "Now just one more." "Just one more", replied Neto with a smile back at him.
Now, it was more than on; Neto marked with his life. Yoo still controlled the ball, but at every point he availed one of Kibb's legs, the other would spring out of nowhere for another tackle.
"Now, I've finally stopped you" , Neto said. "True, but here's another lesson: Be open to all possibilities", Yoo instructed.
Yoo struck his left leg to the ball towards the right sidelines to the pitch side advertising board, Neto's binocular vision shifted to the ball, and as he turned, he saw Yoo no more. The ball bounced on the advert board back into the pitch, and Yoo trapped it, accelerating inside, and scoring.
"That's 3. I could do 5, but it's late, and I no need no cramp problems", Yoo chuckled. Neto exclaimed, sitting down, "The heck! What was that? The ball went out man; I mean coach." Yoo said it was called being creative. "Sick", Neto thought. Yoo told him to work on his defending; that that was his calling, not striking. Yoo picked up his jacket, leaving as he said, "Arigato; that means thank you. You gave me the fire I used to enjoy while I was still pro."
Kibb got up, picked a ball, and took it on the penalty spot, taking a direct shot to the bottom right corner of the post. Yoo, who was still around chuckled and left.