Joining The Team

Nico was flustered as he saw marbles making another dangerous attack in the direction of Krystal Fc's goal.

Keep your eyes open for their No 10! Defenders! Draw back and leave the marking to the midfielders!

Everyone, fall back!

Marbled coach patted his shoulders with a smile.

It's futile.

Just as marbles coach said this, Soma gave a long pass that landed just after the middle of the pitch.

Nico's pupils constricted on seeing this.

Return! Everyone!

Marbles coach patted his shoulder again. Don't be so flustered, you weren't really expecting to win, were you?

This was getting really annoying. Nico was suppressing the urge to land a well deserved blow on the face of marbles coach.

But he restrained himself, marbled coach was an older man and he was going to lose his job if he hit someone during a game.

Alf(Marbles No 7) controlled the ball easily with his cleats. And from such a long distance, Alf kicked the ball with all his might.

On full stretch, Zuri couldn't still save the ball.

The goal keeper watched in frustration as the ball went past him and ricocheted off the woodwork and into the goal line.

What a cracker that goal had been!

Alf, the goal scorer didn't even celebrate his goal.

He treated it as a normal thing, he even felt a bit ashamed of himself because he felt he was scoring against a starter team.

Neo stood up after the fourth goal.

Krystal Fc lost the match against marbles with a goal difference of six.

They were beaten seven to 1 by marbles.

I'm leaving. Neo spoke as he walked towards the door.

Why? Neo's mother was surprised. You won't even eat?

I will just eat anything in school, I'm already late.

Uhh...No, you're not. Neo's mother said, checking the time.

Neo stopped at the door, he turned around. I have to do something before official school hours.

Neo's mother wore a confused expression as she said. The food isn't bad, I promise.

Neo smiled, It was his first smile in a while. Bye.

Neo walked slowly to school, he was no longer in the rush that he used to leave his house.

Neo sighed before he muttered to himself. I hope this doesn't backfire.

****

Nico stared at his players one after the other. Their faces were lowered and they were in obvious low spirits.

Nico sighed. I purposely didn't evaluate you guys yesterdy because I felt you would be in low spirits, but I never expected that to still be the case, even till today. I thought the disappointment would be lifted by today but I guess it's still a pain.

But this pain is what we need to evolve, so let's never forget it. Let's make it a part of us and incorporate it into our soul.

I don't have any qualms about your play yesterday, but whatever we do, we should do it to the fullest of our capabilities. And I refuse to believe that the fullest of your capability is losing with a goal difference of six.

Nico was a tactical coach, and that was why he was employed despite his young age.

Nico knew he couldn't say anything bad about the plays his team made in the last match, but that wasn't because they were perfect in their plays, but rather, because of the low spirits his players were in.

The team was still silent. Nico decided to observe this silence for a while.

The silence which was momentarily reverred was broken by the sudden opening of the door.

Nico looked at the third year that walked in and he slapped the back of his own head.

Ahh, I forgot to tell you guys, He's a new member. He just signed up with the club this morning. Nico gestured towards the boy who just walked in.

Alright then...Nico continued, seeing that no one said anything. Introduce yourself.

My name is Neo Austin and I'm joining the team starting from today. I hope to get along with you all. Neo bowed slightly.

Okay, introduce yourselves to Neo Austin.

It went according to how they stood in the line. And the first person to introduce himself was Cai.

I'm Cai Noah. I'm a right forward and the No 10.

Neo found this a bit strange, he was the No 10 and yet he was a right forward? Numbers really doesn't determine where one would play.

No one in the team had done this before, so they didn't really know what to say. They were all waiting for the first person to speak so they would all follow in his footsteps.

Hi, I'm Aesop William. I'm a striker and the No 9.

I'm Eric Banner. I'm a midfielder and the No 6.

Hi, I'm Adrienne Benjamin. I'm a midfielder and the No 8.

Hi, I'm Lida Owen. I'm the captain of this team, I'm a defender and the No 2.

I'm Liam Ethan, I'm a defender and the No 3.

Hi, I'm Bice Mason. I'm a defensive midfielder and the No 5.

Hi, I'm Miles Hudson. I'm a defender and the No 4.

I'm Zuri Wyatt. I'm a goalkeeper and the No 1.

I'm Mark Dylan. I'm a midfielder and the No 11.

Okay. Nico sighed. I guess that's all for now. The annual soccer wars high school tournament is starting in two months. The selection games for the tournament is starting in two weeks time.

And our first opponent in the group stage is marbles.

The team felt very happy that they had been given a second chance to level the scores against marbles.

Nico brought out a sheet where the groups were drawn with the teams for the group stage of the soccer wars tournament.

The teams were thirty two in number and they were divided into eight groups.

Only two teams in each groups would qualify for round off sixteen and the main tournament.

The group stages would be seen as something more or less of preliminaries.

Marbles, Krystal Fc, stardom and Landmark Fc were all in the same group.

The winner of the tournament were always given an opportunity to go for the yearly trials held by the United Kingdom.