Semifinal Opponent

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Jerry woke up very early in the morning. He took his bath, dressed up, and set off for the Jerimiah Hayes Football Institution training facilities. While on his way, he decided to jog a little instead of hitching a ride with Jordan, as he would normally do. Jogging helped clear his head, and the cool morning breeze gave him a sense of calm that he rarely experienced. The sound of his shoes hitting the pavement and the rhythm of his breathing became a sort of meditation.

When Jerry arrived at the training building, he realized he was the first one there. Unlike the last time he had arrived so early, he felt in acceptable physical condition, so he headed straight to the field. He began warming up, ensuring he stretched his muscles properly to avoid injuries. Then he set up a few training drills for himself. Jerry placed a series of cones in a straight line, leaving just enough space between them for tight dribbling exercises. With a ball at his feet, he carefully maneuvered it through the cones, focusing intently on precision and control. He made sure the ball didn't touch the cones, executing the drill with a grace that only came with hours of practice.

The training went on for about an hour before someone else finally arrived. It was Victor, the team manager, and he greeted Jerry with a grin.

"As expected of my captain," Victor said with a chuckle as he walked toward the field. He observed Jerry moving the ball deftly between the cones and nodded in approval. It was a simple yet effective drill, and Jerry performed it effortlessly.

"This is why you chose me as captain?" Jerry asked with a smile as he finished dribbling through the cones and turned around to repeat the exercise. His voice carried a lighthearted tone, but there was an undercurrent of curiosity.

Victor chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "It's because I saw your immense potential as a leader and—"

"My dad threatened to fire you again, didn't he?" Jerry interrupted with a knowing laugh. This wasn't the first time Jeremiah, his father, had used his influence to meddle in Victor's decisions.

Victor sighed, his smile turning a bit bitter. "He was also with two scary men when he did it," he admitted. "I had no choice."

"Ahh…" Jerry said with a smirk as he finished another run through the cones. This time, instead of repeating the drill, he drove the ball toward the goalpost. He stopped about thirty yards out and launched a powerful shot. The ball flew through the air, slammed against the upright of the goalpost, and bounced out of bounds.

"I see you've met Jerkyll and Jude," Jerry added casually, referring to his father's intimidating associates.

Victor nodded grimly. "Whatever. I can't wait till you leave," he said with a sigh. "I love you as a player, but I miss the days when your dad didn't give a damn about us. He just gave us money and chilled."

Jerry burst out laughing. He didn't take offense to Victor's words; in fact, he could see the humor in the situation. "Well, thankfully, you won't have to wait long," Jerry said. "I'll probably leave before the season starts."

The football season was fast approaching, with professional leagues worldwide already underway. It was mid-August, and while the top leagues had hosted a couple of fixtures, the youth divisions had yet to kick off. Their season typically began after the September international break.

"Thank goodness," Victor muttered, relief evident on his face. It wasn't a joke; he genuinely looked as though a burden was being lifted. "No offense," he added quickly, realizing Jerry was still standing nearby.

"None taken," Jerry replied with a laugh, waving off the comment.

About thirty minutes later, the rest of the team arrived. The players gathered around Victor, who stood at the center of the field with a notepad in hand. He waited for everyone to settle down before addressing them.

"Right," Victor began, his voice carrying authority. "From what I've heard, quite a few of you have been invited by one or more clubs to go on trial with them. These last two games could very well be your final matches with us. I want you to use that as extra motivation and give it your all. After all, if you're going out, why not go out with a bang?"

The players nodded, murmurs of agreement rippling through the group. Victor glanced at his notes and continued. "Now, our opponents for the semi-finals are The Young Dragons Academy."

As soon as he said the name, an eerie silence fell over the group. It lasted a full ten seconds before someone finally broke it.

"Fucking hell," Zach muttered under his breath, his voice heavy with dread.

"We're cooked, boys," Miles added grimly. "I hope I've done enough to impress the scouts because we're cooked."

Jerry stepped forward, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. "Calm your arses," he said firmly. "Just because we're playing the supposed best team in the tournament doesn't mean we can't win. And if you already believe we can't, then—no offense to this academy—you probably deserve to be here instead of playing for pro clubs."

"But that's the thing," Jordan interjected, his tone hesitant but honest. "Their starting eleven has all been scouted by Premier League clubs. We're more or less playing against an all-star XI of youth players from Premier League clubs."

Jerry shook his head, his expression one of disbelief. "And a few of us have also been scouted—by big six clubs, no less. So I don't see what you're scared of. We're all playing in this tournament to get scouted by big clubs, and we're losing our heads over some mid-table youth club all-stars? We're better than that. We're going in there to win!" His voice rose with passion, and he pumped his fists in the air for emphasis.

The players stared at him in stunned silence, his words hanging in the air like a challenge. Finally, Victor broke the tension with a small smile.

"My effing captain," he muttered under his breath, loud enough for Jerry to hear.

The atmosphere shifted after that. The players began discussing strategies and psyching each other up, their initial fear slowly giving way to determination. Jerry felt a spark of pride as he watched his teammates rally together. Maybe he wasn't the best captain, but in moments like this, he felt he was doing something right.

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