Scouts Arrive

The morning dew had melted away, and the sky was replaced with streaks shifting shades of white and grey. Where once the heavens had dazzled in brilliant blue, now an unbroken canopy of clouds stretched overhead — brilliant where the sun broke through, dark where it lingered.

"It may rain in a few hours," Amani remarked softly, his eyes still fixed on the brooding sky.

Malik, standing beside him at the center of the pitch, offered a confident smile. "Don't worry, man. We'll be done with the trials by then. The scouts only stick around a few hours."

It was 10 AM in the morning, and the field buzzed with the energy of 26 players who had passed the previous day's physical fitness test. Each athlete was already clad in their football attire, their faces a mix of anticipation and quiet determination as they waited for Coach Juma and his staff to arrive and kick off the official trials. Amani wasn't bored — he was buoyed by the camaraderie of his new friend Malik, whose optimism was contagious.

Glancing around the nearly half-empty stadium, Amani furrowed his brows. "Are you sure the scouts will be coming today?" he asked, his voice edged with uncertainty. With no coaches or scouts in sight, he began to question if he'd even heard the schedule correctly.

"Relax," Malik reassured him with a chuckle. "They'll be here, trust me. I've got reliable sources."

Amani's curiosity got the better of him. "By the way, did you move out of the hotel like I told you yesterday?" he inquired, locking eyes with Malik.

"Of course man," Malik replied with a proud pat on his chest. "I'm already staying at the Bamburi Beach Hotel."

Amani's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the f**k! What's the difference between Bamburi Beach and Tamarind Village?" he blurted out, drawing a few amused glances from nearby players.

"Bamburi Beach is way cheaper," Malik explained, counting on his fingers for emphasis.

"For Christ's sake," Amani huffed, stepping closer. "How many four-star hotels are there in Mombasa? Your father could just check the ones charging over $100 a night and find you. Seriously?"

Malik's smile faltered for a moment. "Yeah, you're right. I'll change hotels after the matches today," he promised.

Amani shook his head with a resigned sigh. "Forget it, man. I'll help you pick a new place after the trials. I just can't stand the thought of a talent like you rotting away getting hurt — or worse."

Malik's laughter bubbled up, and he leaned in conspiratorially. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were an honorable guy. What can I do to repay you? Maybe link you up with my sister? She's pretty cute."

"If she's as short as you, forget it," Amani retorted with a playful harrumph.

Their banter was cut short by a sudden chorus of excited shouts. "The coaches are here! The coaches are here!" The voices, high and exuberant, echoed across the pitch like children spotting an ice cream truck. Amani glanced toward the stadium's entrance and saw Coach Juma leading a group of about fifty people toward the stands.

Among the crowd, Amani noticed roughly twenty foreign faces sporting sunglasses and large hats — presumably shielding themselves from the weak sunlight. An elderly man and a young girl, barely older than Amani, mingled among them. The rest appeared to be local scouts, possibly representing teams from the Kenya Premier League, with a few faces recognizable from AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia. At last, the scouts had arrived, and Amani's mood lifted noticeably.

"I told you they'd be, did I?" Malik called from behind, his voice laced with satisfaction.

Looking at the group curiously,"Are they all from AFTA?" Amani asked.

"Not at all," Malik explained. "These are scouts from the organizations sponsoring AFTA — some are even from notable academies in France and England."

"Then you better perform your best today," Malik warned. "I don't think they'll come back after today."

Amani's brows knitted. "And where did you get all this info?" he pressed.

"Trust me, from reliable sources," Malik replied, flashing an assured smile. "My info is completely legit."

"Alright," Amani said, excitement creeping into his tone as he recalled the hearty meal from yesterday and the boost it had given him. "Be sharp out there," Malik whispered as they prepared to move.

~~~

Coach Juma led the group of scouts into the stands and then jogged back to the pitch with his fellow coaches. The scouts were already seated near the running tracks, some unpacking video cameras, others peering through binoculars or scribbling in notebooks. A few simply sat with arms crossed, their stern faces hinting at no-nonsense attitudes.

At the very bottom of the stands, a young blonde girl with an oversized Canon camera chatted animatedly with an elderly scout. "Grandpa," she began, "Why did we come here? The weather is nice and the beaches are cute but aren't there better places to scout world-class talents; places like Nigeria, Cameroon, or even Egypt? They've been winning the African Cup of Nations or even making it to the finals. I feel like we're wasting our time here."

"Kristen," the old man smiled warmly, "if you want to be a good scout, never overlook any place. Real gems are often hidden in the most unexpected spots. We just need to unearth them."

"Will we really find someone talented here?" Kristin asked skeptically. "Because if not, the other shareholders might kick you out."

The old scout handed her two files. "Here's some information on a few promising players. While you were off touring game parks and sunbathing on the beach, I was doing my job."

Kristin flipped through the files. "Steven Nondi, Amani Hamadi, and Malik Njoroge?" she murmured, barely comprehending the names. "There's almost nothing here!"

The old man spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Welcome to Africa. Information on young players is scarce, but that's why we'll see exactly how good they are on the field."

~~~

During this discussion, the coaches gathered the twenty-six selected players for a light warm-up. Stretching, jogging short distances, and performing dynamic exercises, the players prepared their bodies for the day ahead. Once the warm-up concluded, they returned to the center of the field, where Coach Juma greeted them with a warm, confident smile.

"A good morning to you all!" he boomed.

"Good morning, Coach Juma!" came the collective reply, enthusiastic and unified.

"I see you're all on time. Keep up that spirit of sportsmanship," Juma encouraged, his eyes scanning the eager faces. "We'll soon begin a trial match. You've been split into two teams, and the match will last sixty minutes — so you've got less than forty minutes to really impress the scouts, substitutions aside. Do your best."

The coaches had already arranged the players into two teams, and Coach Mande unveiled the team formation charts on the running track. Amani squeezed through the crowd to catch a glimpse of the lineup.

GREEN TEAM (4-4-2, Diamond Formation):

Goalkeeper: No. 1, Jackson Lunga

Right-Back: No. 2, Yannick Bangala Left-Back: No. 3, Daniel Kindiki Center-Backs: No. 4, Tobias Knost; No. 5, Samba Farouk

Defensive Midfielder: No. 6, Wagaluka Francis

Attacking Midfielder: No. 8, Joseph Ochieng

Left-Winger: No. 11, Vincent Wanjala

Right-Winger: No. 7 Edo Musyoka

Forwards: No. 9, Steven Nondi; No. 10, Ben Mlango

*Subs: Leonard Usiibwe, Dan Lusaka

RED TEAM (4-4-2, Diamond Formation):

Goalkeeper: No. 1, Baraka Samuel

Right-Back: No. 2, Bonde Kasongo Left-Back: No. 3, Patrick Mziwa Center-Backs: No. 4, George Vyner; No. 5, Frederic Luamba

Defensive Midfielder: No. 6, Chrisy Nwema

Attacking Midfielder: No. 8, Amani Hamadi

Left-Winger: No. 11, Tony Majembe

Right-Winger: No. 7, Malik Njoroge

Forwards: No. 9, Beni Mikate; No. 10, Emmanuel Obuya

*Subs: Mpoyi Mohamed, Nathan Mkamba

Amani sighed in relief at the sight of the charts. The coaches had clearly based their selections on historical data. He found himself on the Red Team alongside Malik Njoroge, Chrisy Nwema, and even his former schoolmates Tony and Patrick. Meanwhile, many of the would-be superstars from his previous life — Vincent Wanjala, Tobias Knost, Steven Nondi, and others—had been placed on the Green Team.

Amani had been assigned the number eight position on the Red Team— a role perfectly suited for his vision of orchestrating plays and delivering lethal assists. His newly acquired Visionary Pass skill would be invaluable in that position. Malik Njoroge was stationed on the right wing, while Chrisy Nwema took on the defensive midfielder role as the number six. Tony was set to attack from the left wing, with Patrick anchoring the left-back. The remaining players in green bibs were mostly unfamiliar to Amani, their faces blurred in the flurry of pre-match preparations.

Despite what the lineup might suggest on paper, Amani refused to let any obstacle stand between him and his dream of a football academy recruitment. With resolute determination, he readied himself for the match ahead.

"Come collect your bibs and head to the pitch!" Coach Mande's voice rang out from the sidelines. "Subs, you too — there'll be chances for you to play later."

With that, the players hurried to pick up their bibs and made their way to the pitch, lining up in the prescribed 4-4-2 diamond formation. Discipline was as important as talent, and every player positioned themselves with precision, awaiting the whistle that would signal the start of the trial match.

The stage was set — scouts in the stands, coaches on the sidelines, and 26 young hopefuls ready to etch their names into the next chapter of their lives. Amani's heart raced with anticipation, his determination steeled by every sacrifice that had brought him this far. Today, on this sun-dappled pitch under an uncertain sky, he would leave everything on the field.