Chapter 122: system alert
The thirty-minute interval was a hive of activity and hushed, awestruck conversation. As the players gulped down water under the shade of a large acacia tree, the primary topic was, unsurprisingly, Amani Hamadi.
The non-bibs team, for whom Amani was playing, were buzzing, replaying his passes, his goal, his effortless control.
"Did you see that through ball?" one of the strikers exclaimed to a midfielder.
"I didn’t even think the pass was on, and then, boom, it’s at my feet!" The midfielder nodded vigorously, "And his first touch, man! It’s like the ball is glued to him. At fifteen!"
On the bibs’ side, the mood was more somber, a mixture of frustration and grudging admiration. Their coach was trying to rally them, to devise a strategy to contain the young CAM.
"We have to get tighter to him! Don’t let him turn! Double up if you have to!" But even as he spoke, the players exchanged skeptical glances. They’d tried.
The veteran defensive midfielder assigned to mark Amani was towel-wiping his face, shaking his head. "Coach, he’s... he’s like smoke. You think you have him, and then he’s gone. And his vision... it’s like he has eyes in the back of his head."
Coach Mwangi, addressing the non-bibs, was far more effusive. "Amani," he said, his voice filled with genuine respect, "your understanding of the CAM role, your ability to dictate the tempo and create chances, is exceptional. Keep doing what you’re doing. The rest of you," he addressed the other players, "watch him. Learn from him. See how he finds space, how he uses the ball. This is a masterclass."
Amani, despite his natural shyness, felt a warmth spread through him at the coach’s words. He even offered a quiet tactical suggestion to his wingers, "If you make your runs a fraction earlier when I have the ball in the channel, I can play it into the space behind their fullbacks more effectively."
The wingers listened intently, nodding, eager to benefit from his insight.
Mr. Vermeer, observing from a slight distance, allowed himself a rare, almost imperceptible smile.