Chapter 187: The Goalkeeper
The difference in mindset between players and coaches often lies here: players think from an individual perspective, while coaches must consider the entire team. Players often believe the world revolves around them, but coaches see things differently. Sometimes, the conflict between players and coaches arises precisely from this difference in thinking.
José understood Camacho's perspective and also knew what the Spanish national team needed at the moment. Clearly, Catania did not understand this, and as for Luke—he hadn't quite grasped it before, but now, he was starting to.
However, understanding it didn't mean Luke would accept it willingly.
For over a season, his performance had been excellent. Even in the national team, Luke didn't see himself as just a supporting striker. He had always been ambitious—he didn't just want to play a secondary role; he wanted to be the main character. And he had confidence that he could achieve that.
In the national team, he knew it would be difficult to shake Raúl's position. However, competing with Tristán and Morientes for a starting spot was not out of the question!
This thought made Luke restless. His goal tally in the league was higher than Morientes' and only slightly behind Tristán's. So why couldn't he secure a starting spot in the national team? If it came down to scoring ability, he was just as good as them!
Was it simply because he played for Mallorca, while Tristán and Morientes were at clubs like Real Madrid and Deportivo, the league champions of the past two seasons?
The more Luke thought about it, the more dissatisfied he felt. But he was smart enough to know that his future depended on his performances. So on the pitch, he didn't show any frustration—he continued dropping deep and linking up play, helping the team's attack.
Luke's performance did not go unnoticed. Camacho, watching from the stands, nodded in approval. Luke had already impressed him before, and now he was showcasing abilities beyond just scoring goals. What really tempted Camacho was that Luke could also play as a left winger—Spain currently lacked strong options for that position. Apart from Deportivo's Sergio, there weren't many standout players in La Liga. If Luke could perform well there, taking him to the national team would be an obvious choice.
As Camacho contemplated this, Celta Vigo's attack grew increasingly aggressive. With Catania frequently switching positions with the other two forwards, Mallorca's defense began to struggle. Though Motta kept pressing Mostovoi, Celta's three midfielders had excellent passing ability. Their quick ball movement and continuous positional rotations created chaos for Mallorca's backline.
"They're putting up quite a fight," José mused, stroking his chin. However, he wasn't too worried. Such relentless attacking couldn't be sustained for long. Moreover, with Luke tracking back to help reinforce the midfield, Mallorca's advantage remained intact as long as they could withstand this period of pressure.