The Twelth Player

Chapter 7

Today, I had my first training session with those street kids. Coach Hansi made it clear that I shouldn't expect miracles, that they're kids with their own problems, and football is more of an escape for them. But I thought I could handle it. If I can manage matches, I can handle this too, right?

Yeah, sure. After just ten minutes, it was clear to me that this was a completely different kind of game. The boys did whatever they wanted. They didn't run, didn't listen, and provoked each other. One kid even spat at another.

"Hey!" I shouted. "We work here, not do whatever you want!"

But they didn't care. They laughed at me like I was some kind of clown. And I started to boil. After an hour, I couldn't take it anymore and just sent them home. "That's it, get out. Are you kidding me? This makes no sense!"

I was pissed. Really pissed. And yet I knew I had failed. Not them, me.

When I told Hansi about it, he didn't know what to say. He wasn't too thrilled about how it turned out. But damn, what was I supposed to do?

The only person who came to mind who might be able to advise me on how to keep calm was Eli.

So I went to see her. I just knew that this girl was an expert at not getting thrown off by little punks. She was sitting at a table in the center, sorting some papers and taking notes.

"Eli," I started, and she looked up. "Could you please help me?"

She nodded and put down her pen. "Me? You want advice from me? I'm not sure I'm the best advisor—"

"Damn it, Eli. I know you're good at this. Let's get to the point. Those street kids. I trained them today for the first time," I started, sitting down across from her. "And it was a total disaster. They didn't listen, did whatever they wanted. In the end, I got mad and kicked them out. And I honestly have no idea how to do it differently."

She stared at me for a moment, like she was thinking. Then she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, "Have you tried to understand them?"

"What?" I frowned.

"They're not like you, Matti. They haven't had your life. Each of them has their own problems. They need time to trust you. To even listen to you," she explained calmly.

I leaned back in my chair and thought about it. "So what am I supposed to do? Just stand there and wait until they start liking me?"

"No. But you can start by getting to know them. Not as players, but as people. You'll see what happens," she said simply, and smiled at me in that calm way that always made me stop screaming inside.

I nodded, though I wasn't entirely sure. But if anyone knew how to work with people, it was her.