Kevins PoV Stacey has gone to cheer practice and I was walking down to the training pitch sadly still on crutches. I had told the boys not to tell coach because I was gonna tell him. He saw me and smiled but I just walked straight in the cage and he looked at me. "Not good huh?" "Nope. Can't play football again. Like ever. They said because of how bad it is wrong wrong tackle and my leg will be shattered." "Aww Kev. That's a shame. Hey listen. Don't get yourself down about it. There's loads of other stuff you can do." "I know but football it's just. Me you know. Football is all I've known for the past ten years. I can't do anything else." "Well what has stacey said." "Well let's not go into that." "Why what did she say. We aren't in school anymore boy." "She reckons I should be a porn star but hell no." "You. A porn star. I mean you've got the body for it but you only lost your virginity the other day." My head shot up. "Neil!!" Neil walked over. "What would you like master disabled Kevin." "Why. Are you. So. Fucking. Annoying." "What do you mean." "You know full damn well what I mean. Don't give me that crap." He shrugged and ran off to belt a ball straight in the back of the net. "My god this team will miss you kev." "I guess. But this has been home you know so. I guess I'll just have to try stay on the football environment." "Who knows bud. Who knows. You needing to get off or do you think I could try you out as a training coach." "Well I mean I don't have anything else to do. Although I need to tell the other lads. Only a few of them know." "Lads. Here. We have some news." The lads all jogged over and Leo and Alex smiled at me. "Alright Grimsby." "I guess." "Boys. Kevin has some news on his leg." "Well I don't really know how to tell you. I'm out. Theyve said I can't play again. One wrong tackle and my leg will shatter. They said I was lucky it's healing as well as it is. Cast should be off in about a week but until then I'm stuck with it. And no matter how well it heals I can't play anymore." "Bruh." "Exactly my thoughts." They all pulled me into a hug. "Coach. He can be assistant manager." "I've given him the option. He can be coach assistant manager training coach. I mean. He could be the water boy if he really wanted but we all know how good he is so he has the option." They all looked at me. "Take it bro. I mean. Your tactics won us that game. Playing neil midfield. We won because of that. If you hadn't then we wouldn't have had those openings." "Take it. Take it. Take it! TAKE IT!" "Alright alright. I'll give it a go. But lads. Don't you have the big regional final next week." "Yeah. And clifton. You have a chance to prove yourself. We win this game and you are permanent assistant manager and training coach. You lose well. You will lose a lot of respect from everyone. You're in charge." "Oh god. But coach. That cup is worth more than our club." "So what better way to prove yourself then. I have some paper work to file. Show em what you're made of Grimsby. Boys you listen to him. I found out you are disobeying direct orders then you will be on the bench for the rest of the season." "Yes coach!" Coach walked off and I didn't know what to do. "Ok then." "Oh and Clifton. Don't go easy on them. Treat them like I treat them. They aren't listening. 5 laps." "Right. Ok then. Crews woods jones. Set up the 1v1 pitches. We are gonna have toddy team captain. Fin team captain. Now umm you ten with toddy you nine with fin. Toddy you have woods. Fin you have ginner and crews. Everyone. Choose a number from one to ten. Find the person who has the same number as you and when the pitches are set up toddy's team you're gonna start with the ball. I don't want you to do all these flicks and tricks. It only takes a second to score a goal. We don't need all these stepovers and everything. You have a shot you take it. Go." They all split off and coach messaged me some general training plans. I scrapped them. If we are gonna win this cup we need strategy. After about an hour of 1v1s I called them all in. "Right. Marquez and ummmmm tholmes you are both in net for your teams split off 11v11. Play it like you are playing for the champions league. Play it like it's our last match." "But Kev it's only training." "I don't care. You need to give 110%. No matter what it is. I didn't get scouted by Liverpool by relaxing in training. These sessions could decide whether you are ressie or starting XI. Now go." They all kicked off and I watched every single one of them. "Pernice. Don't go face on. What if he gets round you. Then you have to turn and try and catch up. Side on. There you go." The game went on and toddy's side won. "Boys. That's it. Done. Listen. I'm gonna give you each a player to watch their style of play. These are the best players in the world. Don't copy them. Don't attempt their tricks. Watch their positioning. Their stance. Their posture. Their focus. Neil. Modric. One of the best midfielders of our decade. Ali. I know you love Barca but watch ronaldo. Trust. Giovanni. Van Dijk. Watch how he takes people on side on. That stance is important. Gorka. Alisson Becker. Especially the semi final of the champions league against Barca." I gave everyone else a person and they all walked off and coach pulled me back. "Interesting. You want them to work their asses off here more than they do on the pitch." "I can't base tactics off of lazy performances. They have either drawn or lost every match I've been out of. That's because they don't work hard enough in training. You can only base tactics off of a replica of gameplay. It'll help. Honest." "And you want them to watch other people play to get better." "The body isn't everything. It's the stance. Virgil van Dijk. Has only ever been beaten by one player. He takes people on side on not face front. That's what I was telling Giovanni about. By going side on you can turn and accelerate faster than you would face on. It'll give them an inspiration. If they don't do it. They'll not progress and won't make it into the squad. Now. If you don't mind. I've got a date to pick up." I started walking. "Kevin you do know that they are playing sams team. These sudden changes could be bad." "Just makes me more certain they'll work." I walked up to the hall and Stacey was just coming out. "Good?" "Well I have a job so." "Wait he gave you the job." "Yeah. He wants me to single handedly train them for the final next weekend and then he'll decide whether I can keep the job or not. After all this is the schools team. For the reputations sake if not for mine." "I'm so happy for you." "Thanks. Come on. I'm taking you out." "Where." "That's a secret. Just go put something casual on." My mum dripped is off at home and when stacey came out she looked gorgeous.
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My jaw dropped and she smiled. "You like?" "Baby I love." I looked like a tramp compared to her.
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She smiled at me and kissed my cheek. "I tell you something I can't wait until this cast is off." "Yeah. Where we going anyway." "Oi oi oi. I've got you something first." I pulled a little box out of my pocket and gave it to her. "What's this." "Open it." She opened it and smiled. "Aww Kev." I put it on her and she kissed me. "Why?" "Because. You're my girlfriend best friend and I love you." It had a locket on it and inside it had engraved S&K 26.4.19 the day we started going out and a picture of us together. "Aww kevi. It's gorgeous." I smiled and she closed the locked at I grabbed her hand. "Come on. My mums dropping us off. Don't wanna get mugged." She laughed and we got in my mums car and she dropped us off at a an Indian restaurant and Stacey smiled. "I know you love this place." She nodded and we walked in and I had reserved a table so the waiter took us there and we both ordered a curry and Stacey just smiled at me. "I love you kev." "Love you two baby."
