Chapter 461: The Last Meeting - The Coach’s Announcement
This...
This was definitely the meat of the conversation tonight, the one that was enough to twist the boys’ stomachs instantly from fear, excitement, and anxiety. After all, at the end of the day, this was what they had been aiming for since the beginning.
Kageyama-sensei didn’t continue straight away, just pausing for a second. The man sure knew how to build tension here. A sadistic person he was, the man truly enjoyed the squirmed and sweated expression on the boys’ faces, knowing that their fate was completely in his hands.
"23 players... If we take out the goalkeepers from the equation, that only means 20 slots for the outfielders, right? Now, how should I distribute them?" He pondered not-so-quietly.
All the eyes snapped at the three goalkeepers on the corner of the room, every single one of them filled with envy. Wakahara was, of course, the smuggest one of the bunch. Being the worst one among the three and not having a chance to play, he still got chosen to be in the national team. That sure was a huge flex, especially in front of the main players who still didn’t know whether they would be able to survive or not.
"I still don’t know how to pick it. Maybe a normal composition of 7 defenders, 7 midfielders, and 6 attackers will do, or maybe I will offset one balance for another depending on the situation. However, I can assure you that the selection will be fair based on your performance here and the team’s needs. So, just go back to your original team and don’t worry about this selection too much."
Well, it was easier for the man to say that, but for the players, there was no way they wouldn’t feel any worry. After all, playing for the national team was everyone’s dream, and it was for the World Cup, nonetheless. This was like the pinnacle of the career for most boys in the country, so there was no way they wouldn’t feel anything when they were just one step away from that dream.
"One month from now, May 5th, the end of the Golden Week, will be the day when the official announcement will be made." The man finally spoke again. "During that time, I will also communicate with your team. If I got a report that you are slacking off during that time or your performance is getting worse, don’t worry, you can forget your dream to be here."
Everyone gulped instantly when they heard that. The man’s aura didn’t change at all, as if talking about the weather outside. However, they all knew that he was dead serious. He would continue monitoring them like an obsessive parent, always being ready at any time to scold them, even during a phone call, whenever he found them getting worse.
"For those who will not make the list, don’t worry. This is not your only chance in life." Kageyama-sensei continued, but this time his tone was softer. "You might not know this, but so many players in the national team didn’t have a chance to shine in their youth. They emerge only after showing their shine in the professional team. Your career is still long, so don’t dwell too much on one failure."
After this, the man explained more information, the precautions needed, and so many things that were enough to give the players a headache. Fortunately, he also recognized that his words started to escape from the boys’ heads, so he finally stopped his long and unnecessary explanation.
"Anyway, just remember that you have one month before the announcement is made, and after that, I hope that we can still meet each other again in the future!"
"YES, SENSEI!"
After that, the meeting was finally over, and the crowd was dismissed. This time, no one forgot to thank the girls, knowing that they had done a lot for the team.
At first, Higo and Makino wanted to wait so that they could talk to Kumiko. However, they were unfortunate, because Naoya and Tagawa caught them offhandedly before dragging them to the canteen together with the rest of the team.
"Come on! You can talk to her later!"
"Yeah! Women will only slow down the speed of your sword drawing! Hang out with your friends more!"
In the end, they just apologized silently to Kumiko as those two couldn’t escape their fate right now. If before, they were just small characters who only a few cared about, this time, after today’s game was over, everyone knew that they would be important players in the future, and they all were eager to make a good connection with the Hakodate Nishi duo.
"So, you both haven’t had a team yet, right? I am sure so many offers have been sent to you, so which one would you pick?" Someone suddenly asked.
Both Makino and Higo were quiet for a moment before the former opened his mouth first. "Me? I got an offer from Yokohama F.C., and they are pretty genuine about it. I think I will see their offer later, after the graduation day is over."
"Yokohama F.C., huh? That’s not a bad team..." Someone hummed in approval.
"Yeah, at least that team is willing to trust young players more than anyone else." The others followed. "You will be quick to get called into the main team. Compared to that, in any other team, you will have to wait in the junior team for at least one year or two if you are lucky, some would even ask you to join the University League to get more playing minutes."
Some of them shuddered at the mention of that league. Not that they looked down on the University League, since it was the birthplace of so many brilliant players in the past, but after receiving guidance from a professional team, going there seemed like a downgrade for them.
"What about you, Higo-kun?" Ito suddenly asked the goalkeeper. "I haven’t heard which team you are joining. I am sure so many big teams are willing to recruit you, right?"
Facing the gazes from the rest of the team, Higo just rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, muttering, "I will try my luck with German’s team..."
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