Football System: Classic Number 10
Episode 8: Selection Day (Part 2)

The first section of the Cananga Mining Football Academy's new member selection exercise has been completed. The first selection ends marked by dexterity exercises.

As usual, the last-placed team will be excluded from the group, and as usual I finish in the middle again and again.

Not because of the mission that the system gave me, the new mission did not appear again since the endurance exercise earlier. Then after that I just live it with all my abilities while hoping I avoid the brink of death.

My stamina alone is arguably critical after undergoing training after training for almost half a day and lucky we were given a short rest before continuing to the next exercise. However, despite being given a short break I still can not remove this fatigue with a moment, I think, but I have an Energy Booster that can remove this tiredness after completing the first training mission that I stored in the system inventory room.

To pick it up, I pretended to take the drink that was inside my bag while I opened the system inventory room, then after that I took out the bottle of Energy Booster and a little surprised to see the color of the water is bright green like toxic liquid in old superhero movies. Although the color is green like that, but the water is so cold as it just came out of the refrigerator and looks very refreshing.

As soon as I saw it I immediately drank it regardless of how it looked like toxic liquid, I also did not care what happened to my body whether it turned me into a mutant creature or not haha. After drinking it, it was so refreshing and my fatigue seemed to just disappear and I was even more excited to follow the second training session.

Derry approached me with his bottle. "You drink what is Rizaldi?"

I was a little panicked and confused after being asked like that, I also felt a little guilty for having this super drink and not being able to tell them all, then I just answered that. "It's melon juice!" That's my answer so simple and also a little stupid.

But it seems Derry believes it. "Oh that's melon juice huh? I think it's a super drink that can make the lost energy so filled again, stupidly I where there is a drink like that is Rizaldi"

"Yes yes Derry, where there is such a drink in this world hahaha" I laughed with forced to cover it up, almost the secret I had could be uncovered.

Derry continued his conversation with me. "What will the second exercise be like? After the first session we have to fight from the training session like the devil"

"I also don't know what the second practice session will be like, but I think we'll play a mini game"

"Mini games? You mean we're going to compete by being divided into 2 groups like that?"

"Yes!" Answer's short. "Given all the exercises we've gone and only mini games left"

Derry's eyes stared deep into the field, down each side. "I hope we're one more team and also I hope we fight that guy named Yoga! I want to destroy it"

I also hope so, but I just nodded slowly because not necessarily Coach will pair me back one group with Derry. It could be that I am a group with Yoga, even so I will still give my best to pass this selection.

It did not feel like the time we were chatting, the break was also over. The instructors told us all to quickly gather. I saw all of their faces, the variety and variety of expressions that I see today, just like I saw before.

But for this time I saw more tired faces than all of them, of course they were because they were the ones who managed to survive the hell level training in the first session. Of the 100 people who were there this morning before the first practice session began, now there are only 34 people left. It is fair that Cananga Mining is known as a Football Academy that is famous for being very strict with admissions selection, even last year they only received 2 participants.

But you could say the thing they do is very reasonable, because Cananga Mining itself is a team that plays in the I-League. The highest league in Indonesia and even had won it 2 times. And a candidate who passes the selection like us can play in the I-League Youth, in other words we can be a professional player!

For that the price paid was also not playing games, starting from the terrible exercise of their selection and also the exorbitant pay! Yes exorbitant!

You think I didn't pay to come in here? I already know the details if later I'm accepted in and Mom made sure to pay for everything. I'm not really good either, but my mother kept forcing me to go to another Football Academy and to make up for it I had to pass the selection and get into the first team in order to become a pro and be able to pay off that debt so big on my mom.

"Consideration!" The instructor who was supervising my group earlier, coach Giovanni was speaking in front. "Congratulations to those of you who have fought to the fullest and got to this stage, applaud yourself first"

We were all clapping but not so loud and festive, for everyone was nervous to see the gloomy and sinister figure of Coach Giovanni.

"Okay, now you're going to practice the second session. Exercise this time is a mini game, you will be divided into 2 teams that each have 6 substitutes. The game time is 2 times 30 minutes" Coach Giovanni explained the rules of the mini game this time.

"The players and the division of the team, me and the others who will determine it, are there any questions?"

We were all silent with no one to speak at all, then Coach Giovanni split the team and the line-up. It turns out I was a team with Derry in team B, but unfortunately I became a reserve player. We are going to fight Yoga who is on team A.

After determining the composition of the player, the mini game was started. Before starting, Coach Giovanni again said a word to motivate and warn.

The second training session started and I can now only see from the side of the field for now, I don't know why I even remember my days before getting the system if I watched them all from the side of the field like this. But I'm still sure there will be time for me to play on that pitch.

Coach Giovanni was sitting next to me, he looked at me for a moment and then started to focus back on the ongoing game.

The new game runs 7 minutes, team A has got a very good chance. Measured hull feed from team A midfielder named Ujang, wrongly anticipated by my team's defenders. The ball was successfully obtained by Yoga and Yoga doing first-time kicks very well.

Luckily, I have a great partner. A last doorstop keeper, a very good goalkeeper in my opinion, the Derry. Derry managed to stop Yoga's first-time kick, although he could only pull it off and get the ball out, a corner for team A.

Corner football cannot be used well by team A, players who execute corner football instead kicked the ball so deep that it was easily captured by Derry.

For 15 minutes, team A continuously gives team B a high press. Even team B can not hold the ball long enough, before it will finally be taken back by team A and back in attack bertubi. Yoga itself has recorded 5 kicks on target in 15 minutes, lucky we still have Derry but something like this is also not beneficial for all of us. There are times when Derry will concede if in a situation that is more favorable to team A, we are saved by the attitude of Yoga who always kicks the ball every time he gets the ball, though there are so many options when he was in our penalty box.

"So you're also aware of that Ward Prowse!" Coach Giovanni suddenly spoke to himself, and it made my heart beat in shock.

Even the coach called me Ward Prowse! I'm not happy, I'm embarrassed. "Rizaldi coach!" I cleared up Coach Giovanni's misunderstanding.

"The player named Yoga Hilmawan is indeed a great and good pure striker, but unfortunately not good enough because it is not calm at the time in the penalty box. Tranquility is one of the keys an attacker must have. What's Ward Prowse in your position?" Looks like coach Giovanni didn't listen to what I said earlier.

I answered him slowly too. "Casino coach"

"So it doesn't matter if I call Ward Prowse? Or do you want to be called KDB?"

"Call me Rizaldi coach" I begged, but again I was ignored.

He continued to explain the situation on the ground to me and I also responded several times to him and it made him a little surprised, because what I say some of them is a solution or answer to the deadlock that occurs in team B or why team A still can not score one goal against team B even though they pressing from the first minute.

"The key is in the three midfield players who can not manage their midfield and make the circulation of the ball a little hampered, the defensive midfielder is also always late to help close the space or help the defense" I said after seeing that match.

I saw from the corner of my eyes, coach Giovanni's eyes sparkled slightly and I could also see a small smile on his lips even though his face was still the same as before. "You are Ward Prowse!" she said then she stood up and left me to blow the whistle that signaled the first round was over.

Until the first half ended this, Derry showed his great qualities as a former retainer of Buceros. He recorded 5 important saves in the first half and made Hilmawan Yoga so frustrating.

"I'm not going to let that guy score against the goal that I'm guarding" Derry said, drinking cold water given by the instructors.

"You're playing good Derry, keep going like that!" I gave a little encouragement as a friend and comrade-in-arms.

"You are also Rizaldi, you should be able to show your shrewdness in the second half"

I was a little confused by what Derry said earlier, before Coach Giovanni finally came to the B team place and explained the formation and also the arrangement of players who will play in the second half later.

"Ward Prowse! I want to see you play in the second round!" he's the one who still calls me Ward Prowse.

Derry smiled, I was busy gawking because I didn't believe this. But I will fight hard and give my all to answer the trust given by the coach. "Good coach! Thank you, I will fight hard to turn things around in the second half" I said with a fiery spirit.

The second half started, I confidently entered the field. I felt like I was walking on a wide pitch and a lot of spectators like at Old Trafford, the Etihad Stadium or Anfield that had a magical atmosphere, even though it was just my imagination.

Yoga looked at me in disbelief, but a moment later he again underestimated me as before. I will prove it today, the day that I will defeat the figure of Yoga Hilmawan and also the figure of myself who was initially too afraid to go forward.

The second half whistle started!