THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
Post Match Team Talks Coach Johansen

After the match, Zachary received the match ball from officials for scoring a hat-trick. He felt a surge of happiness envelop him ever since he took the first step to complete the mission of the system.

He recalled the final minutes of the game when he executed Cruyff's turn and dribbled Elastico. He was in perfect harmony with the ball, unlike before in both of his lives. It seemed like that was the reason he was able to execute a skill that only he trained in his past life. He made a mental note to investigate that state of mind further during the next game.

There were no post-match interviews in the Riga Cup. So, Zachary and his team-mates walked quietly back to the dressing room. They had depleted all their stamina reserves, defending against Riga's relentless attack in the last minutes.

When they reached the dressing room, they found Coach Johansen in a somber mood. There was a tension in his demeanor that was shown by the firmness of his face. Eyebrows wrinkling. His eyes, stiff and cold. His presence alone seemed to cool the air in the dressing room. He immediately directed his gaze at the players of the NF academy once they entered.

Robin Jatta sits at the other end of the locker room with his face covered in both hands. Zachary walked up to him and patted his shoulder. "We won the game" he told the centre-back before sitting next to him to take off his match outfit. He did not want his team-mate to remain saddled with guilt, thinking he had sealed his team's fall. Zachary can't help but wonder why Coach Johansen didn't bother telling the defender about their win.

The middle defender turned his head towards her, smiling little. "Thank you" he whispered back, looking more relaxed.

"No need to worry" continued Zachary, his voice almost whispering. "In this tournament, you will only be suspended for two games. You can return to the team in the quarter-finals."

He tried his best to arouse the spirit of his sad teammates as he changed into a dark blue sportswear. Coach Johansen remained silent, waiting for the players to finish changing clothes.

All the players, except Zachary and Robin, had stopped mumbling. They were smart enough to realize that the coach was disappointed with their second-half performance.

"It was a really terrible second half" Coach Johansen said, breaking the silence. A faint laugh, unlike usual, accompanied his words.

All the players in the dressing room remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"You played a good game in the first half" continued Coach Johansen, his voice flat with no emotion. "You managed to keep all their attackers out of our box—and the whole team maintained a high level of discipline and focus. Can anyone tell me what happened in the second half?" He stopped, letting his gaze explore all the players in the dressing room.

No player wants to answer because they have long been used to the rhetorical question.

The coach shook his head and sighed. “I always stress the importance of staying sharp until the end of the game. You have to stay focused, whether you win or lose. Any loss of concentration will lead to mistakes like the one in today's game. And, when you start making mistakes, the inevitable conclusion is a loss ... "

Zachary can see that the coach is trying his best to get the message into the heads of the players in the shortest possible time. He repeated himself several times, giving an example of how different tight situations in a match— could have been avoided. He only stopped his talk when Coach Bjorn told him that the next team would come into the dressing room.

The coach glanced at his watch before adding a few closing words. "Let me end by asking this: Do you know what will happen if you lose the opening game? A match where you've gone three goals ahead in the first half!" His voice changed softly.

He started moving around the dressing room, staring at each player as he spoke. "You won't be happy with yourself for losing the game. You will feel nothing but disappointment over the next few days and it will be difficult to showcase the best in the next game series. Our tournament is likely to end right there. Then, you will be filled with regret and nothing can be shown for all your hard work."

"Is that what you want?" Coach Johansen asked, his voice slightly raised.

The players remained silent, under the impression it was one of his rhetorical questions.

"Take me," he shouted, his voice tinged with anger.

"No, coach," all the players answered more or less in unison.

Coach Johansen sat back at one of the tables, smiling gently. "I hope everyone in this team understands that we are here to win the tournament" he said, his voice soft. Nonetheless, it still carried over to every corner of the room.

"To win a tournament, we need dedication. You have to play every game like a final. You have to do your best in every second of the game until you hear the final whistle. That is whether you are winning or losing. And ', that's the only way we can get a chance to fight for this trophy." He emphasized the last sentence.

“Remember, we are what we do repeatedly. Playing well in a match is not an act but a habit developed over a period of time. This habit of playing like a champion must be honed until we become a part of ourselves. That's how we become great in football. . That is the only way to become a great player who can compete in a professional league. Otherwise, you will forever remain an amateur or pretend. Are we clear?"

All players nodded. Some players clenched their fists, their eyes glittering—like impatient to play the next game. Zachary is delighted the coach has delivered a thrilling speech right after the game. The message seemed to be reaching home.

Coach Johansen smiled. "Let this match be a lesson to all of you. I don't want to see any cheating in the game against BK Frem on Wednesday morning." His tone was grim.

"We'll meet again tomorrow morning for a workout. I hope you're all in the hotel lobby by 8 a.m. We will leave by bus and train at one of the fitness centers in the city. But today, I expect you to watch the match between Genoa and BK Frem. They are our direct competitors in this group. They are tough nuts to break, but we have to face them and keep winning." Coach Johansen added in a convincing tone.