The art of midfield

Kay took the book in his hands and noticed the familiar letters carved onto the cover. Opening it, he began reading. 

On the first page, he found a concise definition of the midfield role: To win a match, you must score goals, which is why we have an attack line. Equally important is preventing your opponent from scoring at your goal, hence the existence of the defensive line. 

When the defensive line intercepts the ball, they need to pass it to the attack line. However, the distance between these two lines is significant. 

Therefore, we require a third line that acts as a link between the attack and defense. 

This line is divided into both attacking and defensive roles, which is why midfielders are often categorized as attacking or defensive midfielders, playing a dual role on the field. 

Kay kept reading and found himself admiring the book's observations.

He noted that the book addressed several things that he had previously ignored. 

 As a former midfielder, he was surprised by the new details presented in the book, which provided a fresh viewpoint. 

He first attributed this to his  lack of experience. However, upon reflection, he discovered that none of the managers he had worked with had ever mentioned these issues to him. 

The book outlined three different midfielder positions: 

Defensive midfielder: Also known as the pivot, this player sits deeper compared to the rest of the midfield unit, offering additional cover for the defense. 

Attacking midfielder: Also known as the playmaker, is focused on offensive roles with fewer responsibilities in tracking back and supporting defense. Their main duty is to assist the forwards through passes, make supporting runs, and score goals themselves. 

Box-to-Box midfielder: A combination of the defensive and attacking midfielder, he is expected to cover the ground between the two 18-yard boxes - both their own and the opponents. This role requires extreme fitness and dynamism, as those who fill it successfully will generally rack up significantly more miles across the 90 minutes than any other position. It is the position where Kay used to play. 

The book also mentioned popular formations that emphasize midfield control, such as 3-4-3, 4-5-1, and others. 

Kay kept reading until he was nearing the end of the book when someone knocked on the door.

Wanting to avoid a repeat of the previous situation, Kay quickly stored the book in his inventory and then called out, "Come in." 

When the person at the door heard Kay's permission, he opened it. It was Max, who said, "Do you have a minute?" 

"Yes, sure!" 

He entered and pulled up a chair beside Kay, sitting down at his desk.

"It's about your contract with the team. I think we should visit the administration; it's been almost three months since the accident," Max said with a worried expression. 

"Okay, but let's not do it today. Let's go tomorrow," Kay replied, eager to finish reading the books before dealing with other matters. 

"Okay, let's plan for tomorrow at 10 am then. But for now, come join us for dinner," Max suggested. 

Kay looked out the window next to him and realized it was already night.

He had lost track of time while reading the books offered by the system. 

"Okay, I'm coming. You can go ahead; I'll follow in a few moments," replied Kay. 

"When you need to go downstairs, just call me to help you," Max suggested. 

"No, you don't need to. I can manage on my own now. I need to get used to my situation and I cannot rely on you forever," Kay insisted. 

"Alright, I'm going. Don't be late," Kay's father said as he left. 

Kay then retrieved the previous book from his inventory and continued reading the remaining pages.

After finishing, he placed it back in the system's inventory and went downstairs to have dinner with his family. 

With the help of his sticks, Kay was now more adept at walking and could manage to go downstairs without assistance. 

Kay sat at the table beside his father, waiting for his mother to bring dinner.

A few moments later, the joyful family gathered around the table to enjoy their lunch while participating in passionate conversation about a variety of topics. 

"Kay, what's your next step?" Reina inquired; her face filled with anxiety. When Kay heard his mother's question, he realized that she was concerned about his future. 

Max, too, heard his wife's question and felt it might not be the best time to discuss such topics just ninety days after the accident. 

However, before he could intervene to change the topic, Kay set down his fork, looked at his mother, and replied, "For now, I plan to become a football manager." 

When Max heard Kay's answer, he was shocked because it was the first time after the accident that Kay expressed a desire to become a football manager, seemingly abandoning his childhood dream of becoming a player. 

Despite his surprise, Max felt proud of his son for quickly moving past the accident and focusing on the future.

He realized that Kay had undergone a significant change since the accident, and in Max's view, it was for the better. 

"Are you certain about your decision? Coaching is quite different from playing football," responded Max. 

"Yes, I'm sure. I've carefully considered my options and believe that becoming a football coach is the best path for me," Kay replied confidently. 

"Kay, your mother and I are incredibly proud of you for how quickly you've recovered back from the accident and for considering your future options," said his father, beaming with happiness and placing a hand on Reina's shoulder. 

"Thank you, Dad, Mom. But you should know that I haven't forgotten or sacrificed my dreams. My dream was always to become a superstar in the world of football, and I believe I can achieve that by becoming a coach," Kay replied with determination. 

"I think the accident had some benefits, not just damages," said Reina. 

"Yes, I agree. But Kay, as I recently read, you can't become a manager for official teams nowadays without certificates," remarked Kay, recalling what he had read recently. 

"Yes, I know. So, I've already decided that I will enroll in a coaching school as soon as possible, and I will search for the best one," Kay replied. 

"But I think they are very expensive," Max expressed his concern. 

"Money isn't a problem. I will receive a huge sum from the insurance agency. As you know, a football player's foot is the most valuable thing he has, and I lost it, so they should compensate generously." Kay added with a grin on his face. 

"Okay, at least there is some good news. So, did you search for schools or not yet?" asked his father. 

"No, not yet. But I looked into some general things and found that I have about a month before the end of the registration period." 

After discussing Kay's future at the dinner table, the family concluded their meal, and Kay headed upstairs to his room.

He sat at his desk and retrieved the third book from his system's inventory. 

After his discussion with his parents, he felt even more determined to pursue his dreams.

Without waiting for morning, he started reading the book right away. 

See you in the next chapter ...

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