Chapter 24- We Must Qualify!
Jude and I ran up to the crowd of players after realizing who the superstars were, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney talking to the team, we joined our teammates and listened to the old tactics they used and ways they played, one of these being similar to Ten Hag's special reverse strategy, where the strikers and midfielder switch in an unorthodox way.
Rooney did rounds of the team occasionally stopping to say a few words to each player, he nodded at Jude and said that he had immense talent, the pride of England, but when he walked up to me, Wayne Rooney split into a large smile, "If it isn't the star of United, Adria Randin himself, or as the fans call you Goaldin! You have a bright future kid, you remind me of myself, do well!"
"Will do Wayne!"
Steven Gerrard's reaction was similar, eventually, we were speaking so much we were holding up training so we stood to the side to talk about our roles and the difficulty of being a midfielder, and a captain, we sympathized!
I thanked the legends before running towards where the team was standing, Southgate looked at each one of us, dead in the eye, a if we were about to do a very demanding challenge, I could see Wayne and Steven grinning in the background, I didn't realise why until Southgate screamed, "100 laps of the field, slow down and I'll double it, for everyone!"
We were doing laps and finally, I fell into pace with Jude, Declan, and James and we began talking about how much we hated laps, I didn't complain too much, my pace stat was just two away from 100. I would do anything for my first 100 stat. Speaking of 100, I turned my smartwatch on and holographically displayed the list of the best players in the world right now, based on form, at the top of the list was Mohammed Salah for consistency, a whopping, 99-rated player. the list went on, and I found myself in 45th place in Europe, and 65th in the world, Jude was higher than me in both by just one.
Eventually, our 100 laps came to an end and we got ready for the starting eleven vs reserve eleven match. I was on the starting eleven sides and we were doing a 4-3-1-2 formation this was our team:
Pickford, Walker, Maguire, Stones, Shaw(United), Foden, Saka, Bellingham, me, Kane and Rashford.
Rashford and Kane played up in front as strikers, I played as Cam/Cf right behind them and Jude stood behind me as a cm, Foden on the left and Bukayo on the right, we had Luke Shaw and Walker as full backs and Maguire and Stones as center backs, Pickford in goal too. It was a solid team. The other team was just the younger ones or the leftovers.
The ball kicked off and Kane's pass found me, I was eager to show off and as Rice charged at me, (he was on the other team) I rainbow flicked him and ran on, eventually I hit a block, but I picked out Jude and he ran forward while I accelerated onto the right flank, Jude passed the ball to me seeing my move and I threaded the ball past our reserve full back, Ezri Konsa and onto the feet of Bukayo Saka who brought the ball even further up and cut the ball to me while I was just outside the penalty box...
Seeing this I curved the ball into the air and over the heads of Chillwell and Dunk, to the boot of Harry Kane who finished it with ease using his sturdy left foot. We shook hands and walked back to our half and we stole the ball again, it really wasn't much of a contest as the upper half of the reserve team couldn't keep the ball for more than 5 seconds at a time.
I ran forward and when I was a few yards outside the penalty box I struck the ball...
A smash that made Southgate put his hand to his ears...
The ball curved past Aaron Ramsdale as it usually did anyway 😈 ad found the top bins, we weren't going to learn anything playing against shitter versions of ourselves and I couldn't help but look forward to the qualifier match tommorow, the feeling of excitement just wouldn't wash off, I kept thinking about it through the training match which we won 6-0 and through the zonal training where I was praised as a good playmaker and I was only able to calm down when I got into bed.
It was a mix of responsibility, fear, hunger to win, and nerves. But I put all; of this aside and focused on being at my best for tomorrow, and I thought of scoring a goal for England in the World Cup final as I drifted off to sleep.