The Striker

by Deborah Abela

  ‘It’s for the good of soccer,’ Jasper answered quietly.

  ‘So you keep saying, but it’s not doing any good for my nerves. Did you see how many people are in that audience? The next time you volunteer me for anything, let me know about it first, will you?’

  Jasper could see Nannu was nervous, but he also knew how stubborn he was, and if Nannu didn’t want to be here, there was no way Jasper could have made it happen.

  Nannu had made a huge fuss when Jasper had first told him about the deal with Higsy and Richy. He’d stomped around the flat, throwing his hands in the air and complaining about people wanting a piece of him. But then he’d spent the next few hours working out what he would wear, and trying out old soccer stories on Jasper to see which ones worked the best.

  ‘It’s not that I mind, it’s just that it’s been a long time since I’ve been interviewed. What if I muck it up or say something stupid? What if I fart? I fart when I’m nervous, you know that.’

  Nannu turned around to see Jasper looking down at his hands.

  He stopped his pacing. ‘Jasper?’

  ‘Did I do the wrong thing, Nannu?’ he asked quietly. ‘About Aamir?’

  Nannu suddenly forgot about his nerves and sat beside Jasper.

  ‘No, you didn’t do the wrong thing, you just went about it in a bent kind of way.’

  ‘I meant to fix everything so Aamir could play soccer again, but I think I’ve wrecked it forever. What if, when you were a kid, you were told you could never play soccer again?’

  ‘I’d be pretty upset, but you have to respect what Aamir’s dad has said. He’s doing what he thinks is best.’ Nannu paused. ‘How are you and the coach?’

  Jasper slumped even further into the lounge. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so angry.’

  Nannu smiled. ‘He’ll calm down. I’ve made a few of my coaches furious in their day and they all got over it.’

  The door opened. ‘Come with me, please.’

  The two were led down a corridor, and Nannu was taken backstage while Jasper was directed towards the audience door.

  ‘Good luck,’ Jasper whispered as his grandad disappeared from view.

  ‘Welcome back, and now to the part of the show I have waited twenty years for. Don’t you reckon, Higsy?’

  ‘It has to be at least twenty, Richy. We’re about to meet a man who not only played soccer, he lived it.’

  ‘That’s right, Higsy. He was light on his feet, skilled with the ball and one of the finest men I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. He hasn’t done many interviews since he hung up his boots, but today we have the privilege of his company. Please welcome Skippy Zammit.’

  Jasper watched from the audience as his grandad walked onto the stage as if he owned it. The nervous man in the green room was gone and had been replaced with this smiling man who waved at the audience and had them in stitches at his old stories. He talked about meeting all the greats, of soccer being the truly beautiful game, and how there was no greater feeling in his life than pulling on the green and gold and playing for his country.

  He then looked straight into Jasper’s eyes. ‘Except for my family.’

  ‘We believe you have some family in the audience today,’ Higsy prompted.

  ‘Sure do,’ Nannu’s chest puffed up proudly. ‘There’s my grandson, Jasper.’

  The cameras switched so that Jasper’s stunned face was plastered all over the screens in close-up. There was a titter of laughter throughout the audience.

  ‘Jasper, eh? Why doesn’t Jasper come down here and join us?’ Richy asked.

  Jasper froze. If he went down there he’d fall, he’d make a fool of himself, he’d be the one that would fart. He couldn’t go down! But the floor manager had him by the elbow and was leading him to the stage.

  ‘Welcome to the show, Jasper.’

  Jasper sat beside his grandad and couldn’t say a word.

  ‘I bet you’re proud of your grandad, eh?’

  Jasper gave a stiff nod.

  ‘I also bet you have a story or two to tell us?’

  Jasper panicked. All he could do was nod.

  Nannu came in and saved him. ‘He’s a fine player himself, and one day he may even be slipping on a Socceroos shirt too.’

  The audience cheered and whistled and the interview went on. Jasper didn’t hear much of it. He sat beside Nannu just staring into the lights until they played old footage of his grandad in action. It was stuff he’d never seen before, with his Nannu doing moves just like Maradona or Pele.

  Jasper relaxed and his face slowly melted into a proud smile as he sat between his grandad and two of the greatest commentators he knew.

  JOHNNY SAYS:

  When I was growing up, there was no soccer on TV, but we’d go to the games and watch the older players, then practise their moves. Now, anyone can watch the very best players on TV and learn how they play the game. But don’t just practise their moves – look at their training as well, how they warm-up and warm-down. Have a go at home!

  ‘Yeah, but do you think you could get me on TV as well?’

  Tricky couldn’t get over the fact that Jasper had been on Higsy and Richy’s show but hadn’t recommended they do a story on him.

  ‘I’d be perfect for it.’

  ‘Maybe that’s why they haven’t asked you yet, they’re too in awe of your greatness,’ Josie stirred.

  The other Rovers giggled as they took their seats in the local hall for the talent show the parents had been threatening them with for weeks.

  ‘Have you seen Noggin?’ Diego asked.

  ‘He was out the front going through the trick he’s doing with his dad,’ Lil answered.

  ‘Without any injuries?’ Angus asked hopefully.

  ‘He had his ear bandaged up.’

  ‘He’d better survive tonight.’ Nutmeg shook his head. ‘We need him if we’re going to have a chance at the finals.’ He paused. ‘Especially now that we don’t have Aamir.’

  Jasper looked down guiltily. Even though Aamir had only been in the team for a few weeks, he’d become part of the Rovers and had brought a level of confidence to their play they would miss.

  ‘Hey, look.’ Josie spotted Aamir and his family standing at the door.

  The Rovers watched as Coach Wallace walked over to meet them.

  ‘Maybe he’s coming back,’ Lil whispered. ‘Come on.’

  They piled out of their seats and wove through the crowd.

  ‘Welcome.’ The coach held out his hand to Aamir’s dad. ‘I’m glad you could make it.’

  Aamir’s father shifted his feet and gave a quick look to his wife, who nodded encouragingly.

  ‘My family has faced many troubles in our lives, but now we can live in peace. I thought that was all we would need – peace. But when I watched Aamir on TV and saw him playing soccer, I saw that he was also happy. I want to see him smile again.’

  He stopped as if the words caught in his throat.

  ‘My children have never disobeyed me before. It made me realise how important this game is to them, that Aamir would go against my wishes, just to play soccer. It is true that Aamir is very good, but that is not enough reason to play soccer. It is also because, as Mr Zammit said, soccer brings people together.’ He paused. ‘If it is okay, we would like Aamir to play soccer again.’

  Coach Wallace threw out his chest like he was about to accept a medal from the queen. ‘We would be honoured if Aamir would come back to our team.’

  Nadia and her mother laughed, and the two men shook hands so vigorously Jasper and Lil had to back out of the way. Aamir’s dad started laughing too. He was so happy, he shouted into the air, grabbed Coach Wallace and pulled him in for a bear-squeezing hug.

  Aamir looked at Jasper with a smile on his face that was lit up from inside.

  ‘Goal?’ he asked.

  Jasper chuckled. It was the most perfect thing Aamir could have said.

  ‘Yep. I’d say that was a goal!’

  �
�Me too,’ Aamir grinned.

  Finally Aamir’s dad put the coach down.

  ‘Let’s get this fundraiser underway,’ said Coach Wallace.

  Aamir’s parents were whisked away to join the adults who again spoke with big gestures to their smiling but slightly confused faces.

  Again, in his stumbling way, the coach walked up to the stage to make a speech, only this time he didn’t have that scrunched-up look on his face he usually had. This time he looked like he might even enjoy it. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to take your seats.’

  The hall was packed with people who filed into the rows of seats. Nadia followed Aamir to sit with the Rovers.

  ‘It was that TV show that really changed my father’s mind,’ Nadia whispered to Jasper.

  ‘Higsy and Richy’s show?’

  ‘Yes. He was very angry when we got home from the game, but later the TV station called to say the time Aamir would be on TV the next day. He watched the clock all day until it was time. He could not take his eyes away. He taped it and has watched it many times. Then his friends started calling to say how good Aamir was and they came over to watch it with him. He was so proud that in such a short time his son was being talked about as a future star.’

  Jasper smiled. ‘We’re glad he’s back.’

  ‘Me too. Thank you, Jasper Zammit.’

  ‘Okay everyone, settle down,’ Coach interrupted. ‘You know I’m someone who doesn’t like this part, so I’ll make it quick. I’d like to congratulate the Rovers for being such a fine young team. Even though I probably don’t say it enough, it’s a pleasure to coach them and I’m prouder than any coach can be of what they have achieved as people and as players.’

  There was an instant outburst of cheers and applause.

  Coach held up his hand. ‘That’s enough. We don’t want them getting fat heads. Thank you all for coming tonight. As you know, all the teams in the comp are doing their bit to raise money to spruce up the dressing sheds, and what you’re about to see is our contribution. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show.’

  There was an even bigger roar of applause, cheers and whistles.

  Lil sat beside Jasper and squeezed his hand.

  Jasper felt a bolt shoot through his whole body, and he was glad that at just that moment the lights went down, because he knew his whole face looked like it had instant sunburn.

  The performances began. There were mums dressed as can-can dancers with frilly skirts, four bald guys singing in a barber-shop quartet, and a guy playing what he said was the Australian anthem with a pair of spoons banged against his thigh.

  Lil’s dad played the piano accordion, only he was pretty good at it.

  Nippy and her sister did some tumbling that they’d learnt from their holiday circus program, and a man who claimed his chicken could cluck a medley of Elvis Presley songs had to carry her off when all she did was sit there and squawk like a regular chicken.

  Then it was Jasper’s mum and dad’s turn.

  Jasper’s mouth went dry as he worried his parents would belt out some ancient love song that sounded more like wounded animals than humans singing.

  It was worse.

  To his complete embarrassment, they sang a Celine Dion love song as a duet with the karaoke machine as backup. Thankfully, halfway through, the machine packed it in and they couldn’t go on.

  Jasper thought it was because the machine couldn’t handle it, but he would never tell them that.

  ‘Bad luck, Mum and Dad,’ he whispered as they walked off the stage and down the aisle. ‘I’ve been looking forward to your performance all week.’

  ‘Thanks, Son.’ Jasper’s dad held the dead machine in his arms. ‘Don’t worry, we’ve organised a karaoke party at our house.’

  Jasper was horrified. ‘Great.’

  Finally the time came for the main act. Noggin’s father had asked if they could be last on the bill to end the night with a big finish, but from the state Noggin was in, it could be the finish of him altogether.

  ‘You can do it, Noggin!’ Lil yelled out.

  Noggin stood nervously on stage as the coach introduced them.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Great Magnifico and his assistant, the Great Noggin.’

  There was a rousing applause that made Noggin even more nervous.

  Noggin’s dad pulled a large satin sheet off a tall wardrobe-sized box called the Ancient Cabinet of Mystery.

  ‘As you can see, the box is completely empty.’ Noggin’s dad nodded to him and he opened the doors to the audience.

  ‘And there are no secret exits at the back. It is completely solid.’

  Noggin twirled the Cabinet of Mystery around on its wheels while his dad tapped a cane against the back.

  ‘The Great Magnifico will now place the Great Noggin inside and make him disappear.’

  ‘Maybe we should all say goodbye now?’ Tricky joked.

  ‘If we could only work out how to get you into one of them, life would be perfect,’ Josie smiled.

  ‘What, and deprive the girls of this world of all my talent and good looks? They’d never recover.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Nippy said. ‘I’m sure I’d be fine in time.’

  Noggin looked at his team-mates before stepping inside the cabinet. His dad locked the doors and muttered some mumbo jumbo, ‘Ali octum ova marvum, disappearum!’

  He waved his cane at the box and a large plume of smoke rose all around it.

  There were a few gasps from the audience.

  ‘And now, as you will see, the Great Noggin has disappeared.’

  Noggin’s dad opened the door. Noggin wasn’t there.

  ‘He did it!’ Jasper stared wide-eyed. ‘Noggin actually performed a magic trick.’

  The applause rose high into the rafters of the hall. There were whistles and cheers and cries of ‘more’, but during all the fuss the Cabinet of Mystery started making knocking noises and a strangled scream came from within.

  The box swayed and rocked until it toppled over and crashed with a heavy thud to the stage floor.

  The coach and a few adults raced to the stage. A secret inner door had burst open, revealing a white-faced Noggin. ‘There was a huntsman spider in there.’

  ‘At least that will be the last of his magic career,’ Diego said with relief.

  As the parents fussed over Noggin on the stage, Jasper looked round at his laughing team-mates. He wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else in the world. He had a great family (as long as they didn’t sing), the most loyal Maltese terrier in the world, and was a player in the best soccer team around.

  With the finals only weeks away, they had a very good shot at the big one, as long as Noggin stayed away from any more magic tricks and Tricky stopped showing off in front of girls. And now that he had no intention of punching anyone again on the field, not even Badger, they might just make it all the way to the top.

  Backpass: A pass directed back to the goalie when you’re smothered by opponents and have no other options. Just be sure you don’t pull a Jasper and score on your own team. Keep the pass just wide of the goal.

  Backs: The defensive positions in soccer. Your duty is to protect your back third of the field from attacking players. Don’t stray too far away from your duties; a clean breakaway from the opposition will leave your goalie helpless.

  Ball: The round thing you kick and chase. Soccer games are a lot more fun with this little device.

  Boofhead: Something Jasper is called when he’s been caught daydreaming on the soccer field and ends up scoring an own goal for the other team. This is a good one to try to avoid.

  Chip: A short kick over an opponent to a team-mate. If a goalie wanders too far out of the goal area, this kick can be used for a cheeky goal.

  Corner kick: If a defending player is the last to touch the ball before it goes out of bounds over the goal line, the attacking side gets a free kick from the corner arc at the nearest corner flagpost. This is a great opportunity to crowd the goal area
and go for a winning header.

  Cross: Passing the ball across the field in the direction of an open player. An accurate cross is deadly to defenders because they’re more focused on you than your team-mates.

  Curve ball (also known as a bent or banana ball): When the ball is kicked across its side, causing it to spin and fly in a curve. Great for passing to avoid defenders or confuse a goalkeeper. This is David Beckham’s bread-and-butter and few do it better.

  Dribbling: Running fast and in control with the ball at your feet. This essential soccer skill lets you evade an opponent or break away from a pack of defenders, opening up chances to score down the field.

  Feint: Making an opponent think you’re dribbling in one direction and going in the opposite direction. Feints are skilled, practised moves, not just hocus pocus. Brazilians players like Ronaldo are known for faking out opponents. Olè!

  Flick: A quick, often unexpected pass with your foot or head. Skilled players are good flickers.

  Forwards: The offensive positions in soccer. Your job is simple: keep the ball in your offensive side of the field, make clean passes to set up your team-mates and, if the opportunity is there, put the ball in the back of the net. If you’re a ‘striker’, you’re the go-to-forward with the best chance to score.

  Free kick: A kick awarded to the fouled team at the spot where the foul happened. The ball must be stationary before the kick. In an indirect free kick, opposing players must stand at least 9.15 metres away from the ball, often shoulder-to-shoulder in a wall. A direct free kick means no one stands between you and the goal. Which means you have less of an excuse if you miss.

  Goal area: The boxed-off area within the penalty area in front of the goal where the goalie stands most of the time (hopefully not daydreaming).

  Goal keeper: The last line of defence, the goalie stands in front of the goal and can use any part of their body to block, punch, deflect or trap the ball against their chest. Top goalies know exactly where to position themselves to block shots on goal.