by Theo Walcott
That night, at training, Jamie worked harder than anyone. When they ran round the field to warm up, he kept up with Mr Wood easily. Then when they did sprints Jamie powered his way backwards and forwards until the sweat was rolling down his face and soaking his shirt. They went on to do some simple pass and control exercises, and TJ worked with Jamie as usual.
‘Do you think Mr Wood has noticed?’ asked Jamie. ‘He can’t say I’m not fit now.’
‘No,’ agreed TJ, as they moved the ball backwards and forwards in one of the ten-metre squares that had been marked out on the field. ‘But you’ll have to pass better than that,’ he added, laughing, as he raced after yet another one of Jamie’s random passes.
‘I’m a destroyer,’ Jamie grinned. ‘Some one else can take care of the fancy passes. I tackle them and belt it clear.’
TJ glanced around the field. Everyone was working just as hard as they were. He saw Rob working with Leila. Rob had kept up with them easily on their runs, and now he was passing and controlling the ball very well. Better than a lot of the others, in fact.
‘Right,’ said Mr Wood, ‘I’d like one of you to throw the ball to your partner, and the other one to play the ball back first time. You can use your head, or your feet, or your chest. Just try to get the ball accurately back to your partner first time, OK?’
‘Why don’t I throw to you?’ Jamie said to TJ. ‘You’ll be good at this.’
Jamie was right about that. TJ had no problem getting the ball back to Jamie and it didn’t matter how high or fast Jamie threw it.
‘Nice work, TJ,’ Mr Wood said, as he passed by. ‘Swap over now, boys, and let’s see what Jamie can do.’
TJ took the ball and threw it to Jamie. He tried to make sure it reached Jamie at a perfect height. He aimed to make it easy, but when Jamie swung his foot at the ball it flew off and hit Tulsi on the back of the head, two squares away.
‘Hey!’ she yelled, then she turned and saw Jamie and laughed. ‘I might have guessed,’ she said.
‘I’ll never get it right,’ muttered Jamie.
‘You should practise like I do,’ TJ said. ‘I bang it against the wall and try to hit it back. I try to surprise myself.’
‘But I do practise,’ Jamie said. ‘It doesn’t matter what I do, I can’t get better. I’ve broken four windows and three flowerpots too. I won’t have any pocket money for years.’
‘Just keep your eye on the ball,’ TJ said, chucking it to him again. ‘See? That’s better.’
‘You’re right,’ Jamie said, brightening. ‘Throw me another one.’
TJ threw, and Jamie swung his leg. The ball flew way up into the air and came down in the street on the other side of the fence.
‘You know what?’ TJ told him. ‘You really are a dodgy defender. You have to admit it. But you’re a great goalie.’
‘TJ’s right,’ said Mr Wood, who had been watching. ‘You can tackle, Jamie, and you’ve got yourself very fit. But I think goalie is your best position, and I think you’re easily the best goalie we have. So how about it? Will you be our goalkeeper?’
They all waited. ‘Go on, Jamie,’ pleaded Tulsi. ‘You really are a brilliant keeper.’
‘And we need you,’ said Rafi.
‘Please,’ said Rodrigo.
Jamie shook his head and grinned. ‘OK, then,’ he said. ‘But I’m going to keep practising my passing. I still think I’ll be a defender one day.’
CHAPTER 16
ON THE MORNING of the District Tournament a big convoy of cars assembled at the school, ready to follow the Parkview team in their minibus to the nearby town, where the tournament was taking place.
‘Look,’ said Rafi to TJ, as they were waiting to get on the minibus, ‘Mrs Hubbard and the cooks have joined up with Janice and the dinner ladies.’
‘And they’ve got new pom-poms too!’ said Tulsi. ‘In our colours!’
‘It’s not just us who’ve got new stuff,’ Janice said. ‘Look, here comes Mr B.’
Mr Burrows was carrying two enormous sports bags. He unzipped one and pulled out a football shirt. ‘We have shirts, shorts, socks, shin pads and even some of these.’ He opened the second holdall and took out a bundle of waterproof jackets. He held one up. On the back it said:
ORCHARDS GARDEN CENTRE.
‘You can thank our new Parents and Friends Association for organizing these,’ Mr Burrows said. ‘It was their idea to look for a sponsor for the team. And the Garden Centre helped us fix our pitch so they were very keen.’
‘Awesome,’ said Tulsi. ‘This is even better than my Sunday League team’s kit.’
‘It’s great,’ said Mr Wood, ‘but a nice kit isn’t going to win football matches. Are you all here now? I hope you’ve got the right shoes. You’ve remembered we’re playing on Astroturf?’
He called out their names. It was seven-a-side again, so there were ten of them in the squad: Jamie in goal, Tommy, Ariyan and Leila as defenders, Rafi, Rodrigo – who was their captain for today – and Cameron in midfield, and TJ, Tulsi and Jay up front. As they climbed into the minibus, the cheerleaders were singing ‘We Are the Champions.’
‘I don’t like it,’ TJ said to Jamie, who was sitting next to him. ‘They all seem to think we’ve already won. We’ve only played two proper matches ever. We’re just as likely to lose every game.’
The car park at the tournament was full of coaches and cars and teams and supporters. TJ could see that everyone in the Parkview squad was feeling nervous. Then he saw Leroy, the Wasps captain. ‘What’s he doing here?’ he asked.
‘He plays for Meadow Green School,’ Rob said. ‘Almost all the Wasps team go to Meadow Green School. They won their schools league last season, just like Hillside won ours.’
‘There’s Hillside over there,’ Rafi said. ‘They’ll be looking for revenge. They really hated it when we beat them.’
Out on the pitches, corner flags fluttered in the chilly breeze. ‘There’s Marshall,’ said Rob, pointing. ‘He’s come to support us.’
Sure enough, Marshall was walking towards them, with his beanie pulled low over his eyes and an outsize hoodie pulled over the top of that.
‘He’s in disguise again,’ laughed Tommy. ‘I don’t know why he bothers. Someone’s bound to recognize him.’
But, for the moment, no one had. ‘It’s Saturday,’ TJ said to Marshall. ‘Haven’t you got a game today?’
‘Not this week,’ Marshall replied, after saying hello to everyone.
‘But you played for Wanderers last week,’ said TJ. ‘So why . . .?’
‘I’m not fully fit yet,’ Marshall said. ‘I was subbed at half time last week. It takes a long time to get back to full fitness after an injury like mine. But it’s a great chance for me to watch some football today. I love the kit. You look terrific.’
‘We don’t feel that great,’ Tulsi said, speaking for all of them. ‘All these people have come to watch us, and they all think we’re going to win easily.’
‘Hey, how do you think I feel every week?’ Marshall said. ‘Everyone gets nervous. You just have to think how lucky you are to be playing football at all.’
Parkview were playing on Pitch Seven, right at the far end. The Parkview supporters made a big camp by the fence, as Mr Wood, Marshall and Miss Berry took the squad away to warm up.
‘We play three matches in this part of the tournament,’ Mr Wood told them, when they were ready. ‘And between the first two games we only have a ten-minute break, so I’ll be using the whole squad. Ariyan, Jay, Cameron – you’re the subs for the first match. The team we’re playing are called Swinburne School. I don’t know anything about them, but we don’t need to worry about who we play. We’re as good as anyone here. Even the mighty Wasps couldn’t beat us. Off you go. The ref’s waiting.’
They ran onto the pitch and Rodrigo won the toss. The Parkview fans were making a huge amount of noise on the touchline, as Tulsi stroked the ball to TJ and he played it back to Rafi. Straight away, a Swinburne
player tackled Rafi and the ball squirted into touch. Swinburne attacked from the throw-in, but Tommy chased after the striker and poked the ball across to Rodrigo as he was about to shoot.
Rodrigo passed to Rafi again, but once more Rafi was tackled. ‘More quick, Rafi!’ Rodrigo said, but it wasn’t that easy. The Swinburne team were all excellent tacklers, and the Parkview defenders found it almost impossible to get the ball to TJ and Tulsi. The game was no fun to play in, and TJ could see from the faces of the spectators that it was no fun to watch either. ‘They’re very good at defending,’ Mr Wood said at half time.
‘But they haven’t managed a single shot,’ Rob said. ‘Maybe we should push Rafi forward a bit.’
‘Just what I was thinking,’ Mr Wood replied. ‘And I’m going to bring Ariyan on for Tommy and Cameron for Leila. You’ve done well, you two, but you’ve had to do a lot of running.’
The second half continued just like the first. The Swinburne strikers managed a couple of shots, but Jamie saved them easily. ‘Go on, Rafi,’ he said, as he rolled the ball out to Rodrigo. ‘Get forward!’
Rodrigo looked up and saw TJ moving down the wing. For the first time in the game, Rodrigo’s marker had given him some space – enough space for him to push the ball forward a few metres and then hit a high pass across the field to TJ.
Tulsi was yelling for the ball on the edge of the penalty area. TJ hit his cross hard and low, but it never reached Tulsi. Rafi was racing forward and the ball hit him on the knee. The deflection carried it past the stranded goalkeeper and into the net. ‘What happened?’ asked Rafi, as the crowd cheered.
‘You scored,’ said TJ.
‘Did I? Rats! I didn’t even see it.’
Seconds later the ref blew his whistle, and Parkview had won their first match of the tournament.
But they’d only won it by luck.
CHAPTER 17
PARKVIEW’S SECOND GAME was against Belford School. They won it easily, with TJ and Jay scoring a goal each. Jamie didn’t have to make a single save. ‘Does that mean we’re through?’ TJ asked when the match was over.
‘I’m afraid not,’ said Marshall. ‘I’ve just been watching the other match in your group. Saint Joseph’s beat Swinburne two nil. They’re a good team.’
‘And they beat Belford two nil as well,’ Rob put in. ‘So that means you have to beat them to get into the quarterfinals. A draw isn’t good enough because they have a superior goal difference.’
‘You’re going to have to move the ball quicker,’ Mr Wood told them. ‘I know you’ve all been feeling nervous, but you’ve had two games to warm up now, so let’s think about the things we’ve been practising. If you can see a first-time pass, then go for it. And, Jamie, try and catch them out when you have the ball. See if you can roll it out fast, before they’re ready. OK, everyone, let’s go.’
TJ could feel the urgency in the air. If they lost this game then they would be out of the tournament, and TJ still felt as if the tournament hadn’t really started. He knew they’d all be disappointed if they didn’t get at least to the quarterfinals.
Saint Joseph’s kicked off and TJ knew at once that they were going to have to play far, far better than they had until now if they were going to beat them.
Their captain was a small midfielder called Mac, with hair that was even redder than Tommy’s. He dribbled past Rafi and rode a tackle from Rodrigo, then played the ball out to the left wing, where the winger had a clear run down the touchline. He crossed the ball and one of the Saint Joseph’s strikers volleyed it fiercely at Jamie’s goal. He dived to his right and the ball stuck to his hands as if he’d covered them with glue. He leaped to his feet and rolled the ball to Tommy, who flicked it instantly on to TJ. The Saint Joseph’s players were racing back, but TJ hit a low first-time pass right across the field to Rafi. TJ felt a surge of energy running through him. This was real football.
Tulsi was standing in her usual position near the opposition penalty spot. She still didn’t move as much as she should, TJ thought, but sometimes that didn’t matter – like now. Because Rafi hit a pass into Tulsi’s feet, and she did what she did best. She killed the ball with her right foot, shielding it from the defender who was breathing down her neck, then she pushed it a metre to the side, turned, and hit a low shot that sizzled past the goalkeeper.
She threw her arms in the air in her trademark celebration, standing still and grinning while the Parkview cheerleaders hurled a storm of blue-and-black pom-poms into the air.
‘Hey!’ yelled Rodrigo. ‘Concentrate. We not won match. Only begin.’
‘That’s the most you’ve ever said,’ TJ laughed, as they jogged back into their own half.
But Rodrigo’s face was grim. He was their captain again for this match, and he had his job to do. ‘They good team,’ he said, clapping his hands. ‘We work hard.’
Rodrigo was right. Saint Joseph’s were a very good team. They seemed to be able to find each other with their passes without even looking. It was as if they could read each other’s minds, and for long periods after they had taken the lead, Parkview didn’t even touch the ball. It was Jamie who saved them. He worked as hard as anyone on the team, diving to the left and the right, throwing himself at the feet of attackers. St Joseph’s won a whole string of corners, but every time Jamie leaped into the air and grabbed the ball above the heads of the attackers.
‘I can’t believe it’s only half time,’ TJ said at the interval. ‘I feel as if I’ve run miles.’
‘Well done, Jamie,’ said Mr Wood, patting him on the back.
‘Stunning!’ said Marshall.
‘They had eleven shots,’ Rob said. ‘All of them on target, and all of them saved.’
‘Well, we’re going to have to make some changes for the second half,’ Mr Wood told them. ‘TJ and Tommy, I’m taking you off.’ He held up a hand to stop their protests.
‘You’ve both done a lot of running, and remember, if we’re going to win this tournament we’ll have to play three more matches after this one. Besides, we can always bring you back on if we need to. Tulsi, you stay upfield. If they manage to clear the ball to you, your job is to hold it up until the midfield can join you. Understood?’
‘It’s a risky strategy,’ Rob said to TJ, as the teams took the field again. ‘We’re going to defend most of the time, and Jamie’s sure to let one in eventually.’
‘We were defending most of the time in the first half,’ Tommy pointed out. ‘It’ll be easier with more defenders.’
TJ said nothing. He was fed up that Mr Wood had taken him off. He was sure he could have scored another goal and made the game safe. And now he could only watch, as Saint Joseph’s continued to press forward and pepper Jamie’s goal with shots.
The end of the match drew near. Parkview only had to hold out for a few seconds more. Mr Wood and Marshall were both looking at their watches. Some of the Parkview supporters were covering their eyes and screaming every time another shot came in. Rodrigo managed to tackle the red-haired Mac, but instantly another Saint Joseph’s player was on to him. He could only pass sideways to Leila, and the only thing she could do was play the ball back to Jamie.
‘Don’t pick it up!’ yelled Rob. ‘It’s a back pass,’ he said, turning to TJ. ‘He has to kick it.’
‘Oh, no,’ groaned TJ, as Jamie took two steps forward. ‘This might go anywhere.’ He sighed with relief as the clearance flew over the heads of all the attackers. On the halfway line Tulsi was waiting, marked by the defender who hadn’t left her side for the whole game. He had made one mistake to let her score, and now he made another. He should have stepped forward and headed the ball away, but instead he decided to let it bounce. He stepped back, getting ready to clear it, and Tulsi saw her chance. As the ball hit the ground she controlled it with one touch and then flicked it between the legs of the stranded defender. A perfect nutmeg!
While the defender was still wondering what had happened, she sprinted forward and buried the ball in the net. P
arkview were through to the quarterfinals.
CHAPTER 18
PARKVIEW WON THEIR quarterfinal 4 – 0, with two goals apiece for Tulsi and TJ. It was a very one-sided game and Jamie didn’t have to make a single save. ‘It’s weird,’ he said after the game. ‘If we play against a really good team then I have loads to do, but if we play brilliantly then it’s boring. I mean, it’s just like watching from the touchline.’
‘No, it’s not,’ said Rob. ‘You can’t just watch. You have to be ready all the time in case there’s an attack.’
Jamie shook his head. ‘You saw that game,’ he said. ‘They hardly even got in our half.’
‘Would you like to know who you’re playing in the semifinal?’ Mr Wood said, smiling. ‘It’s Hillside. They’ve won all their matches so far, just like you.’
The Parkview players looked at each other. ‘They’ve got this new player,’ Tulsi said. ‘He’s Chinese. He’s called Deng.’
‘And he’s completely brilliant,’ said Jamie. ‘We played them in the park and they beat us twenty-three two.’
‘You know what?’ Marshall said. ‘It’s about time you guys started believing in yourselves. As far as I can see, you already beat the best team in the tournament – Saint Joseph’s. You put them out! And you did that without even playing that well. You’ve got a great team and you’ve got a great coach. And great supporters too,’ he added, with a glance at the far touchline, where the cheerleaders were having a wonderful time. ‘Go out there and really show them what you can do. Just look. I reckon your whole school is here!’
TJ looked. What Marshall said was true. During the morning the crowd had been swelling. Whole families were there, with lots of little kids running around playing football. And all the teachers were there too, even Mrs Logan, the deputy head. And Mr Coggins, of course. Mr Burrows was walking towards them now, with a tall grey-haired man who looked somehow familiar. Mr Burrows looked unusually cheerful. ‘You remember Mr Turvey?’ he said, and TJ found it hard to recognize the inspector without his grey suit on.