Offside

Marian Hoefnagel

Description

Fictionalized accounts of true life stories

Sujets

• Issue
• Real life
• Liste de termes d'argot Internet
• Issues

Informations

• Publié par: Read Zone
• Date de parution: 01 septembre 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783228577
• Langue: English

Extrait

OFFSIDE
ReadZone Books Limited






© copyright in the text Marian Hoefnagel 2009
© copyright in this edition ReadZone Books 2017

Originally published in the Netherlands as Buitenspel.
© 2009 Uitgeverij Eenvoudig Communiceren, Amsterdam

Translation by Florian Blom

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data (CIP) is available for this title.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of ReadZone Books Limited.

ISBN 978-1-78322-855-3

Printed in Malta by Melita Press

Visit our website: www.readzonebooks.com
MARIAN HOEFNAGEL
OFFSIDE
End of a dream
Mayhem

‘Mum, where are my football boots?’
Mason runs inside past his mother. He throws down his bag and hurries upstairs.
The bag lands on the cat’s tail. The cat springs into the air with all four legs outstretched. Hissing, the poor animal takes cover on top of a cupboard.

Mason’s mum laughs. ‘Mason is home, Mittens,’ she says. ‘But I think you already noticed.’
‘Mum!’ Mason calls from upstairs. ‘Come and help. I can’t find my football kit anywhere. Training starts in ten minutes.’

Mason’s mother sighs and goes upstairs. She is pleased that Mason is so good at football. And she is pleased that he has been selected for the first team. Only the best players get chosen.

Their goal is to become professional footballers. So they can play at a top club. Maybe even for their national team.
Mason would love that, of course. But it does cause a lot of mayhem in the house. Everything revolves around football.

Nothing is normal any more.
Mason has to eat at special times. Because Mason has to practise at special times.
Mason cannot go on holiday. Because Mason has to train with his football team.
Mason has no time for homework. Because Mason has to jog and train every day.
Last week Mason did not even go to Grandma’s 80th birthday party. Because Mason had an important match.
Life used to be much more relaxed , Mason’s mother thinks.

Mason is searching through the laundry basket. Clothes are flying around the room.
‘I’ve got my shorts,’ he mumbles to himself. ‘But where’s my shirt?’
‘Everything is on my bed, washed and folded,’ his mother says.
‘Oh, why didn’t you tell me?’ Mason grumbles.
‘I just did,’ his mother replies.
But Mason is not even listening.

Football friends

Training goes well. There are twenty boys, all around the same age.
‘It’s important for you to become friends,’ the coach tells them. ‘Because it’s not easy to become a professional. Pros need to stick together.’
‘It is good to have school friends, too,’ he goes on. ‘But they don’t understand what it’s like to play football. To play well, I mean. They probably think it’s odd that you train every day. That you almost never go out. That you give up so much for the sport. So, it’s best to befriend other footballers, too.’

Then they play a bonding game. Everyone must find a partner andwork as a team.
Each pair has to do somersaults. Across the entire pitch. You cannot let each other go.
It is hard, but fun. Teams often fail. Then they have to start again.

‘Don’t get angry with each other,’ the coach says. ‘Even when one of you makes a mistake. That happens sometimes. You must try to help each other. That will serve you best.’
Mason is partnered with Kevin. He didn’t know Kevin very well before. But now he does. Because of these bonding games.

Afterwards they stop for a drink in the canteen.
Mason talks to Kevin.
‘In ten years we will be like Wayne and David,’ Kevin says.
‘Rooney and Seaman?,’ Mason asks.
Kevin laughs. ‘I meant David Beckham.’
‘Oh that one,’ Mason says. ‘He played for Real Madrid, didn’t he?’
Kevin nods. ‘I would like to play for Real one day,’ he says.
‘You?’ Mason looks down at his drink. He’s never thought about that.

Can’t go

By the time Mason gets home, everyone has finished dinner. His meal is in the microwave. Easy. Press the button. Wait for a bit. And the food is hot.
Mason opens the microwave. Mmm, beef stew. Nice.

He sits in front of the television with the plate on his lap. He switches between channels. There are hundreds of them. But still there’s nothing good to watch.
Mason eats his food. It’s boring eating alone like this. Especially when the telly is no good. But, that’s how it is for footballers. They live a different life from ordinary people.

His mother walks into the room. She has a towel wrapped around her head.
‘What’s that for?’ Mason asks.
‘I coloured my hair,’ she says. ‘Don’t forget, we’re going to watch the skating tomorrow?’
Oh, that’s right , Mason thinks. They got tickets for a skating performance. From the boy next door, because he couldn’t go.
‘It’s going to be amazing,’ the boy had said. ‘Five fantastic skaters, doing all kinds of stunts.’
Mason would love to go. But he shakes his head. ‘I can’t. I have to train tomorrow.’

Dropouts

The training sessions are more fun each time. That is because the team is getting better every training. Mason can tell. Last year he really wasn’t good at doing headers. But now he can do them pretty well.

His mother complains about all the training sessions. That he has no time for fun things any more. But Mason doesn’t mind. The boys in the first team know each other well now. They have become good friends. Of course Mason gets on with some better than others. ‘And that’s normal,’ the coach had said.

The coach often comes up with fun ideas for the team. Like this afternoon: a barbecue, at the club.
It is a shame the weather is so bad. Now they have to eat in the canteen.
The grill stays outside, of course. They take turns to grill the meat, with the coach. It is Mason’s turn.
‘It’s going well, isn’t it, Mason?’ the coach asks.
Mason nods. ‘Being in the first team is brilliant. I really liked football last year, too. But now… this is something else. It’s as if we all belong together.’
‘You’re a good group,’ the coach says. ‘I think some of you will become real winners.’

Mason looks at the coach, surprised. ‘Some? Not all of us?’
The coach turns over a few pieces of meat. He shakes his head. ‘No, not all of you.’
‘Who won’t, then?’ Mason asks anxiously.
The coach chuckles. ‘I can’t say just yet. But that’s how it always goes. In a really good group of twenty, maybe three or four will reach the top. Never more than that. A lot will drop out.’

Bad luck

Mason stares at the pieces of meat for a while. They are starting to roast nicely. But he isn’t thinking about that.
‘You’re disappointed,’ the coach says.
Mason nods. ‘I thought we would all become pros.’
‘You’re still very young. So much can happen by the time you’re eighteen or twenty.’
‘What do you mean?’ Mason asks.

‘A few years ago there was this kid in the first team. He was really very talented. Everyone thought he was the new Gareth Bale. So agile with the ball. So quick on the pitch. He always knew exactly where to be.
Now and then he played in the England national youth teams. He was that good. And he was only fifteen.’

‘And?’ Mason asks.
‘He got into an accident,’ the coach says. ‘He was walking to school and got hit by a lorry.
Both of his legs were broken.’
‘Is he all right now?’ Mason asks.
‘Oh yes, his legs have healed well,’ the coach replies. ‘He can walk and run and kick again too. But he is not that fast any more. And not as agile. We wanted to keep him on. But he really couldn’t be in the first team any more. Now he plays for the reserves.’

Mason shakes his head. Imagine that. Just one stupid lorry.