I never thought I'd miss the sound of a ball hitting my boot more than I missed eating hot food. But life's funny like that. You think the worst part is the limp, the dragging leg, the cold stares from your old teammates. It's not. It's sitting on the sidelines, watching the game go on without you. Like it forgot you ever belonged.
Four years ago, I was a striker for Eastbridge U-14s. Fast, cocky, maybe even good enough to go pro. Then came that tackle bad pitch, worse landing. My knee snapped like a twig. No surgery. We couldn't afford it. I walked out of the hospital with a brace and a future full of concrete, not grass.
Now I watch. That's what I do. I watch everything.
The park was empty when I got there that morning, the sun still deciding if it was going to show up. Frost clung to the benches. My breath puffed out in little clouds. I knelt near the center of the cracked concrete pitch, chalk in hand. Circles, arrows, numbers. My hands worked from memory, drawing out a 4-2-3-1 I'd seen Napoli use last season. Except mine was tweaked wider fullbacks, inverted wingers.
A voice behind me scoffed.
"Still playing manager, Malik?"
It was Boyle. Taller than me now. Still plays for Eastbridge High. Still the same smirk he wore the day I was stretchered off the field.
"Still can't defend your left side, Boyle," I said, not looking up.
He laughed. "Sure, Coach."
He joined the others warming up for their usual Saturday kickabout. I watched them play for a bit, the same way I always do. Sloppy passes. Lazy pressing. No structure. But that's not what they're there for. They're there to forget their lives for an hour. I come to remember mine.
I packed up my notebook and chalk and limped to the fence. Watching them made me ache not just in the leg, but in the chest. Every instinct screamed to run, call for the ball, shout instructions. I kept silent.
Coach Malik. What a joke.
Afterwards, I headed to the corner store for my shift. Mr. Babu let me work mornings on weekends, paying me cash under the table. I stocked shelves, ran the till, swept the floor.
During break, I sat behind the store with my notebook. Page after page of formations, game notes, player types. I'd created an entire philosophy in here fluid but disciplined. I called it "Controlled Chaos." My dream formation had no stars, just players who ran, listened, and trusted each other. Not much different from life, really.
That's when Jayden showed up.
"Yo Malik. You hear about Coach Fred?"
Jayden. Angry kid, fast legs, sharper tongue. Still wore the same Eastbridge Youth kit, though it was faded now.
"What about him?" I asked.
"He quit. Said the team's a lost cause. Bailed before today's match."
I blinked. Fred was useless, but still. "Who's coaching then?"
Jayden shrugged. "Dunno. Council said if no one steps up, they'll fold the team."
My heartbeat kicked. I closed the notebook. Folded it slow.
"What time's the match?"
---
By two o'clock, I was at the community center, standing in front of Ms. Alvarez from the council and two board members who looked like they'd rather be watching paint dry. The Eastbridge U-16 team milled around behind me, loud, unfocused, pissed off.
"You?" Ms. Alvarez said, arms crossed.
"Yes, ma'am," I said. "I want to coach them. Just for today. I won't get in the way."
The tall guy beside her scoffed. "This kid? He's limping."
"I can't play," I said. "But I know this team. I know what they need. Just one game."
They looked at each other. Then at the boys, who were starting to fight over who'd be captain
To my surprise they agreed easily, Ms. Alvarez never did, she's a stone headed human. Well she said the team is getting folded unless I can manage a win, not even a draw. Tch this is my first match for heaven's sake, well let's get Into it.
I gathered the team and told them Ms. Alvarez said I could coach them
"Starting from now, or Maybe for only today I'll coach this match according to Ms. Alvarez". I said loudly. "Though I might be younger than most of you, or you might see me as age mate, we all have a common goal, not to let the Ms disband the football team".
Murmur circulate the entire team, some agree since we had the same goal, some disagree and said they needed an experience coach for the game.
"You know, our opponent is the strongest team in the area and in the competition, today's is our only hope of advancing from the group stage. We never even had a chance with Fred not to talk more" Isaac said.
"Yeah what are you going to do about that, pest" Mike asked.
Mike is an arrogant player, good but doesn't listen to instructions, he's pivot to the team and can't be benched by past coach, but his arrogance has cost the teams in previous competition too, he cares more about individual performance than the teams performance, he's also a bully, sigh why does he has to oppose me, now I have to deal with the mess.
" We are going to win this game and might as well win the competition, all you have is to believe in me" I replied.
" Yh yh whatever, I'm going outside to relax when you are through with your pep-talk and formation,put me as the main striker" Mike responded.
" You will be on the bench" I said to Mike who was on his way out already.
"Yh sure, like you dare try" he replied and close the door behind him.
I took the role of the coach using the formation of the 4-2-1-3 and putting in the strongest players in each position and explaining their role.
"You" I said talking to the second player in the striker positio, "you are starting in place of Mike today".
Murmur echoed the room, I had expected that cause I am about to do the thing previous coach didn't dare to try.
"What!! I have never start in place of Mike before" he replied
"Yes, but you train edge everyday hoping for your time, today is the day, you will play with the role of a poacher, we need the goals , we are depending on you" I told him.
After a not of convincing and encouragement the players matched out to the pitch, with be following slightly. Then someone dragged me to a side.
"Who do you think you are? " Mike asked. "You went ahead to bench me, when am I suppose to be the star, when we are losing miserably?" He said raising his hand to slap me.
"Stop that right now,are you suppose to be here? And what are you trying to do to the coach of your team" a voice called out
Thank God it was Ms. Alvarez, her presence command respect, Mike dropped his hand and ran to the pitch, I have to thank the Ms if not I would have gotten the beating of my life.
"Thank you ma'am" I said slowly.
"Yh, we lose today and I disband the team, do not forget" she replied walking away before I could say something else.
I went to the pitch side and the match started shortly.
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The other coach POV ( Darren).
I am Darren Reid coach of West-Bridge U–16 team, bitter rivals to the East-Bridge academy, I have taken this team to a level no one could get to, I have won many accolades in my time as coach, I think it's my time to move on to the top, I can't limit my talent to a school like this and today's match should be a walk in the park, coach Fred talent isn't even up to contest with me.
"We will go and humiliate our opponent in today's match and cruise to victory" I said. "Coach Fred team has always been our dogs and today won't be any different, Doyle do your thing. Now let's go and crush those bi*ches"
The team was motivated enough, we match out to the field but upon getting there it was different, who is this new boy standing there as their coach, I called one of my players and asked.
"Terrence come here" I called out. He came running and I asked " who is that"
" I heard coach Fred quit the team and Malik their ex player who quit playing due to injury is coaching them" Terrence replied.
I left out a loud laugh and told him to go back, I signalled to my team, they understand it's going to be massive destruction of East-Bridge academy today. The match started shortly.