Football Lord - Chapter 11

After getting to the training ground with his father, The 4 other new players were also there with there guardians as they greeted each other.

They were all later called and led to the seminar room office of the under 18s.

The seminar room was a room that was very similar to a cinema room, as it had numerous chairs all facing a raised platform which had a large screen and a white chalkboard.

It was likely where they watched educational materials on tactics or discussed new tactics.

Coach Taylor who was in the seminar room already in the seminar room waiting for them.

He greeted and spoke to them on there conduct and what was expected from them as members of the team.

All five players were then given youth contracts to sign. Tony’s contract was a standard contracts of #300pounds a week.

As he was not regarded as an outstanding talent, the money was considered to be the bare minimum for an under 18 player on the team.

Tony remembered the story of how Lionel Messi signed his first contract on a paper napkin in a restaurant, as they couldn’t wait to draw up a contract, as they quickly signed after they saw his outstanding talent.

Tony didn’t care about the little difference between his contract and that of the top talents on the team, as he knew he would likely sign a better contract if he was promoted next year.

He also knew it was only a matter of time, his contract would be improved if he had good performances.

After they signed their contracts, a copy was given to the guardians or parents before they left the youths alone to go change for training.

Tony and the others were then led to the locker room, which was close to the under 18 training ground. Where they were all assigned all the necessary training kits and boots.

They were also assigned lockers to keep there belongings before they were asked to change into there new training kits and move to the training ground.

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The training ground was now filled with about 40 players which all looked around the age of 18. It was the same place Tony had played for his trials, but it was not were the official Under 18 matches would be played.

The City Academy Stadium was also in the Etihad Campus, but just like the main stadium was only used for the clubs official matches.

The players on the training ground were all warming up and discussing amongst themselves, as training was yet to start.

After a while the staffs came over, and the players were told to gather up and Coach Taylor gave a sort of welcome back speech.

There was also about 6 staffs including Coach Taylor, who asked the new players to introduce themselves to the other players.

The staffs included Coach Taylor who oversaw training, a fitness Coach, an attacking Coach, Goalkeeping Coach, defending Coach, Coach Taylor’s assistant manager and a tactics Coach.

The new players joined the other players as they began training to regain match fitness.

As it was the first day of the season, they spent all there time on strength and fitness training as they tried to acclimatise there body back to training.

Field training was to last for 2hours daily with a break of 30 minutes in between. During the break, the players could go to the canteen before they resumed the second half of the training.

After training, the players were to shower, change and go to the Seminar room.

Where they would be lectured on various tactics or were to review there next opponents.

The Under-18 building also had a gym. The canteen only had nutritional foods for them.

The nutritional foods a player was to take had to be balanced across the various classes of foods, but they avoided excess fats and oil.

While they were training on the first day, Tony asked Rose ‘Hey Rose can you use your system scanner on most of the players here’.

As he wanted to know the best abilities he should set his eyes on copying.

Rose used her system scanner on a lot of players, as they discussed there target conditions that were to be fulfilled.

Most of the player skills in the under 18 team were mostly of Grade C, and grade B skills.

Tony decided he was to face the Grade B skills. Some of the good skills had conditions like ‘Train together for 1000 minutes, play a training match together, play a competitive match together, etc’

While some skills like the B+ Crossing he saw from one of the players, had a match condition of scoring from that particular players pass during an official match or winning a competitive match together, etc.

Tony knew he could not rush copying of the goods skills he saw, as most of them had conditions to be fulfilled either during training matches or competitive matches. Or he had to train alongside them for a period of time, before he could copy the skill.

After they were done for the day Tony walked out of the locker rooms with John. John was the only person he had started to get close close to in the academy, as it was still his first day.

“Hey John, should we go check out the gym?”

John immediately answered “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing” as they both found there way to the gym.

The gym was a standard sporting gym, as it had all the necessary equipments including a Treadmill, stationary bike, pressure balls, weights, knee weights, etc.

After checking everything out, John suggested they went home for the day. They both took the bus to there respective homes as they rested for the next day.

As there was no competitive match for the first two weeks of training, the next two days of training which was a Tuesday and a Wednesday was also spent like the first.

As there major focus of the first three days was on regaining the match fitness of the players, they still focused on strength and stamina trainings.

Wednesday was to be the last day of fitness training, as Coach Taylor assembled all players in the seminar room, before he started to explain.

“We have spent three days on regaining proper match fitness, as it is the beginning of the season so as to avoid injuries. From tomorrow we resume training with the ball, as proper training will begin.”

” As this is a new season, everyone has a clean slate, as everyone will be fighting for a starting shirt. There is no competitive match from now to next week Saturday, so we shall be running regular training matches. Luka my assistant manager will give the details for the match and inform you of the team selections before they start.”

Luka, the assistant manager then continued to explain further “The training matches will be of 30 minutes per half to improve match sharpness for the first set of matches. Before we go back to the standard 45 minutes per half.”

“And finally, before you go remember that your performance in the training matches could also lead to a starting spot for you. So play well and avoid injuries, You are all dismissed.”

After they were dismissed, Tony left the academy alongside the other players as most of them entered buses or used the subway to there various destinations.