From Arsenal to the Ball God

In just the first week, he already enjoyed the benefits of spending £4000 a week on himself, which reinforced his idea to expand his team.

”Quinn’s aerial strike!! An absolutely perfect hit! Sheffield United take the lead away from home!!

”Gilbert’s luck, he advanced to the flank and intended to cross to Bolodanovich, but the ball went astray, missing the target!

”Who would have thought that, by pure chance, it would turn into an assist for Quinn, effortlessly adding an assist to his stats!”

”...”

”Coventry’s defense left someone unmarked, Montgomery passes the ball to Ma’el! In the penalty area, this position is very dangerous, allowing Ma’el to receive the ball here is already proof of Coventry’s defensive failure!

”Shifting the angle! Richard Wood can’t keep up with him, a dipping shot to the far corner!!

”Smooth as silk!! Ma’el extends the team’s lead to two-nil!!

”I don’t know how to describe his performance in the Championship, when I see him receive the ball in a dangerous area in the penalty box, I’m almost certain he’ll take a shot!

”And once he takes the shot, you can only pray to God that the ball flies off the pitch, or that the goalkeeper puts on a godlike performance.”

”.....”

”Miracle ball! Ched Evans!! Bicycle kick sends the ball into the net!!

”Wow...! This has to be the best goal of the week in the Championship League, maybe even a contender for the season’s best goal at the season’s end!!

”He’s been scoring in consecutive games recently, his form is getting better and better. Coventry’s defenders need to stay focused; this goal was their failure to clear that gave Evans the chance.”

”.....”

”Ward wants to break through Stibborn on the flank! He stumbles a bit, loses the ball... regains it! Stumbles past Stibborn!

”Coventry doesn’t have many defenders in the middle, they just committed too many men to the attack, Gilbert and Janu are both in the box, and Ma’el is on the left too!

”A cross! Aimed at the far post!!

”Ma’el is unmarked at the drop spot, he dives...! It’s an ugly move, but the result is the same!!

”Scores twice!! Ma’el scores twice! His first headed goal of his career! The form doesn’t matter, as long as it goes in!”

”.....”

”He’s been running a lot today, always appearing in different attacking positions, and sometimes even helping teammates with central defense.

”It’s incredible, many players’ forms decline sharply in the second half of the season; he himself had shown signs of decline recently, but in this match, he was reborn!”

On the pitch, Ma’el, after scoring his second goal, ran energetically to the side of the pitch.

He waved his teammates over, jumped onto the advertising boards, and waved his arms towards the Sheffield United away fans, shouting enthusiastically.

”Yeah.....!”

His voice mixed with the Sheffield United fans, resonating throughout the stadium.

After this match, he would head to London to sign that massive new contract with Arsenal.

In this final match with a weekly pay of 10k, performing so spectacularly and bidding farewell to his past self is incredibly satisfying.

”Sheffield United beat Coventry 4-0 away! The biggest winning margin of the season, Ma’el scored twice, Quinn and Evans each scored!” — Sky Sports Editor

....

The next day, Ma’el and Gilbert sat in the team’s company car, heading to the Korni Training Base.

After more than half a year, he was finally on the road back, feeling a bit nostalgic, remembering the times coming from there to here.

He forgot a lot, only remembering that the team’s first assistant coach Jorson was a young scout back then, driving his beat-up pickup truck, looking like a western cowboy.

”I say.”

Jorson was also in the car today, planning to accompany them all the way, ”Can you stop smiling at me like that, it’s a bit creepy.”

With his current position, of course, he didn’t have the duty to accompany the player back to sign, he only wanted to walk the path he had walked before.

When he thinks about it now, everything Sheffield United achieved this season was related to that bold attempt before the season, and to this road.

He drove that almost scrap car, speeding back on this road, snatching two young talents!

But back then, who would have thought they could contribute so much to the team?

The once slightly pretentious ’If you play, I hope you fight for Sheffield with all you’ve got’ now sounds like he had some prophetic sorcery.

”Not planning to buy a new car?”

Ma’el looked at Jorson; they almost grew up together, naturally having a very close relationship, ”Your salary is much higher than before, isn’t it?”

”It’s multiplied several times over.”

Jorson didn’t hide it, and after a moment’s hesitation, he said, ”No plans to buy one, I’m dating a TV sports reporter, it’s quite costly, planning to get married.”

”Be careful with pretty women.”

Ma’el joked but still offered his blessing, ”But I hope you’ll be happy.”

Jorson didn’t dwell on the topic, instead asking back, ”What about you, you’re about to get a huge salary, not planning to buy one?”

”Of course.”

Ma’el chuckled, longing, ”I’m learning to drive, and as soon as I get my license, I’ll buy one immediately.”

”What do you plan to buy?”

Hearing the question, Ma’el considered it. In his past life, there were many things he wanted but couldn’t have, any of them would make him laugh in his dreams.

Now that he has the means, he’s instead fallen into some choice paralysis.

”Nothing specific in mind.”

Jorson noticed his hesitation and shrugged to remind him, ”In the future, when you have more money, you can choose from several major car brands and buy one from each.”

”Good idea.”

Ma’el laughed heartily, letting go of his hesitation, thinking his suggestion was good. He quite liked cars and could have a garage in the future.

”Have the transfers been finalized?” Gilbert leaned his head out from the back seat to ask.

Jorson nodded, looked at them, ”You guys don’t know? Many people in the team already know the news, new players are reporting today.”

”We only know about Maguire.”

Gilbert shook his head; their information was indeed a bit out of date, ”He’s a player promoted from the youth team, not a transfer.”

”Let’s take a look.”

Jorson took out his phone, pulled up a list to show them.

Ma’el was the first to finish reading it, excluding youth academy Maguire, there were five new players joining, most of whom he didn’t know.

Only one, Kyle Walker, who joined on loan, was particularly familiar, a future world-class full-back.

”Walker is the most regrettable one.”

Coincidentally, Jorson began explaining with a face of regret, ”He was initially produced by the team’s youth academy, very young, sold to Tottenham for over three million pounds a couple of years ago.

”Who knew, soon we’d have to beg Tottenham to loan him back for half a season.

”We even inquired about a transfer fee, wanting to buy him back at a high price, but Tottenham refused, stating the player was not for sale, only available for loan.”

”Don’t cry over spilt milk.”

Ma’el offered comfort, never expecting Sheffield United’s youth academy had such a high success rate, ”Getting him for half a season is great for a promotion push.”

The three of them continued to chat like this, and soon, the vehicle entered a rather desolate stretch of road.

Korni Training Base, they had arrived.