After praising Hiro, head coach Haruki continued to praise those players who performed exceptionally well in those seven matches and training.
Other players whom coach Haruki praised were Shun, Akutsu, Yutaka, Taki, Takeshi Ono and Tominaga Nijichi.
While he praised those players who performed well in the training camp, he also didn’t hold himself back from reprimanding those who didn’t perform well in the training camp.
However even though those words carried deep meanings, those weren’t the words which most of the players wanted to hear at the moment. All of them were eagerly waiting to hear the name of the selected players.
Thus most of the players didn’t pay much attention to the players who performed well or who didn’t perform well.
They couldn’t care less about others. Everybody had to worry about themselves first before worrying about someone else.
Even so, the same could not be said to every players as there were still few players who ardently listened to the constructive criticism given by coach Haruki.
Afterall only a player who wants to improve would know the real value behind the criticism from such an experienced coach.
Finally coming to the topic which everybody wanted to hear, head coach Haruki continued, “I’m sure that every single one of you are dying to hear the name of the players who are selected for the national U-17 team. However we are not going to announce the name of the players today.”
As coach Haruki said those words, almost at the same time most of the players sighed deeply as they mumbled in surprise, “What??”
“What does he mean by saying that the player announcement won’t happen today?”
“Does this mean that player selection hasn’t come to an end yet?”
“Do we have to face even more trials?”
Such were the complaints of the players as they heard the announcement of coach Haruki.
But before the issue got even bigger, coach Haruki assured the players that selection had indeed come to an end.
“Before you all start to think that the selection process is still ongoing. I’d like to clear such doubts. The selection process has indeed come to an end and there won’t be more trials as we have already made our decisions.”
“However the announcement regarding the selected players, it won’t happen today. You all will be notified about your results via emails. And the results will also be made public, so make sure to check newspapers and JFA’s official webpage.”
Saying such, coach Haruki finished his speech and retracted his steps back to join other coaches.
After that assistant coach Kazan stepped infront to speak few words.
Sweeping his gaze across the players, Kazan cleared his throat as he lifted his portable speaker. That white coloured portable speaker which he was carrying had become his identity in these seven days.
Everyday he’d come to the pitch while carrying that same speaker. And because of such reasons, Kazan had even gained the nickname of “Speaker Devil”
Nobody knows from whom or where that nickname emerged. But everybody called Kazan with such nickname instead of calling him with his real name.
Obviously nobody dared to call him with such nickname to his face.
“As mentioned by coach Haruki, you all will be notified about your results via your email within few weeks. So make sure to check your emails time to time. And those who are part of the club, we’ll also mail their club. Also the same goes for the players who plays for school, we’ll mail the school.”
“Those who have performed well in those seven days, they don’t need to worry. However those of you who have not performed well in those seven days, you pretty much have no chance to make it, so you lot should also not worry as you’ll only worry for nothing.”
Unlike coach Haruki, Kazan didn’t give a shit about hurting the feelings of players. He liked those with good mentality and despised those who seemed lackluster.
Even in past seven days, he was always strict regarding his evaluation. Just because somebody ranked higher didn’t mean he’d evaluate them better than those who ranked lower.
May be that was also one of the reason why he denounced most of the players from Hiro’s team in the first day.
**** ****
Walking out of the main entrance, Yutaka stopped all of a sudden. Upon seeing him stop, Hiro and Shun who were walking right beside him, both stopped their movements respectively as both of them turned towards Yutaka.
“So I guess this is where we part” meekly mumbled Yutaka while increasing the grip on his luggage as he prepared to part ways with Hiro and Shun.
His voice soft and his brows frowning, it was clear that Yutaka was quite sad about the parting. And the way Yutaka was clenching onto his luggage made it seem like he was quite reluctant to part ways with the two of them.
In this seven days, he had spent so much time with them, be it in the pitch or off the pitch, he was always with the two of them.
Because of that he was even more close to Hiro and Shun than he was with his own club teammates.
Even though there were players like Tominaga Nijichi and few other players from the club he was going to play for, he still spent almost all his time with Hiro and Shun.
During those seven days, he never spoke with his soon to be teammates. Neither he approached them nor they approached him.
May be players of Vissel Kobe U-18 weren’t aware about his signing that’s why they also didn’t approach him.
“Well if there’s a start then there’s a end. However it’s not like we’ll not meet anymore. Who knows we might meet even sooner than expected.” Mumbled Shun as he heard Yutaka’s words.
The way Shun spoke it seemed like he was confident that the three of them would get selected for the National U-17 team.
Shun then took a few step forward towards Yutaka. And as he got close to Yutaka, Shun playfully hit Yutaka on his back.
“Cheer up!!” Cheerfully mumbled Shun as he tried to cheer Yutaka.
Even though they were going to part ways, Shun had a bright smile on his face. He wasn’t a least bit sad about the parting.
Not because he wasn’t attached to Yutaka like Yutaka was attached to the two of them. But because Shun didn’t want to see sad expression on the face of a friend.
That’s right, Yutaka may or may not be aware of this, but Shun had already considered Yutaka his friend.
Finally as he got hit by Shun, Yutaka slowly lifted his head to look at Hiro who was standing a certain distance away from him.
As he lifted his gaze to look at Hiro, Yutaka found Hiro with a smile on his face.
Despite spending seven days with the two of them, it was Yutaka’s first time seeing Hiro smiling like that.
His smiling face was like refreshing cold breeze in hot summer, shimmering stars in dark night sky.
And even though Hiro’s smile said a lot about his intentions, Yutaka still asked, “Will we meet again?”
Faced with Yutaka’s questions, Hiro nodded his head as he answered, “We’ll definitely meet again. However not as friends but as foes.”
Even while saying such, Hiro still had a smile on his face. However his eyes looked rather sharp and determined.
Not as friends but as foes?
Hiro’s response was completely out of his expectations. Thus for a while, Yutaka turned completely speechless.
He couldn’t understand the meaning behind Hiro’s words. Isn’t it the opposite?
Afterall if they get selected in the national U-17 team then they’ll play as teammates not as foes. So what was the real meaning behind Hiro’s words?
While Yutaka was wondering about the meaning behind Hiro’s words, Hiro continued, “Make sure to qualify for the playoffs. From our league we’ll definitely qualify for the playoffs, so from your side you too should qualify for the playoffs. And to do that you need to play well.”
His eyes shining with determination, Hiro’s tone was full of confidence.
Finally Yutaka understood the meaning behind Hiro’s words.
And just as he understood the meaning behind Hiro’s words, his gloomy face finally lit up as he revealed a gentle smile on his face. .
Yutaka then nodded his head as he replied, “I’ll do my best. We’ll definitely meet again. But right now, can we become friend on insta?”
Before Hiro could answer, Shun ecstatically answered in his loud voice, “Sure, let’s become friends on insta.”
After that three of them exchanged their insta ID’s and became friends on insta.
And only after exchanging their insta ID did Yutaka bid his farewell.
Hiro was going to leave with Shun. Afterall their destination was the same.
With the summer vacation coming to an end, they couldn’t return home since it’d take a lot of time. That’s why the two of them were heading straight to the club.
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