"Perhaps, but I can't take any chances. Football is a forty week a year commitment. In the off season I have to work on my aerobic fitness. Sorry, but I don't have time for sprint training."
Janet knew she had lost the argument and said disappointingly,
"That's too bad Simon. I have rarely seen anyone run faster over ten metres. If I can help with your sprint drills please contact me at the Academy."
"Thanks Janet" smiled Simon, "I may take you up on that offer one day."
Chapter 3
Simon now had forty seven weeks of his year planned out by his new football manager, Tamun. Pre-season training for seven weeks followed by forty weeks of club commitments during the season consumed most of his year. On top of this junior international training plus appearances in the Australian Under 23 National Side consumed his attention and energy.
Once those commitments were met, he still had two private sessions of out of season aerobic fitness drills to complete. With only three weeks free of any football commitments, Simon was keen to travel overseas. One year he visited South Africa for a safari. The next year he visited Canada and camped in the wilderness. This was followed by an experience of a lifetime when he went on a rowing adventure along the Amazon River.
Always conscious of keeping in contact with family, Simon attended family weddings, funerals and other special gatherings. Not yet a football celebrity, Simon could walk freely in public. But his face was being recognised by the young supporters of his franchise.
All that got more intense when Simon finally played in a top football league game. His speed matched by his goal scoring ability thrilled the sports commentators and media writers. Scoring three goals in his first appearance in that league marked Simon as a future star.
One commentator describing play leading up to what was the winning goal said,
"Using the common 'W for Win' tactic, this Sydney team has scored the goal of the season. Scored by their youngest player Simon, the goal was so spectacular this young player has shown that he had the look of brilliant striker."
From that date Simon's teammates referred to him as "The Brilliant One". Little did that know that in time this amusing nickname would stick to Simon like glue.
Quickly scaling up the football players ladder had Simon going from bench player to starting team in just one season. Some of the senior players thought that Simon was being pushed forward too quickly. But the lack of goals scored by these senior players forced the coach's hand. Simon may have been too young, too immature physically and mentally, but he consistently scored goals against all odds.
The coach depended on Simon's ability to score at least once a match. Without upsetting the senior players, the coach played Simon as a roamer, allowing Simon to play as close to the opposition's goal mouth as possible. At the end of the season, Simon was awarded top goal scorer for his Club.
Simon caught the eyes of selectors for the Junior Socceroos. He found himself at the Football Academy preparing for matches in regional Australia. Starting on the bench, Simon played and scored in every game. At the end of season Simon went home for a well earned rest. After a brief overseas trip he returned to preseason training. Then at the start of the next season Simon was refreshed and invigorated.
that next season saw Simon in the starting line up as the franchise team's back up striker. In trial matches he scored two goals a match and in the final selection trial four. Speed to burn, balance exemplar for one so light made up for his lack of height. On field Simon had such a tight turning circle he was able to which defeat the snares of all defenders. This gave Simon the edge he needed.
In the first competition game Simon caught out his opponents scoring four goals. He repeated this success in the next two games but was marked by an International defender at the fourth game. Even then Simon scored two goals,
Only Simon's slight stature held him back. Top level soccer games start off rough. Previously another 19 year old star had risen too quickly. He moved on to the English Premier League as a striker, but was forced to take a year off due to injury. Young players needed protection from old rougher professional defenders.
Simon was kept on the bench for the first half, replacing tired players in the second half. Usually he scored, often twice. Once Simon was on the field his very presence changed the tactics of the opposing team. Defenders took care not to be too aggressive in case they gave away a penalty. Simon was an excellent penalty kicker and his opponents did not want to give him the chance to score again.
When properly protected, Simon often scored, seemingly at will. Usually Simon played for 30 minutes in the second half and, if his team was ahead, he was then pulled off with the team playing defensively in his absence. In the Semi-finals Simon's team had only drawn level twenty minutes before end of play. The coach reluctantly left Simon on the field. In short time Simon scored from the corner. The coach then pulled Simon off the field, but the opponents took a penalty kick right in front of the goal evening the score at final whistle.
A penalty shoot out began with the pressure causing goals to be missed by both sides. Simon took the final penalty kick for his team. The goal keeper tried to distract Simon with exaggerated body language. Undeterred Simon scored. His team's goal keeper deflected the final shot by their opponents and Simon's team were into the Finals. Even though Simon has scored three of his team's goals. the goal keeper was named player of the match for his outstanding save.
The week before the Finals was a time of severe pressure for the players. Even senior players felt the tension building up. Simon's family kept him grounded allowing him to prepare for the Finals as if it was just another game.
Chapter 4
The day of the finals arrived, a wet and windy day. It would be a test of the players stamina and determination. The game was a sellout. Supporters of both teams strove to outdo each other with chants and club songs. The noise was so deafening that players had to rely on hand signals to communicate. Simon started the game on the bench. The first twenty minutes of play was brutal, with strikers from each team hemmed in or hacked. Defenders collected yellow cards at alarming rates. Goalkeepers were run ragged. Line judges struggled to police the offside rule.
At the twenty minute mark, both teams were scoreless. This stalemate continued until eight minutes out from half time with players fatigued by non stop attack and defence. The strikers were so tightly marked they had little chance of scoring, and they didn't. In desperation, Simon's coach threw Simon into the mill, in the hope that he might fluke a change of score.
A fresh pair of legs on the field was welcomed by tiring teammates and feared by equally tiring opponents. Simon took a long overhead pass at midfield. He raced away from midfield defenders, bursting into the penalty area. The defenders were marking other players which left Simon unmarked and in the clear. With breathtaking skill, Simon switched the ball to his left foot as he raced towards the goal. The goal keeper waited for Simon to switch the ball back to his right foot, but was caught out when Simon blasted the ball in to the net with his left. The goal and the speed and force with which it was kicked stunned everyone. A communal gasp was drawn from the crowd, followed by groans of despair by the opposing team's fans drowned out by cries of elation from Simon's team supporters. As Simon's teammates rushed to hug Simon and the opposition team stood looking shell shocked, the referee blew up half time.
After a break marked with talk of "That Goal", the teams took to the team for the second half. Simon was closely marked with seasoned players trying to rattle Simon by close almost contact and constant chatter. Simon remained unfazed, showing a depth of maturity beyond his years.
For about twenty minutes the defenders kept Simon under wraps. But they became careless, overconfident in their ability to keep this young player under control. A pass came Simon's way which he jumped on, racing at the goal with blinding speed. The goal keeper saw Simon approaching at startling quick pace. He yelled at his teammates,
"Shut him down! Pull Back! He has too good an angle."
All this was too little, too late.