Jasper Zammit Soccer Legend 3 by Deborah Abela

Author:Deborah Abela
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia
Published: 2006-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

JOHNNY SAYS:

Not everybody can become a Pelé or a Bobby Charlton, but their raw, natural skills can be practised to an amazing level if you have the drive to succeed. Set your sights on the best – settle for a little less – and you will become an excellent player. Who knows, that magic spark of greatness can ignite anywhere in the world.

‘He said what?’

Nannu’s eyes blazed as Jasper told him about the game and what Coach Riley had said. ‘That’s what Johnny said all right. I heard him say it enough times, too, but that coach of yours has got it all wrong.’ Nannu was walking around his flat, throwing his hands above him and blowing air through pursed lips.

‘You heard Johnny say that?’ Jasper was always amazed at the soccer greats his grandad had met.

‘Yeah. Johnny was a great player and just as good when it came to getting people excited about soccer with his speeches. He had good feet and a good tongue, but your coach is tangling his words.’ Nannu swung back to face Jasper. ‘And the coach never said one word about the two goals you scored?’

‘Nup.’ Jasper sat on Nannu’s bed and leant over his knees. ‘They were good goals too. I know we didn’t win, but …’

‘It’s not the winning that matters.’ Nannu stared hard at Jasper. ‘You know that.’

He started pacing the room again.

‘It’s true that when you play soccer you commit yourself to it, but the way that coach is using Johnny’s words is wrong. You can’t take sayings from famous players and twist them like that. It’s just not how soccer is played.’

Nannu was getting worked up.

‘They’re the words of soccer legends. Words that have come from years of hard work, great soccer and big lessons on and off the field. To twist them is to disrespect who those legends are and how important they were to this beautiful game. And how can he talk to Nippy like that? She’s been with the Rovers since the beginning. You can’t just threaten to bench someone like that. A team’s more than a group of people. It’s your family, your home. It’s the same as throwing someone out onto the street!’ Nannu stopped as though he was thinking about what he should do next. ‘And Johnny also used to say “never underestimate your opponent”, and he was right. It’s a basic rule of soccer!’

Jasper looked up and held his hands in the air. ‘I tried to tell him that but he wouldn’t listen.’

‘Wouldn’t listen, eh?’

‘No.’ Jasper slumped forward and held his hands between his knees. ‘Half the team are fighting, and from the look on Nippy’s face when she walked out, we might have lost her for good. We won today’s game but it feels like we lost.’

Nannu rubbed the back of his neck and sat on the bed beside his grandson.

Jasper looked up. ‘What are we going to do, Nannu? Are the Rovers finished?’

The Rovers had been part of his life since he was five years old.

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