Bale (Ultimate Football Heroes)--Collect Them All! by Matt Oldfield

Author:Matt Oldfield [Matt and Tom Oldfield]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781786068705
Publisher: John Blake Publishing
Published: 2017-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

THE STAR OF ST MARY’S

There was just enough time for Gareth to play one more game for the Southampton first team before the end of the season. Again it took place at home in front of the brilliant St Mary’s crowd and again the Saints won 2-0. Two games, two wins, two clean sheets – Gareth was very pleased with his impact so far. He was still learning how to defend against bigger and more experienced players but he certainly wasn’t letting the team down.

‘You’re a lucky charm!’ Claus told him on the pitch afterwards as they thanked the crowd for their support. Baaaale! Baaaale! The fans were chanting his name. They had welcomed him in very quickly – he was one of the team now.

It had been an unbelievable end to the season for Gareth. In May, things got even better. One day as he was relaxing back in Whitchurch, he got a phone call.

‘Hello, Gareth,’ a very serious Welsh voice said. ‘I hope you’re well. I’m calling to say congratulations, you’ve been included in John Toshack’s Wales squad for the upcoming friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.’

At first, Gareth thought it must be a joke – perhaps Ellis or Theo was playing a prank on him. He’d only played 180 minutes of league football; why would the national team be interested in him? However, it turned out to be real. Even when the man on the phone told him where to go to join up with the team, he still didn’t really believe it. As it all sank in, he rushed off to spread the news. He was off to play for his home country of Wales in Graz, Austria.

‘What a crazy six weeks it has been!’ Gareth told his dad, reflecting on his rise to league and then international football. He was finding it hard to sit still and Frank was just as excited and proud.

‘You’re hot property now, son. Wales want to make sure you don’t go and play for England instead!’ he joked over a cup of tea.

‘No way!’ was Gareth’s instant response. It hadn’t even crossed his mind. His mum’s mum was English but he felt Welsh through and through. Playing for his country and wearing that big red dragon on his shirt was something he’d dreamt about for years. He’d grown up around Cardiff and his uncle Chris had played football for them. Ryan Giggs and John Hartson were his heroes, not Paul Scholes and Michael Owen.

Gareth travelled to Graz with a very young Welsh squad, because players like Giggs and Craig Bellamy were injured. The idea of training and playing with senior professionals like Rob Earnshaw and Simon Davies was still quite scary, so it was nice to see so many familiar faces from his time with the Under-18s and Under-21s. ‘Welcome, good to have you with us,’ Lewin Nyatanga said, acting as if he’d been in the team for years.

‘Shut up you!’ Gareth replied, giving him a friendly punch on the arm.

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