Second Chances: Indonesian Football Player

Chapter 123

The next day Nero woke up at 5:00am and continued his post-match recovery routine. After sleeping like a baby all night, his body began to recover from the exhaustion of the match. But, he knew he had to try harder to return to his peak condition in just two days.

So, he decided to use every minute before the game against Gent to get back to his best. She followed Coach Marcel's instructions and began her day with another light yoga routine to stretch her aching muscles. He didn't try anything too complicated. He limits himself to poses such as the downward-facing dog posture that stimulates blood circulation, especially in the lower limbs.

When she completed her yoga regimen, she drank sour cherry juice and chocolate milk to restore glycogen in her body. It was to reduce the oxidative stress he had accumulated from the previous day's match, stimulating muscle repair and recovery.

He always understood that without proper nutrition, all the recovery techniques in the world would not be effective. So, since her academy days, she has always eaten the right foods along with weekly doses of physical conditioning potions from the system to recover faster from fatigue.

Since joining the ranks of professional footballers, he has become increasingly strict with himself. He intends to continue the same habit to prevent himself from suffering from chronic fatigue in the following season. So, he didn't just stop drinking juice and chocolate milk for breakfast. He also had breakfast with vegetables, meat, and bread. Afterwards, she soaked in a cold tub for fifteen minutes and bathed before leaving for Lotto Park.

He arrived there around 09:00 WIB. At the time, several senior players such as Bram Nuytinck and Samy Bourard, who had not taken part in the match the previous day, were already on the pitch to work the ball. Nero greeted them before continuing to the gym.

He was surprised to find Mr. Rolf, a fitness trainer, already in the gym, was instructing some players. Nero knows he is guiding them in their post-match recovery. The likes of Leander Dendoncker, Sandy Walsh, and Olivier Deschacht all carefully apply pressure to their thighs and calves using foam rollers on the floor.

"Nero, you are here" said Mr. Rolf Aas with a smile looking at him at the door. "Good morning! Why not join us in our session? You know by exercising, the more, the merrier."

"Good morning, coach," Nero first greeted the coach before adding: "Of course, I will join. Let me change my training gear first." He walked into the dressing room to change clothes.

Mr. Rolf is one of the most skilled fitness trainers in Norway. Nero could not resist the opportunity to participate in the active post-match recovery session directed by him. So, she spent the next hour at one of Anderlecht's gyms training her body on a foam roller. At the end of the session, he felt more relaxed and refreshed. Foam rollers have helped ease the strain on his aching muscles and boosted their recovery from match fatigue faster.

Nero thanked the fitness trainer and said goodbye before leaving the gym for another cold shower. He intends to recover faster than anyone else on the team.

He didn't want to waste a second. So, she took a break just an hour after attending that morning's match video review meeting before undergoing another active recovery routine at the gym.

By the time the team training session started that night, he was full of energy. He felt like he could play another game soon. A gentle smile graced her face as she walked to the training ground that night. His efforts have borne fruit. He almost recovered completely.

The team training session starts at 15:30. Nero is at his highest and gives everything he has. He ran agilely, running as if his life depended on it while others groaned and groaned, still sick from the activities of the previous day. Only the players left on the bench can match his speed during training.

As training progressed, Nero became more confident in his stamina. He realized that the little bit of post-match fatigue that remained and weighed him down at the start of the session had disappeared. So, he increased his intensity he approached training until the coach called him and asked him to slow down a bit.

He had to explain that he had recovered, for them to let him. But it was on condition that he see a team doctor before the end of the day. Nero, however, is not the slightest bit afraid of being subjected to a physical health checkup once again. He knew his body well and was sure there would be no medical problems. So, it maintains a high level of intensity until the workout ends that day.

The next day, which was Friday, he went through the same routine. He wakes up early, does yoga, stretches using a foam roller, and undergoes team training prepared by the coach to perfect the game plan for the game against Gent the next day.

Throughout the day, he was in a state of intense focus. He followed instructions from the coaching staff to the letter throughout all sessions. When they say run, he runs, and when they shout pass, he lures. The hours passed quickly, and before he knew it, it was already night.

Finally it was time for Coach Marcel to announce the squad for the next day. Nero walked into the tactics room after taking a shower. He sat in the very back seat of the room and quietly waited for the coach to start his speech.

"Good night to all of you" Coach Marcel told the players after they all finished sitting in Anderlecht's tactics room.

"Good night, coach," replied all the players, more or less in unison. They stopped chatting and their attention was focused only on the coach.

Coach Anderlecht nodded. "Tomorrow, we play away against KAA Gent at Ghelamco Arena" he said. "It's a tough game, and we have to give more than a hundred per cent if we want to get maximum points."

"You all know that we can't lose again in the Pro Ligue. So we have to play as a team and win this game. Otherwise, our chances of fighting for the league title this season will be greatly reduced. Are we together, guys?'" He shouted, sweeping his gaze across the players.

"Yes, coach."

"Let me ask you one thing" continued the coach, a gentle smile adorning his face. "Who is the strongest, physically, here?"

All players, including Nero, remained silent, under the impression that the coach had asked rhetorical questions.

Waves of light laughter crossed the room as several players raised their hands. Coach Nero pointed at one of them. "Olly, I also believe you are quite strong," he said. "It's a shame you're still in suspension and can't be part of tomorrow's game." The coach breathed. "But please come here for a moment. Let's do this so quickly that we can get back to planning the game."

The captain walked to the front of the tactics room confidently amid cheers and whistles from his team-mates.

"We have twelve pencils in this box" said Coach Marcel, lifting up the pencils and showing them to his players. "Tear, take the first pencil and break it in half. Come on, show me the strength of your grip." He instructed, clenching his fists as if to comfort Olly.

Olivier Deschacht, of course, followed the coach's instructions. He picked up a pencil and split it in half as his teammates cheered him up jokingly.

"Okay, I know you're the one, Olly." Coach Marcel smiled, patting the captain on the back. "Now, please take these eleven pencils and try to break them, like the first one." He said, handing over a set of pencils.

Nero smiled, looking away when he saw the Captain take a pencil from the coach and use all his strength, trying to destroy it. However, as expected, his efforts were in vain. His pencil remained intact, however he tried.

"The results are clear to all of you, I'm sure," said Coach Marcel, gesturing for Olly to return to her seat. "If we play as individuals, we will be as weak as the first pencil. The opponent will easily destroy us. But, if we play as a team of eleven, nothing can destroy us." He held out eleven pencils for everyone to see.

"Nobody can destroy us if we play as a team. Strength comes from numbers. Each player brings a unique aspect to the game, and together the team is like a well-oiled machine featuring phenomenal football. Are we together, guys?"

"Yes, coach," all the players answered in unison. Nero could see the atmosphere in the tactics room had gone from serious to casual after the coach's pencil talk.

"OK, good," said the coach. "I want us to bring that spirit to the Ghelamco Arena Stadium tomorrow. I guarantee you guys that we will go with three points from that game if we are right for it. Are we on the same page, guys?"

"Yes, coach."

"okay." Coach Marcel nodded. "Now get into the squad. Even though Gent played in a 4-4-2 formation, we will still use our standard 4-3-3 to face them tomorrow." He pointed to the large screen in front of the room where the formation had just appeared.

"We will play attacking football and focus on scoring goals throughout the game. Remember, as we said earlier today, attacking is the best defense. So, I hope everyone's nimble on the field..."

Nero listened carefully for the next few minutes as Coach Johansen explained his game plan and tactics. Although he had already heard it during the training session that night, Nero listened closely to catch every new point that came up. Seconds and minutes passed quickly, and soon, the coach began to announce the squad.

"For the starting eleven," said the coach as he pointed to the screen. “We have Silvio Proto as the goalkeeper. Anthony Vanden Borre, Bram Nuytinck, Michael Heylen, and Fabrice N’Sales as four defenders. Luka Milivojevic, Cheikhou Kouyate, and Ronald Vargas are the three midfielders. And lastly, we have Cyriac, Fede Vico, and Massimo Bruno as the three attackers."

"On the bench" continued the coach. "We have Thomas Kaminski, Sandy Walsh, Mbemba, Leander Dendoncker, Nero Juniar, Youri Tielemans, and Matias Suarez. That's all for the squad."

Nero smiled hearing his name among the squad members. He was not at all bothered by the fact that he was just a substitute. There is nothing to worry about because the coach has promised to give him playing time during the game.

"A question?" Coach Marcel asked, looking around after he finished announcing the squad.

All players, including Nero, remained silent.

"Alright, then," said the coach, applauding. "Let's call it a day then ..."

"Please wait a minute" Bersch Hill, the assistant head coach, interrupted him before he could chase the players away.

"Yes, HIll," said Coach Marcel.

"I want to remind all the players here that the trip to Gent is quite long" Bersch Hill said in a formal tone. “We will take about two hours to travel from Lotto Park to Ghelamco Arena Stadium. So, we will depart by bus from the Lotto Park parking lot at 08.30 am. Please arrive early and do not be late. Thank you." Thank you."

"Thank you, Hill," Coach Marcel said with a smile. "I guess that marks the end of today's session. If you are not in the squad, keep working hard and don't give up. Your Turn will come sooner than you expect if you stay true to your goals. For the players in the squad, sleep well, and see you tomorrow. And, of course, don't be late." He clapped his hands to emphasize.

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