Chapter 160: The Test IV: First Win

We scored again around the fiftieth minute. Nya won the ball in midfield with a perfectly timed tackle, played it forward to Sam. Sam drove forward, played a one-two with Connor, and suddenly he was through on goal. He slotted it past the goalkeeper with confidence. 5-1. The lads were buzzing now, playing with freedom, expressing themselves.

But I was still watching number 17.

Around the fifty-fifth minute, he picked up the ball deep in his own half. Connor pressed him immediately, trying to force a mistake. Eze just dropped his shoulder, turned away from Connor like he was dancing, and suddenly he had space.

Jake pressed him next, closing the gap. Eze played a one-touch pass to their midfielder and moved into space, calling for the return ball. The midfielder played it back, and suddenly Eze was through on goal, driving forward with the ball at his feet.

Ryan came out, making himself big, narrowing the angle. Eze tried to round him, but Ryan got a hand to the ball, deflecting it out for a corner. It was a brilliant save, and I clapped my hands, shouting encouragement.

“Good save, Ryan!”

Millwall scored from the corner. Number 17 took it, whipping the ball in with pace and precision. Their center-forward attacked it at the near post and headed it home. 5-2.

I wasn’t even annoyed. I was impressed. The delivery was perfect. The movement was perfect. That was quality.

The match was winding down now. We’d made substitutions, giving some of the younger lads a run. Millwall were tired, beaten, their heads dropping. But number 17 kept trying. He kept demanding the ball, kept looking for passes, kept trying to create something.

In the sixty-eighth minute, he received the ball in the center circle. Three of our players pressed him: Connor, Jake, and one of the substitutes.

He dropped his shoulder, turned between two of them with a simple body feint, and played a perfect through ball that split our defense wide open.

Their striker ran onto it, one-on-one with Ryan, but he snatched at the shot and dragged it wide. Eze put his hands on his head, frustrated. He’d done everything right, and his teammate had let him down.

That’s when I heard the Millwall coach shouting from the touchline. “Eze! Stop trying to be fucking Messi! Just win the ball back! Get stuck in!” His voice was harsh, frustrated, cutting through the noise of the match. Eze looked over, his face tight, but he didn’t respond. He just jogged back into position, calling for the ball again.

Their center-forward won a header a minute later, flicking it on toward Eze. He controlled it beautifully, turned, and tried to play another through ball. But this time Connor read it, intercepting cleanly. The Millwall coach threw his hands up in exasperation. “That’s not your job! Your job is to press! To work! Not to play fucking Hollywood passes!”

I glanced at Sarah. She’d heard it too. “He doesn’t fit their system,” she said quietly.

“No,” I agreed. “He doesn’t.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Even on a losing team, surrounded by players of lesser quality, and despite his own coach’s urging to play a different way, he kept trying. He kept believing. That said something about his character.

The final whistle blew. Crystal Palace U18s 5-2 Millwall U18s. The lads celebrated, hugging each other, shouting, laughing. Their first proper match, and they’d won convincingly. The pressing system had worked. Everything we’d built over eight weeks had paid off.

I let them have their moment, then gathered them together.

“Brilliant. Really brilliant. That’s what happens when you trust the system and trust each other. Well done, all of you.”

They were buzzing, talking over each other, reliving the goals. I smiled, feeling the tension drain out of my body. We’d done it.

I walked over to shake hands with the Millwall coach. He looked frustrated, but he was professional about it.

“Good game,” he said. “Your pressing system is impressive. We couldn’t handle it.”

“Thanks. Your number 17 is very good.”

He grimaced. “Eberechi Eze. Technically brilliant, but we released him. Not physical enough for our style. He’s training with us until he finds a new club.”

Released. Free agent.

“Can I speak to him?”

“Sure.”

I walked over to number 17 Eze. He was sitting on the grass, his kit was muddy, and sweat was dripping down his face. He looked exhausted, but there was something in his eyes. Determination. Pride. He hadn’t given up, even when his team was getting hammered.

“Eberechi, right?”

He looked up, surprised. “Yeah. Eze.”

“Danny Walsh. Crystal Palace U18s.”

“I know who you are. Saw the news about your appointment.”

“I watched you today. You’re very good.”

He shrugged. “Thanks.”

“I heard Millwall released you.”

His face tightened slightly. “Yeah. Fourth time. Arsenal, Fulham, Reading, now Millwall. I’m used to it.”

Fourth time. Eighteen years old and already rejected four times.

“What position do you play?”

“Attacking midfielder, mostly. Sometimes on the wing. Wherever they need me.”

“And you’re looking for a club?”

“Yeah. My agent’s working on it.”

I nodded. Thinking.

CA 115. PA 175. Elite potential. Technical ability was exceptional. Lacks physicality but compensates with intelligence.

“Here’s my card,” I said, pulling one from my pocket. “If you’re interested in training with us, give me a call. I’d like to see what you can do in our system.”

He took the card, looked at it, then looked at me.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. Think about it.”

On the coach ride back, Sarah sat next to me.

“You’re going to sign him, aren’t you?”

“If he calls, yeah.”

“He’s not what you’d expect for a Crystal Palace academy player.”

“Exactly. That’s why I want him.”

That evening, I sat in my flat reviewing the match footage. We’d won 5-2. The pressing system had worked. The players had executed. For the first time since arriving at Crystal Palace, I felt like a real manager.

But I kept coming back to Eze.

I watched every touch he’d taken. Every pass. Every dribble. He was special. Not in the obvious way that Connor was special. Eze was different. Subtle. Intelligent. The kind of player who made everyone around him better.

My phone buzzed. Unknown number.

Hi Coach Walsh, this is Eberechi Eze. I’d love to train with you. When can I start?

I smiled.

Monday morning, 9am. Copers Cope Road. Don’t be late.

I won’t. Thank you.

I put my phone down and stared at the ceiling.

Eight weeks ago, I was alone.

Now I had a staff. A system that worked. A match win. And maybe just maybe I’d found something special.

The competitive season was starting in three weeks.

I was ready.

***

Thank you to nameyelus and chisum_lane for the gifts.

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