‘I’m sorry Miguel, the decision has been made, you’re being let go’
Miguel didn’t have time to think of an answer. He just sat there in silence. Estoril had been good to him up until now. 6 months ago he suffered a devastating injury and the club promised to support him through his recovery despite not being a contracted player, but now the manager that signed Miguel has been sacked, with the club failing to live up to expectations in the league and they find themselves 12th and 11 points off automatic promotion. The new manager was someone Miguel knew well, and was the person on the other end of the phone
‘But the club said they’d….’ he was cut off
‘Wrong, the previous manager said he’d support you, not me. I’m not sticking by you when you wouldn’t stick by me in my time of need’
‘Your time of need? That’s rich, we’d just lost in the play off final to a much stronger team, and I’d earned the chance to go to Estoril, much like you have actually, and you’re holding a grudge over me because I’d been the best player at Oleiros for 2 years and moved up in the footballing world?!?’
‘Whatever Miguel, you could’ve built something special with me at Oleiros but you jumped ship at the first chance…’ This time Miguel cut the man off
‘You have done exactly the same! Oleiros are 6th in the league and you’ve gone to Estoril to better yourself, you’re pathetic you really are, holding a grudge over nothing’
‘Sorry Miguel, I’m here to build my own team and you’re not part of my plans. Good luck with your rehabilitation’ The man hung up before Miguel could reply.
The person on the end of the phone was Dominic De Sousa, the manager Miguel played under at ARC Oleiros for 2 seasons. The club was semi-professional and didn’t have any full time players on contracts, so when the opportunity to go to Esotril came up, Miguel took that chance and left. At the time the manager and board held no grudges, or so Miguel thought. Out of habit he always kept an eye on how Oleiros were doing, and this season they were doing well. 12 wins from 19 meant heading into February they were 6th in the league and looking good for at least another play off finish. Estoril had seen this and managed to get De Sousa to leave Oleiros and join them, however it looks like damage limitations for this season. When the phone call ended, Miguel didn’t actually realise but in his anger he managed to stand up and pace the room without the use of crutches.
It wasn’t long before he understood the predicament he was now in. Injured, possibly never returning as a player and without a job or income. Were there any clubs out there willing to take on a player that couldn’t play for an undetermined amount of time, probably not. However despite the bad news Miguel was in high spirits. He’d spent a couple of hours speaking to 1 of the great’s in the game and after the phone call he just received he has decided that he’s going to take him up on the offer to look into his coaching badges, whether he returns as a player or not.
February 2019 came and by this time Miguel had surprised the doctors no end. He was able to walk without the use of crutches, and was even spending time in the gym, albeit not going too hard but still, to be walking on your own 2 feet 5 months after suffering and ACL and torn quadriceps injury is largely unheard of. He was never the most physically fit player there was but looking at how quickly he’s recovery has gone so far, you’d think he’d done nothing but conditioning all his life. Despite the constant work outs he had completely forgot about being a non contracted footballer with no direction in his career. It wasn’t until the former player, one of the best players of any generation rang him to follow up on their phone call a number of weeks ago
‘Miguel, hi it’s…
Miguel was nervous, excited and shy all at the same time, and cut the man off ‘Hi, I know I saved your number’ he said hurriedly
‘I was just wondering how you’re recovery is going and if you’ve thought any more about what I said’ the man replied
‘It’s going well, I'm walking and running now and things are looking good’
Around ten minutes passed by the time the 2 had finished talking, with the man on the phone saying he has a friend that will speak to him about going to the coaching center he runs
A week later during March and his recovery has gone well. He’s walking, running, lifting weights and able to swim now. The doctors are happy for him to leave the hospital now, and there was a football match on the telly that seemed a perfect thing to watch. Sporting Lisbon are away to Boavista.
He was in a bar local to his flat in Lisbon, and Leonor was with him watching the game. After 7 minutes it was 1 all, and from then on Sporting were lucky to be in the game. Miguel wasn’t happy at the way the team were plying and made his feelings known towards the screen more than once. By the 89th minute it was still 1 all, and the linesman put the board up, 3 minutes of extra time.
For the majority of Sporting fans, it was just 3 minutes to hold on for a draw. They’ve been the worse team today and are lucky it’s still 1 all. As the time ticks away, Fernandes makes a run down the right wing, he gets past the winger and only has the full back to go by, just run it in to the corner, waste some time Miguel thinks to himself, but Fernandes has other ideas. He knocks the ball past the left back and gets into the area, he’s not got any support, just hold the ball for Gods sake! But he tries to go inside but can’t get past the covering center half, he’s forced out wide now, he’s going absolutely nowhere, just keep hold, WHY HAVE YOU HAVE DIVED WHY?!? He’s on a yellow card already, Miguel is screaming at the screen, the ref’s coming over, at least getting a second yellow will run, what? What’s he, YEEEESSSSSS the people in the bar are all in unison as the ref points to the penalty and has given a penalty in the 93rd minute to Sporting Lisbon, Fernanades went down far too easily but the ref’s view must've been different, not that it matters. Fernandes himself steps up to take it, he’s got a short run up.
Please score, please score, please just bury this are the thoughts going through Miguels mind, Fernandes starts his run up, 1 step, 2 steps, stutter, places the ball to the keepers left as he dives right! GOOOOAAAALLLL!!! As the ball hits the net the fans in the bar are cheering and celebrating, and Miguel turns to Leonor and picks her up in jubilation. As he puts her down he himself jumps into the crowd of fans in the bar, but as he turns round and he’s hit with another couple of fans joining in the celebrations, and as he comes down on his foot, he feels his knee bend, his recently surgically repaired knee, and as he screams in agony his voice is drowned out by the cheering noises of a bar full of Sporting Lisbon fans.
The pain was almost as bad as it was when he first injured that leg.
This is bad, this is really bad.
Miguel didn’t have time to think of an answer. He just sat there in silence. Estoril had been good to him up until now. 6 months ago he suffered a devastating injury and the club promised to support him through his recovery despite not being a contracted player, but now the manager that signed Miguel has been sacked, with the club failing to live up to expectations in the league and they find themselves 12th and 11 points off automatic promotion. The new manager was someone Miguel knew well, and was the person on the other end of the phone
‘But the club said they’d….’ he was cut off
‘Wrong, the previous manager said he’d support you, not me. I’m not sticking by you when you wouldn’t stick by me in my time of need’
‘Your time of need? That’s rich, we’d just lost in the play off final to a much stronger team, and I’d earned the chance to go to Estoril, much like you have actually, and you’re holding a grudge over me because I’d been the best player at Oleiros for 2 years and moved up in the footballing world?!?’
‘Whatever Miguel, you could’ve built something special with me at Oleiros but you jumped ship at the first chance…’ This time Miguel cut the man off
‘You have done exactly the same! Oleiros are 6th in the league and you’ve gone to Estoril to better yourself, you’re pathetic you really are, holding a grudge over nothing’
‘Sorry Miguel, I’m here to build my own team and you’re not part of my plans. Good luck with your rehabilitation’ The man hung up before Miguel could reply.
The person on the end of the phone was Dominic De Sousa, the manager Miguel played under at ARC Oleiros for 2 seasons. The club was semi-professional and didn’t have any full time players on contracts, so when the opportunity to go to Esotril came up, Miguel took that chance and left. At the time the manager and board held no grudges, or so Miguel thought. Out of habit he always kept an eye on how Oleiros were doing, and this season they were doing well. 12 wins from 19 meant heading into February they were 6th in the league and looking good for at least another play off finish. Estoril had seen this and managed to get De Sousa to leave Oleiros and join them, however it looks like damage limitations for this season. When the phone call ended, Miguel didn’t actually realise but in his anger he managed to stand up and pace the room without the use of crutches.
It wasn’t long before he understood the predicament he was now in. Injured, possibly never returning as a player and without a job or income. Were there any clubs out there willing to take on a player that couldn’t play for an undetermined amount of time, probably not. However despite the bad news Miguel was in high spirits. He’d spent a couple of hours speaking to 1 of the great’s in the game and after the phone call he just received he has decided that he’s going to take him up on the offer to look into his coaching badges, whether he returns as a player or not.
February 2019 came and by this time Miguel had surprised the doctors no end. He was able to walk without the use of crutches, and was even spending time in the gym, albeit not going too hard but still, to be walking on your own 2 feet 5 months after suffering and ACL and torn quadriceps injury is largely unheard of. He was never the most physically fit player there was but looking at how quickly he’s recovery has gone so far, you’d think he’d done nothing but conditioning all his life. Despite the constant work outs he had completely forgot about being a non contracted footballer with no direction in his career. It wasn’t until the former player, one of the best players of any generation rang him to follow up on their phone call a number of weeks ago
‘Miguel, hi it’s…
Miguel was nervous, excited and shy all at the same time, and cut the man off ‘Hi, I know I saved your number’ he said hurriedly
‘I was just wondering how you’re recovery is going and if you’ve thought any more about what I said’ the man replied
‘It’s going well, I'm walking and running now and things are looking good’
Around ten minutes passed by the time the 2 had finished talking, with the man on the phone saying he has a friend that will speak to him about going to the coaching center he runs
A week later during March and his recovery has gone well. He’s walking, running, lifting weights and able to swim now. The doctors are happy for him to leave the hospital now, and there was a football match on the telly that seemed a perfect thing to watch. Sporting Lisbon are away to Boavista.
He was in a bar local to his flat in Lisbon, and Leonor was with him watching the game. After 7 minutes it was 1 all, and from then on Sporting were lucky to be in the game. Miguel wasn’t happy at the way the team were plying and made his feelings known towards the screen more than once. By the 89th minute it was still 1 all, and the linesman put the board up, 3 minutes of extra time.
For the majority of Sporting fans, it was just 3 minutes to hold on for a draw. They’ve been the worse team today and are lucky it’s still 1 all. As the time ticks away, Fernandes makes a run down the right wing, he gets past the winger and only has the full back to go by, just run it in to the corner, waste some time Miguel thinks to himself, but Fernandes has other ideas. He knocks the ball past the left back and gets into the area, he’s not got any support, just hold the ball for Gods sake! But he tries to go inside but can’t get past the covering center half, he’s forced out wide now, he’s going absolutely nowhere, just keep hold, WHY HAVE YOU HAVE DIVED WHY?!? He’s on a yellow card already, Miguel is screaming at the screen, the ref’s coming over, at least getting a second yellow will run, what? What’s he, YEEEESSSSSS the people in the bar are all in unison as the ref points to the penalty and has given a penalty in the 93rd minute to Sporting Lisbon, Fernanades went down far too easily but the ref’s view must've been different, not that it matters. Fernandes himself steps up to take it, he’s got a short run up.
Please score, please score, please just bury this are the thoughts going through Miguels mind, Fernandes starts his run up, 1 step, 2 steps, stutter, places the ball to the keepers left as he dives right! GOOOOAAAALLLL!!! As the ball hits the net the fans in the bar are cheering and celebrating, and Miguel turns to Leonor and picks her up in jubilation. As he puts her down he himself jumps into the crowd of fans in the bar, but as he turns round and he’s hit with another couple of fans joining in the celebrations, and as he comes down on his foot, he feels his knee bend, his recently surgically repaired knee, and as he screams in agony his voice is drowned out by the cheering noises of a bar full of Sporting Lisbon fans.
The pain was almost as bad as it was when he first injured that leg.
This is bad, this is really bad.
1
