THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

The Rosenborg players controlled the game well in the final minutes to extend their lead against Strindheim Idrettslag. Just after Zachary left the field, Nicki Nielsen scored an unexpected goal from a difficult position. The number-9 leaped high to connect with a cross from John Chibuike and powered a header towards goal from right outside the box.

Ole Naess, the Strindheim keeper, didn't react quickly enough. He could only watch it slip by his outstretched hand and enter the back of the net. Strindheim Idrettslag had conceded yet another goal in the 86th minute. Rosenborg was on fire.

After that, the Rosenborg players slowed down the pace of gameplay to run down the few minutes left on the clock. They wasted time whenever they could, playing short but aimless passes—until the referee blew the final whistle.

At that instant, the stadium exploded into a wave of cheers as Rosenborg fans celebrated their victory. They had managed to keep a clean sheet, win the second-round game 4:0, and qualify for the next round. All the players, including Zachary, were excited and celebrated after the match. They ran all around the field, waving at the away-fans to thank them for their support.

Rosenborg BK would be facing their next opponents in the third round of the Cupen at the end of May. But before then, they would have a very tight schedule. They had to play six Tippeligaen matches in a span of four weeks, starting with Aalesunds the following Saturday.

Everyone was aware that they only had two days to prepare for the away game against Aalesunds Fotballklubb. That was the bare minimum time required for a practical pre-match training regimen. So, no one indulged in the post-match celebrations for too long.

When the bus dropped the Rosenborg players at Lerkendal, they quickly cleaned up and had a team dinner. They made quick work of the food—and in only a few minutes, most of them had packed their bags and returned to their homes. They needed to rest well and ready themselves for the team training the following evening.

Zachary, though, didn't leave immediately. The coach had asked to meet with him in his office after the team dinner. He was surprised by the call at such a late hour, but he still had to comply. The coach had finally given him an opportunity to play on the professional stage, so he was eager to find out what he had to say. He was hoping to possibly get a commitment from the coach to turn him into a regular, starting from the next game. So, he marched to Coach Johansen's office eagerly after taking a shower.

When he got there, he found the coach making final notes on the just concluded match. Several five-by-seven cards and charts with player formations and movements littered the L-shaped desk in the office. Zachary could even see his name and number-33 jersey circled in yellow on one of the cards. He stared and remained silent, appreciating how difficult a job coaching was. Even after the match was over, coaches didn't forget to make records and analyze them for future reference.

"Have a seat, Zachary," Coach Johansen said, placing down his marker and pointing to the chair beside him.

Zachary smiled and settled into it.

"How do you feel after playing and scoring in your debut match?" The coach inquired, leaning back into his chair and smiling at Zachary.

"Terrific, of course," Zachary replied. "I love football. Playing at the professional stage makes me feel accomplished. So, I would love to participate in a lot more matches."

"That's good to know." The coach nodded. "You played well out there. Keep up the spirit, and you'll surely succeed on this team. Now, let's talk about why I called you here." The coach's gaze turned solemn.

Zachary didn't like the look on the coach's face. He could feel like some bad news was coming. "Coach, is there anything wrong?" He asked, frowning slightly.

"Not at all," Coach Johansen said, shaking his head. "I only want to know how you've been. You seemed pretty detached from the rest of the team before the game. Is there anything that has gone wrong in your life? Did some girl break your heart? What happened to you over the past month?" The coach fired questions slowly but steadily, keeping his eyes locked on Zachary's face.

Zachary was surprised by the direction the conversation was taking. He couldn't believe the coach would decide to have such a talk with him right after his debut match. Nonetheless, he replied genuinely in order to stay in the good books of the coach.

"It was just the frustration of not making the squad for the past two months that was affecting my mood," he said. "However, I'm okay now. Football, always helps me calm down."

"Oh," the coach said, glancing at Zachary pensively. "I didn't know that keeping you off the squad could affect you in such a way."

Zachary smiled ruefully.

He was at a loss for words because he himself couldn't understand what had been the trigger of his anger episodes. He suspected that it could be one of the tragic incidences in his past life or childhood—but he wasn't sure yet. However, he felt it was no longer an issue since he'd started feeling better over the previous week. So, there seemed to be no point in worrying about it.

"You can always come and talk to me if you have any doubts in the future," Coach Johansen said, smiling. "Remember, I'm on your side. I want you to perform and help the team win trophies. But you can't do that while your mind is elsewhere. Okay?"

"Yes, coach." Zachary nodded. "I will do that."

"Okay, great," Coach Johansen said. "That reassures me. Now the next issue. Because you put up an incredible performance today, you'll be in the squad for the Tippeligaen match against Aalesunds next Saturday. You'll start on the bench, but I'll give you a chance to join the game as a substitute."

"Thank you, coach," Zachary replied, smiling. "I'll do my best if given the opportunity."

Coach Johansen nodded. "However, you have to remember that this is a fixture between two clubs in the top four of the Tippeligaen. The intensity will be very different from what you've faced in today's game. That means you'll have to be in an above 95% match condition to partake in that game. For that to happen, you need to go through proper post-match recovery. But that could be challenging since the game is only two days away."

"So, you should pass by the medic tomorrow to have those thighs and calves checked," the coach continued. "They received quite a few knocks, and we don't want them to turn into a problem before Saturday. Since you have just experienced a growth spurt, you should go for the check-ups as regularly as possible. Okay?"

"Yes, coach," Zachary replied. "I'll go tomorrow." Although he felt that he was fully fit, he needed to continue reassuring the coaches by having check-ups. He wouldn't lose anything by doing that, so he 'simply' agreed.

"Good," Coach Johansen said, smiling. "I also called you here to guide you on how to make your post-match recovery more efficient and effective. I know we already covered this back in the academy, but I'll go ahead and discuss it again. You need to take great care to relax your muscles so that they can recover after the match. That is especially very important for you who is just starting out on the professional stage..."

Zachary leaned back in his chair as he continued listening to the coach's advice. For the next few minutes, the coach talked about several popular methods used by professional athletes to enhance recovery after games. He advised Zachary to utilize hydrotherapy, stretching, compression garments, massage, sleep, and nutrition after every game. That way, he would remain in tip-top shape and maintain his form even late in the season.

Zachary already had some prior knowledge about the techniques. So, the discussion went by very quickly. And in about ten minutes, he thanked the coach for his advice and exited the office.

Zachary walked with a spring in his step towards the stadium's exit. He was in a good mood since he already knew that he would be on the squad for the game against Aalesunds Fotballklubb. That, coupled with the fact that he'd managed to score in his debut, made him feel like he was walking on clouds.

When he left the stadium, he hurriedly made his way to the bus stop. He wanted to return to his apartment as soon as possible and begin his post-match recovery session. He didn't come across any other souls until he made it to the Lerkendal bus stop.

It was already ten in the evening, and there wasn't much traffic on the streets of Trondheim. He had to wait thirty minutes for the bus heading to Stjørdalsveien, the location of his apartment.

As he rode the bus to Stjørdalsveien, Zachary resolved to buy a car a soon as possible. With a personal vehicle, he would be able to move at his leisure at any time. He could go to Lerkendal at any time and practice without any worry since he would be—assured of his transportation. Zachary found that prospect quite attractive. And since he had the money, he could no longer resist the temptation of obtaining his vehicle.

Bzzt Bzzzt! Bzzt Bzzzt!

Zachary's phone vibrated as the bus pulled into the Stjørdalsveien bus stop. He hurriedly fished it out of the pocket of his tracksuit as he alighted from the bus. When he was out on the sidewalk, he glanced at the screen—and noticed it was a call from an unknown international number beginning with the area code +33. Although he didn't know to which country the code belonged, he still picked it up anyway.