"Yeah, at the end of the day, they are still too young, too inexperienced when facing this kind of temptation. They couldn’t even hide it properly..." Kageyama-sensei sighed helplessly as he saw some of the boys getting distracted.
It was two days before the final game, and right now, everyone was on the bus. They were on their journey to Lublin right now, the city that would host the final. It was one of the biggest cities in Poland, and coupled with the fact that they were in the final already, the atmosphere exploded the moment they entered the city.
So many people wearing Japan jerseys were walking around, some taking photos like tourists. It was clear that they were not Japanese people who lived nearby. No, they were those fanatics who were willing to spend a hundred thousand yen or even more just to fly from home, coming to support their proudest national team.
It wasn’t just Japan that had the massive support like this. Once they were closer to the stadium, the boys could also see some groups wearing the Ukrainian jersey while also singing so loudly, showing their love for their country.
Just based on the atmosphere outside, two days before the game began, it was clear that the day itself would be on another level.
Unfortunately, all those facts failed to gain the boys’ attention, as the effect of all the rumors was still there. Kawabe could be seen having a deep bag under his eyes, clearly not having had good sleep in the last couple of days, and even Miyashiro himself, the low-key striker, was also in a jittery mood, always checking his phone every five minutes.
Only a few people paid attention to the crowd outside, greeting them with polite waves.
"Okay, this is starting to get ridiculous." Kumiko finally shook her head, having had enough with the current situation.
She stood up, her glance swept over the bus for a few seconds. No one but the head coach paid real attention to her, which was as the girl expected. However, once she dropped a single question...
"Who do you guys think you are?"
A pin-drop silence followed, but with all the boys finally turning around at her.
"Sorry, what?" Ito, who sat closest to the front line, asked, confused.
"I said, who the hell do you guys think you are?" Kumiko repeated her question once again without even blinking. "You are just a bunch of teenagers from Japan, aged 17 to 20, whose only experience before is either a high school game or a university game. Only a few of you have real experience in a professional competition, and you still haven’t gained any foothold yet, so I ask again, who do you think you are, hoping that some of those clubs in Europe would recruit you?"
It was a harsh statement, enough to trigger some of the short-tempered boys like Kawabe. However, before anyone could deny it, Kumiko continued, "Even those from the Ukrainian team don’t have any offers on their team yet, and they have been in a professional environment longer than you! They come from so many elite football academies, and they don’t make a fuss about not getting any interest from the others. So, once again, what right do you guys have here?"
Another round of silence followed, but this time, her words managed to sink into some of the boys’ thick heads. Kawabe himself was still not convinced. His face was so red as if he was about to explode, and if not for Sakura Aizawa pressing her hand on his, the boy would’ve lashed out already.
"Let me tell you something here." Kumiko didn’t change her intonation, just still flat and full of provocation. "Japanese players usually have two routes to go abroad. First, it is the extraordinary one like our senior, Takefusa Kubo and Ryo Miyaichi, who were recruited to the team’s academy since they were young due to their talent. Now, the question is, who among you are confident enough to be at their level at that age?"
Well... When Kumiko said it, no one dared to raise their hands. They were arrogant and had their own pride, but the boys were definitely far from being stupid. They might be good enough to enter the national team, but getting scouted directly like that?
No, only those who had legendary tournaments like Ryo Miyaichi or Higo could pull something like that.
"Then, you have the second route, the ordinary one." Kumiko continued, showing two fingers. "This is where almost all of our players start their career abroad. They fight from the bottom, gain trust on their team, become a regular in the J-League, and show their uniqueness to attract scouts. Simple enough, right?"
The boys shook their heads quickly. That route, while it looked short, was filled with so many thorns all over it. No one could guarantee that they could do the first step, let alone the second, third, and until the end.
"Well, yeah, it is a long road, but it is the safest one." The girl nodded. "Right now, you are still at the bottom, fighting to gain trust from your team. It is okay if you get attention from foreign clubs; that will be your luck. However, don’t put that as your priority. No, you should try to showcase your talent so that your club can give you a chance first, and everything else is a bonus. It is okay to hope for a scout, but don’t put the cart before the horse."
Right after that, the girl didn’t even wait for an answer, just sitting back in her own seat as if she didn’t just give the biggest lecture on the boys’ lives. Kageyama-sensei also gave a little nod here, clearly approving the message.
Still, Kumiko just sat quietly, her arms crossed while a big frown formed on her face.
’Some of the boys catch the message quickly, but those stubborn ones... Hopefully, they wouldn’t drag the boys down later on...’ She thought inwardly.