Tuesday, 8 February 2022

9:58pm

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I woke up to my phone vibrating next to me on the couch. I'd fallen asleep watching videos sent to my by my scouts of potential players for next season.

Unknown caller.

I was instantly awake. Usually, it listed a number even if it was a robot calling.

Noam had explained how this worked. The polizei were monitoring my number so that they could trace and triangulate the caller. So if my agent Luca called me from Milan, they'd quickly know within a few meters where exactly in Milan he was. Like they could tell between the bathroom, by his pool or in his office. But Luca doesn't block his number or use software to route his call through multiple towers, satellites and relays so as to disguise where exactly he's calling from.

"This is Enrico," I answered.

Which is why they'd asked me to keep them on the line as long as possible.

"Enrico, our helpful friend. Did you take a look at your iPad and laptop for us."

"I don't know how you did it," I said. "But I sure am scr*wed, aren't I? You've really got me over the barrel. I mean, I know enough that even if I delete them, you know, I've watched those forensic police shows coming out of the United States so I know that even if I delete the files and my browser history, they could still dig in there and find ..."

"Enrico."

"Ja."

"You talk too much."

"I know. Everyone says that about me. F***, I just can't help myself when I'm nervous. I mean, have you ever seen my press conferences? I'll talk the reporters f***ing ears ..."

"Enrico."

"Ja."

"You're going to cooperate, right?"

"Ja, because I love my wife and kids and don't want anything to happen to ..."

Click.

It seemed like an eternity later, but my phone buzzed. My phone said it was only 10:05. It was Niegelsmann from the federal polizei.

"We couldn't trace them," he said. "But that was good. Good try. One of these times they'll have more information for you and they'll stay on the line longer."
 
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Magdeburg were 12th and were on a three game losing streak. Furthermore, they'd only won once in their last 11.

The Fritz-Walter was half full with nearly half of those fans in the Westkurv as usual.

It was misting to drizzling so the ball was going to zip nicely across the pitch. I played my ideal starting eleven.

We started off well and in the 10th minute, Osayamen Osawe rose highest at the far post and hammered home a Marlon Ritter corner.

1-0

The Westkurv had just gotten done chanting Osawe's name when Jean Zimmer whipped in a first post cross.

Rene Klingenburg met it with a firm header.

2-0

We continued to press them.

In the 24th minute, Marius Kleinsorge beat his man to the byline, but then pulled the ball back and fed a pass toward the 5m box for a point blank chance for Klingenburg.

So the defender did the only thing he could which was trip Klingenburg.

"PENALTY! PENALTY! PENALTY!" I yelled.

I started jogging over towards the fourth official, but the ref pointed to the spot. For a change.

Muhammed Kiprit picked up the ball and walked over to the spot and waited. Eventually, the Magdeburg players cleared out and he carefully placed the ball down then adjusted it several times.

The ref blew his whistle.

Muhammed smashed it straight down the middle. Our scouting indicated that the Magdeburg keeper usually dove early. This time their keeper just stood there. He managed to get his hands in front of his face just in time. The ball wobbled out towards Muhammed's right.

It was a race between a shocked Muhammed and a stunned keeper. Muhammed won the race and slid the ball under the diving keeper.

3-0

Okay, I'll take it. That was the first time I'd seen Kiprit miss a penalty. Even in practice.

In the 32nd minute, they had a free kick at the top of our box. They decided to chip it into the danger zone instead of shoot. Kevin Kraus cleared it back where it came from. Their free kick taker chipped it back in, this time towards the second post.

Neal Gibs jumped, but their right winger Raphael Obermair jumped earlier and looped a header over a flailing Avdo Spahic and into the far side netting.

3-1

That was it. We sat back and played defense for the remainder of the match. Magdeburg had a good deal of the ball, but couldn't do anything with it.

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I tell you what mate, I have loved reading every inch of this! Great back story, i really enjoy the way it switches between the match days and the "behind the scenes" parts. Can't wait to see how it carries on
 
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A rare Friday evening match and the Südwest Derby! Mannheim is an hour east just on the other side of the Rhine. They limited the number of tickets for the Roten Teufel to two thousand and another seven hundred managed to get tickets. Carl-Benz Stadion is moderate-sized stadium with the fans right on top of the players. The roof over the seats makes it a really loud stadium, too.

Today felt like a real match ... not some lower division slogfest.

Once again, I played my ideal eleven.

Mannheim promptly won a free kick just outside the box to our right. Their shot grazed the post.

In the 13th minute, their right back lost his mind and played a cross field pace towards nobody in particular. Marius Kleinsorge accepted the gift and spanked a pass behind the guilty right back for Osayamen Osawed to run onto.

Their keeper saved their right back with a solid block on Osawe's shot.

Boris Tomiak headed Ritter's corner wide.

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In the 25th minute, we started stringing passes together. We'd work it into the box, hit a dead end and pass back or out. This continued for several minutes. Finally, Marlon Ritter received the ball about 30m out.

He had time and unleashed a knuckleball shot. Initially it looked like it was going high but it suddenly started to drop. The keeper realized it was dropping very late and leapt in an effort to get a hand to it. He missed.


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The ball hit the crossbar and rebounded straight upward. I could see the spin on the ball. When it hit the ground, it spun into the net.

0-1

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In the 30th minute, Ritter played a ball into the channel for Muhammed Kiprit to chase.

The keeper was racing out.

Muhammed chipped it.

It landed in the top netting.

The Mannheim fans exhaled in relief. The Roten Teufels groaned.

In the 41st minute, they were playing the ball back and forth in front of our defense.

Out on our right, Captain Jean Zimmer failed to track their left winger as he made a run right in front of him.

They chipped a ball into the channel and their winger volleyed as shot past the frozen Avdo Spahic.

1-1

"Godammit, Zimmer," I cursed. "He f***ing ran f***ing right in f***ing front of you. F***!"

Jörg was off the bench and bellowing at Zimmer to mark his man once the Mannheim cheering abated.

At halftime, I told my players to win this one for the fans.

At 58 minutes, I replaced Neil Gibs with Alexander Winkler at left back because they'd been having success down our left flank.

In the 60th minute, Ritter had the ball rather far on our side of the half line. He looked down. I saw Kiprit start his run.

He lasered in a 60m pass right onto the left foot of Kiprit.

Kiprit dropped his shoulder to feint left then dodged right onto his weaker right foot.

And belted one into the top right corner.

1-2[/B]

Then in the 64th, Winkler wasn't paying attention and gave up a goal.

They had it near the half line and Boris Tomiak yelled to move the line up. Zimmer stepped up 5m, Kevin Kraus stepped up, but Winkler didn't.

'STEP UP, WINKLER!" I yelled. "WINKLER! STEP UP!"

They played the ball across the pitch and then into the left channel.

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Their striker's shot knicked the outside of the post.

1-2

Jörg and Lorenzo were off the bench screaming at Winkler.

I just put my hands in my pockets and contemplated my shoes and tried to stop hyperventilating.

In the 75th minute, Mannheim were barraging our penalty box with long balls. We kept heading them clear. On the fourth try, their striker was 3m offside.
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The defender with the ball saw him open and lobbed a chip towards him.

He volleyed it into the back of the net.

2-2

All of my players had their hands raised.

"OFFSIDES! OFFSIDES!" The Roten Teufels, the bench, and I all yelled at the same time.

The ref just stood there. Was the VAR official talking to him?

"He was clearly offsides!" I said as I ran up to the fourth official. "Is there a VAR check?"

He just put a hand out. I was supposed to talk to the hand? What the f***?

Then the ref pointed and signaled for offsides.

1-2

I let out a huge sigh of relief. So did the away corner. Everyone went back and sat on the bench.

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I tell you what mate, I have loved reading every inch of this! Great back story, i really enjoy the way it switches between the match days and the "behind the scenes" parts. Can't wait to see how it carries on
Thanks!
 
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"My Italian-Ameriican corruption-fighting worrier of man," Gwen said. "You're playing with your food."

"Sorry. Today's match really took it out of me."

"I can tell. You love their Bucatini Amatriciana. Usually, you destroy it."

"There's nothing wrong with it," I said.

"Except you."

"There's that."

"I think its the additional strain on you," she said. "You said yourself it was an uneventful week training. No injuries, nothing."

"I did say those things."

"And you haven't been sleeping well," she added.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"By how much you flip, flop, elbow and kick me."

"Sorry."

"Just eat some of your dinner like a good boy and lets get you home to bed."
 
Saturday, 19 February 2022

I watched the 1860 München match on my iPad, the Würzburger Kickers visit to Havelse on my laptop and the Wiesbaden match on Gwen's laptop.

Halle valiantly battled but Die Löwen squeaked out a victory. Kickers had a strong first half but couldn't covert their dominance into a goal. They collapsded to Havelse's onslaught in the second half. It was the best match of the day. Wiesbaden drew with Viktoria Berlin. The Berliners took a 66th minute lead on a shot the Wiesbaden keeper should have stopped. He was saved by a spectacular 89th minute volley.

The bottom line is that eleven matches to play, we have a fifteen point cushion for automatic promotion.

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Sunday, 20 February 2022

Jörg and I drove up Osnabrück for the only Sunday match. A win for the home side and our lead at the top would be twelve points. So we were rooting for Eintracht Braunschweig. Bremer Brücke is a smallish stadium. The fans are right on top of the players and the roofing over the stands makes it even louder. It was a sell-out but their General Manager graciously got us tickets.

Also, we played Osnabrück in two weeks.

The Lila-Weißen were up for it even though it was freezing cold. Personally, I was bundled up like an Arctic explorer. Jörg had a puffy, hat and no gloves. He's just tougher than me. I think that patently clear.

In the 11th minute, the Osnabrück right winger had the ball in the right corner of the penalty box near the end line. He was facing away from goal. The Braunschweig defender had him controlled. But defender just had to a poke at the ball.

The home fans in unison screamed for a penalty as the ball rolled over the end line. The ref obliged and pointed to the spot.

The Braunschweig players pled their case, but the ref wasn't having any of it.

1-0

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The visitors barely threatened. It was getting colder as the afternoon wore on and with the sun behind the stadium. Osnabrück's huge forward Higl scored his 3.Liga leading 18th goal in the 85th to seal the points.

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Monday, 21 February 2022

8am

"I've invited Olaf and Thomas to join us this morning because I want to do something slightly different," I said. That's Olaf Marschall our Chief Scout. Then I paused and took a sip of my espresso. "I want to talk about next year. We have eleven games left and fifteen point promotion buffer so I think its likely that we'll get promoted. I am not going to let myself be sentimental about it and I'll set aside how much I like some of the guys in the current squad. I'm going to be realistic when looking forward to 2.Bundesliga."

"Not a lot of the players in the squad will be here next year. Any player whose contract ends this June will be leaving. That includes Kevin Kraus, Assani Lukimya, Kenny Redondo, Hendrick Zuck, Mike Wunderlich, and Alexander Winkler. Pretty brutal cull, ja?"

"Neal Gib will be a backup at left back next year. I might loan him out if I can pick up two left backs better than him. Osayamen Osawe and Muhammed Kiprit may not be able to step up to the second division. They'll get a chance, but Olaf's team has been scouting for new forwards. The only players who are likely starters next year are Ritter, Klingenburg, Zimmer and Tomiak. Julian Niehues will get a shot at defensive midfielder. Oh, and Spahic will get a fair shot at remaining keeper."

"So Olaf and team are scouting for one keeper, two left backs, three central defenders, one right back, one defensive midfielder, two central attacking midfielders, two wingers and two or three forwards. That's thirteen or fourteen, maybe even fifteen new faces in the squad next year."

"But at every position, if the players we bring in are better, they play. If any of those six I mentioned lose their form, they're benched. I intend to build a squad that can push for a second straight promotion."

"Would you talk about the youths?" Thomas asked.

"Uh, ja," I said. "if we have any gems in this year's crop, they'll train with the senior players and get playing time with the U18s. If they develop well, hopefully they can start getting some experience as late substitutes and in friendlies."

"Also, I have some bad news. Jörg and Lorenzo know how this works as they've worked with me before, all of you coaches will be helping scout new youth players."

"Its f***ing brutal," Jörg said smirking.

"Ja but we find new galacticos," Lorenzo added.

"Primarily this will be by watching videos of youth team matches," I said. "But on occasion you will travel to watch players we rate very highly. I intend to sign up some youth players if we have any money to spend. I'll be looking for youths who could be in our first team in two to five years."

"Any further questions?" I asked. "Seeing none, thank you Olaf and Thomas for joining us. Let's plan out this upcoming week."
 
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D*mn *t! My laptop crashed and I hadn't saved after the Mannheim result. I've replayed it a dozen times and I simply CANNOT get a draw against them. I often thrash them and even when I play my second string we still sneak a win.

So what do you think I should do?
  1. Keep replaying
  2. Edit the above posts and move on
  3. Post the new results after the crash and just move on
 
View attachment 569567D*mn *t! My laptop crashed and I hadn't saved after the Mannheim result. I've replayed it a dozen times and I simply CANNOT get a draw against them. I often thrash them and even when I play my second string we still sneak a win.

So what do you think I should do?
  1. Keep replaying
  2. Edit the above posts and move on
  3. Post the new results after the crash and just move on
Edit the post above and carry on mate if you cant get a draw from replaying it
 
Edit the post above and carry on mate if you cant get a draw from replaying it
Alright. Posts edited for narrative consistency. I just COULD NOT get a draw against them on my post-crash replays.
 
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Verl began the season leading 3.Liga. They led it as late as the 8th round. Then the slide began. They are winless in twelve and if the slide continues, they could be in relegation trouble. When they can score, they've given up more.

Once again, I started my ideal eleven.

They pinned us back right from the start. They were doing a good job getting around our ends and getting crosses in. We kept repelling their crosses.

Until the 14th minute. Their right winger beat Neal Gibs with a shoulder fake and crossed towards the second post from the end line.

Their left winger headed it back across goals for their striker who was lurking with intent at the first post.

Jean Zimmer, Boris Tomiak and Kevin Kraus all just stood there as he scored from 0.5m.

0-1

"COME ON!" I yelled as the 1200 Verl fans in the far corner screamed their heads off. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

We did.

We took the ball into their end and began poking and prodding, trying to find the weakness, find the seam.

In the 20th minute, they'd cleared the ball out to Gibs. We circled it round the back and up the right.

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When Marius Kleinsorge got it, he launched a 40m cross into the space behind the center backs.

Muhammed Kiprit timed his run perfectly and was in alone.

1-1

That was better.

We continued to press. Rene Klingenburg burned their keepers hands with a shot from 30m. In the 29th, Osayamen Osawe sent Kiprit in on goal again, but the keeper deflected his shot out for a corner.

Our breakthrough finally came in the 39th minute. Zimmer was trapped on the right sideline. So he spun and passed back and inside to Klingenburg. Klingenburg played a
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ball for the end line as Zimmer caught their left back ball-watching.

Zimmer lasered in a far post cross. Osawe rose, but headed well wide. Actually so far wide right that Kleinsorge got to it and tried a sharp angle shot.

He probably had about 1m wide opening to shoot at from that angle.

2-1

That's more like it.

That's how the half finished.

I don't know what the opposition manager said during the break, but it worked like a charm. Verl kept the ball and were working hard off the ball to create overloads and
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seams. We coped fairly well until their left winger decided to lob a ball behind our two center backs.

Kevin Kraus wasn't tight to their forward and was watching the ball as their striker darted behind his back. He didn't react to the chipped pass very well and couldn't get into position in time to head the ball clear. He just watched then ran back two steps too late.

It fell to their striker and he buried it past Avdo Spahic.

2-2

"F***ing s***biscuits," I said. That was horrific defending. Amateurish. As a central defender you train relentlessly to be ready for whatever might get launched your way. Central defenders learn to keep your man in front of you and react to his run. Its really all about footwork and paying constant attention to everything going on around you.

"I f***ing kill him," Lorenzo said in my ear.

"F*** that s***," Jörg said. "Get him off."

I read Boris Tomiak's lips. He said 'what the f***?' to Kraus. Spahic was swearing at him in Bosnian.

We pressed hard for our next goal. Marlon Ritter and Klingenburg just couldn't find the perfect pass. Zimmer and Gib's crosses just never found a teammate's head.

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As my hope was fading they'd we'd find a second winning goal, Klingenburg brought their player down. I looked at the clock.

81:02

Instead of launching a long ball into the box, they played a pass to the top of the box. I realized as soon as the pass was played that this was something they'd worked on. Their striker and scorer of their tying goal ran out towards the right. They played the ball out to him.

Leandro Putaro hit a curling screamer into the top left corner. Maybe it was supposed to be a cross?

2-3

That was an amazing strike.

If our unbeaten streak and winning streak was going to end, that would be a worthy strike. Unlike their first two.

We continued to press. We even got the ball in the back of the net, but substitute Hikmet Çiftçi was offside and the goal was ruled out.

I made sure to shake Putaro's hand afterwards and I complimented him on his strike.

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"The unbeaten streak is over at 23," Jakob Böttcher said. "Comment, please?"

"Ja, it was a good run," Captain Jean Zimmer said. "Got us where we are. But runs end. Sooner or later."

"As one of the stingiest defenses in 3.Liga, that is the first time you've given up three," Dennis Friedel of Sportbuzzer said. "What's the reaction in the team room?"

"Well, the manager is still in there yelling at everybody," Zimmer replied. "He's not happy with us. We defend as a team and we all let each other and the fans down."

"Will he be out to talk to us?" Florian Carre of OneFootball asked.

"I expect so," the Kaiserslautern captain said.

"Does this hurt your title or promotion chances?" Niklas Boll of Kicker asked.

"Do you look at the table?" Zimmer replied.

"There's Pucci," Carre said. "Thanks, Jean."

"The streak is over Enrico, what are your thoughts?" Böttcher said to me.

"I'm really proud of this squad and that we stayed unbeaten for so long," I replied. "We are very strong mentally. You have to be to keep a run like this going."

"Were you impressed with Leandro Putaro's goal?" Friedel asked.

"That was a golazo. Ritter has scored a couple like that, but that was an amazing strike. I congratulated him afterwards."

"Speaking of Marlon Ritter, has the increased attention because of his amazing season, how has he reacted?" Böttcher asked.

"I'm impressed," I replied. "The core of this team has a very strong will. He keeps working hard and he keeps delivering."

"What about the defense today?" Carre asked. "Three goals. What about those first two?"

"What can I say, it was a bad day at the office defensively. Our forwards didn't close down the way I want today. The midfielders didn't put pressure on the ball the right way and at the right times today. The defenders ... well ... what did Zimmer say?"

"Ja, more or less that," Carre said. "What about Kraus on that second goal?"

"Ja, that was bad. He's not a happy man right now."

"Will he remain in the side?" Friedel asked.

"You'll know next week."

"Guerino Capretti said his team deserved that late winner," Carre said. "What do you have to say?"

"They took five shots, scored three. That's very efficient. Listen, they worked hard today. We got outworked and I'm not happy about that. They defended really well. They wanted to beat us on the outside and create chances. That worked well early, got them their first and then we adapted. That was their first. The second goal was well taken. I've already commented on the third. They caught us on a bad day and all credit to them for beating us when we weren't at our best."
 
Wednesday, 2 March 2022

8am

"Good morning, Enrico," Managing Director Sören Oliver Voigt said as I walked into his office. Thomas Hengen was already there.

"Morning, guys," I said as I sat down and took a sip of my espresso.

"How are the boys responding to the loss?" Thomas asked.

"I think they are feeling an appropriate amount of shame," I replied. "They paid their penance, training has been good. They are working harder. Braunschweig are going to be tough, though. That center forward of theirs, Higl, is a beast. He and Muhammed are neck and neck for the top scorer. But lets talk about the euros, eh, Sören?"

Sören clicked on several things on his laptop and then our monthly finances appeared on his TV on the wall.

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"We continue to lose 600 to 700 thousand a month," he said. "This was as we expected. Those friendlies we've had have boosted our overall finances. For example, January would have been much much worse without the revenue from that little league you had Gisele set up."

"Our cash flow is fine and our available cash is good," he continued. "Merchandise sales were steady once again."

"When are we announcing the new kits?" I asked.

"I thought we might do that right after we clinch promotion," Sören said. Thomas and I both nodded in agreement. "I'm also conservatively estimating that the Bayern friendly you've arranged for 26 March should bring in 300 at a minimm. I'm hoping for closer to 500. Considering our relative financial health, I am going to propose to the board that we retain more in outgoing transfer fees than the current 30%."

"Yeah, I'm a little worried that someone might think that Ritter is a bargain for 450," I added. "So if we lose our star midfielder, I'd like to actually spend that money. Oh and by the way, if we do lose him, I've already got a replacement targeted. Olaf and the boys are finishing up scouting him. If Ritter stays, I could play the guy as a winger."

"Oh, really?" Thomas said. "Sounds good."

"Also, my target will be a free signing," I said. "I'm only planning on making free signings or loan signings for next year. We'll see how it plays out, but I'm hoping that some of these loan signings won't cost us any money at all."

Both men nodded in approval.

"Keßler and the board are happy," Sören said. "Not really breaking news considering our league positions, but there you go. The board meeting was yesterday."

Thomas and I nodded.

"Anything else?" I said. They both shook their heads. "Alright, I'm off to prepare for training. See you two later ..."
 
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Sometimes it just seems colder. Today, the damp cold of northern Germany feels like its going straight into my bones. Yet again, I'm bundled up like an Arctic explorer.

The stadium is packed and loud. They only allowed 1,600 away fans and they're crammed into a corner.

Assani Lukimya replaces Kevin Kraus after his error last week. Also, Assani is stronger and should cope better with Felix Higl. Dominik Schad replaces captain Zimmer who had a terrible performance last week.

Initially, it looked like everyone was running around just to stay warm but the match finally got going in the 10th minute.
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Marlon Ritter saw Muhammed Kiprit start his run and skimmed a pass across the wet grass into the channel.

You've seen this before. Ritter to Kiprit. Usually about twice per match.

Muhammed went for power this time.

He missed the keeper.

0-1

The Braunschweig fans went silent as the Roten Teufel corner exploded.

Braunschweig's strategy is to pack the midfield. We do the same. We created a couple more chances, but none were all that dangerous.

"RITTER! BORIS!" I yelled in the 34th minute. "RITTER! BORIS!" They both looked over. "SIT BACK! HOLD THIS LEAD!" I made the remain calm gesture; fingers splayed with hands facing down pushing downwards. They both nodded.

Nothing really happened for the rest of the half.

"Its f***ing cold," Jörg said as we trudged towards the away team room.

I warned my players to not get complacent and reminded them that our opponents were second in the table.

"Hit them on the counter," I said. "That's where they are vulnerable."

I also made a change. Marius Kleinsorge was having a poor match out on the right. I put in Kenny Redondo but had him play as a left winger. Osayamen Osawe switched to the deep-lying forward on the right side. I was hoping Kenny's speed would create an advantage against their right back.

The second half started as cold as the first.

In the 52nd minute, they won a corner. Their fans roared. I immediately saw a problem. Kiprit and Neal Gibs were marking taller players at the near post.

I just groaned. Neither player would hear me over the fans. Did the corner taker see the mismatch?

He did.

They scored on a flick header.

1-1

"F***," I muttered to myself.

In the 62nd, Kenny raced down the left sideline nimbly evading several tackles. He whipped in a cross but Rene Klingenburg headed right at their keeper.

Then the match fell into an ice cold March puddle. There is something about late winter matches that just freezes out a match. Not much happened after that.

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"Its a good point," Ulf Kirsten said as we were replacing a few of the more frozen players. "A point is a point in a match like this."

Then in the 82nd minute, substitute Jean Zimmer won a foul deep right in the Osnabrück end.

Ritter launched a cross towards the second post.

Lukimya leapt and smashed a header right into the face of the leaping defender. The ball richocheted off the pair and sat their at their feet. The defender was stunned so Lukimya took as swipe at the ball.

One of their defenders cleared it off the line!

And that was it.

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Saturday, 5 March 2022

10ish pm

After we'd gotten off the bus, I'd gone upstairs into the club offices inside the Fritz-Walter to retrieve my laptop.

As I walked out of the elevator, I saw someone leaning against my Alfa Romeo. How the f*** did the Russian gangsters get into our secure car park.

Because they're Russian gangsters, that's why. I turned on my voice recording app on my phone as I walked up.

"Hello Enrico," the man in the hoodie and jacket said.

"Ja, I was wondering when you guys would be getting back in touch with me."

"Well here we are."

"So nice to see you again."

"Everything is arranged."

"It is?"

"Da. You just play part you have been given. Play defenders Hercher, Senger and Schad."

"What do I get out of it?"

"One hundred twenty thousand euros."

"So I risk my career for a mere one twenty? I don't think so. I want more."

"You should think about how much you love wife and childs."

"Oh, so you're threatening me again?"

"You get one hundred twenty thousand."

"In unmarked euros? Coins? Bitcoins?"

"We could do bitcoin. But best is Swiss bank or bank in Caribbean. You really want bitcoin?"

"No. What the f*** am I going to do with that? Swiss bank is fine."

"Swiss it is."

"How about half now, half after?"

"Nyet. We contact you with bank information later. Goodbye, Enrico Pucci."

And he walked over to the gate, held a device up to it and it opened. F***! So much for our security.
 
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Sunday, 6 March 2022

8:39pm

I sat with Philipp Hercher, Dominik Schad and loanee Marvin Senger. All three looked scared s****less which was appropriate because we were in a hotel conference room with Interpol and a dozen federal polizei. The only difference is Gwen's attorney sat at my side while the other three did not have representation.

"Hello, I'm Alfred Bin with Interpol," Bin began. "You four are gathered here today because we know that a Russian criminal organization intends to fix the 19 March match between Kaiserslautern and Freiburg Two. The four of you have been contacted by them in person. We know that you all have received a number of calls from unknown caller IDs. We know these calls have lasted thirty to forty seconds and never as long as forty five as they know longer calls are traceable."

"We know that money has been offered to you make sure that Freiburg score. We want you to play along. You will request the money be put into Swiss bank accounts. The Swiss government and Swiss banks are cooperating with us on this investigation. We have been tracking this organization and its friends in East Asia for years now. You four are going to help us bring this organization down. We have been monitoring bets placed upon this game and have identified other matches with similar betting patterns. When we trace the money into the Swiss bank, we will learn a significant amount about this Russian organization's finances."

"Your residences are under surveillance and have been for a while. I want to assure you that you and your families will be safe. Do you have any questions?"

"How can you guarantee that they won't know we've been talking to you?" I asked. "Like this meeting?"

"Mr. Hercher, how did you get here?" Bin said.

"Um, well ... two men in suits were at my door," Philipp said. "They showed their badges, held up a note for me to read. We went into the basement of my building and I left in a van. They brought me here and came in through the delivery entrance."

"I believe each of you left your residence in a similar manner," Bin said.

I drove with a federal officer to a pub then snuck out the back and into my van.

"We are being very careful about how we contact you and how we involve you in this operation. From the Russian's perspective, this little match fixing operation will come off flawlessly. In the end, when they have been dismantled and sit in jail awaiting their trials, they aren't going to be able to tell what the weak link that broke them was."

"I'm going to need a statement in writing from both you, Interpol, and the federal polizei absolving my client," Mannfred Ailing piped up. He'd appeared almost magically after I'd asked for my attorney. This was Gwen's attorney, really.

"Ja, not a problem," Bin said. "And for all three of you, too."
 
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Wednesday, 9 March 2022

Way past bedtime

"Gwen?"

"Yes."

"I can't sleep."

"I know."

"Something has been bugging me," I said. "I'm really not sure how they expect us to do this."

"Howso?"

"Suppose I throw the match. Interpol and the German federal polizei are all for that. They trace the money back and bust up this Russian mafia. What's been bugging me is that FIFA might not care that I helped bust a criminal organization. They might not give the least s*** and ban me for life for rigging a match."

"That's a legitimate concern," Gwen said.

"But I'm f***ed cuz I got approached by the Russian mafia. Or am I missing something? Is there some key part they aren't telling me? Like they know more about the Russian organization than they're telling me? Are they turning a new leaf and coordinating with FIFA? That can't be the case. I really feel like I'm just a **** in the game of life."

"I may have said this before," Gwen said. "But you worry too much."

"I'm not so sure how safe you and the kids are."

"You forget that your friend Noam is sleeping in the spare bedroom and he's monitoring this place with a pretty amazing surveillance system. He's heavily armed and knows what he's doing."

"Alright, fine," I agreed. "You're right about you and the kids."

"Also, I leave Saturday anyways for the Hawaiian photo shoot. I'm taking the kids and Elke. We'll be as far away from all this as we can get. And Noam is sending a bodyguard, too."

"Okay fine."

"But the FIFA part is worrying," Gwen said. "You should ask."

"How? How can I ... oh ... duh. I can have Noam ask them."
 
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I'm just a f***ing bundle of f***ing nerves. I've got a twitch developing in my left eye. I'm just a basket case. I don't even want any coffee. Clearly, I'm a mess. So what a relief to have a footy match against a club just above the relegation zone.

Assani Lukimya keeps his place so no changes.

I told the boys that we should be winning this.

It was quick and relatively painless death.

Rene Klingenburg met a Neal Gibs cross from the left in the 7th minute to give us the lead.

Boris Tomiak was rugby tackled at a corner in the 10th minute. Muhammed Kiprit converted the penalty.

In the 22nd minute, Klingenburg slid a pass into the channel for Kiprit to chase and he slid the ball under the keeper.

Klingenburg finished our scoring in the 26th minute from an Osayamen Osawe cross.

Captain Jean Zimmer was having a howler of a match. In the 58th minute, he let their left winger run right past him and into the channel YET AGAIN. He has got to stop his ball-watching. I subbed him soon afterwards.

He sat at the opposite end of the bench from Jörg and Lorenzo. If looks could kill ...

4-1
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