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“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Vera asked looking on with concern as I packed a bag.
“It’s just for a couple months little love. I need some time away from my family, from the club. Just to reassess everything and refocus,” I answered, still putting clothes in the bag.
“And you didn’t think you’d want to ask me about this? Or invite me?”
“I did…think it but I already knew you’d say no. Am I wrong?”
“No,” she chuckled. “You could at least ask though. I do understand why you want to do this though when it comes to all the family drama but can you just take a leave from the club? Isn’t tonight the awards dinner? Shouldn’t you be attending?”
“I should, but I won’t be. I had a meeting with Thohir today,” I said bringing my packing to a halt and sitting on the bed next to her. I then proceeded to tell her my thoughts while she absorbed every word in typical attentive fashion. Despite her tendencies to fall asleep while I talk about football, Vera would listen to me for days when she knew I really needed to talk.
I explained to her that I decided to set up a meeting with Thohir as soon as the last game of the season was played. The team finished the season in very average form thus completing my first season in football without a trophy and I couldn’t hide my disappointment in my failure. Thohir wanted reassurances that I was still committed to the cause because of my dejected image on the touchline in the final games. I told him I couldn’t leave without winning something and I just needed time to recollect myself and deliver the way everyone expects me to next season. If I didn’t fulfill this next season, then I would consider resigning. That was my very bold statement and I intended to stick by it.
After this, we went over our end of season meeting where I got the results for the various End of Season awards. In the league James Ward-Prowse came in 3rd for the Best Young Player award while Lovren, Dimarco and Handanovic were named in the Team of the Year. Handanovic picked up a personal award as the Keeper of the Year. At least I kept one promise when I told the players last season that they would be recognized for their performances this season.
The Inter awards that would be presented at our annual end of season dinner went to Valzania, who won both the Fans’ Player of the Year award and Young Player of the Season award. Jovetic won the goal of the season while fans believed, and rightly so, Patric was the signing of the season.
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The final piece of discussion between Thorir and me was about the initial transfer budget for next season as well as our agreement that we needed to upgrade the facilities in a bid to bring the club’s reputation back up.
After explaining all this to Vera I was surprised that I still had her full attention even after dawdling off into club talk. She simply smiled calmly at me and brushed her hand against my face, “Don’t worry, you’ll win it all next season love,” she said. “The boys aren’t ready to move and I know you aren’t either so I have faith in you.” I felt like she was giving me a team-talk but to be honest, I needed it. Vera was my source of sanity and she never once failed at providing it ever since the day I met her. “So what’s the plan now? Where will you go and surely you will call constantly, yes?”
“Of course I’ll call. We both know you can’t go a day without hearing me talk about football,” I teased. She rolled her eyes. “First, I’ll be going to Moscow. Pay a visit to the Spartak training ground and have a drink with Leonid. They’ve won the league twice since I left; it will be nice to see the old faces. After that I’ll be off to Madrid to meet up with Massimilliano Allegri.”
“Massimilliano? Why?” she asked.
“He’s agreed to meet with me and talk football. He knows the Serie A and the game so well and won the Liga BBVA in his first season with Madrid. He won so much at Juventus and is recognized as one of the best in the business right now. I can learn a lot from him in the coming months.”
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“And he’s agreed to mentor you?”
“He has, rather graciously I might add.”
“You two have developed such a good friendship. I’m glad, I was starting to believe you wouldn’t have any…you know, friends who are not shady.”
I laughed. “What about Andrei? He’s my best friend.”
“Andrei admits himself that he’s shady and I’m your best friend, thank you very much,” she corrected with a push of my shoulder.
“And you’re shady?”
“The shadiest, love,” she grinned giving me a quick kiss. “Let’s go see what our sons are up to, shall we? Let them know daddy is going to school for a bit.”
“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Vera asked looking on with concern as I packed a bag.
“It’s just for a couple months little love. I need some time away from my family, from the club. Just to reassess everything and refocus,” I answered, still putting clothes in the bag.
“And you didn’t think you’d want to ask me about this? Or invite me?”
“I did…think it but I already knew you’d say no. Am I wrong?”
“No,” she chuckled. “You could at least ask though. I do understand why you want to do this though when it comes to all the family drama but can you just take a leave from the club? Isn’t tonight the awards dinner? Shouldn’t you be attending?”
“I should, but I won’t be. I had a meeting with Thohir today,” I said bringing my packing to a halt and sitting on the bed next to her. I then proceeded to tell her my thoughts while she absorbed every word in typical attentive fashion. Despite her tendencies to fall asleep while I talk about football, Vera would listen to me for days when she knew I really needed to talk.
I explained to her that I decided to set up a meeting with Thohir as soon as the last game of the season was played. The team finished the season in very average form thus completing my first season in football without a trophy and I couldn’t hide my disappointment in my failure. Thohir wanted reassurances that I was still committed to the cause because of my dejected image on the touchline in the final games. I told him I couldn’t leave without winning something and I just needed time to recollect myself and deliver the way everyone expects me to next season. If I didn’t fulfill this next season, then I would consider resigning. That was my very bold statement and I intended to stick by it.
After this, we went over our end of season meeting where I got the results for the various End of Season awards. In the league James Ward-Prowse came in 3rd for the Best Young Player award while Lovren, Dimarco and Handanovic were named in the Team of the Year. Handanovic picked up a personal award as the Keeper of the Year. At least I kept one promise when I told the players last season that they would be recognized for their performances this season.
The Inter awards that would be presented at our annual end of season dinner went to Valzania, who won both the Fans’ Player of the Year award and Young Player of the Season award. Jovetic won the goal of the season while fans believed, and rightly so, Patric was the signing of the season.
View attachment 156409
The final piece of discussion between Thorir and me was about the initial transfer budget for next season as well as our agreement that we needed to upgrade the facilities in a bid to bring the club’s reputation back up.
After explaining all this to Vera I was surprised that I still had her full attention even after dawdling off into club talk. She simply smiled calmly at me and brushed her hand against my face, “Don’t worry, you’ll win it all next season love,” she said. “The boys aren’t ready to move and I know you aren’t either so I have faith in you.” I felt like she was giving me a team-talk but to be honest, I needed it. Vera was my source of sanity and she never once failed at providing it ever since the day I met her. “So what’s the plan now? Where will you go and surely you will call constantly, yes?”
“Of course I’ll call. We both know you can’t go a day without hearing me talk about football,” I teased. She rolled her eyes. “First, I’ll be going to Moscow. Pay a visit to the Spartak training ground and have a drink with Leonid. They’ve won the league twice since I left; it will be nice to see the old faces. After that I’ll be off to Madrid to meet up with Massimilliano Allegri.”
“Massimilliano? Why?” she asked.
“He’s agreed to meet with me and talk football. He knows the Serie A and the game so well and won the Liga BBVA in his first season with Madrid. He won so much at Juventus and is recognized as one of the best in the business right now. I can learn a lot from him in the coming months.”
View attachment 156406
“And he’s agreed to mentor you?”
“He has, rather graciously I might add.”
“You two have developed such a good friendship. I’m glad, I was starting to believe you wouldn’t have any…you know, friends who are not shady.”
I laughed. “What about Andrei? He’s my best friend.”
“Andrei admits himself that he’s shady and I’m your best friend, thank you very much,” she corrected with a push of my shoulder.
“And you’re shady?”
“The shadiest, love,” she grinned giving me a quick kiss. “Let’s go see what our sons are up to, shall we? Let them know daddy is going to school for a bit.”
