two drabbles; team of choice arsenal
Title: Eurofighter
Author: Abby
Team of Choice: Arsenal FC
Prompt: [when you were young]
Characters: Jens Lehmann, Youri Mulder
Rating: PG
Note: Jens named Youri as his best friend in football, a few years back. Recently he was appointed as one of the interim coaches of Schalke 04, the former club of both of them (and which they won the UEFA Cup at).
"So they're giving the team to you? They must be desperate."
"I'll take that as the congratulations you clearly meant."
Jens laughed. "You know me too well. Good for you." He smiled, recalling Schalke. He remembered the players they'd been and the night in Milan, the shining trophy held above their heads. It occurred to him that he was the only one still playing. They were still young in his head, but they had all grown. They'd moved on, became coaches, pundits. Adults. No longer boys flushed with unexpected, delicious triumph. He smiled, thought of Youri singing into the night.
Title: I Once Had My Football Dreams
Author: Abby
Team of Choice: Arsenal
Prompt: [when you were young]
Characters: Philippe Senderos
Rating: PG
Arsenal was for making a reputation, Real Madrid was where you went when it was won. Philippe said that when he was young. When half of Europe was chasing him, the big clubs he'd dreamed of. Seventeen and everyone wanted him.
Twenty-three and things weren't as planned. He thought about being seventeen. He couldn't stop thinking. A footballer wasn't supposed to think. He was supposed to act, be strong, be decisive.
He'd thought he would be the figure in one of the stories his father told about European glory nights. But no matter how he thought, his image faded away.
Author: Abby
Team of Choice: Arsenal FC
Prompt: [when you were young]
Characters: Jens Lehmann, Youri Mulder
Rating: PG
Note: Jens named Youri as his best friend in football, a few years back. Recently he was appointed as one of the interim coaches of Schalke 04, the former club of both of them (and which they won the UEFA Cup at).
"So they're giving the team to you? They must be desperate."
"I'll take that as the congratulations you clearly meant."
Jens laughed. "You know me too well. Good for you." He smiled, recalling Schalke. He remembered the players they'd been and the night in Milan, the shining trophy held above their heads. It occurred to him that he was the only one still playing. They were still young in his head, but they had all grown. They'd moved on, became coaches, pundits. Adults. No longer boys flushed with unexpected, delicious triumph. He smiled, thought of Youri singing into the night.
Title: I Once Had My Football Dreams
Author: Abby
Team of Choice: Arsenal
Prompt: [when you were young]
Characters: Philippe Senderos
Rating: PG
Arsenal was for making a reputation, Real Madrid was where you went when it was won. Philippe said that when he was young. When half of Europe was chasing him, the big clubs he'd dreamed of. Seventeen and everyone wanted him.
Twenty-three and things weren't as planned. He thought about being seventeen. He couldn't stop thinking. A footballer wasn't supposed to think. He was supposed to act, be strong, be decisive.
He'd thought he would be the figure in one of the stories his father told about European glory nights. But no matter how he thought, his image faded away.