The Utrecht fog was still thick when Richard arrived at Sportcomplex Zoudenbalch, but he felt much lighter than he had in the previous days. Although his body felt battered from six consecutive days of intense training, there was a sense of excitement in his chest: this was the last day of training before his official match with Utrecht's U18s.
At the entrance, he saw Coach Bram setting up some equipment: red cones, a mini-hurdle, and a mannequin for attack practice. The man raised an eyebrow when he saw Richard arrive early.
"Are you the first?" Bram smiled faintly.
Richard rubbed his cold hands. "I don't want to miss a minute, Coach."
"Good. But remember, today's training will be just as intense. Don't think that just because it's the last day, you can relax."
Richard nodded firmly. "Not ever, Coach."
•••
Morning Briefing: Tension Before the Match
The entire U18 squad had gathered in the meeting room at 7:00 a.m. Coach De Vries stood in front of the screen, wearing a black Utrecht jacket. His gaze was as usual—sharp, assessing, and breathless.
"Tomorrow is the U18 league match," he said, pressing the remote control, revealing the opponent's logo: AZ Alkmaar U18.
Several players groaned softly.
AZ is an academy team known for its aggressiveness and the best pressing in the Netherlands.
De Vries looked at each of them. "Today is not a relaxing day. Today is the last day to test your readiness. Tomorrow… there are no excuses."
He stared at Richard a little longer.
"Including him. Our new player."
Richard sat up straight.
"Let's move on to the field."
•••
1. Warm-up Drills: Reaction and Coordination
Coach Bram took over the first session.
"This is the last drill, so we're focusing on your reactions and quick thinking. AZ plays fast, and you need to react even quicker."
They began with quick-feet drills on ladders, then reaction sprints, where players had to run according to the color of the cones Bram called out.
"Blue!"
"Red!"
"Yellow!"
When called, Richard was always the quickest to respond. Bram jotted something down on his clipboard and gave a low whistle.
"Almost always right. Good."
•••
2. Tactical Shape — Build-Up & Pressing Break
Coach De Vries then stepped in to take control of the tactical session.
"AZ will press high. If you panic, we'll be destroyed."
The drill began:
Goalkeeper initiates a pass to the defensive midfielder
The defensive midfielder must find a pivot
Pivot to winger
Winger to striker
Richard was the main striker.
In one scenario, the opposing defensive midfielder pressed forward. The ball-pivot took a single touch to the wing. The ball came quickly to Richard.
"Control!" shouted De Vries.
Richard held the ball with his back to goal, his body covering the defender. He turned to the left, delivering a through ball.
De Vries stopped the drill. "Hold it."
He looked at Richard.
"Everyone saw it. That's an example of a modern striker. You need a striker who can press, hold up, and transfer momentum."
The winger exclaimed, "Crazy, your control, bro…"
Richard smiled faintly. "Not perfect yet."
De Vries continued, "Do it again. A hundred times if necessary."
And they did it over and over until their legs started to feel heavy.
•••
3. Finishing Drill: High Pressure
Coach Bram then took them to a finishing drill.
"AZ has a fast back line. So your finishing has to be early and precise."
Drill 1: Shooting from a cutback.
Drill 2: First-time finish.
Drill 3: 1v1 against the goalkeeper.
When it was Richard's turn, Coach Bram was firm:
"You're the main striker tomorrow. Show me that's the right choice."
The pass came. Richard turned, and without a second's control:
BANG!
The ball went into the bottom left corner.
Bram nodded. "Good. Again."
Second drill — short chip ball.
Richard grazed the ball with a first-time volley.
GOAL.
Third drill — 1v1.
Richard took a slight touch to the left, making the goalkeeper lower his body, then chipped the ball from the right side.
De Vries shouted loudly from the sidelines:
"If you can do that tomorrow, AZ will panic!"
Several players patted Richard on the shoulder.
Jeroen said with a laugh, "Bro, the pressure is on you tomorrow. Don't be nervous."
Richard simply replied, "I'm ready."
•••
4. Mini Game — Tomorrow's Match Formation
8v8 Match. With 20 minutes to go, they had to press Utrecht-style: compact, tight, and fast.
Richard was drafted into the starting lineup.
As soon as the ball was in play, he immediately pressed the center forward.
The opposing defender panicked, the pass was messed up, and the ball was taken by the Utrecht pivot.
Richard immediately moved to create space.
"Richard! Ball!"
He received a through ball.
The defender closed in from the left. Richard made a quick decision—pulling the ball slightly to the right and unleashing a low shot.
Goal.
De Vries blew the whistle.
"Okay, stop."
Everyone stared at the coach tensely.
He glanced at Richard… and smiled slightly.
"Tomorrow, you start from the first minute."
Everyone applauded.
Jeroen shouted, "Indonesia's starting striker!"
Richard took a deep breath. "Thank you, Coach."
De Vries patted him on the shoulder. "Tomorrow, you're not a rookie. You're a core player."
•••
5. Cooldown & Serious Talk
After the final practice session, all the players sat in a circle. Legs felt heavy, breathing labored, but the atmosphere was warm and energetic.
Coach De Vries stood in the center.
"You've worked hard. I'm proud. Tomorrow, I only want one thing."
He raised a finger.
"Mental."
Everyone listened intently.
"Technique can be flawed. Passes can be missed. But mentality—that's what separates academy players from professional players."
His gaze shifted to Richard.
"This Indonesian kid sets an example. He never gives up in training. You all must do the same in matches."
Richard bowed respectfully.
Bram added, "Tomorrow, we'll see who's truly ready."
The head coach dismissed them. "Get some rest. We fight tomorrow."
•••
6. Feelings Before the First Match
When all the players had gone home, Richard remained standing on the sidelines. The sun was starting to set.