Enemy Lines (completed)

42

(I will skip to the last game)

Today's the day of the finale. I knew to leave the players be. Everything after this match will change. The bonds and relationships I've made with theses girls will most likely end today. After today we will all become strangers with memories.

I take the field with the team as we walk out with the kids and say the anthem.

I stand at the bench with the subs. Me and the coaching staff Decided to dress suits today as it's my last game. US soccer has already informed me that I will have no send off game and my contract will be terminated no matter what after the last match of the women's World Cup. I had to just nod my head.

Here I was at the 2019 Women's World Cup finale and in the span of 2 hours I will be out of a job. Everything I've done for the past 6 months will go down the drain.

I block out the doubts and anxieties about my future as the team takes the field for the last time under me as their head coach.

I let the players do their job as I stay seated silently nodding as one of my players do what I feel was the proper move.

As the minutes wind down in the first half I see Kelley collide heads with Martens. I knew as soon as they collided she was out even if she was okay. Concussion protocol says that they are to leave the pitch after an apparent head collision.

I walk over to where Ali and Emily where sitting. "Ali I need you to go in. Do what you do. Play with your head not your heart. Keep your head calm and on a swivel. Let's secure this 4th star. That's all I want. you will go in after half time.Got it?" She nods and stands up.  We escort Kelley off the pitch after she tried to fight the ref who orders her off. Kelley is a 90 minute player and nothing will change that.

I let the girls stay in their mental zones as Kelley is escorted to the at's room to finish her concussion protocol. Right before we step back on the pitch I'm alerted to the fact that Kelley does have a concussion. She walks back out with us to the bench and sits down as I put Krieger on the pitch in her place. Right after Ali steps on the  pitch Becky goes down with a cut on her forehead.

I send the training staff out there who is thankfully able to patch it as I don't have to put on another player and lose an extra substitute. I've already lost one and with the pace of this game these girls aren't going to move for a while. In the time it takes for the trainers to patch up Becky I call everyone over to the sideline.

"We all want a 4th star. Fight never back off. Play with your head not your heart. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgement and remember you can beat them in your sleep. Now get back out there." They nod as they run to their positions.

In the 61st minute Rapinoe is able to slot her penalty pulling us out of our scoreless streak. We restart up 1-0 with less then 30 minutes left of regulation time.

8 minutes later after the excitement from Megan's goal starts to wear off on the girls, rose gets a break and score just past the 18. Putting us up 2-0 with a little over 20 minutes left in the second half.

—-

We win the game 2-0

As soon as the whistle is blown the bench clears as they hug all the players on the pitch as I take a detour. I shake all of their hands and congratulate them on how far they went in the tournament while also pointing out a few of the things I liked about their game and maybe slipping their coach a note that talked about what they needed to iron out to become a truly world class team. It might be a bitch move but I don't care after today I go back to being a nobody with a Women's World Cup gold medal.

After making my rounds through all of the Dutch players I hug all of my own players starting with Alyssa first and my defenders as I make my way through the players.

We head into the locker room as Me and Megan were pulled away for media duties. Megan is showered with questions for a good 15 minutes before the press turns to me. "What is going to happen after today?" A short blonde woman asks.

"I'm going to be honest. I don't know. But this day is not about me. This day is about them. Tomorrow I will look at my options but today will be dedicated to these girls and there hard work. Without there perseverance we would've never made it as far as we did. Today is the day the US gained its 4th star. 2 decades after the 99'ers did. The 99'er not only inspired most of the girls on the team but the majority of the girls in the US. They had finally garnered the viewership for woman's Football and I hope we never forget their accomplishments. I hope little kids all over the US and other countries, girls and boys alike are talking their parents mom, dad, grandma I want to be the next Alex Morgan, or I want to be the next Carli Lloyd, Becky Sauerbruun,Tobin Heath and the other 19 players on the roster. I hope we inspire the next generation of football players in the IS and around the globe. We can do it and so can you. With that said I would like to leave this conference. If you have anymore questions for Megan you can ask them if not we will leave?"

Nobody speaks up as we turn to leave the room as we both head to the locker room. Megan starts drinking as I pull Kelley off to the side.

"Are you okay?" I question knowing she hasn't been around this much alcohol in forever. She can only shake her head no.

"Okay let's head outside." I tell her as I turn her away from her previous vice.

Right before we head out Kelley is pulled away for photos. She takes a few with Ashlyns beer in hand to make it look normal. After all the photos are done I pull her into the ats room where my kids are.

"Wanna play board games or we can watch spongebob?" I ask the concussed defender."

"What boardgames do we have?"

"We have Sorry, Apples to apples. And I think that's it."

"What do you guys want to do?" She questions my kids.

They both respond apples to apples. So I break out the board game and read the rules out loud. We play a few rounds until we are told that the plastic wrap has come down and the alcohol is cleaned up. I release Kelley to go shower as me and the kids continue on with our game for another 20 minutes before I get the go ahead to get on the bus.

I pack all my stuff and walk to the bus with my kids. Once seated I open my email and start looking through all my job prospects.

HC job.
North Carolina Courage
University of California Los Angelos
Washington state Huskies
Seattle Reign(replace my replacement)
Houston Dash
Utah
Manchester United
Chelsea FC
Florida State University
Wake Forest
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Wolfsburg
And a few others. These were my top contenders as the contracts would pay fairly and I would spend most of my time with the kids as they would allow me to travel with them.

I close my email and shut my eyes. All this was happening to quick. It feels like yesterday when Jill called me at 10pm to inform me of her sudden departure from the national team.

I have to remind myself to take deep breathes as I start to spiral. I needed a cig or 30 of them.
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So I took your advice. This just saved you guys about 20 filler chapters. Now shits boutta get spicy and please vote on what club you want me to join.