Whisperings | Paulo Dybala |

Chapter I ↝ Andrea

Have you ever in your life had a certain experience where the only properly fitting phrase, to sum up, the situation was; "oh well, fuck."? Probably, so then you know exactly what went through my head when my clenched fists had just knocked on a door with the name "Sir Massimiliano Allegri" written on it. Deep breaths, I took very deep breaths at that moment, and the warm smelly summer-office-air gradually filled up in my lungs. I was both ready and - at the same time - not so ready for the upcoming meeting with the head coach of the leading football team in Italy.
I was about to take a big step for me and a big step for women in a male-dominated world. Alright, the copyrights go to Louis Armstrong - I know - but it might actually be suited for this situation. Because when you as a woman get to sit in the warm chair at the offices of Juventus FC, a football club with very specific and expensive preferences, where you are about to meet your new companion for the first time since they hired you as their next assistant coach, you are allowed to exaggerate just a tiny bit.

I literally shook when the door was opened for me, and he welcomed the suddenly so tiny girl into what might be the biggest office ever.

"Welcome, miss Costas," Allegri said and extended his hand out for me to shake. "I am so glad you could make it on time, even though I reached out for you so very late."

"Andrea - please, and the pleasure is all mine. I am so honoured, that you will be giving me this opportunity, sir," I spoke with a not so steady voice.

"Well Andrea, we have heard many great things concerning you from the staff and border in Frosinone Calcio, and when you with your experience and education is the best qualified for the job, then why should we not hire you? I look forward to being working with you," Allegri told me with a smile.

"Thank you and likewise - though we both might know, that I possibly was your last opportunity to hire somebody from outside of this club," I said and laughed together with Allegri.

"You might never know the whole truth, Andrea, but why do we not first find your new office and then somewhere for you to get changed into some training appropriate clothes and afterwards go down and meet the team? They should all be gathering at the field in just a moment," Allegri said and led me through the door into my amazing new office and then down some hallways to a staff changing room. Because he was right. I looked down at my clothes and now realized that my pencil skirt, white buttoned-up shirt and heels perhaps did not quite suit the field of grass as well as it did the offices. Luckily, I came prepared - or well I was warned in my summon - to bring clothes to wear at the training ground. So I quickly got changed into a shirt in an orange brighter than the sun itself, but still, I looked hella good - who would not look nice in something with a Juve-logo on it?

All morning all I could think about was if I was going to fit in - or more importantly if they would accept me as a woman. It had been all good in Frosinone Calcio, where I grew up, where everybody appreciated me for being me and for what I did. There, I had special bondage with the whole crew plus all of the players and therefore leaving what I know and love behind had been quite difficult. I was truly going to be missing it all, though had Juventus always been my dream so to give up this kind of opportunity would have been more than just common nonsense. I would soon be living a life people only dream of - and by people I also include myself.

I again took a deep breath and went out of the changing room door heading towards the training ground.