Descartes' dismissal became the biggest turning point in the game.

When he's on the pitch, he's the heart of the Pavia Juniors. He took the ball, he broke through, he organized, he shot, and the whole Pavia Junior team played well under his leadership, keeping the Bergamo Junior team firmly in their own half.

Such a scene was unique in the history of the two junior teams, with Bergamo Junior almost stunned as they had just one shot on goal in the entire first half, and it came from outside the box.

Their number one star, Mobrizio in right midfield, spent the entire 45 minutes at his back, barely getting a chance to show off his attacking talent to the crowd on the sidelines.

But when Descartes was replaced, everything changed.

In the eyes of Bergamo teenagers such as Donati and Mobrizio, such behavior by the Pavia Junior Team is simply an insult to them, and they think that only 45 minutes of Descartes will be enough to crush the Bergamo Junior Team?

Dream!

So under the leadership of Donati and Mobrizio, the Bergamo Junior team showed 12% of their strength and launched a Jedi counterattack.

At the same time, with the loss of the core of the attack, Pavia's offensive suddenly fell into trouble. Although Liverard is also a hard player, he is indeed a big cut behind Descartes in terms of talent.

In the words of Mr. Mancard, Riverard is the kind of person who strives to be an average player, while Descartes is the one who is destined to become a superstar.

The difference in ability between the two has determined that the momentum of the Pavia Junior team in attack has been frustrated.

In the second half, the Bergamo Juniors pushed Pavia back to the half, turning the first half of the two teams on its head.

Although Mr. Mankaard saw the situation and quickly changed two defenders, the frenzied Bergamo Juniors and Mobrizio were unstoppable, scoring four goals with overhead kicks in the 51st, 57th, 82nd and 90th minutes respectively to stage a shocking comeback.

The result of the match was also a disappointment for the relatives who were cheering on the children on the sidelines, who had come so close to victory, but when the game came to the end, they had to swallow the bitter pill of defeat.

Descartes was equally disappointed, gritting his teeth and hating that he couldn't hold on for another 45 minutes, even 20 minutes, and maybe score another goal to kill the Bergamo Juniors.

But any regret is useless, the outcome of the game has already been decided, and Descartes' 2000-2001 junior league season can only start with failure.

After the game, the reluctant Descartes approached Mr. Mankaard and said to him: "Mr. Mancard, I would like to beg you to let me play 20 more minutes per game, just 20 minutes, is that okay?" ”

Mr. Mankald looked at him with a serious face, and replied with a calm face: "Why, do you think that if you had had been in the spare for another 20 minutes, you would have avoided today's defeat?" ”

Descartes didn't answer, but his expression and clenched fists gave him the answer.

Monsieur Mancard's eyes suddenly turned cold, and he said to Descartes in a rare stern tone: "Descartes, your attitude is not only irresponsible to your own body, but also an insult to your teammates, do you understand? ”

Descartes looked up in horror, he really didn't mean to insult his teammates.

But Mankaard didn't give him a chance to defend himself, he continued: "You don't have to explain it to me, you've made it clear, you see yourself as the savior of this team, you think you can't do without you, right? Descartes, you have to understand that even if you are a player like Rossi, you still need ten teammates to form a team with you in order for you to win in the end, and it was a decision we made from the beginning to replace you, so each of us is responsible for the consequences, not just because your teammates are not as good as you, or they are not doing well, that you are being dragged down. ”

"You have to understand that even when you're there, it's because there are 10 team-mates on the pitch who help you with the involvement, help you defend, help you pass the ball, and you end up scoring three goals, so you have to trust your team-mates and give them your back at ease. On the court, they're comrades you have to entrust to life and death, you know? ”

Descartes nodded incomprehensibly, he just wanted to win, but he didn't understand why Monsieur Mancard had to crack and tell him so much.

However, Monsieur Mancard had read his thoughts in his confused eyes, but these truths were difficult to understand even for an adult, let alone for such a boy who had just turned ten?

So Mankaard did not force Descartes to accept this concept, he just patiently analyzed it for him: "Descartes, I know that it is difficult for you to accept defeat, in fact, I am the same, we were so close to victory, and in the end we became losers, I have more difficulty accepting than you." But that's football, you don't know for sure until the last minute, and as a player, all you have to do is give your all on the pitch and make sure that every minute is your focus, and as a coach it's my job to give you advice before the game, to plan the best tactics and make sure you can play to your strengths. The main responsibility for today's defeat is not you, nor your teammates, but me, because I didn't think it through, so the team fell into chaos in the second half, so it was me who should be most responsible for this failure! ”

Descartes looked at Mr. Mancard, who fell into self-blame, his eyes flashed with fierce fighting spirit, since Mr. Mankaard took the responsibility of defeat on himself, then he must try to carry the responsibility of victory on his shoulders, in order to let the relatives and friends who watched the battle no longer disappointed, in order to prove to others that he can definitely become a superstar, he will never allow such a failure to happen again!

But things in the world are not necessarily successful after making a will, just like everyone has seen the extraordinary experience of those successful people, but no one will pay attention to those who work hard like them but eventually fall.

Although Descartes was more and more impressive in the following games, scoring seven goals in three games, Pavia Juniors still struggled to find a win, and in the following games, they won two draws and one defeat.

As in the match against Bergamo Juniors, the first half was dominated by Pavia Juniors, who netted 11 goals in the presence of Descartes, and it can be said that the Pavia Juniors were almost invincible in the first half.

However, in the second half, when Descartes was substituted, the Pavia Juniors were immediately beaten back to their original form, lacking more talented players and not being so reassuring in terms of defensive organization, so they were often equalized or overtaken in the second half.

Descartes was tormented by the successive defeats, and he repeatedly wanted to find Monsieur Mankaard again, telling him that he was definitely not looking down on his team-mates, but that he had to spend more time on the court in order to win.

But Mr. Mankaard showed his stubborn side at this time, although he knew that keeping Descartes on the court might bring a victory for the Pavia Juniors, but he was not willing to overuse Descartes, and was worried about his condition, so in the second half, he pressed Descartes firmly to the bench, even if he did not win one of the four league games, he never compromised.

For an amateur team like Pavia Juniors, Mr. Mankad is their God, no one can fire him, and he doesn't have to be disgraced by the pressure of performance, so no matter how angry and anxious Descartes is, Mr. Mankaard still goes his own way and never lets him play even a minute longer.

Descartes felt like a caged beast, on the verge of exploding.

The only thing that left him with hope was that Mr. Mankaard had consciously stepped up his defence in recent training and it looked like he was unhappy with his team's defence.

It's right to think that any team that plays well in the first half but is weak in the second half will do everything they can to make a difference.

It's just that what Descartes didn't expect was that Mr. Mankaard had other ideas for such defensive training.

Before the fifth game, Monsieur Mancard approached Descartes and said to him: "Descartes, I have something I would like to discuss with you and want your consent, do you think it will work?" ”

Without thinking, Descartes replied, "Of course, Monsieur Mancard, I am willing to listen to you as long as you don't let me leave the football field." ”

Mancard's old face showed a satisfied smile: "It's such a Cartesian, I have carefully studied the previous four games and found a very interesting problem. As much as I don't want you to be proud, I have to tell you that when you're there, we're really better than each other, not just because of your talent, but because of how hard you run, and not only do you look motivated, but you also activate your teammates and make them more hardworking. Congratulations, you've already developed what it takes to be a leader on the pitch. ”

Descartes' face was full of shyness, and although he was happy in his heart, he modestly said: "You have won the prize of Monsieur Mancard, these are what I should do." ”

"But Deska," Mankad added, adds: "Your attitude is not only making your team-mates more diligent, but it also causing some problems for the team. ”

"Haunted?" Descartes was completely confused this time, is it wrong to fight the court?

"Yes, haunted." Mankaard was quick to explain: "I only gave you 45 minutes because of my body, and in those 45 minutes you showed enough energy and motivated your team-mates, but you have to understand that you may only have to play 45 minutes, but your team-mates have to stay on the pitch for a full 90 minutes. In order to cooperate with you, everyone runs with you, and it seems that we do have a big advantage, but what about when you are down? Not only did the team lose the core of the attack, but your teammates also ran out of energy in the first half, so their performance in the second half was nothing short of miserable, and they couldn't even defend well. Because they've released all their energy in the first half, just like you, they're going to be weak in the second half, and that's what I mean by trouble, you get it, Deska? ”

Descartes finally understood what Monsieur Mankaard meant, but how could he solve such a problem? It's impossible for him to stop running for 45 minutes, right? His stage is only for these 45 minutes, and if he is not allowed to run as much as he wants, what is the point of him staying on the court?

But Descartes can't solve this problem, it doesn't mean that Mr. Mankaard is also powerless, he confidently said to Descartes: "So Descartes, I have redesigned a set of tactics, I want to change your playing time to the second half, and in the first 45 minutes, I will ask everyone to try to defend as much as possible, use their physical strength to drag down the enemy's attacking line, and you will be the vanguard of our counterattack in the second half, Deska, are you willing to accept such a heavy responsibility?" ”

"Of course sir!" Descartes' eyes lit up and his chest straightened, he preferred to be the winner of the whole game rather than be a hero in the first half, no matter when he played, as long as he could lead the team to victory, he could accept all changes!

And it was their good neighbor, the AC Milan junior soccer team, who witnessed the first game of Descartes who changed their playing time!