Chapter 596: Judging Committee
"Breaking News! The New Number 10 of Kawasaki: Takahashi Hiro."
"Words of the new number 8 of Kawasaki- I'm very delighted to be part of such an amazing club. I believe with our collective effort, we can aim even higher this season."
"Reunion of a master and a disciple. What will this reunion bring?"
For the next few days, the media and internet were dominated by the news related to
Kawasaki and the J-league.
With the J-League Award Ceremony getting closer, the talk regarding the event became even more heated. Truly, it felt as if the season of football had begun in Japan.
"Who will take the MVP award this time?"
Despite Hiro's performance, there was a huge question mark regarding the winner of the MVP award.
Although Hiro repeatedly told himself that he wasn't nervous about the event, he couldn't help but feel anxious. The more the event got closer the more anxious he felt.
Lately, due to the ongoing discussion regarding the award, people around him have gotten rather silent around him. He could tell that they were being careful about the matter.
Behind his back, they'd be talking about the event. But whenever they met him, they immediately dropped the topic.
Even though they acted normal, Hiro was aware of the building pressure in the team.
"Do you think Hiro would win the award?" Yusuke, a rather athletically built individual asked.
Asahi responded while caressing the patches of beard on his face, "Given his performance, he should be the clear favorite but..."
Asahi tilted his head slightly and continued, "There hadn't been a single instance in history where the same player had won the Best Young Player Award and The MVP of the tournament. So, I don't think he'll win."
Exactly, Hiro was sure to win the Best Young Player Award. After all, there wasn't any young player who came close to him that season.
But just like what Asahi had mentioned, there weren't any instances where a player had won both of the prestigious awards. So, he couldn't help but feel skepticism regarding the decision of the awarding committee.
It would have been an entirely different scenario if the award was given based on fan votes. But a judging committee was set to declare the winner.
So, the chances of Hiro winning the main award were rather minuscule.
Just then Hiro entered the locker room and both of them turned silent. Greeting Hiro, they revealed an awkward smile on their faces.
"Good work, Hiro!"
"Yeah, good work today, Hiro."
It had been some time since the training had ended and most of the players were already on their way to the shower.
Hiro, however, had stayed a little late.
Hiro didn't mean to eavesdrop on their conversation but hearing the topic of their conversation, he couldn't bring himself to show up immediately despite having stayed outside the locker room for quite some time.
Standing outside the locker room, he had audibly heard their conversation.
Well, it wasn't the first time he had heard such talks. Lately, with the event approaching closer, he had been hearing such talk all over the place.
So, he wasn't surprised to hear them talking about the matter.
Hiro bowed his head and said, "Good work too!"
He didn't want to appear impolite.
After that, the two hastily made their way out of the locker room. Perhaps, they felt the atmosphere around them stifling with Hiro's presence. Or perhaps, they were afraid to talk about the matter in front of Hiro.
Hiro was aware that they were simply being concerned about him.
They feared that it'd break his heart. So, they didn't talk about the issue openly.
But Hiro was well aware of the predicament himself.
After the two left, he glanced at the entrance and frowned, "Sigh! Do I have to give up on the award this season?"
Hiro wanted to win the award. But he didn't want to be seen as greedy either. Rather he was prepared to give up on the auxiliary award to win the main thing.
********
Somewhere in a brightly illuminated room, a group of people were gathered together. Most of them are old with weathered faces.
"What should we do regarding the main award?" an old man with slanted eyes asked while leaning closer to the table before him.
Another individual with a greying temple and a face full of moles and wrinkles that looked like the ripples in a serene lake rolled his eyes to look at the person who had raised the issue just now.
Sharply staring at the old man with slanted eyes, he said, "Obviously, it should go to Yuya. Didn't you see him perform?"
"He scored 18 goals only seven behind the top scorer. He also assisted twelve times. And in almost every single match, he averaged a rating of 7. So, what's there to think about?" Although the old man sounded convincing, he failed to convince others present in the room. Right now, a group of people were gathered inside a brightly illuminated space.
They were the judging committee set up to decide the winners of the various awards in the J- League Award Ceremony.
"Sure, he scored and assisted. But by that standard, Hiro should be the clear-cut winner, shouldn't he?" another individual spoke.
"Exactly, he scored twenty-five goals. He has also assisted more than ten times. And if we talk about the rating then he has averaged a rating of more than eight in every single game. By far, he has the most excellent performance out of other nominees."
Another individual, a lady with black hair dressed in a cardigan and white formal shirt
nodded.
Hearing the argument of these people, the previous individual who was supporting Yuya Osako of Vissel Kobe furrowed his brows.
Flaring his nostrils, he refuted, "He is already being awarded the Best Young Player Award. We can't spoil him with the main award. We need someone with experience. What if the fame gets over his head? What if he succumbs to the pressure? Also, didn't he miss more than three months due to injury?"
He tried to argue using logic. He sternly believed that the award should go to someone more mature than a kid who had only debuted.
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