“They don’t belong, do they?” Jordan said. “They’ve got a team of their own. Why do they want to take ours over?”

Sam didn’t understand why Jordan didn’t want two really good footballers in the team. “They’re not trying to take over,” he said. “They want to play football with kids their own age. They’re joining our team. What’s wrong with that?”

Jordan gave a shrug and walked away to talk to some of the other boys.

“He’s a real charmer, isn’t he?” Sam’s dad said.

Sam shook his head. “He’s always like that.”

Hasan and Faisal came over, and Jack Rigby gave his team talk. 28

“OK, boys,” he said. “We have had the same problem all season. We play the ball out of defence OK, but it’s too slow. Our attacks just fall apart in the final third.” He looked at the two new players. “Hasan and Faisal have got pace. They can help us turn things around.”

“We need something,” Kai said. “We’re bottom of the table.”

Jack nodded. “We’re going to play Hasan in midfield, with Jordan and Faisal up top. We need you guys to play well together.”

Faisal looked straight ahead. Jordan stared over at him. It was an angry stare.

*

The team Celtic was up against was called Five Ways. They were third from top. They kicked off and Celtic were pushed back straight away. Sam made two goal-line clearances in the first 29few minutes. Five Ways hit the post, and it went for a goal kick.

“So much for the new tactics,” Jordan said. “They’re really working, aren’t they?”

Sam was sick of his moaning. “Give them a chance, will you?”

Hasan brought the ball down on his chest and turned, doing a one-two with Faisal. He slowed the ball, then looked for a pass. Jordan 30was in space, so he swept it out to him. Jordan was slow to react, and the ball ran out of play.

“You left it on purpose,” Sam said.

“Don’t be daft,” Jordan said as he walked back. “It was a bad pass. You’ve got to pass it to my feet.”

Hasan put his hands on his hips and stared at Sam. “Why didn’t he run for it?” he asked.

Sam knew the answer. Jordan didn’t want Jack’s plan to succeed. Every time Hasan or Faisal tried to give the ball to Jordan, something went wrong. And Jordan always put the blame on them. It was no surprise when Five Ways made the most of Jordan’s poor play. They scored twice in five minutes. Celtic were 2–0 down at half-time.

“We’re getting overrun in midfield,” Jordan told Jack. “Leave me up top and put him back in midfield.” 31

He didn’t even say Faisal’s name.

“We’ve got a game plan,” Jack said. “We’re going to stick with it.”