A day in the life of Predrag Dobrić

[TooDear]

The training grounds at FC Istanbul are filled with excitement after the team's performance on the first matchday. The one who should be celebrating the most is Predrag, considering he was player of the match with his 2 goals that secured Istanbul's victory. And yet for some reason, Predrag seems to be avoiding the subject. As has become tradition for Predrag, he doesn't celebrate success off the pitch. Something that his fellow players in the academy find odd to say the least. No, there are only 2 things going on inside Predrag's mind at the moment. What mistakes did he make and how will he improve for the next match? Some would call it perfectionism, professionalism, determination, ambition etc. But Predrag knows the truth, it is obsession. He wants, no he needs to be better the next game. So he watches the match over and over again. Noting every pass of his that was intercepted, every blocked shot, every missed header, every ball lost. Again and again he practices to the point of overtraining. If he scored 2 against Victoria Falls then he needs to score 3 against Atletico or at the very least add an assist to the tally. He constantly hears the nagging voice in the back of his head, telling him that he isn't good enough, that he is just faking it, that it will all come crumbling down and that everyone will see the truth, he was never meant to stand on the football pitch. Naturally, he doesn't divulge this feeling with anyone as he finds it much easier to indulge in this self-destructive behavior instead of working with his team mates and coaching staff like a healthy and sound individual. He asked to wear the number 9, to be the team's striker, the man who makes the impossible possible. So he has no right to complain and worry, at least that's how he thinks. To come to football from a feeling of hate rather than love is unique when compared to most who play the beautiful game. He set out his goal, to tear the best down from their podiums, so instead of letting his career grow naturally, Predrag runs forward recklessly. He will be the best or die trying, that's all there is to it. And so, he presses play on the match yet again.