Chapter 64: A Snowy Match

As winter arrived, fierce winds swept across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The league schedule was disrupted by the strong winds, especially affecting the players, who were already lightly dressed and had to endure intense physical exertion—raising the risk of injuries significantly. In the 17th round against Banja Luka Warriors, Kosović suffered an ankle sprain and required time to recover. Following Kosović's injury, Suker—who had been moved to the winger position—was once again pulled back to play as center forward. While Suker was happy to return to his favorite position, he also felt a sense of frustration. Unlike the wide-ranging movement he enjoyed as a winger, his mobility was restricted as a striker. Under these constraints, Suker couldn't move as freely and was often knocked to the ground. Opposing teams also began tailoring their lineups specifically to shut down Suker, aiming to neutralize this key offensive threat. The "rookie wall" hit Suker harder than he expected, leaving him overwhelmed. At times, he even wished Kosović would return soon so he could go back to the wing. At least there, he could play normally—rather than being treated like a human punching bag. Still, the harsh environment had its silver lining. Despite not engaging in targeted strength training, Suker's core and physical resistance gradually improved. Where he once fell over after the slightest bump, now he could somewhat hold his ground. Even if he was knocked down, he'd often follow up the play, bouncing back quickly to sprint again. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. The coaching staff, too, were amazed by Suker's freakishly resilient physique. Most players subjected to the kind of fouls Suker endured would be injured after just a few matches—some might even miss the rest of the season. But Suker held firm and remained injury-free. This was great news for the team. With Kosović already sidelined, losing Suker would have left the team with no offensive options. Still, coach Van stoyak underestimated the sheer force of the Bosnian winter winds. Not only did they take Kosović, but in the following matches, they also claimed Kerpić, Boban, and Mašović. Four key players were injured in a wave of setbacks, and Van stoyak had been caught completely unprepared. This was only his second year managing the team, and though he had plenty of ideas, his inexperience showed. He had focused entirely on perfecting the new lineup, neglecting contingency plans. Now he had to make do with substitutes, barely managing to hold the fort. Even so, over the course of three matches, they recorded two draws and one loss—holding onto some stability. The only silver lining was that Sarajevo was also hit by an injury crisis, so the competition wasn't doing much better. Meanwhile, punishment was handed down for Oliveira. Accused of match-fixing, Oliveira was permanently banned by the Bosnian Football Association. A special investigation team was dispatched to Mostar Zrinjski, and if club executives were found involved, harsher penalties would follow. Though Oliveira had hoped to handle things quietly, word quickly spread throughout the small town. Before long, he became a public enemy—he and his family even moved out of Mostar overnight. His departure brought a breath of fresh air to the team. Young players were no longer suppressed. One player, Boame, who had long been bullied, quickly found his footing. The club appointed Kosović as vice-captain and goalkeeper Kisch as third captain. The first captain was still recovering from injury, and Suker was curious about the man who had never appeared. Word had it that even when he returned, he would only hold a retirement ceremony before leaving football altogether. By the time the winter break ended, it was likely Kosović would be promoted to team captain. The Bosnian Premier League's winter break is exceptionally long—stretching from December 5th to February 25th. This was because Bosnian winters were simply not suited for outdoor sports. While the south had a Mediterranean climate and the north a continental one, both shared heavy snowfall. Relentless snowfall! Indeed, Bosnia's winters were a constant battle against snow accumulation. Starting mid-November, cities and towns began mobilizing crews to remove snow in full force. "Three days of light snow, one week of heavy snow" wasn't an exaggeration. Delays in snow removal could quickly lead to road blockages and stalled transportation. In such harsh conditions, forget playing football—just getting around was difficult enough. December 5th, Bosnian Premier League Round 20: Mostar Zrinjski vs. FK Nemetal A major snowstorm hit that day. As the match kicked off, snowflakes began falling from the sky. By halftime, snow on the pitch reached ankle depth. "This weather is awful!" Suker stumbled into the locker room through the snow, while workers rushed onto the field with shovels to clear it. Piles of snow on the sidelines had already reached the height of a two-story building. "So cold!" Suker peeled off his gloves and threw on a down jacket to stay warm. His black hair was soaked, sticking to his forehead like seaweed. His baby-faced cheeks were red as ripe apples. Thinking back to the first half, Suker was visibly frustrated. The snow-covered pitch had severely impacted his game. As a center forward who thrived on running, passing, and playmaking, Suko found himself crippled by the snow. The ball wouldn't even bounce after landing in the snow, and his dribbling speed was drastically reduced. Sometimes, the ball would randomly veer off due to snow buildup. All of this prevented Suker from playing to his strengths. Meanwhile, traditional target men thrived in these conditions—bulldozing defenders, heading and shooting with ease. "In the second half, Ben Mais is going on!" Coach Van stoyak made the call as soon as he entered the locker room. Suker shrugged, already expecting to be subbed off. But then Van stoyak changed tack. "Barton off, Modrić drops back. Suker, you play midfield!" Suker's versatility was well-known. He could play center mid, winger, or striker. Van stoyak used him as a true utility player. "In the second half, use more long balls. Modrić, send the ball upfield," the coach continued. Then turning to Suker, he added, "Don't organize. Stay behind Ben Mais, and be ready to make forward runs." In this kind of weather, fine passing and control were meaningless. Direct and physical football was far more effective. While Van stoyak disliked long-ball tactics, he wasn't stubborn. He adapted strategy to the conditions. He had seen Suker struggling in the first half, so now he was assigning him a bodyguard—and asking him to stay out of sight until the right moment. He reminded Suker again, "The early minutes of the second half are crucial. Some snow has been cleared. Look for opportunities to make runs." If they could score early, they'd drop back to defend the rest of the way. Goals were incredibly hard to come by in such conditions. During halftime, some snow was cleared from the pitch. Despite the brutal weather, the fans stayed, cheering as loudly as ever. As the second half began, Suker soon found a chance to make a forward run. The defense had been pulled apart, and Suker turned to Modrić. Modrić responded instantly with a long ball. The ball soared through the air, falling toward the front line. Suker sprinted full speed before the snow had built up again. With solid footing on the grass, he accelerated rapidly. He drove forward from the inside channel, covering ground fast. The Nemetal defenders tried to keep up, but they were too slow. By the time Suker stopped the ball, they were only just arriving. "Don't let him shoot!" the opposing defender shouted. Suker faked a shot and pushed the ball toward the center. Ben Mais was a step late and got tangled with a defender—he couldn't make contact. "Damn it!" Suker cursed and turned to sprint back on defense. They soon won the ball again. Suker returned to attack, but snow had begun to accumulate again. While not as deep as before, it was slippery, and footing wasn't as stable. "We've got to hurry!" Suker thought grimly. Without Kosović's aerial presence, their offense was limited. Suker crept toward the inside channel again, ready to make another run. Modrić sent another long ball forward. The strikers surged ahead, forcing a scramble in the box. Suker stayed wide, waiting. He saw the opposing center back pin Ben Mais and claim the drop point—no chance there. Just then, Ben Mais slipped and instinctively grabbed the defender's shirt, pulling him downward. The ball ricocheted off the defender's back and rolled behind him. "Opportunity!" Suker's eyes lit up. He surged forward. The goalkeeper rushed out, while a fullback also closed in. It became a three-way race. But in a sprint, Suker never backed down. He accelerated, his cleats digging through snow into the grass below, propelling him forward. Whoosh! He reached the ball first, poking it ahead. The goalkeeper dove and missed—colliding with his own fullback instead. Suker sidestepped and calmly tapped the ball into the empty net. In the 61st minute, Suker scored, marking his third goal of the league season. After 20 matches, Suker had 3 goals and 9 assists.