The Legend of the Refugee Manager

Episode 1: Flashbacks and Daydreams

“Marta passes the ball to Abadi. This could be Tyresö’s last chance, what is Yasmin going to do? She’s running for goal now. Ohh, she’s past the first defender! The second! The third! Only the keeper to beat, can she do it…OMG what a goal! Yasmin Al Abadi just scored a screamer of a goal! There was no way the keeper could catch that! Yasmin Al Abadi, the one time Iraqi refugee, has just clinched the Damallsvenskan for Tyresö! Who would have thought!”

Sitting in one of the Tyreso busses that roam the streets, connecting the town to Stockholm, she cracks a little bright smile as she remembers her majestic performance, the jewel in the crown that was her career, before shedding a tear of longing. This was only four years ago, in 2012. Yet for Yasmin, those were the good old days, before she had to prematurely retire at 28, two years later, due to a career-ending injury. Her leg was broken in two places by a rash tackle in training. The damage was so severe that doctors even considered amputation. Her body could muster enough healing power to allow her to walk again, but no more than that. She could not return to the field as a player without risking her well-being. Even then, she knew she’d only be a shell of her former self.

The decision to retire was the right one, but it cast a cloud on her psyche. Her post retirement life had been blissful, in a town that almost deified her and with a cushy job as an on-screen analyst of Swedish football. Yet the smell of the grass haunted her. She could hear the crowds chanting the hymns of Tyresö in her sleep, screaming her name and the names of her teammates whenever they stepped into the field. Playing the beautiful game was her own beautiful escape from the past she had left behind in the deserts of Iraq. Yet while these auditory and olfactory mirages usually triggered flashbacks to her traumatic Iraqi teenage years, running away from the bullets of armies and militias, trying to protect her younger brothers from the looming doom, today is different. Today, the smells and sounds of her footballer past invoke hope. Today, Yasmin Al Abadi will become a men’s football manager.

Once she reaches the job center in Stockholm, Yasmin gets up to leave her bus. She tips the driver before stepping out into the open. As she heads towards the job center, her mind starts racing. Yasmin has always been what we call a dreamer, consumed by daydreams and visions of the future. This time, these were visions of glory. Interloped with the tactical schematics and scouting report formats she envisioned were snapshots of her hands clutching the many trophies that the footballing world would offer her. The Allsvenskan, the Champions League, the World Cup…Yasmin’s ambitions were endless. Yet with them came doubts. Why is she going through this? Why put herself in a position where she would surely be scoffed at, rejected and expelled from the footballing community? Couldn’t she have continued in her cushy job, or maybe decided to coach female footballing teams, like tradition would dictate? Why throw herself into the clutches of sexists and conservatives all over the world, seeking to tear her apart before she could even prove herself? Yasmin Al Abadi, the refugee girl who was rejected in the field years before, had already proven herself. She has the status and the lifestyle to live a comfortable life. What’s the point in going through this all over again? It is these thoughts that accompany Yasmin as she searches for vacancies at the job center. It is these thoughts that grow louder as she looks at the available opportunities. It is these thoughts that drown her mind as she reads the football teams on her screen.

And yet, she does it anyway. She applies to the one job availabe to her at the moment: Head Coach at Fana Fotbol, in the Norwegian Second Division. The odds may seem insurmountable now, but she is Yasmin Al Abadi, damn it! She had survived gunshots and war zones. She had endured rejection and skepticism from her peers, xenophobia and racism from her fellow humans. She had prevailed through it all, and she knew, in her heart of hearts, that she can do it once more. As she reads up on the team she has applied to, she smiles again. This time, however, it is not a smile of pain and longing, but a smile of hope and excitement. Her career as a football manager is about to begin. She could not be more ecstatic.

Episode 2: Hired: Fana Fotball

“Thank you for the opportunity to apply at your club, Mr. Wilford. I’m ready to take my first steps into football management and I am confident that the resourcefulness, energy and enthusiasm I bring to the table will allow Fana Fotball to avoid relegation and remain in the Norwegian Second Division.”

Yasmin didn’t expect to get an interview with Fana only a day after applying. Was her resume that impressive? Or was Daniel Wilford desperate enough to take a gamble on her? Either way, it doesn’t matter. The interview’s done. Yasmin was able to get through the ordeal, putting on her most agreeable face and trying to tell the Fana Fotball president all the words he would want to hear. But will it be enough to get her a job? Would she even want to start off toiling away in what is practically Norway’s third division? Surely she can pull off better. Once more, Yasmin’s thoughts rumbled and jumbled. The wait is going to be agonizing if the decision takes too long.

Thankfully for Yasmin, the decision is made only five days after the interview. She might be getting paid a paltry 900 euros per month, but Fana Fotball would arrange all her requirements for life as their manager. She would be provided with housing, transportation, and all the necessities for coaching a football club. For Yasmin, her first chance at management has already come. She may have to leave Tyreso, her family, friends and fans behind. She may have to learn a new language, adjust to a new atmosphere. Yet she’s done it before, and now’s her chance to brush up on her survival skills and do it again. As she signs the dotted line, a rush of pride lights up her heart. She is now Yasmin Al Abadi: Football Manager.

On Thursday, February 9th, 2017, Yasmin Al Abadi arrives to the Nesttun Idrettsplass stadium in Bergen, home of her new club, Fana Fotball. She’s greeted by President Wilford, as well as her assistant coach, Mrs. Bente Nordanger. After expressing his support for his new manager, he goes into one of his trademark monologues about the humble yet proud history and vision of this small club. “We might not be SK Brann, Yasmin. But we’re a club of honor, of pride, of progressive values. We’ve had our hay-day in the 70s, bringing Ajax’s total football to Norway. And now, with you and Bente running the team, we have a chance to show our fellow Norwegians that women do belong in the dugout. We might not seem like much, but trust me, Yasmin: within this team is a ton of potential to be great. The first step, though, is to consolidate our position in the Norwegian Second Division so as not to be relegated, and attempt to maintain a presence in the Norwegian Cup.”

Once the meeting with the president is done, Yasmin heads to the dugout to lead her first team training. Bente provides her with a team report, a comparison with the rest of the teams in the Norwegian Second Division, and a couple of recommendations. As she observes the players train, she can clearly see why Fana is so low on the Norwegian totem pole: while the players show flashes of ability, of potential to do anything worthwhile, they’re just not strong enough, aggressive enough, hardworking enough. They can’t pass to save their life, and their first touch is shoddy at best. Yasmin knows what she has to do: if she’s going to make Fana Fotball a respectable football team, a team anywhere close to what President Wilford envisions, she’s going to have to make some drastic changes.

To that end, Yasmin and Bente decide on pitting the first team against the reserves, in order to see which players are worth keeping, and which players must leave Fana. The match is scrappy for 26 minutes, until a mistake by Totland is capitalized by Andres Moe Lund, who makes a pinpoint cross to Ruthford Petersen. All Petersen had to do was head it home, and he does. 1-0 for the reserves. At the half, Bente handles the pep talk, ripping into the boys and encouraging them to work harder, and her tough love works. Straight after halftime, Rojas has the vision to send a beautiful through ball over to Lie, who finds an open Lehland at goal. Easy tap in, 1-1. The goal pushes the first team forward, with Helmark’s chance saved by the reserve goalkeeper. Shortly after, Totland’s corner finds Af Geijerstam, who heads the ball to Stockinger for the open head-in. 2-1. Yet the reserves, refuse to give up, with a beautiful cross by Bjorneset volleyed home by Haug, tying the game at 2-2. The first team have a final trick up their sleeves, though, as Freholm crosses to Heimark for the goal at the 92nd minute. 3-2 is the score, and that’s how it ends. Even with the first team winning, the Fana reserves presented a valiant effort, eager to prove themselves. And with so many of the first team disappointing, Yasmin Al-Abadi seems to have one thing on her mind. “Brace yourself, Bente. For a great purge must happen in this team. If this team will reach anywhere, the culture must be altered, and it starts with new, determined players.” Bente cannot seem to be able to read her new boss; she does not seem to fully understand what she plans. She does understand one thing, though: the winds of change are coming to Fana, and they’re coming very quickly.

Episode 3: Her First Friendly

"It is sad, in an age where gender relations have become much more equitable, that sexism is still part and parcel of  the prevalent footballing culture. However, this is a state of affairs I expected to face, and a reality that I am determined to overcome. I went into management to spark change, and I'm proud to be in a club that supports my vision."

In her first press conference, Yasmin was defiant. She set out to portray herself as a strong, assertive figure raring to take Fana Fotball to the future, a qualified and enthusiastic woman for a young and progressive team. The Bergen Soccer Post's Birk Solhaug may have been taken aback, visibly skeptical of Yasmin's ability to do anything of note, and he expressed that in his article. Yet Yasmin Al Abadi was not one to care for the opinions of others. She had been written off by so many before Birk, looked down at by hardline nationalists from her hometown Sweden, as disregarded as a mediocre footballing talent. She had proved them all wrong before, and she would prove all the skeptics and sexists mistaken again as a manager.

In order to do that, the first thing Yasmin needed to decide on was her tactics. For that, she would take inspiration from Carlo Ancelotti's AC Milan, whose "Christmas Tree" formation wreaked havoc on Europe, earning them two Champions League titles and a Serie A league title in the process. Usina a narrow but attacking 4-3-2-1, width would be provided by the full backs, who would shuttle through the wings in order to widen a narrow playing field. A deep lying playmaker dictates the attack, connecting defense with attack, while a pair of attacking midfielders support the lone, advanced forward. The defensive line will be high in order to stifle the opposition. Retaining possession as well as finding spaces will be key if this formation is to succeed.

To that end, the Fana manager took the opportunity of the quiet February preseason in order to switch up her personnel. She let go of midfielder Stian Dyngeland and forward Christian Heimark, who proved to be particularly underwhelming. In a more controversial move, she placed Martin Sanchez Olsen, the club's top choice goalkeeper, on the transfer list, preferring to put her trust in youngster Peter Elkland. Her most game-changing moves though, were her acquisitions. Attacking midfielder Fabian Calderon was brought in to team up with Leo Fajzi behind the striker, a signing that was well received by the Fana faithful. Yet the most striking name joining the squad was veteran defender Krister Aunan. Tasked with leading the defensive line, Yasmin believed his quality and experience would add stability to a seemingly porous defensive line. These signings, along with a much improved showing against the Fana reserves, gave Yasmin confidence ahead of her first competitive friendly as a football manager.

The Nesttun Idrettsplass is a modest, small stadium with only 1200 seats. For Yasmin's first match as manager, only 14 of those are filled. Yet Yasmin had not come here for exposure. She did not expect attention. Yasmin Al Abadi was here to prove herself capable, to compete, to win. Florø may be a team one division above Fana, yet Yasmin would not be deterred. "Go out there and show them what you've got", she beams enthusiastically at her team as they entered the field. As the referee blew the whistle to start the game, Yasmin remains standing, her eyes gleaming with hope as she watches her team compete for the first time in her tenure. It takes 23 mins for the first real chance to be taken by Florø, but the ball hits the bar and the defense keeps its composure. Bad luck hits later in the half, however, as both Fajzi and Calderon signal the need to be substituted due to injury. You can see the frustration on Yasmin's face as she switches to a 4-3-1-2, and brings up Lehland and Stockinger to try and prove themselves. Maybe she needs to recruit depth players to the attacking midfield position. The squad shows its resiliency, however, and a great cross from Totland finds Stockinger, who sets Liseth up for the clear opportunity. Unlucky for him, though, his shot is denied by the right post. And with that, the halftime whistle blows. Frustrated with the circumstances, yet proud of her team's hard work and resilience, Yasmin's halftime talk is one of encouragement, letting her team know that their hard work will surely pay off.

The second half whistle blows, and with it come changes. Chances are given to Af Geijerstam, Rojas and Froholm to prove themselves, as Dankerseten, Aunan and Tvelt are rested. It's a scrappy affair until the 73rd minute, as a free kick from Florø's Reksten finds a conspicuously open Book, whose shot goes wide after beating the offside trap so easily. Only two minutes later, Book finds himself clear at goal again, yet this time it is Elkland who steps up for Fana and saves the ball, which goes out of the field for a corner. Seeing the way things are going, Yasmin shouts at her team to look for a counter, bringing the defensive line back a little. That adjustment puts off Florø until the final whistle, ending the game at a 0-0 draw. With the circumstances that her team faced, and the quality of the opposition, Yasmin is pleased with how her team has fared, and their resilience in the face of adversity. Yet Yasmin remains cognizant of the fact that much work remains if Fana Fotball is going to reach its full potential as a club.