The Dutch evening sky began to turn orange as the train Arghana was riding headed towards Deventer.
The autumn wind blew against the window, pulling him into a long reverie.
The consultation session with Dr. Annelies at NOC*NSF had indeed revealed a lot, but now he was faced with a new question—who should he model his game after to improve his technique and football understanding?
His physique was not the typical European player who relied on a larger frame and aerial duels.
At the beginning stage, it made sense to learn from an Asian player who had a physique more similar to his. But who?
Arghana's mind wandered back to his childhood.
He grew up idolizing two Indonesian football stars—Kurniawan Dwi Julianto and Boaz Solossa.
Both had extraordinary talent.
Kurniawan, a product of the Primavera project, was known for his speed and finishing.
While Boaz? His predator instinct and natural flair were hard to match.
But both were also examples of how discipline off the field was just as important as talent.
Problems with alcohol and drugs had destroyed their potential.
That was what made Arghana even stricter with himself.
He sighed deeply, then looked at his reflection in the window.
Suddenly, his thoughts returned to Go Ahead Eagles—the club that had given him his first chance in the Netherlands.
Arghana remembered the training, the matches, and most importantly, how people judged him.
Many had underestimated him, saying that his game was still raw, not yet mature enough for the professional level.
However, there was one comment that he took as something he could develop:
"He plays like a headless chicken."
At first, it seemed like mockery.
Arghana was always active on the pitch, running endlessly, helping in defense, but often without clear purpose.
He was like a headless chicken—lots of energy, little direction.
But when he thought about it... weren't there players who had once been labeled the same, yet managed to turn it into a strength?
A name immediately came to his mind:
Park Ji-sung.
The South Korean legend was once dubbed "Three Lungs Park" because of his incredible stamina and relentless work ethic.
But what made him special wasn't just running endlessly—he knew when to move, where to press, and how to position himself to make the maximum impact on the field.
If he could transform his reckless style of play into something more directed, like Park Ji-sung, it could become a deadly weapon.
Movement without the ball. Always being in the right place before the ball arrived.
Pressing with discipline.
Not just chasing the opponent, but cutting off passing lanes and forcing mistakes.
A work rate that was tireless.
Making life difficult for opponents for 90 minutes, always being counted on in the game.
Arghana clenched his fist. This was his first decision in his transformation journey.
No more "headless chicken." From now on, he would run like Park Ji-sung—with direction, with purpose.
===
The train ran smoothly on the tracks, while in his mind, one resolution had taken shape.
As soon as he arrived at his apartment, Arghana tossed his bag onto the sofa. Tonight, there would be no time for relaxation.
He opened his laptop, typed Park Ji-sung's name, and began searching for materials on off-the-ball movement, pressing, and how the Korean legend succeeded in turning his extraordinary stamina into a weapon at the highest level.
As Arghana stared at his laptop screen, he wasn't just looking for highlights or goal compilations.
That wasn't what made Park Ji-sung special.
He was searching for the essence behind every movement of the South Korean player—something he could apply to turn the "headless chicken" label into a deadly weapon on the field.
Many thought of Park as just a player with incredible stamina, but that was just the surface.
More than endurance, Park understood how to manage his energy intelligently.
He didn't run aimlessly, but always in a planned pattern.
His sprints and jogs were purposeful, not just to chase the ball, but to direct the game.
When the opponent had the ball, he didn't wait for them to think, but was already closing passing options.
This wasn't just about physicality, but about spatial awareness and sharp timing.
Arghana noticed how Park pressed opponents, not with emotion, but with calculation.
He didn't just run toward the ball; he forced the opponent to move in a direction that benefited his team.
His pressing wasn't an individual action but part of a larger system, working in sync with his teammates to disrupt the opponent's rhythm.
No need for many hard tackles, just knowing when and where to position himself to hinder the opponent's movement.
Besides defending, Park was also a master of off-the-ball movement.
He wasn't a playmaker who controlled the ball all the time, but he was always in the right place at the right time.
He would disappear among the opponent's defense, only to reappear in the most dangerous positions.
His goals often came from positional awareness, not from individual spectacular skills.
This was something Arghana could capitalize on.
It wasn't just about running endlessly, but understanding how his runs could open space, both for himself and his teammates.
Arghana realized that the "headless chicken" label he had gotten all this time could actually be an advantage.
With more directed off-the-ball movement, he could become a player who not only contributed to defending but also created opportunities from the energy he expended.
His large stamina could help him enter the focus phase faster, something he had already begun to master since training with Dr. Annelies.
Every sprint, every press, would no longer just be a mindless effort, but an investment to get into optimal condition faster than his opponents.
If he could perfect this, his game would rise to the next level.
He paid serious attention, taking notes on the movement patterns and analyzing how Park chose when to press the opponent, when to move off the ball, and how he was always in the right position to disrupt the opponent or offer passing options for his teammates.
"Tomorrow, he's going to try all of this in training."
With a resolute heart, Arghana went to bed earlier, imagining how he could apply all this knowledge.
===
The sky in Deventer was still gray when Arghana arrived at the Go Ahead Eagles training center.
The cold air pierced through, but his mind was still drifting in the strategy of Park Ji-sung that he had learned the night before.
He felt that today would be a small step toward change, but he didn't expect that today would actually shake everything.
Just as he was changing his shoes, a club staff member approached him with an unreadable expression.
In his hand was a piece of paper.
Arghana stared at him in confusion.
He hadn't even spoken a word when the staff member said, "You're scheduled for a trial at Porto. Two days from now."
His pulse raced.
Porto.
That name hit him like lightning in his head.
The Portuguese giant, famous for its aggressive scouting system, where young talents were polished into diamonds.
But... a trial?
In his mind, trials like this were usually for free agents or players without contracts.
But there was a loophole in the regulations.
If both clubs agreed, a player under contract could also undergo a trial before a transfer decision was made.
"This has been discussed with management.
Porto wants to see you in person before making a decision," the staff member continued, handing over a document containing details of the trip and the administration he had to complete.
Arghana stared at the document without blinking.
He should have felt proud—this was a rare opportunity. But what he felt was emptiness.
It was as if the energy he had brought to training today had vanished.
All the plans he had made, all the improvements he wanted to try, suddenly felt irrelevant.
"I wish I could say, 'Arghana doesn't do trials—just like Zlatan.'"
He nodded without saying much.
There would be no training session for him today.
There was only one thing he could do—go home, lock himself in his apartment, and research everything he could about Porto.
Their philosophy, their playing system, even who he would face in the trial. He had to know everything. There was no room for unpreparedness. No room for mistakes.
One thing he realized: this wasn't just about the opportunity, but about readiness.
If he failed in this trial, there might not be a second chance.
===
On the other hand, in the Go Ahead Eagles management meeting room, discussions about Arghana's future had been going on for the past few weeks.
Offers had come, but they weren't enticing enough.
NAC Breda and SC Cambuur had submitted proposals worth 300,000 euros—an amount far below expectations.
Management needed at least 1 million euros to build a more stable team to survive in Eredivisie this season.
That didn't mean they didn't value Arghana.
The young player had potential, but also inconsistency that was hard to ignore.
They couldn't risk the club's future on a player still in development.
With 1 million euros, they could bring in two players with more experience, something they desperately needed for top-level competition.
The problem was, no club was willing to pay that price.
Only Porto came in with an offer of 800,000 euros—and that too was contingent on a trial.
A difficult situation.
Sell the player for less than expected, or take a risk and wait for offers that might never come?
But for management, this was business.
If Arghana impressed in the trial, perhaps Porto would raise their offer, or at least, they could sell him without losing the chance for a major investment.
With a heavy heart, the decision was made. Arghana would undergo the trial.
His future now depended on how he responded to the challenge in Portugal.