That morning, Arghana woke up earlier than usual.
The air in Deventer still felt cool as he put on his training gear and prepared to head to the training ground.
This time, something felt different. He wasn't just going to train as usual, but also try the methods given by Dr. Annelies.
Upon arriving at the field, he took a deep breath and stared at the empty area in front of him.
In his bag, he had gathered several clips of Romeo Castelen's gameplay that he planned to analyze further after his training.
Arghana began with the physical training routine that had been suggested—more structured, more aware of his body's limits, and more focused on endurance.
No longer would he simply exhaust himself until total fatigue.
He followed this new rhythm, gradually adjusting his body bit by bit.
Next, he moved on to the breathing techniques.
Snipe Breath and Wim Hof Method—two things that were still foreign to him.
He followed the instructions in the treatment plan, taking deep breaths, holding them, and then slowly exhaling in the specified patterns.
At first, it felt strange, almost unnatural.
But the more he tried, the more he began to feel something different.
There was a shift in his energy flow, his body's endurance, and his mind began to clear without relying on total exhaustion.
Usually, he needed at least three hours of hard training before he could reach a focus level that allowed his instincts to operate at their peak.
But this time, after just two hours, he began to feel it much sooner than usual.
That sensation began to emerge, his awareness of the surrounding space sharpened, and his mind became clearer.
With his body still warm from training, he grabbed his phone and opened the folder containing Romeo Castelen's videos.
His fingers tapped the screen, selecting one of the best clips.
As the video played, Arghana watched intently—footwork, how Castelen read the space, how he adjusted his body positioning under pressure from the opponents.
All of it felt clearer now. It was as if a connection was slowly forming in his mind.
Today, he discovered something new.
This treatment method might actually help him progress further.
After finishing his morning training, Arghana didn't head home right away.
There was something that had been nagging at his mind since the session earlier—a desire to experiment further.
If the method Dr. Annelies provided could truly optimize his focus more efficiently, then this was an opportunity to test his limits.
After grabbing a meal at a small café near the training ground, Arghana returned to the field with a stronger resolve.
===
In the afternoon, he resumed the treatment program that had been recommended.
The physical training routine he had adjusted, and the breathing exercises, although still felt strange, were showing effects that couldn't be ignored.
The time it took him to reach the peak focus point had drastically decreased—from three hours to just two.
A development that couldn't be overlooked.
However, this time, Arghana wasn't planning to continue watching Romeo Castelen's videos while in focus mode.
He wanted to do something different.
Instead of just observing, he wanted to practice it directly. As quickly as possible.
As purely as possible.
Carefully, he set up a recording device at the corner of the field, ensuring the angle captured every movement he would make.
This wasn't just a regular experiment. This was proof—proof for himself.
As the sensation of increased focus began to settle in, Arghana stood tall in the middle of the field.
He closed his eyes for a moment, letting his memory recall the moment when he faced FC Eindhoven.
The moves he made in a trance-like state, his instincts guiding him through the defense like a dance.
He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and got ready.
Now, it was time to recreate that magic—consciously.
After dancing with the ball like Romeo Castelen—Kadumm!
Arghana collapsed.
His chest rose and fell, his breathing heavy.
Exhaustion hit him hard, his muscles felt weak, as if they had been wrung dry.
He lay on the ground for a moment, letting himself feel the fatigue before slowly getting back up.
His hand reached out for the video recorder he had placed at the edge of the field.
The small screen on the camera displayed the recording time: 8 minutes.
Arghana exhaled.
If he were only using his focus to watch the video, his endurance could last 15-20 minutes before his body signaled fatigue.
But when trying to apply it directly to physical training, the duration dropped drastically.
He leaned against the fence beside the field, trying to calm his fast-spinning thoughts.
With his palms still trembling, he rewound the recording.
As the video played, he observed every movement—dribbling, changes in direction, body turns, everything felt sharp when he did it.
But on the screen? The fluidity of his movements, the ball control—everything felt different.
Compared to his video from the match against FC Eindhoven, what he had just done could only be said to be 30% of the original quality.
Arghana fell silent.
In that match, he could do everything without thinking.
His movements flowed like instincts already etched into his body. But right now, even though he had achieved increased focus, he still had to 'try' to perform those movements, and the results were not the same.
Why?
He rubbed his face, took a deep breath.
Oxygen filled his lungs, but that wasn't what he was looking for. What he needed was the answer.
Without realizing it, his feet started walking away from the field.
In silence, his mind kept digging into the uncertainty. There was something he had still missed.
And he had to find it.
===