In Alex Allison's second novel, an unnamed Premier League club's Italian manager, L'Oracolo, contrasts sharply with the rising star Samson Kabarebe, a young French-Rwandan striker. The narrative unfolds through the eyes of a 19-year-old player and L'Oracolo's protege, who confronts the challenges of competition and identity. As the dynamic between the narrator and the brash newcomer evolves, the book reflects on larger themes of ambition, recognition, and the personal struggles within the world of sport, blending humor, rivalry, and deeper emotional undertones.
Samson, by contrast, is all strutting bravado. He courts the attention of new teammates and ecstatic fans alike, exuding pure chutzpah as paparazzi cameras flash.
L'Oracolo's protege, the team's teacher's pet: a dutiful, family-oriented, working-class 19-year-old who grew up close to the club's grounds.
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