January Window Read Free Page B

in football I’d watched the recent Panorama special about Sokolnikov, which was where I’d learned of the rumour that he’d inherited his business from another Ukrainian called Natan Fisanovich, an organised crime boss in Kiev. According to the Beeb, Fisanovich had disappeared along with three of his associates in 1996 and it was several months before they turned up in four shallow graves. Sokolnikov denied having anything to do with Fisanovich’s death, but then you would, wouldn’t you?
    ‘Mr Sokolnikov would like to know if you can take a call from him in ten minutes,’ said Corinne.
    Instinctively I looked at my new watch – a brand new Hublot – and reflected I wasn’t about to say no to the man who’d just spent ten grand on my Christmas present. I, Zarco, everyone on the team, had got a Hublot just like it.
    ‘Yes, of course.’
    ‘We’ll call you back.’
    I put down the phone. ‘I wonder what he wants.’
    ‘Who?’
    ‘Mr Sokolnikov.’
    ‘Whatever he wants, don’t say no. I’ve no desire to wake up in bed one morning and find I’ve been warming my toes on a bloody horse’s head.’
    ‘He’s not like that, Sonja.’ I put some plates in the dishwasher. ‘He’s not like that at all.’
    ‘If you ask me, they’re all like that,’ she replied. She pushed me towards the sitting room. ‘You go and wait for your call. I’ll clear up. Besides, you must be tired after wearing that watch all day.’
    A few minutes later, Corinne rang again.
    ‘Scott?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘I have Viktor on the line.’
    ‘Viktor, happy new year and thanks again for the watch. It was very generous of you.’
    ‘It’s my pleasure, Scott. I’m glad you like it.’
    I did like it – but Sonja was right, of course; it was heavy.
    ‘What can I do for you?’
    ‘A couple of things. First I wanted to ask you about Didier. You saw him today, right?’
    ‘He’s still unconscious, I’m afraid.’
    ‘That’s too bad. I’m planning to go and see him as soon as I’m back. But right now I’m in Miami, on my way to the yacht in the Caribbean.’
    At one hundred and ten metres, Sokolnikov’s yacht, The Lady Ruslana , wasn’t the biggest in the world, but it was the same size as an international football pitch – a fact that did not go unreported by the newspapers. I’d been on the boat once and was shocked to discover that just to fill the fuel tanks cost £750,000 – which was a year’s pay for me.
    ‘He’s a strong lad. If anyone can make a recovery it’s Didier Cassell.’
    ‘I hope so.’
    ‘What about Ayrton Taylor?’
    ‘The head that turned out to be a hand?’
    ‘That’s right.’
    During the same match against Tottenham, Howard Webb, the referee, had awarded a goal to London City when our centre forward, Ayrton Taylor, appeared to head it in from a corner. But almost immediately, while everyone else in our team had been celebrating, Taylor had quietly spoken to Webb and informed him that the ball had actually come off his hand. Whereupon Webb changed his mind and awarded a goal kick to the Tots, which was the cue for our own fans to abuse both Webb and Taylor.
    ‘Was what he did right, do you think?’ asked Sokolnikov.
    ‘Who, Taylor? Well, what happened was clearly visible on the television replay. And the man scores ten out of ten for sportsmanship for having owned up to it. That’s what the newspapers said. Perhaps it’s time there was more sportsmanship in the game. Like when Paolo Di Canio caught the ball instead of kicking it for West Ham at Goodison, back in 2000. I know João thinks differently, but there it is. I saw Daniel Sturridge put one in for Liverpool against Sunderland in 2013 that quite clearly came off his arm, and it was obvious from the furtive way he looked at the linesman that he knew it wasn’t a proper goal. But that goal stood and Liverpool won the game. And look what happened to Maradona in the ’86 World Cup match against England.’
    ‘The hand of