{"id":259670,"date":"2026-07-13T17:08:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T14:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/extra-time-morris-gleitzman\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T17:08:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T14:08:24","slug":"extra-time-morris-gleitzman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/extra-time-morris-gleitzman\/","title":{"rendered":"Extra Time – Morris Gleitzman"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u2018Wow,\u2019 says Mum. \u2018Not surprising,\u2019 says Dad. \u2018Good on you, Matt.\u2019 But then Mum and Dad glance at each other, and I can see what they\u2019re thinking. Leg pins. \u2018Be careful, love,\u2019 says Mum to Matt. \u2018Have fun, but take it easy.\u2019 \u2018Don\u2019t worry,\u2019 I say to Mum. \u2018The other boys are giving Matt the royal family treatment,\u2019 Uncle Cliff helps Mum feel better too. He tells her and Dad about the photos he\u2019s put on Facebook. \u2018It\u2019s everything we\u2019ve been doing,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

That isn\u2019t totally true. There are lots of photos of the pork and pistachio pat\u00e9 and Mrs Jarvis\u2019s hedge and Gazz\u2019s waterfall and the training centre and Mrs Jarvis, but Uncle Cliff has very kindly made sure for Mum\u2019s sake that there isn\u2019t a single photo of a grim face or a rough tackle. Mum and Dad relax a bit. Sort of. After we all go to bed, I creep into Matt\u2019s room. I knock first.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s best with older brothers, even in digs. \u2018Yo,\u2019 he says. I go in. His lamp is on and he\u2019s lying on top of the bed in his pyjamas, bouncing a rolled-up sock between his knees. \u2018Can\u2019t you sleep either?\u2019 says Matt. He sits up and I sit next to him. \u2018Mum and Dad were feeling really proud of you,\u2019 I say. Matt nods, but doesn\u2019t say anything. We both know Mum and Dad were feeling a lot of other things too.<\/p>\n

\u2018You can be the one, Matt,\u2019 I say. \u2018I know you can. David Beckham signed with Manchester United when he was fourteen. No way is he chunkier than you, and I reckon you\u2019re more determined than him. And more talented.\u2019 We look at each other. I can see Matt is having worried thoughts. Probably about leg pins. I try not to let him see the thoughts I\u2019m suddenly having.<\/p>\n

Does this mean we won\u2019t see Mum and Dad for a long time? Does it mean I\u2019ll have to leave school? I\u2019m not even sure if that\u2019s legal at ten. Matt puts his arm round me. Which is a surprise. He doesn\u2019t do that much these days. I want to snuggle into him and let him cuddle me. But I don\u2019t. Right now he doesn\u2019t need a sooky little sister, he needs a manager.<\/p>\n

Matt is frowning. I know he\u2019s thinking about Mum and Dad. About how tired they looked tonight. About how much they need a long rest. Ideally in a big comfortable house with automatic blinds. I\u2019ve never seen Matt look quite like this before. He definitely is more determined than David Beckham. OceanofPDF.com I\u2019m glad Mum isn\u2019t at Matt\u2019s first training session. I\u2019m glad she\u2019s on the other side of the planet in bed.<\/p>\n

Not having to see what Matt\u2019s doing. I can hardly look myself. The trainers made the boys pair off and take turns to keep the ball away from each other. Matt chose Ayo. I would too.<\/p>\n

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My heartfelt gratitude to Belinda Chayko, Anna Fienberg, Laura Harris, Heather Curdie, Tony Palmer, Anne McNulty, Amrit Bansal-McNulty, Janine Wood, Sam Miller, and the Premier League families who generously shared with me their experiences and friendship. Morris Gleitzman grew up in England and came to Australia when he was sixteen. After university he worked for ten years as a screenwriter. Then he had a wonderful experience.<\/p>\n

He wrote a novel for young people. Now, after 34 books, he\u2019s one of Australia\u2019s most popular children\u2019s authors. His books are published in more than 20 countries. Visit Morris at his website: www.morrisgleitzman.com OceanofPDF.com Also by Morris Gleitzman The Other Facts of Life Second Childhood Two Weeks with the Queen Misery Guts Worry Warts Puppy Fat Blabber Mouth Sticky Beak Gift of the Gab Belly Flop Water Wings Wicked!<\/p>\n

(with Paul Jennings) Deadly! (with Paul Jennings) Bumface Adults Only Teacher\u2019s Pet Toad Rage Toad Heaven Toad Away Toad Surprise Boy Overboard Girl Underground Worm Story Aristotle\u2019s Nostril Doubting Thomas Grace Too Small to Fail Give Peas a Chance Pizza Cake Once Then After Now Loyal Creatures OceanofPDF.com For Jono OceanofPDF.com OceanofPDF.com \u2018Hey, Sutherland,\u2019 yells an unfriendly voice. \u2018If you got any last wishes, make \u2019em now.\u2019<\/p>\n

Matt and the others stop playing. We all turn. This waste ground next to the cattle yard is the best place in Australia for a kick-around. But it does get a bit crowded sometimes. Coming towards us across the crunchy brown grass, dust puffing up from their boots, are six kids. Big ones. They\u2019re all wearing orange soccer shirts. I sigh. Why can\u2019t people leave Matt alone? Sometimes I think he won\u2019t get any peace till every soccer show-off in town has tried to prove they\u2019re better than him.<\/p>\n

\u2018Your day of wrecking has arrived,\u2019 says the captain of the orange team to Matt. \u2018I think you mean day of reckoning,\u2019 says Matt. \u2018Get your words right,\u2019 I say to the orange captain. The orange captain ignores me. That happens quite a bit when you\u2019re a younger sister. The orange kids are all glaring at Matt as if they don\u2019t like him, which is really unfair.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.<\/em><\/p>\n

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