Chapter 41
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The Coach Who Beat Essen Without Park Si-hyun
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The café buzzed with excitement.
The soft jazz melody playing in the background was completely drowned out by the customers' voices.
"Hey? Isn't that guy…!"
"Isn't that Coach Peter Polman?"
It started as mere whispers, but soon the murmurs spread like waves, erupting into a full commotion.
"It's really him, no way…" "Coach! Beat Essen again this time!"
Flushed faces pushed through the tables, crowding around him.
"Could I get an autograph, please!"
Peter Polman.
From Braunschweig in Lower Saxony.
The commanding general leading Eintracht Braunschweig, the team based in this quiet city.
He was just a third-division coach—not someone who drew massive attention across the entire German soccer world—but in this city, he was different.
They were holding steady at fifth in the league, a solid performance, and if they finished the second half strong, promotion to the second division was within reach.
But more than anything—
He was the coach who had handed Rot-Weiss Essen their one and only loss.
That fact alone made Polman a source of pride for the people of Braunschweig.
"I'll sign for you all."
Polman calmly smiled at the throng of fans.
"Don't worry. We'll definitely win this time too."
Cheers erupted from the fans.
But Polman's gaze drifted beyond them.
To the corner seat, where an elderly man sat quietly with a coffee cup in front of him.
The only one not joining the crowd, but instead waiting for Polman.
Polman slowly made his way over.
The man fixed Polman with eyes that carried a distinctive sternness amid deep-set wrinkles.
"It's been a while, Peter Polman."
His voice carried a heavy resonance.
Polman found himself bowing unconsciously.
"Yes, Coach. It's really been too long."
The man before him was Florian.
Once Polman's head coach, whom he had followed like a shadow as his assistant, learning at his feet. Now, he wielded the baton for Hannover 96, the traditional powerhouse of the second division.
To Polman, he was more than a mere mentor—a figure etched with both deep respect and fear.
Florian lightly lifted the corner of his mouth and set down his coffee cup.
"So, how's the new job treating you?"
Polman hesitated for a moment, then steadied his breath and replied with a faint smile.
"Yes… it's not bad."
"Then that line you just told those people about 'definitely winning'… does that mean you've found a way to deal with Park Si-hyun?"
Florian continued calmly.
The air in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
Polman felt his grip tightening on his coffee cup without realizing it.
"Coach…"
Florian leaned back in his chair, speaking in a steady tone that was anything but light.
"Be honest with me."
After a brief silence, Polman lowered his head.
"…Honestly, I don't know. How to counter Park Si-hyun."
The confession came with a pain that gnawed at his pride, but it was an undeniable truth.
Even conservatively, Park Si-hyun accounted for over 80 percent of Rot-Weiss Essen's victories.
In other words, the game without him was like playing with only 20 percent of the team's strength.
Of course, that didn't mean they hadn't won.
Eintracht's victory over Essen was a clear win.
The score, the stats, the result—all facts.
But no one knew better than Polman himself.
It wasn't a true victory.
Just a win against Essen's hollow shell, its heart ripped out.
Polman's lips slowly tightened.
Then, Florian's low voice cut through the space like a blade.
"Then… you won't be able to keep your promise."
Polman looked up.
"…Promise?"
Florian narrowed his eyes with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
"Didn't you tell me? That you'd definitely get promoted this season and face me. That I shouldn't retire and should wait."
For a moment, Polman's chest tightened oddly.
He forced a smile.
"That… would only be possible if we win every game except against Essen."
"A forfeiting strategy. Interesting."
Florian lifted his cup and swirled it slowly.
"Giving up games you think you'll lose in advance and focusing on the rest. Sounds reasonable. But—"
He fixed his gaze directly on Polman.
"Are you sure? That even if your team forfeits the Essen game, they can win all the others?"
Polman averted his eyes, silently catching his breath.
A quiet sneer spread across Florian's lips.
"Be honest. If they had that kind of skill, you wouldn't be sitting at fifth right now. You'd be inside third at worst. There's the overwhelming first-place Essen, then second and third hot on their heels, a gap to fourth… and right below that is your team, isn't it?"
Polman stared at his cooling coffee, unable to respond.
Florian's words were harsh, but accurate.
Braunschweig wasn't even perfect against the other teams, excluding Essen.
"You've changed a lot. Back when you were under me, you stayed up all night analyzing every game, shoving your strategies into every single match without giving up on any…"
"That's…"
As Polman started to speak, Florian cut him off coldly.
"I'm here to tell you I won't wait for a disciple who's still in the third division next season. I'm not getting any younger."
Florian rose from his seat, looking at Polman.
His movements were slow and leisurely, but the disappointment they carried was heavy.
Polman hurriedly tried to stand, but Florian gestured for him to stay.
"I'll head out first. Looking forward to your next game."
The words carried more the weight of a final chance than any real expectation.
As Florian opened the café door and left, a cold wind seeped inside.
Left alone at the table, Polman stared blankly at his cold coffee.
Florian's parting words echoed in his mind.
'Looking forward to your next game.'
"What should I do…"
[And here we are with today's big match! Rot-Weiss Essen versus Eintracht Braunschweig, taking place at Eintracht's home ground, An den Dellen Stadium.]
[That's right. An intriguing matchup. Eintracht is the team that handed Essen their sole loss this season.]
[Indeed. But there was a key variable back then. Essen's core player, Park Si-hyun, sat out due to a red card suspension. Today is a different story. With Park Si-hyun starting, we can expect a completely different game.]
[That's why many experts predicted Eintracht would go into 'forfeit mode' for this one.]
[Yes, but when the lid came off, the atmosphere was different. Take a look at Eintracht's lineup today. Full strength, 100 percent starters. They're showing strong intent for an all-out war—they want this game.]
[So today's match is bound to be the real showdown. Will they hand Essen another rare loss, or will Essen get their revenge from the first half? All eyes are on it.]
In the end, Polman took the field determined to win.
Honestly, it was because he was Asian. If he'd been German, Park Si-hyun would be one of the most hyped prodigies in soccer right now, given how well he played.
His only flaw was being an Eastern Asian that European soccer wasn't yet used to.
That's why Polman had built his entire tactic around stopping Park Si-hyun.
Two men marking him man-to-man, blocking even his passing lanes.
Score only on counterattacks, and pour every resource into shutting down Park Si-hyun.
Polman thought this would be enough.
Even Park Si-hyun shouldn't be able to do much now…
The world, as always, didn't bend to human expectations.
Park Si-hyun! A rocket of a mid-range shot that leaves every defender stunned! He's insane! Absolutely insane! In an away game, Park Si-hyun's anthem echoes once more!!!
[That was at least 35 meters to goal! A spine-chilling shot! The keeper couldn't even react! And if he had, I reckon he'd have a finger injury! It was that powerful!]
Park Si-hyun's absurd wonder goal.
The moment the ball, struck from over 35 meters as if it were nothing, rocketed into the net, Polman could only fall silent.
Fired at 210 km/h, it was a missile.
Braunschweig's keeper saw it coming but couldn't react. He didn't even have time to.
"That crazy…"
The coaching staff on Braunschweig's bench let out sighs.
The netting behind the goal rattled with a 'thwack'.
The sheer power shook the frame slightly.
The crowd at An den Dellen Stadium fell momentarily speechless.
And Polman's mind went blank.
The perfect defensive tactic he'd prepared through sleepless nights crumbled in an instant.
'Sorry, Master. Looks like you should just retire.'