Tactical Movement (2)
Tactical Movement (2)
016
The university league usually follows a schedule of one match per week.
A preliminary league held by grouping certain regions together. And the national league, which only the top-ranked teams that achieved good results in the preliminary league advance to.
The national league, which selects the teams representing each region from the preliminary league to determine the strongest in the country, is the wannabe of every university soccer team; you could say it's the first division.
Given the situation, no matter how much you win the preliminary league, you're just treated like a local bully, and there's a tendency not to be recognized as a prestigious team.
To be recognized as a true prestigious, strong team, performance in the national league is essential. Naturally, any university soccer team worth its salt plans its season aiming for the national league.
So, what about Hojin University?
Our university soccer team... has none of that.
We don't even get treated like local bullies, let alone national level.
In a situation where we have to break through the regional league first, thinking about the national league already would just get us cursed at.
The only saving grace is that the region Hojin University belongs to doesn't really have any teams you'd call prestigious?
Instead of having a clear powerhouse, teams of similar strength are gathered, so if you look at it positively, there's no opponent we can't beat, but conversely, the downside is that other teams see us the same way.
In a word, it's a situation where everyone looks down on each other. In this case, it might actually be more comfortable to have an overwhelming top dog. Since teams of similar strength are gathered, you never know what kind of unexpected situation might occur.
"There is bad news."
And in the opening week when the first league match is held.
The first upset occurred.
"Ugyeol University, evaluated as the weakest in our region, defeated Hoseong University, evaluated as the strongest."
It's a clash between the strongest and the weakest... but in reality, from the perspective of national-level powerhouse teams, they're probably both mediocre. Still, it's surprising that a surprise show happened in the clash between our region's weakest and strongest. Especially from the very first match.
"And our next opponent is Hoseong University."
The Coach said, frowning as if he had a headache.
"Since they screwed up from the first match, they'll be coming for us with gritted teeth. Everyone, brace yourselves."
The subsequent training schedule was tougher than usual.
Well, the coaching staff, including the Coach, seem serious... but I don't think it's a big problem.
The number of national league advancement tickets allocated to our region is two. It means we can advance to the national league just by being the runner-up.
It's not that I don't want to aim for the championship, but no matter how I think about it, I don't think my team can't even make it to the runner-up spot. Is this too much baseless confidence?
But this is the reason I entered Hojin University.
There are two reasons why I rejected the admission offers from prestigious university soccer teams and came to this countryside.
The first is that the team's strength is weak.
Especially since the attacking resources are poor compared to the defense, the first reason is that it's worth it for me, a freshman, to attempt to compete for a starting position, and the second is that there are no strong teams in the region, so if I win the starting competition, whether we advance to the national league depends on my performance.
Of course, even if we advance to the national league, it's hard to expect good results since we're evaluated as a mid-to-lower tier team that can't even reach the middle on a national level... but well, that's something to think about when the time comes.
The general evaluation of Hojin University is that while the overall strength is mid-to-lower tier, the defensive ability is decent...
Simply put, it means a team with mid-to-upper tier defensive ability and lower-tier attacking ability.
I don't know if this stems from the Coach's defense-oriented tactics, or if they applied a 'defense first, counterattack later' tactic because they possessed excellent defenders, but the important thing is that for victory, my role as the spearhead of the attack is that much greater.
And for this, I need more points... even more massive points!
"Oh, Ji-gyeong-nuna. It's me. Yeah, yeah. Ayy, so you don't want to? Right? Yeah, see you later."
After regular training ended, I contacted Ji-gyeong-nuna while cleaning up, like the youngest member should.
Like always, she whines that she can't today, that she doesn't want to, that she wants to rest, but when I actually call her, she comes running, saying she likes it... I don't know why women play hard to get like this.
Since it'll be evening by the time Ji-gyeong-nuna finishes her schedule and gets here, I should do some personal training in the meantime.
'Hmm... what about Ha-yeon-nuna.'
It's been 3 days since I spent the night with Ha-yeon-nuna.
There hasn't been any particular contact since then.
It's not that the contact is completely cut off... the contact continues, but it's like things aren't clicking. Why are there so many questions, asking about useless things.
I clicked on her KakaoTalk profile picture without thinking, and it had changed to a new one in the meantime.
A selfie taken as if showing off, wearing a coat that looks expensive at a glance.
She really is pretty, after all.
Did Ha-yeon-nuna say she was in the Aviation department? With looks like this, she'd definitely suit being a flight attendant. I was thinking about things like... uniform play later, but then I see her status message.
If she's an older sister, she's an older sister, what's with 'Unni-nim'.
"Hey. Why aren't you washing up and doing here?"
"Ah. Yoon-hyeok-sunbae."
It was 2nd-year Yoon-hyeok-sunbae who approached, shaking his wet hair as if he had just finished showering.
"I'm staying behind to do some personal training before I go."
"Personal training?"
Why is he looking at me like that? Is there something strange about doing personal training?
Yoon-hyeok-sunbae stared at me for a long time and then laughed hollowly.
"Even a kid with talent like you works this hard, I don't know what I'm doing."
"Ayy. What's wrong with you, sunbae."
"What's wrong? I'm just a filler."
2nd-year Yoon-hyeok-sunbae, who goes between being a starter and a rotation player, is a typical small hexagon player.
He's versatile but not outstanding, so he's a bit lacking to start, but there's no better resource to use as a substitute. He's the typical substitute player style that the Coach likes.
Perhaps that's why, although his original position is midfielder, there were many cases where he went in and played here and there regardless of position.
Recently, there were many times when he was substituted for me, and he was often substituted in a role to cover the attacking power that became insufficient as I, exhausted, came out, with Yoon-hyeok-sunbae's diligent activity and defensive ability.
"You're versatile. That's why the Coach trusts you and substitutes you."
"Forget it, kid. I know, but still."
"No, it's true. I'm actually envious of your soccer intelligence, sunbae."
"Me?"
I nodded firmly to mean it was real, towards Yoon-hyeok-sunbae, who was making a puzzled expression.
Honestly, half is sincere and half is a lie.
If I'm the style that plays soccer with innate talent, Yoon-hyeok-sunbae is a player who typically plays soccer with his head.
Being able to do one's part no matter what position you put him in means he understands the role and movement of each position according to the tactics, and can execute it.
Tactical understanding, spatial understanding, positional understanding... aren't these all requirements that are hard to succeed in without excellent soccer intelligence?
I'm lacking in everything except technique, speed, and physical balance, but when I recall that one of my biggest weaknesses is soccer intelligence, I truly am envious of Yoon-hyeok-sunbae's talent.
Of course, I'm not envious of his actual skill.
Honestly, I'm the one who's been a starter since freshman year on talent alone even though I lack soccer intelligence, right?
"That kind of thing grows if you study it. Innate talent like yours is hard to grow acquiredly."
I realized the problem in Yoon-hyeok-sunbae's words as he gave a bitter smile.
'This sunbae has no confidence at all?'
At this rate, he won't even be able to show his real skills.
I hesitated for a moment, but decided to be a bit meddlesome for the first time in a while.
"Sunbae. They say intelligence is also a talent. Honestly, no matter how much I study, I don't know how I should move in any given situation. No, even if I call it studying, every moment and every situation is different while playing soccer, so how can I think of what's right every time? It's not like there's a pause button. Even if just 1 second passes, the situation is already gone."
In the past, there was a theory that things like physical ability and technique were innate talents, and soccer intelligence was a talent that could be cultivated acquiredly.
However, my honest thought is that soccer intelligence is also an innate talent.
Soccer isn't something that proceeds after moving one turn and thinking for a moment, is it? Making a quick judgment on what the best choice is in a situation that changes every second in real-time is talent itself, what else could it be.
And I'm the one who lacks that talent.
"You speak well. You'll be good at interviews later, right?"
"Yes? What interview?"
"Thanks to you, I feel a bit energized, you bastard."
He still doesn't look confident, but perhaps he couldn't just whine in front of his junior, Yoon-hyeok-sunbae laughed loudly and got up.
"Can I train with you too?"
"Of course! There's more I can do than doing it alone, and above all, it's not boring."
"Keu... kid. Look at you running your mouth."
They say prestigious universities famous for soccer turn on the lights for night training even at night, but at Hojin University, it's a dream that can't even be dared.
Even though it wasn't that dark yet, time flies when training, so I settled in a place with as much light as possible, warmed up lightly, and while chatting about this and that with the sunbae, I learned an interesting fact.
"Oh? Then you're from an athletic family, sunbae?"
"Right? My father was a cyclist and my mother was a fencer."
"Oh, athletic genes~"
"No. It seems my older sister took all of that."
"Holy, you have an older sister, sunbae?"
"Didn't I tell you? She's in our school's tennis club."
Hojin University is a bottom-tier university in terms of grades, but it's a pretty decent university for arts and sports.
If it's the tennis club, I've heard of it a few times, so the level shouldn't be that low. She must have skill.
...More than that.
"Why are you staring so intently?"
"...No."
"You bastard, it's all obvious, you know? Don't worry, my sister doesn't look like me."
"Ayy~ What's wrong with you, sunbae. Of course, compared to me, a bit..."
"Wow, this kid is acting up. Hey! I'm on the handsome side too, you know?"
"Not quite handsome... a warm-looking guy?"
"Yeah. I'll accept 'warm-looking guy'."
While giggling and laughing, the sunbae suddenly took out his phone, turned on KakaoTalk, rummaged through it, and thrust it out.
"Here."
"What is it?"
"What do you mean, you bastard. It's written all over your face that you're dying of curiosity."
"Hehe... thanks."
I quickly took the phone the sunbae handed me, and I immediately saw the profile picture.
Unfortunately, it was set to some photo that looked like a trophy, so I was disappointed and swiped, and a selfie appeared.
"Oh...!"
"Why? Is she pretty?"
"Yes. She is pretty."
A beauty from the sports world overflowing with healthy beauty...!
Plus, she's at our school. If things go well, it could develop into a 'something'...!
Expectations are rising like crazy!!
"Don't be fooled. That's all Photoshop."
...Falling like crazy.
Still, objectively speaking, Yoon-hyeok-sunbae isn't a bad-looking guy... so if they're siblings, couldn't I have some expectations?
I should help him train hard.