Controversial Roster Announcement (3)
Controversial Roster Announcement (3)
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A spacious room with a logo depicting a white tiger projected on a large beam projector at the front.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) press room, which was usually empty, was occupied by a dozen or so reporters.
"Did you hear the rumors?"
"What rumors?"
"With information this slow, how are you even a reporter?"
"Ugh, what is it? You know I don't usually cover sports."
"Tsk, tsk. What have you been doing to come all the way here from the economics desk? I'll tell you since I know your face. It's about the new head coach."
Reporters, each with a laptop on their desk, whispered to each other.
"Coach Gong Jeon-seong? What about him?"
"I heard he got into a huge fight with the KFA board members. The technical directors."
"Wait. Getting into a fight with the technical directors at this time means... the roster?"
"The rumors are already spreading like wildfire. They say it was a total brawl over the final roster."
"Oh ho... But today is the roster announcement. Damn it, if you were going to tell me, you should've told me earlier."
The buzzing reporters shut their mouths like clams as a man appeared.
"Hello. I am Gong Jeon-seong, head coach of the South Korean Olympic national team."
Gong Jeon-seong, who appeared looking neat as befitting a roster announcement that was even being broadcast on the internet, sat down with a haggard face.
"I will now announce the roster for the 2032 Australia Olympics."
The reporters' hands became busy as Gong Jeon-seong went straight to the point without any flowery language.
"First, number 1, the first-choice goalkeeper is Song Chan-sik, who plays for Seongnam FC."
As Gong Jeon-seong pressed something with his finger, the beam projector screen that had the KFA logo on it changed, displaying a photo of the player in his uniform and a brief profile.
"Song Chan-sik is a goalkeeper with a great physique of 193cm and animal-like reflexes who has firmly guarded Seongnam's backline. Having played 65 professional games at the young age of 22, Song Chan-sik, who possesses such experience, will be guarding the national team's goal in the Olympic finals as well."
The reporters, typing away on their laptops, watched the announcement with calm expressions.
Song Chan-sik was the player everyone expected to be the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for the Olympic team.
Considering that the goalkeeper position has the highest average age even among defensive lines where experience is valued, Song Chan-sik, playing as a starter for a pro team at 22, was a promising player already considered the next national team gatekeeper.
"The second-choice goalkeeper is Ahn Hyun-beom, who plays for Busan IPark. For the third-choice goalkeeper, Park Yi-hyun from Jeonbuk has been selected."
While the screen changed to show the photos and profiles of the two players, the reporters moved their hands expressionlessly.
The goalkeeper position is a special one in soccer. Unlike other positions, it has less physical burden, so once a starter is decided, it's hard for the 2nd or 3rd choice players to get a chance to play, which is why there was little interest in the second and third-choice goalkeepers.
"Next is the defenders."
The screen changed again, and the player's profile appeared.
"Ahn Byeong-gi, who plays for Gyeongnam FC. His jersey number is 2, and he is a player with a strong physique of 188cm, a strength in aerial balls, and boasts powerful man-marking abilities. Next is Kim Yu-hyeon. He is a young gun who is responsible for Daegu FC's defensive line with his 185cm height, fast feet, and agile defense."
The Ahn Byeong-gi-Kim Yu-hyeon center-back combination were players who had been working together since the previous coach's era. As they had been consistently trusted under Coach Gong Jeon-seong's regime, it was a roster that was fully expected.
"Next is the first wild card. The first wild card is Seol Yo-han, who plays for the Police Agency. The experienced veteran defender Seol Yo-han will anchor the young defensive line."
The reporters, who had been expecting the first wild card, typed on their laptops calmly again.
28-year-old Seol Yo-han, who had played over 50 A-matches for the national team, was a European leaguer from the German Bundesliga who returned to the K-League last year due to military service issues.
"Seol Yo-han, huh. In the end, he couldn't solve the chronic weakness of the flank defense and used a wild card."
"Whether it's the senior national team or the Olympic team, the flanks are always weak."
Although it's considered a weak point for the senior national team, it should be more than enough for the U23 Olympics.
Gong Jeon-seong selected the active national team player Seol Yo-han as his first wild card to add strength to the flank defense.
"Next is Oh Ji-woo—"
"Go Jae-beom player—"
The announcement continued smoothly.
Players who were mostly expected to make the Olympic team confirmed their spots one by one, and the reporters had to type on their laptops with disappointed expressions.
"Next is the midfielders."
The reporters' eyes sharpened.
Unlike the defensive or offensive lines, where the starters are relatively fixed and easy to predict, it was the turn of the midfielders, which is the hardest to predict.
"Isn't the midfield the position where the most players were tested since Coach Gong Jeon-seong took office?"
"Yeah. They tested 17 midfielders in just 3 call-ups."
Especially since it was rumored that he had a huge fight with the technical directors ahead of the final roster announcement, there must have been disagreements in the midfield, nine times out of ten.
The reporters' gazes were fixed on Gong Jeon-seong's mouth.
"Kim Dae-seong, who is active for Daegu FC—"
"Park Jin-je from Gyeongnam—"
"Oh Pyo-sik—"
However, just as the reporters' hands were slowing down due to the roster continuing smoothly, contrary to expectations,
"Something's weird."
While Gong Jeon-seong was drinking water for a moment, one reporter muttered while stretching their fingers.
"What's weird?"
"He's not the type of person to go this smoothly. Is the roster that he supposedly had a huge fight with the technical directors over this mundane?"
"The coach must have been broken, that's what."
Even at the indifferent colleague reporter's words, the reporter who was tilting their head had their eyes flash.
"No. Since 4 midfielders have been announced, it's about time for something to come out. He'll pull off something."
"Next is... Yoon Hyeok from Hojin University."
"Yoon Hyeok? Who is Yoon Hyeok?"
"Hojin University? A university leaguer?"
"Hojin University... Hojin University... Ah, the one that won the university league this time..."
The gazes of the reporters, who were buzzing and typing quickly, widened.
"Next is Chae Gi-deok from Changwon."
"Chae Gi-deok? Who the hell is Chae Gi-deok!"
"Two surprise selections...?"
Without caring about the reporters' reactions, Gong Jeon-seong continued the announcement.
"And the last spot for the midfielder is... Hong Min-jun from Hojin University."
"What...? Hojin University? Another university leaguer... and it's the same university that was mentioned earlier."
"Which university did Coach Gong graduate from?"
"He's crazy. There's a limit to surprise selections, picking 3 unknowns?"
I was picked.
I was worried, but I safely boarded the Olympic national team.
It's been a few months since I haven't returned to my studio apartment because I've been living like I'm cohabiting in Oh Ha-rin's penthouse. When I tried to go to my studio apartment for the first time in a while to pack my luggage, Oh Ha-rin stopped me.
"You don't have to go."
"I need to pack. They said I'll be staying in Australia for up to a month?"
"Here. I've packed everything."
A large suitcase.
When I opened the suitcase, which looked luxurious even from the outside, everything from underwear to toiletries and cosmetics was prepared inside.
"Ha-rin-ah!!"
"Eek! Don't cling to me!!"
Thanks to that, I rolled around until the day of the call-up and was able to go to Paju in the car driven by Oh Ha-rin.
The schedule was to join in Paju, train for a few days, and then leave for Australia, where the Olympics are held. As I checked the articles on my phone while going down to Paju comfortably, singing la-la-la...
"Ugh. Why are all the articles like this?"
[A surprise or stubbornness! The Olympic national team that selected a large number of unknown players!]
[Former national team coach "It is incomprehensible to select unverified resources for the Olympic finals!"]
[Only you and me are university leaguers? The only two university leaguers among the pros! Why are they from the same school?]
[2 from Hojin University alone! What made them receive Gong Jeon-seong's call!]
Even if the titles pretend to be neutral, if you look at the content, they are all praying for failure. They are spewing such malicious comments.
'Is this okay.'
The news is a mess, but the internet public opinion has gone beyond a mess and exploded.
[Is Gong Jeon-seong crazy?]
—No, f***, it's not the 90s, what's with the university leaguers
ㄴYeah : And there's 2 of them lol, he's lost it
ㄴYeah : And both from Hojin University lol
ㄴAnonymous : And they're freshmen and sophomores lol
ㄴGoraey : F***, it's one thing to be buried in Hojin University, but what's with the guy from Changwon or Cheongwon or whatever
ㄴBaby Soccer Fan : That's a semi-pro club
ㄴGG : F, wh, th, pr
[They're really acting like sh*t]
—Ah, f***, there's not a single European leaguer this time, not worth watching, bye
ㄴYeah : This is really f***ed, if Bae Chan-sik can't solve his military service this time, he has to aim for the Asian Games in 2 years, what is he going to do
ㄴNaughty Dog : Bae Chan-sik must be really pissed off, he's doing so well in the EPL
ㄴOP : This is really pissing me off, why didn't the clubs let them go!!
[Bae Chan-sik and Yoo Man-gi both got their call-ups rejected lol]
—European leaguers are fed, totally fed
ㄴYeah : Both of them had a chance this time, what are they going to do lol. Are we really going to watch the K-League?!
ㄴHa-rin is a baby : Ah, it won't be worth watching overseas soccer
ㄴYeah : Ha-rin? Han Ha-rin?
ㄴHa-rin is a baby : It's Oh Ha-rin
ㄴYeah : Who is Oh Ha-rin?
ㄴHa-rin is a baby : She exists lol
"We're here. Get out."
'Huk! I was browsing the forums without realizing it.'
In front of the NFC (National Football Team Training Center), with Oh Ha-rin's send-off... and dragging my suitcase to the entrance, I was able to enter only after barely avoiding the barrage of questions from the reporters.
The head coach, who gathered the national team in Paju, said,
"Public opinion is noisy. But you don't need to pay attention to it. Because if you win a medal, it will die down."
"......."
"Are you not going to win a medal? Do you want to go to the military?"
"No, sir!!"
He inspired motivation at once, and whether public opinion was burning or exploding, the national team gathered as one, received training, and then left for Australia.
And now.
3 days before the opening of the Olympics.
The first match of the group stage has begun.