Olmunt, the Team Mascot (1)
Clunk!
Bam!
"Hoo..."
Nam Suhyeon closed the door and sank into his chair. Was it because he was young? Or was it just his innate temperament? Either way, he clearly had no talent for schmoozing.
Rubbing his tired eyes, Nam Suhyeon replayed the earlier events in his mind.
"The mayor, huh... Even when I was coaching the university soccer team, I never met anyone higher than the president."
His mutterings made it clear the situation had been anything but normal.
Gimpo Green UTD had surged unprecedentedly in the three years since going pro, drawing unintended attention from city hall.
The city had offered only minimal support since the club's founding, but things were different now.
Bathed in praise from the mayor, city council members, and local heavyweights, even humble deflections had their limits.
They probably saw Gimpo UTD as a handy political tool. The signings of Park Jaeyoon and Gu Jinho fit right into that context.
What kind of extra backing would come if they achieved promotion? Nam Suhyeon mulled it over, then let it go.
The real key was how well they played soccer. He had no desire to wade into the messy world of politics.
Win games, earn public support, secure more resources—that was enough.
Bzzz!
Right then, his phone buzzed. The screen boldly displayed Mayor.
Nam Suhyeon thought, "Better not pick up now. Call back later." But his hand betrayed him, answering on reflex.
Too late—the call connected.
"Coach Nam?"
"Yes, Mayor. This is Coach Nam Suhyeon."
"Come on, relax. Sorry about earlier—I wanted to meet you alone."
"No, Mayor."
The office was empty, but Nam Suhyeon cupped his hands politely as an unimaginable question flew into his ear.
"That transition-focused wing play—won't it hit a wall in the first division?"
"Pardon?"
"Yoon Chaewoo could hold up there, but the right flank's the issue. Lee Junkyung could play wide, but he'd shine more as a target man or rotation option."
What the hell? Stunned by the thick soccer-fan vibe pouring from the phone, Nam Suhyeon had no time to recover.
"And you need a central midfielder too, right? Can you make promotion, Coach?"
"Pardon?"
"Lots of folks—even from my own party—say professionalizing Gimpo's just for resume-padding. My term ends this round, so they're calling it a line for my Gyeonggi governor run."
"But I genuinely want Gimpo Green UTD to get promoted."
A brief silence, a short breath, and the mayor continued.
"If you promote, city council will fast-track budget expansion. Even if the next election brings a new mayor, the boosted funds should last 2-3 seasons. So, can you do it?"
Nam Suhyeon chuckled, his tension evaporating.
"Of course, Mayor."
He was confident they'd have made playoffs even without Olmunt—the easiest question to answer.
A few minutes of small talk followed before hanging up. Nam Suhyeon slumped back into his chair.
"Hoo..."
He craved a smoke, but even that was beyond him now.
Gimpo's mayor, Jang Yongbeom, seemed somewhat into soccer. Real or act? Probably a mix.
Worried about getting too entangled in politics, one thing was clear: promotion meant no more scraping by.
***
"Whoa! It's Olmunt!"
What're you saying, kid? Anyone'd think I was some mythical beast.
"Hey! Mind your manners! Apologize right now!"
The kid's mom smacked his back, bowing repeatedly in apology.
"Sorry. He's young. Must be from watching Gimpo's games lately—he's a fan now."
I snapped photos with her and the adorable kid, plus other Gimpo locals, soaking up the popularity. Guess my standout looks helped.
Recent hot streak had boosted Gimpo Green UTD's profile. Public sentiment warmed; fewer saw it as a tax sink.
Whistling into the training ground, it buzzed noisily.
"Mayor visits this afternoon, so no fooling around."
Made sense for the lively squad.
"Figures. We're hot—he'll milk it politically."
Pessimist first.
"But maybe he'll spruce up these facilities?"
Optimist.
"Nah, Jang Yongbeom's different. Saw him once when Gimpo was semi-pro..."
Braggart.
"YONG AGAIN!"
And the weirdo. Reactions varied wildly. Paulo needed an algorithm reset later.
Mayor's visit now, of all times...
In Korean soccer, especially citizen clubs, the local leader's stance was crucial due to inherent limits.
Did they view it as community welfare or a money pit? Treatment swung wildly.
Well-run sports fostered hometown pride—key as more cities launched citizen teams.
"Well-run" was the catch.
Still, Jang Yongbeom seemed decent. Gimpo's teething issues fit a fresh pro citizen club.
He'd pushed pro status against council pushback, trickling in support.
His motives? Meeting would tell. Diehard fan or pre-election politicking before his third-term end next year?
On visit day, I knew instantly upon seeing Jang Yongbeom.
"Oh, Olmunt! Hello. You speak Korean, right?"
Those sparkling eyes, itching for a handshake and chat. Confirmed: soccer-fan mayor.
Light handshake, eye contact. Double-checked: yes.
Back as Yoon Jongmun—pre-injury prospect days—I'd met countless politicians.
Youth internationals had steady pol attendance. Spotting fan from faker was easy.
No matter how slick, passion vs. performance differed. Some didn't even hide disdain.
Jang Yongbeom? Fan mayor.
"Yoon Chaewoo, long time."
"Thanks for remembering, Mayor."
"How could Gimpo's mayor forget a legend? Haha!"
Familiar with long-timers like him.
"New training gear soon. Let's make Gimpo history."
Politician with camera crew, sure—but genuine soccer love shone. He attended every home game.
The mayor's whirlwind visit ended. Facility upgrades followed; squad approved.
Win-win for club and Jang? Pro status owed to him, probably.
Post-training homeward, I pondered. How to leverage him?
No vote as Swedish foreigner—politics no issue. Term-limited next year anyway.
Goal: quick Europe jump. Use everything. First division shine needed team support.
My dilemma shared, unexpected reply. Trusts pols more than expected.
Jang was a soccer-fan politician. Governor run year? He'd ditch Gimpo anytime.
Pro pioneer, willing to take hits—but job's politician first.
Ooh, smart. Do it now. Get greedy next game.
"...Yes, Olmunt. Three assists this time—top contender. Confident?
"Yes. Paulo's finish-focused over dribbling, others convert my passes. Momentum holds, I'm confident."
"Indeed, three assists with brilliant passes today. Final words for fans?"
Chatting English to interpreter, I stared, hand up.
He blinked, then stepped back.
"Never loved this much in my career. Sweden, Korea—decent runs, but Gimpo's embraced me."
My fluent Korean jolted reporter and interpreter.
Whatever. More to say.
"Mayor visited training recently, promised upgrades—grateful. But our facilities still lag pro standards."
Ignoring coach's shocked-then-complicated glare, I pressed on.
...
The M.O.M interview whirlwind ended.
Did I overdo it? Expected scolding or praise.
Deadpan reactions puzzled me home.
There, I got it.
Tsk...
Reaction's worse than expected?