Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: League 30th Round (1)
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Since he was unemployed, Park Chong-ah accepted the move to Bolton without much hesitation.
The media and public opinion, of course, went into an uproar.
They had signed a free agent from a backwater league of the same nationality.
A jobless player, no less.
- : Guys, let's ditch these frustrating Wanderers and become City or United fans! Or at least support the local rivals...
- : I just started losing my hair..., can I sue Bolton for this?
- : I thought we'd send off Owen Doyle and land a big signing...? What the hell? Chong-ah? Chong-ah...? Why are we signing an Asian player with zero career?
Some fans even led movements to withdraw their supporter status.
From their perspective, signing Chong-ah was sheer madness.
But Ma Jeong-woo gave them the cure just a few hours later.
Out of the 600,000 pounds (9 billion KRW) transfer budget, he used 400,000 pounds (6 billion KRW) to sign a solid defender.
[<Horichi> Bolton Wanderers! League Two's iron defensive wall, center-back 'Dominic Shield (23 years old)!' signed!]
A center-back poached from League Two.
But as the transfer fee indicated, this was top-tier acquisition even for League One.
Dominic Shield was rated as top-class in individual defending skills in League Two.
His only flaw was his lack of speed.
But with his 2.10m height and long legs that he used masterfully for interceptions, he was an impressive player.
Fans who had been fuming found some relief with this signing.
The next day.
After giving them the illness and then the cure, Ma Jeong-woo hit the fans with another dose of madness.
He sold off all unnecessary players, shrinking the first-team squad from a maximum of 25 to just 16.
He even offloaded Falcon Jones, who hadn't been selling.
This left them one over the minimum required roster size.
Weekly wages were slashed accordingly.
Ma Jeong-woo sat in the executive chair by the window, sunlight filtering in, as he received Richard Geers' report.
"We've successfully reduced the squad's annual payroll from 9 million pounds (14.3 billion KRW) to 2.7 million pounds (4.2 billion KRW)."
It was a massive achievement in cost-cutting.
More than triple the savings in just a month.
As Ma Jeong-woo reviewed the files, he smiled contentedly, proud of himself.
"It's even below the League One average salary."
On the other hand, Ma Jeong-woo was curious.
Even his close friend Hee-won had voiced concerns about his management style.
Everyone reacted with disbelief to his bulldozer approach.
Yet Richard Geers alone stood there with the same kindly smile as when they first met.
"Ahem."
Ma Jeong-woo cleared his throat a couple times and straightened up.
That didn't mean Geers was just standing idly by.
He offered generous advice whenever needed and had made several tempting proposals.
He simply supplemented Ma Jeong-woo's approach without resistance, adding constructive comments.
Ma Jeong-woo subtly rolled his eyes side to side and asked.
"Aren't you worried, Executive Director?"
"Worried about what?"
"My plans. People are saying I'm going too far, living in constant worry."
He was genuinely curious.
What did the executive director think of his plans that seemed to completely upend Bolton?
But Geers showed no change in expression, speaking only in his gentle voice.
"I fully support the owner's decisions."
Ma Jeong-woo twitched one eyebrow slightly and countered.
"Why?"
"Because I judged that the old Bolton couldn't overcome this crisis."
There wasn't a shred of hesitation from Geers.
Ma Jeong-woo pressed further, his face showing a hint of thirst.
"What if we can't overcome it even with these changes...?"
He pretended otherwise inwardly, but Ma Jeong-woo was quietly worried.
This was his first time as owner and manager.
He wasn't entirely sure if he was on the right path.
Moreover, everyone around him kept griping about his management style.
At this point, even Ma Jeong-woo couldn't help but waver a little.
Of course, just a fleeting waver.
'It's doomed to fail anyway if I just sit back, so better to go down swinging.'
It only fueled his stubbornness.
Then, Geers said something unexpected.
"It's been just over a month since I started serving you as owner. Short time, but if I may venture an opinion..., you may seem rough, but you're not someone who acts without thought."
Caught off guard by the praise, Ma Jeong-woo sheepishly scratched his cheek with his index finger.
He wasn't used to compliments and had no immunity.
It felt pretty good, though.
Geers continued softly, watching him.
"Others might see you charging around recklessly, but I can tell it's all calculated. The players you're keeping have something in common. They can do at least one thing well...."
"Got to have players who can do at least something, right? Heh heh."
"Anyway, that's how it looks."
For a moment, Geers' blue eyes flashed with a strange sense of anticipation.
"One thing's clear: among all the previous owners I've served, you're the one putting in the most effort."
He didn't mince words.
"Fuck the complaints—let them flow in one ear and out the other. Now's the time to push forward more aggressively than ever. If we fail..., then they can curse us all they want. I'll lead the charge as a die-hard Wanderer."
"..."
Hm.
For an instant, he felt a murderous aura.
Truly excellent advice.
* * *
Ma Jeong-woo called up two more players from the reserves to the first team.
This brought the final squad size to 18.
In the process, about nine first-team players—many starters—had left in just a few days.
Compared to the max of 25, it was a tiny number.
Four of them were the new additions.
Just as the coaching staff resented the parachuted-in Ma Jeong-woo like he was an advanced form of drop-in, some players didn't welcome him either.
"I don't like that owner."
Victor Johnson had been a starter under Derek Scott.
Position: midfielder.
He was particularly displeased that after sending away captain Owen Doyle, they'd signed some no-name Korean striker.
He even voiced his dissatisfaction openly.
"Hey?"
Chong-ah greeted him fluently in English, but Johnson ignored her completely.
He half-assed it even in training.
He let Ma Jeong-woo's instructions go in one ear and out the other.
He even subtly stirred up the others.
"Just ignore him. That punk as manager? Does he even know proper tactical terms? Huh?"
Unlike Victor Johnson, many on the training pitch trained with enthusiasm.
The reason was obvious.
With nine starters gone, the bench players now had a shot at playing.
In other words, the competitive fire that had died was reignited.
"Huff, huff, huff!"
Under Ma Jeong-woo's orders for interval training, they ran desperately.
Every one of them had ambition burning in their eyes.
'Owner or whatever, just let me play...!'
'This is my chance! A chance to play!'
Ma Jeong-woo didn't forget to stoke that ambition during the squad announcement.
'I'll ensure fair competition.'
Regardless of fame or market value, selection would be based on that day's condition and attitude in training.
It was a management style that truly ignited a competitive spirit absent under Derek Scott.
* * *
Rochdale meeting room.
Bolton Wanderers' 30th round opponent was Rochdale.
They shared the same Greater Manchester roots, currently sitting 16th.
A derby match.
And right now, Rochdale manager Buddy Butland brimmed with confidence.
He smugly perked up his ears.
"Bolton is nothing but a points dispenser. We'll win the league without breaking a sweat."
"The manager level is worlds apart..., I wonder if it's even a game."
"Why not give some starters extra rest for the next match? Accrington ran a 1.5 squad against Bolton too."
With three days to kickoff, the coaching staff reveled in complacency.
Butland smirked every time they praised him.
'Ahem, feels good.'
But they didn't see it as complacency themselves.
They viewed it as plain common sense.
Bolton was the absolute worst among the 24 teams.
Experts agreed.
Even in League Two, Bolton would be fighting relegation.
The staff kept trash-talking Bolton.
"Bolton isn't just 24th—they're basically confirmed for League Two."
And the current manager, Ma Jeong-woo.
"Derek Scott at least had experience..., owner as manager? From a backwater league with only power analysis gigs... tsk!"
They'd gathered for a tactical meeting, but there was no need to rack their brains seriously.
Butland just lounged, basking in the sweet talk.
'Just a breather match, nothing more.'
* * *
The day before the match.
Ma Jeong-woo held his first press conference as manager.
The reporters predictably lobbed questions meant to fluster him.
"You've shrunk the squad size by nearly half in a month. Are you aware of the fans' backlash?"
"Your only credential is a backwater league stint as a bench player, yet you signed him as a free agent. Why?"
Some were outright blunt.
"What's your relationship with Park Chong-ah? Pals, so you signed her?"
Sarcastic jabs followed.
"Was becoming manager your dream, sir?"
Ma Jeong-woo didn't flinch at any of it.
'I saw this coming, you bastards.'
He was brazen instead.
"Yes, I wanted to be manager. Confident I can do well. Weren't you a journalist because you wanted to be one?"
"Park Chong-ah and I go back to Jinju CF—staff and player. Naturally, I saw her talent firsthand and brought her here. Happens all the time."
The reporters thought there was no thicker skin.
He rattled off responses without a stutter, even to rapid-fire questions.
After several exchanges, many realized.
'This guy's..., nuts?'
'What the..., he's a fighting cock?'
Every blunt question got an even blunter, sarcastic retort.
After a while,
As if on cue, Ma Jeong-woo scanned the rooMad Dog dropped a bombshell.
"Fans have gone beyond doubt to outright negativity about my choices. Fair enough—rookie as manager? So, let's make a deal."
"A deal?"
One reporter, despite his discomfort, couldn't help asking.
Others murmured among themselves.
In that atmosphere, Ma Jeong-woo put more force into his eyes than ever.
"Including the Rochdale match, over the next three games..., if we lose even one, I won't set foot in the manager's office again."