Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Bulldozer (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The opponent for League Round 31 was Shrewsbury Town.
“Ahem! Shrewsbury Town is currently sitting at 18th in the standings.”
Park Hee-won was fulfilling his duties as Manager from the side.
You could tell just by how he used casual speech off the record but tried to sound stern and formal in the meeting room.
“Shrewsbury’s key striker, Harrison Chapman, has featured in 31 games this season with 10 goals and 4 assists. Their winger, James Wallace, has 7 goals and 7 assists, making him a pretty threatening attacking option.”
No matter how much saliva Hee-won sprayed while explaining, some of the coaches were still only half-listening.
“Setting aside direct attacking points..., both players are strong in secondary assists. So..., how about we design our tactics around shutting down that process entirely?”
A secondary assist refers to the attacking link-up play involved in a goal.
“Ahem!”
Hee-won, who had been acting all stern, let out a couple of awkward coughs when he got no real reaction from the coaches.
‘Say something, damn it.’
He even subtly signaled Ma Jeong-woo for help.
Jeong-woo found the reaction amusing and just smirked.
‘You bastard...?’
Now Hee-won’s eyes were filled with resentment.
That was when the veteran power analyst, Neil Rose, finally spoke up.
“They’re a team that’s even more solid defensively than offensively.”
“You’ve said exactly what I was about to cover next.”
Hee-won, showing unexpected resilience, latched right onto it.
When Rose shot hiMad Dogispleased look, Hee-won quickly turned his head away as if nothing happened.
Rose turned his gaze back to Jeong-woo.
“Personally, I think this could be a tougher match than the Rochdale game.”
“Why’s that?”
At Jeong-woo’s question, Neil Rose fiddled with the round magnets on the tactics board as he continued.
“Because while Rochdale came into our match on a three-game losing streak, Shrewsbury is riding a three-game winning run. Plus, they’ve kept a clean sheet in all three.”
The tactics board now resembled a 9-back formation for Shrewsbury.
Jeong-woo stared at it blankly for a moment before reaching out.
Swipe, swipe!
“Chapman here is just bait.”
Jeong-woo had pulled the striker, positioned on the halfway line during defense, up to just outside the penalty arc.
“Since he’s the team’s top scorer and the first to break on counters, he’ll draw the aggro.”
Instead, he placed the winger Hee-won had mentioned, James Wallace, deep on the left half.
“So fast-footed, clinical James can execute counter-attacks more comfortably.”
“Exactly.”
Neil Rose nodded slightly.
He still didn’t like Jeong-woo.
But his evaluation had shifted a bit since the Rochdale game.
‘He’s got tactical chops.’
Even now, Jeong-woo was naturally describing the opponent’s counter process on the board.
“Even if we cut it off and launch our own counter, their defense still has a solid back four holding firm. And their midfielders..., they have no intention of pushing too far forward. It’s basically a parked double bus.”
Jeong-woo’s brow furrowed deeply.
“That’s how they’ve been getting results lately.”
It meant good balance between attack and defense.
Neil Rose chimed in.
“Even though they emphasize defense in their setup..., their attacking sharpness and counter timing are seriously threatening. So how about we shore up our defense but counter with fire of our own?”
Neil Rose still had his doubts about the owner, but he was a veteran who gave credit where it was due.
‘Not much experience..., but he’s got a good eye.’
And so he added.
Use the height of the target man up top, Slow Bulky, for long counters, and the speed of Park Ace for breakaways.
The same guy who’d opposed bench players before was now naming them directly, surprising a few.
“Uh, Mr. Analyst?”
“Why not just start Victor Jones...”
Jeong-woo was a little surprised too but didn’t show it.
If anything, it worked in his favor.
‘A results guy, huh?’
But at Jeong-woo’s next words, Neil Rose couldn’t help but be taken aback.
“What do you think about starting Owen Pressais (20 years old)?”
“Owen Pressais..., you mean?”
For a moment, Neil Rose’s pupils shook.
Some coaches were outright shocked.
“Owen’s an attacking midfielder who tore his ACL a year and a half ago.”
“He only just came back a few months ago..., and he’s been bouncing around the second team.”
“He was once called Bolton’s top prospect..., tch! Anyway, starting him is too much.”
There were plenty of reasons.
His speed had noticeably dropped after the ACL tear, and his work rate was rock bottom.
Even his trademark elegant turns had gone flat.
But Jeong-woo was a bulldozer.
He brazenly lifted his chin and asked.
“He’s U-21, so no issue getting him on the squad list, right?”
Neil Rose’s eye twitched faintly.
He was starting to get a read on Jeong-woo.
‘This guy..., he’s the type to push whatever he wants, no matter what.’
No point trying to dissuade him.
He’d already declared himself a dictator.
Meanwhile, Jeong-woo scanned the dissenting coaches with a crooked glare.
What?
Fire you...?
His eyes seemed to say.
Knowing his opinion would be steamrolled, Neil Rose asked skeptically instead of arguing.
“Why are you looking to use Pressais?”
“Just to pin him down at one spot and use him there.”
“...Pardon?”
* * *
Owen Pressais had been a genius who rocketed straight into Bolton’s starting XI at a young age back in the Championship days.
He’d even earned comparisons to the second coming of Lee Chang-yong.
But his peak was short-lived.
A brutal tackle from an opponent shredded his anterior cruciate ligament.
After battling back from injury, he couldn’t recapture his old form.
And so, even in League One, he clung to life in the second team when
“This can’t be...”
In front of the squad board.
Owen Pressais was stunned.
He’d been boldly called up to the first team for the away game against Shrewsbury Town.
“To think he’d actually call me up to the first team...”
Owen had met Jeong-woo a few times before.
He’d visited not just first-team games but second-team training and the youth setup too.
And he’d fearlessly promoted two standout players to the first team.
From then on, second-team players trained harder than ever whenever Jeong-woo showed up.
Owen, though, had long since lost the will to fight.
‘Whatever...,’ he’d thought.
Others training hard didn’t matter to him.
No matter how much he tried, his body wouldn’t cooperate anymore.
Not even in reserve games.
Then one day.
Owen recalled his first one-on-one with Jeong-woo.
After a practice match that felt like a total rout, someone called him over.
Thud-!
A water bottle flew his way.
Owen caught it reflexively and took a gulp.
His mind was a mess.
He couldn’t figure out why the owner in front of him was grinning at him.
But then,
“Want to come up to the first team?”
Pfft-!
He was so shocked he spat out the water sideways.
That was the end of the conversation that day.
The executive director came over and mentioned the next schedule.
Jeong-woo narrowed his brow slightly before flashing a bright smile at the still-dazed Owen.
“Schedule’s tight..., let’s talk next time.”
That concluded their first face-to-face.
Now.
“...”
Owen Pressais squeezed his eyes shut then opened them.
His name was still clearly listed on the squad sheet.
Tap, tap!
He even slapped his cheeks to check if it was a dream.
It hurt.
Right then.
“Didn’t have time to spare..., so I’m just getting to it now.”
Owen flinched, shoulders jerking, and turned toward the voice.
From the training ground entrance, Jeong-woo emerged in a rumpled suit, tie half-undone, shuffling along.
Owen couldn’t comprehend it.
“What..., what the hell is this?”
Owen had always been a proud young man.
And he knew his own condition better than anyone.
‘I don’t belong in the first team...!’
So even after the call-up, anger boiled inside toward himself.
He wasn’t satisfied with his diminished skills.
Jeong-woo stopped just three steps away, brow furrowed.
“What?”
“I want to know why I’m on the first-team squad list.”
Owen’s face was more anxious than joyful as he questioned Jeong-woo.
Jeong-woo grinned and replied.
“Simple reason. Because I want you there.”
“...Ridiculous.”
The first team.
Who wouldn’t be happy?
But only if there was good reason.
During Jeong-woo’s visits, Owen hadn’t scored a single goal.
Not only that.
His work rate was the lowest among the outfield 20 players, goalie excluded.
By his own judgment, first team was a stretch.
He hadn’t shown anything.
Yet this man in front of him seemed to like him plenty.
Even now, his eyes said he wanted him.
Owen’s heart was a tangled mess.
“Your name fits you. Precise and meticulous.”
“...?”
What was that supposed to mean?
Jeong-woo looked at the young guy who seemed on the verge of retirement despite his youth and added.
“Exactly that. I fell for your precise passing. So for the upcoming Round 31, swing those feet freely for the team.”
Owen wore a bewildered smile.
He even thought Jeong-woo had no eye for talent.
But Jeong-woo’s next words left him even more confused.
“This modern game..., it demands more and more running from players as time goes on. Especially from attackers. Back in the day..., target men could just park it in the box. But not anymore. You know that.”
Jeong-woo narrowed his brow slightly then smirked.
“That’s where you think you’re useless. Feet that won’t run properly.”
“...”
“The ACL tear..., it ruined your career.”
Owen didn’t deny it.
He knew it too. It pissed him off, but he held back.
It wasn’t wrong.
Jeong-woo rolled his eyes downward then slyly lifted the corner of his mouth.
‘Thought he was all washed up, but that pride’s still alive.’
You could tell from his trembling, clenched fist.
Though he didn’t seem aware.
“You’re right, sir. I can’t run properly. So I can’t join the away trip.”
Now Owen just wanted out of this situation.
But Jeong-woo wouldn’t let him have his way.
“I’m not asking you to run.”
“Pardon...?”
“Just hang around the halfway line and when our attacker’s timing to penetrate the box comes up, smash it.”
Grab-!
Owen jumped.
Jeong-woo had suddenly stretched out his long arMad Dog clamped a big hand on his shoulder hard?
Then yanked him right up to his face.
“Wh-what...!”
Jeong-woo finally showed an age-appropriate expression and grinned as he added.
“You know, like a machine gun. Let’s spray ’em freely.”