Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Manchester is Blue (4)
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Bolton Wanderers officially announced the signing of striker Shearer Kane from the fifth tier.
The fans' reaction was, needless to say, far from positive.
- : Fifth tier? Huh? A fifth-tier striker? Are you kidding me right now?
- : Uh, isn't the fifth tier semi-pro level? Or even amateur?
- : Looked it up, and he was second in the scoring charts there. 38 goals and 17 assists in 42 games...
: That's in the fifth tier. Semi-pro scoring records don't mean squat. There's no proper coaching there, and most teams focus on attack over defense. They're stuck in old-school football.
The fans' discontent was even greater than it had been with Sensuous Ruff.
And the reason was simple: the transfer fee.
There had been no fee for signing Sensuous Ruff, who had been jobless at the time.
In contrast, they'd shelled out a whopping £400,000 for Shearer Kane.
That put him right at the top of Bolton's transfer fee rankings, alongside Dominic Shield.
And all for a player from semi-pro level.
Those who had never liked Jeong-woo from the start seized the opportunity to tear him apart.
- : Do you know whose dog name is £400,000?
- : Keep patting him on the back, and now he's doing complete nonsense.
- : I didn't like how he picked a fight with United either! He's not the club owner representing us. But Ma made Bolton look ridiculous on that radio show last time!
* * *
A day passed.
The first-team staff meeting room.
"I wonder if the transfer fee wasn't too excessive."
Veteran power analyst Neil Rose voiced his concern, however slight.
At first, when Jeong-woo became manager right in front of him, Rose had dismissed him.
Later, he saw talent but figured he was just a loose cannon.
But as time went on, that wasn't entirely accurate.
This man listened when he needed to and acted on it immediately.
He didn't shy away from hearing criticism either.
So even after the signing was done, Rose spoke up on behalf of the fans.
Deep down, he hoped:
'He needs convincing.'
This signing had been as good as a unilateral decision by the manager.
The staff present needed a convincing reason.
Jeong-woo knew that full well.
It had been rushed, after all.
'If I took time to convince them, someone else would've snatched him up.'
If they hadn't closed the deal that very day, Shearer Kane would've been gone.
Jeong-woo scanned the staff once before speaking.
"Since this signing went ahead without going through the staff meeting..., I apologize first."
Abruptly, Jeong-woo stood, bowing at the waist.
Even a dictatorship couldn't go full throttle without losing people.
A bit of push and pull was key.
The staff in the room were taken aback for a moment.
"No, you don't need to bow like that..."
"Ahem."
Ignoring them, Jeong-woo straightened up, sat back down with a thud, and spoke calmly.
"I am convinced that Shearer Kane is the player who will carry Bolton's present and future. Could you please open the file folder right in front of you?"
It was the scout report on Shearer Kane.
Originally compiled by Hee-won, with additions from Jeong-woo.
Even without Neil Rose's comment, Jeong-woo had planned to convince the staff.
As executive director Richard Geers had said:
'Communication is essential for a leader. And run alongside them.'
Sound advice.
Heading the club alone was slower than pooling heads and running together—for the club's benefit.
'He's helpful in all sorts of ways, even mentally.'
Experience never lied.
On top of that, Richard Geers occasionally offered advice and ways to optimize the ideas Jeong-woo pitched.
As the staff, including Rose, turned to the file folders, Jeong-woo continued.
"This is the scout report including evaluations from Halme scout, the Manager, and my own subjective assessment on Shearer Kane."
Jeong-woo explained matter-of-factly.
"Shearer Kane's off-the-ball work rate is rated B—average pace. But on the ball, his speed drops to C. Yes, that's right. Even in the fifth tier, that means he's not a striker who wins with pace."
He started with the weaknesses.
"But for shooting—instep kicks, infonts, outfronts, insides, toe kicks, chips, direct kicks—I've rated him A+. He can fire from either flank, the half-spaces, even the dead ball line with total freedom. Outstanding shooting ability."
Jeong-woo went into the fine details he'd observed firsthand.
"The rhythm of his first step into the shot and the power release were excellent. Measured with a speed gun, his instep shot clocked 138 km/h."
"Ooh...!"
"138 km/h..."
Exclamations slipped from the lips of the quietly listening staff.
An average adult male's shot speed is around 70 km/h.
Top world-class players' free kicks hit 110-120 km/h.
Compared to that, this was monstrous.
"Plus, his balance is rock-solid. At 187 cm, his lower-body stance is perfect. What surprised me was... even when his balance broke, he stubbornly struck toward his target."
That was the point he was sure would work even in the third tier.
Strikers who could shoot amid brutal pressure, balance collapsing into a tumble, were rare.
"Above all..., because he's only 19, I set a higher transfer fee. That's why the contract is for five years."
In short, a player whose value could skyrocket in the future.
Jeong-woo kept explaining.
Tactics and positions suited to Shearer Kane, usage plans, etc.
He wanted them to know this wasn't a rash move—he'd planned around Shearer Kane.
Time passed gradually, and the staff's expressions softened.
A small smile even crept onto Neil Rose's lips.
He could feel it plainly.
Just as the staff were starting to accept Jeong-woo, Bolton's owner-manager was extending a hand in kind.
Take my hand.
Of course, some had quit and been replaced in the process.
Others had been fired.
A good while passed.
Now the staff were all convinced.
Jeong-woo's eloquence helped, but the explanation was more than convincing.
No, just from his account, it was Harry Kane without the playmaking.
The meeting moved on to the next item.
Jeong-woo leaned back into the executive chair and muttered.
"Next up: loans and additional signings. As announced to the Wanderers, we're challenging for the Championship this season."
Opinions were bound to divide here.
Some were excited, others wary.
A Championship push demanded major reinforcements.
One signing wouldn't cut it.
At least several players worth £400,000 or more.
Or even higher.
At that moment, the staff exchanged glances.
Sharing one common worry.
'Do we even have the funds to sign high-caliber players...?'
Jeong-woo answered.
"Of course, talk is cheap. So we'll bring in real Premier League-caliber big names."
The staff's eyes asked again.
'How?'
'Didn't we blow half the transfer budget on a fifth-tier striker?'
They weren't banking on a partnership deal with Manchester City.
This was realism, beyond faith in the owner.
But Neil Rose's jaw dropped at Jeong-woo's next words.
Everyone stared at him in shock.
No one had seen it coming.
Jeong-woo grinned and added.
"For now, we'll execute this plan after the United game."
* * *
Manchester United.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer held a preseason press conference.
Flash, flash, flash!
Strobes exploded from all sides as he entered the mixed zone.
Solskjaer sat with his trademark innocent smile.
But inside, he was still fuming.
'Damn Bolton.'
Lately, he'd been fielding too many Bolton-related questions.
Because of the friendly they'd scheduled.
Just as Mike Phelan had warned.
It felt like he'd eaten spoiled food.
Even now, reporters asked about Bolton.
"In two weeks, you'll face Bolton in your first preseason game. Planning to field the starters?"
Starters meaning Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, those assets.
Solskjaer chuckled dryly.
"They're coming off Euros and Copa America. Even after returning, they need proper rest for the season opener."
Truth be told, even without internationals, he hadn't planned on the first team.
"You rejected Bolton's first two proposals, then accepted the third... Is this revenge?"
Solskjaer's eye twitched slightly.
But he quickly regained composure, shrugging.
"Just the timing lined up perfectly."
The one who'd thrown that into the public discourse was none other than Ma Jeong-woo.
'That damn guy.'
They'd never even met, yet resentment built with every passing day.
The mouth on him—radio shows, interviews, always blabbing about United incidents.
[Manchester United seems full of emotional types over cool pros. They ignored our friendly invites twice but jumped because I support City. Twice. They. Ghosted. Us.]
Jeong-woo had openly antagonized United.
The reason was obvious.
'They'll rake in cash from this friendly. Stoke the flames to draw max attention.'
Lower-league vs. big club matches generated huge TV revenue.
Ads too.
The issue: it was at Bolton's home.
That grated on Solskjaer.
He'd pushed for Old Trafford multiple times, but Bolton wouldn't budge.
Brazenly.
'If it's not at our place, no friendly...?'
Recalling that, Solskjaer's eye twitched again.
No backing out now.
After agreeing, many supporters desperately wanted it.
Flatten Bolton!
Some fumed that Bolton had spat on United's history.
Even the board couldn't reverse without looking foolish, so they stuck to the schedule.
And Bolton's manager had exploited that thoroughly for the upper hand.
'Whatever..., just a fly buzzing around.'
* * *
A breezy afternoon in Jeong-woo's office.
Bzzzzz-!
A fly the size of a thumbnail buzzed in through the half-open door.
Its wingbeat evoked a helicopter.
Right then—
Thwack-!
Chopsticks sliced through the air, snaring the fly mid-table-crossing by the body.
"Ooh! What the hell?"
Hee-won, studying the tactics board to the right, jolted upright.
Jeong-woo narrowed his eyes at the fly wedged between his ramen chopsticks.
"Horsefly, huh. Wow, but what... its snout's like a needle?"