Chapter 33
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 33
Chapter Title The Eldest Son Desperately Wants Soccer
Liverpools youth stadium was located inside the Kirkby Training Centre.
Unlike Newcastle, the stands held only family members and staff from both Liverpool and Newcastle.
Inside, the kids were battling with everything they had for their futures, while Liverpools U18 coaching staff and scouts watched Newcastles players with keen interest.
The left winger, Joachim Schaletthes someone we should keep a close eye on.
Schaletts great and all, but that midfielder Saviola? Hes solid too. Wide vision, precise passes. Just needs to work on his ball recovery under pressure.
The real standout is that American kid. Hes the hexagonal player everyones craving these days. If he keeps developing like that, the big clubs will be fighting over him.
Liverpools staff eyed Newcastles kids with greedy anticipation.
Three of them were putting on such a dazzling show that it made their mouths water, even as their team trailed.
But Newcastle as a whole was a mess.
The Newcastle MD coach had restricted the players roles to the bare minimum, assigning them rigid tasks, while Liverpool encouraged creativity from theirs.
Newcastles stiff play struggled to contain Liverpools inventive attacks, conceding two goals in the first half and a third right after the restart.
You could see the players morale visibly crumbling.
What a shame about these kids. Any way to snag them before they break?
Even the Liverpool staff pitied Newcastles youngsters.
That was when it happened.
IN 17
OUT 11
Newcastle made a substitution.
The player coming on to turn things around was a slight, pretty Asian boy around 170cm tall.
The moment they spotted him, Liverpools staff started murmuring.
Isnt that the kid? Sunny?
He tore through U16, and now hes up to U18.
Physiquewise, he might struggle in this class.
Yoon Taeyang, who had devastated U16, was already a household name in the northern league.
Even big clubs from the south had come north just to watch him play, counting down the days until he turned 17 and could sign pro.
Liverpool was no exception.
All eyes naturally focused on Taeyang as he entered in the second half, his gaze sharp.
Coach Digall said to me.
Break the lines.
In counter situations, push into the space behind their defense and attack.
Yeah, sounds good.
Problem is, nothing happens without the ball.
The game restarted with our throwin, but Liverpool pinned us down with their signature high press.
Not just the three forwardstwo midfielders joined, making five pressing, backed by two fullbacks and one midfielder.
In a spot like this, a defender or keeper who could ping a long ball to relieve pressure would be ideal, but we didnt have one.
Well, we didbut he wasnt a defender or keeper.
Saviola.
This guys passes were unreal.
Later on, hed earn the nickname Pass Master with his vast vision and experience.
Right now, he wasnt there yet, but he could whip in all kinds of passes like hed been eating and breathing practice.
If only Saviola could drop to the defensive line and spray it around.
Why trap him between their first and second lines, rendering him useless?
Because the coach didnt trust his defending or physicality.
Saviola, not fully grown yet, had a frame as slight as mine, and zero defensive chops.
Joining the backline would just mess up the structure, they figured.
So, there needed to be players linking the ball to the trapped Saviola and protecting him.
Two midfielders flanked him for cover, and Lindeman tried to connect play.
Lindeman pushed to get him the ball, and the mids shielded him to feed it forwardbut heres the issue.
They demanded passes too precise for Saviola. Passes right to the player.
Maybe doable for future Pass Master Saviola, but not this version.
That created a slight dilemma, and Liverpool intercepted.
This is why nonstarters shouldnt call the shots.
Expecting too much from a kidwhat were they thinking?
No way out, right?
Actually, the solution was simple.
I just had to ignore instructions.
Thats why Id come on, so time to move.
I slinked down from my assigned spot.
Just then, Saviola, with the ball, spotted me.
What are you doing there?
His face said it all.
I signaled shut up and give it, and like he was mesmerized, he slid it my way.
Yoon!!!
I let the benchs scream fade from one ear as I scanned ahead quick, bolting forward before Liverpool could drop their line.
One of their secondline mids and two fullbacks chased desperately, but I was a hair faster.
Two defenders ahead.
Beyond them Schalett and our central striker, Lian.
Lian might not excel elsewhere, but his aggression drew defenders like magnets.
I saw the gap and charged.
Not straightdiagonal, pulling their fullback level with me.
Should I drag him along?
Nah, coach said no flair.
I feinted a turn, unbalancing the fullback, then cut inside once.
Not flair or dribbling, right?
Slipping behind the fullback, one defender left.
Pass here?
Lian was marked.
Schalett?
Offside.
Damn.
I clicked my tongue, facing the defender matching my stride to close in.
Charge straight and La Croqueta?
No, no flair.
I accelerated, pulling away from the defender.
Now facing goal, keeper poised to block any shot, telegraphing certainty.
Coach said nothing about shooting.
So anywheres fair game?
Dead center, I unleashed.
The ball streaked out.
Keeper looked puzzled but set to claim the straight shot.
Then it wobbled wildly.
My leftfoot knuckleball, struck clean, suddenly veered left.
Keeper dove, hand outstretchedtoo late. It plunged sharply down, skimming grass past his fingers, bouncing into the net.
Whoa!
Exclamations erupted.
I glanced overLiverpool staff staring in shock.
Some clapped, thumbs up my way.
Our bench?
MD coach, face like stone.
Pissed I defied orders, but couldnt rage over a goal.
Whatever. I raced to grab the ball, sprinting to halfway.
Thirty minutes left.
Injury timewho knows. But to chase and overturn, every second counted.
Hey, not bad, huh?
Saviola approached as I centered the ball.
Told you Im good. Anyway, from now on, pass to me no matter what. Ill handle it.
Easier said than done. Liverpools press is intense.
Thats cause youre following coach. Loosen up.
Huh?
Play your game. Sticking to orders gets us nowhere. At least this match.
What if coach flips?
Disobey subtly. And if we win, he cant complain.
Saviola nodded.
Yeah, chasing three goals? Complaining would be weird. Ill try your way.
Done.
With Saviola on board, we could exploit Liverpools high line.
Game on.
Now we pushed up, pressing Liverpool.
Our coach loved high press too, so we were practiced at it.
But Liverpool had what we lacked.
A defender with elite long balls.
One killer pass to dismantle us.
Coach wanted zonal markingLian on him alonebut I ignored that.
The second he got it, Lian and I pounced together.
Lian stuck tight, blocking the long ball I snuck in and stole it.
Pulled it with my sole, evaded the charging defender, and bolted for goal.
Other defender and fullback closed I scanned quick.
Lian pinned the guy whod lost it, drawing eyesSchalett ghosted behind.
I pinged it ahead.
Schalett took it all eyes on him. I slipped behind my markers.
Schalett wanted to run, but his marker clung tight now.
Schalett!
I bellowed.
Defenders turned late he chipped an early cross my way.
Into the awkward space between me and keeperI sprinted full tilt.
Keeper too.
I eyed him narrowing the angle, then launched at the dropping ball.
Like a Matrix scene.
Airborne, I volleyed it with my instep.
It arced high over the keepers head, dipping into the net.
Goal!
Lian and Schalett yelled it, rushing me as I landed.
Not overturned yet! Get the ball!
Lian pivoted, fetching it frantic.
Clock check.
Four minutes since the first.
This pace? Times on our side.
Come on! Equalize! Equalize!
I clapped, firing up the team.
Soccers about skill in the end.
Two screamers in a row shifted my status.
From kid called up to kick it around to damn, hes good.
Small change, huge impact.
My words ignited them now.
Hope flared in their downcast eyes.
Hope we could catch up.
Riding that wave, we hammered Liverpool on restart.
Their momentum shattered we morphed into the freeflowing side theyd shown all first half.
I went berserk, ignoring coach entirely, tearing through.
Others too.
Liverpools passes grew sloppy, ball shoved back.
Midfield to defense, defense to keeper.
As keeper and backline pinged pointless passes, Lian disrupted a stray one went keeperward.
I snatched it.
Last shots? Both leftfoot.
Rightfoot curler this time.
My strike whipped like a lash, bending beyond the keepers reach.
Insane.
The assistant coachs words left MD speechless.
Didnt like it.
Defied every order.
But how to yell at a kid who bagged a hattrick in ten minutes after fiftyfive scoreless?
Worse, coaches and bench subs murmured praise.
Peak irritation the assistant, Kalsens righthand.
Sometimes you get kids like that. No instructions neededthey just handle it.
All eyes on him.
MD pretended not to hear, but he did.
One like that joined our team. Right, Coach?
...Yeah, well...
MD mumbled as the assistants eyes bulged, pointing.
Whoa! Check that!
Eyes to the pitch.
The kid did the forbidden flairLa Croquetabypassing two.
Id called it inefficient, buying time for foes.
Yet why did he turn waste into instant escape?
And that cleanashell shot?
In twelve minutes, Taeyang scored four timesmore than my style had all game till 55.
Players mobbed the impossible turnaround artist, hoisting him high.
As Sun shone behind soaring Taeyang.
Kalsens words echoed.
That kid will be our teams sun.
A shiver hit MD head to toe he clenched his pocketed fist.