Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5: Same Player, Opposing Stories
"It's a mess."
New York City FC's Manager, Patrick Vieira, pressed his throbbing temples as he scanned the news headlines.
Early in the season, when they achieved five consecutive victories, these same people worshipped him like a god.
But the professional world is indeed cold.
Conversely, now that there hasn't been a win in the last five fixtures, they started tearing him apart as if the past never happened.
Back then, they said being a former star player made him a manager with strengths in handling star players. Now, he had become a paper tiger with nothing but a nameplate.
Considering the team was only in its third year since founding, the evaluations were quite impatient.
However, looking at the names registered on NYCFC's current roster, it is true that they aren't meeting the fans' expectations.
It is a team possessing superstars like David Villa, Andrea Pirlo, and Frank Lampard. Naturally, the current results wouldn't be satisfactory in the fans' eyes.
But from a manager's perspective, there was actually a lot to say.
First, heading toward the middle of the season, those three have never stepped onto the pitch together yet.
Among the three, David Villa—the youngest, though still in his mid-30s—is starting every fixture unless something special happens.
However, Andrea Pirlo, reaching his late 30s, needed special management depending on his physical condition. And Frank Lampard, closer to his 40s, is still recovering from a muscle injury.
Because of this situation, all the plans conceived before the season started have turned into bubbles.
"I expected that if these three created the flow, the other players would adapt and ride that wave... I didn't expect them to barely play... Rather, the problem now is that even when they do come out, the other players are too stiff."
He hoped that if David Villa or Pirlo orchestrated the play making, the other players would move according to that play.
He planned for that, mainly selecting veterans in the draft who could be used as immediate assets.
Until the beginning of the season, the atmosphere wasn't bad.
But as time passed, the teamwork slowly started to creak.
As the appearances of the playmakers became irregular, they started needing the other players to step up.
Once the reference point of the play collapsed, plays that were naturally highlighted as weaknesses popped out, ruining the atmosphere.
Phew.
Manager Vieira exhaled and shook his head.
There were too many fixtures left to navigate to just spend time worrying.
Waking his mind with a dry face rub, Manager Vieira picked up a player's profile from among the various documents.
The profile of a young player belonging to the U-16s.
It was Kim Jin-tae's profile.
The reason this profile was in Manager Vieira's hand was due to a strong recommendation from one of the First Team players.
If it were a story from another player, he might have let it flow in one ear and out the other.
But this was the first time David Villa came to find me that excited.
In fact, Manager Vieira also knew about Kim Jin-tae to some extent.
A prospect sent on loan from none other than Manchester City. He had heard the name and basic information.
However, the content Manager Vieira knew was quite negative.
Scanning the report written by the Manchester City side contained in the same file folder, Manager Vieira recited it in a low voice.
"Play is selfish. Low resistance to pressure. Impatient. Cannot mingle with teammates. Vision is narrow, making judgment regrettable. Severe fluctuations in form."
It was a typical analysis of players who received attention for thin talent when young but couldn't endure and collapsed in actual competition.
Honestly, looking at this content, he is a player David Villa couldn't possibly be interested in.
"But what Villa said is the exact opposite."
Manager Vieira then scanned the long message David Villa had sent.
If all of this is true, he is a player fully worth utilizing in the First Team.
But the content is so contradictory to the Manchester City report that it's questionable whether they are even talking about the same player.
Well, anyway.
"I'll find out when I check with my own eyes on the training ground."
"Wow, really? JT is going up to the First Team?!"
"I told you, didn't I? JT is a genius! I actually knew this day would come. Because the only player who can understand my genius movements is another genius."
"Well. Shouldn't we admire the part where he can predict your stupid movements beforehand? That's not a genius level, that's the realm of prophecy."
"What? So Bobo, are you admitting it in the end? You finally couldn't hold back and let out your admiration for JT's play!"
"...Damn it. To think I have to keep playing football with these idiots..."
These were the noisy reactions of the U-16 teammates when the news of the First Team call-up became known.
Although it's a call-up, I'm not yet at the level to be included in the roster, so strictly speaking, it's not that huge of a deal.
Still, everyone is in a congratulatory mood just for the fact that I'm attending First Team training twice a week.
Above all, the part about skipping U-18 and going straight up from U-16 certainly has a big impact.
In the past, after a hot-tempered back tackle during training, I couldn't even properly digest team training and left the team after just doing personal exercises.
At this rate, am I showing some constructive growth in my own way?
However, personally, when Manager Michael first told me I would skip U-18 and join the 1st Team immediately, I was honestly flustered too.
I wondered if there really weren't any players here to that extent.
But looking into it a bit, there really aren't that many players.
Excluding the three recruited under the DP Rule, since it's a team that has only been founded for three years, the roots cannot be deep yet.
"Then see you after you come back from 1st Team training! Make sure to tell us how it was!"
"If it's a genius like JT, there's nothing to see. Manager Vieira will probably be surprised and want to keep him longer?"
"If that happens, Timothy, won't you be unable to score any more goals? You were just picking up what JT pushed to you."
"Gasp. Come to think of it, such a genius loss..."
"Still, it seems like everyone is starting to sync up a bit now? You'll be able to do well even without me."
I had been throwing around various compliments to boost the kids' morale, but this time it wasn't empty words—it was real.
Training together for the past two weeks and playing matches, I could feel everyone growing even in that short time.
Timothy can now distinguish the timing to attempt a sprint and braking according to the defensive line, and Robert has equipped himself with a new playstyle of narrowing in and unraveling pressure zones with concise one-twos.
Even Bobo, who only stuck to a rugged defensive style, has now learned how to use surrounding teammates quite cleverly...
Maybe among the U-16 players, if anyone's potential explodes, he will be the first.
Alex Long. An ambidextrous sideback who can play on either the left or right.
At first, I worried because he was a friend whose timid side was emphasized.
But the one who grew the most over the past two weeks was exactly this Alex.
Of course, these are evaluations based on U-16 standards, but he was the calmest even against opponents' strong pressure, and his depth of reading the game's flow and moves is quite excellent.
NYCFC's roots may not be deep, but it was a team where decent seeds were sown.
"Wow... JT understood us to that extent? Honestly, I'm moved."
"Kuh, as expected of a genius, go ahead and wait! We'll go up soon too!"
"Timothy, you idiot. Even if we go up without being pushed back, we need at least two more years to get to the First Team, you know?"
"Hmph. That's a worry for the mediocre. A genius always has a plan!"
"Just plan your math homework properly tomorrow and don't forget it."
"Ah. Can you show me that by any chance?"
"Would I?"
Time to pack up and go home.
Since our subway directions were different, we waved hands and drifted apart with promises to see each other later.
It was definitely a normal goodbye, so why are they acting like we'll never see each other again?
Anyway, tomorrow I will join the NYCFC First Team training for the first time.
Unlike U-16 where training proceeds after school, the First Team's training time is 9:00 AM.
So normally I would be at school, but today I am moving to the training ground on a bus.
The First Team training ground is a bit farther away than the academy training ground, so I left a bit earlier than usual.
Classes were handled with an alternative lesson official document sent by the team, and I even received a separate additional allowance for joining the 1st Team training.
This made it feel real.
I'm really going up to the First Team.
Actually, since these are processes I already went through as a pro in the past, I thought it wouldn't be anything special.
Maybe because the environment is different, my heart beat for no reason all the way to the training ground.
Above all, I saw my mom making such a happy face for the first time in my life, including my past life.
This made me steel my heart even more.
"It's the first training so I might be lacking, but let's do my best."
As I got off the bus at the stop, a decent Club House building immediately came into view.
It was a building built in time for the pro league participation schedule, so it was still like new.
As I moved along the path to go inside,
"JT, welcome. I should have gone to pick you up after all?"
"It only takes one bus ride anyway."
The U-16 Head Coach, Tony Danilla, who was waiting for me in front of the building, greeted me happily.
It's my first time joining the 1st Team, so thinking I might have trouble adapting if I went alone, he took the time to come with me.
It wasn't a separate request from the club, but purely him coming to help me on his own.
Looking back now, there were truly many good people around me.
"Why didn't I know back then? Is it fortunate that I found out even now?"
"Hey, Tony! What brings U-16 here?"
"There's a player joining the 1st Team training for the first time today, so I came along."
"Whaaat? Don't tell me you mean that little friend next to you?"
Coach Tony conversed naturally with the security guard as we passed through security, seemingly acquaintances.
As the security guard's subtle gaze turned toward me, Coach Tony reacted first.
"Not a little friend, but JT. You'd better memorize his face. Later, you might not be able to see him even if you want to."
"Oh, the confidence is incredible? He certainly looks like he can kick a ball. But of all times, the timing is..."
"THAT IS IT! I'M F*CKING DONE NOW!"
Before the security guard could finish his sentence, a loud noise rang out from the end of the hallway across from us.
From the place that instantly stole the gazes of the three of us, a man wearing NYCFC training gear stormed out, and a man who appeared to be coaching staff followed behind him.
"What kind of chaos is this?"
The question was resolved surprisingly easily.
"Why do you keep telling only me to run! The one with the activity level problem isn't me, it's Pirlo! Then you should talk to him! I've reached my limit listening to this, my limit!"
"Like I said, that is purely a result of tactical choices..."
"I gave up my position, and I gave up my playstyle. Now there's nothing left to give up. If it's going to be like this, why on earth did you recruit me?!"
The question wasn't just resolved. Right now, I feel like I understand that heart better than anyone.
(End of Chapter)
—Translated by Prime Works —