Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6: What's Your Name?
The commotion was quickly sorted out.
Perhaps letting out a bout of anger helped ease his mind a bit, as the player docilely changed direction following the coach's suggestion to head back to the locker room first.
From the perspective of someone who has had similar experiences, just having someone understand your frustration can be somewhat comforting.
But if the fundamental problem isn't resolved, it's an issue that can explode again at any time. Rather, covering it up can sometimes become a bigger problem.
In fact, it's not uncommon for poor condition caused by emotional swings to lead to a terrible slump that's hard to overcome.
Just because he was comforted right now doesn't mean it's perfectly resolved; it's just buried for a moment.
How do I know?
I didn't want to know either. Most of the knowledge I possess comes from past experiences.
Still, ever since my perspective shifted for the purpose of mental training, they have all become good lessons.
Well, anyway.
"Then I'll be off."
"Uh..., um... Right. I'll be watching from the bench side. If you need anything, let me know immediately."
Coach Tony Danilla came all the way to the 1st Team training ground to help me, but strictly speaking, he took personal time to come here.
He couldn't stay with me during the 1st Team training which proceeds as official duty, so he left first.
Even as he left, him constantly looking back at me with a reluctant expression was probably because of the commotion that just happened in the hallway.
He might be worried that I would be psychologically shaken, but...
For me, who started my professional life from the bottom, this level of commotion is actually on the tidy side.
He didn't hold a grudge against the coaching staff and ram a car into the training ground's outer wall, nor did he perform a rodeo on top of a semi-truck, right?
The interior of the locker room I entered was also cleaner than expected.
The benches weren't overturned, and the lockers weren't smashed.
At most, a laundry basket had tipped over; that's not even an accident.
You might think my standard for accidents is high, but such things are common in the lower leagues. In places where competition is intensified, even worse things often happen.
More importantly, where is my spot?
Due to the commotion just now, it seems the coaching staff briefly forgot about my existence.
Just as I was worrying whether I should grab someone and ask,
"Hey, kiddo!"
"...?!"
Someone tapped my shoulder and greeted me.
I moved my gaze without thinking, then almost got the hiccups upon discovering the face of the person who greeted me.
The vanguard who led the invincible Spanish Armada, David Villa.
I never expected that David Villa to approach me first like this. Since we are on the same team, I knew we would meet someday, but I never expected that David Villa to approach me first like this.
But the conversation that followed was an even bigger shock.
"I'm the one who recommended to Manager Vieira to bring the kid up to the First Team. But I didn't expect you to come up immediately like this? Since you're here, let's enjoy matching our feet today."
"Is that the kid?"
Players started appearing on the pitch in small groups in time for training.
Manager Vieira, who spotted Kim Jin-tae being a head shorter than the other players among them, adjusted the cap he was wearing.
Head Coach Christian Lattanzio, standing next to Manager Vieira, also looked at Kim Jin-tae with interest and tilted his head.
"Looking at the data organized by the U-16 side, he didn't get pushed back much in physical fights. But for that, he doesn't seem to have much muscle mass, right?"
"At that age, balance is more effective than bulk. Just positioning well is half the battle won. U-16 wouldn't have a muscle monster like Jason, would they?"
"That's true too. More importantly, shouldn't we assign someone to him separately?"
"Someone is already attached."
As soon as Manager Vieira finished speaking, David Villa appeared, laughing heartily with his arm around Kim Jin-tae's shoulder.
Head Coach Lattanzio widened his eyes, seemingly surprised by Villa's behavior. It had been a really long time since David Villa laughed that brightly on the training ground.
He must be quite pleased with Kim Jin-tae's joining.
With David Villa joining in, Spanish-speaking players also gathered one by one, naturally forming an atmosphere welcoming Kim Jin-tae.
First Team players like Mikey Lopez, Jason Hernandez, and Andoni Iraola showing interest in young Kim Jin-tae and naturally exchanging conversations was definitely positive.
Like this, adapting wouldn't be difficult.
"Rather, that side is the bigger problem."
Manager Vieira looked at the opposite side of the pitch where a chilly air lingered, unlike the place gathered around Kim Jin-tae.
It was where English-speaking players, including Tommy McNamara, were gathered.
Some were from third countries like Ireland or Canada, but they were forming a faction together simply because they used English as their native language.
It was a place that was usually quite stiff. Perhaps due to the pre-training commotion, the atmosphere today was even stiffer than usual.
Actually, the team atmosphere wasn't like this from the start.
When they were on a winning streak, they were people who mingled well, even stepping up for each other. But as performance plummeted to the bottom, they naturally split apart according to accountability theories.
If he wanted to lift the atmosphere again, he needed to suture the relationships between players by reviving the One Team motto...
"Ole—!"
"?"
Cheers and applause erupted out of nowhere.
Manager Vieira blinked his wide eyes and turned his head to find the epicenter of the sound, witnessing a baffling scene.
Spanish-speaking players gathered in a circle around Kim Jin-tae.
At first, he thought they were doing Rondo (ball-keeping game).
Don't tell me, are they playing 1v1? And against Kim Jin-tae?
"Ey. You're joking too much, Villa."
"I'm telling you it's real. Five people got nutmegged in a row by this kiddo?"
"Is his footwork that good? Then shall we watch for a bit? Who wants to try first?"
"For things like this, the person who brought it up starts first. Mikey, you stand up."
"Okay. 1v1 isn't bad for warming up either!"
How did it end up like this?
I haven't said a single word in response, but the stage was naturally set. More than that, David Villa has seen me play?
But I never nutmegged five people in the two matches I played. Maybe three, but not five.
"Here, Kiddo! Show us once! Five-man Nutmeg!"
Mikey Lopez, handing me the ball and lowering his stance.
He is the player currently playing Left Back at New York City FC.
Although he is playing as a Left Back now, he was active as a winger until three years ago. So, the current team also demands tactical movements to help attacking operations during overlapping rather than expecting defensive roles.
This information wasn't collected by me, but organized and passed to me by Coach Tony last night. Saying it would be good to know fellow players' playstyles since I'm joining the First Team.
And if Coach Tony's data is correct, Mikey Lopez tilts his physical balance to the right during defense, but...
That stance is a feint aiming for me to go around the outside.
So conversely, I increased my speed from the start and pierced through the right side.
"Uh? Uh-uh?!"
"Wow, what's that? Mikey, aren't you going too easy on the kid to boost his morale?"
"He's openly breaking through, and you open that up? If you let yourself get beat on purpose, it's too obvious."
"...Hahaha! Right, I opened it up to see what his speed was like. Since I roughly saw it, shall we try again? This time it won't be ea..., Ke-heuk?!"
"This time he turned him the other way? Don't tell me you're losing in the mind game against a kiddo?"
"My leg muscles aren't fully loosened yet, that's why. Someone else take him on while I stretch."
"If Jason steps up immediately, the weight difference is too severe. Shall I try first?"
"With Andoni's style, you'd better be careful of between your legs this time."
"Ey. Even so, Andoni getting Nutme..., he got nutmegged?"
"Ole—!"
Following the Left Back, this time it was Andoni Iraola playing Right Back.
Unlike Mikey, this side is orthodox. However, since he is in his mid-30s, quite old, his agility has dropped significantly relative to others.
Since he was blocking both sides in a balanced way, I utilized the speed of the dribble and pierced right through his legs.
He probably didn't expect me to come in boldly like this; Andoni looked at me with wide eyes, then soon turned his head toward David Villa and laughed.
"You picked him up properly? It makes sense that Mikey got pierced immediately."
"No, no, no! I didn't get pierced. I just checked how much he could break through!"
"That means you got pierced. The meaning doesn't change just because you make the sentence longer."
"Here, try again! Originally, my constitution is that my body doesn't loosen up unless I stretch...!"
Mikey wanted to play 1v1 again, but the social gathering had to be postponed.
"Everyone gather up!"
It was time for the main training.
The training itself wasn't particularly difficult.
There were methods shared to some extent with the U-16 team, and having experienced various clubs, I have definitely realized how to adapt to training.
At first, the coaches who came to help me later just stepped back and quietly watched me digesting the training.
"He has a good eye."
"I was worried we brought up a player who was too young, but it was a needless concern."
"Above all, today is the first day, but his chemistry with other players isn't bad. At this rate, we can just let him do everything without excluding anything?"
When calling up youth players to test them, they usually let them do some parts and then proceed with observation-oriented learning later.
Since they are still young, following the tempo of First Team players isn't easy.
I haven't finished growing either, so there were parts where some training was overwhelming to handle.
But the overall tempo fit me better here. Especially the part about watching each other's movements and exchanging passes with teammates.
With U-16 players, there were many parts where I had to unilaterally adjust to them, but here where 1st Team players are gathered, I could run comfortably without that worry.
"Oho."
"Good run, and good pass!"
I felt it before, but football is becoming more and more fun.
Among all of it, especially,
Wow.
This feels like an awakening every time I receive it.
The passes of Andrea Pirlo, who is training together with me.
Depending on the training, we sometimes swap partners in order. Occasionally, when I match up with Pirlo like this, the passes fly and drop exactly in the place and direction I intended, as if the ball has eyes.
And perhaps considering even my movement to receive the ball,
Just by applying a first touch, the ball moved to the most appropriate space for shooting as if it had a will of its own.
The moment I immediately understood why world-class players sent praises to Pirlo's passes.
While admiration came out, greed arose at the same time.
If I receive these passes in a match, what would it feel like?
A greed containing vague curiosity.
I swallowed dry saliva for a moment, then quickly shook my head.
During training, I must focus on training. It's 1st Team training I can only participate in twice a week; I can't lower the efficiency of this precious time by falling into distracting thoughts.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"What's your name?"
Just as we were about to move to the next training location, Pirlo approached me and asked.
(End of Chapter)
—Translated by Prime Works —