Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Withdrawal Symptoms
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***
[Union Berlin Crushes Frankfurt 4-0.]
[Frankfurt Manager: “It feels like a new powerhouse has emerged in the Bundesliga.”]
[Luka Modrić Satisfied with Union Berlin Move: “There’s so much to learn here….”]
[Park Chan-hyuk’s Dark Expression in Interview…. “We achieved a perfect victory today. I’d like to thank the players.”]
[‘I’m Still Hungry?’ Park Chan-hyuk Doesn’t Smile Even After 4-0 Win!]
└ Wow ㅋㅋ He’s not satisfied even after a 4-0 win?
└ Ugh ㅋㅋ This is what a true mastermind looks like.
└ The reason Union Berlin became a powerhouse ㄷㄷ
***
After the match against Eintracht Frankfurt ended, I made a declaration in front of the players.
“From now on, I won’t steal your goal celebrations.”
The moment I finished speaking, the players snorted in disbelief.
Unfortunately, not a single one of them believed me.
“Instead, from now on, I’ll do a celebration every time we concede a goal!”
I shared my brilliant idea that I’d come up with today.
“……What does that mean?”
Confusion spread across the players’ faces at my grand declaration.
“Hmm. Did I learn German wrong?”
Capu doubted his own German skills.
“Boss! That’s too much of a joke!”
“It’s not a joke.”
“…….”
Some players tried to brush it off as a joke.
But as they saw my serious expression, their faces hardened.
They realized I was dead serious.
The attackers were a bit flustered, but they didn’t look all that grave.
After all, the pressure of a clean sheet fell mostly on the defenders and goalkeeper.
“Anyway, good work today. Don’t forget your massages and get plenty of rest. That’s all!”
I dismissed the players right away and headed straight home.
I had a feeling that if I stayed in the manager’s office, the consultation requests from players wouldn’t stop.
***
“……Am I dreaming right now?”
The ones with the darkest expressions at Park Chan-hyuk’s sudden declaration were Union Berlin’s defenders and goalkeeper.
‘Damn, that means we can’t concede even a single goal.’
‘What’s this? Pressure to keep a clean sheet?’
‘We have been conceding from silly mistakes lately.’
They’d suffer the most directly if Park Chan-hyuk celebrated a concession.
“Why do you think the boss made that choice? Probably because of the recent increase in goals conceded, right?”
The defenders and goalkeeper gathered immediately to discuss countermeasures.
Capu looked around at the others, but no one answered.
They couldn’t read Park Chan-hyuk’s mind. That was the difference between ordinary people and a regressor.
“……I think it’s just because he wants to celebrate.”
Manuel Schmidt, who had been with Park Chan-hyuk the longest among them, hit the nail on the head first.
Capu and the rest of Union Berlin’s backline nodded in agreement.
“……It’s meaningless. Right?”
The Brazilian players didn’t dismiss Manuel Schmidt’s words.
Even though he was younger, he was one of the players who had spent the most time with Park Chan-hyuk.
And above all, based on everything Park Chan-hyuk had done so far, it was very likely true.
“Well… there might be a bit of a reprimand hidden in there for our defensive issues lately.”
They nodded quietly at Manuel Schmidt’s follow-up.
It probably wasn’t entirely without meaning as a rebuke to the defenders who’d been making more mistakes.
In fact, even in today’s game, they’d nearly failed to keep a clean sheet due to a lapse in concentration late on.
“Then what we need to do is simple. Let’s finish games without conceding from now on.”
The Union Berlin players quietly resolved themselves.
Park Chan-hyuk’s concession celebration declaration had successfully awakened the defense.
“We have to stop the boss from celebrating!”
“Jaaaaaa!”
***
Time flew by after the Frankfurt match.
Union Berlin began another unbeaten run in the second half of the league season.
[Union Berlin Beats Werder Bremen 2-0.]
[‘Three Clean Sheets in a Row!’ Thiago Silva’s Stellar Defending Secures 1-0 Win Over Schalke.]
[M.O.M Manuel Schmidt Thwarts Leverkusen Onslaught for 1-0 Victory. ‘A Whopping 7 Key Saves!’]
We’d played four games since Frankfurt, but disappointingly, I hadn’t gotten to do a single celebration.
The defenders were playing like they’d awakened, not conceding at all.
[Capu’s Tireless, Self-Sacrificing Defending! Blocks Hanover 96 Shot with His Face.]
I was even shocked when the veteran Capu blocked a shot with his face.
‘……We’re up 4-0. Why go that far?’
I’d half-risen from my seat to sprint to the corner flag, only to sit back down and grumble.
Anyway.
Compared to the defenders desperately preventing goals, the attackers looked far more relaxed.
At first, the attackers hadn’t believed me either and celebrated full tilt.
But the moment they realized I really wasn’t stealing their celebrations.
The tension among the attackers vanished, and they started to loosen up a bit.
‘……That’s why they’re getting complacent. I want to steal one.’
For a fleeting moment.
I felt the urge to snatch a celebration.
But I desperately suppressed the cry of the little kid inside me.
A manager has to keep his word, after all.
‘I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run. I want to run.’
Was it because I hadn’t celebrated lately?
Cold sweat dripped down, my hands and feet trembled.
Beyond the physical symptoms, I felt anxiety, restlessness, depression, irritation—mental symptoms too.
‘I’ve been through this before…!’
Unfortunately, I knew exactly what this was.
“……Damn it, withdrawal symptoms.”
Celebration withdrawal had come for me.
***
Park Chan-hyuk still rotated prospects and squad players in the DFB-Pokal.
Even with a shot at the title, taking opportunities away would hurt morale.
‘……It’d feel off to run out for a concession conceded by the prospects, wouldn’t it?’
The youngsters did concede in the DFB-Pokal.
But Park Chan-hyuk didn’t sprint to the corner flag for a celebration.
They were just too young.
Even Park Chan-hyuk had a conscience.
‘Ugh, look at them pale as ghosts after conceding.’
And if a concession celebration traumatized the kids, it’d give him the biggest headache.
“It’s okay! The game’s not over! Stay calm and play!”
Union Berlin’s prospects eased their tension a bit at their manager’s warm voice from the touchline and got back into it.
The momentum slowly shifted toward Union Berlin.
[Lee Sung-jae Picks Up the Ball and Shoots…! Goooooal! Lee Sung-jae! Lee Sung-jae Equalizes!!]
Union Berlin won thanks to a rampant Lee Sung-jae, who’d scored his debut goal in the last league game of the first half and boosted morale.
[Union Berlin Edges Third-Division Side 2-1.]
[Lee Sung-jae Bags Brace! Starting Spot Battle Heats Up?]
[Park Chan-hyuk: “Never Give Up Until the End.”]
***
Having won their DFB-Pokal tie, Union Berlin also beat Borussia Mönchengladbach in the next league game.
Yannick Peitz’s long-range screamer sucked into the top corner right at the death.
‘……Ah. I should’ve stolen that one.’
The Union Berlin crowd erupted at Yannick Peitz’s wonder goal, while I watched him do his boring celebration with eyes full of regret.
After scoring, Yannick ran to the corner flag and just swung his fist at the air—a simple move.
‘……Yannick’s great in every way, but his celebrations just don’t evolve.’
I was honestly—a lot—disappointed not to steal that wonder goal celebration, but it was fine.
The league schedule was about to get brutal.
We’d kept clean sheets so far, but a concession was inevitable eventually.
And finally.
The game where Union Berlin might concede was approaching.
Our next match was.
Against Dortmund, led by my rival, Jürgen Klopp.
I figured Dortmund under Jürgen Klopp could pierce even our ironclad defense and bag at least one goal.
‘Ahhh…. The long, weary days of humiliation and deprivation…. Enough already. Time for Celebration Grandmaster Park Chan-hyuk to return.’