Chapter 117
Chapter 117
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Bayern Munich -1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
At the same time.
“GOOOAAAL—! It’s in!”
The broadcast team covering the Union Berlin vs. Dortmund match couldn’t help but be flustered.
“Huh? Park Chan-hyuk’s running! He’s off! Park Chan-hyuk! And—!!”
It was because, at the exact moment Union Berlin conceded, Park Chan-hyuk started sprinting toward the corner flag.
- Wooohhh—!
“Woo—! Park Chan-hyuk’s flashy celebration! Park Chan-hyuk is celebrating Union Berlin’s additional goal!”
The broadcast team continued their commentary, forgetting that it was Dortmund who had actually scored.
“Dortmund fans aren’t booing…? Why is that?”
“……Huh? Wait a minute. Come to think of it, the goal was scored by a Dortmund player, right? And the net that shook was Union Berlin’s goal net.”
“Then why is Manager Park Chan-hyuk celebrating?”
The commentator couldn’t answer the caster’s question.
‘……How the hell should I know.’
Even the commentator had no idea why Park Chan-hyuk was celebrating.
Meanwhile, as the broadcast team scrambled for words, the scoreboard showing Union Berlin’s score had gone up finally normalized.
A soccer fan who spotted it posted on a soccer community forum.
[Title: Live Union Berlin vs. Dortmund scoreboard.]
(Park Chan-hyuk’s celebration and Union Berlin’s additional goal .gif)
└ Wow lol, I kept watching thinking something was wrong, but why did Union Berlin’s score go up?
└ Holy shit lol, even the broadcast team must’ve been confused lolololol
└ I just found out from the comments wtf lol
└ But why was Park Chan-hyuk happy?
└ No idea. Did he get it wrong?
└ Gal…! Don’t doubt the youngest major league manager from your basement, you NEET!
└ Gal…! Not just the youngest major league manager—he’s the youngest major league winning manager!
***
I had successfully stolen Dortmund’s celebration.
“Why is this a card?”
“You provoked the opposing team’s fans, didn’t you?”
“But they were the ones who scored. Was celebrating with them provocation too?”
And I collected a yellow card from the referee.
“……?”
The referee seemed flustered by the unprecedented situation, but apparently viewed a manager celebrating in front of the opposing team as provocation in itself.
‘Then, is it okay in front of Union Berlin fans?’
Curiosity must be satisfied, so I decided to try it next time.
‘There’s that saying about curiosity killing the cat…. But I’m not a cat, so it should be fine.’
Anyway.
Dortmund, who should have boosted their morale with this comeback goal,
was thrown off by the sudden celebration from the opposing manager and missed their chance to rally.
‘……Everything’s going according to plan!’
On top of that, my awakened defenders, fired up by my celebration, completely shut down Dortmund’s attacks.
The match ended with Union Berlin’s 3-1 victory.
***
[Union Berlin defeats Dortmund 3-1.]
[Park Chan-hyuk’s rival Jürgen Klopp mentioned, but head-to-head record is dismal….]
[Park Chan-hyuk respects Jürgen Klopp. “Klopp is someone who will become a great manager…. ”]
[Union Berlin, will they break Bayern Munich’s 11-game win streak and 14-game league win streak?]
└ Wow, only 3 games left now ㄷㄷ
└ Park Chan-hyuk is a god! Park Chan-hyuk is a god! Park Chan-hyuk is a god!
[Park Chan-hyuk on celebrating after conceding: “I just didn’t like the gloomy atmosphere in the stadium after the goal.”]
[Producer of “Legends of Eccentrics” wants to book Park Chan-hyuk….]
***
Even after the Dortmund match, the season continued.
Union Berlin racked up wins in the next two games, achieving 13 straight victories,
but regrettably failed to break Bayern Munich’s record.
The players, too conscious of the record, put too much pressure on themselves and ended up with a draw.
[Union Berlin, frustrating draw against Leverkusen….]
[Union Berlin’s win streak ends at 13.]
Well. These things happen in life.
What mattered now was shaking off the disappointment.
“Men, I like win streaks.”
“……?”
“But I like celebrations even more.”
With that ridiculous line, I instantly dispelled the players’ regrets.
“Ha, you guys aren’t laughing. Laugh-clap time, starting now.”
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.”
Laughter soon filled the locker room.
Union Berlin recovered its atmosphere in an instant.
‘Is this leadership…!’
Anyway.
Injuries are common when playing a season.
It’d be great if every player finished without a scratch, but unfortunately, that’s impossible.
Bodies collide during matches, and overheating is inevitable.
[Son Heung-min given rest for minor bruising….]
And the specter of injury didn’t spare Union Berlin either.
Fortunately, no one suffered a season-ending injury, but the players picked up plenty of minor ones.
‘Worth the fortune I spent on the medical team.’
[Hoffenheim suffers shocking 8-game losing streak….]
In fact, Hoffenheim started tanking after Vedad Ibisević tore his ACL in training during the winter break and was ruled out for the season.
The team that had surged to second place in the first half, becoming a whirlwind alongside Union Berlin, plummeted to fifth in the league.
Wolfsburg seized the opportunity from Hoffenheim’s slip, embarking on a win streak right at the start of the second half and chasing us fiercely.
‘……We’ve got a points cushion, so it’s comfortable.’
Anyway.
The season pressed on, and Union Berlin crashed out of the DFB-Pokal,
having fielded mostly prospects and rotation players.
The youth players showed regret, but reaching the quarterfinals was achievement enough.
We’d considered seriously chasing the double since we’d made it to the quarters, but it didn’t feel right to steal opportunities from the prospects and backups, so I stuck with them.
‘……Their eyes are sharp.’
In the end, though we lost, it was a fine trade—we won the loyalty of Union Berlin’s prospects.
Then came Bundesliga Round 26 against Karlsruhe SC.
Disaster struck Union Berlin.
[Union Berlin on alert! Yannick Foigt out for the season!]
[Yannick Foigt injured—will Union Berlin follow Hoffenheim’s path?]
It happened during a clash with a defender—Yannick Foigt went down injured.
The moment news of Yannick Foigt’s injury broke, the media unleashed curses, predicting we’d collapse like Hoffenheim.
There were plenty of fans hoping for a fairy-tale title from a promoted team, but just as many rooting for Union Berlin’s downfall.
[Robert Lewandowski unleashes furious hat-trick!]
└ Wow, Lewangoalski’s face ㄷㄷ;;
└ Heard Lewandowski and Yannick Foigt are close.
Anyway. We won against Karlsruhe SC thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s heroics,
but for Union Berlin, it was a victory that left only scars.
[Yannick Foigt: Not a serious injury…. Chance of return before season’s end.]
The silver lining: Yannick Foigt’s injury wasn’t severe enough to require surgery.
With the end of the 2008/2009 season approaching, he was on the borderline between out for the year and returning.
But the odds were slightly better for him playing in our final match.
“Don’t worry about the team—use this time to rest up properly.”
I comforted Yannick Foigt, sidelined for the long haul(?).
Considering how he’d ground through without major injuries so far, this was basically a vacation.
And with his wife having just given birth to their son, it could double as paternity leave.
“Play nice with Jonas Chan-hyuk Foigt.”
“Heh, will do.”
Putting my name in his son’s was a bit much, but…
I didn’t stop him.
When he said meeting me was the greatest luck of his life, and he wanted to name his son after me.
‘At least it’s not his daughter’s name.’
I had no response to that.
‘Meeting you was my luck too.’
I kept it to myself.
It’d be too cringy between guys.
Anyway.
Even with key player Yannick Foigt out,
Union Berlin maintained its form, unlike Hoffenheim crumbling without their main gun.
The defense I’d built up this season was paying off.
And above all,
Rather than stubbornly sticking to the old tactics, I switched them immediately.
Union Berlin shifted to a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Robert Lewandowski up top as the lone striker.
Robert Lewandowski began filling the void left by Yannick Foigt.
When just one game remained to clinch the league title early,
[Bayern Munich sacks Jürgen Klinsmann…!]
Union Berlin’s next opponent was confirmed: Bayern Munich, freshly rid of Jürgen Klinsmann.
“……Why fire him right now of all times!”
And the firefighter brought in for Bayern Munich was none other than “Munich’s Yellow Emperor,” Jupp Heynckes.