Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: 2009/2010 Season Kickoff -2
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[Overwhelming Firepower from Last Season's Bundesliga Champions.]
After the DFB-Supercup match ended, Union Berlin's performance became a massive topic of conversation.
- What the hell are these guys? Why are they even stronger? Isn't it the unwritten rule that lower-table teams like Union Berlin get hit with an exorcism after winning the title and weaken?
- What's an exorcism? Like, casting out demons?
- You mean exodus, right?
- You got two letters right, close enough?
- Yeah lol
Union Berlin was putting on an even more dominant show than last season.
That was more than enough to fuel expectations among fans in South Korea and Union Berlin supporters that the team would deliver strong results again this season too.
[Union Berlin Crushes Werder Bremen 5-0.]
[How Did Union Berlin Become a Powerhouse?]
[Union Berlin Fans Spill the Secrets of Park Chan-hyuk Magic?]
└ And then he started that company called Guten... Talented people really need to leave Korea behind.
└ For real lol. If he'd stayed in Korea, he'd have been crushed sucking up to some chaebol.
└ But... the ones who chased out Park Chan-hyuk's family weren't chaebols—they were regular Koreans.
└ Honestly, even if Park Chan-hyuk's family became naturalized Germans, you couldn't blame them.
***
[Union Berlin Opens Park Chan-hyuk Kindergarten—His Support Fuels Young Prospects' Stellar Performances!]
After perfectly reviving Gareth Bale—who'd been playing in the Premier League—by switching his position, I'd earned the nickname "Master Recycler."
‘Come to think of it, it wasn't just Gareth Bale I recycled.’
Starting with Yannick Foight's story, tales like Thomas Meyer's position change and others spread, once again capturing the public's attention.
And as the saying goes, "strike while the iron's hot," Guten—our sponsor and essentially the parent company—kicked off production on a documentary chronicling Union Berlin's journey.
[Guten Begins Filming Documentary on Union Berlin's Journey.]
└ Whoa lololol
└ Gotta watch that if it comes out.
└ Where though?
└ What platform are they running?
The announcement of Union Berlin's documentary drew massive interest.
Especially in Asia, where tons of teens were dreaming of becoming the next Park Chan-hyuk.
[Park Chan-hyuk Advises Aspiring "Next Park Chan-hyuks": Cases Like Mine Are Rare in Soccer—Build Experience as Players First.]
I'd given them sincere advice to start as players and work their way up step by step, but honestly, who knows how many would actually listen.
‘They say they admire me, but they won't take my advice?’
They listened more to the instructors at those "coaching academies" than to me, still an active player.
Well, sure—people preferred those promising easy success by just following them blindly over someone giving harsh realities.
‘No wonder cults and MLMs suck people in.’
I couldn't understand it personally, but I let it slide.
I'd already warned the kids dreaming of being the next me, and it wasn't my life they'd be wasting by falling for sweet-talking academy instructors.
‘Still, using my name to drum up students crossed the line.’
Of course, those academies that crossed the line faced appropriate repercussions.
[Guten Sues Coaching Academy for Misusing Park Chan-hyuk's Name...]
***
With a proper double squad in place, Union Berlin then traveled for the league opener.
[Promoted Side Köln Faces Union Berlin in Season Opener.]
Union Berlin's opening opponent was 1. FC Köln, freshly promoted to the top flight.
In the original timeline, Köln had been the one promoted the year Union Berlin ascended, but this time, they'd unfortunately been edged out by us.
Köln could be considered one of the clubs hurt by my arrival.
‘Still, they managed to climb up somehow.’
Anyway.
The match was at Köln's home ground, Müngersdorfer Stadion.
Today, Angel Di Maria started as left winger in place of Son Heung-min.
And just like last season, Union Berlin lined up in a 3-5-2 formation.
We knew power-wise inferior Köln would drop deep and sit back against us, so we'd gone all-in on attack.
‘That's why I slotted in Angel over Heung-min.’
After all, Di Maria was better at creating game-changing moments.
The match kicked off, and sure enough, Köln dropped their line and tried counterattacks, just as I'd predicted.
Union Berlin's players swarmed the parked-bus Köln relentlessly.
Of course, Köln didn't just sit back passively.
They stole the ball in dangerous areas and hit us on the break sometimes.
But guarding the back for Union Berlin was Thiago Silva.
Thiago Silva calmly snuffed out Köln's counters and won the ball back.
And even if the opposition broke through Thiago Silva somehow.
Thwack—.
“Manuel Schmidt! Fußballgott!!”
There stood Manuel Schmidt, whose shot-stopping was on par with Manuel Neuer or Courtois, guarding the goal.
‘Schmidt's overall rating is five stars, but that's dragged down by other stats—his reflexes are top-tier.’
For reference, Schmidt's weaknesses like line management were perfectly covered by Thiago Silva.
Players are human, after all—no one's perfect in every area.
And fundamentally, a manager's job is to hide players' flaws and highlight their strengths.
‘That's not why they say Tuchel built a great team for nothing.’
Anyway.
Starting winger Angel Di Maria linked up beautifully with Robert Lewandowski.
In the 35th minute of the first half, he whipped in a cross for an assist.
Robert Lewandowski scored and casually celebrated.
‘Why does that relaxed attitude bug me today?’
For some reason, the attackers' chill celebrations were getting under my skin.
***
Truth be told, from the players' and manager's perspective, a double squad isn't all upside.
Limited playing time can breed discontent among the players.
Most soccer players are basically soccer maniacs, after all.
They naturally crave match time.
Sure, rare cases like Eden Hazard at Real Madrid exist.
But generally, any pro footballer wants minutes.
‘Especially in Europe's top four leagues—competitive drive is basically passive for those guys.’
With a bigger squad, the odds of playing-time gripes went up.
Managing that fell squarely on the manager.
And it was tougher for managers who stayed close to their players.
Even an iron-willed manager was still human.
Seeing players suffer on the bench tugs at your heartstrings.
And this wasn't Korea—it was Europe.
Players didn't hesitate to voice playing-time issues straight to the manager.
‘That's why Pep Guardiola demanded a small squad from his clubs.’
Pep in particular had a rep for being bad with people. The stress from rotation fights must've been insane.
Even in his Man City days, improved from his early career, personality doesn't change overnight.
Anyway, Pep's small-squad push had its hiccups—like tanking after key injuries.
But some saw it as vital research for soccer's evolution.
‘I'd love a small squad too, if I could.’
Still, for stable Champions League success, a double squad was necessary...
The schedule was busier than last season with CL added.
***
Even after Robert Lewandowski's goal, the Köln match pressed on.
Right before halftime.
Lewandowski headed the ball down.
Yannick Foight burst into the box on a penalty kick run and smashed it home, shaking Köln's net again.
As Yannick started jogging casually to the corner flag.
“Yannick! Run!”
“The little kid sleeping in the Boss's heart has been unleashed!”
Shouts erupted from Union Berlin's bench.
Unfortunately, their voices arrived too late.
“Whooooooo—!”
“You bastard! Why celebrate here?!”
Park Chan-hyuk was spotted celebrating right in front of Köln's fans.
“......Wait, why only for my goal?”
Yannick Foight's deflated voice echoed across the pitch as he watched.
Tension rippled through Union Berlin's previously lax attackers.