Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Union Berlin and Its Rival -1
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While Union Berlin fans were basking in maximum joy from their minimal use of red flares.
The Union Berlin bench was a flurry of activity.
“Argh—!”
One of the starting players had suddenly clutched his thigh and collapsed.
Looked like a hamstring pull.
*Serves you right for chowing down on soda and fried food like there’s no tomorrow.*
That’s what I grumbled inwardly.
Truth be told, though, it was too much to expect a fourth-division player to stick to a strict diet.
Eden Hazard would later get teased as “Burger King” for his unprofessional eating habits, but back in this era, soccer players ate what they wanted and trained hard.
It wasn’t until later that studies proved how much better balanced meals boosted performance, and most players caught on.
Unfortunately, diet management still wasn’t a big thing for players yet.
Arsenal’s Invincibles run was just two seasons ago, and only now were people starting to pay attention to nutrition thanks to Arsène Wenger’s success.
Of course, some old-school legends clung to their doubts and refused the new paradigm.
Coming from the future, I knew full well how crucial diet was.
“Please, cut back on the soda and drink some water!”
I pushed hard for managing Union Berlin’s players’ diets.
Thomas Tuchel, who always eagerly adopted new training systems and research for the club, backed me up.
But.
“I’m not doubting you two.”
“Then why not?”
“The club... doesn’t have the money.”
Sadly, Union Berlin lacked Arsenal’s resources (cash) for rigorous diet control.
Even if we had the money, getting players to follow the manager and coach’s orders was another story.
Quitting the joy of eating took serious willpower.
Even Pep Guardiola couldn’t stop Lionel Messi’s soda obsession.
Plus, most Union Berlin players were on amateur contracts, so expecting pro-level discipline from amateurs was a stretch.
Still, a few with real drive for success or improvement came to me for diets, and they stuck to them on their own.
I’d tailored them to each player’s monthly food budget, so it was a lot of work.
*Today’s game makes it obvious who’s on the diet.*
Seeing their superior performance on the pitch filled me with pride.
*This is what makes it all worthwhile.*
Anyway.
While the local doctor volunteering as a Union Berlin fan rushed onto the field to treat him.
“Chan-hyuk.”
“Yes? Who should we prep as a sub?”
“What’re you doing? Warm up.”
“…Pardon?”
Thomas Tuchel and I got a substitute ready.
“Get warmed up.”
…Why me again?
For the record.
As the model “Assistant” Coach, I’d had my eating pleasures taken away too.
***
“Whoa, he’s coming out! He’s coming out!”
As I started warming up, the Union Berlin stands erupted.
“Park! Park! Park!”
But time was running out in the match.
The moment I stepped onto the pitch, the halftime whistle blew.
***
Halftime ended, and the second half kicked off.
“Park! Park! Park!”
Union Berlin fans kept up their passionate cheers.
Buoyed by the home crowd, Union Berlin players hammered Tennis Borussia Berlin.
It was weird going from assistant coach on the bench in the first half to field player in the second.
Still.
Now that I was on, I had to give it my all—no embarrassing the fans.
“Frank! Don’t push too far up! Tuchel’s about to lose it!”
I started directing players to fit Thomas Tuchel’s tactics.
My job this game was simple.
Readjust positions during transitions to shore up weaknesses.
And be in the right spot at the right time.
Truth be told, Thomas Tuchel didn’t expect me to light it up as a player.
*Just hold positions.*
Being the on-field commander to execute his tactics was enough.
Plus the occasional sly foul to stop counters when the ref wasn’t looking.
“You piece of trash, ease up on the fouls!”
“Hey! Show some respect! I’m the assistant coach, you’re a player! You respect me!”
The opponents’ heated reactions got me fired up, though, and I couldn’t hold back.
Like the opener, I tore around the pitch like a fish in water.
*Wow. They still don’t see it?*
In the Bundesliga, the ref would’ve carded me by now, but this was amateur fourth division.
The refs weren’t that sharp, so aside from the aggrieved victim, it was a perfect crime.
*No surprise. With my experience, these kids aren’t catching me.*
Thanks to my wild performance(?), momentum slowly swung to Union Berlin.
***
As I reveled in my efforts.
“Run!”
The keeper blocked a Tennis Borussia Berlin shot, sparking Union Berlin’s counter.
The ball went from defender to me, and I threaded a through ball to Yannick Foith exploiting the space behind.
It was a rough pass, not finesse, but it snuck through the defender’s legs to Yannick.
Was it my clumsy pass?
*Damn, no angle for a shot.*
Yannick’s touch was longer than ideal, leaving him too close to goal for a direct shot.
*Wait, didn’t the assistant coach say to cut back in situations like this?*
Remembering our chat, Yannick resisted shooting and instead passed to Daniel Teixeira breaking from behind.
Daniel calmly finished the chance.
The net rippled, fans leaped up roaring.
“Our Love! Our Team! Our Pride! Our Club!”
“Union! Union! Union!”
Daniel Teixeira’s winner sealed the match between Union Berlin and Tennis Borussia Berlin.
***
[Union Berlin Beats Tennis Borussia Berlin, Streaks On!]
[Yannick Foith Scores in Second Straight Game.]
[Why Union Berlin Fans Booed Assistant Coach Park Chan-hyuk?]
[Thomas Tuchel on Assistant Coach Park Chan-hyuk: “Our Team’s Master Key.”]
[First Half Assistant Coach, Second Half Field Player: Union Berlin Assistant Coach’s Dual Role?]
[Yannick Foith, M.O.M., on Playing with Park Chan-hyuk: “The game feels easier with the assistant coach out there.”]
***
Days after the Tennis Borussia Berlin match.
[DFB Fines Union Berlin.]
The fine for the red flares hit the club.
Dirk Zingler, handling Union Berlin’s finances as president, and I didn’t sweat it.
“How much was the fine?”
“3,000 euros (about 4 million won).”
“That’s covered by donations.”
The flare fine was easily paid from fan donations—with plenty left over.
Not because Union Berlin fans were loaded.
It was possible because we were in the fourth division.
“DFB, Guarantee Our Right to Red Flares!”
Even the DFB, hated as old fogeys by German fans, had limits.
They fined at a level a fourth-division club could handle.
Made sense. A national federation wouldn’t gut the goose that lays the golden eggs.
*They charge weekly registration fees here, though.*
For a fourth-division club, even that fine stung, but it wasn’t bankruptcy territory.
Anyway.
Union Berlin’s hot streak continued after Tennis Borussia Berlin.
[FC Hansa Rostock II Falls at Home to Union Berlin.]
[Union Berlin Crushes FV Motor 3-0 at Home.]
[Union Berlin Grinds Out 1-0 Win at Berlin AK 07 with Stoppage-Time Goal.]
We rattled off five straight league wins since the opener.
Union Berlin mocked the press and pundits’ predictions with dominant results.
As media and experts admitted they were wrong and started calling us serious title contenders.
[BFC Dynamo Manager on Union Berlin’s Hot-Streak Duo (Tuhel-Park): “Tuhel and Park Chan-hyuk Are Just Temporary Hype.”]
Union Berlin’s rival match loomed.
BFC (Berliner Fußball Club) Dynamo.