Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Acting Manager Park Chan-hyuk -1
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***
After receiving Thomas Tuchel's offer to take on scouting duties as well, I started checking out players around the Berlin area whenever I had time.
To be honest, even before Tuchel's instructions, I'd been visiting matches to scout promising youngsters and all sorts of other players.
Since I'd been handed this Scouter ability, I might as well use it diligently. And after looking at hundreds of players, I came to one realization.
'Just glance at them and it's all sorted?'
In truth, maybe scouting or agent work was the perfect fit for me.
Well. That said, I had no intention of becoming an agent.
[Mission: Lift a big-eared trophy as a manager.]
It was partly because of the mission, but since I'd already dipped my toes into the soccer world, I'd set my new goal as becoming the world's top manager.
Pep, Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, and so on.
There were plenty of mountains to climb to become one of the best...
'...Hmm. Is the difficulty too high?'
On second thought, I wasn't confident I could beat those tactical weirdos.
Especially that Pep Guardiola guy—he was about to start his Barcelona tenure, which would kick off over twenty years of managerial success.
Truth be told, being a manager meant bearing responsibility for wins and losses.
The pressure and stress from results were beyond words, and the workload was crushing on top of that.
It's no wonder renowned managers complained of burnout. Unless you're a tactical obsessive like them, how could anyone live that life?
'Come to think of it, there was that story about Tuchel and Guardiola talking tactics all night.'
Tuchel was clearly not all there either.
Anyway, I quickly revised my goal. I'd realized there was no way to beat those tactical freaks head-on.
'Hmm. Becoming the absolute best might be too much. Let's just aim to be the most famous manager.'
And so, my new goal became the world's most famous soccer manager. I'd outshine Pep Guardiola in stardom, at least.
'First win: more hair on my head.'
I'd even picked out a superstar manager to benchmark.
'Mo, Mourinho!'
The Portuguese manager currently going by Mourinho.
Anyway.
Tuchel's proposal wasn't a bad deal for me.
Someday, I'd break free from under his wing and stand tall as a manager in my own right.
Getting comfortable with my Scouter ability was key to signing good players.
'None of them have much potential.'
The fourth division was full of all kinds of players.
From those with no real talent who couldn't leave because they loved soccer, to players forced into retirement by injuries.
But I'd never once seen a world-class potential talent lingering in the lower leagues.
Stumbling upon world-class potential while walking down the street? That only happened in novels.
'Discovering Yanick was pure luck.'
As I reflected on how fortunate I'd been to unearth Yanick Poyt, a voice rang in my ears.
"Pass it!"
"Maximus, block him!"
Without much thought, I headed toward the soccer field where some kids were kicking a ball around.
And there, by sheer chance, I spotted a boy with world-class talent.
[Name: Lucas Neumann]
Potential: ★★★★★★
One-liner: Can you feel the talent gap? Human.
I rushed over and struck up a conversation with the boy.
I'd grown used to the snarky one-liner, so it didn't faze me much.
Talking to this soccer prodigy mattered more than bantering with the Scouter window.
"I already have a team."
But Lucas Neumann already belonged to a youth team.
'Of course, damn it.'
A talent like that was bound to be snapped up by a youth academy.
'The odds of finding one are like picking up a gold bar on the street.'
Practically zero.
***
After chatting with the sixteen-year-old prodigy Lucas Neumann,
I learned he was part of Hertha Berlin's youth team in the Bundesliga.
In financially strapped Union Berlin, where the youth setup was half-neglected, he was the stuff of dreams.
Even though he wasn't one of our prospects,
"Training hard is important, but so are diet and rest."
I shared advice on nutrition and exercises to avoid.
It pained me as a soccer person to see potential like his vanish without a trace.
Since I hadn't heard of him in my future memories, he'd clearly quit due to circumstances or squandered his talent to become subpar at best.
Well... even without that, fully unlocking potential was no easy feat.
'Come to think of it, I haven't seen anyone with fully unlocked potential yet.'
Makes sense, probably.
Ordinary people can't tell what they're good at from what they're not.
Someone might play attacking midfielder because passing comes easy, but actually have greater defensive potential.
If a manager spots that and shifts them to defensive midfielder, great.
But most players never get that lucky break.
Prideful pros don't eagerly switch positions unless it's a manager of immense stature.
And while some players skyrocket from a position change,
just as many see their careers derail from the wrong switch.
Position changes demanded the player's resolve and unwavering trust in the manager.
Anyway.
I gave all the advice I could think of right then.
Though I zoned out midway because of his half-hearted attitude.
'Fair enough. I'd ignore some fourth-division assistant coach lecturing me too.'
I totally got Lucas's vibe.
Anyway, whether he took my advice was up to him.
I'd done everything I could.
As I patted myself on the back for contributing to soccer's progress that day,
"Um..."
Lucas Neumann glanced at me and asked cautiously.
"Yeah? What's up?"
"How old are you? You talk like an old man."
And in that moment, it hit me.
'Oh, right.'
I'm only eighteen.
***
After parting with Lucas Neumann and heading home,
"I'm back."
"Welcome home."
My sister Park Jung-ah sprawled on the sofa like a starfish, greeting me.
Her clothes were a mess everywhere, making me sigh.
'This is supposed to be an ex-idol?'
I wasn't naive about women at my age,
but I'd never imagined a famous idol living like a slob.
Still, I didn't scold her.
"Jung-ah, want something to drink?"
"...What's with you? Eat something bad?"
2005.
Even without smartphones on the market, Apple's stock had tripled.
My swelling wealth had naturally softened my personality.
Anyway, while I'd been slaving under the ruthless manager Thomas Tuchel,
Dad and my sister had started a business.
I hadn't explained the details to Dad, but it seemed Sis was gearing up for the post-smartphone era.
Planning to capitalize right as Apple launched its first one in 2007...
Honestly, I had no clue if it'd succeed.
The world was full of geniuses who defied common sense.
'Well, with that future sensibility of hers, she'll probably do fine.'
I just hoped her business thrived, boosting my wealth and sponsoring whatever club I managed.
***
After the 2005/2006 season kicked off, Union Berlin charged ahead at the top like madmen.
[Union Berlin achieves 8-game winning streak in the league.]
[Union Berlin eliminated from FVP-Pokal, forfeiting DFB-Pokal entry.]
They crashed out of the FVP-Pokal—needed to qualify for the DFB-Pokal—
[Union Berlin's winning streak ends. 1-1 draw!]
snapping their win streak with a draw,
but their unbeaten league run continued,
securing first place by a massive points margin.
Local papers praised Union Berlin's exploits, crediting Thomas Tuchel's tactics.
[Thomas Tuchel mentions assistant coach: "Chan-hyuk is already a ready-made manager."]
Tuchel often name-dropped me in interviews.
Thanks to him, I'd gained some recognition in fourth-division circles.
That sparked offers from lower-league clubs—not top-tier, but probing ones.
Including head coach gigs at bottom-table fourth-division sides, even youth coach roles at first-division teams.
Well... I'd built some rapport at Union Berlin, and I had no plans to leave Tuchel's crew yet, so I turned them down regretfully.
'Gotta stick tight to the Tuchel train for now.'
At my ridiculously young eighteen, commanding a squad elsewhere would be tough.
Union's players listened to me thanks to Tuchel's backing and other factors,
but no guarantees anywhere else.
Still.
Considering I was a total NEET just a year ago, the world had flipped 180 degrees.
Anyway.
As we hit the season's midpoint heading into the Christmas break,
[Thomas Tuchel hospitalized with flu! Will assistant coach Park Chan-hyuk become youngest manager?]
Union Berlin's dictator Thomas Tuchel collapsed from the flu.
'Ah, this cool, heavy sensation. Eighteen years in the making.'
I'd snagged the 'interim' Union Berlin manager role.
"From now on, I stand at the top of Union Berlin."
***