Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Effects of the Special Overseas Training Camp -2
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***
Union Berlin began preparing for their preseason match against Osung Red Wings once the overseas training camp wrapped up.
They had settled some personal vendettas during the camp, but that didn't mean the training results were poor. After the camp, Union Berlin's players had perfectly united as one team.
Well... that didn't mean they could beat Osung Red Wings.
'Still, we're a pro team.'
Even if Europeans dismissed it as some backwater pro soccer league no one cared about, the gap between pros and amateurs was crystal clear.
At this point in time, Osung Red Wings were dominating thanks to heavy investments from their sports-loving chairman.
[Osung Red Wings Sign 'Sirius Luck General.']
After a dismal first half of the season, they had brought in a slew of national team-caliber players.
[Tigers Manager Park Chan-hyuk Issues 'Death Sentence' to Osung Red Wings: "Go Down and Get Along with the Giants."]
It was on a whole different level from that team that had been relegated to the second division and couldn't climb back up.
'The current Osung Red Wings and the future ones are as different as Man United and Man City.'
But that didn't mean Union Berlin had zero chance of winning.
This was around the time I was grinding away in the military, so I didn't know Korean pro soccer in detail.
But I clearly remembered that Osung Red Wings hadn't won the league this season.
'Come to think of it, didn't they bomb in the first half?'
It was buried under the massive World Cup hype, so the details were fuzzy, but that's how I recalled it.
Anyway.
The opposing manager was highly likely to be complacent ahead of the Union Berlin match.
Even if not, they couldn't field all their starters.
Unlike Union Berlin, who had finished their season and were in preseason, Osung Red Wings were about to start the second half of the Korean league soon.
'And there's the starters' pride to consider.'
Telling pro soccer players to suddenly play against semipro third-division guys?
Honestly, even I'd feel shitty about it.
This was sacred ground no legendary manager could touch lightly.
'Rather than piss off the first-teamers over a friendly, they'll give chances to the prospects and reserves.'
Of course, fielding only reserves might spark backlash for snubbing the invited team, so they'd probably go with a 1.5 squad—mixing in some first-teamers.
'A mere sports club can't embarrass their parent company's face.'
For reference, Union Berlin was here at Osung's invitation, as sponsors of the Korean pro league. Osung Red Wings absolutely couldn't snub them.
That's why the match against Union Berlin was being held at Osung's home, Suwon World Cup Stadium.
'Sigh. The stadium's too big. Filling it up seems impossible....'
Honestly, packing the stands looked tough.
Park Ji-song, aka the Beckham of Asia, had just transferred to Man United last year, slowly ramping up interest in overseas soccer.
A third-division team like Union Berlin wouldn't satisfy Korean soccer fans yet.
'Half-full stands would be lucky.'
Truth be told, quietly playing the match and heading home wasn't bad for Union Berlin's position. Even a 1.5 squad was still pros.
'But settle for that?'
It didn't sit right with me.
'They didn't go all out, so is that a real win?'
We'd flown from Germany to Korea for this one preseason game.
Sure, we'd used the trip for team bonding via the training camp, but the Korea visit felt lacking in many ways.
As Union Berlin's 'Assistant Coach,' I had to ensure the players gained as much as possible.
'It's me, Park Chan-hyuk.'
Right now, winning or losing wasn't the point—what mattered was growing Union Berlin, this soccer farm team.
Of course, that was Union Berlin's situation. Osung Red Wings had no reason to accommodate us.
So.
'Time to shake up the board.'
To set a new board, just flip the existing one.
And in this area, I was a special one.
Of course....
"How about it?"
I didn't forget to run it by Thomas Tuchel and Dirk Zingler before stirring shit up.
"I'm for it. Facing them full strength will help the team's growth."
Tuchel indirectly endorsed my idea.
"I'm against. Knowing you, you're pushing this just to oppose, and it's probably some weird training camp stunt."
"Okay, two for, one against. Passed."
Dirk Zingler had his reasonable objections, but by democratic principles, it passed.
"By the way, Chan-hyuk, do you even have a way to flip the board?"
"Easy."
Ignoring the flailing Dirk Zingler, I looked at Thomas Tuchel and grinned.
"Flipping boards is my specialty."
Simple logic.
Just create a situation where the opponent has no choice but to go all out.
'While we're at it, fill the stands too. An empty stadium looks bad.'
One move for two gains.
[Union Berlin Assistant Coach Park Chan-hyuk to Osung Red Wings: 'Don't Get Complacent or You'll Regret It.']
[On Provocation Controversy, Park Chan-hyuk: "It Was Pure Concern. As One Korean, I Don't Want to See Osung Red Wings, Representatives of the Korean League, Suffer a Catastrophic Loss to a German Third-Division Side."]
If Union Berlin got crushed by Osung Red Wings, I'd look ridiculous.
But it was fine. Life's all about high risk, high return.
'Just win. Win, and it's good.'
A win against Osung would be a golden chance to win over Korean soccer fans.
And I had my ace.
'Tuchel....'
Soccer's a sport where the manager's influence outweighs even baseball.
I trusted the abilities of Thomas Tuchel, the individualist-tactics-pervert-psychopath-with-personality-issues guy.
'Tuchel, make it happen.'
Tuchel would surely ensure my reputation stayed intact.
***
Rewind a bit to when the friendly against Union Berlin was first scheduled.
Osung Red Wings players were baffled.
'No way, even in Europe, is playing a third-division team right?'
Facing semipros bruised their egos.
But with the higher-ups' decision, they had no thought of objecting.
In Korea, surviving as a soccer player meant more than skill—it required connections and favor from the manager and club execs.
"If anyone has complaints about playing Union Berlin, speak up."
And above all, Osung Red Wings' manager was a legend representing Korean soccer.
Of course, even the manager wasn't thrilled about the friendly opponent.
'I'll just throw out the 1.5 squad and sub in prospects around halftime.'
He planned to handle the team invited by the parent company without going overboard.
Yeah.
That was the initial plan.
Until Union Berlin's lunatic assistant coach unleashed area-wide provocation.
[Park Chan-hyuk Assistant Coach to Osung Red Wings: 'Don't Get Complacent or You'll Regret It.']
[Match to Gauge Korean League Level? Union Berlin vs. Osung Red Wings.]
One interview, and it became a must-win blowout no matter what.
***
'Haha. This is fucked.'
I realized I'd stirred shit up at light speed.
I'd meant to poke the opponents lightly, but excitement overrode me like an 8-ton truck with busted brakes, smashing straight in.
'Ah, this stinging heat. Feels nostalgic.'
Maybe because it felt like coming home after so long.
I'd gotten more hyped than usual.
Naturally, enraged Osung Red Wings fans unleashed fury on me.
I headed to the interview room to apologize for the over-the-top provocation.
But oddly, laughter echoed from the interview area.
'Whoa. What? Rawer reactions than in the future?'
The fiercer-than-expected response made my heart race, and a smile crept up unbidden.
Unlike the future, rife with scheming and idiotic stunts for attention, this era felt pure.
Unlike the future where I'd be dismissed as "aggro bait," Osung fans gave genuine reactions to every word, delighting me.
And this all broadcast live to Korean soccer fans at home.
[Is Park Chan-hyuk's Apology Sincere? Smirking at Interview Controversy....]
└ Is he insane?
└ Kinda like a psychopath from a drama.
└ Geniuses lack social skills, right?
└ Who says?
└ Dramas and TV, I guess.
The dopamine-addicted kid inside me wasn't satisfied and kept pulling aggro.
[Park Chan-hyuk Assistant Coach on Recent Smirk Controversy: Dodges with 'Those Who Smile in Tough Times Are Elite. I'm Elite.']
[Park Chan-hyuk Assistant Coach Checks Real-Time Trends While Exiting Interview, Yells at Reporters: "I'm Special One!"]
I successfully carved my name at the top of Korea's symbolic portal site's real-time search trends.
***
Meanwhile, at that moment.
"Hey, the assistant coach came back from training camp even crazier than before, right?"
"Got hit too much back then or something."
Union Berlin players watching Park Chan-hyuk's interview started genuinely worrying.