Chapter 34
Chapter 34
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: 2006/2007 Season Kickoff
-----------------------------------------------------------------
2006/2007 season opening.
***
As soon as all my schedules in Korea wrapped up, we headed straight to Germany. Union Berlin’s season opener was right around the corner.
Well. The original plan had been to fully recover from my injuries before reporting back.
‘Absolutely not because I’m a workaholic or anything.’
Worried about the tension between Thomas Tuchel and the players, I showed up at Union Berlin the very next day after returning to Germany.
“Chan-hyuk, health comes before work. You’re an adult now—you’ve got to take care of your own body.”
My parents grumbled about my disregard for my health but didn’t try too hard to stop me.
“The kids from other families go astray and cause all sorts of trouble, but ours? They just grow up on their own.”
“Yeah. Still, sometimes I envy those other kids.”
Unlike my previous life, I’d earned their trust. They fully believed in what I was doing and let me handle it.
“Well… it’s not like we’re short on money at home. Even if he fails, we won’t let our kid go hungry. Let him do what he wants.”
As I was heading out to work, I nodded quietly at my father’s follow-up words.
‘Yeah, the saying “generosity comes from a full pantry” isn’t wrong.’
The capital that kept growing in real-time even now seemed to give our family that sense of leeway.
Anyway.
Thomas Tuchel, who had come to Germany first, was drilling his tactics into the players and fine-tuning the strategy.
At the same time as Union Berlin’s promotion to the Regionalliga, the newly appointed sporting director Jörg Heinrich began filling the club’s vacant staff positions one by one.
‘Huh. For some reason, the director’s face looks kinda familiar since I got back from Korea.’
I stared at Jörg Heinrich’s face and suddenly remembered something from the past.
‘Oh. He’s that guy from Soccer YouTube.’
Jörg Heinrich had a face any Korean would recognize.
‘Whoa. So he was Union Berlin’s sporting director.’
He’d appeared as a manager on a famous soccer YouTube channel.
‘Why didn’t he mention being Union Berlin’s director? Was the club not famous back then?’
Whatever.
Jörg Heinrich’s first move was to revive the youth academy facilities, which had been shuttered due to budget issues.
It was a requirement for obtaining the license to compete in the Regionalliga.
The Regionalliga license had three main conditions.
First, participating clubs had to be financially stable. Second, the stadium had to meet safety standards. And third, the club had to prove it was developing local youth talent.
‘Come to think of it, our stadium’s safety is barely scraping by.’
Just two years ago, Union Berlin’s stadium had no major safety issues.
But lately, with all the reforms pushed by the German Football Association, the safety regulations were getting stricter.
‘If we promote to the 2. Bundesliga, we’ll have to rebuild the stadium. Does the club even have that kind of money…?’
Union Berlin’s finances were improving, but not stable enough to pour a fortune into a stadium rebuild.
‘What if we promote and they revoke it anyway?’
As Union Berlin’s assistant coach, worrying about the club’s future was only natural.
And unlike a typical assistant coach, I had the ability to actually solve the club’s problems.
The solution to Union Berlin’s issues was simple.
If my family acquired Union Berlin, it’d all be sorted.
Sure, the 50+1 rule was a hurdle.
Like how Red Bull acquired SSV Markranstädt in 2009 and renamed it RB Leipzig to skirt the rules, there were plenty of ways around it.
The real problem wasn’t the 50+1 rule, though—it was the backlash from Union Berlin fans.
‘More precisely, Bundesliga fans in general.’
When SAP founder and CEO Dietmar Hopp legally took over TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in 2015 under revised clauses for Bundesliga growth, Hoffenheim became public enemy number one for nearly every Bundesliga club with hardcore supporters.
The animosity from Bundesliga fans toward Hoffenheim even temporarily surpassed the usual hatred for Bayern Munich, infamous for poaching players.
If that happened despite it being fully legal, the backlash against Leipzig goes without saying.
‘German fans are no joke.’
I thought of the hate banners aimed at my family, the racist slurs, and the flares at every match, and gave up on acquiring Union Berlin.
‘Screw it. I’ll worry about that later.’
Like last time when finances tanked and fans voluntarily raised donation money for the stadium, they might step up again.
In the original history, fans had voluntarily built the stadium, after all.
I decided not to sweat the future.
‘It’s not like I’m staying at Union Berlin forever.’
Even looking at past and future examples, managers rarely spent their entire careers at one club.
Sir Alex Ferguson was the only one who stuck around for decades at a big club like Manchester United.
A manager was accountable for results.
If the results didn’t come, you had to leave, whether you wanted to or not.
‘Even if I buy the club, it’d be the same.’
If anything, with my own money on the line, I’d have to be even more ruthless. A relegation would shrink my fortune.
I didn’t know how long I’d be a manager.
But I wasn’t naive enough to think I’d stay at one club forever.
‘Plus, I’ve got goals to achieve.’
Lost in those thoughts while checking the players’ conditions at Union Berlin’s training ground.
“Chan-hyuk, you got time? Mind taking a look at the youth team?”
The club brass asked me to check on the youth players, so I headed to their training area.
It was important not to rub the board the wrong way.
The European soccer world was smaller than it seemed, all built on connections.
These little evaluations could become valuable assets later when I aimed for a head coaching job.
‘They’re in the Regionalliga now, but who knows where or when we’ll cross paths.’
Plus, I was curious about Union Berlin’s youth potential.
A short while later.
Watching the youth team train, I couldn’t hide my disappointment.
Most of the promising talents with real skill had left for other clubs when the youth facilities closed due to Union Berlin’s financial woes.
Union Berlin had to recruit new local youth.
And as you’d expect, hardly any of the new recruits showed exceptional talent.
‘Well… not completely devoid, I guess.’
High potential didn’t guarantee a pro debut.
In Korea, a prospect’s odds of turning pro were just 0.7%.
Germany’s ratio probably wasn’t much different.
‘Actually, it might be even lower here?’
With so many kids dreaming of being soccer players.
Anyway.
When evaluating players, potential wasn’t everything. Mental stats like professionalism and competitive drive were crucial too.
Patience and discipline were essential for pro success.
Hoping to go pro while stuffing your face and partying like everyone else was just greed.
[Name: Manuel Schmidt.]
Current Ability: ★
Potential: ★★★★★
Recommended Position: Goalkeeper.
One-Liner: Exceptional mentality. Captain material.
At least I’d found one diamond in the rough.
‘Manuel, huh? Sounds like he’ll charge out of goal empty-handed.’
***
[Union Berlin, D-3 Until League Opener.]
[Union Berlin’s Opener Opponent… ‘Hertha Berlin II.’]
[Experts’ Predicted Standings… Union Berlin Strong Title Contender.]
[Thomas Tuchel on Season Goals…. “Union Berlin’s Promotion to 2. Bundesliga.”]
[Union Berlin’s Shot at Back-to-Back Promotions.]
[SBK to Continue Ties with Union Berlin? Opener Broadcast Confirmed.]
└ They’re broadcasting a 3rd division game now lmao
└ So you’re not watching?
└ Nah, thanks for airing 3rd division ㅎㅎ
└ Love the romantic Union Berlin story.
└ I became a fan cuz of Park Chan-hyuk’s antics.
└ Special One: I’m a fan cuz Park Chan-hyuk’s hot.
└ Chan-hyuk, how’s the knee?
└ Special One: What? I’m not Park Chan-hyuk.
└ I’m Park Chan-hyuk’s little sis, and yeah, that’s him.
└ Special One: …Are you really Park Jung-ah?
***
With the league opener approaching, the club gave me one last bit of leave.
Once the season started, I’d be swamped again, so I accepted their consideration.
“Son, anything you wanna eat?”
“Nope.”
“Don’t be like that—tell me, I’ll make it.”
“…Let’s just eat out.”
At my mom’s offer—who couldn’t cook—I smiled awkwardly and suggested dining out.
“Yeah, you’ll be busy again after today. Let’s go eat something nice.”
“That place we went last time was good—let’s go there!”
My dad and little sister chimed in enthusiastically.
And so our family’s final vacation ended, time flying by.
August 6, 2006.
The season opener against Hertha Berlin II was upon us.