Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: If You Can't Win, Join Them -4
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***
Even after Yannik Foigt's opener, the game continued to flow in Union Berlin's favor.
"Drop the line! Stabilize the defensive line first!"
But that didn't mean St. Pauli was being completely overwhelmed.
St. Pauli's players had been caught off guard by Union Berlin's unexpected aggressive press, but they quickly regained their composure, listening to their manager shouting from the touchline.
St. Pauli's players calmly reorganized their defensive line and were about to slowly mount a counterattack when—
"Press! Keep pushing them!"
Union Berlin, awakened by anger, began to hammer St. Pauli relentlessly.
[Mathias's backpass! But it's short!]
As a result, St. Pauli committed a fatal error.
The backpass from their defender to the goalkeeper was too short.
'This is a goal.'
Yannik Foigt, spotting his prey, charged toward the ball at full speed.
[Yannik Foigt is away! He's sprinting forward!]
[Goalkeeper Tobias Adler rushes out desperately, leaving the goal empty!]
Seeing this, St. Pauli's goalkeeper abandoned his goal and dashed out to clear the ball.
Union Berlin fans in the stands clenched their fists tightly, eyes fixed on Yannik Foigt racing toward the ball.
A tense moment.
St. Pauli's goalkeeper reached the ball first.
"Ah...."
A collective groan rose from the Union Berlin stands. They thought the chance for another goal had been squandered.
Thwack—.
But.
[Oh!! What is this!! The cleared ball hits Yannik Foigt in the face and goes in!!!]
The goddess of luck sided with Union Berlin. The goalkeeper's desperate clearance ricocheted off Yannik Foigt's face and straight into the net.
[A lucky goal! A lucky goal! Yannik Foigt's brace! Union Berlin pulls two goals clear!]
Of course, it wasn't all luck. It was the result of Yannik Foigt's tireless forward pressing.
"...It went in."
Players rushed toward Yannik Foigt, who scratched his face in embarrassment.
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Yannik Foigt!"
"Fußballgott—!!! (God of football.)"
"Once more! Yannik Foigt!!"
"Fußballgott!!!"
The fans' groans turned to cheers in an instant, filling the stadium.
***
The first half ended, and the second half began.
[Union Berlin isn't letting up the tempo.]
The early second-half atmosphere mirrored the first.
Union Berlin pressed hard, while St. Pauli scrambled to defend.
[St. Pauli calmly circulating the ball to escape Union Berlin's pressure! Are the Union Berlin players tiring? The press is loosening!]
But as time wore on, the momentum gradually shifted toward St. Pauli.
[Yes. They came out with intense pressure right from the start. It's only natural they'd fatigue.]
Union Berlin had expended all their energy in the first half.
From the 20th minute of the second half, Union Berlin's players' legs grew heavy.
The flow of the game completely tilted toward St. Pauli.
[St. Pauli on the attack. Lucas Brenner picks up the ball!]
If Yannik Foigt hadn't scored his brace in the first half, Union Berlin might have lost.
[Lucas Brenner drives into the penalty box!]
[Tobias Reitner's return pass finds Lucas Brenner! Brenner shoots!!]
[Ooooh—! Felix Hartmann's super save by the goalkeeper! Super super save!]
[That's as good as a goal in itself.]
St. Pauli, who had been leading the league, attacked fiercely.
"Nice save!"
"Felix, that save was insane!"
As Union Berlin's defenders praised their goalkeeper for the fantastic stop—
"Chan-hyuk, Daniel looks tired, doesn't he?"
"Yeah. If he pushes any harder, he might get injured."
"Then we should sub him."
Seeing the players' fatigue, Thomas Tuchel quickly consulted with Park Chan-hyuk.
[Daniel Teixeira is coming off for a defender.]
[Yes. The players are tired, and with Union Berlin leading by two, they're playing it safe.]
Thomas Tuchel brought on defensive reinforcements and shifted to a defensive stance.
Of course, they didn't go full defense.
Yannik Foigt remained up top.
"Yannik, stay high! Just by being there, you're doing the work of an extra defender!"
That way, St. Pauli wouldn't dare push their line up. A ten-back without counterattacks was just a punching bag.
Unable to commit fully to attack, St. Pauli couldn't break down Union Berlin's defense.
The match ended with Union Berlin's 2-0 victory.
***
[Union Berlin reclaims top spot in the league.]
[Assistant Coach Park Chan-hyuk publicly scouts St. Pauli players? "Join us now."]
['Brace hero' Yannik Foigt named Man of the Match. "I dedicate this honor to Assistant Coach Park Chan-hyuk, who fooled us all."]
[St. Pauli manager erupts in fury at Assistant Coach Park Chan-hyuk. "Spineless punk."]
['Bad boy' Assistant Coach Park Chan-hyuk taunts St. Pauli manager. "You fell for it. Hehe."]
['Lucky strike' Yannik Foigt wins Goal of the Week with face shot.]
***
Union Berlin's victory over St. Pauli propelled them to the top of the league.
Like soil hardening after rain, the fake crisis—though contrived between manager and assistant coach—solidified the players' unity.
Of course, it wasn't a tactic to overuse. It could backfire and turn them into the boy who cried wolf.
In any case.
Union Berlin kept racking up points afterward.
They added two more wins after St. Pauli, making it seven straight since the league opener. The team's mood was sky-high.
But they couldn't get complacent.
Misfortune strikes when least expected.
If a key player got injured, Union Berlin could collapse at any moment.
"You know, we should invest a bit more in the medical center."
To prevent such disasters, I proposed investing seriously in club facilities.
"...Sorry, but we don't have the money."
But it was shot down due to budget issues.
"This club never has money, damn it."
I naturally suspected Chairman Dirk Zingler.
Is this guy embezzling?
***
Of course, it wasn't embezzlement. Chairman Dirk Zingler was even dipping into his own pocket to stabilize the club.
The issue stemmed from Union Berlin's promotion to the third division.
Operating youth facilities had increased costs.
But they were required to run them to obtain the league license, so it was unavoidable.
'If we were in England, we could've ditched the youth setup...'
Germany was a bit more community- and fan-oriented than England.
'Money... Any way to make money?'
I was desperate enough to want to enter the DFB-Pokal just for the payout.
But last season, as a fourth-division side, Union Berlin wasn't eligible.
They'd have needed to win the lower-league regional cup, the Verbandspokal, but promotion took priority, so they forfeited it.
'Anything else?'
Next up was, naturally, Korea.
But I dismissed Korea as soon as it crossed my mind.
In novels, benevolent Korean conglomerates or mid-sized firms would throw around huge sponsorships.
Reality? Korean companies shouting about ethnic ties while trying to rip off Union Berlin.
I'd underestimated Korea's savvy. They were the only nation to go from colony to developed country.
There was a reason for Korea's success.
'No major corporations among the sponsor proposals for Union Berlin, huh.'
Our league status was a bit too low for global players.
'Someday, hit up those future world-famous food companies with a pitch?'
Anyway.
Pondering the money woes, I wandered around my neighborhood.
Thanks to ex-employees returning amid financial woes, escaping overwork death.
Assistant coach duties still kept me busy, but with fewer tasks than last year, I had some free time.
"Pass!"
"Come back!"
I spotted kids playing futsal.
'I wonder if that guy's growing well.'
Seeing them play brought to mind Hertha Berlin's six-star wonderkid prospect.
'I'll snatch him if I can later.'
Anyway.
Among the happily playing kids at the futsal court, one sat alone.
'...Mixed race?'
Whatever. Discrimination by skin color and isolation from peers was sadly common.
There were plenty of Koreans in Berlin, but mixed kids often didn't fit in here either.
Same in Korea.
Similar reasons.
'Not like I know the kid. No need to get involved.'
Sad, but he had to overcome it himself.
As I thought that and walked past—
The Scouter flashed.
[Name: Leon Han.]
Current Ability: ☆
Potential: ★★★★★★
One-liner: Wide vision and passing are strengths.
I couldn't believe my eyes.
'Six... six stars?!"
It felt like discovering a transcendent-grade jade bed.
I'd just said it wasn't my business, but that was before the Scouter.
With six stars confirmed, he was as good as my player.
"Hey, Leon."
I approached with the gentlest voice possible.
"Who are you?"
'Wow. Just a greeting, and he already seems sharp.'
A six-star kid? Everything he did was cute.
"Haha. I'm the assistant coach for Union Berlin."
I calmed my pounding heart and slowly began persuading the kid.
"There's a team like that?"
"W-Well, we're a third-division side."
"I see."
As I introduced us as a third-division team, the kid lost interest, panicking me.
"We're top of the third division right now? We'll promote to second soon."
"Oh. Really?"
I kept persuading Leon. I spared no sweet talk: your talent shows you'll be the best player, etc.
Leon started falling for it.
'Nice.'
Now just bring his parents to Union Berlin and sign the contract.
As I smirked, confident in signing a world-class prospect—
"But... how'd you know my name?"
Leon's question followed.
"...Huh?"
Caught off-guard, I froze.
Leon's eyes changed.
"Kidnapper!! There's a kidnapper here! Help!"
Leon yelled immediately.
"Hey, you! What're you doing!"
"I-I'm not a kidnapper!!"
As scary-looking white guys approached with grim faces, I bolted without thinking.
And shortly after.
I came to in a holding cell.
"...Huh?"
That was when I realized something had gone wrong.