Chapter 51
Chapter 51
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Stadium Built with Blood and Sweat - 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
***
The news of Union Berlin's promotion deferral quickly spread to the club's fans.
For Union Berlin supporters, the promotion holdup was like hitting a panic button.
[Union Berlin wins the 1993/1994 Oberliga season! But promotion fails due to financial issues!]
[Union Berlin wins back-to-back Oberligas, yet promotion fails again due to financial problems.]
It was something they had experienced many times in the past.
[First-division teams reaching out to Thomas Tuchel.]
And in that situation, rumors began swirling that Thomas Tuchel might leave after the next season.
"If Thomas Tuchel leaves too, aren't we in real trouble?"
"But we have Chan-hyuk, so it'll be fine, right? The players follow him more anyway."
"Who brought Chan-hyuk here in the first place, you idiot! He'll leave with him too!"
The fans' anxiety snowballed out of control.
"Damn it, are we really going to get relegated back to the fourth division like this?"
"For now, let's trust Chairman Dirk. He's the one who scouted Tuchel!"
Memories resurfaced of the team plummeting sharply amid financial crisis.
Fans unable to sleep due to worries about the future kept increasing.
Then, one late night.
"Eisern Union!!!!!"
One Union Berlin fan blasted a supporter chant loudly in the street.
Non-fans scowled and walked past the sudden noise, but Union Berlin supporters, as if possessed, began gathering one by one.
"Immer wieder Eisern Union! (Ever onward, Iron Union!)"
The fans naturally formed ranks, belting out the chant as if shaking off the anxiety bottled up in their chests.
"Everyone, let's protect the club once more! If the stadium's outdated, we'll just build it again ourselves!"
As the chant ended, a man jumped forward and began his speech.
"Wir sind Union. (We are Union.)"
"Und das ist unsere Antwort!!! (And this is our answer!!!)"
Fans who had once united their strength had no hesitation in stepping up again.
Word spread through local communities that Union Berlin supporters had volunteered for stadium reconstruction.
In an instant, 2,000 volunteers were recruited.
They pitched in whenever they had free time to rebuild the stadium.
"I'm really sorry..."
"Why should you apologize? You've got kids to feed. I understand completely."
"Instead, here's some money from donating blood. Please take it."
Fans unable to spare time due to livelihoods contributed by donating blood.
Thus began the reconstruction of Union Berlin's home stadium, built on the blood and sweat of its fans.
***
[Union Berlin's promotion on hold due to stadium deterioration.]
[Chairman Dirk Zingler: "We will do our utmost to meet safety standards."]
[Union Berlin to use temporary venue until end of season.]
[Union Berlin faltering? Listless defeat amid worst performance...]
[Even after listless defeat, Union Berlin fans cheer players loudly. "We won't give up. We will return to the 2. Bundesliga!"]
[Thomas Tuchel silent on questions about his future.]
[Union Berlin supporters demand Thomas Tuchel stay, promising to solve stadium issue themselves.]
[Iron ranks (Eisern Union) rise again amid club crisis.]
[Stadium construction chief: "We will rise from the brink and rebuild the stadium in the end. Wir sind Union. (Because we are Union.)"]
***
News of Union Berlin's 2. Bundesliga promotion deferral quickly reached Korea too.
Articles about Union Berlin flooded news outlets and papers.
It was possible only because a Korean assistant coach existed at the third-division club Union Berlin.
[Union Berlin fans gather to rebuild stadium.]
└ Wow... they're working for free?
└ This team is overflowing with romance ㅠㅠ
└ Isn't there something we can do to help?
└ Just send donations?
└ Damn, why don't they set up a donation page on the site;;
└ Can't do that because of laws.
└ You a lawyer? You sure?
└ Honestly, no idea lol
Even beyond news articles, Union Berlin's situation was detailed on their Korea-friendly homepage.
Anyway, once the news broke, the football association jumped into emergency meetings.
"...This messes up our plans, doesn't it?"
They had sent overseas trainees assuming Union Berlin's promotion to 2. Bundesliga was likely.
Regrettably, Germany's third division was undeniably below K League standards.
"Reports so far show the players are developing well, so let's wait a bit longer."
"Trusting reports from Union Berlin staff feels a bit..."
"Then should Congressman Park go to Germany himself?"
Congressman Park nearly smiled at the sudden free overseas trip offer.
"...No, that's fine."
He shrank back quietly under the association president's icy glare.
And the news didn't stop at the football association.
Union Berlin's promotion deferral reached the GL Group chairman, who had been watching Park Chan-hyuk with interest.
Receiving the update on Union Berlin via his secretary, GL Group Chairman Koo Bon recalled Park Chan-hyuk's bold demeanor.
"Hmm. Wonder when that kid will reach out."
Union Berlin seemed like a decent investment opportunity.
'Fans volunteering like that proves their loyalty.'
Sports investments were a great way to boost company image in Europe.
Union Berlin was only 2. Bundesliga even if promoted, which was a drawback.
But with this much buzz, it wasn't a loss.
'It might even be a gain.'
No clubs hated Union Berlin except BFC Dynamo.
Across Germany, it was seen as a 50+1 rule success story and a hotbed of romance.
Above all, with fans volunteering, construction costs wouldn't be exorbitant.
So Koo Bon waited for Park Chan-hyuk's call. As a global giant like GL, it looked better to respond to their request.
But no matter how long he waited, no call came from Park Chan-hyuk.
"...Making an old man wait. That punk."
Koo Bon clicked his tongue lightly.
But there was nothing for it.
Around that time, Park Chan-hyuk was.
"...You're stepping down as manager?"
Clutching his head at the sudden news of Thomas Tuchel's resignation.
***
The shocking news spread that Thomas Tuchel would step down as manager at the end of the season.
I heard it directly from Thomas Tuchel himself.
"I'm sorry, but I can't waste two years in the lower leagues."
I nodded at Tuchel's words. It was an undeniable truth.
If promotion was truly deferred, Union Berlin would have to play another season in the third division.
And the DFB was set to reform the third division soon.
The 3. Liga pro league would launch in the 2008/2009 season, dropping the current Regionalliga to fourth division.
Even if Union Berlin secured promotion next season, they'd spend another year in the third division. Regionalliga promotion teams would get 3. Liga spots, not 2. Bundesliga.
'It's a pro league, but still third division and lower-tier.'
For Tuchel, whose name was spreading among first-division clubs, it was no different from wasted time.
Asking him to stay felt like an impudent plea.
Chairman Dirk Zingler just sighed, not trying to hold Tuchel back.
'So why did he call me?'
As I wondered, Chairman Dirk Zingler continued.
"Chan-hyuk, I called you to ask you to stay with the club."
I glanced at Thomas Tuchel upon the chairman's words.
Thomas Tuchel handed the decision to me.
"Personally, I'd love for you to come with me. But I'll respect your choice. Becoming a manager is your goal, isn't it?"
I began agonizing over following Tuchel or staying with Union Berlin.
Tuchel was a friend and the benefactor who pulled me from the gutter.
But the same went for Union Berlin.
The club had given me numerous opportunities too.
"Chan-hyuk, we want you to be Union Berlin's captain."
After agonizing for a long while.
An anxious Chairman Dirk Zingler tried persuading me again.
"How much did you look into?"
I shot back at Chairman Dirk Zingler with a confident expression.