Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Preseason -2
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***
Before the match between Union Berlin and FC Victoria 1899 Berlin.
To be honest, I couldn’t understand the coach from FC Victoria 1899 Berlin.
‘…Why’s he acting all high and mighty?’
After their coach’s provocation, I looked into their tactics, but there wasn’t anything particularly brilliant or special.
‘This is just a typical fourth-division team.’
In the current match unfolding before my eyes, Victoria Berlin’s performance was downright poor. Especially the half-baked gegenpressing they’d tried to implement under my and Thomas Tuchel’s influence—it was enough to make your eyes rot.
I casually poked at the weaknesses in their tactics. Not that there was anything impressive about it. Their organization was no better than a pile of sand.
Judging by the fact they weren’t using their usual tactics, it was clear the coach didn’t have full control—the assistant was calling the shots.
Naturally, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I hadn’t received any word from the Victoria Berlin side.
This was no way to treat the opposing manager in a preseason friendly.
‘…How am I supposed to check the players’ conditions like this?’
Sure, if they’d put up a decent showing, I might not have minded. But with a performance this abysmal, it was a different story.
Preseason was all about giving the squad one final check before the season proper.
It was precious time to gel as a team.
And some random nobody had come along and ruined it.
I had no intention of letting it slide.
I didn’t care what that coach was thinking.
“Whooooooo—!”
It was time for him to pay the price for running his mouth.
***
The match was one-sided.
With the already massive gap in class between the teams, the coach’s clumsy tinkering with tactics had caused the game to completely fall apart.
I could see the opposing coach, who’d been barking orders, now looking half-dazed. He clearly had no idea how it had come to this.
The sight made me sigh involuntarily.
‘I trusted Tuchel and talked big, but you? You just talked big for no reason.’
At least I knew exactly when to talk big and when to shut up.
Running your mouth before a game carried a subtle risk.
Life was like that—if you talked the talk, you had to walk the walk.
Lose after talking smack, and you’d face ridicule from all sides. In other words, mouthing off in preseason offered zero upside, only downside.
Of course, I had talked smack myself in preseason against the Five Stars Red Wings. But that was a calculated move for the team—to give Union Berlin’s players experience against pro starters.
And it had paid off big time.
Our players gained confidence from holding their own against pros, leading to promotion to the second division.
‘Plus, that was the Korean league….’
Even then, I’d gone in with a plan.
Regrettably, the average Korean league attendance that season was 12,215. Similar to Union Berlin’s average from last season.
There was a difference between standing and seated, but it meant Union Berlin, a third-division side, could draw crowds on par with the Korean league in raw class.
For reference, when we got promoted to the second division, one stand collapsed—proof that the aging stadium kept some fans away.
It was too dangerous to bring kids.
The stadium rebuild was putting us on the national map again, drawing in new fans fast. At this rate, we’d break 20,000 average next season.
Union Berlin’s home had naturally expanded to 40,000 seats thanks to the influx of new fans. As mentioned before, courtesy of GL Group and Park Jung-ah’s contributions.
‘Korean donations turned into a 40,000-seat stadium. You’re welcome, Germans.’
For the club’s future, 40,000 was just right.
Even after promotion to the top flight, Union Berlin often sold out, leaving fans outside.
They even ran weekend lotteries for season-ticket holders.
By 2025, official fan memberships hit 70,000.
Not huge compared to Bayern Munich’s 400,000 or Dortmund’s 200,000.
Unlike those traditional powerhouses, Union Berlin had wandered the lower leagues post-reunification, then ballooned to 70,000 members after 18/19 promotion.
Insane growth.
Some attributed it to East German fans rallying, but Union’s romantic underdog story was the real draw.
Anyway, while I was lost in thought during the routine match,
Subbed-in Son Hong-min rifled a shot that shook Victoria Berlin’s net once more.
I bolted toward their bench again.
***
[Union Berlin Crushes 7-0 with Overwhelming Firepower.]
[Park Chan-hyuk Pulls Off Unique Celebration.]
[‘Halftime Sub’ Son Hong-min Hammers Preseason Debut Goal.]
└ Damn lol
└ Thomas Mayer mf passes that?
└ Fr… Thought Mayer would take it one-on-one with the keeper, but he lays it off to Hong-min.
└ Thomas Mayer’s jaw drops, chocolate pie goes in lol
└ Union Berlin preseason all over the news—journalists flew to Germany?
└ Hong-min got called up to first team. That’s why.
[Park Chan-hyuk on Son Hong-min: “Hong-min is the future of Korean soccer. Please watch over him with warm support.”]
[Park Chan-hyuk Dodges Question on Regular Starting Spot: “That’s for Hong-min to fight for. As Union Berlin’s manager, I can’t show favoritism to any one player.”]
***
Victoria Berlin sent an apology for their rudeness that day.
The coach responsible was fired.
For committing insubordination against the manager and getting sacked, finding work in soccer would be tough.
Anyway.
The silver lining for Union Berlin was that the second preseason went off without a hitch.
I could check the players’ conditions and combinations.
‘Definitely too many forwards.’
Union Berlin’s attack was overloaded.
Blame my moment of greed upon hearing Roberto Lewandowski’s name—I couldn’t resist scooping him up.
No regrets, though.
And there was another plan.
Repositioning Thomas Mayer.
‘His energy level is definitely higher than the others.’
Personally, I thought he’d shine more as a midfielder than a wing forward.
Thomas Mayer was a high-work-rate player. Last season, he’d covered for Daniel Teixeira’s low stamina, proving his endurance. Even in the late league grind when others collapsed, he played full minutes with just a hint of fatigue. A monster.
With solid passing sense too, switching to midfielder had huge potential.
His current ambiguous strengths as a wing forward would become assets there.
‘His speed, for one.’
Thomas Mayer’s pace was decent, but middling for a wing forward.
That position was full of speed demons. Son Hong-min was one right now.
‘No matter how I look at it, midfielder fits perfectly.’
For reference, Modrić ended his winger days post-Messi prime and became a world-class midfielder after repositioning at Tottenham.
Thomas Mayer showed similar promise.
Not saying he’s Modrić level, of course.
Anyway.
I proposed the switch to Thomas Mayer right away.
To avoid bruising his ego—feeling pushed out by rookies—I persuaded him gently.
“You could really make it big as a midfielder.”
The Scouter window backed it too.
[Name: Thomas Mayer.]
Current Ability: ★★★
Potential: ★★★★
Special: Position change to Midfielder -> ★★★★★
Luckily, my sincerity got through.
“…Okay.”
Thomas Mayer accepted without much hurt feelings.
***
Thomas Mayer played soccer like his personality.
Honest and diligent.
His parents were devout Catholics.
Influenced by them, he’d been a faithful Catholic since childhood.
In scoring spots, he’d pass to a better-placed teammate over being greedy.
To him, it was obvious.
The ‘right’ choice for the team.
Lacking a bit in creativity as an attacker, but diligent.
Even Thomas Mayer.
Got pissed at Park Chan-hyuk’s repositioning suggestion.
Felt disrespected.
Deep down, fear too—plenty of players had crashed failing a switch.
But Park Chan-hyuk’s eyes held conviction.
So he accepted. Decided to trust him.
First training in midfield felt comfortable. Like slipping into perfectly fitted clothes. A bit awkward still, but the vibe was good.
‘Better than expected. We can ease into it.’
Unfortunately, Park Chan-hyuk defied his common sense.
“…No, this won’t do.”
For the Bayern Munich friendly, Park Chan-hyuk started Thomas Mayer as a defensive midfielder.
***
The day before, we’d traveled to Bavaria.
To play preseason at Munich’s home stadium.
Tension etched the players’ faces.
Union Berlin players knew Thomas Tuchel’s tactical prowess better than anyone.
Facing him at the helm of the Bayern juggernaut? Impossible not to tense up.
‘Not good.’
I stepped forward carefully to loosen them up with a speech.
“Everyone, we got promoted to the second division despite Thomas Tuchel, not because of him!”
A political move—trash Tuchel’s iron-fisted charisma, built on downgrading him, to boost morale.
But maybe his reign of terror lasted too long.
The players all looked horrified at my words.
“…Chan-hyuk. Look behind you, you idiot!”
Only then did I realize. I’d fucked up.
***