Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Union Berlin Advances to Japan
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Union Berlin heads to Japan.
***
[Union Berlin defeats Freiburg 1-0 at home.]
[Union Berlin secures promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in club history!]
[Moments after the final whistle, fans storm the pitch, sharing the joy of promotion with the players.]
[Why were fans holding up black-and-white photos?]
└ They brought them to show the fans who passed away without seeing this day that promotion has arrived.
└ Ah… ㅠㅠ So that's why attendance was listed as 45,000…
└ ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
With the match over, Union Berlin clinched promotion.
[Park Chan-hyuk gets tossed in the air by ecstatic fans.]
[How did Union Berlin become a powerhouse?]
[Park Chan-hyuk's popularity in Berlin.]
The moment Union Berlin confirmed their promotion to the Bundesliga, Park Chan-hyuk became a phenomenon.
It was worlds apart from the attention given to lower-league managers or even coaches in Europe's top four leagues.
[Following Cha Bum-geun, another Korean makes history in the Bundesliga…]
[Park Chan-hyuk, South Korea's most famous manager…]
[Bayern Munich considers Park Chan-hyuk as next head coach… Is the end near for Thomas Tuchel era?]
Not just in Korea—articles about Park Chan-hyuk even appeared in Kicker, Germany's most authoritative sports publication at the time.
[Thomas Tuchel: “Chan-hyuk? The best manager I've ever seen. Union Berlin's players trust and follow him like a mother.”]
[Jürgen Klopp on Park Chan-hyuk: “Chan-hyuk is a good friend.”]
Past respectful comments from German soccer managers about Park Chan-hyuk were dug up, filling Koreans with immense national pride.
In the process, Park Chan-hyuk's backstory came to light.
[Title: Why Park Chan-hyuk from Union Berlin is so badass.]
Wins the lottery jackpot, personal info gets leaked.
Flees media and beggars, (forced) emigrates to Germany. (Technically got permanent residency. Seems like his sister and family recently acquired citizenship too. No plans to return to Europe.)
Gets told by Thomas Tuchel in Stuttgart that he has no talent, starts getting coaching licenses on the side.
Ends up as assistant coach in the fourth tier at 18. (Nepotism, sure, but still.)
Head coach in the second tier at 20.
Promotion at 21.
About to become the youngest Bundesliga manager ever at 21 ㄷㄷ
└ Holy shit, is Park Chan-hyuk's decisiveness for real?
└ The immigration decision alone shows insane resolve from the whole family.
└ Lmao, quitting right after being told he had no talent—legendary.
└ But apparently, he already knew his talent was lacking before Tuchel said it.
└ Recognizing that in itself is impressive… Most people just keep going down the same path.
└ Thomas Tuchel is basically a hero of Korean soccer.
└ What did Tuchel do to earn that?
└ Discovered Park Chan-hyuk. When he was unemployed due to racism and other BS, Tuchel called him up.
└ Ah, gotta admit that's true.
└ Tuchel's grace ㅠㅠ
└ Wait, is Park Chan-hyuk a naturalized citizen or what?
└ Nah, he kept his Korean citizenship. Just his family got German.
└ Why?
└ Something about family business, but details are fuzzy.
└ That messenger app you guys use? That's his sister's company.
└ If this were a Korean corp, it'd have been stripped bare by chaebols ages ago.
└ ? Isn't Park Chan-hyuk's sister still in middle school?
└ Park Jung-ah here: Cute looks, smart head, and young too. Perfect wife material.
└ Middle schooler's too young, you fucker lololol
[Title: Why We're Obsessed with Union Berlin.]
Romance: MAX.
Emotion: MAX.
National pride: MAX.
(Park Chan-hyuk airlifted by fans.jpg)
You just have to be a fan of this club.
└ Honestly, I started watching for the Korean players, but now I'm a full-on club fan.
└ Fr, caught myself on Union Berlin's Korean homepage reading up on the club's history.
└ And the Korean translation site is legendary. No need to dig for info, super convenient.
└ Predictions for Union Berlin next season?
└ They're in the top flight now. Champs League would be nice.
└ I wanna see them lift the trophy.
└ Trophy? Champs? Lol, worry about staying up first.
└ Union Berlin dodging relegation would be perfect, gg.
└ With their current form, staying up seems easy.
└ Yeah, survival looks doable. But they need defensive reinforcements first.
└ Park Chan-hyuk's got it handled, no backseat coaching pls.
***
With promotion to the Bundesliga all but sealed, excitement was building across Asia, including Korea and Japan.
[Korean exchange students all make debuts. Overseas Korean players jump to 4 in an instant.]
Korean students' performances this season got massive coverage.
It was only natural for heated Asian soccer associations to reach out.
Agents for Asian players dreaming of Europe were approaching too.
Yeah, all par for the course.
For Asian players heading to Europe, Union Berlin was the top choice.
Just the freedom from racism gave them a massive edge.
“Fuck! Another shitty day!”
Maybe because of their manager, the players were picking up basic Korean.
Mostly swears, but hey… You always learn curses first in a foreign language.
Anyway.
After recovery training wrapped up, two players visited the manager's office.
Niklas Eisen (★★☆ / ★★★) and Ben Richter (★★☆ / ★★★).
Guys with lower potential than most, slated for release once the season ended.
“Boss, we're retiring after this season. Thinking of becoming coaches.”
It's heartbreaking when talent caps your growth.
I knew that better than anyone. No matter how hard you try, it's frustrating as hell.
I nodded at their words.
I could imagine the agony they went through to say this.
No need for empty consolations.
I'd proven there's life beyond playing soccer.
“Alright, looking forward to working with you.”
“Yes, Boss!”
I patted their shoulders quietly and offered them youth coach positions at Union Berlin.
With the club growing, we'd promote from youth coaches up.
They lit up at the offer.
Unlike their looks, they loved kids.
***
Promotion was official, but it hadn't sunk in yet.
Still games left in the second division, so nothing much changed.
[‘Back-to-Back-to-Back’ promotion for Union Berlin—Bundesliga next season.]
Unlike us, the world was buzzing about it.
A fourth-tier team shooting straight to the top flight? Huge news.
[Bayern Munich's Thomas Tuchel congratulates Union Berlin. “Union Berlin holds special memories for me too.”]
Tuchel sent his congrats upon hearing the news.
Rumor had it he'd move leagues after this season.
Abramovich's Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester City were eyeing him.
‘Hmm… Considering Tuchel's personality, Man City seems the best fit.’
Chelsea means clashing with the owner. Real means butting heads with Perez. Man City's patience makes it the safest.
‘Eh, he'll figure it out. If he asks, I'll recommend City.’
Anyway.
After Freiburg, two weeks later in the home game against Bochum, Union Berlin invited the fans who'd given up tickets for the Freiburg match—the ones who made headlines.
Sure, Union Berlin got ribbed as the poor club, but we could swing this.
‘Worst case, dip into my own pocket.’
Luckily, no need. Chairman Dirk Zingler approved.
Great PR for the club image, so we prepped player meet-and-greets too.
Voluntary only—most players stepped up, excluding those prepping transfers.
Ten guests total, diverse backgrounds.
Not just Koreans and Germans, either.
“Park-sang! Fan desu!”
Even a soccer fan from Japan.
‘Hm. Guess I'm still the most popular.’
I smiled at the players.
Their awkward faces? Totally expected.
***
Union Berlin sealed the league title, and time flew.
[Union Berlin clinches 2. Bundesliga championship!]
They held a parade.
Even East Germans who never cared about soccer flocked to Köpenick.
East German club Hansa Rostock was all but relegated to the third tier, and Energie Cottbus barely hung on.
East Germans had no choice but to see Union Berlin as East German soccer's hope.
‘…Maybe expand the stadium seats a bit more.’
Might need to renovate the new stadium sooner than planned.
Anyway.
Right after the season, I headed to Japan.
Needed to discuss exchange programs with the Japan Football Association.
Chairman Dirk Zingler told me to plant a good image of Union Berlin there.
‘…Aren't you guys allies? Already buddy-buddy.’
I swallowed the retort.
On the flight, I racked my brain for icebreakers.
‘One Piece?’
Nah.
Anime screams weeb, and I barely knew it.
Mentioning Japanese players? Might tip off rivals about our targets.
‘Don't even know many Japanese players anyway.’
Landed in Japan while pondering. Had to go with the celebrity I remembered.
“This is… Hatano Yui's homeland. I've always wanted to visit.”