Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: 08/09 Preseason -1
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Our first preseason schedule was in Japan.
Since we'd come to Japan right after the last season ended, it felt like a bit of wasted travel, but there was no helping it.
We had to wrap up negotiations before the Beijing Olympics got underway.
[Beijing Olympics Opening: D-30.]
The general public's attention had started shifting toward the Beijing Olympics as it drew near.
[Union Berlin Heads to Japan.]
Still, thanks to my hustle, I managed to promote our preseason matches to Japanese soccer fans plenty before all eyes turned to the Olympics.
[Park Chan-hyuk Pro-Japan? Buzz Over His Search for Japanese Talent.]
└ Wow, check out these articles. Park Chan-hyuk would be mortified if he saw them.
└ For real. After everything he's done for Korean soccer...
Back in Korea, there was some backlash over my scouting Japanese players.
But abandoning the Japanese market out of some petty patriotism would be foolish—it was too big an opportunity.
Honestly, from Union Berlin's position, we'd be better off ditching the Korean market first.
Japan was on another level; newspapers even stationed full-time reporters overseas for their players breaking out.
And just like last time, a massive crowd swarmed the airport when Union Berlin arrived.
***
Union Berlin quickly knocked out their schedule in Japan.
[Park Chan-hyuk Visits Famous Sushi Spot with Union Berlin Players. "Japanese Sushi is the Best in the World."]
I sampled some Japanese food, tossed out an "oishii" or two, and did interviews with broadcasters about Japanese soccer.
[Park Chan-hyuk: "There Are Plenty of Promising Talents in Asia..."]
[Union Berlin's Park Chan-hyuk Offers Advice on Japanese Soccer. "Japan Should Consider Using Mixed-Race Players More to Achieve Better Results..."]
We wrapped up all the events somehow, and on match day...
[Park Chan-hyuk Starts Endo Wataru? What’s the Signal?]
For fan service, I fielded every Japanese player we'd cleanly signed.
Well, I'd said every one, but excluding those called up for the Beijing Olympics, it was just our prospect Endo Wataru.
Endo Wataru wasn't fully ripe yet, but that was fine.
Preseason games weren't about winning at all costs.
"If you don't know what to do, pass to the Luca next to you... wait, we've got two Lucas on the team. Just give it to Modrić."
I gave the visibly nervous Endo some comforting advice.
Then shortly after, the match against J.League champions Kashima Antlers kicked off.
***
[Union Berlin Starting Lineup Revealed.]
Roberto Lewandowski - Yannick Foigt.
Luca Schneider - Endo Wataru - Marcus Matzeke - Luka Modrić - Thomas Meyer.
Dante - Thiago Silva - Cafu
Manuel Schmidt.
***
At that moment, Kashima Antlers were in their golden era.
They'd won the league last season and were leading it this season too.
And next year, they'd take first again, achieving the first-ever three-peat in J.League history.
Oswaldo de Oliveira, who was steering Kashima Antlers through their peak, was baffled by Union Berlin's tactics.
'Three at the back...?'
Up until last season, Union Berlin had been a four-back team.
He never dreamed they'd suddenly pull out a three-back without warning.
Sure, they'd signed a ton of defenders in this summer window.
But he'd figured it was just lottery-ticket signings, not that they'd all start.
Defenders were a position that demanded organization more than others—one mistake led straight to a goal.
'...No way they're just half-assing it because they don't mind losing?'
For a split second, he wondered if Union Berlin's manager was looking down on the J.League.
But once the game started, that thought vanished.
'You can use three at the back like that, huh.'
The three-back tactic was fading fast, overshadowed by Bundesliga's gegenpressing and Arrigo Sacchi's pressing game.
And soon Pep Guardiola's tiki-taka would nail the coffin shut on three-back systems.
But three-back would rise again.
Its tactical flexibility was that strong.
All Park Chan-hyuk had done was pull the resurrected three-back out a little early.
'...Is that one defender right now?'
Union Berlin switched to a five-back in defense, and when attacking, all center-backs except Thiago Silva joined in aggressively.
With Thomas Meyer stretching the right wingback wide, Cafu took the space and spotted attackers breaking into the box, whipping in an early cross right away.
Even with age on him, his kicking power was unchanged.
Cafu's sharp cross flew into the box, and Roberto Lewandowski met it forehead-first for a clean goal.
After scoring, Roberto Lewandowski sprinted to the corner flag and hit a double hola with me standing there.
"Holaaaaa─!"
"Holaaaaa─!"
***
[Goooaal! It's in! Roberto Lewandowski! Union Berlin takes the lead!]
[Wow! Cafu's crosses are still lethal!]
[Form is temporary, class is eternal! The Japanese crowd roars for Cafu's cross!]
[Yes, exactly! And midfielder Endo is playing very steadily too!]
"Holaaaaa─!"
"Holaaaaa─!"
[Whoa!! The Japanese fans cheer for Park Chan-hyuk's celebration!]
[Haha, what a showman this manager is.]
***
After Lewandowski's opener, the game flow completely swung to Union Berlin.
Kashima Antlers tried heavy pressure, but our beloved Brazilians shook it off effortlessly.
For reference, Thiago Silva had even played central midfield in his original timeline.
He had that kind of positional versatility.
And right now, Thiago Silva was learning a ton from his national team senior, Cafu.
The Brazil connection was producing solid synergy.
Anyway.
Union Berlin kept circulating the ball, waiting for openings.
Whoooosh─.
When the gap opened between Kashima Antlers' midfield and defense, Dante slotted it forward.
Kashima's defensive line crumbled from one pass by Dante. Lewandowski controlled it and backheeled to Marcus Matzeke.
Marcus Matzeke stayed cool and rifled a shot into the net.
I watched Marcus Matzeke celebrate and drifted into thought.
'Man, Japan is fucking hot.'
The humid heat was driving me nuts.
Sure, it was nothing compared to future steam-bath summers, but hot was hot.
'At least Japan doesn't get cold in winter.'
Yeah, Korea was the weird one—scorching like Japan in summer, Siberian in winter.
Japan's climate was the norm.
For the record, I didn't steal Marcus Matzeke's celebration.
It was too damn hot to run out there earlier.
While I cooled off in the shade.
Yannick Foigt took Luka Modrić's through ball and buried another clean shot to shake Kashima Antlers' net again.
And shortly after.
Yannick Foigt pulled off a lame celebration at the corner flag after scoring.
It was so lame I just snatched it.
"Holaaaaa─!"
***
[Union Berlin Crushes Kashima Antlers 4-1.]
[Park Chan-hyuk: "Endo Has the Talent to Make It in the Premier League."]
[Union Berlin Wraps Japan Tour and Heads to Korea.]
[Union Berlin Faces Korean League All-Stars at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Sangam.]
***
After finishing up in Japan, we headed to Korea.
The players' schedule there was similar to Japan. Eat some Korean food and rave about how amazing it was.
'But I'm a bit busier...'
I was set to run tryouts in collaboration with broadcasters.
Players selected here would earn the honor of joining Union Berlin.
For reference, the whole thing would air as a variety show.
'Will it even get ratings?'
I doubted it'd pull numbers, but since we were just getting paid, we ignored ratings.
For reference, we set the test fee at 20,000 won to weed out jokers.
Sure, letting them all in would've made for great TV, but sadly I didn't have time to waste on that.
Even so, a massive crowd poured into the test venue.
"...They all came to see this?"
It was only natural I was stunned by the horde.