Chapter 13
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Utility Player Added to Blackburn
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I gathered the branch office documents for a report and set off on a business trip for recruiting Yoo Sung-chul.
Upon arriving at Gimpo International Airport, a swarm of reporters crowded in front of me.
"Vice Chairman Lee Dae-hyun, could we have a word?"
"I hear you're planning to spend billions on soccer ventures in Europe. Is that true?"
"With the pound skyrocketing daily, any plans for job creation back home?"
The security team moved to hold back the reporters spouting nonsense they'd picked up from who-knows-where, but I stopped them.
I took a deep breath, raised my hand, and shouted.
"Listen up! I'll tell you everything you want to hear right here."
I'm naturally good at media play.
Even in this sudden gathering, as soon as I started speaking, everyone fell silent, and only camera shutters clicked away.
"First off, Blackburn Rovers, which we're preparing to acquire, is being run under a mandate from the previous owner, Chairman Jack Walker. No formal share transfer has taken place yet—I'm going there as a professional manager to discuss the acquisition later."
"So the rumors of acquiring it for tens of millions of dollars in 1999 are false?"
"Who said dollars? It's pounds sterling. And it's through a partnership with Daeyang Global's European branch."
The reporters scribbled furiously, and another one asked.
"With the foreign exchange crisis forcing domestic sports clubs to sell or disband, isn't operating a European club too reckless?"
"Everyone, in three years, the 2002 World Cup will be held in our country. This is to revive Korean soccer infrastructure after last year's humiliating 5-0 loss. My father, Chairman Lee Won-gyu, is the head of the World Cup Organizing Committee!"
At the mention of the World Cup, the reporters nodded to each other.
Then a sports reporter shot his hand up and shouted loudly.
"I'm Kim Hyun-wook from Daily Sports. Will you be recruiting Korean players to run a Premier League club?"
"Of course. That's exactly why I'm here."
I spread my arms wide and declared.
"Just like Park Chan-ho became the Korean Express in MLB, I'll create the first Premier Leaguer in soccer. We're signing Yoo Sung-chul!"
The reporters went wild, snapping photos frantically.
"Yoo Sung-chul from Ulsan?"
"Vice Chairman, Yoo Sung-chul turned down an offer from Barcelona and went to Japan instead."
"He's already playing in Japan's J-League."
"We'll bring him from Japan to England."
"!?"
"Shouldn't Korea's top midfielder play on a bigger stage than Japan's J-League? I'll go to Japan myself and get him. So please keep following the Premier League from now on."
With that, I waved and left the airport.
Back home, my father gave me an earful, my mother laid out a hearty meal saying it was good to have me back, and during dinner, my brother and Seol-ah peppered me with soccer questions instead of business—it was a lively few days in Korea.
"Invest the dividend shares in real estate and personal stocks."
"Sae-ma-eul Data Man? What's that? It's a small company trading at just 2,000 won per share."
"IT-related firm."
Before my trip to Japan tomorrow, I made future-informed investments one by one in Korea.
I'd already snapped up prime spots like Pangyo, Sanbon, Jukjeon, Paju, Dongtan, and more in my name. For next year's venture boom fireworks, I quietly bought shares in companies trading at 1,000-2,000 won each to avoid market ripples, gathering dust mites into a mountain.
"Bro, about Hannuri Telecom. Wired phones won't gain share easily, so I suggested wireless and internet to Dad."
"Hmm, internet, huh."
I explained telecom to my father, who believed business was about tangible results.
"Starting this year, nationwide network rollout means base station construction and undersea cable projects—plenty of special construction deals. We need at least 30% of the pie."
"R-right. I'll make it happen somehow. But that 30 million pounds in debt assumption—can we pay it off?"
"Of course."
Just wait two years. It'll be pocket change, not 30 million, but 300 million pounds coming and going.
"Lots of people waiting for your Yokohama trip tomorrow?"
On the surface, business talks with Nissan, Yokohama Marinos' parent company. The real deal: recruiting Yoo Sung-chul there.
Business before soccer? No, soccer's my priority over company management right now.
Two hours from Gimpo Airport to Yokohama International. The waiting Japanese branch rep joined us, bowing deeply in the car.
"I'm sorry, Vice Chairman..."
"They won't sell even for double the transfer fee?"
Branch manager Kim Woo-hyun bit his lip and spilled everything.
"Even with our staff pushing, they were so stubborn. I went myself, explained the situation, insisted we had to take him, but these Japanese..."
"What, something like 'He's key to this season's strategy, can't sell no matter what for the team's sake'?"
"...Yes."
"You didn't throw out a blank check like 'We'll loan him back after one season,' did you?"
Manager Kim flinched and said nothing.
I knew the situation all too well.
Ink barely dry on his transfer, and they won't budge even for double. Means they're reconsidering.
But we need this player. We'll get him no matter what.
"Head to Nissan's headquarters first."
"Yes, Vice Chairman."
And so we headed to Nissan's Yokohama branch office.
Originally a business trip for long-term charter shipping exports and auto parts imports from Japan.
Nissan president Hanao and Tsuyoshi came to the office themselves for business talks.
"Mr. Lee, our dealings with your father have gone smoothly so far. Nissan always wants to maintain good relations with your company."
The silver-haired, gold-rimmed glasses president Hanao smiled warmly at me, young enough to be his son.
"Is it true all Nissan operations are moving to Yokohama soon?"
"Haha, yes. Even the Ginza office is relocating."
"I heard Nissan is discussing a strategic alliance with Renault."
"Ah, that... yes, it's happening. A strategic alliance."
Alliance in name only—Nissan on the brink of bankruptcy sold prime Tokyo real estate, restructured, failed mergers with German or American firms, and barely grabbed Renault's coattails for the Renault-Nissan Alliance.
"I've been in Europe a while and hold shares in promising companies. Got some Renault Motors at 20 francs per share."
"!"
"It's personal holdings, but if the charter deal works out, I might transfer them to someone who can. Enough to be a casting vote."
The merger's a done deal, and plenty of Nissan execs are quietly buying Renault shares for the shareholder meeting.
"You hold Renault shares... That's intriguing."
"But unfortunately, I can't sell easily."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Daeyang's doing good business with Nissan, and we've talked with your subsidiary Yokohama Marinos too..."
Exactly five minutes.
I laid out the Yokohama Marinos story to Nissan's president: the player we wanted to sign, Yoo Sung-chul, and how the front office blocked it.
President Hanao's friendly face soured instantly, and he stood up.
"...Mr. Lee, give me one phone call."
"Sure, I'll step out for a smoke."
He returned five minutes later, flushed, acting like nothing happened.
"That Korean player our subsidiary team wants to sign... Ryu-woo... Sung-chul?"
"Yes, Yoo Sung-chul."
"We'll have him in a suit with a manager waiting in one hour. Take him right away."
No matter how hard Yokohama's front office and president stonewalled, one short call from the parent company ended it all.
"Thank you. My Nissan shares are for personal investment anyway, and I'm not into autos—you'll make better use of them, President."
And so Yoo Sung-chul heads to Blackburn. The Marinos president... well, tough luck.
On the way from Yokohama to Blackburn, England.
The table was covered in newspapers plastered with Yoo Sung-chul stories.
[Korean Express Yoo Sung-chul Heads to Premier League.]
[Hero of Belgium Equalizer in France World Cup Finally Goes to Europe!]
[While Japan's Nakata Hidetoshi Goes to Italy's Serie A, Ours to England Premier League!]
Articles galore from that Kim Hyun-wook reporter who'd asked if I'd sign Koreans.
At 27, with shaggy long hair, suited up, sweating nervously—a burly soccer player, Yoo Sung-chul—sat in first class with me, glancing around anxiously.
"Relax. At Manchester Airport, Korean correspondents will be waiting first."
"Ah, yes."
With his honest face, Yoo Sung-chul—toughest performer on Korea's national team—would become the first Korean Premier Leaguer.
"Since Coach Cha Beom-joon, playing in Europe was a dream. Premier League... I'm so thrilled I can't speak."
"Once in Blackburn, the manager will arrange a house near the stadium. No Koreatown, but our Daeyang Europe staff will send rice and kimchi."
"!"
"One thing you should know first, Yoo. Our team's situation."
I told him everything, no secrets: former league champs now in relegation zone, fight like hell in remaining games to escape; Dalglish picked you for versatile positions among many Koreans—guaranteed 5-6 games minimum. Show everything there.
"We won't use you for half a season and discard you. Prove yourself this season, bring your family, thrive in England."
"I will... meet expectations."
Great. Two signings down—now enjoy some soccer with Gattuso-Yoo midfield hounds hunting in the next match!