Chapter 18
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Injury System Overhaul: This is K-Medical!
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After three straight losses, Blackburn barely scraped by in their away match against Coventry City with a goal and an assist from Ian Wright.
Even so, after securing the away victory, everyone on the bus home was singing songs in high spirits.
For many a year
And I've spent all my money
On this seat right here
There's no point in saving
For a rainy day
Cause I'll be a wild rover
Till my dying day!
They were belting out Blackburn Rovers' anthem, The Wild Rover, on the ride back.
Cause I'll stay wild rover
Forever and more~
"Nice song."
Glancing out the window at everyone singing along, I saw a spectacular sight—countless cars heading toward Blackburn, windows wide open. Some fans were even hanging dangerously out of their vehicles, waving Blackburn Rovers flags our way, while supporters crammed in the back of trucks belted out The Wild Rover just like us.
"I'll be a wild rover, till my dying day..."
I couldn't help but hum along to the tune.
When we finally got back to Blackburn and everyone headed home, I grabbed Dalglish.
"How's Henchoz doing?"
"He got studded so hard it nearly shattered, no fractures but he's in real pain."
When someone takes a fall or a hit like that, the ache lingers forever.
In the brutal EPL, where you're tackled and rolling on the pitch, you need to treat injuries fast.
I headed to the club's rehab center, where Henchoz and other players nursing issues were icing up or getting painkillers from the team doctor.
"Kenny, now I get it. Proper injury management alone can prevent disasters like last time."
"Injuries are always key. I'm already managing their diets and cutting back on the booze."
"There's more to do than that."
For a Premier League team, the setup was laughable—a few exercise machines and an elderly team doctor who looked like a school nurse from the health room.
They popped anti-inflammatories and painkillers unrelated to doping, then loosened up on bikes and exercise balls. That was it. I spoke up right away.
"I'll talk to John Williams about upgrading the medical and rehab facilities."
"We can't do much right now, can we? Though investments for the future are welcome."
"We need something we can use immediately."
I'm the type who acts the moment I spot an opportunity.
I stayed in the club office, digging through files. When nothing panned out, I cracked open the books on the shelves.
From the FA rulebooks to coaching staff notes on managing injured players.
Some of it was jaw-dropping.
Chicken soup before matches to fill the stomach. Special herbal smokes for smokers. Dousing sprains with strong Scotch whiskey and letting it dry.
Ridiculous, but back then—and even in my time—some veteran European managers with million-dollar gear swore by alternative remedies like slapping cheese on bruises or aromatherapy.
I was deep into slow-dial-up internet searches and handwritten docs when...
Knock knock.
"Anyone in?"
Creeeak.
"!?"
The door opened to reveal Jack Walker in a wheelchair, accompanied by his caregiver, Linda Mattiessen.
"Ah, Chairman?"
I'd kept him updated on Blackburn's results, but he was supposed to be in recovery. He wheeled over and peered at the papers on my desk.
"Manageable?"
"Pretty fascinating, actually."
"Old player management files, eh."
Jack Walker adjusted his magnifying glasses, so I tidied the docs as I explained.
"Henchoz's injury left a hole in defense, so I'm looking for ways to speed up recovery for the hurt players."
"There's this 'Fat Sam' in the Second Division. A real oddball bouncing around lower leagues."
Fat Sam that Jack Walker mentioned? I think I know the name...
"You mean Sam Allardyce of Bolton Wanderers?"
"You really know your English football. Yeah, that Fat Sam."
Jack Walker told me about Sam Allardyce, Bolton's manager in the nearby Second Division team.
"He even applied to coach Rovers once, brought some wild stuff. A football manager with a sports science PhD? Scientific football systems? What a nutjob—learning the game in university?"
"Hahaha..."
"He pitched burning mugwort on skin like the Easterners do, or hiring Chinese and Japanese docs to poke needles for recovery."
"!"
"Being from Asia, you might know a bit?"
"More than most, yeah. Time to prepare."
"!?"
"We'll expand the sports rehab center into a spa. Finnish dry saunas, big tubs, hire acupuncturists and sports masseuses."
Jack Walker chuckled and nodded at my words.
"Give it a go. Expectations are high this season."
"No relegation on Blackburn's watch, Chairman."
After Walker left, I got right to preparations.
"Never thought I'd see Korean medicine in England."
"Happened to have someone in London, so I brought him in a rush."
Yoo Sung-chul stared in wonder, while the other Blackburn players eyed the robed elderly Asian like, "Who's the old Eastern guy in the gown?"
"Listen up, everyone. This is a Korean medicine doctor—Dr. Cha Sang-min, a professor who's published papers on alternative medicine in Europe. Any aches or pains? Get some moxibustion and acupuncture."
"Mr. Lee, you want us to get shots?"
"Not shots—needles."
To demonstrate, I showed my stiff neck from all the late nights and lay on the rehab bed.
"Professor, these are athletes worth billions. Demo on me first."
"Mm, alright. You've got a bit of turtle neck here... like this..."
Professor Cha, from Kyung Han University's renowned Korean medicine department, pulled out his acupuncture kit and placed the needles one by one.
"I got chuna therapy and osteopathy training back home after a car accident."
"Plenty at Daeyang got needles from you too. Starting with Mom."
"Haha, treated her back pain a few times myself."
I showed acupuncture right there, shocking the guys seeing it for the first time.
"Oh Jesus, what the hell's that? Sticking needles in himself like a voodoo doll?"
That voice—Martin Taylor.
"Looks like that Asian docu on TV ages ago. Jabbing needles everywhere, smoking people with braziers, force-feeding black goo."
Tuso-tuso. What Italian TV did he watch?
Meanwhile, Yoo Sung-chul watched quietly, then stepped up.
"Uh, my knee's acting up... Can I go next?"
"Ah, Yoo Sung-chul! Great games lately. Right after."
Following my lead, Yoo Sung-chul got moxibustion and acupuncture from the Korean doc in England to manage his legs.
Thud!
"Injured! We've got an injured!"
"!?"
"Argh, damn it!"
Chris Sutton helped Ian Wright in, arm over his shoulder.
Ian flopped onto a bed as I rushed over.
"Ian, what happened?"
"Screwed up at my age. Tripped on the ball, tweaked my back."
"Damn, just when he was on fire."
As everyone fretted over Ian's injury, Professor Cha approached calmly.
"Excuse me."
Cha pressed Ian's back firmly, then needled the spot where he screamed in pain.
"Whoa, what's this shot? Ow ow ow—"
"Don't move. Needle's in."
"Mr. Lee, is this legit treatment?"
I held back Sutton's protests and told him to watch.
A moment later...
After steaming moxibustion, Ian Wright rose, twisting his body this way and that in amazement.
"Ho ho?"
"Ian, what do you think of Korean medicine?"
"Felt like tiny pricks, but my back's warm now... Pain's down. Yeah, it's less."
Ian got up and went out to loosen up.
I formally budgeted for hiring a Korean doctor to Blackburn's rehab team and building a spa.
[GOOOAAAL!!!!!]
WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!
"Goal! Goal! GOOOOAL!!!"
Ewood Park erupted in frenzy.
Against 10th-place Wimbledon FC, Blackburn unleashed another goal barrage.
Damien Duff's goal and assist put them up 2-0 at halftime.
Wimbledon pulled one back, but Ian Wright sealed it with another, ending 3-1.
Ian, back pain from training a distant memory, sprinted with arms wide—then nailed a somersault at his age.
Trailing 2-0, Wimbledon pressed, but Yoo Sung-chul paired with Gattuso at defensive midfield and flew around the pitch.
Thump!
"Huh?!"
Usually crumpling under EPL rough tackles and weak in physicals, Yoo Sung-chul held firm this time, shrugging off a hit to clear the ball first.
Gattuso picked it up and launched forward, sparking another attack.
Yoo Sung-chul clapped, urging the team on. They pinned and pounded Wimbledon for a 3-1 romp.
"Back to 15th today! That's the power of K-Medical, you lot!"
34 points now, 5 clear of relegation-zone Southampton.
Keep this up.
The ground hardens after rain—we turned three losses into two wins, tackled injuries, and charged ahead.