Chapter 29
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Rebuilding Phase – Just No Winless Streaks
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I'll chalk it up to a rebuilding phase. As long as we don't go winless.
The second half kicked off with James Beattie's first goal.
And hilariously, this was his first senior goal, all the way from Blackburn's youth team.
Gerrard had made a flashy run, only to lightly jog in a mid-range shot after tripping spectacularly.
He'd been dribbling and passing through midfield to build attacks, even dropping back to clear balls, trying to do it all himself—until it backfired.
Liverpool had taken a hit, and the match was heating up into something truly exciting.
In that moment, Dalglish called over captain Southgate and started talking strategy.
Whatever the plan was, we'd figure it out after kickoff.
Thud—tap-tap—
Liverpool on the attack again.
Owen pushed forward once more, but Paul Ince and Scott Parker charged in side by side.
Owen's dribbling was top-tier in the current Premier League, but the relentless midfield pressure forced him to pass sideways.
Vegard, the right back, and Gerrard—eager to make up for his earlier mistake—shifted to the flanks.
That's when Wayne Bridge pushed up higher than usual, marking Parker tightly.
At the same time, Yoo Sung-chul surged forward on the opposite side.
They're raising the fullbacks to cut off Liverpool's shifts to the wings after getting blocked centrally.
Houllier switched to flank attacks instead of the middle, and Dalglish quickly pushed the defense up to clear from midfield.
The midfield tug-of-war dragged on—steal, counter-steal—until both sides zeroed in on one thing.
A killer pass exploiting individual skill, or a straight dribble breakthrough followed by a blast at goal.
Smicer, McAllister, and Gerrard were all laser-focused on feeding Owen's feet, doing whatever it took to get him the ball.
But here's the thing.
Tap—
Here, Duff snatched it and charged full throttle down the left flank.
As we pushed our line up, Liverpool's flanks—which had mirrored us earlier—suddenly gave Duff free rein, and the ball at his feet flew as a through pass to Kevin Phillips.
Rigobert Song rushed to block Phillips and clear, but the instant it touched his foot, Phillips slotted it home with effortless grace.
The equalizer.
Ewood Park erupted, the stands shaking as mocking chants rained down on Liverpool.
[Sing your anthem, YNWA~ YNWA~]
[Dumped Paul Ince~ Kept dummy Houllier! Houllier!]
Every time Blackburn fans gleefully taunted the away end, the red wave of Liverpool supporters surged in response.
The police and stadium staff must be run off their feet today.
Liverpool, now on the back foot, went full throttle on attack.
Owen was dribbling until he collapsed from exhaustion—it was heartbreaking to watch, not quite overworked but close.
Dalglish responded by subbing Paul Ince for Gareth Barry and Yoo Sung-chul for Jeff Kenna.
With five minutes left in the half, he brought off Ian Wright to run down the clock.
Ian clapped for focus the moment he came on, and Liverpool pressed again.
Gerrard broke through once more, passing to Owen.
Owen shook Henchoz and Kenna, unleashing a ferocious shot that curled wickedly sideways.
The ball rocketed with vicious spin, but Schmeichel dove to punch it away.
"Phew!"
That shot had my heart in my throat, but it was their last real chance as time ticked down without further threats.
Beep—beep—breeeep—
Full time.
Three points against Liverpool pushed us to 14 points and sixth place.
A wild, exhilarating victory that had everyone buzzing.
I headed to the locker room post-match to praise the players.
"You all did brilliantly today. Absolute top-class performance."
To celebrate beating Liverpool, I personally handed out appearance fees in envelopes.
"Whoa, this team's paying out nicely."
"Paul Ince. You're still kicking, eh?"
"Thanks for letting me stick it to Liverpool."
The former Liverpool captain Ince laughed heartily and gave me a high-five.
As players headed to showers or the stadium spa, Dalglish lingered in the sweat-soaked locker room.
"We won today, but there's plenty to think about from that endgame."
"!"
"Gattuso returns the game after next, sure. But even if Ince's brain is sharp, full ninety is too much."
"We'll lean on Parker and Barry more. Yoo Sung-chul can drop central in a pinch."
Things aren't half bad right now, are they?
Sure, Man Utd, Chelsea, and Leeds are flying high, but we're holding our own against Liverpool and Arsenal at least.
"Mr. Lee, I'm treating this season as rebuilding. Planning to rotate in the new signings. But teamwork's the real key."
"Haven't they meshed since the friendlies?"
"Barry and Parker both have international potential within three years. Problem is, their high-work-rate styles overlap on runs."
Like why Gerrard and Lampard never clicked for England.
"So, instead of 4-4-2, I'm thinking 4-3-3 with Gattuso or Ince between Barry and Parker. But then..."
"Kevin Phillips can't shine as a lone striker?"
Kenny Dalglish nodded with a smile.
"Kenny, do it your way. I'm not the type to sack a manager after three or four losses. Build a foundation: league title in three years, Champions League in five."
I left him with that and headed to the Blackburn office.
With all the injury prevention and player care we'd implemented, it was time for a Premier League first.
"Section Chief Park."
"Yes, Vice Chairman."
I'd promoted Park Hyun-guk—who'd juggled Daeyang Global and Blackburn duties—to deputy manager and kept him by my side.
"Looking to import medical gear in bulk from the UK. Scout US and Japanese suppliers."
"What kind?"
"Cryotherapy chambers. Those cold-mist recovery pods for athletes post-intense sessions."
"Ah, the ice capsules boxers and baseball players use."
Developed in the 1970s, they really caught on in the late 2000s.
After that, top footballers bought personal units.
"Pilot program first, then see about selling in the UK."
"Got it, Vice Chairman."
The squad's in Kenny Dalglish's hands; I'll keep supporting.
From every blade of pitch grass to medical tech, training gear, academy facilities—everything.
Afterward, we tried 4-3-3 away at Middlesbrough and ended in a dull 0-0 stalemate.
Kevin Phillips as lone striker flopped, and targeting Beattie with Ian Wright as shadow striker didn't click.
Round 8 was fifth-place West Ham, outperforming Arsenal and Liverpool at the moment. Despite Lampard, Joe Cole, Vieira, Di Canio, and crew, Phillips scored from two up top—but it ended 1-1.
Then Everton: goals from Ian Wright and Kevin Phillips for a 2-0 win.
With Everton, Blackburn, and West Ham scrapping for 5th-7th, next up was the cup against Portsmouth.
Once the Coca-Cola Cup, now Worthington Cup—later Carling, Capital One, Carabao—the EFL Cup sponsor shuffle.
With Phillips and Wright up top, John Filan in goal for his first run, and Barry-Parker in midfield, we fielded a 1.5 squad.
We attacked from the whistle. Yoo Sung-chul, shifting from right back to right wing for the first time in ages, bulldozed through rough Second Division challenges.
Rough around the edges, but shrugging off dirty tackles and elbows, he dribbled long and whipped in a cross.
Beattie latched on and smashed it—off the post.
Van Basten must be groaning on the bench loud enough to hear from here...
Goal! Goal! GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"!?"
Whoa, damn.
Phillips pounced on the rebound and buried it.
Kevin Phillips celebrated with swagger, signaling to the manager: 'I score in any comp, not just league.'
He flashed two fingers toward Beattie.
No lone striker for me, huh?
Before halftime, another chance: Yoo Sung-chul intercepted a holding mid's ball.
Before the defender closed, he unleashed a mid-ranger.
"Yoo Sung-chul!"
Clean strike, right in.
As his dyed brown hair flew with arms outstretched in celebration, Barry, Phillips, Duff, and others mobbed him.
First goal of the season in cups, not league, for Yoo Sung-chul.
"That's more like it!"
The League Cup second-round qualifier wrapped smoothly.
Second half: Yoo Sung-chul cross, Beattie header. Ian Wright, subbed for stamina management, added a "I'm not dead yet" screamer for 4-0.
"We'll snag a cup this season..."
One last gift for Jack Walker? Definitely on the cards.