Arrival at Espanyol U19
The pleasantly warm sunlight bathed the training pitch where roughly twenty players had gathered. They were Espanyol’s U19 squad, every one of them sharpening their skills with the dream of promotion to the B team. Among them stood Ha Sunmoon.
As the manager had told him, Sunmoon’s 19/20 season would begin with the U19 side. The U19 coach had assembled the entire group, taking time to introduce each player one by one. Thanks to that process, Sunmoon realized there were almost no players who had skipped age groups.
“Not many kids skipping grades here, huh?”
You’re the unusual one. And the real core of Espanyol isn’t here—it’s in the B team, right?
“Ah, that makes sense…”
Having finished his warm-up, Sunmoon nodded at Clive’s words. Anyone with even a little extra quality would have been called up to the B team already. The B team operated as its own independent side, yet it was also a professional outfit that competed against senior teams and could climb into higher leagues. The stronger the B team, the more it strengthened the first team’s depth; that was why top clubs usually made sure their reserve sides were excellent.
“All right. Let’s begin the practice match.”
At the U19 manager’s command the scrimmage kicked off, and Sunmoon took his usual position at left-back.
Huh? Why isn’t anyone passing me the ball?
Rumors had a way of spreading whether you wanted them to or not. Word of Sunmoon’s massive price tag had already circulated, so from the very first match he found himself quietly marked.
It’s fine. Ignore them. Just do your job. Stay in the right spaces and let them come to you.
When irritation began to creep across Sunmoon’s face, Clive gently reined him in. For the rest of the match Sunmoon simply patrolled the touchline, making no other demands. Only after the whistle did Clive’s true feelings spill out.
Those bloody bastards. Throwing their weight around like they own the place?
Sunmoon had asked for the ball several times, even gesturing for it, but neither the center-backs nor the goalkeeper would release it in his direction.
“Why are they acting like this?”
Easy, Sunmoon. These are the lads who’ll never make it precisely because they behave this way. They won’t even reach the B team anyway.
Clive comforted him slowly, as though he truly understood the situation. Sunmoon gave a small nod.
“Then… what should I do?”
Just keep doing what you can. They’re transparent. You’ll stand out whether they like it or not. Besides, refusing to pass to a single player in a real match? That’s insane. They can’t keep making that choice forever. If the coach allows it to continue, the problem lies with him.
Clive’s eyes burned as he stared at the U19 players.
Especially the ones who are already at the age limit. Some of them fought like hell to get here, but plenty just drifted up without much effort. Didn’t I tell you? The truly talented kids are already in the B team. Don’t bother mixing with that lot. Your real competition will be the players there who are almost the same age as you—not these rejects. Those guys only move up because the rules force the club to promote them before they age out.
The harsh honesty helped Sunmoon’s anger settle.
“Sunmoon!”
“Yes, coach.”
“Come here.”
The U19 manager was waiting with the center-back and goalkeeper who had been on Sunmoon’s side during the match.
“Explain to me why you refused to build play down the left.”
Ooh, time for the post-mortem?
The manager’s questions sounded measured, but his tone left no doubt he was scolding them.
“It’s… his first day, so he hasn’t adjusted to the tempo yet…”
“Tempo? Ha… And?”
“Well… we heard he came from Brazil, so we assumed he’d only want to show off his individual skills instead of passing…”
“Did you actually see him play?”
“No…”
“If I catch that kind of brainless football from either of you again, you can forget about starting for the rest of the first half of the season.”
“Yes, coach…”
“Back to your places.”
The two players shrank under the manager’s glare and slunk away.
“Sunmoon?”
“Yes?”
“Try to understand them a little. You’re younger, so they feel threatened. They’re competing hard against you.”
The manager patted Sunmoon’s head. Sunmoon nodded.
This is when Brother Listen said I should speak like an adult.
“It’s all right. I don’t really pay attention to that kind of behavior anyway.”
“Sorry?”
Sunmoon, what did you just say?
“We’re supposed to be giving everything to win together as a team, yet I have no interest in associating with people who create conflict even inside a youth setup. The truly talented players are already in the B team, right? So my only plan is to reach the B team as quickly as possible. I have no desire to mix with players who are only here because they’ve aged out and are being pushed upward whether they deserve it or not.”
That’s not what I meant!
Wow… this kid is really something else. Quite the handful, isn’t he?
The U19 manager scratched his head, taken aback by Sunmoon’s powerful ego.
“Sunmoon, I think you need to adjust your attitude as well. That kind of talk is dangerous. It sounds arrogant.”
Was that too much?
Sunmoon… softer. That was a bit strong. It’s fine when you talk to me like that, but… not so much with the coach.
Sunmoon recalled something else Clive had taught him and tried again.
“Arrogant? I’m only stating what’s obvious.”
“Pardon?”
“Coach… my weekly wage is twenty thousand euros.”
The manager flinched. Had it been an ordinary player being frozen out, he might have stayed silent. But Sunmoon earned twenty thousand euros a week. The coaching staff had agreed to bring him along slowly, yet the club’s higher-ups wanted faster integration. That was why they were stamping out anything that hindered his adaptation.
“I don’t have time to stay in U19. My goal is to join the first team as quickly as possible, and that’s exactly why.”
“I see… Understood. There won’t be any more of that nonsense, so settle in quickly.”
“Yes, coach.”
With that, Sunmoon jogged back out for the second half.
After training, Sunmoon returned home to rest. Yet Clive’s expression remained clearly dissatisfied.
“What’s wrong?”
The way these kids play football… it doesn’t sit right with me.
Clive was unhappy with Espanyol’s tactical approach. Sunmoon suspected another of his mentor’s mood swings and simply took a sip of water while he waited for the rest.
“Why this time?”
They play like Pep’s little disciples.
Sunmoon nearly spat out his water.
“Isn’t that a bit harsh?”
I’m being perfectly fair! Espanyol’s football is boring! Look at them restricting your greatest weapon—dribbling—and turning you into a plain, colorless fullback who only passes from deep.
In the second half the ball had finally reached Sunmoon, but the team’s painfully slow build-up left him with almost nothing to do. The coaching staff had also instructed him to adapt gradually to the club’s style, so he refrained from his usual runs past one or two opponents.
“That’s… what they told me to do…”
Exactly like Klopp! You press high and fast! Don’t you agree?
“Pep presses high too…”
No! It’s on a completely different level. His version is fussy. Klopp’s is proper English, manly football.
Sunmoon found Clive’s bias mildly ridiculous but chose to listen quietly for now.
What have I spent the last six months teaching you?
“Stamina?”
Exactly! You can sprint the entire match without tiring. You have the engine for endless runs, yet they’re asking you to sit in zonal defense? If you pressed properly here the opposition would lose their minds! A tactic that refuses to use a player overflowing with strengths…
“But if I want to reach the first team, don’t I have to fit into the team’s system? As long as I’m here I have to follow their way. What else can I do?”
In the 18/19 season Espanyol had finished a remarkable seventh in La Liga. That success had come from possession and positional play—the same style Pep Guardiola had perfected at Barcelona and which had since become the template for most Spanish clubs. Yet here was Clive, apparently uninterested in all that, urging him to practice Klopp’s German-style gegenpressing instead.
Hmm… you’re not wrong, but…
“And I can’t play like Liverpool’s fullbacks. They’re good at things I’m not.”
You’re a fullback and you’re good too.
“Liverpool fullbacks are excellent at crossing, right?”
Ah…
This time even Clive had no comeback. Sunmoon decided to move the conversation forward.
“Never mind. First I need to figure out how to break into the senior squad, don’t I?”
Clive stood up with sudden purpose.
Good! Actually, I already thought of a solution. I just hadn’t mentioned it because I was sure you’d refuse.
“A solution?”
Clive nodded.
I’m a ghost, remember? Only you can see me. Only you can hear my voice.
“And?”
I’ll watch from above and tell you exactly where you should be. I’ll tell you the best passes, the right moments—everything.