NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10
April 3rd, Incheon International Airport.
Before departing, Director Han Gwang-jong gave the players some free time to greet their families who came to see them off.
April 3rd was a Saturday, but since it was the first Saturday of the month, it wasn’t a holiday. Gyeouri could only shed tears again in the group chat.
– Han Gyeouri: T_T Again? T_T If it wasn’t for school, I would’ve gone to see you off T_T T_T
Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to say goodbye.
“Son, travel safely.”
“Yes. I’ll take care. Thank you for worrying.”
“You should call me your father-in-law!”
I was able to receive a warm send-off from my father-in-law and mother-in-law.
I smiled as I watched the good-natured quarrel between my father-in-law and mother-in-law and asked my father-in-law.
“But is it okay to leave the company so often?”
“If a company can’t operate without its CEO, it’s doomed to fail.”
“So you won’t be going to work today?”
“No, I’ll be checking in later. But still, the CEO needs to show up so that the staff doesn’t slack off and works hard.”
“Oh, come on. You should ease up a bit.”
“If you want to collect my money, you have to work diligently. What! Do you think you can slack off? I won’t allow my employees to loaf around until I’m six feet under!”
I burst out laughing at the resolute tone of my father-in-law.
Well, even with such words, he is a person who cares for his employees’ comfort.
The company my father-in-law runs had been a dream company that consistently maintained a rating of 4 stars since the advent of corporate review platforms.
“Did you manipulate the reviews by any chance?”
“…Did it show?”
This might be true, but even when the manipulated reviews were deleted, it still hovered around the 3-star mark. Given that many companies in South Korea were stuck in the average range of 1-2 stars, that was indeed impressive.
Anyway, after bidding farewell to my mother-in-law and father-in-law, just as I was about to board the airplane, a message arrived from Gyeouri.
– Han Gyeouri: I’ll send you pictures every day, so don’t get injured.
– Han Gyeouri: If you come back injured, I won’t meet you for a month!
– Ho-woo: A month? T_T
– Han Gyeouri: Actually, thinking about it, a month is too long. One week!
– Ho-woo: T_T One week T_T T_T
– Han Gyeouri: No, just one day!
– Ho-woo: T_T T_T One day T_T T_T
– Han Gyeouri: T_T Just don’t get injured T_T
I laughed at Gyeouri’s worried messages and boarded the flight, and the South Korea U-19 national team flew to the UAE.
The news of the South Korea U-19 national team’s departure got posted. Since it was a friendly tournament, it didn’t receive much attention, and correspondingly, there were few reports, but some soccer communities discussed the article briefly.
[Title: Departing to UAE for the U-19 National Team Friendly Tournament.]
Honestly, I wasn’t interested because it was a friendly tournament.
But after seeing the roster, I got curious lol.
(2010 U-19 UAE 4-Nation Tournament. Final Participating Roster. jpg)
Why is there a player born in ’95 lol.
F*ck, I couldn’t believe my eyes after seeing the roster lol.
└ F*ck;;; I’m from ’95;;; Time really flies;;
└ You lazy bum, what are you doing, not working? lol
└ Yeah, our company does a 5-day workweek, idiot lol. Jealous? lol
└ So jealous, f*ck, I have to work until 6 today T_T.
└ Ah, I see him. The soccer genius who was in the news last time. I can’t believe he skipped a grade, that’s insane;;
└ Wow;; Is a middle schooler playing with college students? That’s wild. Soccer moms must be jealous;;
└ No, he’s a high schooler.
└ But he was born in ’95?
└ He’s a fast one, dumbass.
└ F*ck, those fast-birthday kids should all be buried.
└ Haha, I remember what that’s about. We’re talking about the mom vs. parent rivalry, right?
└ Those parents get triggered over high school students, it’s hilarious;;
└ Gyeonho’s mom was a bit cringe too lol. She pretended to be Son Jinho’s girlfriend, but when a school friend came out to testify, she ran away right away.
└ For real, Gyeonho’s mom is super cringe lol.
└ But are they broadcasting the games?
└ It’s a U-19 friendly tournament, you think they would? idiot lol
└ I heard SBK is broadcasting it?
└ F*ck my subscription fee.
This friendly tournament held in UAE includes the host nation UAE, Egypt, South Korea, and Germany.
The first opponent of the South Korean team was Germany. Just by the name Germany, they are considered a strong team, but given that talented players in Europe are mostly included in professional club first teams, the Germany in this youth friendly tournament likely won’t be that strong.
“What’s up, youngest?”
“I’m just checking to see if there are any familiar names among the participating players.”
“So, do you recognize anyone?”
And sure enough, my instincts were spot on.
“I don’t see anyone. Are we going to win this tournament?”
“Oh, the youngest declares victory.”
Players like Mario Götze and Marc-André ter Stegen, who participated in the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in Nigeria in 2009, weren’t on the tournament roster.
Well, by now, they should be settling into their clubs.
Mario Götze made his debut under Dortmund’s coach Jürgen Klopp this season, and Marc-André ter Stegen, who was the starting goalkeeper for FC Barcelona, but was unfortunate to be overshadowed by Neuer in the national team, had been called up to Borussia Mönchengladbach’s first team last year. He might make his debut in the Bundesliga next season.
“Hey? Who’s this player?”
I swallowed my disappointment and looked back at the list, finding at least one familiar name.
“I think we just need to keep an eye on this player.”
I pointed to that player, who was still bustling in front of me, Dongwon.
“Kevin Polant? He’s a forward?”
Cha Dongwon read what I pointed at, and I shared Kevin Polant’s weaknesses and how to defend against him. By tomorrow, Coach Han Gwang-jong would probably catch wind of it.
***
April 7th, 2010.
At Al Ain Club Stadium in UAE, a friendly match took place between the South Korean and German men’s U-19 national teams.
“Mark number 10—!”
Contrary to expectations that Germany would push South Korea hard, the match proceeded with South Korea controlling Germany instead.
‘Jinho?’
German coach Marco Pechaivoli gazed at South Korea’s number 10 with a peculiar look.
‘I didn’t expect to see that type coming out of Korea.’
Having served as head coach in Suwon from 2004 to 2006, Marco Pechaivoli had a strong understanding of the characteristics of Korean players and swiftly realized just how unusual South Korea’s number 10 was.
The number 10 from South Korea, unlike typical Korean players who lack judgment and response under pressure due to basic skills training, quickly and calmly dealt with German pressure like a seasoned veteran midfielder.
He easily shed each pressure, and the passes he delivered with a broad view were all threatening.
‘What is Kevin doing?’
Before the friendly tournament began, Marco Pechaivoli was compelled to coax a dependable striker into participating in the tournament due to the absence of one.
If he continues to grow well, he could become the main striker for the next generation of the German national team.
He was that talented and had shown results.
Yet for some reason, South Korea’s national team successfully tied down Kevin Polant.
The advantages he held vanished, and his slow feet became even more pronounced.
‘Feels like he’s stuck in a swamp.’
While Marco Pechaivoli buried his head in thought, trying to devise a countermeasure, at the 16th minute of the first half, Kevin Polant, in an attempt to force a breakthrough due to the game not going in their favor, lost possession.
“Youngest—!”
The center-back who snatched the ball immediately passed it to Son Jinho.
“Milk carton!”
Son Jinho, who smoothly eased away from the pressure of the German players, slipped a pass to Lee Hojong penetrating from the flank.
The ball zipped across the suitably moist grass, with Lee Hojong marveling at the pass as it approached him with just the right amount of speed for dribbling.
“Wow, what were those passes I received before? Were they shots?”
Lee Hojong quickly took the slow-moving ball and rushed forward.
“Scheiße!”
Was it because the terrifying white guys were chasing him with the intent to break his legs from behind?
‘…If I get caught, I’m done for.’
Focusing on his natural speed, Lee Hojong dashed faster than usual, closing in on the goal in no time.
“AH! F*CK!”
However, due to his anxiousness, Lee Hojong’s shot, which deflected, got caught by the goalkeeper’s fingertips.
As Marco Pechaivoli was about to let out a sigh of relief—
Boom—
Son Jinho, who had sprinted full throttle from the center circle, blasted the ball into the net as if tearing the net apart.
– Ho-wooouuuuu—!!!
And followed by the Ho-woo celebration.
“F*ck. This game of football is really f*cking terrible.”
Watching Son Jinho’s Ho-woo celebration, Marco Pechaivoli couldn’t help but mutter a curse he had learned during his time in Korea.
***
[Uaaaaaaah! Son Jinho! Son Jinho! Son Jinhoooooo!! The 15-year-old boy scores!!! The boy’s name is!!! Son Jinho!!]
└ No way lol, is this a torture scene? lol
└ For real lol, who put him in the electric chair? lol
└ Wow lol, I’ll probably never forget Son Jinho’s name f*ck lol
– Ho-wooouuuuu—!!!
[Son Jinho, who has just scored, showcases an extremely unique celebration full of personality! Even at a young age, he’s already showing the qualities of a superstar!]
└ ??? What did he just say? Ho-woo?
└ What’s Ho-woo?
└ F*ck lol, what kind of stupid celebration is that? It’s totally lame lol
└ For real, this kid is already affected by outside influences; he doesn’t seem destined for greatness.
└ Really? I think it’s super cool!