Dad was a Genius - Chapter 13
Only Noblemtl
My Dad Was a Genius Episode 013
Coach Kim Seong-il once again led Seoul FC to the top spot in the K League by winning the 2012 K League championship.
Even though it was the weekend, he was in the director’s office and receiving reports on various matters.
While the meeting was continuing like that, a coach came hurriedly into the director’s office.
“Coach. The first half of the match between Gangwon and Cheonan just ended.”
Director Kim Sung-il nodded at those words and said.
“What is it?”
“They say it’s 2 to 0.”
“Really? Last season, Gangwon couldn’t even score a goal properly. This season, it seems like they’ve improved their finishing ability a lot. Or is it just Cheonan that can’t do it?”
He joked with the coaches and laughed, but the coach who was reporting did not laugh.
“That’s… … It wasn’t Gangwon that scored two goals, it was Cheonan that scored two goals, coach.”
“what?”
Cheonan scored two goals first, not another team?
It was completely unexpected.
The coaches were also embarrassed and burst into laughter.
“Coach Yang was bragging that he had prepared thoroughly for this season, but it seems he just kept quiet so as not to get fired.”
“Haha. Two goals already in the first half against Cheonan, not even another team? Gangwon is going to be a fun team to watch this season.”
The coaches laughed at Gangwon’s manager.
But director Kim Seong-il didn’t laugh.
Isn’t Cheonan hiring a rookie who doesn’t know anything about tactics as its coach?
Even though Gangwon had prepared poorly, it was hard to believe that Cheonan had already scored two goals.
“Turn on the TV.”
“yes?”
“Turn it on when Cheonan and Gangwon play.”
The coaches only then realized the seriousness of the situation at the sound of the coach’s unsmiling voice and quickly turned on the TV.
* * *
“What the hell are you doing! You need to quickly pass the ball and move forward, but why do you keep dawdling around and losing the ball!”
Coach Yang, who entered the locker room after the first half, threw a water bottle and raised his voice.
“Our first opponent is Cheonan, Cheonan! They’re the weakest team in the K-League! And we conceded two goals to them in the first half alone? Aren’t you all in your right mind?!”
The players lowered their heads at the coach’s scolding.
They were still dumbfounded as to what on earth had happened.
“Tell me. What the hell is wrong? I yelled at you to go forward, so why can’t you?”
“As soon as you catch the ball, those guys will come rushing in droves… … .”
It was crazy for Gangwon players too.
When the ball is caught, Cheonan players run towards us and surround us.
At least 3 people, up to 6 people.
In line with the possession tactic, the team had to move forward by passing the ball short, but because of this suffocating pressure, they were either momentarily flustered and the ball was stolen, or they made a passing mistake, which led directly to a counterattack.
As a result, the players became increasingly afraid to move forward and lost confidence, so they were beaten unilaterally without even being able to cross the halfway line.
“If short passes are difficult, try long passes! I told you to keep doing long passes.”
“But whenever I make a long pass, the goalkeeper on the other side always runs out first and blocks it… … .”
It’s a crazy tactic that puts pressure on the defenders who should be at the back by dragging them to the front line.
I don’t know whose idea this tactic came from, but Coach Yang also realized that this tactic was vulnerable to long passes.
So, he ordered his players to make long passes, but every time he did, the goalkeeper, who was supposed to be at the goal, would quickly run out and kick the ball away.
“When those guys press like that, get closer to each other and pass the ball back and forth. Then, when you have a chance, throw a long pass. Just make sure the goalkeeper can’t clear it!”
Coach Yang gave his players a final warning.
“If the second half is the same as the first half, you’d better be prepared. Got it!?”
Coach Yang, who came out of the locker room first, let out a long sigh.
“These crazy guys.”
Pressure tactics have been used frequently since ancient times.
However, there were many cases where the back space was breached while applying pressure, and there were also unfortunate cases where a player was sent off due to a series of warnings from harsh tackles.
And the biggest problem is physical strength.
When you play a pressing defense, your players will lose stamina much faster than usual. Then, they will get tired and give up space in the second half.
That’s why managers avoided pressure tactics.
But this Cheonan team showed such tremendous pressure that people would naturally call them crazy.
It is a murderous tactic that will deplete the players’ stamina more than twice as quickly.
“They say we were flustered in the first half and lost, but the second half will be different.”
They’re basically running the game with a time bomb.
And in the second half, that bomb will definitely explode.
“In the end, you guys will get tired first and we will turn the tables.”
Director Yang had no doubt that this would happen.
Then I will repay this humiliation.
* * *
“You will be the first to get tired and fall down. In the end, we will be the ones to turn the tables and win. The other team is probably thinking this by now.”
I went into the locker room and stood in front of the players.
Two goals in the first half alone.
Even the players had looks on their faces as if they had never imagined that they would put up such an overwhelming performance.
But I already knew this would happen.
Because in football, tactics and training never lie.
“That’s not wrong. This pressure tactic really drains our stamina. No matter how much you train, training and actual combat are two different things. But you don’t have to worry about that.”
I continued, looking at the players still on the list of candidates.
“I have prepared young and talented players as candidates to prepare for this task, and I will make replacements at the appropriate time.”
I worked with scout Kim Soo-han to find new players for a team that no one wanted to join. Young, physically fit, and aggressive players who were essential to my tactics.
As a result, we now have a lot of young rookies on our team.
“As the league continues, your physical strength will naturally decrease. Our team is no exception. We trained you hard to prepare for that. And time is on our side.”
Currently, our schedule in Cheonan is quite loose.
This is because the games are concentrated on the weekends, and even if the games are played on weekdays, there are usually 4 to 5 days off.
“If we only play one game a week, we can spend the remaining six days on light training and rest. On top of that, we finished last season with the worst record and didn’t even qualify for the Asian Champions League. The only thing we have left is the FA Cup in May.”
That means there would be no physical problems.
“My goal for this season is to win the championship, and at the same time, to make sure none of my precious players get injured.”
“… … .”
“So please trust me until the end. I hope you will trust me and follow me, even if it is sometimes difficult to understand.”
The players who had been quietly listening to me suddenly stood up from their seats as if they had made a promise.
“I believe you, Director!!”
“I will follow whatever the director tells me to do!!”
You can feel it in their voices, in the heat radiating from their bodies.
My players deserve to be winners.
“Then we will change our tactics for the second half. By now, the opponent will have seen that we are applying extreme pressure and will change to a tactic that focuses on long passes. So we will change from the 4-3-3 tactic to the 4-2-1-3 tactic.”
The opponent will see in the first half that possession football is no longer working and will hastily change their tactics. Then I will also change my tactics accordingly and lead this game to a great victory.
And the key to this tactic is,
“Player Kang Dae-ho.”
“Oh, yes, director.”
“You will know that this tactic must be centered around Kang Dae-ho.”
In the 4-2-1-3 formation, the father must play as the forward center midfielder.
With the opposing defenders distracted by the three attackers in front, Dad has to exploit their weaknesses and score a goal.
The key to this tactic is the father.
“Please let out all the wildness you suppressed in the first half in the second half.”
My father smiled and nodded.
As I looked at that sight, I was reminded of my father’s warm and dependable face that I always saw when I was young, and for some reason my heart ached.
* * *
“Phew-.”
Kang Dae-ho stood in the middle of the field and took a deep breath.
The stadium looked completely different from what he had expected.
“Cheonan! Cheonan! Cheonan!”
People who had always hurled insults at Cheonan were now shouting Cheonan’s name more happily than anyone else, and seeing the eagle-shaped flags waved by the supporters made me feel proud. However, I was not satisfied with this.
‘I want to run towards that goal too.’
He felt the beastly instinct that he had suppressed and endured for so long wriggling inside him.
‘I want to score a goal too!’
And I wanted to proudly perform a victory ceremony towards those supporters.
Beep-!!
As the whistle blew, the Cheonan players moved as they had been thoroughly trained.
Coach Cha Seong always said this to the players while training them.
We have to be flexible and not be tied to one formation. That’s how we can win.
He says that to do that, you have to go through grueling training.
Following those words, all the players trained as if they were on the edge of a cliff.
and,
“Kang Dae-ho!!”
Now I’m here.
To achieve the results of that training, to become a winner on this stage called the Republic of Korea, in this K-League.
“What, what are these?”
“Chase after me quickly!!”
Indeed, the result is just as the director had expected.
Gangwon changed their tactics to counter the gegen pressing they had never seen before.
But they weren’t the only ones whose tactics changed.
They were confused by the sudden change in Cheonan’s formation and rushed out to defend their positions.
As we hastily set up our defensive formation, we left a gap.
‘It’s now.’
The one who took advantage of that gap was Kang Dae-ho.
Gangwon’s goalkeeper, who was watching the movements of all the defenders at the goal, shouted.
“Number 10! Block number 10!!”
It was in the gap where the defense was spread out to block players coming from both wings that they discovered the key player of this tactic, number 10, Kang Dae-ho.
The defenders discovered Kang Dae-ho late and ran towards him.
“… … .”
It was just then.
‘This is… … .’
In that fleeting moment, it felt as if there was noise in time, as if only I was the only one whose time axis was flowing differently.
Every time this happened, he thought there was something wrong with him.
However, coach Cha Seong-eun said that this is Kang Dae-ho’s greatest strength.
The advantage is that he can perfectly take away the opponent’s timing, which makes him the world’s best striker.
And Kang Dae-ho,
Bam-.
I completely believed what Cha Seong-eun said.
Srrrr-.
A shot fired off-beat.
The power was extremely weak, but the inside shot taken in that twisted time slid across the grass.
“Uh… … .”
Amazingly, the ball crossed the goal line and shook the net.
“… … .”
For a moment, silence fell over Cheonan’s home stadium.
This is because the shot, fired at a time when no one expected it, shook the goal net.
“Go, gooooool-!!”
“Wow-!!”
Soon, a tremendous roar rang out.
Gangwon’s defenders stared blankly at the goal, and the goalkeeper also stood frozen in place. They could do nothing.
It felt like their rhythm and time had all been taken away in an instant.
“wow-!!”
“Kang Dae-ho is crazy!!”
The players were rushing towards Kang Dae-ho, and there was a place where he could run to avoid them.
It was Cha Seong who was clapping with a faint smile right there in the coach zone, and it was directed at the coach.