Dad was a Genius - Chapter 14
Only Noblemtl
My Dad Was a Genius Episode 014
“Gooooo-!!”
A roar of joy erupts along with the crashing net.
I just saw the goal scene and it sent shivers down my spine.
My father just took up everyone’s time in this stadium.
The goalkeeper, the defenders, the spectators in the stadium, and even I had no idea when my father’s shot was being timed.
This was one of the greatest talents I ever saw in my father.
“Director!!”
My father, who had scored a goal, ran towards me through the players.
And then he suddenly hugged me.
For a moment, my heart sank like that goal net.
“I did as the coach instructed and the goal really went in!!”
It felt like it had been a long time since I hugged my father, and I felt a lump in my throat.
But now is not the time to be swept away by such emotions and shed tears.
“Well done. I believed that Kang Dae-ho could do it.”
I held back my emotions and spoke to my father.
“And now is your chance.”
“yes?”
“It’s a chance to score more.”
He also spoke to the players who were running towards the ceremony with their father.
“The opponent is completely broken right now. Both the attackers and the defenders are out of their minds. Now is the time to launch a fierce attack. Everyone, relax your pressure defense and just advance.”
3 to 0.
There is a saying in soccer that 2-0 is the Maginot Line.
A two-point difference can be overcome with some effort, but if the score increases to 3-0, it becomes extremely difficult to catch up.
Sure, there are some games where they turn that 3-point deficit around, but most of the time they end up losing. This game is no exception.
I took a quick look at the Gangwon players and the manager and coaching staff leading the Gangwon team.
The shock and amazement on their faces.
They were at a loss after their father’s goal and had almost given up on the game.
It was clearly evident on their faces.
“It doesn’t matter if the defense is breached. The other team will never score a goal in that state anyway. So don’t be afraid and just attack. I will give you separate instructions to fill in any gaps.”
Everyone answered those words with powerful voices.
“yes!!”
I looked back at the players returning to the field.
Among them, my father’s number 10 seemed to shine particularly brightly.
Today, that number 10 will give us a fantastic day and Gangwon a nightmare day.
* * *
“… … .”
Chairman Cha, who was reading a report in the study, glanced at the TV in front of the sofa.
And my eyes keep going to the remote control next to me.
“hmm.”
Should I turn it on?
I kept picking up the remote control and putting it down again.
Even though I knew that my youngest son’s directorial debut was today, I couldn’t turn on the TV.
What if I watch the game and Cheonan loses?
What if all that noise marketing comes back like a boomerang and torments the youngest?
Such anxiety was tormenting Chairman Cha.
“Oh my. What is this… … .”
I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous than this, even though I was facing a deal worth trillions of dollars.
Even if you try not to care, it is the youngest son you love, so how can you not be concerned as a parent?
Even so, I couldn’t not watch the game until the end.
“Hey.”
Finally, Chairman Cha gathered his courage and turned on the TV.
however-.
[Goal!! Another goal!!]
On TV, the commentator was shouting excitedly.
Another goal?
Could it be that Cheonan is losing again this time?
That feeling of unease only lasts for a moment.
[The first hat-trick in the 2013 K League! As a rookie, Cheonan’s new ace, Dae-ho Kang, wearing the number 10, is heating up Cheonan’s home stadium!!]
Wait a minute. A hat trick? And Cheonan?
Chairman Cha looked at the score on the scoreboard with a blank expression.
“… … ?”
Chairman Cha rubbed his eyes and looked at the screen again.
“Well, I guess something didn’t come out wrong?”
No matter how much I looked at the cooking, nothing changed.
Cheonan was overwhelmingly leading Gangwon by 5 points.
[It’s a whopping 5-0. Cheonan has never won a game by scoring more than 5 goals in its history, so it’s a new sight to see Cheonan like this.]
[Yes. Even without that, wasn’t there a lot of talk about the temporary manager Cha Seong? To put that controversy to rest in one go like this is truly an incredible performance.]
[That’s right. This is showing such an amazing performance that it makes us doubt if this is really the last place team Cheonan that we know.]
The casters were also full of praise.
Still, Chairman Cha found this situation hard to believe.
The youngest son who was reckless.
Even when that guy suddenly and seriously asked me to let him be a director, I gave him the position so that he could at least do the bare minimum of what a human being should do.
And if they could just avoid the relegation zone that was newly introduced in 2013, they would be satisfied enough.
But this is… … .
“You kid, you really plan on doing this.”
I still vividly remember what the youngest boy said that day, looking straight at me with his eyes wide open.
K-League Championship.
He dared to talk about winning, and now he has taken the first step towards achieving it.
Chairman Cha’s hands were shaking at this huge victory that he had not expected at all, no, perhaps only the youngest one had expected it.
Tiring-.
“hmm?”
The game is in the 85th minute of the second half.
A time that was virtually a victory for Cheonan.
Then I got a call from my daughter.
“Okay. What’s going on?”
[Dad, are you watching the game? I’m so nervous I can’t watch it.]
It seems that his daughter felt the same way.
It is said that siblings usually do not get along well and are busy fighting with each other, but Chairman Cha’s children in particular got along very well with each other.
“Turn on the TV and watch it now. It’s okay.”
[Really? Cheonan is winning? No… … . A draw? Ugh. I wish it was at least a draw.]
“Stop talking and just turn on the TV, Inseok.”
I could hear the sound of someone fumbling around in his office, looking for the remote control to turn on the TV.
yet,
[Gyaaaah-!!]
A tremendous scream was heard from beyond.
[Oh, Dad. What is this? Is this real? Is something wrong right now? No, Cha Seong is this crazy guy!!]
Chairman Cha couldn’t help but burst into laughter as he heard his daughter’s excited voice.
* * *
After the whistle blew to signal the end of the game, everyone in the stands gave a standing ovation and shouted at the players.
“Cheonan!! Cheonan!!”
To be honest, even when I entered the stadium, the atmosphere in the stands was very ominous.
Didn’t Cha Seong shout at the manager through a loudspeaker, telling the team to leave?
But look at the stands now.
“Wow!!”
“Cheonan is the best!!”
“It’s really different!”
It was a crucible of excitement, and people who had come to the stadium out of curiosity today were jumping for joy and celebrating Cheonan’s splendid victory.
Their passionate enthusiasm was fully conveyed to the players.
“I won!!”
“5 to 0!! It’s really 5 to 0!!”
“Wow. How did Daeho get a hat trick?”
“It’s all thanks to you guys for being so good to me. And most importantly… … .”
Kang Dae-ho looked at Cha Seong-eun, who was the last to come in and talking to the coaches, and said.
“If it weren’t for our coach’s tactics, we would never have scored.”
The players nodded at those words.
“That’s right. If it weren’t for the coach’s tactics, this would have been a victory I wouldn’t have even dreamed of.”
“No. Didn’t you get goosebumps today? From beginning to end, everything went exactly as the director said.”
The tactics worked from the beginning, the opponent team changed their tactics in the second half, and the opponent completely collapsed in a 3-0 situation, all happened just as Coach Cha Seong had expected.
Is this the ability of a coach to lead a soccer team?
The difference between Cheonan last season and Cheonan now is like heaven and earth.
“Thank you all for your hard work.”
Soon, Cha Seong-eun entered the locker room.
The players who had been chatting excitedly returned to their seats as soon as the coach came in and listened to the coach’s words with a serious attitude.
“Today’s victory is very meaningful. It has definitely erased the anxiety that you have had in your hearts, and you will be able to move forward with more confidence starting from the next game.”
During the time when no one wanted to have a practice match with Cheonan, and we just trained hard at the stadium, the players had doubts about whether this was the right thing to do.
But today’s game took all that away.
“We will continue to face strong teams in the future. Also, they will be prepared because they saw our tactics today. After all, soccer is a game like chess.”
Chess is a game of tactics between two players.
No matter how good the players you use, if you use the wrong tactics, you will be counterattacked. That is soccer.
“But don’t worry. I have already prepared countermeasures for that, and you have endured my training well. No matter what the situation, we will not panic and will do well.”
The players nodded.
If someone else had said that, I would have been suspicious, but if it was Cha Seong-eun who was saying it, I strangely believed it.
“Besides, opposing teams can’t just change their tactics. To counter our best tactic, gegenpressing, we have to come up with new tactics, and it usually takes at least two to three months to properly imprint new tactics on the players.”
The Cheonan team’s stats were not that high compared to other teams.
Sure, there are some talented players, but not all of them.
Therefore, the best weapon they have is tactics.
Tactics are something that must be learned through thorough training.
Aren’t there a lot of teams that suddenly come up with brilliant tactics and end up failing because they try to impress upon their players without proper training?
In other words, even if the opposing team prepares hard to counter the gegenpressing tactic, they will have no choice but to sit back and take it due to lack of training.
But even so,
“You can’t let your guard down in sports.”
Cha Seong-eun spoke strongly to the players.
“I know you want to have fun today. But you can’t get full after just one drink. Our tactics are based on physical strength above all else, so we need to take good care of our bodies.”
Although everyone wanted to drink until they were drunk, as the director had said, now was the time to hold back.
“But I promise you this. If you follow my instructions, I will definitely bring you the K-League championship trophy.”
The players’ eyes widened at those words.
K-League Championship.
When the director first set his sights on it, he thought it was an impossible dream.
But with today’s victory, they too are slowly beginning to believe.
Maybe… … really, maybe Cheonan will lift the championship trophy this season.
“And when I lift that trophy, I’ll take responsibility and have a drink with you all until the next morning. But you have to know one thing.”
“… … ?”
Director Cha Seong said with a faint smile.
“I can really drink that alcohol well.”
“Hey~.”
“I don’t think you’ll even touch alcohol?”
The players reacted with disbelief.
Then, Director Cha Seong made a promise.
“On the day we win, let’s see who can hold on until the end without collapsing. We’ll also bet a big prize.”
“Wow~!”
“You really won’t let me see you then, Director? Hahaha!”
Rather than being discouraged by the words that both food and alcohol would be strictly controlled, the players’ spirits rose even more as they cheered.
It was a truly sweet day of victory.