Dad was a Genius - Chapter 66
Only Noblemtl
My Dad Was a Genius Episode 066
4 consecutive wins.
In soccer, winning four games in a row isn’t really that special.
Because strong teams win streaks as easily as eating rice.
Especially in the case of the EFL, once they get going, doesn’t it often happen that they win 10 games in a row?
The gap in level between each team was also very large.
But what if, on the other hand, a weak team defeats all the strong teams and goes on a four-game winning streak?
From then on, the feeling of weight changes.
Wolves did.
Even when the team was on a two-game winning streak at the beginning, people around them didn’t pay much attention, saying that it was just Wolves’ first win in a long time against a weak team.
Because it was true.
However, they beat title contenders Leicester City and even won 3-0 at Queens.
“This team’s rise is extraordinary. In particular, the completely changed tactics since Leicester have shown that Wolves have been reborn as a new team.”
The sports panel always highlighted only the current title contenders, such as Leicester, Burnley and Queens.
Then, for the first time in a long time, Wolves were mentioned on their lips.
“Look at this beautiful pass map. It’s a pass flow that is really hard to find in the second division. The build-up from the midfield to the penetration of space is perfect.”
“I had no idea that Richard’s Wolves would make such a big change. I’ve heard that Wolves have a new tactics coach and all of this is coming from that coach.”
“I heard that too. He’s even said to be Wolves’ first Asian coach?”
“It’s not just Wolves. This is the first time in the EFL or EPL that an Asian coach has been hired.”
While there have been occasional cases of signing Asian players, this was the first time in EFL history that an Asian coach had been hired. Furthermore, Wolves’ performance completely changed after that Asian tactical coach arrived.
So that’s why the panelists were paying attention to that part.
Because it perfectly filled in the lack of tactics that was Wolves’ fatal weakness.
“But some say Wolves’ winning streak is just luck.”
“Well, I don’t think it was luck. Wolves completely outplayed Leicester and Queens tactically. Moreover, the changed formation of the players seemed to fit them perfectly. This surge is extraordinary.”
“But isn’t it too late for Wolves to make the play-offs?”
Although Wolves had won four straight games, there was no guarantee that the streak would continue.
Besides, this team has barely escaped the relegation zone.
If they had a losing streak, they would have been in a position where they would have fallen into the relegation zone again.
“But the fun thing about soccer is that you can’t predict what’s going to happen.”
“Yes, of course, it feels a bit too late for Wolves to pull off a miracle. The only good thing for Wolves is that their next game is against Blackburn Rovers.”
“Blackburn is also a team currently in the lower middle of the table. If Wolves can show the form they showed in the last two games, I think they will be able to beat Blackburn easily.”
“That’s right. I would say Wolves’ five-game winning streak is right around the corner… … .”
Stop-.
The panelists turned off the TV that was chatting noisily.
“Those who don’t even know anything are coming out and calling themselves experts… …!”
Blackburn Rovers manager Christian almost threw the remote control at the TV.
How dare people who don’t even know the first thing about soccer say something like that?
Didn’t I say with absolute certainty that our Blackburn would win!
“But… isn’t it true that there’s a high chance that we’ll lose?”
“shut up!”
In fact, Christian was also going crazy.
Blackburn are currently in a situation where they do not know when they will fall into the relegation zone.
In the meantime, we met Wolves as our next opponent.
Of course, I thought Blackburn would easily beat Wolves.
Didn’t we win by a large margin against Wolves last time?
That pleasant feeling hadn’t completely disappeared yet.
“But does this make sense? How can Wolves win four in a row?”
But Wolves weren’t the same loners they used to be.
I took Lester and Queens, who were eating up both the 1st and 2nd places, to the rooftop and beat them up really well.
It would be correct to describe it as a rebellion by the loners at the bottom.
“I thought we would easily get points against Wolves.”
Blackburn was struggling to get out of the bottom ranks by any means necessary.
So Christian had a plan of his own.
Since promotion is out of the question anyway, let’s at least avoid relegation.
But it was blocked by Wolves.
Even though these guys have gotten stronger, they’ve gotten too strong.
They’ve bulked up so much that their tactics have become so sophisticated that they can’t even compete with the likes of Blackburn.
“It’ll be hard for us to win, right?”
“I see you’re finally able to think normally, Director.”
The coaches’ morale was already at an all-time low.
Christian suddenly became angry.
“And you guys are coaches? Shouldn’t you be thinking about winning!”
“But… … You watched the Wolves game too, didn’t you, Coach? I told you that these guys aren’t wolves, they’re tigers.”
“No matter what, our Blackburn nickname is ‘Wolf Slaughter’. If you just look at our record against them, we’re overwhelmingly superior!”
There are always jinxes in sports.
Wolves in particular were weak against Blackburn.
Even if you just look at the relative records, that’s true.
Wolves had never beaten Blackburn away from home.
“The next game is at home, right? Wolves are away.”
“That’s true.”
“Come to think of it, Wolves have never beaten us, Blackburn, in an away game.”
Jinx was a truly mysterious phenomenon.
The psychological pressure it puts on you is enormous.
No matter how strong a team is, if they have a jinx, they will have a hard time playing against weaker teams.
“If we do well, we might win.”
“There’s a reason there are jinxes in soccer.”
Christian was suddenly made fun of by the coaches who had become enthusiastic, but as they said, the jinx was a significant factor that could change the outcome of the game.
It’s not that athletes are needlessly anxious about this jinx and try to avoid it in any way.
“Wolves, we can’t let them get away with it alone.”
Even though we are both in the relegation zone, I can’t stand to see him get promoted first.
Christian was very much looking to hold Wolves back.
* * *
There are a lot of jinxes related to soccer.
A representative example is Pele’s curse, where you lose no matter what you do.
The jinx of Arsenal’s No. 9 is that whenever a player wears the No. 9 shirt, which represents a striker, their form goes downhill.
The Les Bleus jinx, where Brazil couldn’t beat France for 21 years.
In addition, there are dozens of jinxes in the history of football, and individual players also have jinxes. It is no wonder that sports players suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder and perform strange rituals before entering the stadium.
This shows that jinxes place a huge psychological burden on players.
Even ordinary people have minor jinxes, but for players who have to risk everything in one game, it was an inevitable psychological phenomenon.
And that jinx,
[Gooooool!! Blackburn scores first goal!!]
[Ahh. The nightmare of the Blackburn away jinx strikes Wolves once again!]
It held us back.
[Blackburn, who had been playing defense, turned the game around with just one counterattack opportunity!]
Blackburn, who always played an aggressive game against Wolves.
But today they stayed focused on defense, not stepping outside the halfway line even once.
Wolves players kept knocking on the door to break through the near-ten-back defense, but eventually conceded a goal on the first counterattack opportunity.
“ah…….”
The players were left in a state of bewilderment, their eyes tightly shut at the Blackburn away jinx.
Director Richard, who was sitting next to me, glanced at me.
“Jinxes are really scary. Aren’t Wolves, who beat Leicester City and Queens, suffering at the hands of Blackburn?”
“Isn’t it said that soccer is originally a mental game?”
“That’s right. If your mentality wavers, even the best team will fall apart. So, do you plan on continuing with this tactic? It seems really dangerous if you don’t change something.”
I shook my head.
“There is no problem with the tactics. We actually had a few chances to score, but we missed them. Ultimately, it means that there is a lot of psychological pressure. Tactics are not important right now.”
“then?”
“that…….”
Beep-!
Just then the whistle blew to signal the end of the first half.
I sat down and waited until all the players had gone into the locker room, then I got up.
“after-.”
I took a deep breath and straightened my clothes.
It’s a trembling moment.
I’m human too, so I can’t help but feel nervous.
But you shouldn’t show it outwardly.
Because then my fear will quickly spread to the players.
That’s why I always remind myself.
I am perfect.
I am confident.
I can do it.
With my excited heart in check, I headed to the locker room.
To give our players what they need most right now.
* * *
The atmosphere in the Wolves locker room was the worst.
It has been said that humans are forgetful animals.
As we went on a four-game winning streak, we briefly forgot about this cold atmosphere.
Wolves have always had this kind of vibe.
The locker room was always desolate after conceding a goal in the first half.
I thought things were a little different now, but then I came back like a ghost.
Click-.
Just then someone opened the door and came in.
The tea ceremony was like this.
He sat next to striker Angsen, who had his head bowed with a towel over his head, and put his arm around his shoulder.
“… … .”
There was silence for a moment.
Angsen was the first to speak.
“I’m sorry. I should have scored the goal… … .”
Angsen kept recalling the chances he had in the first half.
If he had scored then, the team wouldn’t have had such a hard time.
He said before the game that he didn’t care about things like jinxes, but it seemed like he was unconsciously caring about them.
Cha Seong-i said, patting Angsen on the shoulder.
“Didn’t you feel anything significantly different while playing today?”
“… … ?”
What’s changed a lot?
The players tilted their heads.
“Blackburn have always played against us Wolves with a high line. They have used aggressive tactics to try and get at our goal. But today? They dropped their line as if they were going to hit the back post.”
Come to think of it, that’s what happened.
Blackburn have always been aggressive against Wolves.
Wolves were especially aggressive when they played Blackburn away.
But today, I just put up my guard from behind and held on.
“That means Blackburn is afraid of us.”
“… … !”
“They know we have a Blackburn away jinx, but they hardly come forward because they have seen how we have beaten the top teams in the league.”
That’s exactly what he said.
Wolves also showed overwhelming performance against the league leaders.
In particular, didn’t Leicester push Wolves with frightening momentum?
And yet Wolves won.
“What we must remember is this: the more frightened the opponent is, the more he fears us, the easier it is for us.”
Cha Seong-eun continued speaking while looking around at the players.
“Of course, I know there is a jinx that has been plaguing us for a long time. Of course, it bothers you. But you must know that the fear that the other person feels toward us is greater than our fear.”
The opponents fear Wolves more than we fear the jinx.
As evidence, they never came forward.
Because you never know when Wolves will break through your defense and score a goal.
It was a sign of fear.
“We can’t afford to lose to a team like that, right?”
Cha Seong-eun was a player who smiled without realizing it.
“Then let’s go. We’re making the other person’s fears come true.”
“yes!!”
The players rose vigorously from their seats and left the locker room.
“… … .”
Coach Richard, who had been waiting outside the locker room after seeing Cha Seong-eun, was startled by the players’ voices that seemed to echo outside the waiting room.
And unlike before, the faces of the players who were full of confidence had a hollow smile on their faces.
‘Looks like that guy’s working his magic again.’
What a wonderful friend.
Coach Richard had no idea how to raise the morale of the players who had hit rock bottom, but Cha Seong-eun did the difficult task with great ease.
Cha Seong-eun’s magic was changing the team once again.