Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 282



Only Noblemtl

Episode 282: The reason why I want to win

The game progressed quickly.

Switzerland also showed some ability, but if we only evaluate the overall performance, it was a decisive victory for Korea.

First of all, the score was 1:0, and Korea’s performance was not weaker than Switzerland’s, although it would have been good if it was better.

In comparison, Switzerland looked a little embarrassed.

I had only heard rumors that they were strong, having defeated upper-middle-ranking countries in neutral Turkey and subdued Poland and the Netherlands in Europe, but when I actually faced them, I felt like they were too much to handle.

The first half was largely led by South Korea, and Switzerland only showed itself being swayed by South Korea’s performance.

Even the flashy scenes here and there were eventually cut off by the defense line.

So the first half ended and it was half time just before the second half.

Everyone was sweating profusely and looking tired, but they all had bright expressions. Son Heung-min in particular was even more so.

‘I guess it’s the most hopeful feeling I’ve ever had at a World Cup?’

The 2014 World Cup is painful to talk about, and the 2018 World Cup was also the worst due to all sorts of injuries. They showed a miracle in the final 3rd game, but it was literally a miracle.

The 2022 World Cup was a World Cup that could be considered a success. It will remain as a great joy and good memory for Son Heung-min.

And now.

The performance in the final evaluation match of the North and Central American World Cup, which will be the captain’s last World Cup.

‘So far, so good.’

There were no injuries that plagued Korea throughout the last World Cup. If the bus carrying the main players doesn’t suddenly get into a major accident, this World Cup is likely to be one where we can’t even guess how far we will go.

“Guys, you guys have been doing so well so far. Let’s keep doing this for the second half. We’re only one point ahead right now. If we keep this momentum going, we can score more.”

Son Heung-min shouted as if he was not satisfied with the current score. We were united under captain Son Heung-min and went back onto the field for the second half.

In the second half, Switzerland tried to make changes.

Perhaps because they felt that things couldn’t go on like this, they changed several players and started a fight from the beginning as if they weren’t going to be pushed back in the midfield.

Manager Leon Harpers watched the tactical change with some interest and instructed his players to fight back.

Since this is the final evaluation match to be held in Korea, the intention was to show a fiery performance.

Also, since the defense was so solid, there must have been confidence that they wouldn’t concede a goal even if they fought back.

As they faced each other without backing down an inch, the match became increasingly tense.

Both teams went head first, without any consideration for strategic retreat. When they had the ball, they pressed, and when they lost the ball, they rushed back and expended their energy to win it back immediately.

The midfield battle was so intense that no effective shots were made, but the spectators watching seemed to have noticed that the match was extremely close, and their cheers grew louder.

When Swiss players touch the ball, they are booed.

Cheers when Korean players catch the ball.

The battle of wits is so fierce that even I, who occasionally comes forward for the build-up, cannot let my guard down.

‘If it could have been done like this, why the first half…?’

Ahem.

The result of the uncompromising midfield battle was a slight advantage for Korea. The lineup of attackers, defenders, and supporting players, including the waist line, was the best in the history of Korea, so even Switzerland, which was ranked in the top 10, was a burden.

Once we had the upper hand, we didn’t miss a single opportunity and pushed Switzerland forward.

Kim Jun-young’s dazzling dribbling on the left.

It looks like a crab dribble to me, but the spectators watching must have thought it was really cool, as they cheered with “Wow!”

He even managed to beat one player.

Kim Jun-young floated the ball from the half space to the center of the box as the shooting angle was not good, but Son Heung-min attempted a header, but it was blocked.

Starting with that, Korea took the upper hand like in the first half and started to beat Switzerland.

Also known as Gapae.

*Gapae (locked up and beaten)

As the opportunities to attack increase, the opportunities to shoot also increase, and as the opportunities to shoot increase, the number of effective shots also increases.

It was a kind of virtuous cycle toward scoring.

In order to score, you have to make a lot of attempts, and that’s the process we’re in.

And on the right flank, Hwang Hee-cheon drives the ball. One player marks him, but he keeps his distance and chases him.

Hwang Hee-cheon slowly drove the ball, observed his surroundings, ignored Lee Kang-im who was passing in front of him, and passed the ball to Son Heung-min just outside the box.

As soon as Son Heung-min received the ball, he sent it to Kim Jun-young, who was in the left side box, with one touch.

Kim Jun-young also hit the ball with a one-touch right-footed shot as soon as he received it. It was almost an instant shot.

The goalkeeper kneels and extends his hand, but the save is too quick and the shot goes straight through the net. It’s a goal.

“Waaa …

A roar so loud it’s deafening.

As I had nothing better to do in the second half, I just clapped my hands while watching it.

It was a clean goal without any unnecessary details. Even in the national team, there are goals like this!

I hate to say this, but this was a scene that made me wonder if Hwang Eul-jo or Jo Gyu-seok could have kicked it so easily if they were in that position.

In the case of the average Korean national team, there were many cases where even if the process was that smooth, the results were not produced.

However, now that Kim, a former Manchester United player, has been added to the Korean national team’s attack, there is no longer a need for Son Heung-min to create on his own or to struggle.

If you can’t do it, Kim Jun-young can do it.

‘Now that Hong Min-hyung retires, will Jun Young take Hong Min-hyung’s position?’

That’s a bit tricky.

Anyway, the score is 2 to 0.

We scored an additional goal, but we still pressured our opponents until the end without letting our guard down.

There were some difficult moments like the opponent’s counterattack or attack, but most of them were attacks that I could easily block or were cut off by Kim Min-je.

‘It feels more comfortable than in Turkey.’

Turkey had some flashes of brilliance in attack, but Switzerland was pushed back once in the central battle and was pushed back helplessly.

Even when it occasionally came up, I didn’t feel it much.

As time ticked by, the referee looked at his watch and blew his whistle.

The score was 2 to 0. It was a complete victory just by looking at the score, but the performance was also clean.

I clapped my hands and encouraged the players for their hard work. But inside, I started to worry about whether I should wash or not… .

* * *

After the Swiss game, a similar scene unfolded as the Turkey game. The attention of foreign media. The respect of the Swiss national team. And the people’s expectations. Things like that.

In particular, Japan’s reaction was interesting when Korea defeated Switzerland 2:0.

Japan beat Turkey 2-1 and drew 1-1 with Switzerland, so they have now given up and accepted that Korea is currently the best country in Asian football.

And then begins the self-reflection and criticism of Japanese soccer, and the question of why outstanding figures like Kim Min-woo and Kim Jun-young do not emerge in a country with more than twice the population.

‘Well, that’s because Junyoung and I are the types that have a hard time coming together naturally.’

One day, late in the morning, I couldn’t fall asleep even though I closed my eyes, and I tossed and turned for a long time.

I suddenly had that thought.

This was kind of a question.

‘What on earth is this football manager?’

Why does this extraordinary ability have to come to me?

Did you approach a guy who doesn’t even know the basics of soccer?

Also, what would have happened if I had not accepted this ability and rejected Director Yoo Jin-ho’s offer?

‘If that were the case, would this ability have completely disappeared? Or―’

Could this ability have been transferred to another person, and could another Kim Min-woo be active under another name?

When I was growing up with this ability, I never even thought about having such doubts. No, I did, but I didn’t think about it intentionally.

Because I thought it was more important to take this opportunity than to think about it like that.

But now that I’m on track and somewhat settled in, I find myself thinking about it more and more.

‘Will it disappear one day just as it came one day? Do other people have this ability?’

I don’t know about the first one, but the second one is definitely not. If there is any possibility, it would be Messi or Ronaldo. But if Ronaldo or Messi had a football manager, would they have won the World Cup once? They are Portuguese and Argentinean, right?

Sure, Messi won the World Cup in his later years, but he had plenty of opportunities to win before that.

‘If you take those two players out, the only one left is Mbappe.’

As these thoughts continued to follow one another, I eventually came to the conclusion that if another player had this ability, they would have definitely shown it to me.

But there wasn’t a single player like that. Not a single player gave the impression that they knew something.

So, this football manager ability is something that only I have in this world, so then we go back to the first question.

Why me of all people? And what is this ability?

If you keep going on like this, the final destination will be whether God exists.

I used to think that if there was such an absurd ability, there must be a god, but usually when I think about it that much, I either fall asleep or sigh and empty my mind with YouTube shorts.

Because it was a question that I couldn’t find an answer to no matter how much I thought about it.

Sometimes I wanted to confess to someone that I had this ability. It was so frustrating. I wondered if this was how I would feel if I was the only one in the world who knew that the world was going to end soon.

‘How about I talk to that Shin-ah guy seriously?’

What would he say if I were to talk about this seriously? Sometimes he’s so light-hearted, and other times he’s so serious, I can’t really tell.

I think you might not believe me if I speak very seriously… … .

“Oh my.”

Nothing will change even if you confess like that. You may feel relieved, but in the end, nothing fundamentally changes.

So why was I chosen and what are these abilities?

Once that thought took hold, I went out to the league and played games, and the more I kept a clean sheet, the more uncomfortable I felt.

It was a kind of anxiety.

As a soccer player, if you achieve everything, won’t you really disappear? Or will you have stats but no skills?

It’s a question that doesn’t have an answer even after much thought.

All I can do is work as hard as I can, no matter where this ability ends. And win all the trophies I can.

The World Cup was particularly important, but Son Heung-min’s last dance was actually secondary.

The reason why we must win the World Cup above all else is.

Well, that’s it.

“This is Kim Min-woo! Please give him a round of applause!”

“Whaaaa …

People are gathered like a swarm of bees in front of my eyes.

I was on stage now, and this was the final departure ceremony before participating in the North and Central American World Cup.

Although the final selection has not been completed yet, all players heading to North and Central America will be dressed in suits and given a brief interview in front of the public.

It was a farewell ceremony to say goodbye to the nation full of expectations before participating in the World Cup.

Whether we get pelted with eggs or applause after the World Cup depends on how we do at the World Cup.

“Kim Min-woo! Kim Min-woo! Kim Min-woo! Kim Min-woo!”

“Marry me!”

People looking at me and shouting.

And the reason why I want to win the World Cup.

The reason is not really important. The reason I wanted to win was actually simple.

“Ahem ahem.”

I cleared my throat, picked up the microphone, and shouted at the people.

“Everyone! I’ll go to America and bring the World Cup back to Korea!”

“Whaaaa …

The reaction of people who felt like their ears were going to burst due to my bombshell statement. My colleagues around me also looked at each other with bewildered looks and laughed.

Yeah. What’s the big deal? I just want people to see it, enjoy it, and be happy. In the midst of our hard daily lives, winning the World Cup is a national event.

Even people who aren’t interested in soccer end up watching the World Cup.

I just want people to forget about their hard daily lives and be happy, even if only for a little while.

Maybe that’s why I was chosen by Football Manager.