Soccer Genius Wants to Get Noticed - Chapter 130



Only Krnovel

Episode 130: When the name is revealed (3)

Highlights from the previous game are shown on the monitor screen.

From Union Berlin, FSV Mainz 05 and finally Mönchengladbach, the names of the dedicated defenders were different, but the results were the same: I was tearing apart Bundesliga veteran Matthias Ginter.

Knock!

He turned the ball about 160 degrees in front and completely pushed it aside, so he did the opposite for the next attack. He touched the ball once in the middle and went towards the goal line.

Then, instead of penetrating, he just changes direction to the back, secures space to lift the ball, and immediately puts a cross deep into the box.

[Throw!]

[Wow!]

Then, on the screen, Modeste’s header explodes and cheers echo. Surprisingly, my face on camera is quite bright.

I won’t deny it.

Two goals against Union Berlin.

1 goal and 2 assists against FSV Mainz.

Against Mönchengladbach, who the Cologne fans gnash their teeth about, saying that they should never lose… … 2 assists. He contributed greatly to the 0-3 victory by providing goals for Modeste and Uth.

There’s no way I wouldn’t feel good.

Of course, if I had to pick one thing that was disappointing, it would be that I didn’t score a goal. But even that was easily forgotten thanks to my performance during the game.

Okay, try to guess.

Who was named MVP of the match?

Florian Kainz with his direct volley shot?

Anthony Modeste who tipped the scales of the game with a diving header?

Or Mark Ut, who shattered the spirit of opposing defenses with a blunt lucky shot (which deflected off a defender and went in)?

No, it’s me.

Holy Sky.

A man like me who deserves to be named MVP even without scoring a single point. The cheers from the experts coming from the speakers also added strength to my thoughts.

[Hanul has been in great form since returning to the national team. He seems to be in perfect condition. Matthias Ginter has been struggling with his physical condition since the latter half of the season, but that is no excuse.]

[That’s right. With this, Hanul has been included in the Bundesliga’s weekly best eleven for the third consecutive week. At one time, it seemed like he was vulnerable to tough defense, but instead, he has overcome that and is playing as if he has stepped up to the next level. Hmm, let’s go back to the match against Union Berlin for a moment.]

[Ah, this is the scene. It was a huge topic of conversation even after the game ended, right?]

[In the second half of added time, Mark Uth’s pass bounces off an opposing defender’s foot and bounces back. And at this moment, it feels like there are no better options for Hanul. Take a high-difficulty shot, play a lucky pass to a teammate on the offside line, or hold the ball steady and challenge the packed defence. None of them are easy. But Hanul chose none of them. On the contrary, he broke the mold.]

container!

I see myself again.

He turned his body for a moment and recalled the old days when he would bounce the ball up onto the mound.

[Creativity.]

[Yes, indeed. And this word is also used in the world of football to describe a genius. The Berlin defenders were completely unable to react to the unexpected play, and then Hanul… … finished the game by performing a high-difficulty shooting move as if it were nothing special. What’s more encouraging is that he didn’t just stand out in this game.]

[It was great in the Mainz match too, right?]

[Yes. First, he ran into Musa Niakate, but Niakate wasn’t a defender to be trifled with. If Hanul had continued to be swayed by the rough defense, it would have been difficult to find a breakthrough.]

This scene is also quite watchable.

Around 55 minutes into the second half.

Elies Schiri sends a strong ground pass to Modeste’s feet, and Gorilla, who receives the ball with his back to the opposing defender, passes it back to Mark Utt, who is a couple of steps behind.

Then, Utt uses a one-touch pass without delay and rolls the ball to the right side of the box… … and it is my turn to play.

Ta-da-dak.

As he was closing in on the center, the genius among geniuses (because the commentator said genius first) stretched out his leg with the penalty box semicircle in front of him.

He pretends to receive the ball with his right foot, then suddenly uses force to push the ball to the left.

Knock, knock.

It’s a simple trick.

It’s like giving a signal to move to the left, and then hitting the ball with the left foot to make it return to the right.

It may not be able to completely shake off the opposing defender, but it was a great way to momentarily take away the defensive rhythm.

Next, of course, is shooting.

Since the dedicated defender is half removed, the swinging entity becomes the right foot.

Aim for the lower left corner of the goal, but with little spin, kick it long and hard… … and put it straight into the net.

[It’s concise.]

[Yes, it has definitely become simpler. The amount of long-term ball holding has decreased overall. The goal scene just now is an example. The process from judgment and decision to execution and finishing is quick and smooth. It can’t help but be rough on the defender.]

[Well, he did break the defender’s balance with one touch of the ball. But this may also have been influenced by the fact that Hanul knows how to use both feet. He can’t help but worry about the angle of his left-footed shot. In addition, Mainz’s central defender Alexander Hack is not a player who lacks ability.]

It’s a feast of pure praise, so it’s definitely enjoyable to listen to.

[In any case, Cologne secured 3rd place by taking 3 points at the end of the league with Hanul’s performance. They are 4 points behind 2nd place Borussia Dortmund, but it seems difficult to catch up with 1st place team Bayern Munich.]

[That’s right. They’re 9 points behind Munich, and despite coach Steffen Baumgart emphasizing that every game is important, the competition within the league seems to have been set in stone. There are only 4 games left in the Bundesliga. Unless there’s a huge upset, the top rankings are pretty much set… … So Cologne fans will be looking forward to their performance in the cup games rather than the league.]

[You mean the DFB-Pokal? Come to think of it, the semi-finals are just around the corner?]

[Yes. On April 19, Cologne will be looking to advance to the final against Freiburg. In the other group, Leipzig and Union Berlin will be facing each other, and all four teams will have a shot at it. Cologne will be looking to win the cup depending on whether Hanul and Modeste play well. … .]

Stop.

Then, at one moment, the video paused and a gruff voice pierced my ear.

* * *

“Is it good?”

“huh.”

I answer Harness Dold’s spiteful questions without hesitation.

“… … How shameless.”

“Being shameless is also one of my charms.”

“… … .”

The power analyst seemed to be dissatisfied with my answer, so he rested his chin on his right hand and kept typing on the keyboard.

This is because there is nothing to point out.

A smile appeared on my lips for a moment, wondering if I was doing that well. Suddenly, a huge sigh filled the power analysis lab on the second floor of the main building.

“……why?”

“I’m not asking because I don’t know.”

“Is it because of the injured people?”

“Yeah. The schedule was tight, and then the accident happened. There’s a cup game in two days, and then a league game four days after that. Damn, in a way it was inevitable. Our team squad is so thin.”

That’s right.

As good things are often followed by bad things, negative news followed after the game.

“Isn’t it very bad?”

“who.”

“huh?”

“Which of the injured players are you talking about? First-choice goalkeeper Timo Horn, who has suffered a knee ligament problem? Central defender Huibers, who came in to replace Cichos and tore his calf? Or Ondrej Duda, who was forced to withdraw with a hamstring problem during his return to training? Or wide receiver Florian Kainz, who is suspected of having a stress fracture? Or Jan Tillman, who is out of training with a thigh problem? Which of these are you asking about?”

“… … .”

No, why are you annoyed with me?

If anyone heard me, they’d think I was the one who caused all the injuries.

But for now-

“There’s one more. I heard Andersson was injured too.”

“#@$, that’s right. Andersson was there too.”

“I heard you injured your knee? I heard you won’t be back for a while.”

“For the time being, what? I’m out for the season. I’m scheduled to have surgery.”

“ah…….”

Well, it’s not that I don’t understand.

Despite the league’s performance on the rise, the team’s injury list was growing longer by the day.

The team doctor must be having a hard time, but analysts also seem to see it as a disaster as it reduces their tactical options.

The frowning expression, the empty mug on the desk, the messy tactics board, and the scattered magnetic pieces on the floor were all proof of this.

“But still, there are alternative resources. Schwabe can be the goalkeeper, and there’s Julian Chabot as a central defender. As for the attacking midfielder, Mark Uth can be dropped in like before, and there’s Kingsley Schindler as the left winger.”

“Schindler was injured too.”

“Why that guy? He’s only been in a few battles!”

“I heard you have body aches.”

“… … This is fucking crazy, man.”

“Tseup, watch what you say.”

The conversation that followed was virtually a puzzle.

“Turn Ryuchichi to the left?”

“No. We already have a thin central midfield, so we need to prepare for the possibility that Ozkan or Sciri will leave. Besides, he is a multi-resource who can be deployed in the position you play in, that is, as a right-wing attacker. Deploying him on the left side is not a very wise choice.”

“Then what about Rempaele?”

“… … .”

“Is it still difficult?”

“I know right.”

“Oh, and Thomas is there too!”

Then, suddenly, a person I met a few times during my time in the second team flashed through my mind. A player who once had a higher position than me, but now the situation has reversed and he is going back and forth between the first and second teams.

“If it’s Thomas… … Thomas Ostrak?”

“Yeah. He can play both central midfielder and attacking midfielder, so we can give him a spot on the bench and move Ljubicic to the left wing. What do you think?”

“He also has a thigh injury.”

“… … .”

“I’m not trying to make fun of you. This is really serious. They all fell down at once, as if they had planned it.”

Just as I was about to lose my temper, the analyst’s eloquence stopped my tongue from moving.

Beneath his bald head, his whole face was filled with sorrow and he lamented.

“This is a headache. It’s not hard to form a starting lineup. As you said, you can play one game by fitting the players to the tactics. But what team goes into a game with just the 4231 formation? Whether it’s 442, 4141, or 352, you need to prepare a second plan… … . In fact, that’s why your role is important.”

“me?”

“Hmm, Anthony Modeste is also showing poor condition. He’s not only on the injury list, but he’s complaining of knee pain as the season progresses. Naturally, his actual performance is also declining. So the best thing to do is to somehow focus on the right side… … . Hoo, do you know what I mean? I don’t want to put pressure on you, but you have to do well. In cup games rather than league games. The fans have high expectations.”

What else did I say?

Seong Ha-neul is the kind of person who gets better the more he receives expectations, so I quickly nod in response with confidence.

Then, suddenly, a unique idea flashed through my head.

“… … How about I go to the center?”

“To the center? You?”

“Yeah. I’m not saying I’ll start, but if you replace Ljubicic as a right-wing striker… … I’ll move to the attacking midfielder position. Then you can push Ut up to the front line. I’ll support the second-line center, and Modeste and Ut will be the two top strikers. What do you think?”

Hanes Dold makes a strange expression at the outrageous suggestion. It’s not like he agrees, but it seems like it’s worth considering?

At this, I inwardly praise myself.

How can one be so smart?

If coach Baumgart accepts my offer, I will play full-time matches as if it were nothing.

And the coaching staff’s decision became known soon after.