Soccer Genius Wants to Get Noticed - Chapter 167



Only Krnovel

Episode 167: Birth

The pre-season is going smoothly.

In the July training camp, we repeated the process of physical training, physical examination, tactical training, and physical examination, but we somehow got through it by chatting with our teammates (we mainly played card games at the dorm).

Around August 1st or 2nd, I was excitedly watching the news of Modeste’s transfer, and then I suddenly received a phone call from England.

‘… … Hi, I really wanted to talk to you. I’m glad to-‘

‘… … .’

‘#@$, @@#, $%#… … .’

‘Alex, I don’t understand what you’re saying.’

‘I’m the Arsenal manager and I’m delighted to speak to you. I wanted to talk to you about how much I want to sign you and what role you’d like to play when you come to Arsenal.’

From Arsenal and Manchester United to Chelsea and West Ham, I got calls from all over through the agency.

… … I should have studied English in advance.

If it weren’t for Alex Pasek’s help, I would have hung up after exchanging only a few words.

Other than that, it was a series of events where I would meet my school friends, chat, return home, and hesitate in front of my mom. Although I couldn’t bring up the topic of transferring openly, I kept trying.

Meanwhile, time passed steadily, and soon Cologne finished its training camp and returned to its home stadium to play in the DFB-Pokal qualifiers.

Lost 3-2 to third division team Regensburg.

Yeah, I lost.

It’s not that Modeste’s absence was significant, but rather that the squad was not reorganized due to the addition of new players.

From Armenian striker Sargis Adamian to top prospect Florian Dietz and Danish left-back Christian Pedersen, the players chosen by Steffen Baumgart had grand dreams, only to end up in a miserable defeat.

‘Are we okay?’

‘What can I do if it’s not okay?’

‘… … .’

Naturally, the local fans’ reaction was fierce, and Remperle made some anxious noises, but personally, he didn’t pay much attention to it.

We scored 3 goals in the first half alone, and although I came on as a substitute and scored 2 goals, we were ultimately eliminated from the Pokal.

In other words, it meant that the team’s offensive power was maintained. In fact, Cologne’s offensive line was doing its part even after Modeste left.

* * *

Sunday, August 7th, Rhein-Energie-Stadion. Cologne welcomes FC Schalke 04 as their first opponent in the Bundesliga.

And in that first match, the outcome will be decided within the first half.

Too-woong!

[Wow!!]

Free kick situation.

Jonas’ left foot flashes from the right sideline of the second line, and the ball curves into the box, hitting the forehead of central defender Luca Killian and piercing the left side of the net.

It’s not often that a defender joins the attack and scores a goal, especially since it’s his first goal of the season. His tall teammate runs to the corner flag with his eyes blazing.

Urrrrrrr.

“Ugh!”

It was nice to get down on my knees and glide gracefully across the grass, but I got caught somewhere along the way and rolled around like a nobody. Utt, Ljubicic, and Rempale all flew over me and I soon became a human hamburger.

So I decided to watch quietly from the left side of the goal and then return to the center line together with Florian Kainz.

The extravagant ceremony was a turn-off.

“The timing is good. A goal in the 40th minute of the first half. We can manage it comfortably.”

“Yeah. It seems like it’s practically over?”

“I guess. The score is 1 to 0, but they’re one man short.”

That’s right.

At around the 35th minute of the first half, Dominic Drexler, who was playing as the opposing team’s right midfielder, received a direct red card for a crazy back tackle.

And the one who came up with that card is-

“good job.”

“hmm?”

“Weren’t you asking for a compliment?”

“Haha, that’s not it. But I’ll pretend not to know and accept it.”

“Don’t be so nosy. I have my share too. I was the one who gave you the return pass.”

“Oh, I was going to say that. Next time, please speak at a faster tempo.”

Was he originally such a talkative person?

Florian Kainz was a gorilla, no, a gorilla who had been getting closer to me since he put on his yellow uniform.

Since our breathing was already good, all that was left was to drive the finishing touches in the second half.

* * *

Halftime.

The home crowd, who had taken a short break, returned to the stadium and looked satisfied.

The match was an overwhelming lead for Cologne.

The defensive line was high and close to the center line, and the movement in the second line was also active, so passes were rarely interrupted.

“It should have been like this in the last game too.”

“That first half was a mess. The left winger… what was his name?”

“Sargis Adamian.”

“Yeah, that guy was underwhelming. He kept losing the ball.”

“You should have put Hanul in a long time ago.”

“Didn’t you see the interview? Baumgart said he wasn’t ready.”

“… …Is it because of the transfer?”

“That could be true, or it could really have been a form issue. It was during his growth period. I heard he grew quite a bit during his training period.”

At that very moment, as if hearing those words, a spark suddenly ignites in the second-line area.

Phew!

Skirig, who was wandering around the center line, poked a long ground ball to Mark Utt, who started as a left striker.

Without hesitation, he changes the direction of the ball’s progression to the back of the second line. The first person to run towards the official ball is… Seong Ha-neul.

With Anthony Modeste out of the team, everyone knows who Cologne’s ace is this season, and Schalke’s two central midfielders will try to close the gap on either side and apply strong pressure.

Tong, degururur!

The ball leaves the ankle before the shoulders collide.

The pass direction is decided to be left-wing striker Florian Dietz. After that, the boy suddenly stops walking and turns diagonally to the left.

In response, the curly-haired defensive midfielder Alex Krall grabs the side of the jersey, but the opponent does not seem to be in a hurry and focuses on the next play.

Kwaaaaak.

What Sung Ha-neul could see was Floian Dietz desperately protecting the ball with his back to the opposing central defender.

It was only a matter of time before he got the ball back, so he turned his eyes around for a split second and looked around. Soon, as the return pass rolled in, he swung his left foot and kicked the ball away from the right side of the ball.

The price range is the outside of the instep.

The target was Florian Kainz, who was digging into the opposing camp’s right flank.

Charrrrrr! Knock.

Schalke’s goalkeeper feels a deep sense of unease as soon as he sees the first touch of the ball.

I understand that the pass had an unusual spin and the defenders were unable to block it, but the skill with which it was dropped in front of the attacker’s right foot was extraordinary.

From the left side of the penalty box to a distance of 9 meters from the goal.

Florian Kainz takes a shot without hesitation after breaking the offside line.

There is no need to hit hard.

Too-woong!

Slurp, thud!

[Wow!!]

As the swerving shot rolled to the goalkeeper’s left, the Rhein-Energie-Stadion erupted in cheers once again.

He quickly runs to the person who helped him while performing the ceremony.

He has been given a free role in the attacking midfield position and is certain to lead the Cologne attack this year… … but at the same time, it is not clear how long he will be with the team.

“Oh, don’t touch my hair!”

“The pass is so good, what can I do!”

“……what.”

* * *

As the Cologne players tangled around Kainz and Sunghaneul and the score widened to 2-0, the home fans repeatedly let out exclamations of admiration at the performance Cologne had shown from the first round.

Maintaining the 4132 typical form from last season, but with more compact offensive operations.

Knock, knock, knock, knock.

While the passes are connected like flowing water, unnecessary connections are minimized in the goats’ way, maximizing efficiency.

Tim Remperle, who started as a right-wing attacker, showed his strengths with concise play supported by Schmitz, Ut was just Mark Ut, and Kaintz on the left wing even scored a goal.

In particular, striker Sebastian Anderson, who had been unable to play his role due to a chronic knee injury, left the team, and Florian Dietz, who filled his spot, was also showing a decent performance.

Thud, thud! Kwaaaaak-!

He was originally brought in as a backup for Anthony Modeste, and although he also has the advantage of serving with his height of 190 centimeters, he was also meaningful just by tenaciously protecting possession with his back to the goal.

Because the lower line was supported by the heavens.

The team’s third score was also along these lines.

Thump, thump, thu-ung!

“ah!”

Deep inside Schalke’s half. Florian Dietz, who had been fighting hard in front of the box to keep the ball, lets out a sigh as soon as he passes it to the back.

Wrong path.

Although the opposing midfielders were only looking at the player and not the ball, Sung Ha-neul received the ball as if he was going back to his own half.

The pressure is instantaneous.

Hit the button!

Just two pairs of footsteps.

On the left back, defensive midfielder Alex Kral rushed in, while on the right was Rodrigo Salazar.

Perhaps because they had not been marking properly throughout the game, the two players jumped in with a vicious determination to somehow break it off.

In response, Seong Ha-neul attempts to relieve pressure by using the skiri that has risen near the center line.

container!

After giving the ball away, he moves to the left of the second line and receives a short pass again, returns the pass before pressure comes on, then speeds up as if he is going to break forward – and when the opponent reacts and follows, he brakes suddenly.

He goes down towards Skiri again and receives the ball.

“Alex!”

“know!”

At first glance, it looks like the same situation as before.

The ball carrier stands facing the friendly camp, with Alex Krall on the left and Salazar closing in on the right.

At that very moment, the boy turns 180 degrees.

Salazar extends his leg in a smooth left-handed motion, but it is too far to reach the other side.

The upper body had already completely turned, and those who rushed in hastily were caught in inertia.

So if there’s one last chance, it’s Alex Krall, who’s running from the left back.

Already bound by the laws of physics to attempt a sliding tackle, he desperately extends his right foot – and watches as his opponent scrapes the ball with the sole of his foot and easily escapes.

[Wow!]

Even though no goal was scored, the stands erupted in cheers at the smooth decompressing, and this was soon reflected in the actions of the opposing team’s players.

Just moments ago, the central midfielder who had been trying to press – Rodrigo Salazar – gave up chasing him.

“Oh, shit… … .”

While he instinctively looks up at the sky and swears, Seong Ha-neul digs into the empty central space of the second line.

Schalke 04’s tactical formation, which would have been 451 without the sending off, has now changed to 441, and with the two central midfielders gone, all that remains is a back four.

Even at the front line, Dietz and Mark Ut are looking for an opportunity to break through, making it dizzying for the opposing defenders.

Before it’s too late, the leader of the defense – Marcin Kaminski – makes a decision and steps forward.

“Push the line!”

A bold attempt to momentarily raise the offside line and block Sung Ha-neul’s path… … is only half successful.

Dietz was slow to react, but Mark Utt had noticed it in advance and was generous with his effort.

Boom!

The subsequent flow is also not good.

As left-back Kaminski tries to press Sung Ha-neul hard, the ball rolls into the right-hand side of the box – to the feet of Mark Utt.

“Just cut it off right there!”

The timing when the opposing central defender must somehow stop the attack.

Card grab!

The defender, under instructions from Kaminski, tries to force the ball in with his foot, but Mark Ut kicks it out first.

The referee had to blow the whistle because he scraped the side of Ut’s soccer shoes with the sole of his foot, and the return pass also came back at waist height with too much force.

As everyone was thinking about a free kick, Sung Ha-neul saw Kaminski running towards him and put his right foot on the surface of the ball.

Take a couple of steps back for a moment to create space to stretch your feet, then move lightly and gently.

Toong!

Rather than trying to drop it in your arms, you lift it sensually about 3 meters above your head and drop it on the path you are walking along.

Next, of course, moving forward.

From there, he takes about four steps, steps across the box, and plants his left foot into the grass just as the ball falls.

Anyone can see that he is in a shooting stance, but Schalke’s right-back hurriedly closes the distance… … and immediately pushes him to the right.

“what…….”

“Stop it!! The mark is empty! What the #$@!”

Mark Utt, who had been knocked down by a foul from an opposing defender earlier, ran in faithfully, but the opposing goalkeeper ran out of the goal while spitting out abusive language.

Again, bang.

The ball rolls across the penalty box, to the other side, and into the feet of Florian Dietz, who is no longer bound by the offside line.

It was a stranger opportunity not to be able to put it in.

[Wow-!!]

[You’re crazy, you’re crazy!]

[Ahahaha, it’s 3 to 0, you guys!! This is the taste of the first division!]

[Those guys from the second division are coming, coming!]

16 minutes into the second half.

As the winning goal went in, the Cologne fans shouted at the top of their lungs towards the away fans. Florian Dietz, who scored his debut goal in the first round, responded by spreading both arms towards the home fans.

“Congratulations! It’s your debut goal!”

“thank you.”

Then, suddenly, he recognizes the presence of his colleagues upon hearing Mark Ut’s congratulatory message, turns his head, and looks for Sung Ha-neul with a word of thanks.

Because the goal he scored just now was practically his own creation.

And the boy-

“Congratulations, Dimitri. A debut goal in the first round.”

“Thank you. But… … it’s not Dimitri, it’s Dietz.”

“… … Anyway! You and Utto, you all did well, but you have to keep doing it like you are doing now. You know? Let’s keep it simple and easy. I played against Brazil, and that’s how they did it. There’s no need to make it difficult. Our ability is enough, right?”

“Little one.”

“huh?”

“Can you stop that damn Brazilian noise? I’ve been hearing it nonstop since pre-season training, and it’s starting to bleed from my ears.”

“… … .”

He spits out a name he heard somewhere, and then soon shows a look of dissatisfaction with Ut’s restraint.

Of course, the players, including Dietz, just give a hollow laugh.

The 22-23 season was the start of Cologne.