Chapter 156 – BBC Match of the Day (1)

156

『Successful debut match! Hong Min-jun, who successfully changed his position to central midfielder and led the team to victory!』
“The match between Leipzig and Frankfurt, which was considered the most attention-grabbing big match in the 23rd round of the Bundesliga.
This match, which received a lot of attention from the public as it was a match between teams that were ranked 3rd and 4th in the league, respectively, was predicted to be an easy victory for Leipzig.

It is also true that Leipzig succeeded in winning 4 consecutive wins in the second half and was on the rise, while Frankfurt suffered 3 consecutive losses after the injury to the core Chicharo in the midfield and fell into a swamp of sluggishness.

However, the result of the match was Frankfurt’s clean victory of 3:1.
The decisive role in this victory was Hong Min-jun (21), who succeeded in a surprise transformation by playing as a central midfielder for the first time in his career.

Hong Min-joon, who has played as a left-sided striker since his youth, often played on the right-side or in the center of the second line, but this was his first time playing as a central midfielder against Leipzig.

The surprise position change of Hong Min-jun, who has been active as the core of the team with his outstanding personal skills and breakthrough power, caused a lot of controversy before the match, but the result was a great success.

Hong Min-joon played as a central midfielder and recorded 125 ball touches, playing an active role as the core of linked play, showing a great performance with a high pass success rate of 86% and creating 6 decisive chances.

In the extra time of the first half, he showed his unique advantage of beating three players with a spectacular dribble breakthrough from the half line, but unfortunately was blocked by a rough tackle.

After the game, coach Franz Balder said, “I expected that Hong Min-joon’s outstanding ability would be displayed in the center, so I suggested a position change, but I didn’t think he would accept it. Hong Min-joon, who willingly agreed to the position change in consideration of his team’s difficult situation, praised him, saying, “It’s an example of an ace!”

『Frankfurt wins 2 consecutive victories by successfully installing a new engine!』
“Playmaker? Wing forward? Hong Min-jun, who gifted the team three consecutive victories with a bold dribble breakthrough from the center!”
『If it’s not a foul, it can’t be stopped! Hong Min-jun, who shined even in defeat!』
『Would it be a new type of playmaker? Hong Min-joon’s play that creates chances with his individual skills』

Frankfurt, which fell to 4th place in the league, succeeded in rebounding.
After winning against Leipzig, he climbed to 3rd place, and then struggled with Dortmund for 2nd place, confidently taking a place in the championship race, signaling that the storm in the first half is not over.

In particular, Hong Min-joon, who has emerged as a world-class prospect with his performance on the side, has been active in the center since the match against Leipzig, which drew attention as the first central midfielder in his career, and successfully changed his position, revitalizing the team and becoming a leading player in the upward trend.

Thanks to this, Hong Min-joon’s stock price skyrocketed once again, giving birth to countless jokes about his next destination, and this broadcast also represented such public interest.

“Reporter Hyunjun. There was an interesting broadcast on BBC MOTD in the UK this time, right?”
“That’s right. Yesterday, the football program Match of the Day, run by the British BBC, selected the 5 players they most want to see in the EPL selected by football journalists. Our player Minjun Hong entered there and drew attention.”
“Aha. Reporter Hyun Joon, what exactly is the MOTD program?”

Hyun-joon quickly recited the script he had been researching for the moderator’s bottom line to explain the English soccer program, which is unknown to non-skilled soccer fans.

“It is a very venerable soccer pro recognized by Guinness as ‘the world’s longest-running soccer program.” If you are a viewer, you can see it as a famous soccer program that you know well.”
“Are you saying that Hong Min-joon was selected for such a broadcast? Shall we watch the data screen together?”

Soon, the screen changes and the face of Gary Lineker, the host of BBC MOTD, appears.

“Now there’s only the long-awaited number one spot left. The number one player I want to see in the EPL is… Oh wow. Again, that’s a very interesting player. Harold, he’s your favorite player.”

Korean subtitles at the bottom of the screen.

“Wow! Could it be that player? Is it that player?”
“If that player is this player, yes. He is a very hot player these days. I am Hong-Minjun, a Korean who plays for Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga.”

Then, the only place filled with question marks expanded, and the name ‘Hong Min-joon’ appeared.

“A 21-year-old young player who joined Frankfurt from Barcelona this year, he is a promising prospect with over 20 attacking points already in the Bundesliga.”
“This player is a very hot, hot guy! If any team signs this player, something very good will happen. First of all, this player is a very popular guy. Can you make up for the transfer fee with only his related products?”
“I’ve heard of it too. Wasn’t there a very impressive incident in Germany at the beginning of the season?”

Articles about Hong Min-joon’s sasaeng fan at the beginning of the season are slammed onto the large TV screen located between Gary Lineker and the panels.

“He’s really handsome. Isn’t it unfair that a player like this is even good at soccer?”
Haha. He’s not just good at it. He’s as good as he’s good looking. Now, let’s introduce this player. His nationality is South Korea. Oh~ That’s Sonny’s country! Besides, this player’s position is also a side striker, and he is very good at using both feet. Are they the same?”
“It’s equally attractive to have a smiling face. Besides, look at the attack points. There are already over 20 in the Bundesliga. The number of goals is frightening, right?”
“Wow! What kind of country is Korea? A player like this comes out once every 10 years. Following Sonny, is Hong?”

The panel burst into laughter at Gary Lineker’s joke.
Harold especially liked it, clapping his hands.

“I’ve been a big fan of this player since the Olympics. Did you know it would end like this? There are so many links to this player in my tweets!”

And laughed like a child.
Gary Lineker asked mischievously at that.

“Harold’s love for Korean players is famous. How about it, Harold. If you were to coach an EPL team, would you sign this player?”
“Of course!! Hong will be able to achieve great success in the EPL. Everyone will go crazy watching him play, right?”

The data screen went down and the studio reappeared.

“Hong Min-jun is receiving rave reviews? Reporter Hyun-jun, why is Hong Min-jun, who plays in the Bundesliga, receiving such rave reviews in England?”

In response to the moderator’s question, Hyeon-jun, who corrected his glasses, asserted as if it was natural.

“Of course, isn’t it because of his outstanding skills? Not only his performance in the Bundesliga, but also his impressive performance in the European competition. Hong Min-joon has been attracting attention since before, that is, from the Australian Olympics. I think it’s because I showed a different side of myself in the areas that were pointed out.”
“It’s changed. What is it?”
“There are a lot of things. First of all, it’s like off-the-ball movement, tactical movement… And I think it’s because he showed steady improvement in his physical ability.”
“Hasn’t the woman known as Hong Min-jun’s personal trainer become famous again because of her physical abilities?”
“Yes. There was a lot of talk about being a very young trainer in his early 20s. There were worries and concerns, but he proved it with actual results—”

* * *

“Oh my gosh, Daye’s mother. Over there, Daye is coming, Daye!”

Mrs. Kim Hyun-hee blinks at Mrs. Park Hee-ja’s fuss while eating fruit.

“Huh? Didn’t Min-joon’s mother hear wrong? Why is our Daye on TV and not Min-joon?”

Hong Min-jun’s mother, Mrs. Park Hee-ja, quickly turned up the TV volume.

“Here’s on TV! Right? Minjun’s personal tray? What is that? There are only a few private teachers. Right, Minjun’s father?”

At Mrs. Park Hee-ja’s question, Hong Chun-bae politely denounces him.

“Uh huh. It’s not Trey, it’s the trainer.”
“Traina Trainina.”
“Oh, that’s right. It’s a trainer.”

Yoon Daye’s parents, Yun Sang-hyun and Kim Hyun-hee, focused on TV over Hong Chun-bae and Park Hee-ja’s quarreling couple.

“Oh, really? Daye Dad, that’s all of us, right?”
“Heh heh. Yes. I was worried that he was in a relationship, but he seems to be doing well at work.”
“Oh, what did I say, Daye mom! Didn’t you say you weren’t worried because Daye was broken? How nice it is that the two of you put them together.”

After the Olympics, after Hong Min-joon brought his girlfriend, the couple had a moment of awkwardness.
However, after Daye Yoon becomes Hong Min-jun’s personal trainer, and she reveals that Min-jun Hong has a girlfriend of hers, the relationship between the couple is quickly restored.

Isn’t that what the kids have been close to since they were babies?
Because Hong Min-joon wasn’t clearly identified, every day went by and he said, ‘Hong Min-jun’s girlfriend!?’ There were rumors like that, but the two couples were convinced that Hong Min-joon and Yoon Daye were dating.

When the girlfriend article broke out, and the couple called Hong Min-joon and asked, “Do you have a girlfriend?” Hong Min-jun said, “Uh, um, what… Right?” It was the beginning of the answer.

After that, the two couples naturally became ‘in-laws’.
Even the children didn’t know about it, although it was a relationship between the two couples’ in-laws.

“Looking at this, what’s more detailed, you say you can see it on the BBC’s?”
“Minjun’s mom, play it quickly. I’m curious.”
“Oh, it’s so difficult to explain because they’re nose players.”
“What’s difficult? It’s well organized in a table.”

A video of Gary Lineker and Harold talking in front of the two noisy couples was playing.