Chapter 37 – Friendly Match Against Olympic Team (3)

037

The main pillar of the Olympic team in the past was college leaguers.
Professional teams were stingy in selecting players as there is no compulsory selection in the Olympics, but above all, it is because young players under the age of 23 who entered the professional league did not play properly.

Except for a very small number of young players with overwhelming talent, it is difficult for an inexperienced young player to surpass a veteran player, and a coach whose life comes and goes depending on his performance is also more reliable than taking the risk of hiring a young player. They tend to hire veterans.

In the meantime, the U22 rule introduced in the K-League opened up opportunities for young players who had advanced to the professional league to play regularly.

There was a lot of criticism about the rule that forcibly selected players under the age of 22, but in the end, it was a huge boon for the Olympic team, and based on this, the main focus of the national team shifted from college leaguers to professional team players.

Although there is no compulsory selection for the Olympics, which team would reject a request for a national team given the climate of Korea? Of course, the national team was able to pick even key players, at least for players playing in the domestic league, so most of the current Olympic team was also composed of professionals.

Of the 23 members of the Olympic team currently summoned, only 6 are university leaguers.

“Six people is still more than I thought.”
“Because the manager has changed.”

Following senior Yoon Hyuk’s chin as he stepped onto the ground before the game started, the national team coach came into view.

“The previous manager suddenly resigned due to aggravating chronic disease.

This year is the year the Olympics are held.
So, right before the opening of the Olympics, the captain of the national team changed.

It’s not about poor grades or controversy, but the director is resigning due to illness. What can I do?
The sudden appointment as a firefighter is the current manager, Gong Jeon-seong.

As the press was so buzzing, it was known that the coach was only 40 years old this year, that he had coached in Europe for quite some time, and that he was rumored to be an eccentric.

Seeing this… His tired face and messy hair, as if he had been out for a few nights, definitely gave off a weird vibe.

“Since you have been appointed suddenly, you must want to check as many players as possible. I heard that the coaching staff has changed completely. Maybe the tactics will also change a lot?”
“Ay, how different it must be. The tactics are there.”
“Well… I expected it, but it must be very different?

Senior Yoon Hyuk left for his seat.
… It’s very embarrassing.

Contrary to concerns, the game went smoothly.
It is said that this is the second call after the current coach has been appointed, but the organization is surprisingly good. However, it’s not bad to the end, but it’s not good enough to empty words.

Since the national team is not an environment where you can gather and practice every day like a club team, it seems that you have the ability to have this level of organization in the second convocation.

“Opposite! Open to the other side!!”

Our team’s right striker Lee Gyu-shik and right-back fullback Ha Sang-jin senior opened wide to the right to attract the national team players, and Yoon Hyuk senior gave instructions.

“This way!”

The national team put pressure on senior Yoon Hyuk, who dug into the wider space, and took over the pass.

Senior Yoon Hyuk, who quickly turned his back and endured, fired a long pass toward the opposite side, in the direction I was running, without even looking.

A ball that lands exactly in front of the running space.
As expected, senior Yoon Hyuk.

While the national team players hurriedly return, the center back keeps a distance to buy time.
Maybe this player… Was it a player who said he would play in the second division, Gyeongnam? He seems to be quite skillful, perhaps because of his professional career, but —

Tarak!
The balance of the center back, who fell into the momentary feint, hits the gap.

A goalpost that fills the field of view as you beat the center back.
Even the goalkeeper who runs out goes round and round, lightly passing the Marseille turn and slowly putting the ball into the empty goal post.

Beep, Beep!!
The referee’s whistle announcing a goal.

While exchanging high-fives with seniors, I glanced at the bench and saw the running coach and the national team coach stroking his chin with a puzzled expression.

‘What. What’s wrong with that expression?’

Even after seeing my splendid dribble breakthrough, my expression is very strange.

* * *

“Hmm.”

Gong Jeon Sung stroked his rough chin and tilted his head.

It’s only been a month and a half since I took over as the coach of the Olympic team.
Fortunately, the former coach resigned after confirming his qualification for the Olympics, so he sighed, but that doesn’t mean he can afford it.

The finals are right around the corner, but the player analysis has to start.
Others are still trying to figure out when it’s time to finalize the entry and match the organizational skills. So, didn’t we summon as many as 23 players this time?

“Why is that, Director?”

In response to head coach Han Ji-hoon’s question, Gongjeon-seong only nodded.

“I think I know why Suko held the match against this team.”

When the former coach resigned, he was fine, but when he was appointed, the coaching staff resigned as a group.
The reason is obvious.
Since the head coach resigned right before the Olympics, they must have expected the head coach to take over. However, the association’s choice was not the head coach, but the outsider himself.

With even the coaching staff leaving, the record faced a bizarre situation in which they had to seek new coaching staff.
Well, thanks to that, the predecessor’s shadow was wiped out… A side effect is that the existing data also evaporated.

The data as a document remained, but rather than believing it, he decided to examine it one by one himself, and first recruited staff.

As for the head coach, Han Ji-hoon, whom I met while coaching in Europe.
Didn’t he ask for a good player in less than a month after he was appointed to see if his eyes were not wrong?

“Suko-nim’s eyes are amazing. College league… I never thought there would be a hidden gem in a college league in such an underprivileged area. I never thought of it.”
“I’m glad. He was worried that the director would not notice him. Also over there… “

Is player number 15 okay? Han Ji-hoon, who was about to say, shut his mouth.

“Okay. The 13th player. The name… Yoon Hyuk? This guy is great.”
Haha. Right! Number 13 Yunhyeok! It’s excellent. And isn’t that number 15 okay too?”

Jihoon Han sighed.
What kind of trouble is this because of this bastard’s daughter-in-law?

Falling into his daughter’s business, he caught a friendly match against Jindae Ho.
Well, even if it was just a video, I thoroughly analyzed it, and I had to find a player that the coach liked.

And the number 15 that I actually saw was indeed worth recommending to my daughter with high eyesight.

“Hmm… 15 times. You are Minjun Hong.”

However, the director only tilted his head at what he was dissatisfied with,

“Where. Let’s try it.”

And gestures towards the players.
Following the promised instructions, a player clung to the number 15 and started following him around.

‘Adherence mark?’

Jihoon Han glanced at the director’s face.
The tight mark is not a particularly difficult tactic. It’s just a matter of assigning a friendly player to a threatening opponent.

However, if you think in reverse, the friendly player is also tied to the opponent.
The more sophisticated the tactics, the more important each player’s movement is, and if you attach a stick mark, one cogwheel will be pierced.

It’s not pressure according to the situation, it’s a close mark.
It’s a method that I don’t use unless the opponent is threatening, but in only 5 minutes in the first half?

‘Did you already notice the 15 individual skills?’

As a result of video analysis on the daughter-in-law’s torch, the individual skills of No. 15 are insane. If it wasn’t for the director’s instructions, I was going to watch it a little longer and suggest it secretly, but it’s really sharp.

However, if it is number 15 that you figured out… You won’t be able to stop it with a player’s close mark like that.
Looking at number 15, who showed light movements, Han Ji-hoon leisurely looked at the director’s expression.

13 minutes in the first half.
This time, it started at back number 13, Yoon Hyuk’s toes.

Yoon-hyeok, who read the opponent’s pass path, lightly took the ball and opened it wide in the opposite direction at once.
As soon as Yoon-hyeok cut the pass, he started running at number 15 toward Hong Min-jun.

Even though it was quite a difficult ball to catch, the 15th successfully trapped the ball with a light upper body painting, passing the player who was closely marking it, and dug into the camp with great speed.

As soon as I thought that it was impossible to see the absurd appearance of running into a narrow space where the defense was dense, the number 15’s feet moved like lightning.

A ball that passes between both feet in an instant. 15 shots that broke through two defenses with an incredible la croqueta unfortunately flew into the air, but no one breathed a sigh of relief.

“L, phantom dribble? In practice?”

Han Ji-hoon laughed quietly at the muttering of the players watching from the bench.
After all, my daughter-in-law, no, my eyes were not wrong.

I tried to erase my smile and looked at the director.

‘… Yes?’

I thought I could see the surprised expression even if my mouth wasn’t wide open, but I was mistaken.
Isn’t the director shaking his head calmly?

“Also.”

The director, who had been shaking his head for some reason, gestured again.
The national team players, who were fascinated by the incredible fantastic play, came to their senses and regrouped according to the coach’s instructions.

‘This time, I’ll stick to number 13?’

Wouldn’t it be like putting a close mark on number 13, leaving number 15, which just made a huge breakthrough?
Han Ji-hoon was really surprised this time.

‘I figured it out at once?’

A fact he found out after watching a few games himself.
The core that was hidden in the brilliant dribble breakthrough.
Because I grasped at once the part that was hidden in number 15, which had a huge impact.

After the target of the stick mark was changed, Ho Jin-dae was silent for the remaining 20 minutes of the first half.
15 splendid dribble breakthroughs lost power because there was no help for 13 times, and Hojindae’s performance itself subsided as the two, who were actually the nucleus of Hojindae’s attack, remained silent.

The director nodded to himself again.

“Number 13 is talented. As long as we improve our ability to depressurize, it will work in Europe as well.”
“How about number 15?”
“It’s half.”

The director declared without any hesitation.

“A typical player who can only play in tactics that suit him.”
“Then… ?”

At Han Ji-hoon’s question, the director raised his gaze.
Players on the ground to start the second half.

“Full of flaws. There’s no room for that player in my national team, unless it’s a club team. You never know. If you show a different side of yourself in the second half.”

The referee’s whistle blew, and the second half began.
Han Ji-hoon, who was watching the stadium while hiding his regret, widened his eyes.

“… Yes? Has your movement changed?”
“Hmm.”

The director, who was watching while stroking his chin, gradually opened his mouth.
Looking at Min-jun Hong, who showed a change that could be considered a different person from the first half, Ji-hoon Han could hear the director muttering.

“That guy… Thousands… ?”
“OMG.”
“No. Genius. A genius for sure!”
‘…….’

I don’t know what it is, but first of all, my daughter’s wish seems to be fulfilled.