Chapter 51
***
The news that Union Berlin's promotion had been put on hold quickly spread to the fans.
For Union Berlin fans, news of promotion being put on hold was basically a trigger.
[Union Berlin, 1993/1994 Oberliga champions! But failed to be promoted because of financial problems!]
[Union Berlin, despite winning the Oberliga two seasons in a row, failed to get promoted due to financial issues.]
In fact, there had already been many similar cases in the past.
[Top-flight clubs contacting Thomas Tuchel.]
And when rumors started spreading that Thomas Tuchel might leave after next season in such a situation,
“If Tuchel leaves too, isn't that dangerous?”
“Still, we've got Chan-hyeok, so isn't it fine? The squad follows Chan-hyeok more anyway.”
“Who do you think brought Chan-hyeok here! Chan-hyeok will leave too, you idiot!”
Union fans' anxiety kept growing out of control.
“Damn it, are we really going to be relegated to the fourth division again?”
“For now, let's trust Chairman Dirk. He's the one who discovered Tuchel!”
Memories of the time when the team had rapidly declined, starting with the financial crisis, came flooding back.
More and more fans were losing sleep over worries about the future.
Then, late one night.
“Eisern Union!!!!!”
One Union Berlin fan blasted the chant loudly out on the street.
People who weren't Union Berlin fans frowned at the sudden noise and passed by, but the Union Berlin fans who heard the chant gathered around one by one as if under a spell.
“Immer wieder Eisern Union!(Always the Iron Union!)”
Union Berlin's fans naturally formed ranks and, as if shaking off the anxiety that had built up inside them, sang the chant at the top of their lungs.
“Everyone, let's protect the club once again! If the stadium is old, then what of it? We can just build it again ourselves!”
The moment the chant ended, a man rushed out and began speaking.
“Wir sind Union.(We are Union.)”
“Und das ist unsere Antwort!!! (And this is our answer!!!)”
The fans, who had already joined forces once before, did not hesitate to step up again.
From that day on, rumors that Union Berlin supporters had volunteered for the club's reconstruction spread through the local community,
and in no time, 2,000 volunteers had been recruited.
Each of them helped with the stadium reconstruction whenever they had time.
“I'm really sorry....”
“Why are you apologizing? Don't you have a wife and children to support? I understand perfectly.”
“Instead, here's the money I got from donating blood. Please take this, at least.”
Fans who couldn't spare the time because they had to make a living also helped the team by donating blood.
Thus, the plan to rebuild Union Berlin's home stadium with the fans' blood and sweat began.
***
[Union Berlin's promotion put on hold due to the stadium's age.]
[Chairman Dirk Zingler: “We will do our utmost to pass the safety standards.”]
[Union Berlin plans to use a temporary stadium until the end of the season.]
[Shaky Union Berlin? A helpless defeat after their worst performance....]
[Even after the helpless defeat, Union Berlin fans loudly cheer the players. “We won't give up. We will definitely return to the second division!”]
[Thomas Tuchel gives no answer when asked about his future.]
[Union Berlin supporters ask Thomas Tuchel not to leave, saying they will solve the stadium problem themselves.]
[The iron ranks, Eisern Union, rise again in the face of the club's crisis.]
[The person in charge of stadium construction. “We will rise again from the brink and, in the end, rebuild the stadium. Wir sind Union.(We are Union.)”]
***
Union Berlin's news that its promotion to the second division had been put on hold quickly spread to Korea as well.
News reports and articles about Union Berlin flooded in.
That was possible because the third-division club Union Berlin had a Korean assistant coach.
[Union Berlin fans gathered to rebuild the stadium.]
└ Wow.... They're working for free?
└ This team's romance is overflowingㅠㅠ
└ Isn't there any way we can help?
└ Wouldn't it be enough to send a donation?
└ Ugh, why don't they make it possible to donate on the site;;
└ They can't make that because of the law.
└ Are you a lawyer? Are you sure?
└ Honestly, I don't know either lol
And even apart from the news articles, Union Berlin's current situation was being explained in detail through the club's Korean-friendly website.
In any case, once word of Union Berlin got out, the football association immediately went into an emergency response meeting.
“…Wouldn't this mess up the plan?”
From their point of view, they had sent students abroad because Union Berlin's promotion to the second division seemed likely.
Sadly, there was no denying that Germany's third division was below the K League in level.
“From the reports so far, the players' growth looks good, so let's wait a little longer.”
“It's a little... hard to trust a report written by someone from Union Berlin.”
“Then should Board Member Park go to Germany himself?”
Board Member Park was on the verge of smiling at the unexpected chance for a free trip abroad.
“…No.”
After seeing the association president's cold gaze, he quietly backed down.
And the news reaching people didn't stop at the football association.
The news that Union Berlin's promotion had been put on hold was also delivered to GL Group chairman Gu Bon, who had been keeping an eye on Park Chan-hyeok.
After receiving an update on Union Berlin's current situation through his secretary, GL Group chairman Gu Bon recalled Park Chan-hyeok's bold demeanor.
“Hm. I wonder when that brat's going to call.”
Union Berlin turned out to be a better club to invest in than expected.
'If the fans are willing to volunteer, their loyalty is practically proven.'
Investing in sports was a good way to build a company's image in Europe.
In Union Berlin's case, the fact that even if they were promoted, they'd still only be in the second division was a bit of a drawback.
At this level of publicity, though, it wasn't a loss.
'If anything, it's a gain.'
Other than BFC Dynamo, there was no club that hated Union Berlin, which was another plus.
Across Germany, Union Berlin was seen as a success story of the 50+1 rule and a club full of romance.
Above all, since Union Berlin's fans had volunteered to help, the construction costs were expected to be far lower than anticipated.
So Gu Bon waited for a call from Park Chan-hyeok. As GL was a global company, stepping in only after Union Berlin made the request would look better.
But no matter how long he waited, Park Chan-hyeok never contacted him.
“...Making an old man wait, you little brat.”
Gu Bon clicked his tongue lightly.
But it couldn't be helped.
Around that time, Park Chan-hyeok was.
“...You're stepping down as manager?”
clutching his head at the sudden news that Thomas Tuchel was stepping down.
***
The shocking news came that Thomas Tuchel would step down as manager at the end of this season.
I heard that story directly from Thomas Tuchel himself.
“I'm sorry, but I can't afford to waste two years in the lower divisions.”
I nodded at Tuchel's words. It was something I couldn't help but agree with.
If promotion really was put on hold, Union Berlin would have to play another season in the third division.
And the DFB was soon going to reorganize the third division.
Starting with the 2008/2009 season, the professional third division, the 3. Liga, would be created, and the current Regionalliga would be dropped to the fourth division.
That meant that even if Union Berlin secured promotion next season, they would still have to spend one more season in the third division. That's because in the following season, teams promoted from the Regionalliga would be given a place in the 3. Liga, not promotion to the second division.
'It's a professional league, sure, but it's still the third division and still a lower league.'
For Tuchel, who had already started to make a name for himself even among first-division clubs, that was no different from wasting time.
Asking Thomas Tuchel to stay with the team was close to an impertinent request.
Chairman Dirk Zingler also only let out a sigh and didn't try to hold on to Thomas Tuchel.
'By the way, why did he call me?'
When I was wondering that, Chairman Dirk Zingler's words continued.
“Chan-hyeok, I called you here to ask you to stay with the club.”
When I looked at Thomas Tuchel after hearing Chairman Dirk Zingler's words,
Thomas Tuchel handed the decision over to me.
“Personally, I'd like you to follow me. But I'll respect your choice. Your goal is to become a manager, isn't it?”
I started to wonder whether I should follow Tuchel or stay at Union Berlin.
Tuchel was a friend and benefactor who had pulled me out of the gutter.
But Union Berlin had done the same.
Union Berlin was also a place that had given me many opportunities.
“Chan-hyeok, we want you to become Union Berlin's captain.”
After I kept agonizing over it for a while,
a restless Chairman Dirk Zingler tried to persuade me once more.
“How much did you look into it?”
I shot back at Chairman Dirk Zingler with a confident expression.