Chapter 71
***
“Goooooooooal—! It’s in!”
In Korea, Union Berlin’s match was being broadcast in the late hours of the night.
At this time, it wouldn’t have been an exaggeration to say SBK’s sports division was being kept afloat by Union Berlin. After losing the Premier League broadcast rights to another network, they’d hit the jackpot.
[Manager Park Chan-hyeok becomes Union Berlin’s largest shareholder….]
└ Whoa, holy crap, it really became a Korean club?
└ Is this for real?
└ There’s an article, so it must be real.
└ But why didn’t he take over as chairman?
└ They say he’s already insanely busy just being the manager.
And a few days earlier, the news that Park Chan-hyeok had become Union Berlin’s largest shareholder sent the whole country into a frenzy. People thought it might make it a little easier for Korean footballers to move overseas.
Well. That wasn’t exactly wrong.
Park Chan-hyeok was planning to bring in talented Korean players once again in the next preseason.
Anyway.
“Timo Breitner’s opening goal! Timo Breitner is shining a bright light on Union Berlin’s chances of winning!”
Even though it was late, the voices of the broadcasting team covering the match were full of energy.
‘Union Berlin buys you meals? It buys you meat too.’
To the commentators, Union Berlin was a team that bought them not only meals, but meat as well—a truly appreciated team.
Recently, the network had been preparing an entertainment program related to Union Berlin, and the commentator and caster had both finalized their appearance contracts for it.
The job of a commentator was already tough enough for the amount of work it demanded.
In fact, commentators who hadn’t been professional players were paid far less than former players.
That was why, later on, most commentators ended up running YouTube channels.
“The person who just spoke with Manager Park Chan-hyeok was Coach Daniel Teixeira, you know? He’s the coach who kindly watched over Son Hong-min’s debut goal celebration.”
“Yes, that’s right. He devoted himself as a player for Union Berlin until last season, and from this season on he’s working as a coach as Manager Park Chan-hyeok’s right-hand man.”
The commentator poured his heart and soul into the broadcast, determined not to miss out on Union Berlin’s gold mine.
- Ah, lol. He really is a commentator you can trust.
- …Daniel Teixeira was a Union Berlin player until last season, though.
- Must be a new viewer, lol.
Still, the present was better than the future.
Information sharing was still limited, and overseas football was only just beginning to develop.
Once football fans online start digging up the names of past legends, things get complicated.
- By the way, what’s that on Park Chan-hyeok’s wrist? Aren’t those handcuffs?
- Lmaoㅋㅋㅋㅋ
- The world’s first handcuffed manager, damn.
While the fans watching Union Berlin’s match were joking around on the forums.
“Lewandowski! He’s struck it!”
“The ball stays with Son Hong-min! Son Hong-min! Goooooooooal—! Son Hong-min’s third league goal!”
Union Berlin had succeeded in slotting home a dagger goal that completely shattered FC Carl Zeiss Jena’s morale.
***
After Son Hong-min’s added goal, the match was completely one-sided.
FC Carl Zeiss Jena didn’t even dare think about pushing up their line and were pinned back and battered in their own half.
Even without Yannick Voigt, Union Berlin was overwhelmingly superior by pure quality alone. Vice captain Markus Matschke was encouraging the players steadily in Yannick’s place.
‘Honestly, Matschke feels a little more captain-like than Yannick.’
But Union Berlin’s symbolism and loyalty belonged overwhelmingly to Yannick.
Back when Union Berlin was in the third division, Yannick had stayed with the team even after offers came from second- and first-division clubs.
Well. Markus Matschke himself might have been a little disappointed not to get the captaincy, but he didn’t make a big deal out of it.
If anything, he seemed to acknowledge Yannick Voigt as the captain.
“Markus, nice pass!”
From the bench, I gave him a thumbs-up with my left hand, and Markus Matschke nodded with a smile.
…Come to think of it, I do look ridiculous right now.
‘Still, reporters really are a pain.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly as I remembered how I’d been hounded by reporters lately.
[Yannick Voigt suddenly goes on vacation ahead of the match against FC Carl Zeiss Jena….]
There was a lot of talk about sending the team’s ace, Yannick Voigt, on vacation right before the match against FC Carl Zeiss Jena, but I firmly brushed aside all concerns.
[Manager Park Chan-hyeok denies transfer rumors and feud rumors involving Yannick Voigt…. “There can be no feud. Yannick and I are like blood brothers.”]
But of course, one interview didn’t clear up every doubt and concern.
[Union Berlin captain Yannick Voigt to move to a Spanish club?]
[Testimony claims Yannick Voigt visited the manager’s office before leaving on vacation….]
└ But isn’t it obvious you’d have to talk to the manager if you want to go on vacation?
└ For real, disappearing without saying anything seems like the actual problem;;
The press kept raising all sorts of suspicions about my relationship with Yannick Voigt.
[Yannick Voigt! Leaving the team because of Manager Park Chan-hyeok’s habitual celebration theft.]
- Why does this actually sound plausible?
- See? Korean reporters are the problem.
- It’s a translation of an article from the local media.
- Germany has tabloid hacks too?
- People are all the same.
Fans were voicing concerns too, but I absolutely refused to mention the fact that Yannick Voigt’s girlfriend was pregnant.
I couldn’t become a manager who used a player as a shield just to save my own skin.
A manager was the captain who decided the course Union Berlin’s ship would take.
That carried not only a positive meaning, but a negative one as well.
‘If I mess up, I’ll get mutinied on and be screwed.’
A manager who failed to win over the players would eventually be chased out of the club sooner or later.
‘For example, Mourinho. Or Mourinho. Or Mourinho.’
You couldn’t treat every player with an old-school, Mourinho-style approach. Like Alex Ferguson, you had to understand each player’s personality and deal with them differently.
‘Still, I wonder if that punk Yannick is enjoying his vacation with his girlfriend.’
When I thought of Yannick Voigt away on vacation with his girlfriend, the strange twinge in my side probably wasn’t just my imagination.
‘Damn, all I’ve got around me are nothing but a bunch of grim-looking men….’
***
Meanwhile, at that very moment.
Yannick Voigt was spending a happy day with his girlfriend.
The way his girlfriend got happy over the tiniest things looked strangely cute.
Yannick Voigt became convinced that he must never let go of his current girlfriend.
‘I guess it has to be Anna.’
That evening, Yannick Voigt proposed to his girlfriend.
“Will you marry me?”
The two of them promised to hold the wedding as soon as the season ended.
***
The match between Union Berlin and FC Carl Zeiss Jena was over.
Roberto Lewandowski added one more goal right before the final whistle.
As a result, every attacker in the starting lineup had scored.
Roberto Lewandowski, who recorded one goal and two assists, was named Man of the Match.
He answered every question sincerely.
“Recently, Manager Park Chan-hyeok and Yannick Voigt….”
“Sorry, but Yannick will talk about that later.”
But he didn’t answer any questions related to Yannick Voigt.
He had decided to keep quiet until Yannick Voigt told the fans that his girlfriend was pregnant.
As a result, Yannick Voigt’s secret never leaked beyond Union Berlin.
***
[Union Berlin crushes FC Carl Zeiss Jena 3-0.]
[Union Berlin climbs to second place in the league, continuing its fierce battle for the top spot….]
└ Are they really going up to the first division like this?
└ Back-to-back-to-back promotions are insane, damn.
└ Where did all those people go who said Union Berlin would be ruined after Thomas Tuchel left, lol?
└ Yeah~ in reality, they’re looking very likely to make it into the first division.
[Roberto Lewandowski perfectly fills the void left by Yannick Voigt.]
[No comment on Yannick Voigt’s transfer rumors.]
[Yannick Voigt returns after a short vacation.]
[Regarding Yannick Voigt’s transfer rumors…. “I’ll let my play do the talking in the next match.”]
└ Is he really leaving?
└ If he says he’ll let his play do the talking, that means he’s staying, right?
***
Time passed quickly, and Yannick Voigt returned to the club after his vacation.
“Yannick, your eyes look sharper.”
“I figured I’d need to earn money not just for baby formula, but for diapers too.”
Back when Union Berlin was struggling in the fourth division because of financial trouble.
Yannick Voigt had worked like crazy to live up to Park Chan-hyeok’s expectations, but it was hard to keep that same mindset forever. People are bound to become lazy eventually.
“How are you feeling?”
“I feel good enough to play a match right now!”
But Yannick Voigt had become a completely different person after returning from vacation.
[Name: Yannick Voigt]
Current Ability: ★★★★★ (Temporary)
Potential: ★★★★★
Summary: His mental stats have temporarily risen significantly.
Park Chan-hyeok nodded after checking Yannick Voigt’s status window.
“…I wonder if the others are going to get married too.”
That was the moment Park Chan-hyeok realized the power of the formula buff, one of the two major pillars of the buff world alongside military-exemption roids.