Chapter 90
After wrapping up negotiations with the Japan Football Association, I began transfer talks with the players.
Strictly speaking, transfer negotiations were the club's job rather than the manager's, but I could at least sketch out the broad framework.
‘I am the club.’
Anyway, my opinion tended to carry a lot of weight when it came to signing players.
Anyway.
The Japan Football Association regretted not having a striker position, but Union Berlin's striker spots were already firmly occupied by Lewandowski and Yannick Voigt.
In Yannick's case, he could also play as a right winger, which left only the left-wing spot open.
It's a little awkward to say, but making a Korean and a Japanese player compete for the same position would be a burden not only for me, but also for the Japan Football Association.
This was a slightly different issue from having the two countries compete over jersey sales.
“Th...then there’s nothing we can do,”
The Japan Football Association also readily agreed with my opinion.
In any case.
As for transfer negotiations, Makoto Hasebe had already been talking with Wolfsburg.
Unfortunately, he decided to head to Wolfsburg rather than Union Berlin.
[Makoto Hasebe transfers to Wolfsburg. "I'm grateful for Union Berlin's offer, but since talks with Wolfsburg were already underway, I couldn't betray that trust."]
[Union Berlin manager Park Chan-hyuk, “He's a good player. He'll adapt well to the Bundesliga.”]
By contrast, Shinji Kagawa's transfer talks went smoothly.
That was because Shinji Kagawa was now a rising star making a name for himself in the second division.
Kagawa's club also cooperated actively.
With only the player's own desire to leave remaining, it was his club, Cerezo Osaka, that convinced Shinji Kagawa.
“Your success in the Bundesliga will be a source of pride for our team and our fans. Please make our club proud and come back someday. We'll be waiting until then.”
After hearing the words of the Cerezo Osaka chairman, Shinji Kagawa decided to transfer that very day.
Yuto Nagatomo's case was a little special. He was with FC Tokyo, but he was still a 'special designated player.'
Negotiating with Yuto Nagatomo was even easier than with Shinji Kagawa. FC Tokyo coolly let Yuto Nagatomo, who was still a special designated player, go.
[2008 Beijing Olympics squad member Yuto Nagatomo comments on his move to Union Berlin. “I'll come back as the world's best defender and wear FC Tokyo's jersey again someday.”]
With Yuto Nagatomo's signing, my schedule in Japan was almost over, and I boarded the plane back to Union Berlin.
“Manager, what exactly will we be doing?”
For the record, two Japanese employees who had worked at the football association came along to learn Union Berlin's football system.
I looked at the two men, who were now employees of Union Berlin, and answered with a smile.
Well, there wasn't much for them to do.
“All you have to do is interpret for the Japanese players, handle player management, take care of club administration, and translate the Union Berlin website into Japanese.”
The Japanese employees' faces began to turn pale, but it couldn't be helped.
Because the Union Berlin tradition was to do double duty.
And since they had already boarded the plane, it was too late to turn back.
‘Just in case, should I take their passports when we land in Berlin?’
In any case.
I returned to Germany.
I`ll be back.
To wrap up the transfers that still hadn't been decided.
‘Well.... We do have to come back to Japan for the preseason Asia tour, anyway.’
***
[Union Berlin's backup midfielder Kai Heiden transfers to St. Pauli....]
[Paul Zimmer transfers to the newly promoted VfL Osnabrück.]
While I was returning from Japan to Germany, there were some Union Berlin transfers.
It was only natural for footballers to leave in search of more playing time.
Union Berlin set aside time for the departing players to say goodbye to the fans.
After they had already given their all last season, there was no reason to part on bad terms.
If the players hadn't wanted it, we weren't going to go ahead with the event.
Fortunately, the players said their final goodbyes to Union Berlin's fans.
“Kai and Paul. You've both worked hard all this time. Thank you for your dedication.”
As the applause from Union Berlin's fans rang out, I walked over to the two of them and offered words of encouragement.
“……Boss, why are you suddenly acting so serious?”
“Because it's the last one, so I thought I should act serious?”
“What do you mean, the last one? When we retire, we'll come back to Union Berlin too.”
And so, Kai Heiden and Paul Zimmer left for other teams in search of playing time.
The two players were sold for a fairly high sum, the so-called 'Park Chan-hyuk premium.'
Well.... They were rotation players, and since it was a move to the lower division, it wasn't that expensive.
‘……Still, together they brought in about Dante’s transfer fee.’
***
[Union Berlin's summer transfer window continues.]
[Tottenham Hotspur issue GNK Dinamo Zagreb a final ultimatum: £20 million (₩40 billion).]
[Croatian Ivan Petrovic contacts hot property Luka Modrić. “Union Berlin is young and changing quickly. You could make history here.”]
***
The chaotic summer transfer window continued.
[Bayern Munich sack Thomas Tuchel.... “You're undermining the club's traditions.”]
[Jürgen Klopp voluntarily resigns as Mainz manager. Farewell ceremony turns into a sea of tears.... “Danke, Kloppo!”]
Thomas Tuchel was sacked, and Jürgen Klopp resigned as Mainz manager. Most people still considered Jürgen Klopp a young, promising coach.
[Real Madrid and Chelsea show interest in Thomas Tuchel.]
With Tuchel now sacked, big clubs including Chelsea and Real Madrid moved to make their approach.
Although they fell to Manchester United in the Champions League semifinals, he had taken Bayern to the semifinals in his first Champions League campaign.
If it hadn't been for Oliver Kahn's fatal mistake right before the final whistle, Bayern Munich might have been the team to reach the final.
If they had made the final, Thomas Tuchel's Bayern Munich might even have recorded the club's first treble.
[Bayern Munich double... and the manager still gets sacked?]
[Leak surfaces: serious conflict between the board and the manager.]
[Anonymous employee, “If it hadn't been for the club's internal conflict, Bayern Munich would have won the treble.”]
Having won the league, the DFB-Pokal, and reached the Champions League semifinals.
Tuchel's ability had been thoroughly proven, and despite his minor 'personality flaws,' there were more than enough clubs eager to snap him up.
Amid the flood of offers from big clubs, Thomas Tuchel contacted me.
Just as I'd planned, I recommended the Manchester City job.
[Manchester City, reduced to the plaything of a Middle Eastern royal family.]
There were concerns that Manchester City was being turned into a toy by a Middle Eastern royal family, but
As someone from the future, I knew just how serious Mansour was about football.
He invests heavily, doesn't meddle, and is patient. He was clearly a perfect fit for Tuchel.
‘……Should I change my mind and recommend Real Madrid instead?’
It felt like I was building a roadblock to my own future with my own hands, but since I was on good terms with Tuchel, I still gave him sincere advice.
[Will Thomas Tuchel choose Manchester City?]
And Thomas Tuchel, taking my words seriously, began negotiations with Manchester City.
[Thomas Tuchel appointed as Manchester City manager.]
The day the news broke that Thomas Tuchel had become Manchester City's manager.
‘For now, I’ve booted one guy out of the Bundesliga.’
I smiled like a mastermind behind the scenes.
Champions League title or not, you still had to finish in the top three in the league to qualify for the Champions League.
[The fallen giant Dortmund appoints Jürgen Klopp as manager.]
Meanwhile, the fallen grand club Dortmund appointed Jürgen Klopp as manager.
‘……This one is following the original history.’
Appointed as Dortmund manager, Jürgen Klopp decided to bring in his favorite protégé.
I threw a wrench in the works when I heard Dortmund was signing Neven Subotić.
[Union Berlin's Park Chan-hyuk joins the race to sign Neven Subotić.... “He's a good player. There’s still plenty of room for him to grow under me.”]
And that evening, after the article came out.
Jürgen Klopp called me.
- Are you really going to do that?
I immediately started a video call and, smiling, answered the voice of Jürgen Klopp, who sounded as if he were holding back his anger.
“Welcome to the Bundesliga.”
It was a beautiful bit of provocation from a junior to a Bundesliga veteran.
***
Although I had tried to stir things up, Neven Subotić still headed to Dortmund.
Mainz, thinking not just of the player but also of its relationship with Jürgen Klopp, decided to send him to Dortmund for a similar fee.
[Dortmund sign Neven Subotić.]
Dortmund did spend a little more on the transfer fee because of me, but history wouldn't change all that much.
And three days later.
I heard the news that Bayern Munich had appointed a new manager.
[Jürgen Klinsmann appointed as Bayern Munich manager.... “The evolution of tactics has ended. From now on, training methods will decide results.”]
[Bayern Munich manager Jürgen Klinsmann appoints four fitness coaches.]
I didn't know whether to call it history's resilience or its restorative power, but I could be certain of one thing.
‘……Is the Munich board insane?’