Chapter 92
I moved quickly to sign Cafu.
Cafu had already decided to retire back in May.
If I wanted to give him time to get his body ready for matches, I had to bring him in as early as possible.
Union Berlin and I immediately approached Cafu's agent.
“It’s an honor to meet a manager who’s been such a hot topic in Europe lately.”
“Likewise, nice to meet you.”
When I said I wanted to sign Cafu, his agent gave an awkward smile.
It meant that, with Cafu already having made up his mind to retire, it would be hard to change his mind.
Still, I went into serious negotiations for Cafu's signing.
“Two years.”
“……?”
“I’ll guarantee you can keep playing for at least two more years.”
Cafu's decision to retire was because his body had reached its limit, not because he'd lost his passion.
In fact, Cafu's physical condition at the moment was objectively not good.
Cafu was 38 years old.
It was fair to say he had already passed the twilight of his career as a footballer.
In that situation, promising two years was practically the same as throwing money into the wind.
You could tell from how worked up the agent got over a contract length better than expected.
“However, I can't guarantee playing time.”
“That I understand. Picking the starting lineup is the manager's prerogative.”
Unfortunately, Cafu's level had dropped too much for him to be used as a starter right now.
What Union Berlin wanted from Cafu, however, was a defender who could anchor the team.
Cafu was also said to have no issues in terms of character.
Unlike the usual image of Brazilian players, he was extremely diligent.
And sharing Champions League experience would be a huge plus.
But even with such a serious offer, it was hard to change the mind of someone who had already declared retirement.
Cafu was mostly worried about whether his current ability would actually help the club.
“Cafu, I've had a dream since I was a child. It's the dream of lifting the Champions League trophy. People may laugh at me. They may say a poor club and an Asian manager are overreaching, that we don't know our place. But I don't want to give up on my dream just because we're poor, or just because I'm Asian. To keep us from giving up on that dream, we need your experience. Please help us.”
But through persistent persuasion, I managed to change Cafu's mind.
“...I'm 38. Is it really okay to sign someone as old as me?”
I smiled and repeated Fabio Capello's answer.
“You only need to play more than twelve matches in a season. Let’s lift the Meisterschale (the Bundesliga trophy) together.”
That day, I succeeded in finalizing Cafu's signing.
[Cafu publicly releases an apology letter to AC Milan and its fans over reversing his retirement decision.]
[AC Milan supporters to Cafu... “We’ll be rooting for you.”]
And at the same time, Thiago Silva's signing also came through.
I succeeded in winning over Thiago Silva, who had been leaning toward AC Milan.
With AC Milan already having half given up on signing Thiago Silva, there was no backlash.
Union Berlin spent an astronomical sum this season.
Still, it wasn't enough to make the club wobble.
***
[Union Berlin sign 'legend' Cafu.]
└ ?
└ ?
└ ?
└ ?
└ What the hell is this? For real?
└ Wow, shit, Union Berlin really has become a top-flight club.
└ LOL, they've always only signed obscure prospects, so I was like, 'yeah, figures,' but hearing they signed Cafu, my heart's suddenly pounding.
└ Ahahaha, fuck, this season I'm buying a Union Berlin jersey with Cafu on it.
└ LOL, Cafu? Can't pass that up.
***
This summer transfer window, four defenders were brought in, and once the defensive positions became overcrowded, several Union Berlin players also requested transfers.
[Marek Jankowski requests a transfer from the club.]
[Florian Weber heading to the lower division?]
They had given up on the fierce competition for a starting spot.
As soon as I heard that the players wanted transfers, I immediately sat down with them.
“So, where do you want to go?”
“Somewhere I can play a lot.”
The guys, who had been acting as if they were guilty of some crime, relaxed as we talked.
It wasn't their fault that they were asking for transfers.
Once new players came in, it was only natural for their roles to shrink.
I was the one who'd overdone it and signed too many new players in the first place.
But as Union Berlin's manager, I had no choice but to do my best to seize opportunities when they came.
Rather than blaming anyone, it was more accurate to say the situation simply turned out this way.
Anyway.
I accepted most of their demands and put them on the transfer list.
The moment it was announced that a Union Berlin player was on the transfer market, lower-division clubs immediately came calling.
That was entirely thanks to my reputation.
My reputation in the lower divisions is practically absolute.
In the lower divisions, the rule was already set in stone: Union Berlin alumni = good footballers.
Lower-division clubs were competing to sign Made in Union Berlin players.
Fortunately, my reputation still hadn't spread to other countries or the first division.
If it had, signing Dante would have failed.
Thiago Silva and Modrić were different, since they were expensive signings to begin with.
On top of that, even in the Bundesliga there were question marks over my eye for talent. In other words, the kind of player who works in the second division is different from the kind who works in the first.
Well... it's something I've always heard.
One thing was certain: if Union Berlin performed well this season,
it would definitely make future signings that much harder.
Then I'd have to keep making random signings to throw them off.
Anyway.
Union Berlin quickly wrapped up the transfer talks.
We could have deliberately inflated the players' value by stalling and turning down offers a few times during negotiations, but we decided to give up the small profit.
That was our own small reward to the players who had dedicated themselves to the club.
***
[Marek Jankowski transfers to Cologne.]
[Florian Weber transfers to Mainz.]
[Union Berlin-made talent you can trust? St. Pauli and VfL Osnabrück praise Union Berlin alumni.]
[Union Berlin manager Park Chan-hyuk sends his thanks to the departing players. “I thank you for your dedication. Though you'll be on different teams, I hope you do well there.”]
***
Union Berlin's new arrivals joined the team, and before the official preseason began, we did light training to check their condition.
This season, we'd be using a three-back system.
More precisely, it was a 3-5-2 formation, with Lewandowski and Yannick Voigt forming the front two.
Behind them would be Son Hong-min, Luka Modrić, Thomas Mayer, Shinji Kagawa, and Marcus Matschke.
And the season's centerpiece, the three-back, was the so-called Brazilian Connection made up of Dante, Cafu, and Thiago Silva.
They had excellent footwork and sharp kicking power, as you'd expect from Brazilians.
Their long passes from the back to the front could confidently be called Union Berlin's key attacking route.
Dante, Silva, and Cafu all had a knack for long passes.
And all three were excellent at looking after themselves.
Cafu played for AC Milan until he was 38, Thiago Silva played for Chelsea until 39, and Dante also played for Nice in Ligue 1 well past 41.
Thiago Silva and Dante were also outstandingly loyal to their clubs.
There’s Van Dijk in the youth team too.
At the very least, we wouldn't have to worry about the back line for another 15 years.
On top of that, they were also known for having good character.
Personally, Dante was the one who left the strongest impression.
Despite the competition, Dante was the happiest about Thiago Silva and Cafu joining.
Dante was the sort of guy with a surprisingly soft heart, and he was genuinely happy whenever a Brazilian player joined the team.
I wasn't worried that factions would form in the club.
Thiago Silva, Dante, and Cafu were not the type to play politics in the locker room.
In fact, even though Cafu had the best career of them all, he treated captain Yannick Voigt with respect.
I really did think it was a good signing.
At present, there wasn't a single Union Berlin player with experience in the Champions League knockout rounds.
Most of the squad had come up together from the lower divisions, but that was because we had mostly signed prospects.
In that situation, signing Cafu was immensely reassuring.
Anyway, if Cafu got tired, Van Dijk from the youth team would come on.
I nodded with satisfaction at the strengthened back line.
Union Berlin had, in effect, completed the Wall of Wailing, the so-called Berlin Wall.
And a few days later.
Union Berlin headed to Japan for preseason.