Chapter 4: Reboot (3)

The 'Draft System' was created to prevent wealthy clubs from sweeping up all the promising young talents and to provide each team with a fair opportunity to select young players.

However, from the players' perspective, it was no different from forced conscription.

If a lower-ranked club designated you, that was the end of it, even if you had a preferred club.

From my standpoint as an ordinary person, even if someone had outstanding talent, they couldn't play in the K League due to the draft system.

Therefore, if someone thought they had some skill, they would mostly opt for the J League or Europe as a second choice.

'The draft system is a crappy rule limited to our country.'

That's why I told Coach Kim Gwang-su that I wanted to play in the Primeira Liga.

And just like in the previous chapter, Kim Gwang-su's expression was not bright.

His eyes were filled with anger.

I can understand that.

'He probably thinks I'm making light of the profession of being a soccer player with my statement.'

"Dad?"

If Mi-jeong hadn't been sitting next to me, I wonder if he would have let out a string of curses.

"Ahem, Sporting CP?"

"Yes, I'm confident."

"Do you know what kind of club Sporting CP is?"

"It's a famous prestigious club in Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo are from there."

"I see... Phew!"

Kim Gwang-su let out a short sigh.

As if he had encountered a headache.

I know that Kim Gwang-su is a doting father.

According to Mi-jeong, he had never been angry in the 18 years she had lived.

Not only that.

If she wanted to attend a piano academy, he would immediately pay for three months of lessons. If she wanted to attend an English academy, he would pay for three months in advance.

'Just hearing that one room is filled with Mi-jeong's clothes is enough to tell.'

Right now, he is sending me a very angry look, but when he looks at Mi-jeong, he forces a gentle smile.

Is Mi-jeong a kind of shield?

Still.

"Mi-jeong?"

"Yes, why?"

After the Bosingak Bell incident, Mi-jeong started to look at me with distrust.

But even her narrowed eyes were beautiful.

If it weren't for the penalty mission, she would have offered to cook me some ramen.

Well, for now...

"Can I have a moment alone with your father?"

"What?"

"I need to have a serious conversation with your father."

Despite the contrast between his gentle smile and serious tone, Mi-jeong got up with a dubious expression.

Kim Gwang-su's eyebrows twitched.

It must be even more unpleasant for him to see his precious daughter obediently follow my words, a childhood friend.

This became evident as soon as Mi-jeong entered her room.

"Let me be blunt. You're saying something ridiculous."

Finally, the conversation is progressing.

"I know it sounds ridiculous, Father. That's why I came to see you."

"Stop calling me 'Father'... Sigh. Anyway, why did you suddenly decide to play soccer?"

"Because I can't do anything as well as soccer, Father."

"Without even trying to play properly...!"

"You don't know, but I've played a lot more than you think."

If you add up all the previous 14 attempts, it's 2,800 games over 10 years, assuming 200 games per year.

Ah, I set the number of games low because I struggled quite a bit in the early rounds.

In the second round, I played in the Fangcun League instead of the K League.

I only went to the Chinese League in my late twenties.

But Kim Gwang-su, who didn't know this, looked at me with disbelief, having spent over 10 years in the same neighborhood.

Before the regression, I would hide somewhere like a shy person whenever I saw him.

Therefore, Kim Gwang-su, seeing my current confident demeanor, had a complicated expression but declared:

"The you I know is a kid who has never played soccer. Even if you did, it was just neighborhood soccer, like kids playing with a ball for fun."

He continued.

"Among the young talents dreaming of becoming players, only less than 2% of the top players can join professional clubs. Even among the top players who join, most receive average or below-average evaluations. It's hard to get in, and when you come out, you're just a frog in a well. The Primeira Liga you mentioned... is at least a higher-level league than the K League."

Indeed.

The Portuguese league is one of the world's top leagues, after England, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany.

As of 2008, it could be considered on par with the Dutch Eredivisie.

"Within the league, Sporting CP is one of the top clubs, along with Benfica and Porto. If you compare it to K League clubs, it's like FC Seoul."

"Lisbon is the capital of Portugal."

"Yes... No! Ah."

"Father, would I ask to be sent off? I'll show you the skills that will convince you."

"You showing convincing skills... No."

Suddenly, as if his head was throbbing, Kim Gwang-su pressed his forehead with his palm and sighed again.

After that, Kim Gwang-su tried to persuade me.

He suggested taking the high school equivalency test and going to college.

He said that being a soccer player is one of the hardest jobs.

Or, since I seemed to be good at fighting, he suggested trying combat sports.

Listening to him, it felt like he was treating me like a rebellious teenager.

This time, it was even worse because of my dramatic dropout.

Still, I straightened my back and listened carefully to win his favor.

There's no way he would agree right away, no matter how many times I said I would show him my skills.

'From experience, he's the type who needs to be persuaded repeatedly.'

After about 10 minutes of intense talk.

"Sigh! You won't listen to me right now. But you'll realize that this uncle's words were right later."

Thinking he had done a good job, Kim Gwang-su got up with a satisfied smile.

I also got up to match his movement and said with a very innocent smile.

"Then, will you arrange for me to take the tryout? Any way is fine. Just give me a chance. I'll prove myself."

The reason I'm specifically asking Kim Gwang-su is simple.

I wanted to get to Europe as soon as possible to improve my skills.

Of course, I could have gone on my own to take a tryout.

A typical case is Seo Hyun-jin.

Seo Hyun-jin of Ajax reportedly went to Martin Jol and asked for a tryout directly.

However, he couldn't take the tryout immediately.

He couldn't even play in a match because he didn't have insurance.

But he eventually got to take the tryout after impressing in a youth practice match.

Finding an agent and signing a professional contract on his own was an extremely lucky case.

'If things had gone a little differently, he would have been caught before even approaching Martin Jol.'

Moreover, it was the middle of the season, so there were no tryouts available.

In Europe, maybe in lower leagues, 4th or 5th division, or even lower.

The more I thought about it, the more Kim Gwang-su was my sure bet.

'If his influence works, a tryout should be possible.'

Isn't this the fastest route to Europe, which I've tried in several rounds?

First,

"Please be my mentor, Father!"

I bowed 90 degrees and pleaded earnestly.

* * *

At Masan Stadium, the home ground of Gyeongnam FC.

On a warm morning that melted the cold air.

"Come on, run!"

Coach Park Jung-gi clapped his hands, urging the players to work hard.

With the season opener just around the corner, the players were busy running around the pitch under the coach's guidance.

They started with light jogging and progressed to shuttle runs and plyometric jump exercises.

In the afternoon, they moved on to position-specific training and group training to improve tactical skills.

After a while,

Beep!

The fitness coach blew the whistle to signal the end of training.

Jeong Jae-min, who had been training intensely with the defenders, immediately collapsed on the pitch.

However, his expression remained grim throughout the training.

'What's the point of running so hard?'

Jeong Jae-min was a center-back who had moved to Gyeongnam after playing as a substitute for Seongnam in the previous season.

But he couldn't play as a starter here either, and he only appeared as a substitute in two matches.

The chances of starting this season were also very low.

Because the core center-backs were all in good form.

The reason he couldn't play was, in a way, simple.

"Can't even enjoy training... Sigh! What a crappy day."

Thinking he would only warm the bench again, he felt resentment towards Coach Jo Gang-rae and the other coaches.

Right then,

"Jae-min!"

Chief Coach Kim Gwang-su, who was sitting on the bench flipping through a file, called out to him.

"Yes!"

Jeong Jae-min got up as if he had never complained and hurried to Kim Gwang-su.

"What's up?"

"Do you have some time after training tomorrow?"

"Of course!"

Jeong Jae-min secretly hoped it was good news.

But,

"Then, can you deal with a kid for me?"

"Excuse me?"

Jeong Jae-min's question made Kim Gwang-su sigh deeply and mutter.

"There's a kid who's been bothering me for days... He wants to become a soccer player and is asking for a tryout. No matter how many times I say no, he keeps bothering me... And my daughter begged me to give him a chance, so my head is really... Ah!"

"But why me...?"

"Just give him a good beating. Show him how high the wall of the professional league is."

For a moment, he felt deflated.

Inside, he was boiling with anger.

'He's sending me, a professional player, to deal with a kid?'

But his anger subsided when he heard Kim Gwang-su's next words.

"Your training attitude was good today. You worked hard, didn't you? Coach Jo Gang-rae said he'll give you plenty of opportunities in the first half of the season."

"Really?"

"Have you ever seen me lie?"

"No!"

"I'm also consistently advocating for you, so take good care of your body and maintain your current level."

"Thank you!"

"Good. I'll bring the kid here at this time tomorrow, so give him a good beating. Fight hard! But don't go too hard. He hasn't played soccer professionally and hasn't even been on a soccer team. And... even if he's a kid, approach it calmly and think of it as a defensive exercise. You need to reduce your foul frequency, don't you?"

With that, Kim Gwang-su left the bench.

Jeong Jae-min bowed slightly and watched Kim Gwang-su leave, then straightened his back.

The promise of an opportunity was sweet, but he still felt bad.

"Damn. Am I his lackey?"

He was also angry at the kid for taking his precious time.

'The kid must be 18, being a friend of his daughter... How can someone who couldn't even join a soccer team at that age ask for a tryout?'

Jeong Jae-min suddenly realized how powerful connections can be.

He smiled bitterly.

'Actually, this is a good thing. I can vent all my stress on that kid.'

His body was itchy from not playing.

Jeong Jae-min didn't realize that the main reason he wasn't being used as a starter was because he was known for his rough play.

From trash talk to physical contact, he even kicked opponents in their weak spots.

Recently, he had been quiet to please the coach and chief coach.

Anyway,

"Wait until tomorrow, kid."

Jeong Jae-min was excited at the thought of tormenting the kid like a punching bag.