Field Commander - Chapter 9

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 9.

Chapter 9.

Chapter 9.

The game started, and Shin Ui-cheol watched the match silently before stroking his chin.

‘I thought he would have just rested for 3 years, but surprisingly he’s grown a lot. It seems he didn’t let go of soccer.’

Kim Sang-hyuk in high school was quite good at bold and dangerous plays that would sometimes make your blood run cold.

It was inevitable since the skill level of the players around him was so terrible.

He always seemed overwhelmed from cleaning up after teammates who made mistakes like eating meals, but the play he was showing now was so relaxed.

‘He doesn’t run much. But he’s exactly where he needs to be.’

Right as the game started, the OB team came out with strong pressing tactics.

They showed unstable movements as if they couldn’t adapt to the tempo, but after about 5 minutes passed, they were handling the ball quite stably.

‘Stable ball handling, clean first touch. Quick and concise passes as if he already grasped the surrounding situation before passing.’

This was something he had shown since his first year of high school.

‘From his second year, he bulked up and did quite well in physical battles. From his third year, he became a complete monster.’

Jang Jin-woo, who was expected to continue the lineage of South Korea’s national team strikers.

He was already a superstar from middle school, scoring many goals in international competitions, but Kim Sang-hyuk completely shut him down for two years of high school, earning him the reputation of a monster.

‘He couldn’t score a single goal against Maedong High School.’

Of course, he wasn’t just a fool who only scored goals, so he recorded 2 assists, but Kim Sang-hyuk’s performance of completely blocking him from shooting was truly a miracle itself.

Shin Ui-cheol soon made a bitter expression.

‘Thanks to that, my kids graduated without winning a championship even once.’

Just as he was reminiscing about the past, a shout erupted on the playground.

“Run!”

It was a sound that came from Kim Sang-hyuk’s mouth as he was stably circulating the ball from the back and leading the game.

– Boom!

At that moment, a long pass went up low and deep to the left sideline.

‘Right foot?’

Shin Ui-cheol had analyzed Kim Sang-hyuk almost to the point of dissection in order to win against Maedong High School.

‘That guy’s main foot should be his left foot, right? He’s making that kind of pass with his right foot?’

The OB team, who had been focused entirely on offense, hurriedly started their back court, but the first-year left fullback’s speed was tremendous.

The ball flying too fast bounced on the ground and seemed like it would bounce right out of bounds, but the moment it touched the ground, its speed died down and it bounced slightly into the air.

‘Backspin in the midst of all that? Insane quality.’

In high school, Shin Ui-cheol had analyzed Kim Sang-hyuk almost to the point of dissection.

He didn’t want to keep meeting and losing in the quarterfinals and semifinals every time.

But Kim Sang-hyuk showed unexpected growth every time he appeared in tournaments, and the analysis always ended in failure.

‘That kind of pass with his injured right foot… I simply can’t believe it.’

– Thud.

Player 43 drove in with the ball while maintaining his speed, and the OB team’s solid defense crumbled in an instant.

Player 43 very calmly sent a very low and fast cross toward the striker running into the penalty area.

‘Good choice.’

The ball rolled around chaotically between the striker and the defender who had returned to back court, then luckily rolled into the goal.

Shin Ui-cheol looked with interest at the 2nd and 3rd year players who were making bitter expressions.

‘Now you’ll feel like playing properly, right? If you lose to first-years in this annual practice match, you’ll be preserved forever.’

* * *

“Wow, his play is really relaxed.”

“He hasn’t lost the ball even once.”

“His positioning is insane.”

“Isn’t using his arms like that a foul? The captain can’t use his speed at all?”

“Seeing that the coach isn’t calling a foul… that level seems okay?”

The players who couldn’t participate in this game sat on the sideline watching and chattering.

“Isn’t he really a professional player?”

“Doesn’t he have eyes on the back of his head? How did he notice that?”

“Wow… the pass quality is…”

“It seems like the momentum is shifting to the first-years, isn’t this really embarrassingly going to be a loss?”

There was quite a bit of murmuring from the 2nd and 3rd year side.

“Hey, I just went through all the K-League Division 1 and 2 players, and there’s no one like that.”

“Really?”

“Could it be Division 3?”

At someone’s words, the noisy atmosphere became quiet.

“That’s got to be a joke. Division 3?”

These were players who had won championships twice in major tournaments for two years.

Their expectations and standards had risen considerably, creating an atmosphere of looking down on the K-League.

Players who had been selected for youth national teams had aspirations to go overseas.

But to be toyed with like this by a player who wasn’t even a professional from Divisions 1 or 2?

That’s when it happened.

“I think I know that person.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to one person.

“Right. That’s the player.”

Everyone got annoyed.

“No, so who is that person?”

“I was originally going to go to Maedong High School but came here because of the coach. That person is a legend at Maedong High School.”

“Maedong High School?”

A rising powerhouse that had become Gangwon Province’s top prestigious soccer team in just 3 years.

It was a name that always appeared when you reached the upper ranks of tournaments.

“If he’s a legend at Maedong High School… the one who completely destroyed Yeongsang High School with the monster striker Jang Jin-woo… Kim Sang-hyuk?”

“Really?”

“Hey, didn’t that player get injured and end his playing career?”

“I think I heard that too?”

“Hey, then he’s not a professional player.”

“Is that so?”

They searched for player Kim Sang-hyuk in the K3 League, but couldn’t find him at all.

They couldn’t find any news connecting him to overseas clubs either.

“Could he be a civilian who quit soccer?”

* * *

‘Whew…’

After conceding one goal, the OB team’s movement changed a lot.

The tempo became much faster, and they chose the sideline routes instead of the center for their attacks.

Since they were overwhelming in physicality, individual skills, organization, and fundamentals compared to the first-years, holes appeared in the defense constantly.

Eventually, even the strikers had to come down to help with defense, and I had to run around busily providing support.

It was almost a half-court game.

‘This is fun.’

I don’t know if my personality is strange, but when it becomes disadvantageous like this, soccer becomes more enjoyable.

In the midst of all this, number 9 gritting his teeth and trying to get behind me.

He was continuously provoking me.

Are you a professional player?

I think I can beat you?

That kind of feeling?

‘Was his name Ahn Sang-ho?’

His body was well over 180cm, quite solid, and his speed was considerable.

His kicks were good too, making him perfect for the central striker position.

However, the impact he gave couldn’t surpass Jang Jin-woo.

‘If he was at a disadvantage when marking me, he should have dropped back to play, but he’s still young.’

Jang Jin-woo was clever and played like that from his third year.

Though I still devoured him.

I didn’t have the stamina to run at this tempo for 90 minutes, but in this static situation where we were competing with strength, this guy could never beat me.

If we jumped together, it would reach my head first, but I wanted to give him a little lesson.

So I lightly tugged his uniform and let go.

Even a slight disruption of body balance ruins the header posture.

‘And he misjudged the ball’s trajectory.’

Sure enough, the guy who should have jumped powerfully was flailing in the air.

The ball grazed his hair as it passed, and I rotated my body to lightly trap the ball.

Before Ahn Sang-ho even touched the ground, I connected the ball to a nearby player.

“Wow, that’s a foul! Isn’t that a foul?”

But no whistle was blown.

“You need to stay focused until the whistle blows.”

I threw out a comment and lightly tugged his uniform again as I ran forward.

A method to prevent him from gaining speed since his pace was faster than mine.

“Ah, so annoying! Again.”

Once you start getting bothered by these things, you get excited, and then you can’t make proper judgments.

A return pass came to me, and Ahn Sang-ho, who was a beat late in starting, charged at me roughly in his excitement.

He stuck his foot between my legs, and I deliberately relaxed my strength and tumbled forward.

– Tweet!

“Hey, that’s not a foul.”

Ahn Sang-ho looked bewildered, and everyone was in a confused atmosphere.

‘Stay focused, juniors.’

At that moment, my eyes met Young-ho’s.

He immediately turned his body.

‘Not bad?’

I immediately got up, bounced the ball on the ground, and sent up a long pass.

“Ugh! Hey, defense!!!”

This was one of the things that inevitably happened when you weren’t focused on the game.

The defenders frantically ran back court, but they couldn’t catch Young-ho’s speed.

Then came a 1-on-1 situation.

Young-ho cleverly used a fake to get past the goalkeeper and easily scored.

“Still far to go.”

I gave a comment to Ahn Sang-ho, who had a face full of dissatisfaction.

Then he made an expression like he wanted to kill me.

‘Yes. Lose your reason a bit more and go wild.’

If the front striker does that, the probability of conceding goals decreases tremendously.

But the game didn’t proceed as I thought.

“Substitution!”

Coach Shin gave the substitution signal.

* * *

The game eventually ended 2-2.

Once the OB team regained their balance and started the game, none of our attacks worked.

In a set piece situation, the ball did reach my head once, but the goalkeeper made a super save.

“Good work. Start the cool-down exercises.”

Coach Shin said that to the players and then looked at me as I cooled down and changed clothes.

“How about having dinner together?”

“Yes. That sounds good.”

He didn’t seem to have any intention of introducing me.

“Those guys already know who you are.”

“Ah, really?”

“Once you become a professional player soon, let’s have another opportunity to play together. Then I’ll introduce you very proudly.”

“Haha. Understood.”

“It must have been quite a fresh shock. For some of those guys. And thanks to you, someone will probably secure a starting position early. I like smart guys. Well, all coaches do, I suppose. And usually…”

Shin Ui-cheol paused and looked at me.

“When you get that kind of injury, you give up soccer. But you seem to have not let go of that thread. Excluding the physical problems and tempo adaptation issues, you seem to have developed more than in your high school days. Your jumping power has improved tremendously, especially that right foot.”

I looked at my right leg following his gaze.

“The quality of your switch cross is very good. It’s at a level that would work well on the professional stage.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“Your field vision has also improved a lot, so you seem more relaxed?”

“I think it’s because the players I’m playing with are skilled.”

“How modest. I’m not looking down on the 3rd Division League, but even showing your current level of skill would make coaches very happy.”

He was a player who had played professionally for a long time and a coach who guided prestigious teams.

Receiving this kind of evaluation made my confidence soar.

“But is there a reason you insist on going to Germany?”

“Yes.”

Shin Ui-cheol looked curious.

“I have to go catch Jang Jin-woo.”

“…Huh?”

“I was provoked to the point of tears welling up, so I wouldn’t be myself if I just stayed still.”

“Really, with that personality of yours… You did the same to that Ahn Sang-ho kid…”

Of course, the real reason is…

Korean soccer now requires good results overseas to easily board the National Team.

* * *

Before boarding the flight to Korea, Jung Seung-jin was fortunately able to see the evaluation report that Shin Ui-cheol had sent.

– First, his physical condition isn’t 100%. There’s also the issue of adapting to game tempo. After running for 45 minutes, he seemed exhausted… He even threw up while eating.

“…Oh no.”

– But he’s equipped with right foot shooting ability and jumping power that couldn’t be seen three years ago. And his tactical understanding and field vision have improved. Just by watching the players’ game in the first half, he knew exactly what role he should play. He played the game as if he had been running with them for a long time. As expected, he’s not a player whose class would change just because he rested for a few years. I think you can go all-in without worry.

Jung Seung-jin looked at the next page.

– If he recovers well and grows, he could become a shining star on the world’s greatest stage soon. Of course, keep in mind that this evaluation is very personal and subjective.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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