Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 119



Only Krnovel

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The ProWear Europe Expansion TF team was summarizing what they had learned during this research.

Among them, there was also an evaluation of Kim Min-woo made in Europe.

“Isn’t this from a nationalistic YouTube channel or something? There’s not a single flaw listed there···.”

It was Park Min-soo, the team leader. Except for Park Min-soo, this TF decided to use the same titles they had in their respective departments, but Park Min-soo still felt awkward with the title of ‘team leader.’

“Chief. Oh, Chief. If you look at the back page, it’s even more impressive. There are a lot of Korean and Japanese players active in Europe these days, so there’s even a saying like that. What’s it called? Honorary Whites?”

It was Manager Lee Jun-ho. Before Park Min-soo could react, Im Min-ah burst into laughter.

“Oh. Are those honorary citizens or something? They’re funny people.”

“Right. So, is Drogba an honorary white person because he is good at soccer?”

“Anyway, there are a lot of statements that people who like nationalism would like. Things like Korea and Japan are different from other Asian countries.”

“Why is Japan being so obnoxious? It makes me feel bad.”

“Japan is also good at something. How many countries can beat Germany and Spain in a set in the World Cup···.”

There are people like that every now and then.

People who make things seem logically correct but then get upset.

Park Min-soo gave Lee Jun-ho a sharp look, and Lee Jun-ho put his head on the table and turned the page as if he didn’t know. Anyway, that bastard is a snake.

“Ahem. Thanks to everyone helping us gather some information, I think our department has found a clear path from the one we were chasing after. Are you all listening? Everyone, focus on me.”

Park Min-soo caught the attention of employees who were busy with their own work.

Im Min-a and Lee Jun-ho, who were looking through the paper, looked at him, and the three other employees who were doing other work also fixed their eyes on Park Min-soo.

“Now we will begin working together in earnest. We will also talk closely with the department in charge of Europe. Before that, let’s take a look at the Bundesliga performance of our main target, Kim Min-woo.”

As Park Min-soo turned his gaze to Lee Jun-ho, Lee Jun-ho quickly stood up and began to prepare.

There was no need to go to a separate conference room.

Because this warehouse-like office also serves as a conference room.

‘By the way, it’s developed a lot. At first, it was really overwhelming.’

The European expansion TF team had a really weak start.

There is a saying that small beginnings lead to great endings, but my life was so small that it was not even worthy of such a saying.

Since no proper work instructions were given, each employee was just wasting time in vain, and Park Min-soo was also at a loss as to what to do.

And after all those eons of time, now.

‘Still, it seems like we have an organization that can be called a department.’

Although the TF team’s numbers are small, they all have guns compared to before.

It wasn’t a lie that each and every one of them was an ace in their respective departments. Once the traffic was sorted out and the work became clear, everyone worked hard with determination.

And the results were gradually appearing.

Currently, the European expansion TF is not only looking at Kim Min-woo.

Because I thought the chances of success were slim, I was planning on negotiating with Kim Min-woo as Plan A, and I was also planning Plan B, Plan C, etc. separately.

The problem is that the rest of Plan BC doesn’t have a high probability of success, but whether you have a plan or not is a completely different story.

“Sir? Should I turn it on?”

It was Lee Jun-ho. Park Min-soo nodded.

Then Lee Jun-ho turned off all the lights in the office and turned on the office projector. A video of the Hannover vs. Werder Bremen match was playing on the projector.

It was not a full 90-minute match video, but a separately edited video of only Kim Min-woo’s performance.

We all held our breath and watched Kim Min-woo in action. And then there was the video of Kim Min-woo in action at Hannover vs. Vfb Stuttgart.

The match ended with a 2:0 win for Hannover.

After about 8 minutes of video, Lee Jun-ho turns the office lights back on.

“How is everyone?”

Park Min-soo glanced at his employees. No one answered, but Park Min-soo, who had a grasp of their work tendencies and personal styles, already knew which of them would step forward first.

“You’re doing well, for sure.”

As expected, Im Min-ah stepped forward first. Park Min-soo nodded with a smile.

“I heard in Europe, they even bet on when Kim Min-woo’s clean sheet will be broken? In my opinion, if Kim Min-woo continues to keep clean sheets, there is a high possibility that each and every game from now on will monopolize the attention of the entire world. In other words.”

“We have to catch it, right?”

It was Im Min-ah again. Park Min-soo nodded again.

“That’s it. Even if it costs a lot of money, we have to sign him. The more Kim Min-woo plays, the more the soccer shoes he wears will become a hot topic. I’ll say it again. We have to sign Kim Min-woo. Plan B and C are worst-case scenario plans. Do you all understand? Does anyone have any objections?”

silence.

Park Min-soo stood up from his seat and stared intently at his employees. Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“Okay. Now that we’ve set our goal, let’s talk about how we can get Kim Min-woo to sign with us. Anyone have any ideas?”

“Correct answer. A high deposit.”

Lee Jun-ho said, raising his left hand like a child. Park Min-soo shook his head with a deep sigh.

“We’re not the only ones who know about Kim Min-woo’s potential right now. Nike, Adidas, Puma, and all sorts of other competitors are probably keeping an eye on Kim Min-woo. A high contract fee? Do you think Pro-Wear can offer a higher contract fee than Nike or Adidas?”

Silence again. Lee Jun-ho scratches the back of his head in embarrassment. Well, it is a situation with no answer.

“If we really race, we can never beat those giants. The reality is that we can barely compete with the neighboring Japanese. And that’s just a step below. Our companies may be considered as the best in Korea, but when they go out on the world stage, they’re not even as good as the dirt on the feet of the best.”

“That’s… Isn’t that because this industry has a winner-takes-all structure?”

It was Yoon Jae-woo. One of the quiet trio. His previous job was marketing.

“What is a winner-take-all structure? Since it’s a winner-take-all structure, we’re just going to suck our thumbs and do nothing until Nike or Adidas takes Kim Min-woo?”

“No, that’s not it, sir…”

“Let’s think from Kim Min-woo’s perspective. Everyone can be Kim Min-woo for a little while. Lee Jun-ho. You are Kim Min-woo. Prowear is clinging to you and asking you to sign a contract. Are you going to do it?”

Lee Jun-ho’s answer was simple.

“I think I’ll tell you to stop being so annoying···.”

I wanted to throw the paper at his face and say, “Is this meeting a joke?” But I thought that would ruin the mood in the department, so I sighed instead.

How many times do I come here and just sigh?

“Then, Immin-ah. What about you? Proware is asking for a contract. Are you going to accept it?”

Im Min-ah hesitated for a moment and then answered.

“If possible… I wouldn’t accept it. And these days, even if it’s a domestic company’s offer, if it’s not on the same level as an offer from Nike or Adidas, I would politely decline.”

“Really? Phew···.”

There really is no answer. The higher-ups declared that they would support him as much as they wanted, but when they actually presented him with a proposal, he immediately made a face and said, “Why does it cost so much money?! Hey! Have you tried it? Huh?! Don’t you know the Chung Ju-young spirit? The Chung Ju-young spirit!?”

‘Oh my god.’

It hurts my head just thinking about it.

“Um···.”

“hmm?”

The person who raised his hand cautiously was Son Ji-hoon. The kid who came from making basketballs.

“Huh? Why? Jihoon. Do you have something to say?”

“Oh, well, how about this?”

“What is it?”

In a situation where things were difficult, Son Ji-hoon expressed his opinion. We all listened to Son Ji-hoon quietly, and when he finished speaking, Yoon Jae-woo also expressed his opinion.

“I think it’s okay!”

“···Yeah. I can say that my daughter is okay too.”

Park Min-soo looked at Yoon Jae-woo with a look that said, “Is that all?” Yoon Jae-woo closed his mouth with a bright look in his eyes. Oh my…

“What do you think, Minah? Are you okay?”

“It’s certainly a trick we can come up with from our perspective. I think it would be burdensome for large companies to make such offers to Kim Min-woo. After all, he’s a player who hasn’t even debuted for a year yet. Since his form could deteriorate later, we won’t make such a risky offer.”

Park Min-su also nodded.

“I agree. It’s too risky. But that’s why it’s an even better idea. Ji-hoon. Good, good.”

“lol···.”

Son Ji-hoon smiles brightly, perhaps because he received praise.

“For latecomers like us, we need to take risks to increase our chances of success. Okay. Let’s start with this idea and come up with a business proposal.”

And the European expansion TF team, fueled by Son Ji-hoon’s opinion, worked hard to sign a contract with Kim Min-woo.

‘Do the best you can and leave the rest to heaven.’

The truth is, the will of heaven is in your hands.

Although this is more a matter of Kim Min-woo’s choice rather than something that can be left to the heavens, to the TF team, Kim Min-woo was like heaven, in other words, it was a true will to heaven.

***

Adidas is a German company.

The Bundesliga is a German league.

That means, I made my professional debut in Germany and signed with Adidas.

The contract period is two years, which is when my first contract in Hanover ends.

But perhaps because of my incredible performance since my pro debut, Adidas approached me in a hurry. I haven’t signed with an agency yet, so my mom took care of it for me, but she told me over dinner.

“Well, it’s not just Adidas, we’re getting sponsorship offers from other companies too. Companies you know, Minwoo. Nike, Puma. And there were also offers from Japanese companies?”

“Hmm… really?”

I answered dryly while eating the meat. Yeah. Well, it would be strange not to have an eye on me since I’ve been active to this extent.

“Are the soccer shoes you’re wearing now uncomfortable? How are they?”

“Soccer shoes?”

Especially? Originally, a craftsman never blames his tools, and I was not one to be picky about soccer shoes. In the first place, even if I started playing soccer, how long had I been playing it?

“It’s just like that. In fact, whether it’s Nike or Adidas, it seems like whatever soccer shoes you wear, they’re all the same.”

“so?”

“Well, if you think about it, there does seem to be a slight difference? But I think it’s not that it differs by company, but rather depending on the type of soccer shoes you wear.”

Anyway, for a soccer player, soccer shoes are a very sensitive and important tool. For me, it doesn’t matter if it’s not a shoe, but it’s a sponsorship contract. I’ve really grown a lot.

“What do you want, son? Do you want to renew your contract with Adidas? Or another company?”

“Well, there’s still one year left on my contract, so how about waiting a little longer? If I sign a contract later, won’t other companies see my performance and offer me a much higher contract fee than what I’m offering now?”

My mother smiled kindly at my words and nodded.

“As expected of my son. He is wise, isn’t he?”

“You’re mom’s son.”

I thought to myself while eating. It was my first contract for soccer shoes, and I got a pittance right after my professional debut, but for the next contract, I’ll have to come with a lot of money.

Because my price is the cheapest right now.

***

Jan Light scratched the bridge of his nose as he checked his schedule for the coming days.

‘Is the next match away to Augsburg?’

Hannover’s current record is 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. They have 7 points. It is a good record for a team that has just been promoted to the Bundesliga.

And if they can maintain this level of performance, Hannover’s goal for this season, which is not only ‘staying in the league’ but also ‘settling in the upper-middle ranks’, will be possible.

“More than anything… I can’t even imagine that a defense with Kim in it would concede a goal.”

Bayern Munich has “Monster” Kim. Everyone called him that. He showed monster-like abilities, just like his nickname.

But Kim from Hanover was different. If Kim from Munich was a monster…

“Great Wall?”

Great Wall of Korea.

A wall that does not allow anyone to score.

If Munich’s Monster was the knight of the defense, Hannover’s Great Wall was the goalkeeper standing in front of the goal, or rather, the wall itself.

The goal post was completely filled with cement, so no matter how hard you kicked the ball, you couldn’t score. Kim was that kind of person to Jan.

“Now, even overseas gamblers are saying that they will always bet on Hannover to keep a clean sheet when it comes to games···.”

The odds for Hannover in the matches Kim plays in are lowest for a loss, followed by a draw and then a win.

People also know now that Hannover’s loss is lower than Munich’s win. The goalkeeper is quite unusual.

“Is it almost time for the meeting?”

Jan got up from the director’s office and went to his regular coaching meeting.

The entire Hannover coaching staff was involved: the manager, assistant manager, goalkeeper coach, physical coach, tactical coach and, perhaps unusually, the team captain.

I don’t know about other teams, but Jan has made sure to have the team captains attend coaching meetings. Fortunately, the captains’ reactions have been good so far.

The same goes for the former captain Chiller and the current captain Fischer.

Well, it was a bit uncomfortable at first, but Henrik Fischer has now completely adapted and is even cracking jokes, so this must have helped the team spirit in Hannover quite a bit.

If you listen to the circumstances of other teams, there are also teams where the manager pushes ahead like a dictator.

And as soon as Jan sat down, Fisher opened his mouth.

“Director. Is Kim going to fight Chiller?”

Ron-Robert Ziller failed to win the competition for the starting position with Kim and transferred to another team.

And the team in question was Augsburg of the Bundesliga 1st Division. Jan also smiled and said something.

“It happens all the time.”

“It’s a head-on showdown between Kim and Chiller. This is going to be really fun. The fans are also really looking forward to it.”

“Do you know why I’m looking forward to it?”

“Yeah-”

Before Fisher could finish speaking, Jan spoke.

“Hannover fans know that Kim will win, so they are looking forward to it. They want to see how great the win will be.”

And Jan added one more word to tie up the topic.

“Chiller is no match for Kim anymore. The only opponents Kim has in the Bundesliga are Neuer and Kobel. Even those are no match for Kim.”

“The manager is crazy about Kim. Won’t he cry if Kim leaves Hannover next season?”

A joke from goalkeeper coach Geralt. Fischer snickered while looking around, and the other coaches laughed heartily.

Yan also smiled faintly and thought for a moment. What would happen if Kim left for another team and the new manager came to greet him?

‘There’s a very high probability that Kim’s abilities will be overestimated by his own.’

If Kim is good at blocking, he will mistakenly think that he is good at defense because he has good tactics.

If you are deeply immersed in that illusion, you will feel it deeply when Kim misses a few games due to national team selection or injury.

It wasn’t his own ability, it was just that the goalkeeper had some crazy ability.

Even···.

‘Because Kim is constantly evolving.’

Unlike his anxious debut days, Kim is now showing a relaxed side. As time goes by, he grows exponentially, so I was very excited to see what Kim would be like in about 3 years.

“Then let’s start the meeting.”

With Kim’s story out of the way, Jan began the meeting.

The topics of the meeting were varied.

Team atmosphere. Is there any discord between players? Talk about tactics. Talk about the next game, etc.

Everyone spoke actively during the meeting, and the meeting was finally dissolved after two hours.

***

The previous home match against Stuttgart ended in a 2-0 win for Hannover.

If you look at the score alone, it’s an easy win, but it wasn’t an easy match. The game itself was very tight and intense. It’s just that Stuttgart didn’t score.

‘Still, meeting someone from the same hometown on the field was a truly unique experience.’

Even though we were rivals and we didn’t exchange a single word during the match, it wasn’t an experience I had all the time.

And the next game.

Expedition to Augsburg.

“Kim! Your next match is against your teacher?”

Corsic jokes with me with a smiling face. He calls me Master. Rather than Master…

“They are competitors fighting for the spot. Honestly, I am looking forward to it.”

But I never imagined that we would face off so quickly. When we were in the second division, it was a fierce competition for a single spot. Now that we’re in the first division, we’re competing again, aiming for our opponent’s points.

But I am confident.

“I will win.”

“It must be hard because it’s an expedition?”

“I came back alive from France.”

Corsic’s eyes widened at my words.

“Oh, right. That’s right. It was Gold Kim who won the gold medal in France, but I forgot···.”

That being said, it will be a tough away game. Especially considering that Augsburg is currently riding a tailwind with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss.

***

“at las.”

Maybe Chiller had been waiting for this moment.

Even though he was brought in as a sub-goalkeeper for the sub-sub, Kim of Korea gradually proved himself and eventually pushed out the established starting goalkeeper.

It was an even more impossible mission for a goalkeeper who was wearing the captain’s armband, but Kim accomplished the unbelievable feat.

And he was pushed out of that ridiculous situation.

I haven’t stopped thinking about Kim since leaving Hanover. I watched every game of his performance at the French Olympics, and I also watched the final evaluation match before that without fail.

Before the game, Chiller closed his eyes and concentrated.

‘Remember, I can’t do it like Kim. No one can do it like Kim.’

However, I can give some advice to my colleagues.

The chiller could be proud.

He said that he has watched Kim’s performance more closely than anyone else in the world and analyzed it in detail.

Even now, I never miss a game that Kim plays in, and I have even embodied some of Kim’s strengths.

‘Kim is human too. No matter how well you block, if you’re human, you’re bound to concede a goal at least once.’

No one can deny Kim’s skill. He’s good. He’s really good. But the fact that he hasn’t conceded a goal so far is definitely partly due to ‘luck’.

If it’s good enough to eat, the flag goes up, and if it’s good enough to eat, it hits the goal post.

So Chiller advised his colleagues.

“Kim hasn’t conceded a goal so far because of his defensive skills. Right?”

The surrounding colleagues, especially the attackers, listen with shining eyes.

“I’ve been watching Kim for a long time. Kim anticipates the striker’s shot. It’s like he can see what’s coming. So······.”

Save your shots as much as possible.

Save and save, and create a situation where you have no choice but to put it in.

Like emptying the goal post or teasing the goalkeeper with a 2-on-1 pass.

Ordinary players would either ignore or turn a deaf ear to such obvious advice, but given what the goalkeeper we have to deal with has shown so far, his teammates couldn’t ignore it.

“So, Chiller. You’ve been observing and analyzing Kim for a long time? Do you think your analysis is better than the Kim that our team’s power analysts have analyzed?”

“I’ve been training with Kim. The kind of analysis that you only show on the pitch? I’m sure it’s effective, but I think my eye is better.”

Even the manager supported Chiller’s words, and even practiced tactically on how to get past Kim and score in preparation for the Hanoi version.

And the conclusion is.

“Aim for the edge of the goal where the goalkeeper can never block. If the situation arises, never hit it directly, but use a teammate around you to hit it from a position where the goalkeeper cannot block it.”

The bottom line is to shoot from a position where the goalkeeper can never block it.

It literally means to hit an area that even the demonic spirit cannot block, and although Chiller understood, he felt a little bitter.

‘I have to go this far to score against Kim… This guy is worse than Van der Sar.’

Back to reality, just before the game.

We came out of the locker room and lined up.

Hanover also stood by.

He felt Kim glancing at him. Chiller tried to remain silent, but instead just greeted him.

“Kim. Be prepared today. Augsburg will give you your first goal.”

Kim, who heard the sudden announcement, looked at Chiller with a surprised look for a moment, then said,

“Well, if the game goes on for about 900 minutes, then maybe I can score a goal.”

···This guy.

The chiller laughed heartily.

He was a kid who couldn’t even make eye contact when he was in Hanover, but after winning a gold medal at the Olympics and keeping a clean sheet in the Bundesliga 1st Division, he doesn’t know how to fear the sky.

‘Well, Mbappe, Salah and Messi were stopped, so we won’t be bothered.’

Chiller and Kim burst into laughter as they looked at each other’s faces. It was a calm before the storm, a gentle smile.

“I promise you, it won’t be that easy. This is the Bundesliga.”

“···Okay, I understand.”

And we entered the stadium.

To a stadium filled with spectators who only cheer for Augsburg.

***

Is it advanced psychological warfare? Or is it that he really prepared for something and is brimming with confidence?

Actually, it didn’t matter what.

No matter what the opponent had prepared, what I had to do was clear.

‘Block all the opponent’s shots. Don’t worry about anything else.’

That’s all the goalkeeper had to do.

If the attacker’s job on the ground is to score goals, the goalkeeper’s job on the ground is to block goals. I’ve done well so far, and I’ll continue to do well in the future.

Beep─!

And the game begins.

It was the axis of Augsburg.

In this short time, it feels like the air has changed. A cool breeze. No. Or rather, what should I say? A coolness that gives me goosebumps?

“······?”

What are you all doing?

Augsburg started the game by pressing forward aggressively.

The opposing winger, who broke through the flank, beat Phil Neumann, one of the three defenders, and entered the penalty box.

And the short cross coming up.

‘The trajectory didn’t come out. It’s nothing.’

It was a dangerous situation as soon as the game started, but I didn’t react.

The cross was, as expected, a mediocre attack. The cross bounced off the chest of the opposing attacker, and the ball ended up in the hands of an unmarked midfielder.

‘Trajectory!’

And the two trajectories that are generated.

One trajectory was one that the midfielder caught and hit right away, and the other was······!

‘Huh!’

I held my breath.

The opposing midfielder passed the ball to the right where the shooting angle was better, and the winger on the other side calmly caught the ball and hit it in an unmarked situation.

It was a calm shot, not one that was hastily caught and then immediately hit. And the trajectory was to the right corner of the goal.

If I had just reacted to the cross and been limited in my movements, or if the Prophet’s Eye hadn’t been raised and seen a little sooner, the trajectory would have been in a position where it would have been absolutely unstoppable.

I moved my body without thinking.

I had to block it. It was a trajectory that would have worked if I didn’t move. The shot came flying, and I flew through the sky with all my might.

It was a trajectory that could not be stopped without jumping.

Boom-!

And then the ball barely touched the tip of my finger, and its trajectory curved.

The ball bounced high into the air and sailed over the goal.

“What are you all doing! Come to your senses!”

It was only after the situation was over that I vented my anger on the defenders.

His face turned red and he swore at the players in Korean that they couldn’t understand, but given the circumstances, they all probably understood the nuance of what he was saying.

“When the game starts, come to your senses! Why are you acting like this when you were doing so well!”

Why am I doing this?

Maybe it’s because I’m really afraid that I might lose to Chiller.

And more than anything, this was due to the Hannover players’ negligence.

As soon as the game started, we were going downhill and then they gave us this ridiculous chance.

As a goalkeeper, it’s impossible not to get angry.

“It’s a corner kick! Everyone get into position!”

I held my heart that was pounding slightly and smiled inside. Chiller, I guess I wasn’t bluffing?

‘Yeah. This is how it’s fun. You’ve prepared well.’

After that, a corner kick was prepared and the referee blew his whistle. I prepared to defend without letting my guard down.

End

ⓒ Doctor Am