Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 152



Only Krnovel

Hanover tailored strategy

* * *

Matarazzo, an Italian-American who is in charge of TSG Hoffenheim, is a player-turned-manager who has been active in Germany for a long time.

Dating back to his playing days, Matarazzo has been a foreigner who has been active in Germany for a whopping 24 years, and Germany is now his second home.

After retiring as a player and transitioning to a coaching career, he worked as a head coach and age-group coach for a long time, and since 2019, he has been given the opportunity to take over as head coach at Stuttgart, and is now leaving the nest to take up a new position at Hoffenheim.

And Hoffenheim’s performance this year has certainly not been bad.

Currently ranked 7th.

With Matarazzo’s experience as a player and the know-how accumulated since his transition to coaching, Hoffenheim was clearly aiming to go beyond being a Bundesliga powerhouse and advance to the upper ranks.

of course.

“It’s a team we’ll meet once, but it’s truly a mystery… .”

Matarazzo stroked his white beard as he pondered how to deal with Hannover at home.

In fact, Hannover was a team that was struggling in the second division until last year, and although some people were saying that Hannover would be promoted, it was just a mid-to-upper-tier team.

And that top-tier team signed an Asian kid just before the transfer window closed last summer.

Of course, no one cared.

Who cares?

He was a young kid from Korea and his position was goalkeeper. At the time, Hannover had a solid starting player, Chiller, and a solid second option, Leo.

In addition, the kid had to overcome the mountain of a third-option goalkeeper, so rather than playing in a game, he had to go down to the second team to gain experience.

Well, in normal cases, that is.

And from there the miracle began.

The youngster was brought in to play in a match that Hannover were abandoning, and with an unbelievable display of saves, he brought the giants of Dortmund to their knees, ultimately completely knocking them down.

After that, he was given another chance through the luck of an injury to the starting goalkeeper, and after overcoming hellish competition, he finally took over the starting position.

This story has now become very famous even within Germany.

‘Yeah. If it was a story from another league, I would have applauded and cried, saying it was a touching story.’

But it would have been a little difficult if that story had unfolded right before my eyes.

That kid, who led a team that was struggling in the second division with an absurd record to victory, won a gold medal at the Olympics and has continued the miracle by not allowing a single goal in the first division of the Bundesliga.

And Matarazzo’s Hoffenheim still had to deal with the miracle that was in progress.

“Here he has ridiculous free kick accuracy.”

A cartoon character suddenly appears in real life. This is just too much… .

It may sound like an unbelievable comic book story, but it is a reality, and Matarazzo must earn points against the miracle kid.

But it’s difficult. Too difficult.

“We’ve faced teams that were much higher in weight class than us, but we’ve all been defeated.”

Hannover is currently ranked 5th.

The record is 8 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses, with the two losses occurring when the little one was out for a while and injured.

I wish he had gotten injured while playing against us too… … but seeing as we haven’t heard any news of that, Hoffenheim are 100% going after the little kid’s goal.

After much thought, Matarazzo came up with a pretty good strategy.

‘If no team can get through that kid anyway… … wouldn’t it be better to get at least one point?’

Build up your defense, never give up a free kick foul near the goal, and try to shoot, but focus on defense first.

Matarazzo never wanted to be the first to break through a goalkeeper that no one else had. He didn’t have the guts to do so.

When the cycle turns and we face Hannover in the second half, maybe by then someone will break through that little Hannover.

Then we can analyze that game and use it.

In times like now when there is no clear answer… … it may be frustrating, but going with a draw strategy is the best option.

In the coaching staff meeting that followed, there was discussion about how to get through Hannover, but there was no clear answer.

Hoffenheim had been on a roll since Matarazzo took over last year, but what wasn’t going to work out was what wasn’t going to work out.

Munich tried and failed, and Leipzig tried and got penetrated instead.

Even that kid put it in? What a scary guy… .

“I hate to admit it, but there is no good answer, so we will have to treat Hannover like we treated Munich.”

“Director? What do you mean…?”

Matarazzo smiled as he looked at the questioning coach.

“In this day and age, it’s not like we can’t break through a defensive wall like we used to, but if we’re determined to block a squad like Hannover, they won’t be able to get many points. If we can’t win anyway, let’s at least get one point. Rather than being greedy and giving them three points, this is the right thing to do.”

Hannover is not Munich or Dortmund.

Rather, Hoffenheim is stronger than Hannover because they have more depth and a stronger squad, not because they are a weaker team.

In the first place, Hannover’s current ranking would have been impossible without that kid’s performance.

‘If a relatively strong team plays defensively against a relatively weak team… … there’s nothing the opponent can do about it.’

If there’s just one thing to be careful of.

Just like that sharp, razor-sharp free kick he showed in the national team match.

So Matarazzo gave strict instructions to the coaches.

“I will tell the players directly, Kim’s free kicks are very dangerous. Let’s not let ourselves become the first victim of Kim in the Bundesliga. Focus on defense, but never go as far as fouling. Does everyone understand?”

The coaches all nodded, but the head coach looked a little displeased.

“Excuse me, Coach. If we sit back defensively against Hannover, the fans won’t react well.”

“Huh. When was I the type of person who cared about supporters’ reactions? I’ll handle it, so don’t worry about it.”

“Oh, yes. If that’s so.”

Tch.

I feel like I’m worrying for nothing.

At Hoffenheim’s home ground, in front of a packed house, against Hannover and not Munich?

From the fans’ perspective, rather than getting angry, they might throw everything they have in their hands and yell at them to get up and fight.

still…….

‘This is right.’

My strategy was not wrong.

*

And on game day.

Matarazzo watched the ground with a solemn expression, his arms folded.

The game was going as expected.

Hannover looked slightly embarrassed when we sat back and played defensively, but Hannover soon got the hang of it and started breaking through here and there to try to break through Hoffenheim.

but.

‘Huh. A top team is going to go down on purpose, so do you think Munich, or at best Hannover, can break through?’

Hannover tried to break through Hoffenheim’s stopped bus, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounds.

If a team that is rated similar or higher in weight class than you decides to go down, it becomes incredibly difficult to break through.

It was like that now.

Hannover failed to break through Hoffenheim despite several attempts, and instead continued to pass the ball around or up and down, failing to show anything of note.

The Korean kid must have felt frustrated, so he left the penalty box, joined the build-up, and tried to pass long balls, but every time he did, Hoffenheim rushed in and competed for aerial balls, and the situation continued to be bleak as he did not attack.

‘Okay. If we keep going like this, we’ll secure one point.’

What are you going to do, Jan Wright?

When Matarazzo glanced sideways, Jan was also shouting something, as if he was feeling a little frustrated.

From Hannover’s perspective, this is the first time they’ve seen a relatively strong team like this.

What crazy team would play defense against a weaker team?

‘At least until that little brat’s solution is found.’

Or, if the kid moves to another league during the winter transfer window, that would be even better.

It was a time when I was continuing to observe the situation.

The sound of the crowd shouting in unison from all over the stadium suddenly rang in my ears.

[Cowardly Matarazzo! Cowardly Matarazzo!]

[Attack! Attack! Attack!]

Matarazzo smiled bitterly.

If you pay a lot of money for a ticket to see a game and see a game like this, you would be upset even if you were a spectator.

But what can you do? Still, the points are more important. I appreciate that you took the time out of your busy schedule to come to the stadium, but I hope you endure it because this is also for the team.

So it went down like that throughout the first half, and then it was halftime.

In the locker room, the players expressed strong discontent.

“Coach? The opposing goalkeeper is good at blocking, but it doesn’t seem right to sit down like this against Hannover.”

“so?”

“I hope we can be more aggressive in the second half than we are now. This is our home.”

The coaches were silent.

Matarazzo smiled bitterly once again, realizing that he had no one on his side.

“Are you dissatisfied that we are going down against Hannover like we did against Munich?”

Although they didn’t answer, the players’ expressions were like, “Yes, coach! What the hell! Does this tactic make sense for us to use against Hannover?” … …

“I’m sorry, but that won’t do.”

Players who remain silent and their expressions become rotten.

In this situation, if I said, “I am the manager and you are my pawns, so shut up and move according to my tactics,” there could have been a case of deliberate sabotage.

So Matarazzo decided to add a few words to the con.

“The position of a manager is one that takes responsibility for the results of the game. I cannot deny that this choice has disappointed you and the tens of thousands of fans who came to the stadium today.

But you guys, I want you to know that this decision was not something I wanted to make, it was just for the team, just for us.”

Matarazzo looked around the room, swallowed, and opened his mouth again.

“I don’t know about you, but this position is a lonely position. It’s a position where you have to take full responsibility for the results, and if the results are bad, the manager becomes unemployed.

Does that mean I’m the kind of person who would make a decision like this for my own safety? You guys. This decision was made after careful consideration by me and the coaches.

We figured that if we played the way we did against that unpredictable Hannover goalkeeper, there was a 90% chance we would lose the game, and we thought that was the best we could do.

Since last season, I think I have put you and Hoffenheim on a solid foundation. To aim higher, you sometimes have to follow orders without question, even if they are difficult to understand!”

The last comment was a bit off-topic, but it was exactly what Matarazzo wanted to tell his players.

If the players try to change the decision that the leader has made after careful consideration by saying, “Sigh, this is a bit too much…”, the team will end up in the basement.

“So, everyone. For this game, I hope you trust and follow my tactics even if they are hard to understand. We’ve been doing well together since last season, right? Right, Benjamin?”

Benjamin Hübner was the captain of Hoffenheim.

Benjamin, whose name was called by Matarazzo, forced a smile and nodded.

“Of course, director.”

“good.”

So, the minor rebellion at half-time was skillfully handled by Matarazzo.

Although the players initially looked dissatisfied with Matarazzo’s speech, the mood eventually brightened up as if they understood, and Hoffenheim entered the second half.

In the second half, Hoffenheim’s strategy was the same as in the first half.

A suffocating defense that is stifling.

Do not go up to the Hanover camp without caution.

The crowd’s boos grew louder, but Matarazzo and his players steadfastly stuck to their tactics.

Hannover manager Jan Rytl tried to break through Hoffenheim by adding more attacking resources, using substitutions and trying to break through them somehow, but the game was as sluggish as the first half.

It was swamp soccer.

The crowd now chanted Matarazzo and jeered at Hoffenheim rather than Hannover.

‘You have to endure it.’

Yet Matarazzo did not change his tactics. What could be more foolish than changing them now?

Since we’ve come this far, we have to push through with this tactic to get at least one point.

After the game, there will be criticism from various media outlets, but that will only last for a short while. And even if you only get one point, it will not last until the end of the season.

It was when I was looking at the ground with my arms crossed like that.

Beep─!

Hanover fell during the attack.

The referee blew his whistle, and although fortunately it was quite far from the goal, Matarazzo protested actively to the referee.

“Why is this a foul! It was an act! I can’t even watch this!”

However, the referee’s decision was never overturned.

‘Fuck.’

It’s a variable. I wish this situation hadn’t happened.

‘That’s okay.’

It’s far enough from the goal. Maybe that kid won’t step up and another Hannover kicker will step up.

‘The distance is far, so it’s a more standard distance to look at the header by putting it inside the box rather than aiming directly.’

however.

Matarazzo glared at the Korean kid running towards him with his arms crossed.

‘Why is that kid sticking out?’

The distance is roughly 35m, but you’re aiming directly at it from here?

The distance was so long that building a wall would be pointless.

But the kid came over, exchanged a few words with the kickers, and then decided to kick the ball for real.

‘What the heck….’

Matarazzo watched the kid’s back with a shit-chewing expression.

No way. Hey. No way.

This far?

Matarazzo had told his players before the game not to give away free kicks, but it was virtually impossible to keep that promise for the entire 90 minutes.

Because soccer is a sport where situations change in a matter of seconds.

‘I’ve already spoken to the goalkeeper, so he won’t let his guard down.’

Anyway, little Kim is really ready to take over for himself.

and,

Beep!

The whistle is blown.

The guy takes a deep breath and then runs.

Two defenders time their jumps high and the guy’s shot goes over the defenders.

Matarazzo’s heart also pounded slightly.

I expected that I wouldn’t be able to put it in, but I was skeptical.

and…….

Crash─!

A picturesque long-range shot that is hard to believe even when you see it swerves past the goalkeeper and into the left corner.

The net shook violently from the fast and powerful shot.

It was a fucking goal.

“Wow!”

A few Hannover fans. Kim who ended the frustrating game. And his Hannover teammates around him. The entire Hannover coaching staff are all excited.

Matarazzo muttered, his expression crumpled without him realizing it.

“Fuck.”

Why is this included?