Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 162



Only Krnovel

Hamburg Attention

* * *

Just before the winter transfer window closes.

In these chaotic times, all kinds of rumors come and go.

And the eye of the storm in this winter’s transfer market was none other than me.

[Will Hannover’s Kim transfer to Real Madrid?]

[Kim’s dramatic transfer countdown!]

[Kim’s heart has already left Hanover!]

Articles with unclear facts snowballed, and Hanover officials told outside media outlets that nothing had been confirmed and came all the way to my house to express their concerns.

You’re not really going, are you? You can’t go? Okay? If you go, we’ll be real birds? If you go right before closing, you won’t be real people? You should’ve told us at least a few days in advance, right? Okay? Okay? Okay?

“If you don’t leave my house right now, I might really leave.”

I was a little angry and responded in that way, but the Hanover officials immediately disappeared from my sight.

And so, the long, long transfer window closed.

I stayed in Hanover, and the flyers disappeared like a flash.

The next day, when I arrived at the clubhouse for training, reporters who had been camped out in front of it swarmed me and asked me questions.

“Kim! You really stayed in Hanover! Most of the people thought Kim would leave!”

“… … I told you I would stay, didn’t I?”

“So, like I said last time, are you going to stay in Hannover until you win?”

Uh, that’s a bit… .

I smiled as kindly as I could and answered.

“We are reviewing it positively.”

“Huh? Review? That doesn’t sound like something that would come out of a soccer player’s mouth….”

“We are discussing it positively.”

“… … Huh?”

“When you turn on the TV, German politicians always say this?”

Then the reporters laughed, “Ahaha.”

When it comes to politicians, even if their nationality is different, most of what they say and do is similar.

I gave the reporters a vague answer expressing my loyalty to Hanover and went into the clubhouse. I thought I would be late if I delayed any longer.

* * *

And when Kim Shin-ah saw Kim Min-woo’s advertisement at the bus stop, it was the beginning of what was to come.

She now sees her brother’s face wherever she goes.

Even inside the bus.

Even inside the subway.

Even if you walk down the street.

Even on YouTube… .

“The whole world is Kim Min-woo.”

Wherever he went, it was Kim Min-woo.

[I drink like this!]

Kim Min-woo drinking soda.

[Mmm~ So delicious!]

Kim Min-woo takes a bite of pizza and smokes it.

[Should I go on a trip~ or not~]

Kim Min-woo wearing a tube and dancing strangely in the middle of winter.

[Huh? It looks like I’m the one blocking this?]

Kim Min-woo is looking at his cell phone and using a security app.

Kim Shin-ah was so amazing.

Her older brother was wandering around the streets, but people in the world were busy going about their own business and not paying any attention.

‘… Well, if it weren’t for my older brother, I wouldn’t have found it so strange. I would have just thought it was an advertisement for a famous soccer player.’

Rather than paying attention, you probably erased it from your memory as soon as you saw it and were busy exchanging messages with your friends. How times have changed… . The world has changed so much.

‘Adults say the world changes in an instant… It really did.’

Still… I have to do what I have to do.

Knock knock.

[Kim Shin-ah: How many commercials did you film about rowing when the water rises? Kim Min-woo here, Kim Min-woo there;;]

Then, a response comes immediately.

[Kim Min-woo: Monthly 1st Stage]

[Kim Shin-ah: ?? If this is stage 1, then what is stage 2?]

[Kim Min-woo: Filming commercials overseas as well]

[Kim Shin-ah: ??ㅋㅋㅋ Then what about step 3?]

[Kim Min-woo: From then on, I didn’t make money from advertising…]

[Kim Shin-ah: Then?]

[Kim Min-woo: It’s like, money comes in even when you’re still. Should I say that it’s an entity that attracts money like a magnet by its very existence?]

[Kim Shin-ah: What is that]

[Kim Min-woo: I don’t know either]

[Kim Min-woo: I just heard it]

[Kim Shin-ah: Just try hard to block it…]

[Kim Min-woo: Okay]

* * *

After the transfer window closed, we had to prepare for the next match right away.

The next match was not on the league schedule.

Pokal Cup Round of 16.

It’s been a while since I’ve looked forward to a non-league game.

The opponent is Hamburger SV.

The team that Son Heung-min once played for and that we were struggling to advance to the first division with last season.

However, the team was eliminated in the playoffs for two consecutive seasons and is once again in the second division, fighting for promotion to the first division.

Hanover and Hamburg were separated by just one point, but the gap that had opened up was now wider than anyone could have imagined.

Hannover is top of the first division. Hamburg is top of the second division.

Objectively speaking, it would be right for Hanover to crush them as easily as snapping a child’s wrist…

‘Well, I don’t know about Hamburg or Hoffenheim.’

They brought in Philippe Coutinho just before the transfer window closed this time, but honestly, I don’t think the fallen player will be able to make a spectacular comeback here.

I think Hannover brought in Coutinho with the mindset of borrowing a cat’s paw after failing to find a player, but I’m not sure.

It would be great if we could do better than the existing regular players in Hannover.

‘But since it’s a tournament, if it keeps drawing, it’ll go to a penalty shootout. It’ll be decided there.’

Once it got to a penalty shootout, I thought I would definitely win.

First of all, there is absolutely nothing to be burdened with.

In a penalty shootout situation, it was a ‘fixed penalty’ when the goalkeeper was hit, and it was a ‘reverse penalty’ when the kicker was blocked.

Besides, I was confident that I could block the ball better than the opposing goalkeeper because I could see the trajectory… … I wasn’t confident that we would lose unless our team players missed all five shots they took.

‘Now that I think about it, it might be better to give Hoffenheim the DFB-Pokal.’

match-!

The sound of someone clapping their hands.

When I regained my senses after running away, there was Jan. And Jan spoke to us while putting his hand on the shoulder of a player who had been a surprise signing in this winter’s transfer market.

“I think everyone knows by hearing the news… … Philippe. Would you like to introduce yourself?”

“Yes, sir.”

Philippe Coutinho looked around at us, who were staring at him in silence, and then opened his mouth.

“I think everyone knows me.”

Oh. What the heck is that?

“I’m Philippe Coutinho, who will be with you from today. It’s nice to meet you all. And I’ve heard a lot about your stories. And what kind of role I should play in Hannover. Please take care of me, everyone.”

Clap clap clap clap―

I felt a sense of change as I applauded along with my colleagues.

‘Exactly a year and a half ago, I was in that role.’

Of course, he didn’t have the football experience like Philippe Coutinho and he wasn’t that old, so he couldn’t come out with that confidence.

But now that I have gained some experience (even though I am still a rookie starting my career), and have developed an eye for soccer players, I am not ignorant of anything.

I made eye contact with Corsic for a moment, and for a split second I felt compelled to play a prank on him, so I did.

“Philippe! Nice to meet you! My name is Kim and I joined Hannover in the summer transfer window last year!”

“Yeah. Hi Kim. I know you too. You’re very famous, aren’t you?”

I can’t believe this.

But I didn’t bring it up just to hear that story.

“Yes! Philippe! You know, each club has a tradition when a player joins. In Hannover, we have to dance when a player joins.”

“…Ah. You want me to dance?”

I shrugged at Philippe’s reaction.

“Everyone has been like that.”

“But why are you speaking informally?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“If I had a son, I would be your age now.”

“…Uh, huh? Yes?”

You were born in the 90s. What are you talking about?

“And, Kim, you’re the youngest in this team, right?”

“however?”

“Then how about you dance for me?”

“Good!?”

Corsic’s inciting voice.

Then his colleagues all join in to support Coutinho.

‘No, this is going to be a reverse kill?’

I ended up forgetting it.

Even though I’m doing pretty well these days, I’m still a rookie who’s just starting out in this world, and Coutinho is a veteran among veterans who’s been through a lot in the air.

I had to dance to Gangnam Style, which is over 10 years old, out of nowhere, thanks to the support of Corsic and captain Daniel Becker.

Fortunately, the response was good.

I guess my coworkers really enjoyed seeing me suffer.

By the way, how old was I when Gangnam Style came out?

* * *

And we started the DFB-Pokal round of 16 against Hamburg.

There wasn’t much to prepare for Hamburg.

“I’m really looking forward to the game against Hamburg,” Jan said before the game against Hamburg.

“Until last season, they were a team that was neck and neck with us, but now… … You know what I mean, right?”

The atmosphere was one of everyone nodding their heads.

And Jan looked specifically at Coutinho and said:

“Filipe. Don’t be obsessed with showing something, but show what you can do now. Show what you can show. There’s no need to rush. It’s okay if you don’t score or assist. It’s okay if you don’t show flashes of brilliance. Just play with the mindset of showing off your skills.”

“Yes, Director.”

Unlike his behavior towards me, he is a very polite Mr. Coutinho to the manager.

I looked at Coutinho with a look of disapproval, but Coutinho must have read my gaze as he smiled and waved.

‘Let’s see how well the monthly fee is paid.’

Even if it has fallen, it won’t show its colorless and odorless appearance to the second-tier Hamburgers, right?

In fact, there are many things to consider.

Even though the opponent is from the second division, Hannover and Hamburg were neck and neck until last season, and Coutinho was playing right away without even properly working with the team.

It seems like Yann doesn’t have any expectations of confirming anything this time.

Well anyway.

‘Still, I hope that guy does well.’

I feel bad for making a fuss about it, but if that old man fails here, he has nowhere else to go. If he fails here, his only option is to go to China.

* * *

And then we welcomed Hamburg into our living room.

Hannover fans naturally gave us their one-sided support, and we played with great spirit in front of the cheering of the home fans.

however.

‘Haven’t they heard our rumors?’

Hamburg kept coming out aggressively without knowing the subject.

I think it’s probably thinking of Hanover during the second part, but is the second part’s time and space distorted from the first? All of Germany is buzzing about Hanover right now, and why is it coming out like this?

“haha.”

I found myself laughing out loud at Hamburg’s constant attacks during the game.

Looking at the coaching staff, it looks like Jan and the coaches are discussing something urgently.

Perhaps this is what people are talking about right now?

[These kids seem to have forgotten my personality?]

[Hamburg, stand at attention.]

I was able to block Hamburg’s attacks without much difficulty by cooperating with the defenders.

and.

‘I guess I need to come to my senses?’

I fired a quick, accurate kick into the area I was watching and then threw it away.

The ball I threw flew far away as if it was launched from a catapult.

And Ken Muramoto, who started as a left winger, received the ball from me and ran down the flank.

It was a rough run, but since the opponent was the opponent, there was no need for a technician or anything like that.

Ken Muramoto passed the ball to attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho, who was making his Hannover debut, as the opposition hurriedly pulled back. Coutinho appeared to be watching for a moment before dribbling past the opposing centre-back who was advancing on him and firing a shot himself.

Boohoo!

And the goalkeeper’s save.

Hannover’s first effective shot came from Coutinho’s foot, although it did not result in a goal.

The home fans applauded the neat scene, and I nodded and applauded back.

‘Drunk on target after dribbling against Hamburg. I’ll keep watching, old man.’

It would have been nice to have a higher score if the goalkeeper had missed the catch, but for now, that’s it.

For now, the priority is to punish Hamburg.

We need to clearly show that things have changed a lot since we were in Part 2.

* * *

… However, Hamburg did not change their tactics or anything, as if they had not learned anything from Hannover’s counterattack.

I was just thinking about Hannover last season and borrowing the same tactics from that time.

I thought it turned out well and actively participated in the build-up.

‘Even the teams that made a name for themselves in the first division are weak in front of us, how dare these guys?’

It was exactly like that.

Even though you are rich, you are worse than me, so I can never accept you… .

Then, all you have to do is let them feel the gap for themselves.

I came out to the outside of the penalty box to take Corsic’s place, and Corsic, like Kim Min-je of the national team, went forward and actively participated in the attack.

When the ball came to me, I would slam it down in front of me like I was delivering a package.

Then Hamburg’s momentum quickly waned.

As Hannover went into a show of force, shouting “Let’s go!”, Hamburg, who had been attacking in the first half, lost their momentum and were trapped in their own half.

It seems like they are itching to be aggressive, but Hannover won’t allow it.

So, while other teams in the first half voluntarily played defensively, Hamburg was in a situation where it had no choice but to play defensively.

‘No matter how much we struggle because we can’t break through the defense of the first division teams, this isn’t even close to being a long shot for you guys!’

The match was as follows.

Hamburg was on a roll for the first five minutes of the game.

After that, it was ruled by Hanover.

Hannover were very creative in their attacks, unlike when they played against top-flight teams, and Hamburg were helpless as they kept getting through.

It seems like you’re not used to being hit like this.

In fact, Hanover also took a step up.

As they go crazy trying to break through the defenses of teams of a higher weight class than themselves, they just break through the gap in defenses like Hamburg’s, borrowing from that experience.

and.

Toyhert falls to the ground and passes to Coutinho.

Coutinho takes advantage of the tight space between the opposing defenders and fires a right-footed shot.

Similar scenes were played out throughout this match, but there was one thing missing.

that.

Crash!

It was a goal.

Coutinho managed to break through the Hamburg defense and fire a shot that shook the net.

The Hannover stadium erupted with excitement at the goal, and I too smiled and applauded.

‘It’s a bit too grand to call it a signal of resurrection… … because the opponent was part 2.’

For now, let’s call it ‘lowest score pass’.

I raised the corners of my mouth as I watched Coutinho celebrate scoring his debut goal.