Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 186



Only Krnovel

186 Minwoo Gospel

The striker positions for the South Korean national team were largely filled by Cho Kyu-seok and Hwang Eul-jo.

Both players were not regular starters for the national team, but were in a competitive position. Before this call-up, both players suffered injuries, making it seem like they were competing.

The national team was in an emergency situation because they did not have a top player right away, but between the two, there was Oh Hyeon-gu, who was a sub, and there was another player that Leon Harpers had in mind in advance.

That resource was none other than Kim Jun-young. Surprisingly.

‘Probably Oh Hyeon-gu will be the starter and Jun-young will be the sub.’

You may not be able to participate.

Oh Hyun-goo is just behind those two, but he is doing quite well on his team.

Still, it was amazing. I thought I would have to step up while receiving the running mate effect to be selected for the national team, but I didn’t expect it to be this fast.

Of course, when the starting players return from injury, they will naturally be left out, but experience is important.

I looked at Kim Jun-young, who was chattering with tension and anticipation, as if he found him cute.

“Soon, I will see Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-cheon, Kim Min-je, Lee Kang-im, and wow… … .”

“Hey. Why are you leaving out Kim Min-woo in front of you? I’m not inferior to the members there at all.”

“Ahahaha! Of course, hyung is the best!”

Kim Jun-young, sweating profusely and trying to please me. This was me a few months ago. I was like that when I first entered the national team… .

Since becoming a regular, I’ve become close enough to joke around with my seniors a lot.

‘The image of him quitting soccer is still vivid, but Kim Jun-young is also joining the national team, which only select people are selected from…’

It’s a new feeling.

I left Kim Jun-young alone, who was chattering away in tension, and looked into the characteristics he had acquired while winning the Bundesliga.

[Attribute: Adrenaline]

[Description: The chance of getting injured during a match is significantly reduced.]

It was a simple explanation. There were no conditions or restrictions for activating the trait.

I haven’t experienced it yet, but I’ve now become more tolerant of guys who charge at me with determination like last time.

‘If possible, I wish it were like this during normal times as well as during the game…’

This much is fine.

I’m so grateful that I’ve developed a tolerance for crazy guys who say they’ll just break something if they can’t get through it.

‘I have a lot of trophies to accumulate anyway.’

If possible, I would like to move to a different team every year and collect trophies from each country, but that would probably be difficult.

“Minwoo~”

“Kkung!”

Someone came up from behind and snapped my neck.

If it were anywhere else, I would have been like, “What kind of crazy kid is this!” But the national team is where I’m the youngest. The culprit was Lee Kang-im.

“Hey, let go!”

“…But who’s next to you?”

Kim Jun-young froze when he saw Lee Kang-im. Kim Jun-young swallowed hard and bowed 90 degrees.

“Hello! My name is Kim Jun-young, and I was recently selected to represent the country! I’m, uh, 19 years old in Korean age!”

“19 years old?”

Lee Kang-im blinked and then belatedly let out a ‘gasp’ sound.

“Wow. What the? Our youngest Minwoo escaped?”

“Yes. So please spare Gao’s life, hyung.”

“No~ You’re still young.”

Even if I try, there’s only a few years difference… .

Is a 5 year age gap a bit big?

“His position is striker, and he’s a pinch hitter for Gyu-seok and Eul-jo. But there’s a new player on the national team, so don’t you get to know him in advance?”

“I’m so busy, why bother looking into it? People who are good at it will probably come…”

Lee Kang-im grumbles and climbs onto my back this time.

Ah. I really need to dig this up and turn it over.

“Please take good care of me, senior!”

“Yeah, yeah. … What was your name?”

Didn’t you just say that?

But Kim Jun-young is not discouraged and shouts again.

“This is Kim Jun-young!”

“Yes, Junyoung. It won’t be easy for the national team. This will probably be our first and last meeting, but if you do play, try to make some offensive points. Who knows? Our coach might make you the crown prince….”

I responded in disbelief.

“No, brother. Why are you saying that?”

“Isn’t this detailed enough? It’s igniting your motivation. Even if my words hurt your pride, you’ll work hard.”

After that, Lee Kang-im pretended to be unmotivated and kept asking questions about Kim Jun-young.

As a result, I found out that Kim Jun-young was from the same Suyang High School as me, that we played in the same soccer team, and that he was currently doing very well in the K-League and had even received offers from European teams.

“What? You went to the same high school as Minwoo and played together?”

And Lee Kang-im looks back and forth between me and Kim Jun-young.

“We played together in high school and now we’re on the national team together? Is there such a romanticism in this world these days?”

“I’m going to recruit one person from Suyang High School to the national team. This is just the beginning.” < – Dets Nono

“Hmm?”

Lee Kang-im tilts his head. And mutters softly.

“Why doesn’t this sound like a joke…?”

Ugh, I dragged Kim Jun-young along, my mouth watering. I went around to introduce Kim Jun-young to the other senior national team members.

Everyone's reaction was that it was amazing.

It's not common for high school seniors and juniors to join the national team together.

.

.

Afterwards, although it wasn't for very long, I designated the national team players as my running mates.

One is Kim Jun-young. The other is Seol Young-wook.

I chose Kim Jun-young in the hope that a proper striker would be born in Korea, and the reason I chose Seol Young-wook was simple.

'No matter how much I think about it, Korea's fullback position is weak.'

Although it is a global problem, I hoped that Seol Young-wook would grow as long as he was on the national team.

Fullbacks have to run like crazy in any game, and it's also more comfortable for the goalkeeper to have a fullback who can run a little longer.

Beep!

Coach's whistle.

We warmed up briefly and then began our real training.

I secretly observed Kim Jun-young, who was on his first national team, and he was training without even looking around, either absent-mindedly or with no time to spare.

‘It seems like it’ll take a long time to get used to what you’re doing… .’

The third round of qualifying matches this time are against Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Both countries are far from being strong teams, but since these matches will determine whether or not they will advance directly to the World Cup, it is hard to tell whether Kim Jun-young will be able to play.

'If all the starting attackers are absent and Oh Hyun-goo's form is below expectations, Jun-young will have a chance.'

Thinking about it like that, I remember when I first joined Hanover. It felt like I was in a similar situation to that time.

Leon Harpers could try using Kim Jun-young, but if that doesn't work out, there's also the option of moving Son Heung-min up top.

And that was the arrangement.

Because the expected value is higher when you put a winger who is good at scoring goals up top than when you put a striker who is not good at scoring goals up top.

“Minwoo. Tell me your method.”

"yes?"

The goalkeepers were training separately from the field players. However, this was more like a teaching session where they were listening to my words rather than training.

“You should learn how to block shots.”

Goalkeepers Seung-gu Kim and Han-woo Jo have a strong will to learn even though they are in the twilight of their soccer careers.

“Hmm… I don’t think that’ll be of much help. It’s not like it’s an ability that can be learned just by being told…”

“Hey, don’t do that! We’ll learn it! Just tell us!”

“If that’s true, then yes.”

I taught him how to block the opponent's attacks when he was a goalkeeper as easily as possible.

Minwoo Gospel 6:24, “Predict the trajectory of your opponent’s shot!”

“When the opponent is about to kick, I input the trajectory of the shot in my head in advance. Instead of just standing there, I predict where the shot will go.”

In fact, it is obvious information that everyone who is a member of the national team would know, but the two goalkeepers nodded their heads with burning eyes as if they were hearing it for the first time.

“So… …would you like to try dribbling over there? Try dribbling and kicking it. I’ll block it.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Jo Han-woo brought the ball in from a distance. I focused my mind and didn't go too far from the goal.

Jo Han-woo closes the distance significantly and then gives a fake motion that seems to strike.

In the past, the trajectory would appear and disappear, but now it's different. When it's fake motion, the trajectory isn't created at all. And… …now!

Boom!

“Okay, like this! Easy, right?”

After several fake motions, Jo Han-woo's will was created as a trajectory, and I was able to block it without difficulty.

However, Seung-gu Kim, who watched it, and Han-woo Jo, who demonstrated it himself…

“No, shit. What the heck? How did you predict this? I made it to the end.”

“I don’t understand. Isn’t this just psychological warfare? How do you know when it’s time to strike?”

I smiled sheepishly at the question.

“I told you, it won’t help much. I have a feeling. It’s either true or not. If it’s not, I won’t move. If it’s true, then I’ll move.”

The two goalkeepers looked dumbfounded as if they didn't understand my explanation.

This time, Seung-gu Kim steps forward.

“I’ll try. Try again.”

"yes."

And Kim Seung-gu approaches from far away.

Kim Seung-gu also hesitated and hesitated like Jo Han-woo.

I didn't try to give up easily.

'This is, like, you're going to just go through me and put the ball into an empty goal?'

Based on my experience with numerous matches, it was 99%.

I persevered until the end, and Seung-gu Kim continued to dribble, and when I persevered until the end, he blatantly faked a motion and then shot.

“Okay, like this.”

Of course, I reacted to it. It was an easy angle, so I could block it without difficulty. Kim Seung-gu, who brought the ball himself, put his hands on his hips and laughed in vain as if he had experienced something unbelievable.

“No, come on… What are you doing? What the hell are you doing?”

"to?"

“What goalkeeper in the world can predict this? Is it really the case that someone only comes once in a thousand years to do something like this?”

Jo Han-woo also nods and adds a word.

“You just accept the Yashin Award.”

"ha ha ha…."

I swallowed my words with a smile.

Not just anyone can keep a clean sheet for two years~

After that, the two players didn't want to teach me anymore. I felt regretful, licking my lips. It was fun in its own way… .

* * *

The national team's first match in June was against Jordan.

The team's main strikers have been suffering from a series of injuries, putting the team in jeopardy for this qualifier, but Jordan is an opponent they have beaten in away games, and more than anything, the presence of Kim Min-woo has made the coach feel secure.

A fairy who is never pierced no matter what she does.

Leon looked at Kim Min-woo with great affection.

And today's game.

As expected, today's match held at Suwon World Cup Stadium was crowded with spectators.

To Leon, Korea was truly an amazing country. Who knew there were more women than men playing soccer?

'The world is so big that there are bound to be many different countries and cultures.'

This was much more desirable than the European supporter culture of shouting and swinging fists at everything. At least in Leon's view.

While all the national team players were full of confidence, Leon crossed his arms and looked in one direction with a slightly anxious look.

Today, South Korea's attacker is the sub's sub. Celtic's Yang Hyun-goo.

Although he is a well-established player at Celtic, I personally do not see the Scottish league as a competitive league.

A league dominated by two teams, Rangers and Celtic.

There is criticism that the Bundesliga is a league that Munich dominates, but the leagues are of a different class, and this time, Hannover broke Munich's monopoly and won the championship, so the Munich dynasty is now a thing of the past.

‘I don’t think we’ll have a hard time against Jordan, though…’

The director is in a position where he has to consider all possible scenarios.

Leon had already prepared Plan B and Plan C. Plan B was to put Son at the top and put Lee Ja-seong in Son's place.

Plan C is… … .

Leon turned his head abruptly.

On the bench, the non-regular players were sitting among themselves, laughing. And among them, there was the striker, Kim, sitting with a nervous expression, not talking to anyone.

'He's very active and has decent decision-making ability. He's perfect as a fake attacker covering Son, Lee, and Hwang. However… .'

There are many concerns about putting them into actual games. There is a lack of experience, and young players in big games often perform below expectations.

First of all.

'Let's hope Yang does well. If we get ahead by 3:0 in the first half, it's worth experimenting in the second half.'