Chapter 6
If you ask the deep followers of the K League to name their two least favorite teams, certain names always come up.
“Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors” and “Suwon Oseong Bluefeather,” also known as “Maebuk” and “Gaerang.”
T/n: Maebuk (매북): “Buy-buk” or “Money-buk.” A derogatory nickname for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, implying that the team uses financial power or influence to achieve results.
Gaerang (개랑): “Dog-rang.” A derogatory nickname for Suwon Oseong Bluefeather, combining “dog” (often used insultingly) with part of the team’s name, suggesting unruly or aggressive behaviour.
Jeonbuk is disliked because of their match-fixing scandal, an unforgivable act in sports, without showing any genuine remorse.
Suwon’s case is a bit different.
‘If Jeonbuk committed a crime… Suwon just feels like they’re always causing trouble.’
It’s unclear why they’re always so angry, but they constantly get into fights with other fans, and whenever there’s a match, they cause disturbances, whether it’s at their own stadium or away.
It’s gotten to the point where if a violence incident happens in the K League, people immediately assume, “It’s those Gaerang guys again!”
The original supporter group name, “Granblue,” has since become known as “Gaerang Blue” due to these behaviours.
They say that fools find joy just by looking at each other, but when idiots meet, it seems they can’t help but tear each other down.
What began as a rivalry between coaches Cha Bum-gon and Choi Kang-hoe turned into a full-blown feud between the fans, especially after Jeonbuk crushed Suwon 5:2 in a match in 2008 with both coaches leading their respective teams.
Of course, the rivalry cooled down a bit when Suwon Oseong suffered the disaster of being relegated to the second division.
Still, a rival is a rival, and a derby is a derby.
The match between Suwon Hwaseong and Jeonju Castle earned the nickname “Siege Battle,” reflecting its fierce nature.
[Oooooh~ I love you, my love, my Suwon
Oooooh~ I adore you, I only love you.]
The loud chant echoed through Big Bird, piercing the eardrums.
At the same time, Suwon’s supporter group, Frente Tricolor, twirled their red, white, and blue umbrellas while showering confetti from above.
The lyrics of the cheer song were sweet, and the twirling umbrellas were beautiful… it was quite a sight. But I knew better.
The moment the match began, those seemingly beautiful fans would turn into monsters obsessed with victory.
Recalling their true nature still made my body tremble. But I made a promise to Ah-yoon, so I had to repay her with a win.
With my resolve firmed, I looked toward the stadium.
“It’s starting.”
[Ale~ Suwon Bluefeather~ Oh oh oh~]
As the players entered the field, the cheering from Frente Tricolor grew louder.
***
[Welcome, viewers. This is the AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16, bringing you the match between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Suwon Oseong Bluefeather! I’ll be here for the next 90 minutes with analyst Hwang Deok-woon.]
[Yes, today’s match will be held at Suwon World Cup Stadium, known as Big Bird, Suwon’s home ground.]
– “It’s the day of Maebuk’s demise!”
└ “How badly will they lose today?”
└ “Watching those Maebuk idiots brag about their comeback after winning the ACL and then losing 3-0 last time was hilarious. Will we get to see that again today?”
[In the first leg on the 14th, Suwon dominated Jeonbuk, making today a must-win for Jeonbuk.]
[That’s right. It’s going to be a tough match for Jeonbuk. To advance to the quarterfinals, they need to score at least four goals, and their performance in the last game wasn’t great.]
[Indeed. Jeonbuk needs to make changes, and today’s match is critical. Here’s the starting lineup.]
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3-2-4-1
Coach: Seon Ki-baek
Yoon Seung-hwan
Park Yeon-woo, Shaperi
Andres, Kim Chun-jae
Seo Chan-hee, Lee Seung-yong
Han Kyung-rok, Jung Seung-yoon, Han Gang-rok
Joo Tae-young
Suwon Oseong Bluefeather 4-3-3
Coach: Park Yong-taek
Hwang Bo-hyun, Osgar, Ryu Han-gyeol
Choi Yeon-joon, Shim Sung-jin, Kang I-deun
Sven Lorenz, Baek Jung-min, Kim Min-geon
Jang Sun-ho
[Yes, Jeonbuk’s starting lineup is quite unique. Analyst Hwang Deok-woon, what do you think?]
[Well… honestly, I’d say I’m surprised. Jeonbuk is using three U-22 players. It’s understandable to replace players who struggled in the previous match, but… it seems like they’ve made too many changes, which is concerning.]
– “What the heck is this Jeonbuk lineup? Why are there three semi-pro players?”
– “Ugh… I can’t stand it anymore. Seon Ki-baek, get out of here!”
└ “Didn’t he just join two months ago? Are you already saying he should leave?”
└ “Jung Hyo-ham… you said some of us only get one chance. Is this what you meant?”
└ “Being fired after one match would be legendary, though, lol.”
– “What’s up with Jeonbuk? The last coach turned the team into a retirement home, and now it’s a kindergarten? Hilarious.”
[Ahaha. But the players named in the starting lineup had impressive performances during their youth.]
[Yes, they led the team to victory in the Youth Championship, and many experts believe they’re ready for the professional stage. The question for today’s game is whether they can integrate well into the team.]
[And with that, Suwon has kicked off to start the match!]
***
Modern football and football from the past have significant differences.
Listing them all would take days, so if I had to mention the biggest difference, it would be “numerical superiority.”
From Pep Guardiola’s positional play to the emphasis on sweeper-keepers and defensive midfielders, to high pressing becoming the norm, it all comes down to achieving numerical superiority.
Dividing the pitch into 24 zones and maintaining numerical superiority in each to control those spaces from the opponent—
That’s the ultimate goal of tactical battles between managers.
And Suwon was playing into this concept well.
“I didn’t expect them to press like this with a 4-3-3.”
Watching from the bench, I bit my lip.
I wasn’t named in the starting lineup, but I didn’t mind.
What I wanted was to play, not necessarily to start.
Plus, to make a memorable impact during the match, I needed to observe the field closely and grasp the flow.
To understand what the opponents were focusing on today, and what they had prepared.
Just like now.
‘They’re pressing us during our goal kicks like this? I’ve never seen this approach before…’
In Jeonbuk’s case, during goal kicks, a defensive midfielder would drop back to form a back four, while the three opposing forwards would press to tie them down.
In normal situations, the three forwards of the opposing team would maintain a line aligned with the penalty box, spreading out to disrupt the keeper’s buildup play.
However, Suwon was a bit different. Instead of maintaining space, the three forwards closed in tightly, blocking the passes that should have gone to the two centre-backs.
In simple terms, the wingers and the centre forward were only marking the centre-backs and the defensive midfielder, leaving the fullbacks unpressured.
It was a puzzling situation that led to the question, “Why?” Yet Suwon’s unconventional approach didn’t stop there.
“All the players, except for the goalkeeper, are marking their respective opponents. So, is that why the forwards are ignoring the fullbacks?”
They abandoned their numerical advantage at the back and instructed every player to man-mark.
It’s a risky situation that could spiral out of control the moment it breaks down… but Suwon was attempting it.
And unfortunately, Jeonbuk fell right into the trap.
“Our buildup from the back is being disrupted. But if we try to pass directly to the second line, it’s difficult because of the midfielders spread out across the centre…”
The sides were blocked, and sending long passes blindly was too risky.
So, Jeonbuk opted for a skip-line play.
That is, they tried to send the ball just behind the three pressing forwards, creating a two-on-one situation with the defensive midfielder to break through.
“Oh! No!”
“Hey, block it somehow!”
Thump! Crash!
But this, too, had its risks.
The moment they lost possession, a scoring opportunity for the opponent immediately arose.
Fortunately, Han Gang-rok rushed in quickly and managed to intercept the ball.
“Gang-rok, well done!”
“You did great, Gang-rok. You saved us.”
“Hah… let’s focus a bit more! Keep your spirits up!”
‘What do we do? We’re completely trapped in their tactics.’
Being outmatched in a tactical battle is never a good situation.
Realizing this, Jeonbuk’s struggles began.
The goalkeeper, unable to rely on a buildup from the back, kept sending the ball toward Yoon Seung-hwan, but it was no use.
Every time the ball reached him, the defense swarmed in, leading to turnovers and subsequent counterattacks.
Why? Was Yoon Seung-hwan unable to break through the press?
No, that wasn’t it. He’s the type who can force his way through and put the ball in the net, even with sloppy passes. There’s no way he’d be defeated by a simple defensive press.
The reason was simple.
‘The other players aren’t reading the situation at all.’
As I’ve said before, numerical advantage is crucial in football. That’s been true since the beginning.
If you want to play long toward the centre forward, then the moment they receive the ball, the freed-up players should be exploiting the space to help out.
But the only ones moving correctly were the Han Gang-rok and Han Kyung-rok twins. The midfielders, who should have been the key players, were standing frozen, as if there was something wrong.
The reason for their behaviour was probably…
“They’re not failing to read the space; they just don’t have the confidence to push forward. It looks like they can’t anticipate a second play.”
I looked at Lee Seung-yong, who was frowning on the field.
He was an aging midfielder who struggled with buildup and passing, even when not under pressure.
He must have assumed that even if he moved, he wouldn’t be able to create any chances.
‘Well, if it works, you can have a 6-on-4 numerical advantage in attack. But if it fails, the three players in the goal area will be knocking on the goal.’
Quick ball movement. Players capable of passing and dribbling under pressure with ease.
Players who can grasp the flow of the game instantly and put it into action.
That’s exactly what Jeonbuk needed right now.
“Ian, get ready.”
“Yes, sir.”
The coach looked at me and quietly muttered.
***
The 33rd minute of the first half. It was a bit early to use a substitution card, but Seon Ki-baek made a bold move to inject me into the game to create a variable.
Of course, just because I came on, it didn’t mean that Suwon’s pressing tactics changed.
Once again, it was our goal kick situation. As I moved around to read the flow, I heard a voice from behind.
“Hey, rookie, aren’t you trying too hard? You’ll get injured at this rate. Take it easy, take it easy. It’s advice from a senior, even if we’re on different teams.”
“This is me taking it easy. Is it because you can’t keep up with my pace?”
“Hah, damn… you don’t get it, do you? I’m telling you not to overdo it. Do you really think you can change anything by trying so hard?”
“Overdoing it, huh…”
His poor attempt at trash talk almost made me laugh.
Was he trying to provoke me somehow?
Maybe he thought he could make me lose my temper, cloud my judgment, or get me to pick up a card so I’d play more cautiously.
It might have worked on an average player. Most people would respond with angry swears to being told to back off. But I’d just laugh it off.
Normally, I’d let it slide with a casual response, but since things had come this far, it might be fun to turn it around on him.
Holding back my laughter, I said to Choi Yeon-jun:
“Senior, do you want me to show you what it really means to overdo it?”
“What…?”
“Watch closely. I’m going first.”
“Huh! Damn it!”
As Choi Yeon-jun focused on me, Joo Tae-young’s pass flew directly to me.
The moment I received the ball, I began to sprint forward.
Suwon’s unusual one-on-one man-marking was disastrous in counterattack situations.
Because they had pushed up players even from the defense for their pressing, they were inevitably vulnerable to counterattacks.
As I expected, the sudden change in the situation caught Suwon’s defenders off guard, and they rushed to abandon their pressing and reorganize their defensive shape.
‘What’s this? They should have had data on Ian’s strength in dribbling out of pressure. Did they really think I wouldn’t be playing today and didn’t prepare at all?’
No, that couldn’t be. A professional coach wouldn’t fail to analyze me, especially one paid to do so. They probably already did.
Though even if they had prepared, it wouldn’t have changed much.
‘The data they have on me is probably from my youth league days.’
Of course, my playing style had long changed since I reincarnated.
In other words, Baek Ian was gone. Now, only Kang Yoon-ho, who had reached the Ballon d’Or podium, remained.
The star of Newcastle’s treble-winning season.
A defensive midfielder who could hold his own against any challenge, even in the wild 3-1-6 attacking formations—
They had no information to counter him.
“Ian! Pass it forward!”
“Hey, send it quickly! Stop dragging it out! They’re closing in from behind!”
‘Closing in, my ass. My sprint speed is 38 KM/H, so how could they even keep up?’
As I sprinted forward, I started hearing voices urging me to pass.
But I ignored their requests and kept dribbling the ball forward.
A pass here wouldn’t mean much. We weren’t creating a numerical advantage anyway, and passing should be the last resort when a more certain opportunity presents itself.
“Ian, send it forward! Now!”
‘Yeah, just like that guy, Han Gang-rok.’
As Han Gang-rok appeared in front of me after making an overlapping run, I immediately sent the ball forward to him.
In my mind, there were only three players capable of creating a chance in this situation.
Han Gang-rok, Han Kyung-rok, and Yoon Seung-hwan. Han Gang-rok was overlapping, so Han Kyung-rok would stay back to assist in the buildup. That left the other two.
Han Gang-rok and Yoon Seung-hwan. Those two were all we had.
Just as I anticipated, Han Gang-rok’s overlapping run drew the defenders away, and he sent the ball back to me.
Now, what remains…
“Ian! Over here!”
‘…Yoon Seung-hwan. Let’s see what you’ve got.’
There it is.
The moment I received the ball, without hesitation, I aimed it straight at Yoon Seung-hwan’s head.
I wasn’t passing it. I kicked it as hard as I could.
Why was I able to reach the World Cup semifinals despite having strikers who would miss even the most perfect passes?
It’s simple.
‘I didn’t see strikers as people. It’s not that I didn’t trust them—I just didn’t see them as human.’
Honestly, this method is borderline cruel, so I wouldn’t use it unless it was a must-win international match.
But for Shin Ah-yoon, who had come all this way to watch me, I figured a big gift was in order.
“Hey, Yoon Seung-hwan! Put your head in front of the goal!”
“What? My head? Like this… ugh!”
The ball, rocketing toward Yoon Seung-hwan, struck his face and bounced off, changing direction as it ricocheted into the goal.
[Waaaahhh!]
Cheers erupted from the away fans’ section.
It wasn’t exactly what Yoon Seung-hwan intended… but does that even matter?
[Ole~ Ole~ Ole~ Ole~
Ole~ Ole~ Ole~ Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!]
“Ah, this is great. Now that’s Jeonbuk.”
“Ian, Seung-hwan isn’t getting up. Shouldn’t we go check on him?”
“I got him the goal. Don’t worry about it.”
“Oh, really? But… it looks like he’s got a nosebleed…”
Han Gang-rok glanced between the bleeding Yoon Seung-hwan and me. But eventually, he shrugged as if he no longer cared and joined me in celebrating.
—
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