Chapter 14
—
Martin Valdé, head coach of South Korea’s national football team, rested his chin on his hand as he observed the field.
Meanwhile, the coaches beside him were engrossed in analyzing the players’ data, chattering away non-stop.
“Los extremos de Gwangju también son mejores de lo esperado. (Gwangju’s wingers are better than expected.)”
“Yes, that’s because their team places significant emphasis on combination play involving their wingers, so they naturally have quality players in those positions.”
“Esos son los jugadores que planeamos ver originalmente, ¿verdad? (Those are the players we originally planned to observe, correct?)”
“Yes, it’s Gwangju’s Shin Nam-hyuk and Jeonbuk’s Yoon Seung-hwan. We’ve prepared data on Shin Nam-hyuk in advance…”
‘Data, huh… Is it really necessary to cling to such futile things after coming all the way here?’
Irritated by the noise piercing his ears, Martin Valdé scratched the side of his head.
To be honest, Valdé thought there was nothing more foolish than blindly trusting data and reports.
What is the most critical factor when selecting players as a coach?
First, how the player performs in actual matches.
Second, whether they possess the qualities to integrate into his tactical approach.
Of course, he didn’t disregard scientifically measured data, but…
Data should only serve as reference material while watching games, not something to rely on absolutely.
‘It’s hard to assess how a player performs in real matches just by looking at their stats…’
There are players whose stats rank them among the league’s best, but when you watch them play, you wonder how they got there.
On the other hand, some players from lower-ranked teams, despite poor stats from carrying logs, demonstrate top-notch performance on the field.
That’s why Valdé ignored the reports during live matches, focusing solely on the movements of the players on the field.
This principle was shining through today as well.
[Ah! Shin Nam-hyuk’s touch is too long! You can’t afford to make those kinds of mistakes in midfield!]
[Exactly. For a counterattack-oriented team, maintaining tempo is crucial. Mistakes like this slow the tempo and give the opposition opportunities.]
[Right as you say that, Yoon Seung-hwan pounces! He intercepts it! Yoon Seung-hwan starts running straight after the interception in midfield!]
“Ho-ho… Yoon Seung-hwan, that boy is definitely something.”
Watching Yoon Seung-hwan disrupt Gwangju’s formation like a rabid dog let loose, Valdé nodded approvingly.
There were times when analyzing data left him unsure about a player, but seeing them in action often led to unexpected discoveries—this seemed to be one of those times.
‘His press is relentless, and he doesn’t hesitate, even under pressure. Breaking through and managing to shoot after that is impressive. It shows he can push forward even when outnumbered. He has the traits of an excellent striker.’
The reasons for Valdé’s visit to this match were primarily twofold.
First, to personally evaluate Shin Nam-hyuk, a holding defensive midfielder who displayed the best form last season.
Second, to assess the striker who had scored five goals in just two games and was in insane form.
Of course, the second reason wasn’t as significant. It was more out of curiosity about how the striker would perform while watching Shin Nam-hyuk.
Yet the unexpected discovery lay there.
“Bien, es realmente un buen delantero, tanto que me gustaría llevarlo a la selección. (Good, he’s truly an excellent striker. I’d like to bring him to the national team.)”
“Entrenador Valdé, ¿cree que le gustará ese jugador? (Coach Valdé, do you like that player?)”
“Por supuesto que sí, a menos que tus ojos estén bien, ¡puedes verlo! (Of course. If your eyes are working, it’s obvious!)”
To the average person, it might seem like scoring goals is a given for a striker.
But in reality, it’s not as simple as it sounds.
Sure, anyone can kick a ball into the net. But many players fail to execute the process leading up to that moment.
And some maniacs excel at build-up play but can’t deliver the final blow.
In that sense, Yoon Seung-hwan was an appealing asset from Valdé’s perspective as a striker.
His movements leading up to the goal were excellent. Even though they hadn’t yet yielded meaningful results, his plays were undoubtedly threatening.
Excited by the discovery of a new talent, Valdé leaned forward, paying even closer attention to the field.
“Look at the coach…”
“It’s amazing. I’ve never seen him react this much, even while watching European players.”
Around that time, murmurs broke out among those around Valdé.
Martin Valdé.
While his tenure at Newcastle in the EPL was lackluster, he had once been hailed as a promising coach in Europe after leading Benfica to a championship.
It wasn’t surprising that such a renowned coach showing this much enthusiasm for a K-League player left people astonished.
Before long, the other coaches followed his lead, setting aside their reports and shifting their focus entirely to the field.
“Aaaah!”
“Oh… That looks like a serious injury.”
When a Jeonbuk player collapsed on the field, screaming in pain, everyone frowned.
“It was a great counterattack opportunity, but the opposing tackle was too harsh.”
“Andrés Le Normand… That player is from Catalonia, right? As someone from the same region, I hope he’s not seriously hurt.”
“Well, these things happen. Players grow stronger by overcoming such injuries. But what will Jeonbuk do now? Andrés and Yoon Seung-hwan seemed to have great chemistry.”
“Hmm… If I had to guess, they’ll probably move Kim Chun-jae to Andrés’ position and bring in number 23, Baek Ian, as a box-to-box midfielder.”
“Baek Ian? That name sounds familiar…”
“Yes, it was included in the materials I provided at that time. He was evaluated as a potential core resource alongside Yoon Seung-hwan for Jeonbuk’s future. However, due to his young age, I didn’t actively recommend him.”
“Really? Ah! I remember now.”
Listening to the assistant coach’s explanation, Valdé exclaimed as a memory clicked into place. There was indeed a name that came to mind—a player who had shown exceptional stats.
Not only was his defensive ability outstanding, but his knack for creating variables in clutch situations left a strong impression.
‘I had leaned toward Shin Nam-hyuk since I couldn’t risk selecting too many inexperienced players. Still, with the 2031 Asian Cup in mind, maybe it’s worth keeping an eye on him now.’
It would be great if the player performed well.
With that faint hope, Valdé observed Baek Ian entering the field, replacing Andrés.
As time passed, the calm atmosphere didn’t last long. Suddenly, Valdé splashed the water on the table toward the coaching staff, creating a fountain show.
“You idiots! Aren’t you going to analyze properly? The player I’ve been looking for this whole time is right there! Why have you been recommending useless players until now?”
***
The Gwangju CF team I remembered was one where exhilaration and precariousness coexisted.
‘A blend of boldness and instability… It’s not easy to balance, but Gwangju made that unique playstyle their own.’
Most football players are obsessed with tempo. When they gain possession, they waste no time finding the best route to advance the ball.
However, Gwangju’s approach was different.
Rather than quickly handling the ball when defenders gained possession, they would hold onto it until the attackers closed in, exploiting the gaps that emerged during this delay.
In other words, they slowed the tempo deliberately, luring in the opponent’s high press. When their off-the-ball players found openings, they would direct passes toward those spaces.
It was a unique strategy rarely seen in the K-League, which had traditionally emphasized quick tempo.
Under coach Choi Jung-hyo’s leadership, Gwangju rose to K-League 1 in 2022. By 2023, their distinctive playstyle propelled them to a surprising third-place finish.
‘That’s how it was… But now it’s all in the past.’
As the saying goes, good times are often followed by bad.
This universal truth spared no one, not even Gwangju.
In 2027, Choi Jung-hyo, who was practically synonymous with the team, left to prepare for a move to Europe. A new coach took over, and Gwangju faced a grim period once more.
“If it were still under Choi Jung-hyo’s system, our coach’s high-pressing tactics would have been the worst matchup. But Gwangju has abandoned that style now?”
Instead of a slow-tempo strategy, they adopted a direct counterattacking approach.
It wasn’t a bad strategy per se, but unfortunately for them, their opponent was us.
Tap.
“Oh! How did they get here so quickly?”
Intercepting the ball from a winger cutting inward to exploit the half-space, I accelerated immediately, driving the ball forward myself.
Maybe they had figured out my playstyle.
Or maybe they instinctively realized they couldn’t leave me unchecked.
Either way, the winger I dispossessed and a central midfielder immediately closed in, trying to create numerical superiority.
“Seong-hoon! You’ve got to stop him here!”
“Ha. Damn it, please!”
‘Hmm? Someone’s been bumping into me, huh? Are they even using their hands?’
Perhaps realizing that simply marking me wouldn’t suffice, the Gwangju players began reaching out, trying to slow me down by tugging at my pace and setting up opportunities to make contact and disrupt my movement.
‘Of course, since it’s a counterattack, if I go down dramatically, I might earn a card.’
But should I?
In my mind, the best option was to endure the pressure and maintain my run.
‘Gwangju is clearly rattled by this intense press. Maintaining this tempo is the right call.’
Of course, the player next to me was annoying, but I could deal with him if the chance arose.
Tap, tap.
‘Judging by their clumsy attempts at fouling, they’re overly eager. If you’re going to foul, you need to be smarter about it.’
The Newcastle Bruiser.
Judging by the name alone, you’d think I’d have amassed a collection of cards.
But surprisingly, I had rarely been carded or sent off throughout the season.
The only exception was when I deliberately earned a card on an off-day to secure an early exit.
Why was that?
Was it because the referee panel, immersed in PC culture, viewed me as a fragile Asian player struggling to survive among Westerners?
No.
The answer was smarter fouling.
It’s hard to explain, but… roughly speaking, it went something like this.
‘I aimed to take out my opponent, but to the referees and commentators, it just looked like a natural clash during movement.’
For instance, I led the ball toward the touchline, feigning a turn for a directional change.
Adjusting my knee toward the outer thigh of my opponent, I struck.
“Ugh!”
‘Now.’
The moment the opponent fell for my move, I drove my knee into their thigh.
“Ahhh! Damn it, that bastard hit my thigh!!”
‘Ah, the effects of my Paralysis Kick are as effective as ever. Even after being possessed, the sensation of crushing a thigh hasn’t changed.’
It was a familiar feeling, a refreshing one I hadn’t experienced in a while.
From Serie A to the EPL, I had used this trick countless times, and not once did I receive a warning from a referee. It was the ultimate tactic for taking out an opponent.
Just as it fooled the eyes of renowned referees overseas, the K-League referee also failed to notice my perfect foul, letting the match continue.
With their tightly marked player neutralized, Gwangju had no way to respond.
‘Now, where’s our striker? Ah, there he is.’
“Huff!”
After breaking through the pressure, I looked up to see Yoon Seung-hwan watching me with wide, alert eyes, moving here and there.
He was retreating to stay onside, fully expecting me to deliver the ball to him.
The sight made me laugh inside.
‘Trying to avoid being caught offside to make it a goal? Even if you say you’re not eager, deep down, you’re so naïve.’
For a midfielder like me, his earnest movement was as good as a clear signal: “I want to score, so pass me the ball.”
But unfortunately for him, I had no intention of being selfless this time.
Thanks to Yoon Seung-hwan repositioning himself, the defensive line of Gwangju had created a gap.
‘If there’s ever a chance to capitalize on a gap…’
It was now.
Bang!
From about 20 meters away from the goal, I launched a powerful shot.
It wasn’t a curving shot aiming for an angle the keeper couldn’t reach—it was a direct shot aimed at an unexpected moment.
The speed of the shot caught the keeper off guard. Though he dived, he was caught off balance and failed to reach the far corner.
Swish!
[“Wowww!”]
[“Olele~ Olele~ Olele~ Olele~ Olele~ Olele~ Oi! Oi! Oi! Oi!”]
Amid the cheers of the supporters, I slid toward the corner flag, celebrating.
“Wow, Baek Ian, this guy is insane!”
“Who would’ve thought he’d shoot from there!”
“Come here, you rascal!”
“Ian… I was bracing myself for you to aim for my head or calves again, but this… sniff.”
As the wonder goal went in, my teammates surrounded me immediately.
While basking in their celebratory pats, I turned to gauge the mood of the supporters.
That’s when I saw something strange on the large screen.
‘What the… Isn’t that Coach Martin Valdé? And the bald guy next to him must be the assistant coach… But more importantly, why is Coach Valdé grabbing the assistant coach by the neck, mimicking a Cassano celebration?’
—
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