Chapter 1

1. The Price of Talent (1)

- God had given him an unparalleled talent, but in return, He took away the vessel to showcase it.

An unparalleled genius.

An irregular from the East.

A devilish talent.

All these adjectives once described me, until I suffered two major injuries.

Ding-ding-ding—

Boom—!

Clang—!

Watching the beautiful shot sail into the net, I let out a small sigh.

"Envious..."

Seeing the players on the field giving their all in the game, I couldn't shake off the feeling of envy. I could run like that too.

No, I could show a much better performance.

"It's just an old story."

The time when I could show a much better performance than the players on the field is long gone. After moving to England with my father, who worked as a diplomat, I discovered my talent by chance and joined a Premier League youth team. In 2022, at the age of 19, I made a dazzling debut for Chelsea.

Unbelievable speed and dribbling skills. Known as the "irregular from the East," I firmly established my presence in the Premier League. My football career seemed to be on a smooth path.

Until I suffered a severe ankle injury and an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.

The first ankle injury was due to my reckless dribbling. With a serious ankle injury, I couldn't maintain my original style. My speed decreased, and my dribbling skills declined.

However, the talent I was given wasn't just physical. As modern football evolved, the ability required of players was:

'Football intelligence.'

The reason I received such high praise as an "irregular" in my first year as a professional was that my excellent football intelligence and tactical understanding complemented my flashy individual skills and breakthrough ability.

Even though I couldn't display explosive dribbling and speed due to the injury, my football intelligence and tactical understanding remained a significant asset. I adapted my style to play as a playmaker in the midfield, continuing to demonstrate my prowess.

But.

Was the talent given to me too overwhelming, and did it have to be taken away?

I suffered another severe injury, an ACL tear, at the young age of 22. It was a cruel reality for a player with a promising career ahead.

'From then on, I became a journeyman...'

From Chelsea to Valencia in Spain, then to Mallorca, and finally to Mainz in Germany.

Even excluding the time lost to injuries and rehabilitation, the time I played for each team was very short. The coaches of each team, feeling sorry for me, advised me to obtain coaching qualifications. As a result, just before retiring at the young age of 26, I managed to obtain the UEFA Pro License.

The Pro License, obtained through a combination of a good mind and luck, allowed me to start coaching at Mainz right after my early retirement, with the determination to succeed as a coach.

"F*ck. Why me in a coaching change..."

The club, facing the worst outcome of relegation, decided to overhaul the coaching staff along with the manager. I was suddenly let go as part of this decision.

A year later, in 2030, I returned to Korea and joined the first team coaching staff of Seoul United, a K2 League club, continuing my involvement in football.

Although I didn't have much of a coaching career, the club welcomed me with open arms due to my UEFA qualifications. With no other options, I spent my days coaching the first team players.

After all, with a Pro License, I had the qualifications to join any team.

"Hah. At the age when others are just entering their prime, I can't even play."

Twenty-seven.

It's the age when most players enter their prime. If I had avoided those two injuries, I would have been in my prime, playing vigorously in the European stage.

"Ha Jun, Kim Ha Jun!"

"Yes, I'm listening."

The one urgently calling me while I was sitting on the bench, watching the field, was the manager. Jung In-woo, the manager of Seoul United, was a significant figure in Korean football, having been a key player in the semi-final run of the national team. However, he lacked tactical insight.

"We're trailing 1-0, and time is running out. Any ideas?"

Any ideas.

I barely managed to suppress a hollow laugh. What's wrong with this guy? He usually ignores my opinions, dismissing the UEFA license as nothing special, but now he's desperately seeking my advice.

'Well, his livelihood is on the line.'

Last season, the team was relegated from K1 to K2, putting the manager's position in jeopardy. This season, with poor performance, rumors of his dismissal are starting to circulate. Recently, a conflict with the chief coach led to his departure, leaving me and the other first team coaches as the only ones capable of tactical discussions. However, I was the only one with the proper tactical knowledge, a result of the manager's tendency to hire coaches based on connections.

"Ansan's central defenders are slow and have poor reaction times. Additionally, their full-backs frequently overlap, leading to delayed defensive returns."

I kept my eyes on the field, not looking at Jung In-woo, as I spoke.

"What, so what! Tell me what to do! You should know, having learned advanced football!"

This guy always talks about advanced football in such situations. Usually, he's busy belittling the UEFA license out of some inferiority complex.

"We need to target the half-spaces. The slow central defenders will give us an advantage due to the delayed returns of the full-backs."

Of course, this assumes we can win the ball and launch a counter-attack.

"Right! That's it! The importance of the half-spaces has been emphasized for the past decade!"

Jung In-woo looked satisfied and shouted at the players. I closed my mouth, unsure if he would even listen to me, and knowing the current starting lineup couldn't execute the plan.

"Try to win the ball as quickly as possible!"

Penetrating the half-spaces or playing a kick-and-rush style is only possible when you have possession. Jung In-woo was insisting on winning the ball from the opponents, but...

'I doubt it will work.'

I can guarantee it.

With our current lineup, we can't win the ball from the opponents. Even in the second division, this is a professional team, but the starting lineup is filled with...

'Players connected to the manager.'

The starting lineup is dominated by the children of the manager's acquaintances or those with connections. I had no expectations for this team.

I just needed to collect my salary.

Boom—!

Clang!

"Damn it! What are you doing! Can't you defend properly? Ahh!"

Unorganized pressure only exposed weaknesses, and we conceded another goal, making the score 2-0.

'Tactical training is a mess. The individual abilities of the players are a mess. Winning would be strange.'

I sighed, looking at the field.

F*ck.

If it weren't for the injuries, I would have been dominating the stage.

* * *

Beep beep beep beep.

Ding—.

After the game, I quickly headed home, opening the door to my office apartment. Despite the insane price in the Seoul subway area, the apartment is only about 165 square feet. The stark contrast to my life in Europe left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"Ha... I thought I'd be fine in Korea even if I was let go from Mainz."

Obtaining the UEFA Pro License, which usually takes until one's 30s, at a very young age and starting a coaching career at Mainz, I never imagined I'd be in this situation. I planned to gain experience as a coach and then seek a managerial position.

But at Mainz, I was let go along with the manager during a staff overhaul, and when I moved to Korea...

"Connections. F*ck, those damn connections. Ah, f*ck."

Having spent my entire career, from youth to professional, in Europe, I had no connections in Korea. Various clubs gave me a hard time for various reasons. Eventually, the current club's owner, who remembered my coaching qualifications and my debut season, took me in.

'How am I supposed to pull a team with a rotten core to the top?'

With a manager who is a mess, the team's discipline is also a disaster. I've never seen a team this bad, even in my short career. Yet, the reason I'm still with this team...

"There's no choice. I need to eat."

I need to eat.

That's the only reason. Of course, I had some savings from my roughly seven years of professional life in various European top leagues, but...

"I didn't realize that money wouldn't even buy a house."

The global housing price surge started a decade ago. Living in a club-provided house, I was completely out of touch with the real world. I also indulged in luxury to relieve the stress of injuries during my playing days. As a result, I have 1 billion won left, which isn't a small amount, but it's not enough to live without working.

If I had a house and a car in my name, it might have been different.

In any case, due to these circumstances,

I found myself in a position where I had to stay with a team led by a manager who isn't even a proper manager.

"Sigh. What's the point of regretting now?"

Shaking my head, I turned on the TV. Despite being exhausted by football all day, the screen showed a football match.

"I must be crazy."

Despite the many reasons to lose interest in football, I'm still obsessed with it.

"Lee Hyuk-ho! He's sprinting with the ball! He's fast! So fast!"

On the screen, a player in a red uniform, an East Asian, was the focus.

Lee Hyuk-ho. Once, he and I were considered the talents who would lead Korean football. We were both selected for the Olympic team and won a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics and again in Paris.

The difference between him and me is that while I fell due to injuries, he continues to lead Korean football.

"Damn. He's still playing well. Well, he's entering his prime, so he should be playing well, right? Haha..."

It hurt.

"Uninteresting."

Beep.

I turned off the TV, searched my pocket for a cigarette, and lit it.

Ting—!

Whoosh!

Huff—.

Watching the thin, gray smoke fill the room, I let out a hollow laugh. From a promising talent to this.

Thud!

Hearing something fall, I turned my head. In my field of vision was a book. The title was "The Football Sage with Character Copy."

"Even though it's a novel, I'm envious. Hah, why am I so sentimental... F*ck. Just for today... From tomorrow, I'll work hard in reality."

Why do they say that heaven helps those who help themselves?

Even though the team had no hope, if I could revive it with my remaining talent, maybe...

It might open a path for me to return to Europe.

"Right. I failed as a player, but not as a football person. Kim Ha Jun, pull yourself together."

My remaining talent.

Exceptional football intelligence and outstanding tactical ability. These two qualities are also valuable as a coach or manager.

In other words, I still have a way out.

"Others climb the ladder even without talent, but I still have my mind, right?"

Squish—.

I stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray and headed to bed.

"I'll take a nap and try, whether it leads to success or failure. I can't stay a loser forever."

Lying in bed, I made a resolve. I will succeed somehow. Connections? I'll break through them all. With my license and proven ability, I can join any team.

Just as I was about to close my eyes,

Huh?

Is the God of Football a real entity, not just a nickname?

"Insight? What's that?"

Before I could fully understand this absurd phenomenon, my eyes slowly closed, and I fell into sleep.