Chapter 3

3. Interim Manager? (1)

The youngest interim manager in K League history.

The first manager in his 20s since the K League's inception.

Fine. Everything was fine. Although it was earlier than I had planned, the fact that I could take on a managerial role wasn't a bad thing.

However.

“Ha. What kind of club management is this?”

When the manager and coaches are implicated in a bribery scandal, the club should quickly fill the void. But to appoint the last remaining coach of the first team as the interim manager?

It's insane.

It's completely insane.

This isn't just me underestimating my abilities; it's a genuinely crazy move. Sure, they say it's because they recognize my abilities, but if I can't turn around the poor performance at the start of the season, won't they blame it all on me?

And if I do well, they'll play up the club's excellent judgment in promoting a young talent to the top, won't they? Damn, it's like a video I don't even need to watch.

“Damn it. Well, I'll survive this.”

I resolved to stay positive. After all, there are examples of managers being appointed in their 20s, even in the German Bundesliga, right?

‘Of course, he was in his 20s by age.’

Sure, I'm even younger than that example, but so what? He managed a top-tier league, and I'm managing a second-tier league.

“Phew... Well, Kim Hahoon, you can do this. No matter how tough the conditions, can it be as difficult as the Bundesliga?”

I've only had half a year of experience, but I did come from being a first-team coach in the Bundesliga. Even though the team was relegated, it was still a top-tier European league. I thought it wouldn't be as tough as that, and I headed to the training ground.

No matter what, training had to continue, and the season was far from over. In fact, there was still a lot left.

‘Well, let's change the starting lineup and draw up some tactical plans.’

As I calmed down and focused, I realized how fortuitous the current situation was.

‘The scandal broke out not long after I gained insight.’

Isn't that incredibly fortuitous?

Jung In-woo's behavior had always been an issue, but the scandal erupted less than a month after I gained insight. This could be an opportunity.

Perhaps the football gods, feeling sorry for me, are giving me a once-in-a-lifetime chance to spread my wings.

“Then...”

As I entered the training ground, there was only one thing I needed to do first.

Take control of the team.

Humans are naturally like this. When someone weaker than them appears, they try to step on them and rise. This is even more pronounced in sports teams.

I am strong.

I am an intelligent and cold-blooded tactician.

Sure, when I was younger, even those who initially dismissed me as an Asian praised me as an unparalleled genius.

I repeated this self-hypnosis as I quickened my pace, and soon the entrance to the training ground came into view.

Swallow.

‘I didn't even tremble like this when I debuted at Chelsea.’

To be honest, I didn't tremble at all when I debuted at Chelsea. I had always believed no one could stop me.

‘Phew. If Tuchel saw me now, he'd laugh out loud. No, he'd burst into laughter.’

They say a madman recognizes another madman.

When I debuted at Chelsea, Tuchel, who was the manager, liked me a lot, calling me a crazy boy.

‘He said my crazy personality and crazy football skills made me twice as good, right?’

Still, starting my professional career under that old man seems to be helping me now. He showed me how to take control of a team.

He was a man with no issues except for his obsession with winning. Before his madness showed, the players got along well with him and understood his tactical instructions.

“Phew. We're not strangers. Let's go in.”

Snap. Snap—.

I stretched my neck from side to side as I entered the training ground, of course with a scowl on my face. This was a kind of warning. If you mess with me now, you'll end up in the second team, no matter what.

“Everyone, gather! The coach is here!”

Seeing me enter the training ground, the team captain, Shin Young-joon, called the scattered players to gather.

‘Looking at it, Shin Young-joon seems to be the best player that Jung In-woo used.’

He had excellent leadership skills, high activity levels in the midfield, and a wide coverage area, making him a very useful player tactically.

‘Of course, that man only made him run around pointlessly, wasting his talent.’

One of the common misconceptions is about activity levels. Just because someone has high activity levels doesn't mean they're good. Many people would counter, "If they have high activity levels, isn't that good?"

Of course, high activity levels are not bad. If they are good, they are good. The problem is that if those activity levels are not used efficiently, they just wear out the player. Jung In-woo's approach was exactly that.

‘Oh? You have high activity levels? Run around marking this guy and that guy, and then carry the ball and pass.’

Sure, if the team was like Chelsea during the Champions League-winning era and the player was like Kanté, he would show the best movements. However, our team's organization was close to zero, and Shin Young-joon running around alone wouldn't create any opportunities.

‘Everything works effectively when all the gears mesh perfectly.’

In that sense, I planned to use Shin Young-jeon properly as the interim manager. As long as he doesn't resist me.

“Coach. Who has been decided to fill the vacant manager position?”

Shin Young-joon, representing the team, asked me a question that everyone was curious about. The front office probably didn't announce it to the team.

‘Man. There's only me left as staff. Couldn't they have announced it themselves?’

I frowned in frustration and spoke.

“A little while ago, the front office notified me. They are still looking for a new coaching staff, and the vacant manager position...”

I sighed and continued.

“The club has decided that I will take on the role of interim manager and lead the team through the season.”

For a moment, there was silence.

I understand. If I were in their shoes, I would have thought, "What the hell is this?" Once, I was a legendary talent who made headlines in Korea. After my injury, I made headlines again by obtaining a professional license at a young age.

That was me, but there were many question marks about whether I was suitable to be the interim manager of the first team. Moreover, in a country like Korea, where age is a sensitive issue, many veteran players might find it uncomfortable to follow a younger person.

“So. I don't know how long it will last, but I will be leading the team. Unlike the previous manager, Jung In-woo, I will select the starting lineup based solely on performance, and you need to prove your worth to me.”

The players' reactions were of two kinds.

Those who seemed to regain their fighting spirit and those who were clearly dissatisfied.

“I understand that the players involved in the Jung In-woo scandal have been expelled and are not here.”

“Yes, that's correct. Only the players not involved are here.”

I nodded, satisfied with Shin Young-joon's quick and concise answer. With the dead weight gone, it would be much easier to start fresh.

“Any player with complaints, speak up now. Whether you like it or not, I have to lead this team, and I won't accept any complaints after this.”

Silence again.

The players were probably thinking. The fact that the club appointed the only coach not involved in the bribery scandal as the interim manager could be seen as a sign of support for the interim manager.

‘In reality, it's just a temporary measure.’

After a few minutes of silence, I spoke.

“Questions are also fine. I will only accept questions about the future direction of the team at this moment, so speak up if you have something to say.”

As soon as I said that, one player raised his hand. Jeong Sang-gi, who caught my eye during the friendly match for the FA Cup.

Jeong Sang-gi smiled and spoke.

“Coach! Or should I call you interim manager? Or just manager?”

Seemingly confused about what to call me, Jeong Sang-gi repeated tilting his head, but then continued.

“Can I be selected for the starting lineup based on my performance, regardless of my age?”

Seeing Jeong Sang-gi, who had been serious and now looked like a happy child, I nodded.

Well, under Jung In-woo, no matter how well he performed, he never made the starting lineup or even the bench, so his question wasn't unreasonable.

“Of course. Age and experience have no impact on the starting lineup. The only criteria are your performance in training and your current form.”

“Wow! Now me too!”

As I gave a clear answer, Jeong Sang-gi's serious expression turned into a childlike joy. I turned my gaze to the other players.

“Any other questions?”

One player, who looked somewhat dissatisfied, raised his hand.

‘This is one of the players Jung In-woo often used.’

He was a defensive liability, but Jung In-woo favored him and used him in rotation, Choi Ho-won.

“Go ahead.”

“Coach, you have no managerial experience. What makes you think we should follow you?”

I expected this. As soon as Choi Ho-won's complaint-laden question came out, a few other players who were secretly dissatisfied nodded in agreement.

“Sure. It's a valid question.”

It was a valid question for a player who clearly understood their role in the club. However, the fact that the player asking the question was a defensive liability didn't affect me at all.

“You probably see me as a rookie coach and a rookie manager. Well, I won't deny it. I haven't been in the business long, so I can be called a rookie. If you have eyes and ears, you must have seen or heard something about me.”

If they said they hadn't, it would be a lie. Articles and videos about me and Lee Hyuk-ho were uploaded daily for those who made a living from or loved football.

“Excluding the final injury that I couldn't recover from, what do you think allowed me to play in Europe after the first injury that took away my speed and dribbling ability? Was it because of my superior physical condition? Or because I had many connections in Europe?”

Even with a body that had lost its edge, I was still favored by managers and given opportunities until I couldn't play football anymore due to a torn ACL. The reason was my tactical understanding and football intelligence.

I pointed to my head with my finger and spoke.

“It's right here, in my head. The ability to understand tactics. As you said, I might not be able to lead the team properly. But think about it the other way around. A young, flexible tactician versus an older manager who can't adapt tactically. Who has the advantage?”

Of course, what I'm saying now isn't the right answer. No matter how flexible the tactics, if the team's organization and individual players' abilities are lacking, you can't win. However, my words were resonating with them.

Whenever journalists asked why managers kept using me despite my changed style in Europe, the managers always said the same thing.

‘Kim is a very intelligent player. He has an excellent understanding of tactics and is very good at implementing my instructions on the field. Why wouldn't I use such a player?’

At the time, journalists wrote articles about the revival of a football genius, so whether they liked it or not, the memory in their heads was supporting my argument.

Moreover, since I already had the UEFA Pro License, which is notoriously difficult to obtain, they might start to think, "Maybe he can do it?"

“Anything else?”

Choi Ho-won shook his head, his face twisted. Without any matches to play, there was no more ground to attack me on.

“Alright. The Q&A session is over, so let's start training for the 9th round.”

I was about to start training to determine the starting lineup for the 9th round.