Chapter 47: Pre-season (1)

“Today’s training ends here. Everyone worked hard.”

After my first training session with Manchester City, I had just one thought.

‘It’s better than I thought.’

This season was supposed to be a nightmare for Manchester City.

But after practicing with the players, it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined.

The new transfers were also quite skilled.

That crazy bastard Guerrero was so talented that I could understand why he went to Real Madrid.

And although I’d never heard of Castillo and Sanchez before, they showed such outstanding skills that I wondered why their names hadn’t been mentioned in the novel.

Castillo’s defensive play reminded me of my senior, Kim Minjae, when I played for the national team.

Sanchez, though small in stature and seemingly weak in physical confrontations, had a creative passing ability.

‘If we can properly utilize the tactics the manager told us about, we can achieve great results from the very first season.’

No matter how good a player I am, due to the limitations of the goalkeeper position, it’s not easy to win, even if I can prevent a loss.

And manager Peter Guardian’s tactics aren’t like coach Cheon Museok’s, where the goalkeeper also participates in the attack.

So I had set a goal of qualifying for the Europa League for the first season, but now that I see this level of strength, I think we can even aim for the Champions League.

“Our bold freshman, what are you doing? Training is over, so you should hurry home.”

That nickname, ‘bold freshman,’ refers to me.

“Yes, captain, I should be heading home too.”

The man speaking to me now is Matias, who has been Manchester City’s captain since last season.

Even in my eyes, Matias is a player that the big clubs would covet.

His sharp passes and fluid individual skills are so artistic that they create the illusion of watching Zidane.

But despite numerous transfer offers, he has shown his determination to never leave City.

‘And he’s a true-blue City player who has been with the club since the youth academy.’

“Want to go together? I’ll give you a ride home. You don’t have a license yet, so you probably don’t have a car, right?”

He is probably the most beloved player by the fans not only for his outstanding skills but also for his warm personality.

“Ah, my brother is coming to pick me up.”

I politely declined Matias’s offer.

Chankyu-hyung said he would come and get me.

“Oh, really? That’s a relief then.”

Matias nodded and then changed the subject.

“But you’re really good. Ederson has been keeping a close eye on you, but don’t take it to heart.

He’s usually a nice guy, but things are a bit tough for him these days.”

“Ah, it’s okay. I don’t really mind.”

To be honest, I’ve experienced so much jealousy from players less skilled than me that I don’t really feel much about these situations.

‘In any sport, if you lose out in the competition for a starting position, no matter how much you’ve contributed to the team in the past, you’ll eventually be pushed out.

That’s the harsh reality of sports.’

Of course, I’ve never experienced that myself.

I was always the one pushing others out.

Not knowing what I was thinking, the captain left, looking at me with worried eyes until the end.

‘What a nice guy…’

As I left the training ground, Chankyu-hyung was waiting with his car.

“Taewoo, over here, over here!”

Chankyu-hyung rolled down the car window and waved, calling me.

Pfft.

A small laugh escaped me without me realizing.

In this life, there are so many people who are kind to me.

Matias, Chankyu-hyung…

“Yes, let’s go.”

“Lulululu.”

Watching Chankyu-hyung’s back as he hummed and excitedly grilled the meat, I turned my attention back to my phone.

Damin – How was training?

“There was one weird guy, but it was fun.”

‘No matter how much I think about it, Guerrero is a psycho.’

Who would shove their face in the team captain’s face for not passing the ball right after transferring?

It was Guerrero who managed to pull off that difficult feat.

It’s a good thing the captain is nice.

Damin – Did anyone bully you?

“Who would bully me? If anyone was bullied, it was me doing the bullying.”

Damin – But you can’t actually bully them~

What I’m realizing more and more after we started dating is that Damin is more aegyo-filled than I thought.

“Of course. If anyone bullies you, Damin, let me know. Oppa will scold them.”

Damin – Okay~ Oh, my unnies are calling me. I’ll call you tomorrow!

I smiled and put down my phone.

‘Ha… this is healing. So this is why people want girlfriends.’

Just then, the smell of the grilled meat Chankyu-hyung was cooking stimulated my nose.

The sweet and savory aroma seemed to soothe my tired body and mind from training.

“Hyung, is the meat cooked?”

I lifted my head and asked Chankyu-hyung.

“It’s all done, so come quickly!”

At Chankyu-hyung’s words, I went to the kitchen.

As he had said it was a first training party, there were many Korean dishes on the table.

In the center was a large plate of golden-brown grilled pork belly and neck,

and around it were various side dishes.

Crispy lettuce and perilla leaves, spicy green onion salad, and sweet and sour shredded radish were ready to be paired with the meat.

On one side, a doenjang-jjigae was bubbling, and the savory smell of kimchi jeon also wafted through the air.

“Wow, what is all this?”

I asked, looking at the table with wide eyes.

“Well, since we’ll be living here for a long time, we’ll miss Korean food. So I tried to make as much as I could.”

“Hyung~”

“Ahem, how is it? Touching, right?”

Chankyu-hyung said with a shrug.

“This is crazy, Chankyu-hyung. Let’s live together forever.”

“Hey, I like girls.”

“Aish, I like girls too.”

“Oh, right.”

Chankyu-hyung went to the refrigerator as if he had forgotten something.

“Why?”

“Ta-da!”

In Chankyu-hyung’s hand was a can of cold beer.

“N-no way…”

I looked at Chankyu-hyung with a surprised expression.

Beer, the beer that I really wanted to drink but couldn’t because I wasn’t an adult.

‘Could it be… for me…’

“Hehehe, you want some, right? But this is mine. Yours is this.”

Chankyu-hyung pulled out something black from under the table.

“Kids should drink Coke.”

‘Aish, of course.’

“Ah, hyung… I was really looking forward to it.”

“You’re still a minor. You have to manage yourself as a player. Let’s drink together when you become an adult.”

I nodded at Chankyu-hyung’s words and took the can of Coke.

“Now, let’s eat. Before the meat gets cold!”

We sat down at the table and began our meal in earnest.

When I took a bite of the golden-brown grilled meat, a savory taste filled my mouth.

And when I took a spoonful of the doenjang-jjigae, I couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“Wow, hyung, this doenjang-jjigae is insane.”

“Of course, who do you think made it?”

***

Jeong Taewoo’s first preseason opponent after transferring to Manchester City was Preston North End from the Championship league.

Everyone’s attention was focused on one thing.

Would Jeong Taewoo be able to start?

And would he be able to prove his skills as he said in the interview?

Not only the Korean media but also the British media expressed their heated anticipation.

His performance in the Olympics was an innovative play that broke the mold of a goalkeeper.

Furthermore, unlike the gentle and cautious attitude that Asian players usually showed, Jeong Taewoo thrilled the City fans with a bold interview targeting their rivals, Manchester United, right after his transfer.

City fans eagerly awaited his first game, anticipating whether he could show a performance as bold and impressive on the field as he did in his interview.

On the other hand, the reaction of the Man United fans was quite different.

They were hoping that the ‘brash kid who dared to criticize them’ would fail to show proper skills and get a good scolding.

As time passed, the press conference for both team managers was held the day before the match.

It started with Preston North End’s manager, Ryan Lowe.

“Manager, among Manchester City’s new signings, Jeong Taewoo has become a hot topic for his remarks targeting Man United. What are your thoughts on this?”

Ryan Lowe pondered for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“Well, you could see it as a young player’s spirited attitude, but personally, I think it was a bit hasty.

The Premier League is a place where even a single word can cause a huge stir. Especially for a rookie player from Asia, he should have been more careful.”

He paused for a moment and added with a twinkle in his eye.

“Of course, it’s a different story if his skills back it up, but I’ll make a prediction. If Jeong Taewoo starts instead of Ederson, City will have to worry about conceding a lot of goals.”

The provocative words caused a flood of questions from the reporters.

“Manchester City is a Premier League team. Are you confident?”

Ryan Lowe replied with a sly smile.

“Preseason is the last chance to check the manager’s tactics and new signings. We are 100% perfectly prepared, and from what I can see, manager Peter Guardian is taking a rather reckless gamble.

Isn’t he putting too much pressure on a young goalkeeper? I think our Preston can give that kid a good experience.”

His words were laced with confidence born from experience, along with a hint of mockery.

Next, Manchester City’s manager, Peter Guardian, took the stage.

“Preston’s manager, Ryan Lowe, said that City is taking a reckless gamble and that if you start Jeong Taewoo, you’ll have to worry about conceding a lot of goals.

What are your thoughts on this?”

“I’ve heard what manager Ryan said, but I disagree.”

He took a short breath and continued passionately.

“Jeong Taewoo is not just a rookie. He is a player who surprised the world at the Olympics, and he is a talent that our club has invested in for the future.

I believe he should be evaluated based on his skills, regardless of his age or origin.”

Peter Guardian’s voice grew stronger.

“Furthermore, Guerrero, Castillo, and Sanchez are all showing performances beyond expectations.

Our new signings have already perfectly blended into the team.”

“So, you think you’ll win as a matter of course?”

“It doesn’t matter what preparations Preston has made. We are more thoroughly prepared, and we are confident of winning.

Whether Jeong Taewoo starts or Ederson starts, our goal is one thing: victory.”

Finally, he added.

“Manager Ryan, tomorrow on the field, we will show you why we are in the Premier League.”

The press room grew even hotter with the war of nerves between the two managers, and everyone’s attention was focused on tomorrow’s match.