Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 129

< Episode 128 – A Fist Closer Than a Card >

Just as football players are divided into various types, football managers are also classified into several types depending on their characteristics.

For example, a tactician manager with excellent theory and philosophy.

Or a virtuous manager who leads players well with character.

Or a charismatic manager who dominates the team with strong leadership.

Last season, Manchester United, which failed to advance to the Champions League after finishing 6th in the league, wanted a manager who met all three of the above requirements.

In other words,

they needed someone who could overhaul the team from the roots to the roof, not just some mediocre manager.

That’s how frustrating Manchester United’s situation was.

The problems were numerous.

A colorless and odorless tactical manager who only knew how to say ‘Back in my day,’ overpaid players who only cared about their high salaries, star-struck prospects full of vanity, and a front office that considered Manchester United an entertainment company rather than a football club.

The person considered the right fit to solve all those problems was Jeroen Hauer.

Hauer, who started his coaching career at FC Groningen, took his first managerial position as caretaker manager when the manager was sacked during the 2023/24 season.

And, with surprising leadership, he showed the potential to raise the team from the relegation zone to 6th place.

In addition, in the following season, he caused a sensation by finishing 3rd in the league and winning the KNVB Beker [Dutch FA Cup], rising to stardom overnight.

Afterwards, Jeroen Hauer was appointed to Eredivisie’s prestigious PSV Eindhoven.

At that time, Eindhoven was in exactly the same situation as Manchester United.

Clearly one of the best clubs in the league, but a team that felt increasingly outdated.

A team that felt old-fashioned compared to league rivals Ajax, who continued to lead the trend.

That was Eindhoven’s image when Hauer took office.

However, Hauer changed everything as soon as he took office.

Winning the league in his first season, beating Ajax, and reaching the Champions League semi-finals in his second season.

Hauer, who rebuilt Groningen and the collapsing prestigious club Eindhoven.

Such a reconstruction expert, Hauer, has now come to rebuild Manchester United.

“Please tell us frankly what you want. We are willing to listen to everything as much as possible.”

Manchester United’s chairman, Tom Howard, said that at his first meeting with Jeroen Hauer.

Just tell us, we’ll give you everything you want.

Hauer’s answer to that was this.

“Sign Johan Van.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Then I’ll show you a treble, no, a quadruple.”

“Well… that’s going to be difficult.”

Tom Howard couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

He thought that Jeroen Hauer, who is called the ‘Revolutionary’ of the Eredivisie, would say something different.

But the first thing he said was to sign Johan.

At first, he thought he was joking.

It felt like he was asking how to become rich, and the answer was to make a lot of money.

However, Hauer said seriously.

“The easiest way to change everything about the current Manchester United from A to Z is that.”

No, that’s not wrong, but.

Isn’t that why we’re here because we can’t do it?

If we could only sign Johan, honestly, who cares who the manager is?

There’s no need to seat Hauer while giving him a huge salary.

In the first place, before Hauer, the person they were trying to scout was West Ham’s manager, Schmidt.

To be honest, Schmidt doesn’t have a career worthy of a mega-club like Manchester United.

But if we bring him, we thought we could increase the possibility of signing Johan even a little bit.

However, he was rejected, and then Hauer was approached.

When Tom Howard expressed his difficulty, Hauer shrugged.

“If that’s impossible, send him to another league. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, anywhere. Tell them to sign Johan. Then we can do a double.”

“No…”

Hauer’s second request was also absurd.

Send him to another league.

What authority do we have to do that?

When Tom Howard was dumbfounded, Hauer laughed, saying the latter was a joke.

“Anyway, the story is a bit different. I thought Manchester United could sign any player.”

When Tom Howard hinted that it would be difficult to sign Johan, Hauer tried to get up from his seat.

The reason Hauer had a meeting with Manchester United in the first place was because he thought Manchester United could sign Johan.

Who wouldn’t, but Hauer was one of the managers who was fascinated by Johan.

The most envious person in the world to Hauer was manager Schmidt.

Because Schmidt is the only person who can play with the piece called Johan.

Hauer was such a fan of Johan that he didn’t need to talk to Manchester United anymore if he couldn’t sign Johan.

“But, do you know that?”

“Know what?”

“Johan may retire at the end of next season.”

However, Tom Howard was no ordinary man either.

When he told him that Johan would retire immediately if West Ham won the league.

Hauer frowned as if shocked.

So, if West Ham wins the championship, you can’t see Johan’s play anymore?

“The story is changing again.”

That became the trigger, and the story between Manchester United and Hauer went smoothly.

And Hauer was appointed to Manchester United.

The reason was simple.

Prevent Johan’s retirement.

In other words, he was appointed to Manchester United to prevent West Ham from winning the league.

Because he wants to see Johan for a long time.

Since that was the reason he came to Manchester United in the first place, it was natural that manager Hauer had thoroughly prepared for this West Ham game.

To prevent West Ham from winning the league, they had to take away West Ham’s points.

That’s the most certain way.

Because he is more of a fan of Johan than anyone else, Hauer had to beat West Ham.

ㆍㆍㆍ

October 29, 2028.

Old Trafford.

We will now broadcast the 8th round match of the season between Manchester United and West Ham United. Today, Old Trafford is sold out.

Old Trafford has been sold out for all five home games since the opening game. That’s how much Manchester United fans are looking forward to this season.

Well, so far, they are living up to those expectations. Manager Hauer’s role seems to be big, right?

That’s right. First of all, Manchester United’s team composition is completely different from last season. Newly signed Vander Velden and Heitinga have secured starting positions. In addition, players called up from the youth team are also steadily receiving opportunities.

The impression is that it has become quite young. Today’s starting lineup is also like that.

Manchester United in the new season has definitely changed a lot.

The first thing Hauer did after taking office was to ‘clean up’ the high-paid players in the team.

Instead, he filled the squad with young youth players.

Manager Hauer was giving important roles to the youth players, who were still ‘dazed’ that they belonged to Manchester United’s first team.

What does that mean?

It meant that Manchester United had transformed into a team that runs a lot.

The Manchester United players shaking hands with Johan have sparkling eyes.

Johan is actually younger, but they can’t help but look at him with admiration.

It will also be a valuable experience to play with the Ballon d’Or winner.

Of course, it would be even better to win and gain confidence.

The players of both teams shake hands before the game.

The Manchester United players who shook hands with Johan looked at each other and smirked.

Their expressions were as if they had received the ‘energy’ of the Ballon d’Or.

In particular, 19-year-old youth player Emil Edwood can’t take his eyes off Johan.

Before being called up to the first team, Edwood once picked Johan as his favorite player on his personal SNS [social networking service], but was criticized by fans and deleted the post.

Saying that it makes sense for a Manchester United player to like a player from another team.

Although he deleted the post, Edwood’s mind did not change.

However,

“삐이이익-!”

As the whistle blew, everyone’s expression changed completely.

The battle for initiative is fierce from the beginning. The tempo of the game is quite fast.

Both teams are not avoiding physical fights and are colliding head-on. The styles pursued by manager Hauer and manager Schmidt are similar. Run a lot and press the opponent hard.

The West Ham players felt like they couldn’t adapt to the changed Manchester United in the early stages of the first half.

Manchester United is not this kind of team.

Until last season, Manchester United had high player values, but when you actually met them on the field, they felt comfortable.

Overall, they felt relaxed.

They were already receiving a lot of salaries, so they seemed reluctant to play rough.

There was no tough taste.

But now it was different.

West Ham’s style is to run one step further than any team.

However, Manchester United was also following that tempo.

No, rather, it looks like we’re exceeding them.

All 10 field players of Manchester United are moving actively, but West Ham is struggling to keep up.

Not only that.

Oh, he fell hard just now. No warning is given.

Edwood is definitely strong. Heh heh.

The Manchester United players were not hesitant to engage in rough physical fights.

Because they are young players, they are not afraid.

The vanguard is Emil Edwood.

Edwood, who has a complete physique that is hard to believe he is 19 years old, is a ‘fighting cock’ type midfielder.

Fans say that he is full of ‘fighting spirit’ that had disappeared from Manchester United for a while, and he is very popular.

Of course, what Manchester United fans call ‘fighting spirit’ is called ‘dirty’ by other team fans, but anyway.

Capello falls again. Capello falls a lot today.

The Manchester United players are swarming Capello roughly whenever he catches the ball.

Certainly, Capello has weaknesses in physically protecting the ball.

Because he doesn’t have strengths in the physical side.

Of course, Capello has the talent to shake off moderate levels of pressure with his unique technical dribbling, but he has no choice but to struggle with pressure that comes in like a foul like now.

Edwood was determined to suppress Capello for sure.

Until he feels afraid to even catch the ball today.

The West Ham players are protesting. The referee shakes his head firmly. It’s not enough to give a card.

Today’s referee, Nick Taylor, is a referee famous for his generous decisions. Unless it’s a really bad foul, cards don’t come out often.

As Capello fell repeatedly, the West Ham players protested, gesturing for a card.

Clearly, Edwood’s current behavior needed to be restrained by giving him a card.

However, Nick Taylor is the referee for today’s game.

He is a very famous referee among PL [Premier League] fans.

As a generous referee who doesn’t take out cards unless he really has to.

The degree is so severe that Taylor is rumored to have forgotten to bring his cards.

Anyway, since a card is not coming out in a situation where it should be coming out.

The West Ham players were heated up, and Barkley pointed his finger at Edwood and said.

“Hey! Kid, don’t be so cocky! Huh?”

“What?”

“You came to play soccer, not to fight?”

“It looks like you came to do something other than soccer. Since when was soccer a girlish sport.”

“What? This rude son of a…”

“Barkley, stop it. Don’t get involved.”

Gordon stops Barkley.

“But that guy…”

“It’s okay. There’s no need to feel wronged. We can’t change the referee’s tendency anyway.”

“So, are we just going to get hit?”

“No? We have to use it too. Run wild, bull.”

“Leave it to me.”

Gordon’s words are correct.

Even if it’s unfair, you can’t change the referee’s tendency.

Then, instead of feeling wronged, you can just retaliate the same way.

Barkley nodded as if he was confident.

And a moment later.

퍼어어억-!

Edwood and Barkley collide greatly!

But,

A foul is given to Edwood.

That meant Barkley fell even harder.

“Ugh…”

Barkley is holding his shoulder and suffering.

At the sight of Barkley, surprise bloomed on the faces of the West Ham players.

Barkley?

How much of a monster is that Edwood?

Edwood was more of a crazy bastard than I thought.

Edwood continues to show his presence. West Ham seems to be pushed back in the power struggle.

Manchester United has changed a lot. They are suppressing West Ham in terms of energy level. If this happens, the initiative will naturally pass to Manchester United.

When Barkley couldn’t subdue Edwood, Edwood began to strut as if it were his world.

In that situation, Capello is suffering even more.

Whenever Capello catches the ball, no, even before he catches the ball, Edwood comes and bumps his body.

“Hoo…”

It was difficult for Capello to gather his mentality too.

What should I say.

Capello’s psychological state now felt like he was standing in the middle of a highway with his bare body.

He felt overwhelmed by the fear of not knowing when a car would come and hit him.

파아앙-!

But, anyway, it was difficult for West Ham’s ball development not to go through Capello.

The ball circulating from the rear is heading towards Capello.

“…”