Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 235

Epilogue: The Man. The Myth. The Legend. (End)

The Man. The Myth. The Legend.

That man.

That myth.

That legend.

There is much debate about the origin of this phrase.

However, the most compelling theory traces it back to racing.

More precisely, after the legendary Formula One champion Ayrton Senna’s tragic death in a racing accident, Mario Andretti, one of the sport’s all-time greats, remarked that Senna had transcended mere mortality, becoming a myth and a legend in the public’s imagination.

And people agreed that it was a fitting tribute for a young Asian man who had achieved legendary feats in the world of soccer.

A day where the summer sun is bright but not scorching.

A cool breeze drifted through the slightly ajar window.

As the white curtains danced gently in the breeze, sounds from the television in the living room, nestled in a corner shaded from the midday sun, filled the air, accompanying a highlight reel.

[…Burnley, after defeating …, has achieved a Premier League and European Champions League double for the first time in three seasons. Burnley’s manager, Hyungmin Kim, becomes only the second manager in the Premier League era to win three consecutive league titles, a feat previously accomplished only by Sir Alex Ferguson.]

A composed announcer delivered the news, set against a backdrop of players in red uniforms hoisting the championship trophy and celebrating.

[…Under Sir Alex Ferguson’s guidance, Manchester United dominated the Premier League, achieving two three-peat wins from the 1998/99 season to the 2000/01 season and from the 2006/07 season to the 2008/09 season. Manager Hyungmin Kim, securing three consecutive titles from the 2023/24 season to this 2025/26 season, while fending off fierce competition from Liverpool and Manchester City, has etched his name into Premier League history.]

The screen transitioned from a shot of Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson lifting the trophy surrounded by players in crimson uniforms to a shot of a young Asian manager lifting the same trophy, encircled by players in the same colors.

[…It’s truly remarkable to witness the transformation of Burnley, once considered the Premier League’s underdog, over the past five seasons…]

Beep!

The screen flickered as the remote control was pressed.

[…have! They suffered a disappointing defeat on the European stage last season, but they achieved a domestic treble. With this, manager Hyungmin Kim has now lifted a total of 10 major tournament trophies during his five seasons in charge of Burnley, including 3 league titles, 2 Champions League titles, and victories in the Europa League and various cup competitions!]

This time, it was a sports program featuring a caster and commentator engaging in a lively discussion.

The commentator responded to the caster’s enthusiastic remarks.

[…Over the past four seasons, Burnley has clinched the European Champions League twice and the Europa League once, solidifying their position as a dominant force not only in the Premier League but also on the European stage.]

[…Rumors are circulating that Real Madrid, eager to rebound after being overshadowed by Xavi Hernandez’s Barcelona, are once again targeting manager Hyungmin Kim. Reports also suggest that PSG, the undisputed powerhouse in the French Ligue 1, has contacted manager Hyungmin Kim’s agent. Furthermore…]

Beep!

The excited exchange between the caster and commentator was abruptly cut off as the remote control was pressed again.

[…Liverpool’s manager, Jurgen Klopp, whose contract extends until 2026, has announced his retirement at the end of next season. Manager Jurgen Klopp, who joined Liverpool in the early part of the 2015/16 season and has led the team for over 10 years, becoming one of the Premier League’s longest-serving managers, has expressed his desire to take a break.]

This time, the format involved hosts and panelists sharing their perspectives in a more reserved studio setting.

One of the panelists shook his head at the host’s comments and clicked his tongue.

[…I don’t think anyone can deny that manager Jurgen Klopp is a great manager… Manager Klopp has also won the Premier League three times. However, the repeated setbacks in the championship race over the past three seasons, as Burnley, under manager Hyungmin Kim, dominated the Premier League, seem to have taken a significant toll.]

While another panelist sitting next to him shook his head in apparent regret, the commentator consulted the data he was holding and chuckled.

[…Several managers are being mentioned as potential successors to manager Jurgen Klopp, but a survey of Liverpool fans reveals that Burnley’s manager, Hyungmin Kim, is their top choice, followed by Burnley’s head coach, Karolina Stefan-Cartwright.]

The last panelist, who had been listening to the conversation, tilted his head.

[…Given that manager Hyungmin Kim is unlikely to leave Burnley, it seems they’re aiming to bring in his right-hand person, coach Karolina Stefan-Cartwright. I’m uncertain if Karolina will move teams, considering she’s expecting to give birth next year.]

[…Ah, that’s right. In that case, she’ll be taking maternity leave, so I’m curious how manager Hyungmin Kim will fill the head coach position next season.]

The first panelist said with interest.

[…That’s true. Last season, Taejin Jung, a long-time friend and partner in winning two consecutive Premier League titles, took Paulo Morao, the fitness coach, with him when he took over as manager of Real Betis in the Spanish Primera Liga [Spanish First Division], so I thought the coaching staff might be a little shaken. But Burnley remained unfazed last season.]

[…If you think about it, even in his first season, manager Hyungmin Kim led Burnley to 6th place with only Arthur Brimlow and Paulo Morao as coaches.]

The second panelist responded to the first panelist’s words.

[…Of course, head coach Karolina adds sophistication to the tactics, but fundamentally, she operates within the tactical framework established by manager Hyungmin Kim, so a gap of about one season…]

[…But the other clubs, having allowed Burnley to dominate for three seasons, are now quite eager to exact their revenge.]

The third panelist joined the conversation.

[…Rumors suggest that Manchester City will invest heavily in the summer transfer market, and there are also reports that Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham have all amassed considerable resources.]

[…I’m curious how Burnley’s owner, Redbird, will respond.]

The host, who had been listening to the discussion, said.

[…There has been significant investment and support over the past two seasons, but I wonder if that will continue this summer.]

[…Burnley’s biggest investment is not selling players.]

The first panelist retorted slightly brusquely to the commentator’s words.

[…They were a team that had won two consecutive Premier League titles, but to dismantle them so easily…]

[…Dismantle them? Isn’t that a bit harsh?]

The second panelist interjected.

[…Of course, it was a bit disappointing to sell Lorenzo Lucca and Tommaso Pobega at the same time, but they retained Benjamin Sesko and Nicolas Seiwald, and, above all, the youth prospects definitely realized their potential this season as well. And they won the league title and the double!]

The third panelist nodded in agreement.

[…Well, although he narrowly missed out on the top scorer award this season, Burnley’s Colin McDonald made his debut for the England national team at the age of 17 years and 7 days, breaking the record for the youngest national team debut previously held by Theo Walcott.]

The host interjected in the panelists’ conversation.

[…I think manager Hyungmin Kim managed him well. He’s only 17 years old, and if you give him enough playing time to win the top scorer award in the Premier League, which has 38 games, the player will be ruined.]

[…Well, Burnley is good at developing young prospects.]

The first panelist said in a slightly softened tone.

[…But it was really sad that the beautiful team from the 2024/25 season, which won as many as six trophies in one season, was broken up.]

[…No, the word ‘broken up’ is too harsh!]

Just as the voices between the panelists were about to escalate.

Beep!

The TV, which had been filled with vivid images and noise, went silent.

The owner of the large hand, which snatched the remote control from the small hand that was about to press it again, pressed the red power button and said in a gentle voice.

“Leah, what are you doing?”

“Papa papa!”

“Yeah. Did you want to see Daddy on TV?”

“Papa!”

“Ah, I see.”

“Papa papa!”

She was just over a year old, but my daughter was walking and talking fast.

Of course, she can’t say proper words yet.

Hyungmin, who picked up his daughter with black hair and blue eyes, sat on the sofa and put his daughter on his lap.

“Daddy has been busy lately and hasn’t been able to play with you often, so did our daughter want to see Daddy?”

“Papa papa!”

“Of course. Daddy wanted to see our Leah too.”

“Pa! Papa!”

“Hmm… I’ll have to think about that a little more?”

A dumbfounded voice was heard from behind Hyungmin, who was having a serious conversation with his baby.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“I’m having a serious conversation with Leah.”

“Hmph.”

His wife chuckled and came to sit next to Hyungmin on the sofa.

“What are you talking about so seriously?”

“Listen carefully. She seems to think we should use Benjamin as a backup goalkeeper next season!”

“Hmm…”

Helena pondered for a moment whether Benjamin Sesko, who had been demoted from the Premier League and Champions League’s joint top scorer to the team’s third goalkeeper by the manager’s young daughter, would be more distressed, or whether the Marco Carnesecchi and Bailey Peacock-Farrell duo, who were happy to have a new youngest member, would be more delighted.

Well, the attack seems to be okay with Colin McDonald.

Then the problem is…

“…Karolina is going to kill you?”

“Ah, Karolina was there.”

Hyungmin looked down at his daughter, who was sitting on his lap with a serious expression and blinking her blue eyes.

“I’m sorry, Leah. Daddy doesn’t have the power to stop your aunt’s tyranny.”

“Haa…”

Helena Cartwright-Kim wanted to hit her husband on the back of the head, but she clenched her fist to keep her daughter from falling off her lap.

“You know that’s attempted murder, right?”

Helena shook her fist slightly in front of Hyungmin’s eyes as he looked at his wife with anxious eyes.

“If you know, do well, Manager Hyungmin Kim.”

“Yes, I understand. Director Helena Cartwright-Kim.”

The young couple, who had exchanged silly jokes, smiled at each other with their young daughter between them.

“So, is Emil preparing well for the birth?”

Helena shrugged at Hyungmin’s question.

“Ah, I don’t know. He worships his wife like the sky and trembles at every word she says, so he’ll take care of it.”

Helena replied in a tone that made her wonder whether she felt more sorry for her younger brother or for her friend who ended up marrying him.

Meanwhile, a faint noise like a shout began to be heard in the distance through the slightly opened window.

“Okay, let’s go out now. The championship parade will start soon?”

Hyungmin, who was following Helena, who had picked up Leah, to the front door, asked his wife.

“Are you sure it’s okay if you don’t come with me?”

Helena shook her head at her husband’s question.

“I don’t think the noise or stimulation will be good for Leah yet, so we’ll watch from home.”

“Okay. Then I’ll be back soon.”

Helena smiled at the man who had achieved another historic double, but always put his family first.

“You don’t have to come home early because of us.”

“What.”

The young man, who had become a legend in modern soccer, smiled as he opened the door.

“We can always win again.”

***

– Youth Coach, RB Salzburg: 2017/18 – 2020/21

– Youth Manager, Burnley Football Club: 2021

– Manager, Burnley Football Club: 2021/22 – Present

– English Premier League Winner: 2023/24, 2024/25, 2025/26

– European Champions League Winner: 2023/24, 2025/26

– Europa League Winner: 2022/23

– FA Cup Winner: 2021/22, 2024/25

– Carabao Cup Winner: 2022/23, 2024/25

– Community Shield Winner: 2024/25, 2025/26

– UEFA Super Cup Winner: 2024/25

– FIFA Club World Cup Winner: 2024/25

– English League Managers Association Manager of the Year: 2021/22, 2023/24, 2024/25, 2025/26

– English League Managers Association Premier League Manager of the Year: 2021/22, 2023/24, 2024/25, 2025/26

– UEFA Manager of the Year: 2023/24, 2025/26

Author’s Note

Hello, this is Gyori Pain.

Thank you so much for reading my inadequate work.

This concludes the journey of Hyungmin, Helena, and Burnley Football Club.

I had always wanted to write a novel, but for various reasons, I couldn’t even start and kept putting it off. One day, I was writing something alone and wondered if other people might be interested in it, so I looked into the Munpia contest.

When I checked the amount, it was about 30 episodes, so I thought I’d upload one or two episodes since I had already written them, and before I knew it, I had come this far.

I never thought I would write a novel of over 230 episodes.

The novel, which was originally planned for two seasons, became three seasons due to unfinished stories, and unexpected new players and games appeared.

This is all thanks to the great interest and love shown by the readers.

Looking back, there were many shortcomings, but thanks to those who showed interest until the end, I was able to write a novel for the first time, and all the way through.

I would especially like to thank my wife, who actively supported her husband who said he would write while working, and J PD of Munpia, who struggled with a novice writer.

And above all, I am so grateful to the readers who read the first work of an inadequate writer.

When I read other people’s articles, I saw wonderful writers communicating with readers in the comments, and I wanted to do that too, but when I actually wrote, I realized that I had a weak mentality, so I didn’t read the comments well or respond to them.

I’m sorry.

And I am so grateful to everyone who has been with me on this journey.

I will take a short break and come back with a new work that is a little better.

Thank you so much.