Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 93

93. New Friends

“Uwaaaaaaack!”

Tommaso Pobega.

Born in 1999, making him 22 years old this year.

In 2013, at the age of 13, he joined AC Milan’s youth academy.

He steadily progressed within AC Milan, earning selections for Italy’s national youth teams up to the under-23 level.

For the past four seasons, following AC Milan’s structured youth development plan, he gained valuable experience through loan spells at various Italian professional league teams, from Serie C to Serie A, each for one season.

Notably, last season, he played in 30 league games for Torino, a mid-table team in Serie A, Italy’s top football division.

He established himself as a regular starting midfielder, earning praise from fans and pundits alike, who recognized his full development into a Serie A-caliber player.

There was quiet optimism for a permanent transfer, but Torino, facing financial constraints, ultimately couldn’t afford the €16 million transfer fee, causing the deal to fall through.

Returning to his parent club, AC Milan, his situation was uncertain.

AC Milan already had Sandro Tonali, a talented midfielder and a key player in the Italian national team, firmly in the starting lineup, along with Ismaël Bennacer, an Arsenal academy graduate showcasing impressive skills for the Algerian national team.

Fortunately, Franck Kessié, another regular starter, had transferred to Newcastle, who had begun to flex their financial muscle.

So, he believed he could compete for the remaining midfield spot with Yacine Adli, a promising French midfield prospect who had returned from loan after being signed the previous season.

However, the club, riding high from their emotional Serie A title victory last season, seemed determined to reinforce their resurgence, bringing in Giovani Lo Celso from Tottenham and Tiémoué Bakayoko from Chelsea on loan, suddenly adding two more starting-quality players to the midfield.

Even with squad rotation, the competition for playing time appeared daunting.

When Burnley, who had been a surprise package in the Premier League the previous season, finishing 6th and qualifying for the Europa League, specifically targeted him, he was ecstatic.

Although the failure of a permanent transfer was disappointing, the opportunity to compete for a starting position in a Premier League team, a step up from Torino, would significantly benefit his career.

A permanent transfer would be even more ideal.

Manager Hyungmin Kim’s preferred formation was 4-3-3, so he was confident he could secure the final spot alongside Nicolas Seiwald, who had dominated the Premier League the previous season, and Nico González, the talented midfielder Barcelona had boasted about, but…

“Uwaaaaaaack!”

…He never anticipated he would be reacquainting himself with his breakfast during preseason training.

“Ugh… Uweek… !”

“Hey, are you alright?”

Luka Sučić, who had approached Tommaso Pobega from behind as he was coughing up everything he had, patted him on the back with a concerned look.

“…Water…”

“Oh, I brought some. Drink it slowly.”

Wiping his mouth, stained with saliva and vomit, with his sweat-soaked training top, and rinsing his mouth with lukewarm water, he felt slightly better.

Gradually regaining his composure, Tommaso Pobega looked up at his friend’s composed face, having grown close while living together in the loaned players’ accommodation.

“Why aren’t you…”

“Me? Ah, Salzburg puts us through incredibly rigorous physical training. This is still manageable for me. Well, if I advance a stage or two here, it’ll be challenging for me too…”

The intensity increases even further here?!

Horrified, Tommaso Pobega surveyed the training ground.

Nicolas Seiwald, Karim Adeyemi, Dwight McNeil, and the players who had spent the previous season at Burnley were all completing the training without any issues.

Nico González and Abdou Diallo looked slightly unsteady, but they hadn’t given up yet.

On the other hand, among the newly signed players, only Benjamin Šeško and Luka Sučić, both from RB Salzburg, and Joe Gelhardt, who had experienced Marcelo Bielsa’s infamous “murderball” [intense, high-pressing training regime] at Leeds, were doing well.

The rest seemed likely to be joining him in revisiting their breakfast in the drain soon, especially Cristian Medina, who had arrived from Boca Juniors in Argentina, looked the most vulnerable.

“Chris looks a bit shaky too…”

Luka Sučić muttered, following Tommaso Pobega’s gaze.

“I want to help, but there’s nothing I can do unless they drop out…”

Just then, a whistle blew.

“Luka! Are you slacking off?!”

“Ah, no, Coach! I’ll get back to it right away!”

Startled by the warning from head coach Karolina Štefan, who was overseeing the physical training, Luka Sučić patted his still-suffering friend on the back once more and returned to the starting line.

“Tommaso?”

“Ah… Yes… Just a moment…”

At Tommaso Pobega’s plea, Karolina pulled the long brim of the red hat she was wearing even further down, concealing her blue eyes.

“Alright, then skip this round and rejoin in the next one. And remember to replenish the protein you lost this morning at lunchtime, okay? Review the nutritional chart of what you need to take additionally with me before lunch.”

“…Yes.”

That red hat wasn’t official club merchandise; the manager had specially commissioned it from Korea and distributed it to the coaching staff.

It had an incredibly long brim, a flat top, angular edges, and an unusual shape with strange wings attached to either side of the Burnley club crest on the front.

According to the manager, it was a Korean specialty that enhanced the quality of training…

For Burnley’s squad, that red hat was quickly becoming a symbol of dread.

They weren’t sure if the quality of training was improving, but they knew it instilled a strong sense of intimidation in those being trained.

Clutching his churning stomach, Tommaso Pobega forced his trembling legs to carry him back behind the line.

***

The Community Shield.

A type of match held not only in the English Premier League but also in most European professional leagues, generally featuring the top-flight league champion against the cup winner in a single game.

In the Premier League’s case, there are two cup competitions, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, but the FA Cup, which has a longer history and greater prestige, sees its winner face the top-flight league champion.

Some leagues recognize it as an official match, while others don’t, but broadly speaking, it’s important because the winning team gains prestige, similar to the UEFA Super Cup, where the Champions League winner plays the Europa League winner.

The Premier League doesn’t recognize it as an official match, but it effectively marks the start of the full season, serving as the opening game.

However, Burnley, having won the FA Cup last season, were being thoroughly outplayed by Premier League champions Liverpool due to their still-developing team cohesion after four preseason friendlies.

[Goal! It’s a goal! Liverpool’s right winger Mohamed Salah scores his second goal of the day!]

The commentator, broadcasting an increasingly exciting game with three goals already scored before the first half was even 20 minutes old, exclaimed.

The commentator next to him, co-broadcasting the game, watched the slow-motion replay of the goal and continued his analysis.

[Liverpool’s center forward, Roberto Firmino, starting today, successfully drew both of Burnley’s center-back pairing, James Tarkowski and Abdou Diallo, out of position. Mohamed Salah lightly bypassed Burnley’s new left-back, Jamal Lewis, and cut inside to score his second goal.]

[Burnley’s organization still looks very shaky. Right-back Guga and left-back Jamal Lewis are clearly not yet in sync with the rest of the defense, perhaps because today marks their official Burnley debut.]

During the preseason, Dwight McNeil scored the opening goal with an assist from new signing Benjamin Šeško, who was solidifying his position as the starting center forward, surpassing Wout Weghorst, but since then, Burnley had generally been on the back foot against Liverpool.

Last season, when Sean Dyche’s team was inherited as is, with only a few players added to overlay his own style, the team’s cohesion itself didn’t falter.

Because the players knew each other’s tendencies well, they only needed to adapt to the manager’s tactical adjustments.

Unlike then, Burnley this season, having undergone a major overhaul with more than half of the starting lineup replaced, were clearly exhibiting weaknesses in their cohesion.

They would gradually find their rhythm as the season progressed, but it was nearly impossible for a team that had only played four preseason friendlies to maintain an advantage against Liverpool, who had won the league the previous season and retained their full squad.

“Ugh… the teamwork is still very disjointed.”

“It’s unavoidable since they haven’t been playing together for long. It’ll take time.”

Hyungmin, standing in the technical area and observing the conceded goal, grumbled, and Karolina, standing next to him, shrugged in response.

“But their stamina has improved significantly.”

Whether it was thanks to the persistent efforts of coaches Paulo Morao and Karolina, or the dedicated efforts of the squad who had to regularly double-check their meals.

Although they weren’t quite able to match Jürgen Klopp’s Gegenpressing [a high-intensity pressing style] head-on, they were able to avoid situations where the players were physically exhausted.

The problem was the lack of cohesion and the systematic pressing that came with it.

“What are you going to do?”

At Karolina’s question, Hyungmin tilted his head.

“I’ll have to assess the situation in the first half, but I plan to make as many substitutions as planned in the second half.”

“So you’re conceding the Community Shield?”

“Did you think I was trying to win this game?”

Hyungmin turned to look at his friend with a bewildered expression.

“No, I was just wondering if you’d face criticism from the club management if you openly gave up on the game.”

At Karolina’s question, Hyungmin shook his head firmly.

“Are you kidding me? Helena was so pleased that she had some unexpected revenue. She told me to disregard the game result because it doesn’t affect the league standings.”

A significant portion of the ticket sales revenue from Wembley Stadium allocated to Burnley is paid to Burnley.

Karolina, recalling the blonde CEO who would be delighted that unexpected funds had been deposited into the financially challenged club, nodded unconsciously, then inquired about something else that came to mind.

“Aren’t you concerned about the fans criticizing you?”

“Our fans don’t criticize me for things like this. Everyone was excited that just participating in the Community Shield was the first time in 49 years? And they said the novelty has worn off considerably since we played at Wembley twice last season.”

In fact, the Burnley section of the stands had a picnic atmosphere, enjoying the rare brilliant sunshine of the English July weather, even though their team was trailing 2-1.

Even when the team conceded a goal, they simply shrugged and continued to diligently eat and drink various snacks.

If they achieve another miracle like last season, the fans will be completely devoted to the manager.

Karolina, who had indirectly witnessed the almost fanatical Hyungmin worship in the town of Burnley, nodded in agreement without realizing it.

***

Burnley were soundly defeated by Liverpool 4-2 in the Community Shield.

The breakdown of the squad’s cohesion, which had been significantly altered, and the weakening of the intense forward pressing that Burnley had been known for the previous season, were clearly evident to critics and analysts.

The cohesion that had deteriorated to that extent could not possibly be restored with just two practice matches after the Community Shield.

Therefore, Burnley, who had achieved FA Cup victory along with qualification for European competition and 6th place in the league under the guidance of a young, emerging manager, were now about to experience the challenges of a “sophomore slump” [a decline in performance after an initial success].

However, Hyungmin would properly demonstrate to the Premier League managers, who had lowered their expectations of Burnley as a formidable opponent, that the Manager of the Year award was given to him because there was no one else particularly deserving.