Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 19

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Whoosh-

Splash-!

The moment Johan’s first shot hit the net, it made a satisfying ‘thwack’ sound.

“Uwaaaah!”

“Heo-eoeol!”

Ban Seok-ho and Rohan jumped nearly two meters in the air.

However,

their reactions were hardly unique amidst the crowd.

Because the surrounding spectators already had their mouths agape.

“What, what was that shot!”

“He’s a sixteen-year-old youth player, right! What was that just now!”

“Is he crazy!?”

Usually, cheers erupt when a goal is scored.

But this time, gasps of shock exploded instead.

No one anticipated something like that happening so suddenly.

Some spectators even missed the goal because they were momentarily distracted.

“Wow, he turns and gets past the defender at the same time, and shoots right after getting past them. Amazing, isn’t it?”

“His shooting form is incredible. It’s a beautiful form.”

“Look at the shooting speed. How strong is his ankle?”

The spectators finally exclaimed in admiration as Johan’s goal replay appeared on the scoreboard.

Evading the defender with a single turn,

and shooting towards the far post immediately after.

The shot blazed across the penalty box and lodged itself in the upper corner of the net.

It was a perfect goal, executed with no wasted movement.

And it came from a sixteen-year-old player in his debut match.

With just that one goal, the spectators in the stadium immediately understood:

That kid is something special.

“No, I heard rumors that he was a promising player, but…”

“Right. The community was buzzing about Vanney’s son joining the team. But, was he *this* good?”

In fact, news about Johan

had already spread among those in the know.

The story of a kid who stormed through the tryouts, conquered the youth team in a week, and was fast-tracked to the first team.

And, the news that he impressed coach Schmidt with his strong performance in the first team training.

Plus, the fact that this promising player was Vanney’s son – Ban Seok-ho’s son, who was once an outstanding striker for the team.

Any die-hard West Ham fan would have already heard about it through the team’s online community.

Because of that,

the news that this hot prospect would be starting today drew a lot of attention, even though it was a relatively unimportant game.

But,

even for a highly anticipated prospect…

Who would have imagined he’d score a debut goal like *that* in the 8th minute of the first half?

“Ro, Rohan-ah.”

“Yes?”

“Dad, I think I should bring heart medicine with me from now on. This is the first time my heart has beat this fast…”

“Me too. I thought I was going to have a heart attack just now.”

Ban Seok-ho and Rohan, of course, knew Johan’s talent better than anyone.

But they were just as surprised.

It really felt like their hearts would stop.

Of course, it wasn’t that they *didn’t* expect a debut goal.

They figured Johan could score, given that the opponent was a relatively weak team.

But they didn’t expect it in the 8th minute, with his first shot.

Perhaps,

the only person in the stadium who wasn’t surprised by Johan’s goal was his mother, Kim Ra-hee.

Because Kim Ra-hee didn’t even grasp how extraordinary it was.

“One goal in 8 minutes. Is soccer played for 90 minutes? Then there’s time to score 11 goals? Hey, second child! Let’s score 10 more goals!”

*

“The kid is causing an upset!”

“That guy, there’s a reason he’s so cocky!”

“That was a crazy shot, kid!”

As soon as the goal was scored, the West Ham players grabbed Johan and rushed towards him.

Johan found himself surrounded by sweaty, burly men, all gasping for air.

“This guy, he said he was going to break the youngest goal record, and he actually broke it! In 8 minutes!”

Gordon put Johan in a headlock and ruffled his hair.

“I can’t breathe…”

Normally, it wouldn’t be pleasant,

but Johan felt good at this moment.

It might have been the first time.

It was the first time he felt so good after scoring a goal.

‘One secured.’

Of course, it wasn’t the joy of scoring a debut goal in his debut match.

It wasn’t because he scored the goal itself in a cool way.

It was just that he was happy to have secured one training exemption coupon [a reward system where players can skip training sessions based on performance].

’82 minutes left…’

Johan, with his hair still ruffled, checked the scoreboard.

82 minutes left.

Normally, the thought of 82 minutes remaining would have made his chest tighten.

But now, he was rather pleased with the ample time left.

“Okay, let’s go again!”

“Don’t think about scoring! Just run as you always do!”

Because Johan was still far from having enough coupons.

*

“Coach. I think we’re in big trouble.”

“…”

“At this rate, I don’t think we’ll be able to see him all next week. It looks like we’ll only see him at the stadium.”

“Keueung…”

The game was already in the 10th minute of the second half.

Coach Jamie and coach Schmidt were watching the field with serious expressions.

Judging by their faces, you’d think the team was losing 0-3.

However,

WHU 3 : 0 NOR

The score was nothing like that.

Rather, it was 3-0.

West Ham were comfortably managing the game with a 3-point lead.

No, they had practically secured the victory early on, so why were they so serious when they should be grinning from ear to ear?

The reason was obvious.

Because Johan was involved in all three of West Ham’s goals.

The opening goal in the 8th minute of the first half with that incredible shot.

One assist in the 29th minute with a clever pass.

In the 7th minute of the second half, he broke down the defense with a series of give-and-go passes [a tactic where players exchange quick passes to advance] and scored his second goal with a simple shot.

A total of 2 goals and 1 assist in 55 minutes.

Johan had contributed to all three of West Ham’s goals.

It was something coach Schmidt had never imagined.

Of course, he had expectations.

He had given him enough motivation,

so he expected him to show a motivated performance like he did in the last practice game.

But,

he had no idea he would be this impactful.

No matter how much the opponent is a relegation team [a team at the bottom of the league table, at risk of being demoted to a lower league].

West Ham’s current power wasn’t enough to consistently beat a relegation team.

Wasn’t West Ham struggling to reliably subdue the lower-ranked teams this season, often drawing and failing to secure the points they should have earned?

In fact, the game wasn’t much different now.

Although the score was 3-0, it wasn’t a game where they completely dominated the field and overwhelmed the opponent.

Looking at the overall flow, it was still a tense match.

Nevertheless, the score was like this only because Johan capitalized on every opportunity he got.

West Ham desperately needed such a player.

A striker who could consistently score, even if they had to pay a high price to get him.

But Johan, brought up from the youth team, was proving he could be that player.

‘I’m very happy, but…’

Of course, it was a good thing.

It was bound to be a good thing.

But,

at the same time, he was also worried.

He was worried that he might not see Johan at the training center all next week.

“Still… surely he won’t score two more goals.”

“What if he gets two more assists?”

West Ham’s training schedule is a 5-day week.

In other words, if he scores two more attack points [goals or assists], he could take a whole week off.

It’s a ridiculous thought,

but it seemed like he could actually do it.

Because of that,

coach Schmidt was having an absurd worry.

‘I’m worried that our team’s player will score more goals, what is this…’

He couldn’t believe it.

He’d been a coach for decades, but he’d never had such a worry.

He was worried that the striker would score more goals.

Coach Schmidt burst out laughing at the absurdity of his situation.

“Coach. Let’s do this.”

“What?”

“Let’s take him out if he gets one more attack point. He has to train at least once before the game.”

“Hmm…”

Coach Schmidt nodded after a long pause at coach Jamie’s words.

Coach Jamie was making sense for the first time in a while.

“Seriously. It’s funny that we’re talking about this while watching a kid who’s making his debut today. We’re doing this because we think he’ll score more than two goals if we don’t take him out.”

Really, it was a funny thing.

*

“Good job, kid!”

“Go and get some rest! The hyungs [older brothers/senior teammates] will finish it!”

“Today’s Man of the Match is you, no matter what anyone says!”

“I’m going to spoil you a lot in the locker room, so look forward to it!”

21 minutes into the second half.

Johan walked off the field to the cheers of his older teammates.

It was a player substitution.

Total playing time was 65 minutes.

During those 65 minutes, Johan’s stats were 2 goals and 2 assists.

“…Good job.”

Coach Schmidt greeted Johan with a strange expression.

Johan shook hands with coach Schmidt,

put on the training jacket that the staff gave him, and sat on the bench.

‘I’m a little tired.’

Johan leaned comfortably on the chair and let out a long sigh.

He hadn’t felt it until just now,

but now that he’d been substituted, the fatigue hit him all at once.

He hadn’t felt this tired during the last practice game or the game against Chelsea, so he thought he wouldn’t be tired today either, but it felt different.

It was definitely hard.

Certainly, Johan wasn’t in good physical condition.

In the first place, his training volume was woefully insufficient, and Johan hated physical training the most, so it was natural.

In fact, Johan ran harder than usual today, although it didn’t look like it to others, so he felt like he had used up almost all of his stamina.

So,

when he found out he was being substituted, he was actually happy.

However.

‘I feel a little disappointed.’

At the same time as that joy,

there was also a feeling of regret.

Because he could have earned more during the remaining time.

He was talking about the training exemption coupons.

‘Still, this is good enough.’

Well, he got 4 of them, so he was grateful for this much.

He could rest for 4 days as he pleased.

Besides, after playing today’s game, he felt like it would be enough.

He figured he would be able to get a lot of coupons in the next game.

‘Hmm…’

Johan watched the rest of the game,

and began to worry about how to use the 4 coupons he had earned.

*

“How can someone who has only played soccer all his life know less than me?”

“…”

“Eldest son. Don’t think Mom will let you off easy just because you’re her son? 5 pounds will be deducted from your allowance. Okay?”

“…”

Ban Seok-ho and Rohan were dumbfounded as they looked at the elated Kim Ra-hee.

To lose a bet to someone who doesn’t know anything about soccer.

But,

today was a bet that only a soccer ignoramus could win.

Who would have expected a sixteen-year-old kid making his debut to accumulate 2 goals and 2 assists?

It was a bet that the more you knew about soccer, the more likely you were to lose.

Johan’s performance was that sensational.

“Although my precious allowance has been blown away, I feel like my mood is flying away too.”

“Me too, Rohan-ah.”

In fact, what does a bet matter?

It was a bet that was more enjoyable to lose.

They still couldn’t believe it.

That Johan put on such a great performance in his debut match.

No, the fact that Johan was even at that stadium was just overwhelming for the two of them.

“As expected of my brother…”

“As expected of my son…”

Like that,

everyone was swept up in overwhelming emotions thanks to Johan.

Vibration-

Ban Seok-ho’s cell phone vibrated several times in his pocket.

When he took out his cell phone and checked it,

there were several text messages from someone.

“…”

Ban Seok-ho frowned as he checked the sender of the text messages.