Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 31

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Johan’s interview was a sensation.

-Hat-trick in the opening match, West Ham’s Johan Van! Is his goal for this season retirement!?

└????????????????

└What are you talking about? A youth player who’s played 5 PL [Premier League] games aims to retire this season?

└What an extraordinary guy.

└16 is the perfect age to retire.

└I’ve never seen a player like this in my life.

-Johan Van, whose goal is retirement, what’s the inside story? “Retire if West Ham wins the league”

└That’s what he meant?

└No, he should have said winning is the goal. Saying retirement out of nowhere is shocking, lol.

└What. He’s saying he won’t retire.

└Johan Van will retire if West Ham wins the league… I wonder if this player can retire?

└I think they can win. Of course, he’ll be wearing a different uniform then.

└Hey kid, come to Man City.

└I’m a Chelsea fan, but I’ll take him if he comes. Come and win. You can’t retire there.

Articles poured out,

and football fans’ attention was focused.

Johan was already a celebrity among West Ham fans.

However,

this retirement statement drew great national attention and brought laughter to fans who learned the inside story.

In addition,

-Johan Van, who debuted in West Ham’s first team a month after joining, is the son of ‘Bani’ Seok-ho Van, a former West Ham star striker.

└No wonder. He comes from a family with football DNA.

└He debuted a month after joining?

└Didn’t you know? He didn’t even play soccer before joining.

└The reason he didn’t play soccer was ‘because it’s annoying’ lol

└Crazy, he’s the ultimate talent;

└Don’t lie. Who would believe that?

└Factos) Surprisingly, it’s true.

-‘Retirement is the goal’ Johan Van, already famous in the team for his terrible training attitude? Absent from training up to 4 times a week

└??? Isn’t that even more amazing, then? lol

└So he doesn’t even train, but he’s a West Ham starter at 16?

└And he’s already scored two hat tricks without training?

└Wow, the devil’s talent has appeared.

└Schmidt can’t stand that style, can he??

└What’s he going to do if he doesn’t like it? He still scores hat tricks.

└We train to get better, but if you’re already good, you don’t need to train lol

└He’s just going to be a flash in the pan. I’ve never seen a lazy guy who relies on talent last long.

└Long run for a guy whose goal is to retire this season.

Several articles were written about Johan’s unique background and character, which also attracted a lot of attention from fans.

Of course,

the majority of reactions were surprise and disbelief.

There’s a player who scores his debut goal a month after starting soccer,

and scores two hat tricks in three months?

Besides, he doesn’t even train properly?

This was a first, and Johan was the subject of various football broadcasts throughout the week.

└I like his training attitude or whatever! Who cares as long as he scores in every game!

└You can rest more. Just keep doing what you’re doing during the game.

└Do you remember when he scored against Liverpool last season and kissed the emblem? I thought he had class since then, but it’s so lovely to hear him confidently say that winning is his goal.

└The spirit of a rookie is always fun to watch.

└Yeah, we needed a player like this on our team. How long are we going to be satisfied with being in the mid-tier? We have to aim for the championship to get into the Europa League.

The reaction of West Ham fans was, of course, enthusiastic.

In fact, West Ham has had decent players coming out of the youth system,

but this was almost the first time they had produced such a great striker.

That alone makes Johan lovable, and with his father continuing the tradition of playing for West Ham and his ambition to say that winning is his goal from his first season,

he was a player who inspired pride in West Ham fans who always wanted to go higher.

Of course,

even so, everyone felt it was good to hear him say that.

└A player playing for West Ham retires when they win the league? lol

└I wonder if this player will be able to retire?

└The journey to retirement won’t be easy.

└You can’t retire as long as you play for West Ham lol

└The oldest active striker is born ㄷㄷ

└Johan Van (97 years old, active)

└Which will come first, West Ham winning the league or Arsenal winning the Champions League?

└Forbes selects, the most meaningless debate in the world No. 1

Other team fans just chuckled.

In particular, fans of rival teams such as Tottenham, Chelsea, and Millwall openly ridiculed Johan’s remarks.

Retiring after lifting the league trophy with West Ham.

A team that didn’t even make it to the Europa League last season.

The majority of fans thought he was too young to know anything yet.

But,

even they admitted one thing.

Johan’s talent.

[Video] Johan Van vs Crystal Palace Free Kick Opening Goal

└Wow, look at it dropping.

└How do you stop that?

└His ankle flexibility is crazy.

└How is that sixteen years old?

└Come to City.

└Come to United.

└Liverpool doesn’t need to come, but don’t go to United.

[Video] Johan Van completes a hat trick with a header of tremendous height!

└Look at the height lol He’s shooting down.

└To exaggerate a bit, it’s almost the same height as the keeper’s outstretched hand??

└Is he a basketball player??

└Look at the physical fight lol Everyone’s running at him, but he’s not pushed back at all.

└Kids these days are developing so well ㄷㄷ Is that sixteen… I want to call him hyung [term for older brother in Korean, used to show respect].

└If it weren’t for his youthful face, I would have believed he was lying about his age.

The videos of Johan’s goal scenes exploded in views, and the comments were full of admiration.

At the same time, the goals he scored in previous games began to be re-examined.

They were all wonder goals.

Not a single goal went in normally, with a bang.

└He’s not just a poacher.

└The base is a target striker, but it’s a bit different.

└He’s the perfect style for West Ham right now.

└I think it’s a style that suits a mid-tier club, but he’s talented, so he’ll do well even if he goes to a big club.

└So come to Arsenal.

└Arsenal isn’t a big club, what do you mean so.

└I guess he means a mid-tier club, if you have any conscience.

Johan’s name was spreading throughout England.

ㆍㆍㆍ

West Ham got off to a good start by winning the opening match against Crystal Palace.

West Ham’s subsequent schedule is,

Round 2 of the league against Watford FC,

Round 3 of the league against Aston Villa FC,

and Round 4 of the league against Tottenham Hotspur.

These three teams have different strengths, but they are tactically tied together by one thing in common.

Immediate front press.

The common tactic among these teams was their intense front press.

In fact, it’s safe to say that almost every team in the Premier League these days employs a front press.

While some teams near relegation or those with specific player characteristics might use it less, most teams rely on disrupting the opponent’s build-up and quickly regaining possession through a front press, adopting a fast-paced style of football as a standard.

Among them, those three teams, in particular, were styles that put even more emphasis on the front press.

Therefore, in the three consecutive matches against those teams, the role of the new goalkeeper, Jeff Hurrichel, became crucial.

“It’s better to kick with a more deliberate, cutting motion.”

“Like this?”

“Too high. It needs to be low and fast.”

“Show me how it’s done.”

“Like this.”

*Thwack-!*

“Oh, different.”

“The trajectory is different.”

Today, as always, the training ground reeked of sweat.

Several players gathered around Hurrichel, learning something.

It was about long kicks.

As has been the case for all positions for some time now, goalkeepers are now required to have a variety of skills.

It’s no longer enough to just be good at making saves and controlling the defense; those are basics, and nowadays, footwork and long-kick abilities have become essential for a keeper.

“Wow, his kick is amazing.”

Hurrichel, who transferred for the second-highest fee after Jacob Buckley, was a keeper that Coach Schmidt brought in almost solely for his long kicks.

The current West Ham, from defense to midfield, was not at the level to unravel the build-up from the back with short passes and dribbling like top-tier teams.

Most of the players were focused on defensive abilities, and it would be too much to ask those players to perform high-level build-up play.

Therefore, when the opponent launched a strong front press, they would either panic and lose the ball, leading to a crisis, or just give up possession with a clearance.

It was safe to say that one of these two scenarios was all that West Ham had to offer last season.

That’s why they brought in Jeff Hurrichel.

Jeff Hurrichel, with his 191cm [approximately 6’3″] frame, closely cropped blond hair, and perpetually expressionless face, earning him the nickname “Cyborg.”

Hurrichel’s long kicks were faster and more accurate than those of most defenders or midfielders.

But, more important than that was Hurrichel’s incredible kicking distance.

To the extent that he could aim for the space behind the opponent’s last line of defense with a goal kick that crossed the halfway line in one go.

If that’s the case with a goal kick, a kick taken with his hands could reach near the opponent’s penalty box.

Moreover, he maintains his composure even under pressure from the opponent’s attackers, so the nickname Cyborg fits him perfectly.

Of course, his shot-stopping ability and defensive control were somewhat lacking compared to those aspects.

Hurrichel’s kick was so good that it was no exaggeration to say he came to West Ham solely for that reason.

And, Hurrichel’s kick was one of the key factors for West Ham this season.

“Alright, everyone understands their roles, right?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Let’s get started.”

Hurrichel and several other players prepare for full-scale training.

Hurrichel and the four defenders forming the back line, and Johan, standing near the halfway line.

This is one team.

Their opponents consist of players acting as the opposing attackers applying a front press, and two players marking Johan.

It was a pattern drill to deliver the ball directly to Johan with Hurrichel’s long kick, overcoming the opponent’s high front press.

“Okay, go!”

*Thwack-*

As soon as the coach released the ball, the press began aggressively.

The defenders, as trained, formed a triangle while passing the ball.

*Thwack-*

passing it back to Hurrichel, who was standing slightly to the side of the goal.

Then, Hurrichel, after quickly assessing Johan’s position,

*Thwackkkkk-!*

Unleashed a monstrous long kick.

*Whooshhhhhh-*

The long kick soared powerfully.

Like watching a golfer’s powerful drive, the low, fast kick shot towards the halfway line.

*Thwack-!*

Accurately landing on Johan’s head as he leaped between the defenders.

It was a fast and accurate kick.

“Okay! 1 for 1! 9 more times!”

The same pattern training continued.

Hurrichel’s kicks were consistently precise, and they completed the quota of 10 successful connections in just 12 attempts, finishing the first stage.

But the training didn’t end there.

“Back, further back!”

The coach sent Johan, who had been standing on the halfway line, further back.

When Johan reached about halfway between the halfway line and the penalty box, the coach gave the OK sign.

The distance had increased significantly.

The same training started again from that far distance.

*Thwackkkkk-!*

*Thwackkkkk-!*

Hurrichel kicked even harder as the distance increased.

Even with Hurrichel’s precise kicks, he couldn’t help but put more power into them as the distance increased.

As a result, unlike before, the direction of the kicks was slightly erratic.

But the funny thing was,

“…Hmm. Okay, 5 for 5!”

Despite that, the passes invariably reached Johan’s head.

As the coach’s somewhat dissatisfied reaction showed, it was a bit forced.

Johan, wanting to quickly complete the quota and go home, was forcefully winning the ball.

But, oh well.

Anyway, the condition of connecting directly to Johan with a long kick was met.

“Okay. 14 for 10. Nice, nice. Let’s wrap it up.”

“Already?”

In the end, the training ended quickly, leaving a sense of regret.

Johan, having finished training, disappeared into the club house faster than anyone else, and Hurrichel, watching Johan, thought with a cyborg-like expressionless face.

‘He, he’s really amazing…!’

Although he was glaring at Johan as if he didn’t like him, Hurrichel was purely admiring him.

It had already been over a month since they started training together, but he was still surprised every time they trained.

Before coming to West Ham, Hurrichel had played in the Dutch league and had already experienced three teams, but he had never seen an attacker like that.

An attacker who wins every single long kick.

If he wins them all like that, it’s really fun to kick from the passer’s perspective.

‘I came to the right team…’

Like the saying that a man will give his life for someone who recognizes him [a common proverb about valuing those who appreciate you], Hurrichel was happy, feeling that he had finally come to a team where his abilities could shine.

Perhaps he could achieve one of his dreams: ‘Getting an assist with a goal kick’.

In this team.

Hurrichel smiled brightly.

“Hehehe.”

Of course, “brightly” was only according to his standards, and to others, it looked like the chilling smile a Eastern European killer makes before taking someone out.

Everyone had to swallow hard, though.