Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 74

< 073 – Traffic Control >

“If you’re thinking of pulling any kind of seniority card, you’re welcome to try. By all means.”

“…”

Even Hueritzel, who was putting on his gloves to help with the contest, looked dumbfounded at Capello’s confident demeanor.

In truth, he had reason to be.

It was the same at Fiorentina.

When he first joined the first team at the age of 17, Capello coveted the exclusive kicker position and rightfully earned it through competition.

Among experienced veteran seniors.

It was like that everywhere he went.

Capello always received attention.

Thanks to his outstanding skills.

He was called a genius wherever he went.

It was the same when he was selected for the Italian national team at the age of 19.

Even the Italian national team players told him he was a genius.

So, why would it be any different here?

Capello’s confidence had a reason.

However.

“…”

Even Capello was slightly nervous inside.

He glanced at Johan, who was casually warming up.

Capello first saw Johan last September.

At Wembley [a famous football stadium in London].

During the match between Italy and England.

At that time, Capello was sitting on the bench.

Johan was brought in during the second half of that game and tore up the field.

Frankly, it was shocking.

Johan’s playing time wasn’t long, but the plays he showed were jaw-dropping.

Single-handedly breaking down Juventus’s heart, Barzagli and Marchisio, who were idols to all Italian players.

Even Capello couldn’t help but be amazed.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he came to West Ham because of that.

He thought it would be fun to have a guy like that next to him.

Until then, Capello had never seen anyone in his life who surpassed his talent.

Of course, this was just Capello’s subjective opinion, but anyway.

Capello wanted to know how far his talent could go, and he thought he needed to be with the best talent to do that.

In Capello’s opinion, that best talent was this guy.

Johan.

Of course, excluding himself.

Therefore, although he wasn’t showing it at all on the outside.

Capello also had some nervousness.

“Let’s start.”

“Don’t you want to warm up more, buddy?”

“No. This is enough.”

“I’m just saying, so you don’t make excuses later. Like you didn’t warm up enough or something.”

“That won’t happen, so let’s start.”

On the other hand, Johan wasn’t nervous at all.

He just thought this guy talked too much.

He was only enduring it because the coach promised to let him go home if he won.

He just wanted to finish quickly and go home.

With that thought, Johan placed the ball on the penalty mark.

First, a penalty kick contest.

“We’ll take turns one by one. If you miss even once, it’s immediately over. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Yes.”

“Then, let’s have Johan go first.”

Johan was the first to attack.

“Show them what you got, kid!”

“Make that punk’s nose flat!”

The *hyungs’* [Korean term for older brothers or respected seniors] support poured out.

Johan couldn’t help but receive more support.

It’s usually common to side with the newcomer, but Capello’s first impression wasn’t very good.

However,

Paah-!

Hueritzel, who was clapping his hands together to get ready, had no intention of taking sides.

Like favoring Johan or anything.

In the first place, it was absurd to favor Johan, and this wasn’t an opportunity that came often for Hueritzel either.

An opportunity to face the league’s best striker in a 1-on-1.

While playing league games, when he exchanged greetings with the opposing team’s goalkeepers after the game.

There was always a story they told.

They were envious that he was on the same team as Johan.

They were envious that they didn’t have to face Johan during the game, and that they could have such a striker as a training partner.

However, as you know.

There weren’t many opportunities to train with Johan.

So, this sudden contest was a good opportunity for Hueritzel as well.

Therefore, he had no intention of discriminating between Johan and Capello.

Hueritzel was going to give his all to both of them.

“Bweeet-!”

As soon as the whistle blew, Johan ran towards the ball, and Hueritzel took a breath and tensed his whole body.

Ppeoooeeoeoeong-!

Shooooooong-

“Keuk…!”

Thud-!

“Nice, nice!”

“Yeah! That’s right!”

Johan’s first PK [Penalty Kick] was a success.

Hueritzel read the direction, but it was so perfectly aimed at the corner that he couldn’t reach it.

The *hyungs* cheered as if it were a real penalty shootout.

“Hmm. Not bad.”

After seeing Johan’s kick,

“Then, it’s my turn.”

Capello nodded and placed the ball on the penalty mark.

‘He kicks pretty well?

Then, how about this.’

“Bweeik-!”

At the same time as the whistle, Capello rushed towards the ball.

At Capello’s appearance of rushing quickly as if he was going to unleash an enormous powerful shot, Hueritzel tensed his body once again.

However,

Tatatat-

Paah-!

Capello’s kick floated up in the air, contrary to expectations.

The quick run-up was a feint.

It wasn’t a powerful shot, but a Panenka kick [a type of penalty kick where the ball is gently chipped into the center of the goal].

Although he was a newcomer, and everyone seemed to be cheering for that Johan kid.

That’s why it would be an even more spectacular kick.

A kick to show that he wasn’t nervous at all, and at the same time, to subdue that machine-like goalkeeper.

Ah, this is what a genius is.

‘Heh. How is it… Huh?’

However, Capello’s pupils shook as he watched the slowly floating ball.

Because Hueritzel, who had been crouching down, stood in place instead of jumping to one side.

Paah-!

Thanks to that, Capello’s Panenka kick was caught so easily that it felt anticlimactic.

Immediately, laughter erupted from those watching.

“Puhahaha! It didn’t work!”

“Hey! Those kinds of tricks don’t work! We’re a team of real men! Wuahahaha!”

Capello looked at Hueritzel with a dumbfounded expression.

‘What, what is it? That goalkeeper.

He looks stupid, but how did he know? Could he have read my mind?

That can’t be! How dare he see through the genius’s ingenious move!’

“…”

However, Hueritzel was just as dumbfounded.

He didn’t expect him to try a Panenka on his first attempt. The reason he didn’t jump was just to watch him since he didn’t know anything about him.

But the ball came into his arms on its own.

“Okay, as I said, it’s over the moment you miss! Johan will be the penalty kicker from now on!”

“That’s right. You can’t beat Johan with PKs.”

“With that kicking power and a strong heart. It’s not something you can aim for, newbie.”

“……”

Capello’s face turned red.

‘Damn it, this is embarrassing. I didn’t know it would be blocked like that.’

Whatever the case, the match ended with the first attempt.

For now, the PKs were decided to be Johan’s exclusive responsibility, as they had been until now.

Capello sighed.

“Hoo. I guess there’s no choice.”

“?”

“Well, anyway, my main specialty isn’t PKs. It was just a throwaway card. You were fooled for a second, weren’t you?”

“…”

“Shall we get serious now?”

Capello’s mentality recovered quickly.

Anyway, it’s okay to concede PKs to the striker.

The real deal is the free kick specialist.

This is Capello’s main event.

“Okay, five times each from the left and right. The one who scores more out of 10 wins. If you hit the wall and knock it down, that’s a no goal. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Yes.”

“Then, let’s have Capello go first this time.”

“Good.”

A training wall was set up near the penalty box line, and the ball was placed approximately 25 meters from the goal.

The winner is the one who scores more out of a total of 10 kicks from the left and right positions.

‘Damn it. I was thinking too much for no reason. This time, I’ll do it safely and properly.’

The start is from the right position.

Capello carefully placed the ball and looked at the goal.

He had to make up for the embarrassment from earlier.

Free kicks in training are naturally much easier to score than in real matches.

Because the training wall doesn’t jump.

Considering that, scoring 5 out of 10 would be considered safe.

Um, no.

Considering who the opponent is, maybe 7 would be safe.

So, he’ll try to kick as safely as possible.

“Hoo.”

Capello, whose main foot is his left, carefully attempted a free kick.

Ppeoooeeoeoeong-!

Shooooooong-

Thud-!

“Oh.”

“He can kick pretty well.”

“It curved properly.”

Capello’s first attempt curved accurately into the corner of the goal, slightly over the wall.

“Ni…ce.”

The moment the net shook, Capello almost shouted in excitement without realizing it, but he swallowed the cheer back down his throat.

He almost got too excited over scoring just one goal.

How embarrassing.

Ha ha, geez.

“It was just a warm-up, so it’s too early to be surprised.”

In any case, Capello successfully buttoned the first button, and then took four more attempts,

Shooooooong-

Thud-!

“Sì, sì! [Italian for Yes, yes!]”

Showing the power to succeed in 4 out of 5 attempts.

Only one attempt was blocked by Hueritzel.

Even considering it was a practice free kick, it was a considerable success rate.

Capello’s toe was definitely sharp, and the players who were watching began to feel a little uneasy.

“Oh, uh oh. Is that guy going to win?”

“No way, but Johan won’t lose, right.”

“It looked like two out of those four were a bit of a fluke. He had too much luck.”

“Kid! Put all five in!”

In case he might lose to that unlucky guy.

Under the *hyungs’* support, it was Johan’s turn this time.

Still the same position, the right.

Since it was definitely a good position to curl with his left foot, Johan took a stance as if he was going to kick with his left foot as well.

And,

Unlike Capello, who was cautious, Johan rushed towards the ball boldly.

Ppeoooeeoeoeong-!

Shooooooong-

Thud-!

“Wow…!”

“Kheu, that’s right!”

“Wow, I was worried for nothing!”

“Wow, crazy. How can you block that.”

Johan’s first attempt, which soared over the training wall and curved greatly, being sucked into the Yachine zone [the area of the goal that is very difficult to score in].

The players who were watching admired him, saying they were worried for nothing.

Unlike Capello’s kick, which seemed to be trying to send the ball into the goal relatively safely, that is, by slightly passing over the wall as much as possible.

Johan’s kick was bold.

It wasn’t just about putting it into the goal, but about making Hueritzel unable to do anything.

It drew a large arc and beautifully shook the net.

“Good. It curved well.”

Capello nodded.

To be honest, he was surprised inside, but he could still afford to be relaxed.

However,

Ppeoooeeoeoeong-!

Thud-!

Ppeoooeeoeoeong-!

Thud-!

“…”

As the subsequent attempts were all sucked into the goal, very beautifully.

Capello’s face, which had been relaxed, was now stiff.

“Okay. 5 for 5. There’s a one-goal difference between the two. Okay, this time from the left. Let’s have Capello go again.”

“O, okay.”

The next 5 will be kicked from the left.

Capello placed the ball and looked at the goal more carefully than before.

‘Damn it. It’s a much more difficult position than before.

To handle with his left foot.’

Moreover, since Johan had put all 5 in, the thought that he shouldn’t miss even one was swirling in his head.

He thought scoring about 7 would be safe.

Even if he puts them all in, he can’t rest assured?

Tatatat-

Ppeoooeeoeoeong-!

Capello put all his nerves into each and every free kick, and thanks to that, it took quite a long time to kick five.

As expected, Capello was not an easy kicker.

Despite the various adverse conditions, he managed to put in 3 out of the remaining 5.

“Then, Capello is finally at 7.”

7 out of 10.

This is also a tremendous success rate.

To be honest, even if you get over 50%, or even close to it, you’re kicking well.

However, because Johan had put all 5 in earlier, he could be in an unfair situation where he has to lose if he only puts in 3 in this attempt.

‘Still, it won’t be easy.’

Capello bit his lip.

Still, he doesn’t know yet.

It’s not easy to kick with your left foot from this angle.

But,

‘…Huh?’

Johan, who was preparing for the free kick, did not stand at the left foot angle.

He stood on the opposite side, the right foot angle.

Then,

Ppeoooeeoeoeong-!

Shooooooong-

Thud-!

He began to put the same, no, even more beautiful kicks into the goal one after another.

Thud-!

“8 goals. I won, right?”

“Yeah. End! There’s no need to kick anymore. Johan’s the winner!”

The match was decided when there were still two attempts left.

Because he put in all 3 of the 3 kicks.

By kicking 8 times, he had beaten Capello, who had kicked 10 times. By succeeding in all 8 of those kicks.

“Yes!”

Johan clenched his fist and rejoiced.

Johan, who had beaten Capello, was much happier than when he scored a goal in a game.

“…Tsk.”

Looking at Johan, Capello sighed and then chuckled.

‘That punk. He didn’t seem to care until just now, but he must have been nervous in his own way? Yeah. It’s understandable.

Because it was a match against me.’

Well, even if he had a lot of luck, he still beat me.

It was understandable that Johan was so happy.

However.

“Well, I’ll be going.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

“Johan, go! See you tomorrow!”

“…?”

Looking at Johan, who bowed to Coach Schmidt and headed to the locker room.

Capello was dumbfounded.

‘…Where is he going?’

“Where else would he go? He’s going home.”

“…Why? Training is still…”

“Well, it’s the ace’s privilege.”

“Ace’s privilege…?”

No way, was the reason he was so happy because he could go home?

Not because he beat him?

“…”

Capello was at a loss for words.

From the first day, things were not going as Capello thought they would.