00019 Drawing Attention ------------------------------------------------------------------------=
To grow, Minjun had decided to leave Frankfurt.
It was undoubtedly a good place, a place filled with memories… but he had been feeling that there was a limit to how much he could grow here.
Especially since he was now at the stage of beginning to learn a specialized position, he had given the club a two-year grace period, but there had been no answer on this front.
For Frankfurt, which was barely clinging on through relegation and promotion battles, it was too much to expect anything.
It had been a difficult decision, and now, to put it into action, he had been about to break the news to Daniel when something truly astonishing happened.
"Uh... C-Cha, Cha Bum... Bum-Bum-geun, sir!?"
"So you're Minjun?"
"Hurk!?"
He had arrived with an important decision weighing on his heart, and when Daniel merely stared at him with an expression of overwhelming emotion, the situation became even more incomprehensible, but he immediately bowed respectfully at a perfect 90 degrees.
"Hello! It is an h-honor to meet you! I am Gang Minjun."
"Yes, I know. I've watched the video clips of your performances… and heard the news, but I've been busy with my own affairs. This year, however, I had some spare time, so I was able to come like this. I'm truly glad to meet you."
"Ah, no."
Cha Bum-geun's performances remained preserved in the videos that Daniel, a die-hard Frankfurt fan, had recorded, and Minjun had watched them and understood why the nickname 'Brown Bomber' had been attached to him, and had thought that he wanted to meet him someday.
"Were you surprised to see me here like this?"
"Ah, I w-was a little… no, very surprised. That… uh, because you were here."
"Haha, sorry if I surprised you. It's nothing special, but Frankfurt asked me to come take a look at you. They said there was no one to tutor you, so they asked if I could focus on you intensively."
He had worried so much because of the tutoring issue and made his decision today, but he hadn't imagined the club would pay this much attention.
To think they would ask someone busy in Korea to come and tutor him.
"Tu-tutoring!?"
"Ah. Yes. The… period is rather short, so I'll really have to observe you intensively. At most, it's only about two months. I can fly in occasionally to check on you, but… compared to typical tutoring, there are certainly lacking aspects. Continuous observation is important, but… hmm."
Minjun couldn't help but worry once more at those words.
The conclusion he had reached after much agonizing in Frankfurt was attractive because it involved someone he respected, but… honestly, since his future was at stake, he couldn't help but hesitate to make a choice based on emotion.
And at this hesitant demeanor from Minjun, Cha Bum-geun picked up on it with a hawk's eye and could see what decision Minjun had made.
"By any chance, were you thinking of looking into another club? With your talent, that would be entirely possible."
"Yes… Actually, I was worrying today and reached a decision. I had stayed in the C-League for as long as I possibly could, and it was time to move up to the B-League, but the club hadn't said anything to me at all. So, I thought they couldn't keep their promise of professional training… and made my decision, but."
"Because I came? So you must feel conflicted?"
"Yes. Very much. Player Cha Bum-geun, whom I truly respect… no, should I say Teacher? If I could learn soccer from you, it would truly be an incomparable honor, but… as you said, if it's two months of intensive training and occasional check-ins, my head gets a bit complicated."
Having instantly grasped Minjun's personality from these words, Cha Bum-geun thought very carefully.
Certainly, Minjun might now be making the most important decision of his soccer life going forward.
Therefore, he couldn't tell Minjun what to do, but first asked what he was most curious about.
"Where were you planning to go?"
"Bayern Munich. I think I can grow best there."
"Hmm… Certainly, that place would be enough. But… I'm not saying this because I was asked to come by Frankfurt, and I can see what kind of future you're envisioning, but… a soccer player must play matches. You must look for a place where you can play matches. Munich is a strong and beautiful flower. Its roots, stem, leaves, and flower are all sturdy and beautiful, catching the eye."
"Learning while belonging to such a place is truly a good thing, but… there will be many competitors your age, and it will be filled with those who cannot even be compared to pros right now."
"Does that mean I can immediately get a chance at a starting position in Frankfurt?"
Minjun also knew well that playing matches was the most important thing.
Only then could he know the results he had obtained through training and realize better how to unfold a match.
So Minjun asked again about this in a calm voice, and Cha Bum-geun shrugged his shoulders and spoke.
"I don't know about that. Simply put, if you're going to go, it's most efficient to look at a team in the upper-mid table or mid table."
"Are you not talking about Frankfurt?"
"How could I? I came because I was asked, but this could be the most important decision in your life—how could I force you? It would be an absurd act as a soccer senior. I'm merely giving advice. When you sign a pro contract and debut, look for a team that can value you. If you shine as brilliantly as you do now in such a team… whether it's Munich or any other club, they'll do everything to grab you."
It would be a lie if he said he hadn't worried about this.
Minjun had thought so too, and when he had decided on the option of Munich, he had worried considerably.
The thought of whether he could really overcome the starting competition at that terrifying club that carried the formula of Bayern Munich = German national team.
He had been hesitating over these thoughts, and because Frankfurt hadn't made a decision for him, he had squeezed his eyes shut and made his decision today, but after hearing the advice, he worried again.
Then he soon closed his eyes and remained like that for a while before bowing his head once more toward Cha Bum-geun and speaking.
"Thank you for the advice, Teacher. And please teach me well going forward. Intensive training… I really like it."
"Hmm… yes. I've also grasped what your will is like, so that's good. The way you speak with such spirit, as if your initial stuttering were a complete lie, is very much to my liking. A man should set goals and speak like that. Haha."
"H-ha… th-thank you."
At Teacher Cha Bum-geun's actions of bursting into a deeply satisfied smile and patting his shoulder, Minjun didn't know what to do but thought about the future.
For now, he decided to think after making Frankfurt his own.
While thinking that he would make them so anxious to secure him that they wouldn't be able to sit still.
* * *
In Frankfurt, for a figure named Cha Bum-geun not to be the subject of rumors would be strange.
To them, Cha Bum-geun was a messiah-like figure at the time, someone they still longed for and earnestly wished that a troubleshooter to succeed him would appear.
But such a figure had appeared in Frankfurt, and moreover, was visiting the stadium and said to be teaching Minjun, who was recently being called Frankfurt's future, so not only local newspapers but also German soccer publications began to make a major splash and feature headline articles about this.
This naturally spread to Korea as well, but Korean soccer officials couldn't help but be bewildered.
Because to them, the existence of Gang Minjun was truly a mysterious figure who had fallen from the sky. With various sports media companies and other press outlets continually contacting them to ask questions about Minjun, but unable to provide answers, an extremely awkward situation was unfolding.
Regardless of what Germany or Korea did, Minjun knew that the time he had to learn was limited, so he possessed the motivation to squeeze out and consume everything he possibly could, and talked with the club to request that the video sessions be recorded.
He argued that if recordings were made of whatever teachings were given, then even if he left for Korea, he could watch the videos, imitate them, and receive corrections from other coaches.
The club readily accepted Minjun's request, and Cha Bum-geun also devoted even more passion and sincerity to teaching Minjun, moved by his serious attitude.
---------------------------= Author's Note ---------------------------=
Um...
You were working as a commentator around this time, after all...
Munich.. I thought he'd go!!!
After much worrying, he'll be starting from Frankfurt for now.
His age and experience are just too lacking...
If you compare his stats with Munich's.. ugh, it's just absurd..