Episode 212: Better in Person -2
Twitch, twitch.
With his chin resting in both hands as he watches the reserve team players train, the corners of Coach Guardiola’s mouth twitch upward.
His eyes are sparkling, and his cheeks even appear flushed.
To sum up that expression in one phrase: it is the face of someone gazing at an adorable baby.
“···.”
Coach Guardiola is a famous perfectionist.
And perfectionists, of course, are not easily satisfied.
In a perfectionist’s eyes, flaws are always seen before merits, and areas that need further development are always seen before satisfying ones.
Yet now, profound satisfaction is blooming on that perfectionist’s face.
Because it was so perfect that even a perfectionist’s eyes could spot nothing lacking.
Fwaaang—!
Fwaaang—!
Centered around Ijian, who is wearing a fluorescent vest, the ball circulates in a tight space.
The space is narrow, and the opponent’s pressure is intense; it is a situation that looks difficult to play out of.
But strangely, after passing through Ijian’s feet a few times, space opens up.
And soon, the ball advances into that opened space, and the formation that had seemed impossible to break out of is overturned in an instant, turning into a chance.
“···.”
When alone, he looks somewhat ordinary at first glance.
It’s hard to immediately find the reason for the astronomical transfer fee of 200 billion won.
But now, it is understood at a glance.
It just shows.
Why they invested 200 billion won in that player.
How should this be expressed?
Coach Guardiola searches for the right word, then soon nods.
Ijian was a player like premium lubricant.
A lubricant capable of making even a completely rusted machine run smoothly.
Ijian’s grasp of the surrounding situation was astonishingly fast, and thus he was a player who knew how to use the situation and his teammates.
Always searching for what the problem was, and what the correct answer to solve that problem was.
You could see him constantly looking around.
And in doing so, he continuously selected and showed only the correct answers.
Even if it was among reserve team players, that accuracy rate was simply astonishing.
Rather, it was more surprising that he showed such a thing among reserve team players.
Watching him like this... the reserve team players looked like first team players.
Ijian was making it so.
Because he always created optimal situations, the surrounding players also played in optimal situations, and thus could display their best abilities.
Moreover, today was Ijian’s first day.
He hadn’t received any training yet.
So right now, he must simply be moving as his body was accustomed to.
And yet, there was no sense of disharmony, as if he had been breathing in sync with them for a long time.
“···”
The reason his specialness only became apparent once he entered the game like that was because Ijian’s strengths lay not in hardware, but in software.
The ability to read the flow.
Vision that catches even minute details.
Supercomputer-like quick judgment.
And when clean technique without any unnecessary embellishment was added to that, even things that seemed ordinary became special.
His ball-handling technique, which had been clean but not flashy, when met with such software, looked nothing but efficient.
Coach Guardiola’s expression, which had looked somewhat anxious until just moments ago, now looks comfortable at some point.
“···.”
As mentioned earlier, among players who transfer from small-to-medium clubs to big clubs, more fail than one might think.
And the players in those failing cases generally share one thing in common: they can only blossom in specific environments.
The most representative case is players who only display their maximum ability when they are the main character.
Of course, becoming the main character isn’t easy either.
Not just anyone can be the main character.
Receiving the team’s concentrated resources is possible only because one has the ability to deliver when given that much.
But in big clubs, the story is different.
It is hard to become the main character.
One cannot monopolize all the resources.
Players with the above characteristics fail to adapt in such situations.
In the end, they hear that they’re not as good as before, and get tagged as a failed signing.
Still, there are certainly players who succeed.
If one has overwhelming ability to become the main character even in big clubs and big leagues, they naturally succeed.
If one has the ability of someone like Ronaldo, who played the main character’s role even at a club like Real Madrid, there’s no way they’d fail.
But that is an exceptional case.
Most simply fit better playing the ace at small-to-medium clubs.
In that regard, it is difficult for Ijian to fail.
At least, that was what Coach Guardiola felt.
Because he was a player who displayed his best ability in any situation.
Whether it was for himself or for the team.
A player who could adjust, change, and fit in.
In short, he was a smart player, which rather made it harder for him to fail.
“···.”
It might still seem funny.
To draw a conclusion after watching merely a brief training session.
Since it’s only natural that one needs to observe for at least a season to reach a level of conviction when evaluating a player.
And yet, he felt like he knew.
He felt he could be certain of this.
Coach Guardiola nods.
He’s better in person.
The optical illusion that other people’s rice cakes look bigger was definitely not the case.
Well, it was a world full of variables, so his thoughts could change going forward.
But at least the first impression was so.
*
“Huu—”
Sitting in the stands, untying my football boot laces, a sigh escapes automatically.
Having maintained concentration throughout training, I feel somewhat drained.
It seems I was quite nervous without realizing it.
“···.”
I sneak a glance to the side.
The new coach, who from behind looks like Coach Vincenzo, is talking about this and that with the coaches.
If I said the topic of that conversation seemed to be me, would that be too much self-consciousness?
But then again, throughout training, he seemed to be staring only at me.
That’s why I was nervous too.
Anyway, well, I haven’t completed an official training session yet.
It was just personal training and, somehow, I ended up playing a game with the reserve team players, that’s all.
Still, my impression of the first training session wearing the new team’s kit... was that it was more fun than I thought.
I was nervous, but it was fun nonetheless.
If you ask what was fun... well.
The endless sequence of passes, position changes, and the battle of wits to claim space were fun, I suppose.
In short, everyone was good, so it was interesting.
The high level made me nervous, but that tension felt fun.
It made me think, so this is what soccer is...
Hmm.
But one concern is, if even the reserve team is at this level.
I can’t imagine how tough first team training will be.
It’s still vivid.
When I faced Man City in last season’s Champions League.
How suffocating the pressure exerted by the Man City players was.
They were all truly at a high level.
A level where keeping up was overwhelming.
Now I have to keep up with them among those players, and I can’t help but worry about becoming a burden.
Especially since I’m even in a position where I’m expected to do much better.
I don’t know.
I just have to try my best.
“Lee!”
While putting away my football boots, I hear someone call me and turn my head.
There, I see the coach gesturing.
I walk over nervously, and the coach says,
“The coach says he has something he wants to tell you.”
Gulp.
I swallow without realizing it.
I nod, and the coach who had been watching me with his arms folded speaks from the side.
“I’m curious what the coach said to you when you were at Fiorentina.”
...Hmm.
It is Italian, but the accent is unfamiliar, so it takes me a moment to process.
“...What did he say?”
...Well.
I hesitate for a moment interpreting the intent of the question, and the coach speaks again.
“Something he told you to do during training, or something he always emphasized.”
Hm.
Something he always emphasized... not really.
Just...
“...He told me to do as I pleased.”
Since Italian is still more comfortable, I answer in Italian, and the coach suddenly puts on a mischievous expression.
Then,
“Hahaha!”
The coach bursts out laughing, throwing his head back.
He had seemed very strict and somewhat scary, but could he laugh this brightly too?
It’s a bit amazing, but anyway.
After laughing for a while, the coach stops with difficulty and says,
“Good. Then keep doing that from now on.”
...What does that mean?
I don’t really know.
I think I’ll only know what that means once I see the coach more and understand what kind of person he is.
*
Right after training, I was about to head straight home when I got caught by the coach for a moment.
He said there was something to do since we had time today, so I’m heading back to the main building.
By the way, the contract was finalized a long time ago.
I took dozens of photos too, so I’m curious what more there is to do.
When I ask carefully, the coach shrugs his shoulders and answers.
“It’s a simple test. It won’t take long, but it’s something that absolutely must be done, so I’m asking.”
A test... I’ve already received the medical test too.
Is there more left?
I tilt my head, and the coach seems to understand my curiosity, tapping his temple with his finger as he speaks.
“Not a physical test. A mental test.”
“...A mental test?”
A mental test.
Just hearing it gives a somewhat uncomfortable feeling, so I furrow my brows without realizing it and ask again, and the coach nods.
“It’s called a TCI test. Also called a temperament and character inventory. It’s not an exam, so there’s no need to be nervous. We just want to know what kind of person you are.”
...Hmm.
Hearing it put that way makes it even more uncomfortable.
Rather than a test, the idea of them trying to see what kind of person I am sounds scarier.
Anyway, since it must be done.
Reluctantly, I follow the coach into the main building and walk down the corridor.
And entering a quiet room, I sit in a chair and wait a moment, and a thin booklet is placed in front of me.
“Just choose the option closest to your thoughts for each question. There’s no time limit, so take it slowly and comfortably. But please be as honest as possible.”
“...Understood.”
I nod and carefully open the book.
Then the coach leaves the room, and left alone in the quiet room, I face the densely packed questions.
Chapter 1 is... a temperament test.
Reading the explanation, temperament is said to be an individual’s characteristics possessed from birth.
Then... is it talking about the original me, before being influenced by anything?
A strange curiosity arises.
“...”
Slowly, I begin reading each question carefully.
I think I immediately understand why there’s no time limit.
The very first question makes me think quite a bit.
Q1. I prioritize the speed of work over the perfection of work.
□ Very true.
□ Mostly true.
□ Somewhat true.
□ Not true.
Perfection... and speed.
What do I prioritize more?
Well.
What I feel anew is that even though I know myself best, the answer doesn’t come easily.
After thinking deeply, I pick up the pen.
I checked ‘Very true.’
Then comes the second question.
I spend quite some time on the second question as well, and then face the third question.
“...”
In the quiet room where I remain alone, only the ticking sound of the clock is heard.
Inside it, I begin to face my true self.