25 save. Pre-season
Since then, there hadn't been any particular news of progress regarding the contract renewal.
But.
Even though neither side had any reason to rush.
There were always people in a hurry everywhere.
[Leeds Live] Would it be better to just sell Shin Uison?
Raiola's notoriety had begun to work against him.
In European football, his image was rather poor.
And that notoriety wasn't born for no reason. At least from the fans' perspective, Raiola was worse than a cancer cell.
Therefore, the gist was that if they could secure a large transfer fee, they should consider selling Shin Uison. Killing two birds with one stone by getting rid of Raiola as well.
Of course, there were more than a few fans who showed resistance to their claims, but.
If the contract renewal continued to stagnate, no one knew how things might change.
And that afternoon.
News heavier than the player's contract renewal was announced through the club's official homepage.
[OFFICIAL] McDermott leaving the team.
Manager McDermott had left the team. More precisely, he had been sacked.
They expressed gratitude for his dedication until now, but this became controversial because anyone could see he had been cast aside like a worn rag.
-He got us promoted and then was thrown away like a dog.
-Honestly, he deserved to be fired.
There were opinions that it was a natural choice given the tactical capabilities McDermott had shown in the Championship league, and.
Opinions that it was too harsh a treatment for the manager who had led them to the Premier League promotion they had so longed for.
McDermott, who had inwardly been looking forward to a new life with the new club owner, also seemed to have received a great shock, not hiding his disappointment through interviews.
"Wow."
Shin Uison, having likewise heard the news, blinked his eyes in surprise.
[What do you think?]
"Honestly, I'm surprised."
He too had thought that unless something special happened, McDermott would be reappointed. He may have been a manager who took flak, but promotion meant that much to Leeds.
But the new owner had sacked the manager immediately upon taking office.
That was the problem.
Who would they bring in as the next manager?
Among football club owners, there were some who became owners not just for business purposes but because they themselves were obsessed with football.
And in the latter cases, there were more than a few whose standards were uselessly high.
Massimo Cellino belonged to the even more deranged side among them.
How else would he have changed managers more than Roman Abramovich, famous as the owner of Chelsea?
"Managers who can cater to his taste won't want to come to Leeds."
The problem was that not only fans but even players could be shaken. While Shin Uison wasn't close to McDermott, there were a few players who were close to the manager.
Of course, aside from Leeds fans, this didn't become a big issue.
[BBC] England defeated by Italy!
[Sky Sports] Russia concede a ridiculous goal, barely manage a draw!
The World Cup.
Currently being held in Brazil, the biggest event in the football world.
With all eyes of the world focused on the World Cup, it was also a time when other news couldn't receive much attention.
[Sky Sports] Who are the leading managerial candidates for Leeds?
Still, it wasn't as if there were no articles about Leeds at all.
Tony Pulis was cited as a strong candidate.
He was known for stifling, physically-based tactics as much as Sam Allardyce, but.
The fact that he had never once been relegated from the Premier League so far was quite noteworthy.
Putting aside the owner's temperament.
Since Leeds had played rough football ever since being relegated from the Premier League, compatibility-wise, Tony Pulis was rather close to the right man for the job.
He happened to be available as a free agent too.
[Leeds Live] Massimo Cellino provokes the master managers!
"If they are truly master managers, only those confident in their abilities would take charge of Leeds."
Even amid all this, Massimo Cellino was enjoying the situation, mentioning high-profile managers out of the blue.
Of course, the Leeds fans were burning up inside.
"That gentleman will continue to do so for the time being."
"He's an attention seeker." Saying so, Raiola put a cookie in his mouth.
Shin Uison, watching him munch, asked.
"Do you know him?"
"Well, Cagliari was one of my clients too."
The Netherlands and Italy. They were places where connections had been carefully built, to the extent they could be called Raiola's home bases.
Therefore, Raiola could easily access what was happening at Cagliari as well.
"He must be the worst kind of human being as a superior, but......"
Shin Uison could easily guess what followed.
It was probably an implication that he was a good target to use and exploit to a suitable degree.
Raiola wiped his hands with a tissue and picked up his coffee this time.
After one sip, he soon scrunched his face and put the cup down.
"Terrible."
He seemed quite the gourmand, fitting for his size.
Shin Uison, who had found it rather tasty to his surprise, fiddled with his smartphone awkwardly.
When he touched the screen, the clock appeared.
How long had he spent time here?
"So."
Shin Uison turned off the screen again and opened his mouth.
"Why did we come all the way here?"
They hadn't come just to drink tea.
And for good reason.
The place he was in right now with Raiola was.
Germany.
The city of Munich in the state of Bavaria.
"There's someone I really wanted to introduce to you."
At Raiola's answer, Shin Uison rested his chin on his hand and looked outside.
He saw quite a few people walking around wearing the German national team uniform.
He could feel the streets were excited because of the World Cup.
'He probably isn't among those people.'
No matter how big the World Cup was, Raiola was an extremely busy man.
The title of super agent wasn't given to just anyone.
Coming all the way to Germany together for a promising goalkeeper prospect was by no means ordinary.
"But was there really a need to come all the way to Germany?"
"As I said before, I said I would help your growth. Having said that, this much is expected."
"Growth... you say."
Shin Uison's reaction was somewhat lukewarm.
And for good reason.
He was already receiving help from a system that transcended reality—the training ground in his dreams.
Could he really grow just by meeting this person?
He didn't know how much he would change, but Shin Uison didn't have high expectations.
"How is the contract renewal going?"
"It's just proceeding smoothly."
It hadn't been reported in the media, but it seemed the contract renewal talks were continuing.
Seeing this, it was clear there was quite a difference between what was reported in the media and reality.
"Neither side has any reason to rush. Moreover, with a big event like the World Cup going on."
"Is that so?"
How much time had passed in such brief conversation?
[Someone is coming this way.]
At her words, Shin Uison subtly turned his head.
As she said, a tall man was heading toward where the two of them were.
'Who is it?'
At first, Shin Uison tried to figure out who he was.
He didn't look young.
A white man who seemed to stand between middle and old age.
"Damn, he's an eye-catcher even from afar."
"You've come."
Raiola rose upon seeing him.
As expected, he seemed to be the person Raiola would introduce today.
"Ah!"
"Hm?"
At that moment.
Shin Uison shouted in surprise.
The white man who had sat down furrowed his brow.
"Is something the matter?"
"You are!"
Shin Uison was quite surprised.
And for good reason—the man in his memory was much younger, full of spirit, and fierce.
As if pleased with the client's reaction.
Raiola cleared his throat a few times and opened his mouth.
"Ahem. Let me introduce you, Shin. This is the mentor I'm introducing to you, Oliver Kahn."
The mentor whom the super agent had accompanied personally today to arrange a meeting.
Oliver Kahn.
He was a legendary goalkeeper for Germany and Bayern Munich.
***
"I never thought you would come."
"Didn't expect it? Well, this kind of thing has never suited my constitution either."
Kahn said so and gulped down his beer.
"Keuh!"
"Hm, I'll have one of these too, please."
Perhaps his appetite was whetted by how refreshingly he took a big gulp, Raiola ordered another glass.
[You've gone quiet. Like a mute who ate honey.]
"..."
Shin Uison didn't react much to the teasing.
Because seeing a legendary goalkeeper drinking alcohol before his eyes was a somewhat bizarre situation.
Oliver Kahn.
His heyday was from the 90s to the early 2000s, so he wasn't mentioned much these days.
But after Shin Uison switched his position to goalkeeper.
Oliver Kahn was also one of the players he had watched the most as reference material.
"Really?"
Oliver Kahn smiled as if amused upon hearing that.
"Who is the goalkeeper you respect the most?"
"Hm. I can't pick just one, but it's not Lehmann."
"Keuheup!"
Raiola, who had been tilting his glass at Shin Uison's answer, sprayed his beer as if he had choked.
Oliver Kahn was laughing heartily.
Jens Lehmann was one of the goalkeepers mentioned as Oliver Kahn's rival.
They had actually competed for the number one spot in the national team.
Oliver Kahn, who had been laughing for a while, waved his hand and spoke.
"I'd like to coach you myself, but there's someone better than me at that, so there's no need to learn from me."
"...?"
Shin Uison blinked.
"Then?"
"As the fatty said, I've come not as your coach but as your mentor."
Mentor.
In the sports world, it usually refers to someone who gives advice on mental and inner matters.
Advice that becomes the flesh and blood of a player's career.
Especially if it was advice from Oliver Kahn, who had reigned as the best goalkeeper for a long time, it would be very important for a growing prospect.
"But if it's advice, where do we start?"
"Hm. That's true too."
Oliver Kahn scratched his chin in thought.
"You said you were originally a midfielder, right?"
"Yes."
"Does that bother you?"
Shin Uison's fingertips twitched slightly.
That reaction seemed to be enough for Kahn to continue.
"Me too, and that friend Buffon too. There probably are some now too, but back then it wasn't a particularly rare case. You can't become the best just because your starting point is different."
Kahn and Buffon were both goalkeepers who represented an era.
Including those two, there were quite a few goalkeepers who started football as field players.
Conversely, there were also not a few players who started as goalkeepers and became field players.
Though not all of them did.
It doesn't become a reason that makes it impossible to reach the top.
"How long has it been since you put on goalkeeper gloves?"
"It's been about half a year since my professional debut."
"Oh."
Oliver Kahn emptied the rest of his beer at those words.
"Then you'd do well to memorize what I'm about to say from now on."
Let me ask one thing first.
He posed a question.
"You've conceded a goal. Whose fault do you think it is?"
"Without any context, is that the only premise?"
"Yes."
"Well, it would depend on the situation."
As he said, there were many situations in which a goalkeeper conceded a goal.
The goalkeeper might make a mistake, or the defender might make a mistake.
Even without mistakes, there might be moments when the opposing striker scores a goal of a lifetime.
"No."
Kahn shook his head firmly.
"It's the defenders' fault."
"Y-yes?"
Shin Uison was bewildered, but Oliver Kahn didn't stop.
"They failed to stop the opposing player until he was right in front of your nose, and let him take a shot. This is the defenders' fault. Isn't it?"
"No, but still, that's a bit..."
"You still don't understand! The shot was fantastic? So what! You should have naturally prevented him from taking the shot! This is only natural for a goalkeeper!"
As if the person who had been speaking calmly until moments ago had disappeared.
Oliver Kahn was shouting at Shin Uison with wide eyes.
Lest people's gazes gather, Raiola had already closed the door.
"Remember this, young friend."
His words entered Shin Uison's mind as if hammering in nail by nail.
"If the goal shakes, the match shakes."
Before that happens, you'd rather blame the guy in front of you.
It was the mentor's first lesson.