4 Save. West Ham Reserve Team
Sin Uison was gradually, very gradually, growing accustomed to the training ground in his dreams.
Around the time he was also growing gradually accustomed to living with that voice with its strange personality.
Even the club's evaluation of Sin Uison was slowly rising.
"Sin, get down lower!"
"The faster you move, the straighter your posture should be. Unless you want to get injured."
From a prone position, when the coach lightly took a shot, he quickly rose and stretched out his arms.
He was a Sin Uison who hadn't let a single shot past him yet.
Training in his dreams was important, but that didn't mean he was neglecting training in reality.
He poured everything he had into the training ground at West Ham as well.
"Well done! These days, it seems like you've become a completely different player!"
Among them, the happiest person was Bob.
Because he was a coach who had quietly looked after Sin Uison, he knew it was pure joy and not pretense.
Sin Uison, wiping sweat, smiled bitterly and answered.
"I still have a long way to go."
"Of course. You haven't taken your first step; you're a newborn beast cub that has just opened its eyes."
"......"
[Hehe.]
Bob was quite the backhanded critic.
The Voice let out a laugh as if pleased.
"Well, at this rate, it won't be long before you show your face at first-team training."
He was a high-ranking coach among the West Ham coaches, and was in charge of organizing the reserve team's training data and sending it up to the first team.
"Keep up the good work in a few days too."
'A few days later.'
Watching his departing figure, Sin Uison recalled the schedule.
Reserve team match.
It was his first match of the season.
***
The 2013/14 Premier League.
If you had to pick the biggest issues before the season opened, it would be two managers.
Alex Ferguson, the manager who had reigned over England for a long time, announced his retirement while putting the finishing touches on his own myth.
As if to fill that void, there was a man who wrapped up his life in Madrid and returned.
The Special One.
Jose Mourinho.
The manager most loved by Chelsea fans returned, causing massive ripples.
-I'm jealous.
-Won't a manager like that come to us?
West Ham fans ached watching Chelsea like that.
They were local rivals based in the same London in name, but in reality, the difference in class was significant. Historically, their savage rivalry with Millwall was more famous, if anything.
Therefore, the fierce title race constantly talked about in the media day after day was somewhat distant from West Ham.
In fact, the top priority goal for this season was survival.
Even if they thought surely they wouldn't be relegated, it had only been a few seasons since they were relegated and then promoted back.
[BBC] West Ham, Another Defeat!
[Sky Sports] West Ham Without a League Victory Since Entering November!
Moreover, although several months had passed since the season started, they hadn't even earned 10 points yet.
The survival battle was a reality.
It was a story from a distant land for Sin Uison, but.
'For now, I should worry about taking care of myself.'
From his position on the verge of being released, securing his footing was important, whether the team got relegated or not.
In that regard, the upcoming reserve team match was an important one for him.
Because he could firmly cement the positive reactions he had been getting from the coaches recently.
'Until now, Adrian was there.'
In the reserve team matches up until now, Adrian had worn the goalkeeper gloves in Sin Uison's place.
It was a measure for the newcomer who couldn't quite adapt, and actually, after Adrian claimed the starting spot, it became a thing of the past.
Now, he alone remained in reserve team training.
Sin Uison was also stimulated by that situation.
The place a player should be was indeed the ground.
"Someday, not a place like this......"
Sin Uison murmured, looking at the empty reserve team stadium.
Someday.
He wanted to stand on a star-studded stage.
"What are you muttering about alone?"
"It's nothing."
Norris, warming up nearby, spoke to him as if finding it strange.
If there was one more thing that had changed, it was this guy.
Norris, who had until now treated him as beneath himself, had changed his attitude after Sin Uison recently showed good form in training.
Was it slyness, or should you say he had that much less malice.
For Sin Uison, it was something he didn't care about.
Today's opponent was Fulham FC. Like West Ham, they were a team based in London.
"Alright, everyone gather!"
The reserve team manager called the West Ham players warming up into a huddle.
It was almost time to enter the locker room.
"The thing to watch out for is their speed. Both full-backs, press the center and make the midfield creak."
The reserve team manager delivered a fiery speech to the players. He gave various instructions and countermeasures, but there were also players who didn't pay attention.
'I wonder if the first team is different.'
Looking at that locker room, Sin Uison fiddled with his gloves for no reason.
Honestly, he didn't really know about the manager's ability.
Even if he wanted to compare him to world-class managers, what did he know?
He had merely heard that this level was decent for a reserve team manager and thought, 'I see.'
But if there was one thing he knew... he hadn't felt anything particularly special from the youth managers or reserve team managers he had met so far.
"Sin! It's your first match this season, but can you do well?"
"...No problem."
Sin Uison nodded with an expressionless face.
When it came time to compete, he maintained this emotion.
When he returned to the pitch, he could see a few more people had arrived.
There weren't many people who would come watch a reserve match like this.
Either die-hard West Ham fans.
Or the players' families.
Or scouts from other clubs.
Seeing that there was no professional filming equipment, they didn't seem to be scouts.
Beep!
The match had begun.
'Maybe it will go smoother than I thought.'
West Ham reserves constricted Fulham reserves' midfield through heavy pressing. Norris's condition didn't seem bad either, as he unleashed a fairly sharp shot.
But things in life weren't that easy.
Soon, Fulham reserves' counterattack began.
"Damn."
Whether they had aimed for this from the beginning or if it was a coincidence, he didn't know.
Their counterattack was coming in quite threateningly.
'I need to prepare too.'
Sin Uison stepped forward a bit. If he rushed out recklessly, he risked conceding a mid-range shot.
A little.
For now, it was enough to just angle his body.
"Nice!"
"Get back in! They'll pass it right away!"
But the crisis didn't come.
Because the center-backs succeeded in clearing the ball from an appropriate position.
'Ooh.'
It was a tackle that even Sin Uison would admire unconsciously. You had to take into account that this was a reserve team match, but it was still good defense.
But that admiration didn't last long.
As time passed.
West Ham reserves' pressing, with concentration waning, was gradually loosening.
"Damn it!"
Even for Sin Uison, who always preached calmness when coming out for matches, curses came out.
Was that super tackle from earlier just luck?
So much so that he unconsciously glared at the defenders, Fulham reserves were attacking this side very easily.
West Ham's defense, having allowed another breakthrough, was belatedly chasing Fulham's counterattack. But they were too late to catch up.
It was an unstable situation to rely solely on the defense.
Sin Uison was no longer afraid to rush out.
Of course, it was a risky gamble.
But now, at the reserve team level, he had gained the confidence that this much was fine.
'Arrogant.'
The Fulham striker, charging straight into the penalty area, frowned. He found the behavior of the Asian goalkeeper before him quite unpleasant. It was as if he was being looked down upon.
'I'll flatten your nose!'
The method chosen by the Fulham striker was to kick the shot low.
No matter how much he tried to narrow the shooting angle, it was a shot that was difficult to block in this situation.
And.
Sin Uison quickly crouched his body.
As if he had anticipated it, Sin Uison hopped and swatted the ball away as if snatching it.
"He saved it!"
"Hurry up and clear the ball!"
The West Ham reserve players, eyes wide open, hurriedly put the ball out over the line.
As they did so, they looked at Sin Uison with renewed surprise.
Was this really the Sin Uison they knew?
The situation just now had been boldness and saving ability they could never have seen from him normally.
"Everyone, get your heads in the game!"
So much so that they waved their hands as if embarrassed even at Sin Uison's shouting. Ironically, the less the defense could exert themselves, the more Sin Uison's saves stood out.
To the point that even the reserve team manager, who had normally been indifferent to Sin Uison, showed interest.
"Hmm."
The West Ham reserve team manager rubbed his eyes once and continued.
"Sin seems to be in particularly good condition today."
"That's right. Actually, he's been showing that kind of performance consistently in training since last week."
"Really? Why didn't I know?"
'Because you weren't interested.'
The reserve team coach suppressed those words that had nearly jumped out of his mouth.
Things might look like this, but he was still a manager. There was no benefit in getting on his bad side.
Well, he couldn't just curse the manager either.
Even at the club level, Sin Uison was already being treated like a child they had given up on.
A prospect whose right knee cruciate ligament had torn twice.
Even a non-athlete ordinary person would face difficulties in daily life from that degree of injury. It was an injury that would plague him with aftereffects for life.
But Sin Uison stood up.
When recovering his career as a midfielder became impossible, he boldly changed positions.
It was a fighting spirit and obsession that surprised even the coaches at the time.
No one knew what had made him go that far.
'Was that why Bob took care of him?'
After all, Bob was someone who had watched him rise again after injury. He would also be the man who would be happiest to receive today's match recording.
"Oh."
Amidst this, the coach's eyes lit up with interest.
West Ham's counterattack was beginning.
"Everyone get out far!"
Sin Uison shouted after catching the ball. He even gestured for them to go further.
Currently, Fulham's players were controlling the midfield through intense pressing.
'Then, rather.'
Sin Uison lightly placed the ball down and immediately sent up a long pass.
Thud!
A pass that stretched out straight ahead was delivered precisely to the winger on the flank.
Although they ultimately failed to score, it was definitely a threatening pass.
The goalkeeper who had only received decent evaluations for his passing now possessed two weapons.
"Get your damn heads straight!"
Whether the manager's shouting worked after that, West Ham reserves' defense recovered their concentration and the match ended just like that.
0 : 0.
It was disappointing for the reserve team manager.
For Sin Uison, it was a fortunate match in that he hadn't conceded a goal.
"You did well today."
"......"
"Sin?"
"Ah, were you talking to me?"
Sin Uison, blankly wiping sweat with a towel, blinked.
Could he have even imagined it?
Receiving praise from the reserve team manager to that extent was a first.
"We managed to draw today thanks to you. Keep working hard."
The reserve team manager said that, patted his shoulder once, and left.
Sin Uison, who had paused briefly, soon scratched his cheek.
How should he put it; it didn't feel real.
He could enjoy the coaches' praise for what it was, but why did he react like this to the manager's praise?
"Still."
Sin Uison smiled.
It wasn't a bad feeling.