Save 7. Moving Forward Bit by Bit
"Wait, that's outside the line!"
"I didn't even trip him!"
West Ham protested immediately, but the referee wouldn't listen. Truthfully, even in Sin Uison's eyes, it had been a penalty.
In the end, the one who had to clean up that mess was Sin Uison himself, of course.
"Damn it."
[I told you it was foreshadowing, didn't I?]
"Shut up. No, wait, don't tell me... did you do something?"
[Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of power.]
While bickering with Voice, the players of both teams took their positions for the penalty kick.
Aston Villa seemed to have a definite kicker, as one player was already waiting inside the penalty box early on.
'I'm nervous, that's for sure.'
Sin Uison rolled his shoulders unnecessarily at the sight before his eyes.
The players of both teams were staring intently at the goalmouth.
To the point where it felt like holes might be bored into his face.
"Hoo."
Sin Uison, having steadied his breath, set his stance.
He was nervous, but not afraid.
The referee, having checked everything, soon entered the penalty box.
Beep!
With the whistle, the kicker began to move his body bit by bit.
At first slowly, then soon picking up speed—watching him, Sin Uison tensed his body as well.
'Which way?'
All the shots that player had taken in today's match had been powerful ones. Would it be the same this time?
'Or.'
There was also the method of checking which way he moved first, then changing direction a beat late.
Bang!
It was the former.
The shot, struck hard and straight, rocketed to the corner just as fast.
But it was fine.
Because Sin Uison had already stretched his hand out in that direction.
The ball was caught in that hand.
"Ooh!"
The scout teams watching the match burst into exclamations of admiration. Someone jotted something down, someone made a phone call.
The West Ham reserve team manager was no different.
He looked at Sin Uison once, then looked at the scout teams from other clubs.
'I'll have to make a suggestion to the club.'
With that kind of growth, it would be a waste to let him go on a free transfer.
There was the option of re-signing, but would Sin Uison actually re-sign?
Since that possibility was low, wouldn't it be better to secure at least a small transfer fee instead?
Beeeep!
That day's match ended with Norris, who had won the penalty, finishing with the goal.
Not knowing what results this would produce in the January transfer window.
People were busy tapping away at their own calculators.
[BBC] Who will start Boxing Day?
[Sky Sports] Premier League teams preparing for the January transfer window!
Time passed, and before long, it was late December.
Some teams had risen in the standings by taking advantage of Boxing Day, the most important period of the season, while others had dropped.
And just like the changed league standings.
Changes had occurred in Sin Uison's stats as well.
【Reaction Speed – 72】
【Anticipation – 67】
【Handling – 65】
【Throwing – 64】
【Goalkeeper Diving – 68】
If one were to list the stats that had risen noticeably, there were these five.
The encouraging thing was that they were all abilities related to goalkeeping.
At this point, there shouldn't be any confusion about whether he's a goalkeeper or a midfielder, right?
But if there was one thing that was unexpected.
【Passing – 73】
【Long Passing – 71】
"Why these two?"
Sin Uison looked at the two stats that had surged and expressed his doubts.
Of course, it was good that his stats had risen.
The problem was that he hadn't particularly done any training related to passing during that time. So it must have grown naturally.
"Voice, why is this?"
[Because you've grown.]
It was a clear-cut answer. The person in question, Sin Uison, couldn't understand it, though.
"I didn't do any training related to passing?"
[It's not like you can only raise stats in the training ground of your dreams, right?]
"Well, that's true."
Sin Uison nodded. In fact, his stats had sometimes risen while training in reality.
But why passing?
[Should I call it a light misconception... To ease your frustration even a little, people can grow even without mindless training.]
"What was that?"
He frowned for a moment, then soon sighed and nodded.
It was a sign to keep talking.
[To put it simply, it's called an epiphany.]
Of course, an epiphany doesn't bring about a dramatic change like in fiction.
Simply put, through growth, you make more accurate judgments and predictions, and such growth has influenced your passing ability as well.
'He certainly had been hearing more often lately that he threaded good passes.'
Because it was a growth rate similar to raising stats by accumulating experience points with difficulty, there was something even more bewildering about it.
That question.
Voice simply summed it up.
[It's talent.]
Talent.
A simple yet truly cruel word.
"I see. So it's talent."
His tension drained. But there truly was no answer quite as easy to understand as that.
Among the legends who left their mark on the football world, there were surprisingly many who were lazy.
Even so, they dominated the football world of their time.
It was possible because they possessed overwhelming talent.
"Should I be glad that I at least had some talent as a midfielder?"
Sin Uison smiled bitterly.
In other words.
It meant his talent as a goalkeeper was just that lacking.
[...You don't need to be so disappointed. After all, that's what the training ground is for.]
"Are you comforting me?"
Sin Uison burst into laughter even though he was the one who had said it.
[What is it? I went out of my way to tell you.]
"No, thank you. You cheered me up."
Sin Uison got up.
He had known for a long time that he lacked talent.
Yet the reason he stubbornly persisted was because of one man.
A person who possessed dazzlingly brilliant talent.
'Hyung.'
Until he reached the place where his hyung stood, he had no intention of giving up.
Sin Uison clenched his fist tightly, still wearing his goalkeeper gloves.
***
"Did you rest well?"
"I did, I guess. What about you, Bob?"
"I'm starting to hate coming to work."
Bob looked tired as he arrived at the training ground.
For those working in English football, Boxing Day was the most grueling period of the year.
That went for coaches too.
Moreover, even after Boxing Day ended, league matches and cup competitions awaited just days later, so it was hard to rest easy.
"By the way, how's first team training?"
"Well, not bad."
Sin Uison nodded nonchalantly. Lately, he had been receiving regular call-ups to first team training.
Of course, he only participated in training; for matches, he played in the reserve team games.
'Today's training intensity is light, so that's fortunate.'
When the league schedule is tight, managers come up with their own methods.
They reduce training intensity, or even give days off.
Of course, there were also dictator-like managers who just ran their players into the ground.
"Hmm?"
[You have a call.]
"I know."
Sin Uison checked the caller with a nonchalant face, then froze.
Because it was his mother.
"Hello?"
—Uison, did you know?
"Know what?"
—West Ham has offered you to other clubs.
In that moment, he felt something drop heavily in his chest.
—Still, the atmosphere isn't too bad. Several teams have shown interest. You've been doing well in the U23 league lately, right? Good for you.
"I see."
Sin Uison wasn't happy about that praise. Because he knew it was praise that came out in hopes of receiving a larger signing fee when a player transferred.
Sin Uison hung up the phone and clicked his tongue with a displeased face.
[Are you on bad terms with your parents?]
"No, strictly speaking, it's not bad."
But it's not good either.
He sighed and continued.
"Anyway, the January transfer window will open soon, so we'll find out then."
[Are you thinking of transferring?]
"It seems the club has already given up on re-signing me."
There wasn't much time left on Sin Uison's contract with West Ham.
Rather than letting him go for free, they probably want to secure even a paltry transfer fee.
"Well, I'd refuse even if they offered a contract renewal."
[Why?]
"There are already two goalkeepers here who have firmly secured their positions."
Adrian and Jussi Jääskeläinen.
It was foolish to keep waiting, trying to squeeze into that gap.
Anyway.
For now, he didn't know which team, which league, or which country was targeting him, so there was very little he could do in the current situation.
'I'll just have to focus on what I can do.'
Sin Uison headed toward the training ground.
Time continued to pass.
Finally, January 1st arrived.
[BBC] Transfer Window Opens!
[Football London] Transfer rumors connecting to West Ham.
The January transfer window had opened.
Clubs wanted to strengthen positions that had been pointed out as weaknesses, or depth thinned by injuries, through this transfer window.
However.
Even amid such rumors.
There were no rumors about Sin Uison.
"Was it even true that there was interest?"
Sin Uison tried his best to stay calm, but thinking of his situation where there wasn't a single article about him made him somewhat depressed.
On top of that.
There was something in the training ground of his dreams that still wouldn't work out.
'Penalty save training.'
Other trainings weren't so difficult that he couldn't reach a C rating now, but this one was different.
If he was lucky.
No.
He had to be lucky to even make one save out of five shots.
[You simply lack the skill.]
"Damn it."
Sin Uison felt bitter at the sudden attack. But it wasn't wrong.
Voice advised him to challenge it after raising sufficient stats through other training.
He was following that advice now, but.
Regardless, it was hard to easily let go of his attachment.
"What's wrong? Something on your mind?"
Just then, someone tapped Sin Uison on the shoulder and spoke to him.
It was the veteran goalkeeper, Jussi Jääskeläinen.
It seemed he was worried about Sin Uison, who looked more stiff than usual.
"Ah, um, well, I do have something on my mind."
Sin Uison thought this was rather fortunate.
Who else would he ask for advice at a time like this if not an experienced veteran?
"I can't quite get a feel for penalties."
"Hmm."
That's a difficult question.
Jussi Jääskeläinen rested his chin on his hand.
Theoretically, a penalty kick is a very disadvantageous situation for the goalkeeper.
But reality is different. People could see goalkeepers saving penalties as not so difficult.
Simply because the kicker makes a mistake.
Or the keeper's reflexes are that fast.
Or.
They win the psychological battle with the kicker.
"I look at the eyes."
"The eyes?"
"Yeah. When you've been around as long as I have, you can see a lot in the kicker's eyes."
Whether he'll shoot left, or right.
Of course, there were many times I lost the psychological battle instead.
'Ah.'
Sin Uison realized the biggest difference between a person and the black silhouette there.
That shadow.
Had no eyes.
Had no expression.
It was the simplest thing, yet something he hadn't easily realized.
"Then, what if."
His voice was tense, having caught a slight clue.
"If you faced a kicker who thoroughly hid their emotions, what would you do?"
"Well, there were such guys."
If they were a master of poker face, or a master of psychological warfare? He pondered deeply, then soon shrugged.
"You have to analyze them!"
"Analyze, you say?"
"No matter how expressionless a guy is, habits form. You'd need luck, but that's the way to increase your odds at least."
Habits.
Did that guy have something like that?
After receiving an F rating several times, Sin Uison hadn't even shown his face near the penalty save training.
Did he need to do a detailed analysis like Jussi said?
No, before that, could something like a system even develop habits?
"If you'll excuse me."
Knowing it was shameless, Sin Uison asked another question.
"What if there's none of that either?"
"Hey."
Jussi scrunched his face.
He spoke as if telling him to have some conscience.
"At that point, just let them score, punk."
"Oi, Shin!"
At the voice calling him, both turned their heads.
Bob was looking this way and waving his hand.
"Come here for a moment!"
"What is it?"
"It's a meeting!"
At those words, Sin Uison's eyes widened.
The inevitable had arrived.
The place Bob led him to was the office of the first team manager, Sam Allardyce.
"You've come."
Sam Allardyce nodded upon seeing Sin Uison.
Sam Allardyce wasn't the only one here. There were unfamiliar faces; he wondered if they might be from the transfer team.
"What is it?"
Sin Uison asked, sitting in an empty chair.
"I've called you for two proposals."
"Proposals...?"
"If you accept the first proposal, the second becomes meaningless."
Sam Allardyce paused for a moment, then continued.
"I highly rate your potential. Therefore, I'd like to offer you a contract renewal."
"I'll refuse."
Sin Uison answered without hesitation.
It was a decision he had already made, and it still hadn't changed.
Sam Allardyce nodded as if he had expected as much.
"Then it's the second proposal."
This time, the one who spoke was the person he had seen for the first time.
"A transfer offer has come in."
His guess seemed to have been right. The man took out two files.
"From two places, at that."
Sin Uison checked the teams one by one.
One was Leeds United in the second division.
The other was Wolverhampton in the third division.