I became the Premier League’s youngest manager

On the first day of training after the international break, Hyungmin stood at the entrance of the Banfield Training Center to welcome his four new recruits.

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to Burnley Football Club!"

"Coach! No, Manager! You sound like a tour guide!"

Karim Adeyemi, a young German striker with curly hair and a height of 180cm, approached Hyungmin and spoke in a friendly manner. His comment made his Austrian teammate, Nicolas Seywald, who is 179cm tall with short blond hair, chuckle.

"Hehehe. You were like that when we were in Salzburg too. Anyway, congratulations on becoming a full-time manager!"

RB Salzburg's promising attacking prospect Karim Adeyemi and midfielder Nicolas Seywald walked up to Hyungmin, offering him a handshake and a hug.

Two more hesitant players approached next.

"Hello! This is Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa!"

Jacob Ramsey, an English midfielder with a 180cm build and short, curly hair, greeted Hyungmin first with a booming voice.

"… Oh, so we're part of Burnley now? I'm Hannibal Mabry. I'm the new midfielder for Burnley."

Hannibal Mabry, a French-born Tunisian national with a voluminous hairstyle that could be mistaken for either a lion's mane or dreadlocks, greeted Hyungmin with a smirk.

For some reason, Hannibal, who was 183cm tall, appeared shorter than Jacob Ramsey, who was 180cm. Hyungmin smiled, thinking it was due to Hannibal's sly attitude.

"Jacob and Hannibal, welcome too. Let's get along well together from now on."

Hyungmin shook hands with the other two and led the group into the training center.

"Karim and Nicolas have been together since our Salzburg days. Have you two met Jacob yet?"

Hyungmin asked as he guided the players through the facility.

"Yes, but we didn't have much time to talk."

Karim chuckled at Jacob's stiff answer.

"Director, this guy is so stiff!"

"Hey, what's wrong with that?"

Karim Adeyemi's teasing was interrupted by Nicolas Seywald.

Hannibal, who had been watching the conversation, asked, "Oh, why do these three know each other?"

"Oh, we came from Salzburg, so the club found us a boarding house nearby. Jacob said it was hard to commute from Birmingham every day, so he decided to stay in the same boarding house as us. It's really close to the training ground."

Karim Adeyemi, who had taken up residence in a boarding house in Padiham—a village right next to the training ground, not even in Burnley itself—boasted about their close proximity to the facilities.

Hannibal immediately chimed in, "I'll go to the boarding house too!"

"What? No, there's no need for that… Since you're a Manchester United player, Burnley shouldn't be that far from your house, right?"

Hyungmin, embarrassed, tried to stop him, but Hannibal stubbornly insisted.

"No! I also want to spend time with my colleagues and build camaraderie!"

"Uh… if you really want to do that?"

"I really want to do that!"

[That kid… seems like he's trying to please the manager?]

Karim Adeyemi muttered quietly in German as he changed into his uniform in the locker room for morning training.

Nicolas Seywald, having spent years with his friend, shrugged his shoulders as if used to it.

[So what? We're not even competing for positions. As long as you're good, that's fine.]

[Hey, aren't you worried? You're a midfielder, and he's a midfielder too?]

[Our roles are different. And you know that. The manager isn't the type to be swayed by that.]

[I know. I know that. That's why you came to Burnley.]

Karim Adeyemi clicked his tongue as if still not fond of Hannibal.

[Well... he's one of Manchester United's most promising prospects, so he must have basic skills.]

"What are you all doing? Hurry up and change and get out! Even if you dress nicely, there are no girls here that you like!"

Arthur, the head coach, banged on the locker room door and shouted.

The new players, along with the veterans, hurriedly finished changing and headed to the training ground under the instructions of the meticulous British coach.

It was a September morning in Burnley, with the sun beginning to shine for the first time in a while.

After a light warm-up, the Burnley players began practicing short passes in groups of three, a drill they had become accustomed to.

As this was a training method Hyungmin had introduced back in his Salzburg days, neither Karim Adeyemi nor Nicolas Seywald had to adjust much.

"Hm, space constraints. Are you performing the pass-and-move within the limitations?"

Hannibal Mabry, who tilted his head while looking at the training grounds filled with cones and lines, quickly understood the purpose of the drill, as if demonstrating his tactical acumen.

As if wary of Hannibal's quick observations, Karim Adeyemi sneakily approached him with Nicolas Seywald while forming their team.

"What is it?"

Hannibal Mabry asked as he noticed the two approaching.

"Hey, let's do the next group together. Let's get to know each other."

At Karim Adeyemi's words, both players let out a dark laugh.

"Hehehe…"

This type of bickering had happened many times in Paris, Monaco, and Manchester United. How dare a country bumpkin from the Austrian countryside…

Huh. You're from Manchester United? Go ahead and get humbled by the Red Bull system.

The two young players glared at each other, each silently pondering their superiority.

"Hm…"

Veteran midfielder Jack Cork, Burnley's vice-captain, muttered under his breath.

Soccer is not a game based on age, and Jack knew that well.

Burnley's homegrown striker Dwight McNeil, only 21 years old, already had the skill to play for almost any Premier League team.

While physical abilities generally peak in the mid to late 20s, soccer players often lose their edge as they grow older. However, experienced veterans can still hold their own, compensating for declining physical abilities with their accumulated knowledge.

At 32 years old, Jack Cork had started to feel the effects of aging, but he could still make up for it with experience.

But age doesn't always dictate success.

Karim Adeyemi was born in 2002 and was only 19 years old.

Nicolas Seywald was also 19.

Hannibal Mabry, born in 2003, was just 18.

Normally, they would still be in reserve teams or youth squads.

"But where did you bring these monsters from…"

While the veterans observed in awe, the three freshmen continued their training. They exchanged quick, one-touch passes in a confined space, their skills almost mesmerizing.

Karim Adeyemi moved rapidly, using his quick feet to shift positions and send passes into open spaces.

Hannibal Mabry, using his creativity, skill, and flair, turned the ball with one touch, whether with his right or left foot, or even a back heel or toe poke.

Nicolas Seywald, though not as fast as Karim or as flashy as Hannibal, compensated with solid fundamentals and an incredible work ethic that made the ball come alive at his feet.

Meanwhile, Jacob Ramsey, the oldest of the loanees at 20 years old, struggled with the new style of training. He was still adjusting to the fast, technical game Hyungmin had implemented.

"Jacob! The pass was over five meters! Fined once!"

Arthur's shout caught Jacob off guard.

"Huh… what is this?"

Jacob, who had honed his skills in English football, was now floundering in the unfamiliar training system, accumulating fines with each mistake.

The veterans, watching with a mix of amusement and pity, couldn't help but comment.

"Tsk tsk. He's going to rack up a lot of fines in the beginning."

"If he keeps making mistakes, he might end up paying the club instead of receiving a salary!"

"Oh, that's great! We don't have much money these days!"

[Today is Burnley's first game since appointing Kim as their official manager. Burnley's strength was significantly weakened after they lost Ashley Westwood to Norwich just before the summer transfer window closed.]

As usual, the TVs of Burnley residents were tuned to the local broadcaster's football match, as if by tradition.

Neither of the teams facing off in the match were noteworthy enough to warrant national coverage.

Strictly speaking, it was like a soccer team from Burnley, a small town in the northwest of England, playing against a team from Watford, a suburban town near London.

Of course, Watford, only 15 miles from London, was more of a suburb than a rural area, but Burnley had no such qualms.

The commentator, reviewing the data, sighed as he spoke.

[Yes, it seems that Burnley's financial troubles are real. Burnley, which lost veteran midfielder Ashley Westwood, has brought in four loanees.]

[These players are all so young—20, 19, 19, and 18 years old. Honestly, it's embarrassing to say Burnley has immediate strength.]

[It seems Burnley didn't have enough funds to pay for a meaningful loan. They've managed to fill the squad, but it looks like Kim has a lot of work ahead of him.]