I became the Premier League’s youngest manager

It was painfully obvious that the field players, who were struggling to suppress their nausea, looked at the goalkeepers with envious eyes for being excluded from the intense physical training. However, Burnley's goalkeepers were equally perplexed by the new drills.

In traditional English football, goalkeeper training typically focused on diving to block shots or punching high crosses, with the use of legs mostly limited to long kicking drills for goal kicks.

Nick Pope, Burnley's starting goalkeeper and an England international, Wayne Hennessey, the second-choice goalkeeper and Wales international, and third-choice goalkeeper Will Norris were all born and raised in the traditional English style of football. They struggled to strengthen their shaky legs and improve their passing and dribbling skills in the new training sessions.

"Hey, you guys really can't even do the basics. Don't tell them you're soccer players," came the sarcastic remark from the side.

'No, we're all goalkeepers! The only position in soccer where you're allowed to use your hands!' was the thought that echoed in their minds.

Despite the internal protests, all three goalkeepers kept quiet and focused on driving the ball through the cones scattered across the field.

Of course, they weren't immune to the complaints of interim head coach Arthur Brimlow, but seeing the team captains turn pale at every word Arthur said, even if they only half-heartedly followed his instructions, they had almost given up on any resistance.

On the first day of training, Nick Pope, confident in his status as an England international, lightly approached Arthur about the intensity of the training.

"Excuse me, Coach. Actually, we're goalkeepers, so rather than this footwork training, we need to…."

"What more?" Arthur interjected.

Nick Pope, about to continue speaking, suddenly felt a strange sensation from the sharp gaze Arthur shot at him. The feeling wasn't just from Arthur's eyes, but also from the anxious expressions of vice-captain Jack Cork, who was shaking his head desperately behind the coach, and veteran Jay Rodriguez, who made a slashing gesture across his throat with his thumb.

Realizing something could be seriously wrong, Nick Pope quickly gathered his words.

"A little more... I mean, I want to do a little more!" he said, trying to backpedal.

Hyungmin, overhearing his words as he passed by, clapped and encouraged him.

"Of course! These days, it doesn't make sense for a goalkeeper to only use his hands. He has to be good with his feet too! But after all, he's a soccer player—wouldn't it be boring if he only did what a basketball player does?"

'No, I guess it's okay even if it's not that fun?' Pope thought quietly, pushing aside his objections to the interim manager's words and instead glaring at Arthur, who was guiding the goalkeepers' training from the sidelines.

'Yeah, it's just one session anyway.'

Despite the complaints and doubts, the results of the training became clear over the course of the five days of relentless practice.

At some point, Burnley's first team began to instinctively make short passes and move off the ball without needing specific instructions, just as Hyungmin had envisioned.

In the 65th minute of the match, with the score still 0-0, Everton, who had countered Burnley with 15 shots, were beginning to falter. They had only managed 6 shots in return as Burnley gained the upper hand.

With their spirits lifted, Burnley's players were beginning to relax and assert control over the match.

"Brownie!" shouted defensive midfielder Jack Cork as he intercepted a poorly-placed pass from Everton's center-back Yerry Mina, passing the ball to his teammate in midfield.

Central midfielder Josh Brownhill pushed forward and received the ball with a short pass, despite the unpleasant nickname.

"One-two!" Brownhill called as if he was about to pass back to Jack Cork, who had made a run forward into the opposition's half.

Ignoring the Everton players rushing to intercept, Brownhill made a surprise long pass to winger Jay Rodriguez, who had found space on the right.

The pass was a bold move for a Burnley midfielder, especially considering it was the only long-range pass permitted outside of a cross situation, and was similar to the play of central defender James Tarkowski.

The Everton midfielders, who had been pressuring Cork and Brownhill, were caught off-guard by the quick counter-movement.

Everton's defense was now preoccupied with Burnley's wingers Dwight McNeil and Charlie Taylor, who were running down the right flank.

Meanwhile, with the midfielders held back, the opposing winger cut in from the left, and the ball to him turned the defense into chaos.

"Support! Quickly!" Everton's left-back, Lucas Digne, suddenly faced a 1-on-1 situation with Jay Rodriguez and desperately called for help.

Everton's central defender Ben Godfrey, meanwhile, had been marking Burnley's striker Chris Wood. But when he looked around, surprised by the developing attack, he found himself drawn out of position by Wood, who had acted as bait, just in time for Rodriguez to charge forward.

Realizing his mistake in abandoning his position, Godfrey rushed back to support the vulnerable left flank, leaving Wood free.

On the other side, Everton's right-back Seamus Coleman and center-back Yerry Mina were tied up trying to handle McNeil and Taylor.

With the Everton defense out of position, Chris Wood was able to move freely into the center of the box, with no one to stop him.

Jay Rodriguez, who had been positioned on the right, noticed Digne, who was defending with the ball at his feet, and saw Wood making a run into the center of the box.

Rodriguez feigned left with a slight movement, causing Digne to momentarily lose balance, and giving Rodriguez the space to deliver a perfect cross.

With Digne off balance and no time for Godfrey to provide support, Rodriguez sent a well-placed ball into the penalty area, floating it just between the goal area and the penalty mark.

Chris Wood, towering above the defenders, leapt into the air and expertly headed the ball into the bottom left corner.

Bang!

The ball crashed into the net with a thundering sound, much like a cannon shot.

"Goal! Goal! In the 66th minute of the second half, Burnley's number 9, Chris Wood!!!"

As Burnley players rushed to celebrate with Wood, leaving the dejected Everton players behind, the stadium erupted with cheers. Meanwhile, Hyungmin and Arthur embraced joyously on the sidelines.

"It's done! We did it! It worked!" Arthur shouted.

"Ahahaha! This crazy tactic worked! Hahahaha!!!" Hyungmin laughed in disbelief.

Hyungmin, still hugging Arthur in excitement, suddenly pulled away from the coach, becoming serious.

"What? You idiot?!"

"Hahahahahaha!!! That's ridiculous, right? To think that Rafa Benitez's Everton would be rattled by this simple frontal pressing and left-right strategy! That's stupid! Hahahahahahaha! But it worked! It worked!!!"

"Wow! Don't talk to that old man!" Hyungmin shouted, laughing.

"Hahaha!!! They say simple is best! This is the first goal!" Arthur, still shaking with excitement, called out to the Burnley players returning to their positions.

"Hey, you guys! Stay focused and defend the lead!"

"Ah, Yeong-gang-tang, go to your seat!" one of the players joked, and the Burnley bench erupted into laughter.

However, despite the banter, the players' glances were serious.

'This game has potential!'

After the match resumed, Arthur approached Hyungmin, who had been staring at Everton's bench for a while.

"What are you looking at like that?" he asked.

"Something feels strange," Hyungmin replied.

"What's strange?"

Arthur looked over at the opposing bench but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"It's so quiet. Even though we scored, the manager and staff are eerily silent," Hyungmin said.

"Could it be that they were surprised, conceding a goal away to a team that's considered weaker?"

Hyungmin shook his head, unconvinced.

"No way. Rafa Benitez is a seasoned coach who's won the Spanish La Liga and the Champions League. He's managed big clubs like Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Chelsea. Would he be flustered after conceding to a weaker team? Wouldn't he be giving stronger instructions to his players or preparing for substitutions?"

"Or maybe he just trusts his players. He believes they'll turn the game around without needing his input," Arthur suggested.

"That could be the case," Hyungmin replied, though still unconvinced.

And so, the match continued amidst the home fans' chants, while the Everton bench maintained a strange silence until the final whistle.