NOVEL NEXT chapter 102
102 – Attention
102
The Stade de Marrakech was dyed red.
However, if one side is deeply red, the other side is stained with crimson, and the crimson waves are strikingly visible. The difference lies in the fact that the stadium is not entirely red or crimson.
The 45,000-seat stadium, which is quite large, couldn’t be filled only with Korean and Dutch supporters.
That’s not what the organizers wanted, realistically speaking.
So, in the stadium, there were locals who came to watch, neutral fans who simply came to watch the World Cup, and—
“Wow, the atmosphere is intense! The African stadium is filled with the cheers of Asian and European fans… This is amazing!”
Even football officials like Hernández were present.
Of course, Hernández wasn’t the only football official who came to the stadium.
“This guy’s emotional response is already explosive, even though it’s not dawn yet. Should he quit being a scout and become a poet? He seems more suited for that.”
Pavel Krayin, sitting right next to him, was also one of those officials.
“Oh, who’s this?”
Hernández, who was fully immersed in the stadium atmosphere, began to lavish praise on his fellow industry colleague sitting next to him.
“Hey, Pavel! Don’t you feel anything seeing this intense heat? Look over there! Those passionate supporters have come all the way from Korea to Africa! And that cheering song! It’s really, really cool! Oh~ Daehanmikuk~ Oh~ Do they do it like this?”
Pavel clicked his tongue at Hernández’s carefree humming along to the unknown cheering song.
“Tsk, tsk. This idiot is a scout? Is that Daehanmikuk or Daemanmikuk echoing in my ears right now?”
“Oh… isn’t this fun? Oh~ Pilseung Korea~”
“This idiot, you’re not the only one who’s hot-headed.”
“What?”
“Can’t you see?”
Only then did Hernández follow Pavel’s gaze and discover familiar faces scattered throughout the audience.
They were all familiar faces, people he had met several times in the same industry.
Although football has become globalized, the football world is small. It’s even smaller when limited to Europe.
Coaches, directors, and even managers are all in the same circle.
It’s only natural for people who worked on one side to suddenly appear on the other side, and vice versa, in this industry. The European football circle is small, so officials keep running into each other.
As they keep running into each other, it’s only natural for their faces to become familiar.
“Isn’t that Manchester United’s John Pauli? And that’s Manchester City’s John McGin? Who’s that next to him?”
“That’s Chelsea’s technical advisor James Southgate and scout William Belte. You think he’s the only one? Look at the other side.”
“Juventus’ Matteo Pazzoli is here too.”
“And there’s someone above him.”
As Pavel pointed, Hernández’s voice trembled.
“Uh… Rodrigo…”
“That’s right. Real Madrid’s Rodrigo Alvarozi. Now you’re coming to your senses, aren’t you?”
“This is a big deal! This is huge!”
“There’s too much leisure. Anyone would think they’re just tourists who came to watch the game. Have they given up on scouting?”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
Hernández replied immediately.
“The interest in this game is understandable. There’s no other game that’s more appealing to scouts than this.”
Hernández’s expression darkened, his tone different from before.
I expected it, but I didn’t think there would be this many.
The problem is not just that EPL clubs can’t be swayed by money, but rather—
“As I saw Real Madrid, my expression changed, just like yours, as a Catalan.”
Rodrigo Alvaro, the chief scout of Real Madrid who has a big say in their recruitment policy, has arrived.
Meanwhile, the game has already started.
Hernandez hoped that Korea… no, the target player would not do well in this game.
Although it wouldn’t have a significant impact even if the player had a bad game, considering they have already proven themselves countless times, it would still affect their evaluation in a big game like the World Cup.
Of course, it didn’t matter to Hernandez… or rather, his club, how well they performed in this game.
Because his club had directly experienced the player’s skills, unlike other clubs that could only access them indirectly through scouting.
“Hmm… it seems like Korea is doing well, but the Netherlands is adapting quickly. Is the 10-year cycle theory coming true?”
The Netherlands has a jinx called the “10-year cycle,” which is a theory that their team’s performance peaks every 10 years.
It’s not just a simple superstition, as the Netherlands national team’s performance has indeed fluctuated every 10 years.
In the 1960s, they couldn’t even pass the European qualifiers, but in the 1970s, they achieved remarkable results, including two consecutive World Cup runner-ups. In the 1980s, they failed again in the European qualifiers, and in the 1990s, they rose to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals of the World Cup.
As they entered the 2000s, they seemed to prove the theory again by failing in the European qualifiers and then getting eliminated in the round of 16.
It seemed like science wasn’t wrong.
The Netherlands national team, which was due to shine again in the 2010s, started with a World Cup runner-up finish in 2010 and then took third place in the 2014 Brazil World Cup, proving the theory.
Of course, like most theories, there was a small “error.” According to the theory, they should have failed in the 2018 Russia World Cup, but instead, they got eliminated in the European qualifiers, and in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, they achieved a remarkable quarterfinal finish.
But this was just a small error that disrupted the order.
The Netherlands proved the “10-year cycle” theory by declining again and experiencing a dark period in the 2020s.
And now, the 2030s are due to be their golden age again.
As if to prove this, Vincent van Basten’s brilliant talent emerged.
“This is more serious than I thought…?”
Pavel, who was frantically calculating something on his laptop, showed the screen.
“Look at this. Although it’s still early in the first half, Korea’s pressure is intense.”
“PPDA is 19…?”
“Of course, this is a prediction based on past records. They can’t maintain this pace until the end of the game, but… they’ve prepared well.”
PPDA stands for Passes Allowed Per Defensive Action, which indicates the number of passes allowed by the opposing team per defensive action in their own half. A high PPDA value means intense pressure.
“That’s not all; look at the high turnovers too.”
The high turnovers, which refer to a series of sequences starting from winning the ball back in the opponent’s half (within 40m from the goal line), also indicate the team’s pressure intensity. At the same time—
“The key is the center and left side.”
“Exactly.”
This indicator can also show where the team is focusing their strength.
“The key is this player.”
“Exactly, it’s like that.”
Hernandez let out a deep sigh.
He had hoped that Korea wouldn’t do well in this game, but… the world doesn’t always go as planned.
“Exactly? Ah, I see. You know well, having been defeated by this player twice.”
“Twice, that too in the Champions League round of 16.”
He had directly experienced the player’s skills, getting defeated twice in the Champions League round of 16.
The opposing team, that guy Joo Ji-tae, is incredibly amazing.
“Defensively, he’s amazing. One-on-one defense, cover defense… But what stands out the most is his judgment. And his ability to command the defense. But now… it’s not just about commanding the defense.”
As the Korean players moved in sync with Joo Ji-tae’s instructions, putting pressure on the opponents, Hernandes let out a sigh of admiration mixed with regret.
“The Netherlands is getting rough…”
“Korea will win.”
“What? Why?”
The Netherlands, struggling under Korea’s pressure, began to get rougher, just like their reputation for receiving many cards, but—
“What’s going on? Is Korea this good at passing plays?”
“No, it’s not Korea. That guy Joo Ji-tae is amazing.”
Korea started to toy with the Netherlands through their smooth passing plays.
“His leadership in commanding the players, and the most basic yet crucial pass and move. Joo Ji-tae is a master of this.”
Just as he finished speaking, Korea scored the first goal.
As Hernandes watched the Korean players celebrating, he muttered to himself unknowingly.
“Oh… indeed! Joo Ji-tae has Barcelona DNA in him.”
Pavel looked at him with a mixture of disappointment and envy from the side.
* * *
The Netherlands is strong.
It’s not for nothing that they were seeded first in the group, and it’s not for nothing that they’re expected to win the group.
But—
“Slow down.”
Joo Ji-tae, with his quick thinking and fast movements, was not affected by the rough German’s dirty tricks.
The Korean players, who had consistently practiced moving in sync with Joo Ji-tae’s instructions, had a speed that the large and clumsy German players couldn’t keep up with.
Pass and move.
The Korean team was taking down the Netherlands with just this.
“When did they get this good…?”
“Why is that kid moving so freely? Who’s in charge of him!”
“Damn it! We can’t keep up with their movement…!”
It was the moment when the Netherlands’ ’10-year plan’ was shattered…