Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

139 – Role Model

139

Even after the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony, Barcelona’s smooth sailing continued.

However, there was no lack of anxiety. No matter how perfect a team may seem, it’s impossible to be perfect. Barcelona’s anxiety was overreliance on their main players.

Coach Jose showed a bold appearance by starting many young players in the opening game, but after the lineup was solidified, he relied heavily on the best 11 players.

It’s not bad.

The main players need to consistently work together to improve teamwork, and that’s how they can achieve good results. This is proven not only through their performance but also through their results.

Many coaches, not just Coach Jose, have the tendency to rely heavily on their main lineup once it’s solidified.

If this works out, it leads to good results based on a solid team foundation, but if it doesn’t, they get criticized for lacking player rotation and overrelying on their main players.

That’s just how the world works. The same factor can be considered brilliant when it works out and a mistake when it doesn’t.

However, Coach Jose is not someone who neglects rotation entirely. He gives opportunities to young players through aggressive substitutions in the second half while also taking care of the main players’ physical condition.

Moreover, October doesn’t have many games.

There are only four league games and one Champions League group stage game.

The 19/20 season’s Copa del Rey, which was revamped, doesn’t start until November, and there are only a few national team games, making October a relatively relaxed schedule.

However, this relaxed schedule can’t last forever, and the main players’ performance can’t always remain at its peak.

When the dense schedule arrives in the second half of the season, the main players’ physical condition will rapidly deteriorate, and their performance will also drop. To prevent this, the growth of young players in the rotation is essential… but Joo Ji-tae thinks that two players are problematic.

Maks Moreno and Joel Cabrera.

The two players he trusted the most were unexpectedly the most unsatisfactory.

“This is weird. I remember fans reacting to Barcelona’s next-generation center-back duo as if they were the next Vidic-Ferdinand or Puyol-Pique.”

Originally, they were supposed to become Barcelona’s next-generation iron wall duo, reminiscent of the legendary center-back duo Vidic-Ferdinand… but somehow, it didn’t quite work out.

The fan reaction was still at the level of “our youth team is the best” and didn’t quite live up to expectations.

This was far from the image in his memory.

Of course, this wasn’t the first time there was a gap between memory and reality. In fact, it’s not unusual for history to change.

Considering Joo Ji-tae’s influence on the football world, it’s strange that the football world in his memory is flowing similarly to reality.

Take 1860 Munich, for example. The team, which was once a fallen giant, won the Bundesliga title and earned 200 million euros in transfer fees, thanks to Joo Ji-tae and Cho Jae-sin’s transfer, and regained its strength.

What… seeing them struggle in the Bundesliga now, it feels like they’re flowing similarly to how Munich used to be in my memories. Is this some kind of historical restoration or something?

Anyway, changes will keep getting bigger.

The more Joo Ji-tae performs, the more time passes, and now the soccer world in my memories is becoming increasingly different.

But it’s not yet.

The overall flow has changed slightly, but the microscopic aspects, such as each player’s facial expression, are still maintained similarly… but why have these two changed so much.

Perhaps in the first season, midfielder David Martinez was recruited, and he had many opportunities to play, but now he’s stuck in the center-back position with no opportunities?

But it’s not that he lacks growth; it’s just… strange.

Joo Ji-tae, who was watching them practice defense, couldn’t help but ask.

“What’s with your defense, Max and Joel?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s not that it’s weird, but… isn’t that defense style more suited for a midfielder than a center-back?”

“Are you imitating me?”

“……?”

“……?”

* * *

When Joo Ji-tae first changed his position to center-back, one of the most difficult parts was adjusting to the defensive style.

Midfielders mainly perform aggressive defense to take the ball away. They stick close, press, and mark opponents, which is the midfielder’s defensive style.

On the other hand, center-backs defend differently.

Instead of being aggressive, they maintain distance and wait, often relying on their teammates’ support or minimizing options. It’s risk management.

Midfielders have defensive players who can back them up even if they get beat, but center-backs are directly connected to the goal if they get beat. And it’s not that the return value is high if they try to take the ball away aggressively.

Taking the ball away in the midfield can lead to a quick counterattack, but taking the ball away in the defensive zone doesn’t necessarily give a significant advantage in counterattacks.

Therefore, the defensive styles of midfielders and center-backs are bound to differ, and it’s not just a matter of attitude.

The methods and timing of taking the ball away aggressively and playing passive defense are fundamentally different. There are differences in where to position oneself, how to apply pressure, and more.

Of course, center-backs should primarily use a defensive style suitable for their position, but they also need to adapt to their own playstyle and situation.

“Do you guys imitate me?”

Joo Ji-tae basically enjoys aggressive defense, which is overly aggressive.

It’s a high-risk, low-return style. However, through his overwhelming success rate and individual skills, he minimizes high risks and maximizes low returns. It’s not a style that can be recommended to other players, and it’s not a style that guarantees success if imitated.

Joo Ji-tae let out a sigh as he looked at the two boys with puzzled expressions.

“Don’t the coaches say anything?”

“What do they say? We’re practicing individually.”

“…okay, let’s think about it, friends. Are our physical abilities the same or different?”

“Different.”

“Right. Different. Then, are our abilities equal or lacking?”

“Lacking.”

“Right. But why do you guys imitate me?”

“Hmm…”

The two boys looked at each other and replied firmly.

“Our role model is you.”

“Yeah, there’s no player who doesn’t want to play like you as a center back.”

Joo Ji-tae recalled his own play.

As a center back, he excelled in defense, took charge of build-up from the back, and even had the ability to dribble forward…

“Damn, he’s amazing.”

Objectively speaking, he was a role model.

Joo Ji-tae nodded his head.

“Yeah, I acknowledge it.”

“What’s the point? So tell us, we’ve been wanting to ask for a while now, but you’ve been keeping it to yourself.”

“I can tell you, but it’s not the same as doing it myself.”

“Why? Is it because our abilities aren’t good enough?”

Of course not.

He didn’t say it out loud, though.

“Each player has their own playstyle that suits them. You guys should find your own playstyle that suits you first.”

That playstyle would probably be able to cover up his weaknesses well.

…It’s not just about being good, but also about the playstyle of those who grew into world-class center backs in their first year, a little more defensive than before, but… what, I’ll take care of the attacking part.

Coach Jose looked worried as he watched the ground from the director’s office.

“Yeah, Max and Joel are back, just like the coaches were worried about. It’s clear that the young players are following Joo Ji-tae well, isn’t it?”

“They’re good at language and have a good personality, but most importantly, they have the skills. If I were 10 years younger, I would’ve followed them around too.”

Captain Pablo Lopez looked out the window, watching the young players training with Joo Ji-tae.

Even players in the same position like Max Moreno and Joel Cabre, why were Leo Martinez and Hector Santiago there too? Well, it’s understandable up to this point. Joo Ji-tae had exceptional skills as a midfielder too.

“And there’s Pode Diarlo and Destiny Kosiso too.”

“What about them?”

Like typical strikers, 23-year-old Pode Diarlo and 21-year-old Destiny Kosiso were players with inflated egos.

The more talented they were, the higher they rose, and the more they fell behind, the lower they went – perhaps it was a natural phenomenon in the world of football positions.

Those players were sweating together in a training session led by a 20-year-old center back.

And it wasn’t even regular training time yet.

“Amazing. He’s a player who can change the team, not just with his individual skills.”

Coach Jose’s admiration made Pablo Lopez smile dryly.

“That’s not all. This season’s captaincy is mine.”

“And what about next year?”

“Next year is too early. Maybe in 3-4 years, it’ll be okay. We can even put a bridge player in the middle.”

“3-4 years?”

“Well… who knows. If we achieve the treble this season, we can even give him the captaincy next year.”

The joking remark made the two of them chuckle.