The Little Prince of the Field - Chapter 5

Due to a serious misunderstanding, coach Juan Naranjo patted me on the back and shoulder until the moment we broke up before training. 

I have nothing to say to the coach to asked me if there was anything difficult at any time, except nodding. 

Leaving the coach with a worried look behind, I entered the locker room to change into training clothes. 

Dani Casteyano was talking to Harvey Casteyano in the corner. 

Bad guy. 

David Garcia, the team’s veteran, glanced at me in the locker room and stood up to catch the attention of the players by clapping. 

CLAP

“Everybody, listen to me. Dani said that Kim has difficulty adapting to the first division.” 

I felt dizzy for a moment. 

Asking coach Juan to keep it as a secret was useless. 

Dani Casteyano. 

From the moment I couldn’t stop that bloody human’s mouth, I became the main character of the misfortune of being left out in the squad. 

“I’m sure you’ve all heard of Kim being unsociable in the reserve. However, Kim is now a player who made his league debut at the age of 16, especially veteran players, who are the main players of the team, should feel responsible for this.” 

I never thought the locker room was small, but when all the players focused on me, I felt like a goat trapped in a lion cage. 

It’s the worst. 

I’m sure it’s the worst day. 

Harvey Casteyano, who was listening to Garcia silently next to Dani Casteyano, spoke. 

I had no idea but to hope that this terrible ordeal would end soon. 

“ Kim. Do you want to have lunch with me tomorrow?” 

“No, I’m fine.” 

There’s a moment of silence in the locker room at my reflexive rejection. 

“I’m going to eat, too. Where do you want to eat?” 

“No, I don’t.” 

“Shall we meet around 11?” 

“I think we’d better get some rice. Let’s go to Paella’s place.” 

Pedri pulls the trigger and the players’ opinions burst out. 

All the players in the locker room seemed to feel pleased. 

The joy of taking care of a young and immature player. 

The atmosphere was very warm, except for me, who felt irritated at the players for making an unwanted lunch appointment. 

Manager Pepe reacted sensitively to the news of the promising player’s maladjustment to the team, which he learned through the team. 

In the evening after the training, when I went to Manager’s office thinking I would be receiving some counselling, Manager asked me to come with him for dinner. 

“I can contact your father separately.” 

“No, I’m really fine.” 

It was a misunderstanding (Pedri told me Spanish for ‘misunderstanding’) 

“Yes, I know that. I heard from Pedri that the players spoke to you. I’m just saying let’s have a meal together. You’re okay, aren’t you?” 

He called my father without asking for my answer. 

Of course it wasn’t okay. 

At this point, I am worried that a single lunch box in the parking lot may affect my position within the team. 

I didn’t want to be seen as a player with weak mental strength and difficulty in adapting. 

It was no longer just a dinner table. 

I had to insist to the coach that I am adapting to the team without any problems. 

Fur Fur Fur 

I get on an old model car and heads to the city together with Manager. 

“Is there a place where you enjoy meal around your house.”

“Not really.” 

“Really? Don’t you often go to restaurants with your father?” 

“ We often go. Still, it’s delicious to eat at home.” 

When I went answering Manager Pepe’s question about my personal life, it was already near the dock. 

“How about papas?” 

“What’s papas?” 

“Papas Arrugadas, potato dish. Boil it with salt and water and eat it with olive oil sauce. There is a traditional Canary restaurant that tourists do not know well.” 

There was no signs or price tags where the car stoped. 

On the surface, it looked like a family house. 

It was valid to think that the two simple tables lined up outside the building was not restaurant. 

As if they knew each other from the beginning, Manager exchanged greetings with the restaurant owner. 

The white ceiling of the restaurant hangs a three-edged wooden ventilator and all kinds of bizarre ornaments, and the walls painted with orange paint are filled with a showcase filled with wine and champagne. 

“I heard you’re going to eat with the players tomorrow.” 

“Yeah. They promised without asking me.” 

“Good. Let’s come out and eat together like today. Okay?” 

Whether I agree or disagree, Manager fills the table with stories about the match with Santander this weekend before the restaurant’s food is served. 

Food comes out before I know it, as I respond hard to the Manager’s words by nodding my head. 

“Eat a lot. Coach Juan also said he wouldn’t have a big problem with your body care for one dinner.” 

“Yeah. Thank you.” 

There was only two cherry tomato-sized potatoes on the plate, but the taste was amazing. 

Due to salt intake restrictions, it has been six months since I peeled and ate boiled potatoes without kimchi. 

A sour olive-scented sauce went well with it. 

“What sauce is this? I want to eat it at home.” 

“It’s made with olive oil and vinegar. Mojo sauce.” 

“Mojo sauce?” 

“Yes, garlic, pepper, ground well and mix them together.” 

Dad and I didn’t really like strong-scented sauces, but this one was palatable. 

A row of stir-fried dishes filled with Mojo sauce, followed by meat and potatoes. 

Although Manager Pepe failed to give me a chance to emphasize my passion and adaptation to the team, it did not bother me much because the food was delicious. 

It’s uncomfortable to eat together, and if I go to lunch with the players tomorrow, won’t they say something about adjusting? 

I was too full to think about it. 

September 1, 2019. 

Estadio Gran Canary. 

A black ribbon floats large on the stadium screen. 

After a silent tribute to the daughter of former Spanish national team coach Luis Enrique, the players stand at the half-line and prepare for the game. 

Reflecting the upward trend of the team cruising with two consecutive league wins, the Gran Canary was packed with spectators not only under the roof of the cover but also where there was no roof. 

Santander, who blocked the midfield with 4231 midfielders, gave up attack as soon as the game began and went complete defense, occasionally launched counterattacks to withstand Las Palmas’ onslaught. 

“Oh, that idiot!” 

In the 14th minute of the first half, the ball Lemos raised from the side passes Santander’s goalkeeper and falls far away near the stands. 

Lemos stepped on the dented part of the grass and twisted his footing. 

Lemos was lying on the ground with his left ankle in his hand. 

“Kim, Fernandez, warm up!” 

While Lemos was being treated, Santander goalkeeper’s goal kick falls beyond the Las Palmas camp. 

Marong and Rodriguez fight. 

It was a mismatch. 

African Gambian striker Marong of Santander has the advantage over the ball. 

Sure enough, the ball that got kicked by Marong’s foot heads toward Sefudo, who follows. 

It was a chance to counterattack for Santander. 

Rodriguez loses his balance, falls, fails to join the defense, and the center is disturbed. 

Inigo, the midfielder who was the only one left in the midfield was marked the winger of the other side and the ball penetrates to the left. 

Pedri was also unable to come down, so the space opened up for Sefudo. 

Aitami gives up maintaining the collapsed defense and runs out in a hurry to give Sefudo a rough standing tackle. 

Before Aitami’s tackle, the ball bounced with Sefudo’s last ball touch falls in front of Santander’s right striker. 

The uniform number of the 19th. Karim Yoda, was on the spot from where Aitami ran out and left empty. 

Karim Yoda overpowered De La Bella at a speed and came into the penalty box in two touches to get a perfect shot opportunity. 

The left wingback De La Bella and the center defender Mantovani, who followed belatedly, giving up on his mark narrowed the space with a tackle, but the ball passes next to goalkeeper Martinez’s leg and the net shakes. 

In the 16th minute of the first half, the first goal was scored. 

“We’re in trouble again, aren’t we? Every game is a mess, a mess.” 

Fernandez, who was warming up together with me, kicks his tongue. 

It was a game where we had to take the victory as there was a big advantage as the home team, but that doesn’t seems to be the case. 

Manager Pepe was screaming with a bright red face. 

Before the game, he urged everyone to be careful of Karim Yoda and not to allow him to own the ball in dangerous areas, but it was exactly the opposite, so he deserved to be angry. 

In addition, Aitami, who gave Sefudo a rough tackle, received a yellow card. 

There’s no mess bigger than this. 

Regardless of the atmosphere of the floating stadium, the game continues. 

Our total shot ratio was still high, but it was not substantial. 

As if half of their minds are gone, the players continued to tackle unreasonable things. 

The game was getting wilder. 

“Puta!” 

“Joder!” 

Around the 17th minute, Mantovani grabbed the opponent striker’s collar outside the penalty box and knocked him down. 

Las Palmas and Santander players exchange swear words and fight. 

It was such a big clash that the game was suspended for a while. 

The referee calls Mantovani and pulls out the yellow card again. 

Less than three minutes later, Las Palmas’ central defender received cards side by side. 

There is another 70 minutes left in the game, and it is doubtful whether he can finish. 

Fortunately, Lemos, who entered the stadium again, signaled that there was nothing wrong with his body. 

Fortunately, Santander’s free-kick became invalid, and the game continues with Las Palmas’ kick. 

If there was a decisive victory like boxing, it would have been Las Palmas’ victory. 

It was a slow game. 

Las Palmas players, who were alerted by the coach’s scolding, did not give up a counterattack space, but that did not mean that the attack worked out well. 

0-1. 

Santander returns to the locker room with half the success. 

Before I knew it, the first half was over.

In the locker room, Manager Pepe moves the tactical board as if he was a rapper and shouts nonstop. 

“Bella needs to get a little further up the line. You can’t use your strength in a dense space of cedris. If the wingback doesn’t overlap and come up, it’s hard to create opportunities from the left. Pedri and Narvaez focus on linking in a dense space, but if you have a chance, don’t hesitate, connect them with a shot.” 

“In the second half, Drolle will enter instead of Lemos. Drolle, you have to dribble from the right to create space. You don’t have to worry about defense. But don’t ever make a situation where you’re being counterattacked by a turnover, okay?” 

“Curbello, as much as the Drolle comes up, you refrain from overlapping and pay attention to defense. Aitami, Mantovani, and Courbelo form a three-back in an attack situation. Do you understand?” 

“Now, today’s opponent is Santander. I don’t want to lose to the team that barely got promoted from Segunda division. I’m sure you guys are, too. Go out and score a goal quickly. You got it? Right?” 

Everyone was overwhelmed by the coach’s momentum and shouted together in the locker room. 

And in the 80th minute of the second half, the game was still Santander’s.