71 – Imitation Has Its Merits
071
Although he showcased sensational performance in his debut match, the attention was more on 1860 Munich as a team rather than on Ju Ji-tae individually.
Ju Ji-tae emerged as the core of 1860 Munich in the second league round against Mainz, the team’s second game. From then on, the focus on Ju Ji-tae as an individual surpassed that on the team, and he began to be regarded as the core of Munich.
In football, strategizing against key players is the most fundamental defensive tactic, so countless challenges were posed to Ju Ji-tae thereafter.
Now, they strategize against him as a team, but in the early days, challenges were more about 1:1 individual skill contests against Ju Ji-tae, relying on physical strength, exploiting the open spaces, penetrating the rear spaces with speed, or aggressively pressuring him.
It was natural.
Ju Ji-tae was just an 18-year-old player who had recently debuted as a professional. Even if one possesses genius-level talent, experience is essential for adapting to the professional stage.
Talent can accelerate the accumulation of experience, but it cannot eliminate the time needed for that experience. Even legendary players only showed ‘potential’ in their debut seasons, didn’t they?
Of course, the potential of Ju Ji-tae was far beyond that of ordinary players, but nonetheless, being an 18-year-old debutant meant lacking experience.
Even with exceptional talent, it was only natural for an 18-year-old to struggle against seasoned players. Therefore, teams facing 1860 Munich would prefer to match Ju Ji-tae against experienced players rather than employing tactical strategies.
Tactics become useless when overwhelmed by a player’s pure individual skill.
However, after the Dortmund match, this methodology faded away. Witnessing Ju Ji-tae’s exceptional skills, challenging him with a 1:1 duel without confidence became quite difficult.
So now, teams approached him tactically, abandoning the purely individual challenges that were prominent in the early days. However, Bayern Munich was, after all, Bayern Munich.
“What’s this? Why is the three-top spacing so wide?”
Bayern Munich’s three-pronged attack, Herbert Dieter, and Helmut Winter, spread out widely, excluding central forward Heinrich Rupert.
As the wingers stick to the sidelines, the defensive line gap inevitably widens.
They can’t leave Bayern Munich’s attackers free to roam.
However, with the gap widening, coordination with teammates becomes challenging. More one-on-one situations with defenders arise, but simultaneously, it becomes difficult to link up with teammates.
This was a tactical pattern based on the confidence that Heinrich Rupert, with his exceptional individual skill, could break through Ju Ji-tae’s defense on his own.
“Ah. He believes he can break through head-on?”
After the Dortmund match, Ju Ji-tae signaled to his teammates that he would handle Heinrich Rupert in a one-on-one duel and approached the match with confidence.
Since Heinrich Rupert was a familiar opponent, having faced him several times before.
“As long as I pay attention to his traps, it should be enough.”
His skill in momentarily escaping pressure through the first touch was outstanding, but that was all.
The slow speed and awkward dribbling skills were considered irrelevant—so thought Heiner Rupert, but his first touch was more outstanding than Joo Ji-tae had anticipated.
Shoulder-to-shoulder struggle as Joo Ji-tae walked closely to disrupt the trapping.
Heiner Rupert confidently accommodated the young player’s recklessness. After all, he was confident in a contest.
But Joo Ji-tae was more cunning and experienced than expected.
In a brief moment, at the end of the pushing and pulling match, Heiner Rupert realized he had lost balance first.
A closely approaching pass, crumbling balance.
At this rate, he would lose the ball and the field.
In a moment of crisis, Heiner Rupert instinctively twisted his body.
The ball, rising from the instep, lightly bounced, then flicked away with the back of the foot.
The ball, hidden by the body, appeared over Joo Ji-tae’s head in the blink of an eye.
In the unexpected moment, Joo Ji-tae’s body stiffened; Heiner Rupert forcefully pushed him away with all his strength and started running.
Having lost balance, Joo Ji-tae could only follow Heiner Rupert a step late.
But until then, Joo Ji-tae hadn’t felt any sense of danger.
Certainly, Heiner Rupert’s trapping skills were remarkable, but he believed he could reach the ball first.
“Fast?”
Heiner Rupert, after reaching the ball first, immediately took a shot.
The last moment of swinging his foot almost led to a disaster, as he pulled the opponent’s uniform to destabilize the balance. It was a thrilling moment that could have resulted in a valid shot, or in the worst case, a goal.
“Referee!”
Heiner Rupert appealed to the referee, but the referee, who was skillfully shielded by Joo Ji-tae, decisively shook his head.
“He really pulled him from behind!”
“Go back to your position.”
“Huh…”
Heiner Rupert turned to Joo Ji-tae.
“The referee saw it, tell me. Did you pull it knowingly while it was out of sight?”
“Of course.”
In response to that casual affirmation, Heiner Rupert burst into laughter.
“Very skillful, huh? Are you really 18 years old?”
Nonchalantly accepting the boy’s words, Joo Ji-tae realized his misconception.
‘The guy I remember was a loser. The prime Rupert was quite fast.’
Joo Ji-tae recalled information about the boy once again.
Heiner Rupert.
A 29-year-old Brazilian-German in his prime.
Last year, with an impressive total of 48 goals, he led Bayern Munich to league victory and reached the Champions League semi-finals. In an interview just before the start of this season, he boldly declared last season a failure, earning him the label of ‘arrogant’ from supporters of other teams. However, Munich fans passionately supported him.
For Munich supporters, winning the league is a given, and the focus is on European competition, the Champions League. It might seem arrogant, but for a team leading the league, proving competitiveness in European tournaments is essential.
However, what seems obvious to them is not necessarily so for others. His arrogant attitude, as if winning the league is a mere formality, can be unsettling for opposing teams. Munich didn’t become the Bundesliga’s public enemy for no reason.
Regardless, with an impressive 48 goals last year, Heiner Rupert, considered one of the top three strikers, earned the nickname ‘The Second Lewandowski.’
Proving his prowess with those 48 goals last season, he’s not just a goal-scoring machine. In line with the virtues modern football demands from strikers, he covers both flanks, moves into the second line, and displays remarkable activity. His game is not just about running fast and dribbling; it involves teamwork, playmaking, dummy runs, and momentary penetrations off the ball.
In addition, his robust physique at 186cm and 82kg complements his competitive ability, aerial prowess, and the extraordinary trapping skill that earned him the nickname ‘The Second Lewandowski.’
Trapped in praise from Heiner Rupert, “You’ve been doing well lately. Your physicality and quick decision-making, impressive, aren’t they? At 29, you seem more experienced than an 18-year-old.”
Responding in a nonchalant manner, Ju Ji-tae provocatively commented, “You say that, but you look more like 39 than 29. Mostly in the face.”
Heiner Rupert didn’t just let this provocation slide. “It worked this time, but it won’t from now on. I can figure someone out with just one encounter. Sorry, young friend, that you got tangled up with someone as perfect as me. Still, facing a perfect striker like me will be a good experience for you. Haha.”
Immediately, Ju Ji-tae countered the provocation. “Hmm… Perfect? There’s too much lacking for that, isn’t there?”
“Lacking? Me?”
“If you had no flaws, you’d be called the best striker, not just one of the top three. You’re too dull. Agility is lacking, acceleration isn’t great, and the dribbling is nothing special.”
Thrown off guard by the fact bomb dropped by a 10-year-old, Heiner Rupert was left speechless.
Indeed, his lack of agility and momentary acceleration was considered his weakness.
But to say his off-the-ball skills were lacking?
“Hey, little guy. I’m known for my off-the-ball skills.”
“Well… is that so? It’s decent, but not exceptional. It’s just about momentarily getting rid of the defender using trapping in a 1:1 situation, right? To consider off-the-ball as an advantage, you should be able to break through tight defenses with dribbling as well.”
Heiner Rupert was bewildered by this casual remark.
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“What… do you play the game too much? Where can you find a player with my physique who can pull off that kind of dribble?”
“There it is.”
“Now that I see it, you’re just a fool who babbles as he pleases. Even in provocation, there’s a level, kid.”
“Provocation? I’m speaking sincerely. Well, maybe Levandovsky doesn’t know.”
Indeed, up until now, he’s been more famous as the ‘Second Levandovsky’ than ‘Heiner Rupert.’
At the added remark, Heiner Rupert’s face stiffens.
“What? Say it again.”
“It’s true, Levandovsky backward compatible. Or should I say, a downgrade.”
The guy who was getting heated bursts into laughter.
“This was quite a good provocation, kid. I was a bit taken aback just now.”
“Provocation, I say. It’s sincere.”
“Huh. In that case, I should also express sincerity after a long time.”
Ju Ji-tae looks at him indifferently.
How he took that gaze, Heiner Rupert’s lips curled up.
“Even though I regret it now, it’s too late, kid. I’m sincere.”
“At face value, he’s 39, but mentally, he’s 19.”
He doesn’t believe him, but there are attackers like that.
No, there were.
A player who, with outstanding physical strength that could win against center-backs in a sprint, agility, and exceptional acceleration, pierced through dense defenses with the ball – a player who was the best center forward in history.
Honaudo, the greatest center forward of all time.
And Ju Ji-tae was once a player called ‘The Second Honaudo.’
‘It’s a pity, but with my current defensive skills, it’s difficult to completely block him.’
Devoting himself to defense won’t win the game.
Then there’s only one way.
The best defense is offense, disrupting Munich’s attack.
Even if they’re both the ‘Second Someone,’ the levels are different.
