73 – Ambition
073
Injuries were all too familiar.
So familiar that for Ju Ji-tae, injuries were like an inseparable part of football. Except for the two years he started his professional career in the Netherlands during the first season, he had always been plagued by injuries. Especially during his three years at Chelsea, more than half of the time was spent lying down, dealing with injuries and rehabilitation.
Perhaps it was because of the myriad of injury experiences.
Now, he had become enough of an expert to assess the severity of an injury even when he suffered one.
“My knee feels a bit tight; it seems like I strained the ligament a bit. If it’s this much, a hot pack should be enough.”
Well, even so, a professional examination was necessary.
“Bend it… stretch it. Any abnormalities in movement? Any pain?”
“No.”
“Hmm… it’s fine. Fortunately, it’s just a slight strain on the ligament.”
As the medical team leader carefully touched his knee, an expression of relief crept onto the anxious face of the coach, reassured by the signal that everything was okay.
Regardless, Ju Ji-tae calmly reviewed the recent situation, regardless of the relieved expression on Coach William’s face.
Not how spectacular the play was but focusing on how the movements were.
“During acceleration, the thigh and knee took a toll in the first phase, but… I could handle that. The danger was in maintaining speed during the feint here… slightly risky, and right after that, the imbalance occurred during the direction change.”
Given the frequency of such injury experiences, identifying the cause was easy.
Identifying the cause might be easy, but finding a solution was the problem.
“If this happens just once… it’s still too risky.”
Ju Ji-tae had chosen the unfamiliar position of center-back instead of his familiar midfielder role for various reasons.
The catalyst was getting an elbow from Jo Jae-shin, but that was just a momentary amusement; the real, crucial reasons were twofold.
The first was, without a doubt, the injuries.
Because Ju Ji-tae’s body in the first season couldn’t withstand such plays and broke down.
Ju Ji-tae’s dribbling had shown a striking resemblance to Honaudu, earning him the nickname ‘the second Honaudu.’ From speed and style to the danger it posed.
Spectacular, flashy, and more dynamic than anyone else, his dribbling enthralled the audience, but the consequences were clear.
And Ju Ji-tae couldn’t escape from there either.
No, it was even more dangerous. Ju Ji-tae was taller than Honaudu.
If you’re tall, it’s natural for the center of gravity to rise, and as the center of gravity rises, so does the recoil.
Ju Ji-tae, who was teased for having a glass body, was, in fact, the opposite. It would be more accurate to say he had an excessively sturdy body. If he had a glass body, he wouldn’t have been able to endure this style in the first place.
However, even though he lived with injuries, he hadn’t maintained this style for long.
Eventually, he had to change his playing style as his body deteriorated, but he endured for 16 years.
Yet, this was a story from a time when he was over 20, a period when he was somewhat physically mature.
At 18, in conditions better than now, he couldn’t last more than three years before breaking down, and at the younger age of 18 now, there was no need to mention it.
Still, this can be controlled.
It might not be easy, but there are ways to change the style or adjust it moderately, as it is now.
The second reason Joo Ji-tae chose to change positions, the decisive reason—
“Wow!”
Joo Ji-tae’s gaze, captivated by the admiration of the medical team leader grabbing tools, also turns to the field.
The ground, momentarily vacated by Joo Ji-tae for the injury examination, was already in the midst of a resumed match.
However, in a completely opposite situation from before.
Once the shared home stadium of 1860 Munich, the Allianz Arena, now exclusively used by Bayern Munich, was witnessing a match where, contrary to the consistent dominance of Bayern Munich, 1860 Munich was currently overwhelming them, even with one more player, as Joo Ji-tae momentarily left the field.
It was undoubtedly influenced by Joo Ji-tae.
This was evident from the unbelievable play witnessed just now. When facing opposing players, the momentum tends to break, and conversely, teammates’ morale tends to soar.
Although there was a brief moment for Joo Ji-tae to recover mentally due to his injury, it was not enough time to predict the direction of the resumed game.
However, while a superb play can change the momentum, maintaining it is a different story. The turning point for 1860 Munich’s counterattack wasn’t just Joo Ji-tae; another player’s performance played a role.
That player was Cho Jae-shin.
Just now, didn’t Cho Jae-shin easily shake off the pressure from two Bayern Munich players and create an open chance for a penetrating teammate?
Unfortunately, it didn’t result in a goal as he faced the goalkeeper head-on, but it was an excellent play that created a decisive chance.
“Did you see Cho’s play just now? It’s like he’s dancing among the Munich players! It’s truly fantastic.”
Joo Ji-tae chuckled.
Isn’t Cho Jae-shin showcasing the second reason Joo Ji-tae chose to change positions so well?
He started as a forward.
During middle school, he became a midfielder.
However, Cho Jae-shin will continue to play as a forward from the beginning to the end of his professional career.
Because his talent is superior.
At least in the talent crucial for forwards, known as ‘scoring ability,’ Joo Ji-tae evaluated Cho Jae-shin as better than himself. And that was indeed true.
Cho Jae-shin’s ‘scoring ability,’ considered the most important skill for a forward, was innate.
Joo Ji-tae wasn’t lacking in scoring ability. The scoring ability, forged through long training and effort, turned Joo Ji-tae into a ‘midfielder who scores goals,’ and objectively, Joo Ji-tae was quite adept at accumulating attacking points.
However, that was all achieved through training, a talent honed through postnatal improvement.
What Cho Jaeshin possessed was not that kind of talent. It was an innate ability to create goals instinctively, not through ‘thought’ or ‘judgment.’ It was the congenital talent of a goal scorer who could connect goals from any posture or position.
And such a talent was one that Ju Jitae could never possess.
Of course, conversely, Ju Jitae also had many talents that Cho Jaeshin did not possess, and Ju Jitae himself believed that he was better in overall talent.
However, it was Cho Jaeshin who excelled as a goal scorer.
“Even that Jaeshin had to stay at Balon d’Or 2nd place.”
Balon d’Or 2nd place for three consecutive years.
Even Cho Jaeshin, a born goal scorer who exceeded 30 goals for three consecutive seasons, ultimately could not claim the Balon d’Or 1st place. Despite the disadvantage of being Asian, the talent of ‘Fernando Alvarez,’ who repeatedly blocked Cho Jaeshin according to Ju Jitae, was clearly superior to Cho Jaeshin’s.
A monster.
What do you call a player who records over 40 goals every season?
Even Fernando Alvarez, who held the titles of top scorer and Balon d’Or, could not be hailed as the ‘all-time best.’
Football history was filled with talented players.
In his first season, Ju Jitae, once called a ‘god,’ realized his limits as a midfielder.
He could undoubtedly become the best in active duty. He was confident about that.
However, he was lacking to become the undeniable best midfielder in history.
While reading an article that labeled him ‘the second Franz Beckenbauer,’ Ju Jitae, who was pondering his limits as a midfielder, had a sudden realization.
There were too many great players in attack and midfield.
Cruyff, Di Stefano, Ronaldo, Zidane, Ronaldo, Platini, Ronaldinho, Gerd Muller, Eusebio, Savić…
Especially the trio of Messi, Pelé, and Maradona, hailed as the best in history, was absolutely unmatched.
Legendary players like Maldini, Cafu, Dani Alves, Shanetti, Carlos Alberto, Philipp Lahm, Marcelo graced the side defensive positions.
But what about central defenders?
There were numerous legends in central defense, but the greatest of all time was only Franz Beckenbauer, the ‘Kaiser.’
There was no debate here.
When it came to naming the greatest player in football history, he was always one of the ten fingers, the best center-back, a player who, in the position of defender, was unequivocally the greatest in history – Franz Beckenbauer.
If he played as a forward?
From Noble mtl dot com
It would be challenging to surpass Cho Jaeshin, but he could match up to him. Although he lacked goal-scoring instincts compared to Cho Jaeshin, he could compensate in other areas. However, could he surpass ‘Fernando Alvarez,’ the ‘best player of the current generation’ that even Cho Jaeshin couldn’t surpass? What about Messi? Pelé? Maradona?
Then, what if he played as a midfielder?
He could potentially claim the top spot in active duty and might even be considered a candidate for the greatest of all time.
But what about a defender?
No one could deny the title of the greatest defender in history, the ‘Kaiser’ Franz Beckenbauer, with no player to match.
From the moment passion for football was reignited, Ju Ji-tae wanted to be not the ‘second someone’ but the ‘first Ju Ji-tae’.
Ping—
“Ju Ji-tae, get in!”
And Ju Ji-tae had the confidence to become the greatest defender in history.
* * *
After the first half, Bayern Munich players could escape from the remnants of the super play Ju Ji-tae had displayed.
The score remained 1:1.
Even though Ju Ji-tae had shown an unbelievable performance, it was possible because they couldn’t prepare well enough. Moreover, such plays are not something that can be seen every time.
Stepping onto the field in the second half, Bayern Munich players rallied their determination once again.
And when the game ended,
“I think I’ve won, haven’t I?”
“…Damn.”
Heiner Rupert had to lower his head at Ju Ji-tae’s laughter.
1860 Munich 3:1 Bayern Munich
27 Ju Ji-tae 19 Heiner Rupert
52 Jo Jae-shin
69 Ju Ji-tae
It was the unexpected victory of 1860 Munich.
