Chapter 426: Korean Fans Cause Trouble for Son Heung-min
Although upsets often happen in the UEFA Super Cup, historically, the Champions League winners have a higher winning rate. After all, many Europa League champions are teams that were knocked out of the Champions League group stage, making their overall strength lower than these Champions League giants. However, Sevilla managed to hold their own against the two-time Champions League winners Manchester City, impressing many and earning their respect.
Sevilla's strong performance showed that they were indeed worthy of their Europa League victories. However, it was Son Heung-min's impressive substitute performance that caught the eye of many fans after the match. His speed and coordination with Lin Quan during counterattacks left a lasting impression.
"Who is this guy? I've never heard of him before," some fans wondered.
Fans who didn't follow the Bundesliga or pay attention to a mid-tier team like Bayer Leverkusen were unfamiliar with Son Heung-min.
"I checked Manchester City's official website. This guy was just bought from Leverkusen, and the transfer fee was not cheap—30 million euros!" another fan exclaimed.
"30 million euros? That's a price for a star player. Is an Asian player really worth that much?" a skeptical fan questioned.
"Based on his performance today, he's definitely worth the price. If he continues to develop, his value will only go up," someone else replied.
"Good wingers are rare, especially those with speed, shooting ability, and goal-scoring capability. Remember, Real Madrid spent 100 million pounds to buy Bale from Tottenham back then," one fan reminded the group.
"Well, Bale's transfer wasn't only for him," another fan interjected.
"That was just to appease Ronaldo. Do you really believe that?" the first fan retorted.
"If this guy can reach Bale's level, Manchester City will be unstoppable!" someone exclaimed.
Manchester City, known for their wing play, already had a formidable lineup. With players like David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, and attacking full-backs, adding another speedster like Son Heung-min made them even more formidable.
Son Heung-min's stellar debut in the Super Cup thrilled South Korean fans. After Park Ji-sung retired, South Korea lacked a leading figure in international football. Son Heung-min's emergence filled that void, making him the undisputed number one in the hearts of South Korean fans.
However, the Korean media's over-the-top praise became problematic. They hyped Son Heung-min to absurd levels, claiming he was the best in the world and diminishing players like Lin Quan and Messi. This exaggerated praise created unrealistic expectations and put unnecessary pressure on Son Heung-min.
The news reached England, and Son Heung-min, who had just joined Manchester City and received support from Lin Quan, started to worry.
"Father, can you do something about the fans back home? They're going to ruin me!" Son Heung-min implored his father.
Hearing his son's concerns, Son Heung-min's father realized the gravity of the situation. He agreed that stopping the fans' outlandish behavior was necessary but felt it wasn't enough. He needed to make amends with Lin Quan.
"Have you visited Lin Quan since you joined the team?" his father asked.
"Uh, no. I've been too busy with everything," Son Heung-min admitted.
"Foolish! Football also requires understanding social etiquette. Lin Quan is the core of Manchester City. Everyone knows that. You need to get on his good side!" his father scolded.
His father's words hit home. In the East Asian cultural sphere, social relationships and respect are crucial. Ignoring these could lead to being ostracized.
"What should I do now?" Son Heung-min asked, feeling lost.
"Prepare a gift and go apologize to him immediately. I'll go with you," his father decided.
They arrived at Lin Quan's luxurious seaside villa, and both were taken aback by its grandeur. The villa must have cost at least seven or eight million pounds.
Prompted by his father, Son Heung-min rang the doorbell. After a while, Lin Quan, drenched in sweat from training, answered the door.
"Sorry for the wait. I was training," Lin Quan apologized as he let them in. He quickly took a shower and changed before joining them in the living room.
"Lin Quan, we came to apologize," Son Heung-min began, presenting his gift—a Rolex watch worth about 35,000 pounds, a thoughtful and appropriately valued gift.
"Oh? Apologize? For what?" Lin Quan asked, curious about the reason for their visit.
Lin Quan had heard about the situation in Korea, thanks to his friends in the football community who had complained to him about the Koreans the day before. However, knowing the Korean tendency for self-importance, he didn't take it to heart as long as Son Heung-min wasn't behind it.
"It's like this..." Son Heung-min quickly explained the situation in Korea and sincerely apologized. "Brother Lin, I'm really sorry. The people back home can really exaggerate things. I'm just a newcomer who has just joined the team. My only thought for the new season is to get some playing time, nothing else. Besides, others may not know, but I do. With your strength, not even Messi or Ronaldo could replace you!"
Lin Quan looked at Son Heung-min in surprise. This kid had learned the art of flattery quite well! But was this his own idea or his father's coaching?
"Alright, enough flattery. Instead of wasting time here, go back and train hard for the next game," Lin Quan said, waving off the compliments.
Lin Quan had heard enough praise from the outside world and had grown immune to various forms of flattery. Now that the situation was clear, he prepared to send them off. But Son's father's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Lin, will my son get a chance to play in the next game?"
Since joining the team, Son Heung-min hadn't played in the Premier League for Manchester City. Although he performed well in the Super Cup, there was no guarantee Guardiola would give him another chance, considering the team's complete lineup.
"Our next opponent isn't very strong. If we can secure a lead in the first half, the coach usually substitutes new players around the 65th minute to give them some experience," Lin Quan said, looking at Son's father. Clearly, he was trying to get some insider information.
Lin Quan understood Son Heung-min's nervousness and concerns about integrating into the new team and league. So, he shared a bit of information, but he wouldn't go as far as asking Guardiola about the lineup and substitutions for Son Heung-min. There was no need, and it would be disrespectful to Guardiola.
Even so, the information Lin Quan shared was enough to put their minds at ease. The father and son left, and Son Heung-min returned to training even harder for the upcoming match.
Guardiola appreciated hard-working players. While football relied heavily on talent, effort and dedication could also elevate a player's performance. Seeing Son Heung-min's dedication, Guardiola's impression of him improved significantly.
When preparing the roster for the next Premier League match, Guardiola included Son Heung-min's name. Hearing that he made the 18-man squad, Son Heung-min felt relieved. "As Brother Lin said, I really have a chance to play!"
He also understood that it was unlikely for Guardiola to start him immediately. Manchester City wasn't short of players, and throwing him into the starting lineup without integrating him into the team's tactical system could disrupt their play and potentially lead to a loss. Both he and Guardiola would then be held accountable.
For a newcomer, the usual approach was to start as a substitute, build chemistry with teammates, and gradually integrate into the team through training. Once in peak condition and in sync with his teammates, he would get his chance, especially during player rotations or when teammates were injured.
In the meantime, Son Heung-min focused on training hard, maintaining his form, and staying ready to make the most of any playing time he got. After regular team training, while others went home, Son Heung-min stayed back to practice more.
However, he wasn't the only one staying back. Lin Quan was also there. "Brother Lin, what are you practicing?" Son Heung-min asked curiously.
"Free kicks. What about you?" Lin Quan replied.
"Uh, my dribbling is a bit weak. I want to improve it," Son Heung-min admitted.
As a winger, not being able to dribble well was embarrassing. While Son Heung-min wasn't entirely inept at dribbling, he relied heavily on speed. In a set-piece situation without a speed advantage, he found it hard to dribble past opponents. This was his biggest gap compared to the top wingers in football—he lacked the ability to break through defenses.
Seeing Lin Quan's proficiency in this area, Son Heung-min thought he could learn a lot from him. "I've practiced enough free kicks for now. I'll be your training partner," Lin Quan offered.
Hearing this, Son Heung-min was overjoyed. Learning Lin Quan's dribbling skills would greatly enhance his wing play.
Seeing Son Heung-min's excitement, Lin Quan couldn't help but smile. He remembered training with De Bruyne at Werder Bremen, where De Bruyne was often outmatched. It looked like Son Heung-min was about to follow in De Bruyne's footsteps.
After setting up the training cones, they began practicing. Initially, Son Heung-min was enthusiastic, but soon he realized something was wrong. Every time he had to defend against Lin Quan, he couldn't stop him. He couldn't even see Lin Quan's moves clearly before being bypassed.
One or two times could be a coincidence, but this happened repeatedly, leaving Son Heung-min in awe. The difference between experiencing it in person and watching on TV was staggering.
Meanwhile, Guardiola and some colleagues passed by the training ground, seeing the two training diligently.
"I've heard that Asian players are hard-working. Seeing these two, it's clear the reputation is deserved," Guardiola commented, satisfied with their dedication.