101. Samseonman
The match against Sociedad caused quite a stir in Korea as well.
The main issue was Kovacevic's tackle on Ho-Young Woo, and controversy ignited when a photo capturing the scene was posted online.
Even though the feet were that high, public opinion was formed calling for the resignation of referee Angel Angel, who awarded a yellow card.
A signature campaign was even underway on Agorang, a domestic petition site.
[Agorang Petition: Current number of signatures: 48,512]
[On FIFA's official website, a notice was posted that if more than 1 million signatures were received within 48 hours, punishment would be imposed. Please sign. Actions that try to drown out youth with a bright future must be eradicated.]
└I am signing!
└I also sign. At least he deserves a red card. I almost ruined the life of the world's best prospect.
└Gojakick Hoyoung hahahaha
└You can't believe you're tackling the future Zidane
└But what is the punishment for this in FIFA?;;
└It's called FIFA regulations.
└Eng FIFA has such a rule?
└You guys haha that referee is from the Spanish Football Association;;
└Hokkasem? Don't you know that FIFA is a big hit in the soccer world?
└I'm signing for a clean soccer world ^_^
└Howoohowoo hyung always supports our Woo Hoyoung
└Howoohowoo hyung always supports our Woo Hoyoung2
It was a time when the Agorang craze was blowing. .
Most social issues have petitions posted, and this issue was not overlooked.
A series of signatures were filed calling for referee Angel's punishment and resignation, saying that his yellow card was a clear misjudgment and corruption in the refereeing world.
There was some seditious nature that took advantage of patriotism.
It was not something FIFA could be directly involved in in the first place, and there was no way FIFA would have such a regulation.
Moreover, the general view of local people was that referee Angel Angel's decision was correct.
However, what is interesting is that some Korean soccer fans even did something unusual, such as posting a protest message on the Spanish Tourism Board website.
Still, it was better than China.
Some Chinese people once staged street protests demanding that their team be sent to the World Cup after failing to qualify for the Asian continental qualifiers.
In other words, this happening did not only occur in Korea.
And it was bound to cool off domestically before it became a global issue.
There was another place that was directly affected by Kovacevic's incident.
At that time, Zaragoza, Spain.
The Spanish branch of Adidas, where about 300 employees from 10 nationalities work, was located there.
They were monopolizing the love of Spanish customers by recently winning the 'Spain's Best Employer Certification Award', but a few days ago, some concerns arose in the sponsorship department.
The first was an issue involving Kovacevic, whose image has been taking a huge hit recently.
Regarding this, Rancho, a senior brand sponsorship manager from India, said:
"Let's assume there is no contract renewal."
Adidas, which currently signed a sponsorship with Kovacevic, has decided not to extend the six-year contract worth 2.4 million euros (KRW 3.4 billion), which ends this year.
The reasons include a decline in awareness of the relegation to the second division, continued rumors, and impending retirement.
Once a key member of the 1st division runner-up team, he was reduced to trash in just 1-2 years.
There was no reason to extend that kind of contract.
However, because it was not a serious matter such as the player being involved in a crime, there was no immediate termination.
In other words, the decline in image due to media play was not a decisive factor, but it played a catalyst role.
This was an unusual event for Adidas, which has sponsorships with countless athletes, so there was no need to drag it out in a messy manner.
It was right to cut out the rotten parts.
The following were matters related to individual sponsorship contracts.
The brand planner spoke.
"It's a personal contract, right?"
The candidate for the contract was Real Madrid Castilla's Woo Ho-young.
Sponsorships are usually signed by the player's agent, but there are also cases where the company approaches the player directly.
Also, it is common to sign a group contract (with a team) with young prospects, but with players who have a guaranteed future or have already gained recognition, a full-time contract is signed from a young age.
It is one of the rarest cases in the world, and recent cases include Carlos Bella Giovanni dos Santos Boyan Giovinco.
Although Woo Ho-young is quite young, Adidas thought now was the right time.
Since they are already playing in the second division.
Senior Manager Rancho shared his thoughts.
"I don't know who will be Beckham and who will be Figo, but this is certain. Woo Ho-young is a professional player who has already proven his worth several times. "You can't just classify him as a prospect."
However, there was no need to rush as Adidas, which was signing a sponsorship contract with Real Madrid, had the right to preferential negotiations regarding its players.
However, I couldn't just postpone it.
Woo Ho-young showed outstanding performance and made his debut in the first division next year. Wouldn't it be a terrible thing if he wore Nike soccer shoes in his debut game?
So now was the right time.
Late September.
Rucci came to the Valdebebas 2nd team training ground with good news.
"I'm on my way after finishing a meeting with an Adidas representative."
Hoyoung, who was doing personal training, took some time to talk.
"Is this the soccer shoe contract you mentioned before?"
"yes. The content is okay. Please take a look and tell us your opinion."
Hoyoung was currently wearing the Adidas F50 series as he was currently receiving sportswear from the club.
So it was better to sign a contract with Adidas.
Hoyoung wiped the sweat running down his cheek and looked at the contract.
Hoyoung's mouth curled up.
"Oh, it's a personal contract?"
"yes. Usually, youths sign a group contract through their club or national team, but Woo Ho-young is a player who is attracting attention in the professional league."
Sportswear companies are not charities.
We don't blindly bet money on young people who don't even appear on TV and sign contracts.
That's why there is a 'group contract', and it usually provides free sports equipment worth 2,000 to 5,000 euros per year.
It's like a kind of bait with the intention of signing a contract with them if they debut as professional players later.
However, Hoyoung, who was already active in the second division and was well-known in the media, deserved a personal contract.
The contract was laden with various options.
1. If a player debuts in the Spanish first division with Real Madrid within two years, the sponsorship will be increased by 200% (a lump sum payment will be made based on the number of months remaining on the contract).
2. A bonus of 100,000 euros (KRW 140 million) will be paid to the youngest player to debut in the Spanish first division.
3. A bonus of 10,000 euros (14 million won) will be paid if a player is selected as a member of the U20 youth national team and participates in a match before the age of 18.
3. A bonus of 20,000 euros (KRW 24 million) will be paid if you participate in the Olympic Games before the age of 18.
4. Bonuses are paid according to the contents specified below depending on the team's performance or individual performance.
There were many other things, but the most important one was the down payment.
"200,000 euros for a two-year contract is 100,000 euros per year."
KRW 140 million.
This is about 60% of Hoyoung's current salary from Real Madrid.
Typically, a contract signed by an 18-year-old prospect who has shown outstanding performance at a big club in the first division is usually worth about 2.5 billion won over 5 years.
Considering that, this proposal seemed like a good idea.
Moreover, I liked that the contract period was short.
"Then, for the next two years, you will only have to wear Adidas gear."
I will have to be a slave to Adidas for the next two years.
It didn't just apply to soccer shoes.
Basic clothing such as bags, gloves, hats, and sneakers had to be worn only from Adidas.
However, sunglasses and other sports equipment other than soccer, headphones, personal care and hygiene products, watches and electronic accessories were excluded.
"You have to do that not only on the pitch but also in real life."
"I need to get rid of all the Nike gear I have at home first."
"haha. It's better to throw it away altogether. If you go out wearing Nike slippers in the alley in front of your house, it would be difficult to get your picture taken. There are quite a few paparazzi who use that as an excuse to extort money. Of course, such things rarely lead to contract termination, but there is nothing good about making the sponsor uncomfortable."
One of the reasons for signing a sponsorship is because a player's off-field life arouses public interest.
Currently, the media's interest in Hoyoung is quite high for a second-division league player.
As the media is receiving more and more attention, Hoyoung has to be more careful.
So Hoyoung asked.
"But doesn't this violate labor laws? "It's a fairly large amount."
"This is not work. It is not judged that labor was provided because labor was not provided under location and time constraints, and remuneration was not received in return for the work. "If it was going to be a problem, I wouldn't have brought the contract in the first place."
"okay."
After all, it is beneficial for mental health if the agent is healthy.
Some players have trouble meeting the wrong agent, but this did not apply to Hoyoung.
'It's a sponsorship contract.'
Hoyoung's eyes softened.
Who would have known that a sponsorship contract would be signed so suddenly?
If this eventually led to an advertising contract…
I could only imagine it.
The fatigue that had accumulated from training all morning disappeared like a lie.
Spain's tax rate of 50% is a bit burdensome, but if things continue like this, it was only a matter of time before we were left with no money left.
Well, I don't play soccer for money, but isn't it better to have more money than no money?
Hoyoung made a decision.
"great. "Let's do it this way."
It was only two days later that the contract signing ceremony with Adidas was held.
After taking pictures and a simple signing ceremony, an interview was held with the Marca tabloid, and an Internet article related to it was published on the Marca website that evening.
[Adidas promised to accompany Real Madrid's promising star Woo Young. The details of the contract are not known, but it is known that he belongs to the upper category of second-tier leaguers. This appears to be a contract aimed at the Asian market, considering Woo Ho-young's debut in the first division. Currently, Woo Ho-young is tied for 3rd place in the league's top scorers…]
Under the article, there is a picture of Ho-young smiling brightly while holding the Champions League official ball.
At the same time, the interview content was also published, and we were able to see the honest stories that Hoyoung had always kept in his heart.
[Journalist: I heard good things from you. Is there any last thing you would like to say?]
[Woo: I couldn't say everything at the official meeting last time, but I would like to say thank you to many people who helped me, including Ballack Desailly, Coach Cha Bum-geun, and Coach Carlos. And I can't wait to compete with better players on a big stage. So I'm working hard. (Laughs)]
As September, such a good month, passed by.
Bayern Munich's 'Toni Kroos', who won the Golden Ball at the U17 World Cup, debuted in the German first division and had a brilliant start with 1 goal and 2 assists.
The boy was only 17 years old.
The day his talent began to explode was the day when Bayern Munich's record of becoming the youngest player to play and score was broken.
And that time.
Castilla's Hoyoung was awarded the 'Segunda Division Player of the Month' award by the Segunda Division Secretariat.
With this, Hoyoung became the youngest player to win the 'Second Division Player of the Month Award'.
With the flow of world soccer accelerating, fall in Madrid was also passing quickly.
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