<021. Frog Out of the Well (5)>
Skill development… Ho Yung put the ball down in the middle of training and became immersed in thought.
'Then is B+3 the next stage?'
It was a part that he had not thought about, so he had many questions.
He was curious what the limit was, and if he could go past B grade and develop into a 'something' of A grade.
'I'll find out if I try.'
Either way, it was definitely good news.
Since the skills have developed, it would help with the improvement of his abilities.
'Practice makes perfect!'
Practice and more practice!
Ho Yung left the thought alone, for now, and focused on training.
It was only after about 2 hours of position training when he suddenly had a question.
'I'm not sure what has changed.'
There were no physical changes he could feel. It did feel like training had become easier, whether that was the truth or if it was just a trick of the mind, he would only find out as time went on.
He didn't realise it when he had enhanced it, and only after one month had passed could Ho Yung confirm.
'It's definitely gotten easier.'
How do we put it?
In comparison, it was like this.
If the ability to get the hang of something after only one month after learning it was considered to be prodigy level, then prodigy (B+2) was the ability to understand it in a fortnight and apply that to real life.
Especially for Ho Yung, he was carefully eyeing this effect in his pace training, which he had always found difficult.
Thock. Thock.
Recently, they had been focusing on pass training, and he finally understood it.
The words of the coach, telling him that he needed to hold balance in his body and create the perfect posture when he passes. He felt enlightened to all of this in a month.
'Even in my eyes, I've grown noticeably.'
He was feeling the difference more than anyone else. He could tell just by the reactions of the people around him.
"Ooh~ Ho Yung, you've improved a bit?"
His teammates allowed for some admiration towards Ho Yung, who had changed 180 degrees in a single month. The skill's effect showed itself in other forms of training.
"When you dribble, it's not just moving your feet, your body and the ball have to travel as one. That way, you can find your centre of gravity, and even when you get oppressed, you don't lose physical fights."
"Yep!"
Ho Yung, who was listening to the technical coach's words, wondered 'What does that mean?', but he understood as he trained. And when free training time was given later, Ho Yung looked for Casemiro.
"Casemiro. Let's play a round of the crown game."
The crown game was a mini-game where the player who had possession of the ball within a chosen time was the king, and the loser had to go on errands as well as listen to requests from the winner - it could be seen as almost like a bet.
"Crown? Why this all of a sudden?"
"You're the best at defence on our team."
In truth, there were other reasons.
[Casemiro]
Skills Possessed
Soccer prodigy (B+)
Lightning fast ball cutting (B)
Satisfactory ball stopping (C)
(A skill can be taken if the criteria are fulfilled.)
(Criteria 1: Do dribble training together for at least 120 minutes.)
(Criteria 2: Dribble for 5 minutes and don't lose the ball to Casemiro.)
The reason was that he could do dribble training, and gain more skills.
"Then, I'll start!"
Only after 3 minutes of starting the crown game, Ho Yung was already out of breath.
Huff... Huff...
It was easier said than done, Ho Yung held on and tried to deny him, but he lost possession of the ball within 3 minutes.
"Ha~ this is tough."
That being said, Casemiro was the future star that represented the U13 League. Experience was experience, and with the skill 'soccer prodigy (B+)', there was no way for Casemiro to fall behind in the basics.
If Ho Yung was to close that gap, he needed to run until his feet caught fire, as much as he started later than others.
If putting in more effort and time was the road to royalty, it was the rule of the right.
"Ahhhhhhhh!"
It was a tough time, but he held on while reminding himself of this - 'I can do it!'
During his day-to-day life, which repeated to the point where it was annoying, Ho Yung trained as much as he had fallen behind in experience. And only after one month did he have enough confidence in his dribbling, allowing him to last five minutes against Casemiro.
It was thanks to the combination of the fact that he carved and polished his basics and his skill of 'quite fancy footwork (C+)'.
[Select the skill you desire.]
Satisfactory ball stopping (C)
'Ball stopping is good!'
Whenever he gained a skill, his sense of accomplishment pierced the skies. It was as if the stepping stones for him to become a true professional player were slowly being prepared.
Ho Yung was now showing potential in each aspect of training.
And seeing this, Director Carlos made a decision.
"I think he's getting to the standard where we can send him out in the League."
"Yes. His skills have improved on the whole. It's an incredible development."
Truthfully speaking, Ho Yung's level of skill was enough to compete in the League since a long time ago. But Carlos had given Ho Yung time.
He needed that much preparation if he was to face kids for several months that have had the basics planted firmly into their minds. The basics were now ready.
"What do you think?"
"If he's at that level, in truth, he's at the standard that he will stand out in the U13 League. But nobody knows if he will get through when it comes to the actual thing."
"I think so."
"What?"
"He's going to get through. That kid's meant for the stage."
Carlos was absolutely certain.
There was no way to not expect great things after seeing his recent form.
"Then let's send him out in the next Paulistano match."
"Isn't that an important match?"
"That's exactly why."
Time flew by, and it was already the 1st of August, a Friday.
It was the day that the 23rd match of the U13s League was commencing, and Sao Paulo's opponent was the team that was 3rd on the League's ladder, CA Paulistano.
It was an important match for Sao Paulo, who were 4th out of a total of 16 teams.
The concerning matter was Paulistano's ace player, as well as the one they call the U13's defence of steel, the centre back Fabinho, who was born in 1990.
"Fabinho's tackle is precise, and he is a player with brilliant ball distribution. That's why you need to put pressure on the front and make space with Dougie using switching play. Do you understand?"
It was an instruction that Carlos had given Ho Yung. It felt like a heavy weight on his shoulders, but Ho Yung replied with spirit.
"Yep!"
The formal debut match. They had no idea how long he had been waiting for this moment.
The match that would be recorded as the first in his career was about to commence.
Ho Yung let out a breath as he entered the stadium.
"Huu…."
It really only hit him when he stepped onto the pitch. That he had become a soccer player.
His anxiety soon turned into excitement.
It was an empty stadium with only stands for spectator seats, but Ho Yung's enthusiasm was that of a professional player's.
And.
"Good game."
As Ho Yung shook hands with a sharp-looking player on the opposition, the characteristics appeared in his eyes.
[Fabinho]
Skill Possessed
Good knowledge of soccer (C+)
Fast legs as if there are motors attached to them (B)
Knife-like ball distribution (C)
Quite an accurate slide tackle (C-)
(As long as you fulfil the criteria, you may choose from one of the skills.)
(Criteria 1: Win the match.)
(Criteria 2: Receive two offensive points.)
'This is the standard of the U13's steel defence?'
"Hmm."
To be frank, it was below his expectations. Or perhaps Ho Yung's standards had risen?
'After all, just Douglas and Casemiro are the future stars called the League's peak of skill.'
As he trained with them, his senses had become duller.
Then maybe here in the U13 League, he could show his activeness. If he was lacking, it was physique and experience. But there was something that was overflowing in him.
Skill.
He ran out onto the field to show it.
The match flowed quite tightly.
There was an endless fight between the two teams with the aim of getting the upper hand, but there was no one side that felt that they had a big advantage.
But there was one thing that Carlos was watching very deeply for.
The moment that Ho Yung got the ball.
At those moments, his gaze was focused on one place.
'Is he really the same kid from before?'
Carlos couldn't help but exclaim, again and again.
The Ho Yung that would run without a second thought the moment he had the ball was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was only the future star that understood what soccer was and applied that to an actual match in the stadium.
Dribbling, passing, everything was beyond expectations.
This wasn't the Ho Yung that only had kick and run and shooting as his only traits. Not only that, but his defensive side seemed to shine.
The ball stopping and cutting that was seen in Casemiro. It felt like Ho Yung was dominating the stadium.
CA Paulistano's main defender Fabinho couldn't keep up with Ho Yung in some aspects.
'His standards have risen yet another level.'
Ho Yung's soccer skills had matured in a matter of months.
This was the result of the effort of a soccer prodigy.
15 minutes into the first half.
As if finishing his warm-up, Ho Yung began to properly attempt attacks. By setting a safe passing play as their starting base for the attack, they made the opponent's defence go into a panic with Douglas's switching play.
And due to that, Fabinho's man-to-man defence lost its meaning, and it helplessly became weaker.
The remaining defenders tried hard to stick to Ho Yung, but could only find frustration.
This lead to an opportunity.
After receiving a through ball from Douglas to the front of the goals, Ho Yung found himself in a 1v1 situation.
At that moment, Ho Yung peeked at the opposition's goalkeeper, put strength into his right ankle and kicked the ball powerfully in front of him.
He remarked at the same time.
'That's it…!'
It had been 7 months since he arrived in Brazil.
He didn't show it in his facial expressions, but nobody knew how much suffering he had gone through and how much effort he had put in for that one shot.
10 weeks in the academy, 17 weeks in the U13.
It was a shot with the effort he had put in from the past 27 weeks.
And his efforts didn't betray him.
Swish!
The ball that Ho Yung had struck with the force to rip the net planted itself deeply into the right side of the goal.
"Ohhhhh!"
The body language that came out as an instinct.
Instead of his 'wow' ceremony, he ran around the stadium and roared.
The frog that had flown to South America had soon become a bullfrog.