Glory Awaits The Train

For years, I have been hearing the same things, from neighbours, from my teachers and the odd stranger online - "You have the most potential of anyone I have ever seen/taught/chatted with". Of course, it was a massive ego-boost every time I heard it, but not anymore. At 23, with no real world credentials, I had a decision to make. It was either, make a decision about where my life was headed or simply leach off my parents till they had no choice but to throw me out. So, I volunteered at a local football team in my home city of Mumbai. Professional football barely pays the bills in India, so working under a coach of a local team in an unofficial capacity wasn't enough. Since most of my unfulfilled potential revolved around my command on the English language, I earned money writing projects and articles for 12-14 year olds with rich parents. Their parents didn't care how they got their "A+" grades, and the kids didn't care how much their "A+" would cost, so easy money for me.

Unfortunately, the team dissolved in 2010, but not before I took some courses online on 'Management in Football'. As a part of the deal, I was sent on a trip to South Korea (couldn't afford to English trip), to sit in the dugout of a couple of their lower league teams to see exactly how club management worked. The highest point on this trip was meeting Kim Seung-Hee, the Incheon Korean Railway manager. Incheon Korail play in the Korean National League, the second division in the country. They have been there for the past eight years, dropping down from the top division, the K-League.

He did ask me about the courses I was taking, but little did I expect his office to contact them about me being available to work in his coaching team. I thought to myself - 'Why would any semi-professional coach want an unknown, unproven youngster in their ranks?' I didn't even wait for an answer, and instead, started looking for flight tickets to Korea. That brings me to today.

AN AKASH STORY THING

For god's sake, please keep this going longer than the last one, the one before that(that lasted only till the OP) and your FM12 Manchester United story(which was brill, but you stopped it before the season)

Good start and good luck!

It was just another windy, gloomy day in Incheon. Having spent some time here now, I had gotten used to the weather and the people, but everything seemed a little darker today. There were no clouds in the sky, but there was no sun; the birds had gone silent, and so had the construction cranes. When I got off the bed this morning, I saw a text. It was from the manager.


Seung-Hee knew I would support him. He was the guy who gave me a job in his coaching staff when even McDonalds wasn't sure if I was "good enough" to be their server. He too, like all the others, said I had massive potential, but was the only one to do something about it. If he needed help with this, I would support him.

As I walked out of my car and towards the boss' office, I couldn't help but think of the various reasons the owners would've had a problem with him. Yes, we were lower in the league table than we expected to be at the start of the season, but that's because the teams around us raised their levels unexpectedly. By the time we realized what had hit us, we were already in the bottom three. Over the last 4-5 weeks, however, the situation had improved, and we were in 8th place - which was hardly near the relegation zone. Was it because of Seung-Hee's policy of only using Koreans in the team, even though there were 3 available spots for foreigners? I would have to go in and check it out for myself. As I knocked on the door, I expected it to feel like a battlefield, where opposing camps were throwing grenades, bombs and carefully placed hurtful words at one another. Instead, I walked into a picnic. Both, the chairman, Jung Chang-Yung, and the boss were having lunch, and specifically waiting for me. When they told me what they had planned, I was awestruck.


Why would anyone want me to be their manager? The only management I have ever done is on Sega's Football Manager, and even there, I've only won cups and leagues with Manchester United. No way would I be able to handle a real job at Incheon. I asked for time, and I was given some space to think about it. Kim Seung-Hee came back 10 minutes later and asked me why I was still thinking about it. He had recommended me for the job, and wanted me to take it. Once again, I thought to myself - 'He saw the potential in me, and is actually investing in it'. I nodded and asked for Mr. Chang-Yung to return to the office. I accepted the offer and was told to start my duty as manager starting immediately. I did, however, ask Seung-Hee before we left, why he had vacated the post? "You'll see" was his unimpressive answer. Two days later, he was announced to be Gangneung City's new manager, with a very lucrative contract.

Hehe, you were offered a job at a picnic

Awesome start, as I have learnt you do now it's time to kick on :p

Great start Akash!

An Akash story! This should be good...

... if it lasts!

I hope you stick with this one Akash. Every story of yours is brilliant but ends to soon.