Pep Guardiola had been resting continuously since being dismissed by Barcelona.
That did not mean he had simply been taking it easy.
He constantly watched all kinds of football matches, devised new tactics, and even ran simulations in his head as if he were still a manager.
It was a kind of study.
Although he had officially announced his retirement, football was always by his side.
He was a born football man who simply could not separate himself from the game.
He was ready to return to football at any time.
Of course, if he did return, he only intended to go to a league without Ho-young in it.
As a manager, that was not a choice, but a requirement.
To Guardiola, Ho-young was a player against whom tactics simply did not work.
And even if they did work, it was only for 30 minutes.
After that, he would figure out the tactics on his own, find the gaps, and suppress the opponent in return.
A player who could do everything.
Facing someone like that in the same league was practically suicide.
No, even being on the same continent felt burdensome.
As long as he was in Europe, Guardiola thought it would be hard even to dream of winning the UEFA Champions League.
He even thought it might be easier on the mind to go to South America or Asia instead.
Moreover, with the leagues in the Middle East and China developing recently, he had started to take interest in those places too.
Or perhaps it would be easier simply to take charge of a national team.
Because he no longer wanted to go through the dreadful experience he had suffered at Barcelona.
Once in a lifetime was more than enough for that.
Guardiola in particular was a man with very strong self-regard.
His pride went without saying, and he was nothing without his sense of self-worth.
Yet even a man like that had one inescapable label attached to him.
'Ho-young's win machine.'
It was a mocking way of saying that he always lost whenever he faced Ho-young.
In other words, a living nightmare.
That was why he had flinched in surprise when the unexpected call came.
He had never even dreamed that Ho-young would call him directly.
-It's been a while, manager.
"It seems this is the first time we've spoken privately."
A truly vicious fate.
He had received calls from various club owners and chairmen before, but this was the first time a player had contacted him directly.
He had received check-in calls from Puyol and Xavi, his former players, but Ho-young was the first opponent to do so.
And even more surprising than that was what Ho-young said next.
-I want to work with you this season.
A request to come as Manchester City's manager.
Guardiola was reminded of around this same time last year.
When he had left Barcelona, a certain man had called him and said this.
[I will offer you something you cannot refuse.]
That man had been none other than Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
After that, AC Milan and Bayern Munich had also reached out to Guardiola, confidently saying they would sign Ho-young.
It had been an excessive offer for someone who had managed to lift no more than a Copa del Rey trophy.
But Guardiola had ended up going nowhere.
At the time, it had been impossible to imagine Ho-young, who was thriving at Real Madrid, moving to another club.
He had thought it was impossible.
But when Ho-young actually went to Manchester City, the football world shook.
Manchester City had already been confident back then that they could bring Ho-young in.
And now.
They wanted Guardiola once again.
Only this time, it was not the chairman sending the offer, but the player himself.
It felt strange.
Was this not exactly like a manager calling a player he liked and making a move?
Of course, receiving such an offer from a player like that was in itself a tremendous honour.
But Guardiola was not so shallow that he would accept in a rush.
He very much wanted to work with Ho-young, but there were too many things holding him back to decide on the spot.
Guardiola ended the conversation briefly.
"I need time to think."
And he did not forget to add this.
"Thank you for calling."
From the moment he ended the call until he went to bed, Guardiola kept thinking.
It was early July.
He did not have much time to think.
A few days later, an official press conference was held in the media zone at the Etihad Stadium.
The man at its centre was Roberto Mancini, whose contract expired that day.
With a calm face, as if he had laid everything down, he spoke.
"I enjoyed my time here."
A short and powerful line.
He was deeply regretful about leaving the team at this moment, but he had no choice except to accept it.
Still, he had achieved the great feat of a mini treble, and that was enough.
Mancini frankly revealed what was on his mind.
"To be honest, I think I used up all the luck of my lifetime."
Mancini's gaze turned toward the corner.
The Manchester City players attending the press conference were there.
In other words, he was giving them the credit.
He knew well enough that his own contribution had not been that great.
Ho-young was among them as well, and for him too, it was a very meaningful day.
[Excellent Eye for Players (A+3)]
A talent he had coveted by fulfilling the condition, 'Spend the final season with Roberto Mancini.'
Even aside from that, there was great meaning in being there for Mancini's last moment.
After all, he was the manager with whom he had sweated and run together for six months.
After the press conference ended, Ho-young and Mancini exchanged their farewells alone.
"Thank you for everything."
That was all Mancini had to say.
Ho-young answered briefly as well.
"Thank you."
The one leaving should go without regret.
And the empty space left behind should be kept open for the one who comes next.
By now, Ho-young had grown rather used to farewells, and with a slight bow of his head, he spent his final moments with Mancini.
And so, the old generation of Manchester City came to an end.
[Manager Roberto Mancini's contract with Manchester City expires]
[The bitter departure of the manager who led Manchester City to a treble... His future destination remains undecided]
[José Mourinho comments on a possible move to Manchester City. Speaking about the recent rumours, he said, "If Manchester City want me, I will go," suggesting a strong possibility. He also differentiated himself from the other managers linked with the role by saying, "I am already a manager with a record of success in the Premier League. That job is one where experience of winning the league and the Champions League is very important."]
Experience of winning the league and the Champions League.
In other words, it was a pointed remark aimed at Guardiola, who had also been named as a candidate.
And there was no way Guardiola, who had spent so many years with Mourinho, would fail to notice that.
'He really wants to go to Manchester City.'
Guardiola felt the same way.
A manager's instinct.
Anyone would welcome the chance to go to a strong team.
Especially if it was a team with Ho-young.
And how long had it been since he last smelled a trophy?
Guardiola had never once tasted a league title or a Champions League trophy.
He was even hungrier for victory than Mourinho.
However.
'What matters is the process.'
The result mattered too, but whether it was a double or a treble, it meant nothing in the end if he could not play the football he wanted to pursue.
If the process was good, the result would follow.
That was Guardiola's football philosophy.
And it was something strict and meticulously built.
It was a territory no one else could invade.
Yet he worried that if he worked with Ho-young, his football philosophy might be shaken.
Ho-young's presence was that great.
That was the concern.
He felt burdened by the thought that before he could properly perform as manager, Ho-young might devour him instead.
And yet.
Ring ring.
His hand was already holding the phone.
He shook his leg restlessly, ran a hand through his hair, and then spoke.
"Can you talk?"
-Of course.
The recipient was Ho-young.
"I want to hear honestly why you chose me in particular. There was also manager Scolari, someone you're already familiar with. As people say, am I not still nothing more than an unproven eccentric manager?"
That was true.
Which was why he wanted to know what Ho-young was thinking.
Why had he chosen him?
At first, Guardiola thought Ho-young would use his power to control him.
But then.
-Because I want to share your football philosophy. And I want to learn from it.
Ho-young's answer was unexpected.
-I think that with you, we can play attractive football. No one recognises it yet, but one day the world will. I want to be part of that too. We can create something revolutionary together.
Someone who recognised his true worth.
A faint smile appeared on Guardiola's face.
It had been a very long time since he had heard words like that.
And those words made his heart race.
"I understand. I'll contact you again soon."
The next person he called was his agent.
He went straight to the point.
"I'm leaving for Manchester, so make the arrangements immediately."
A crisis, but also an opportunity.
And perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He could not give that up.
And if he managed to turn that crisis into opportunity, he might accomplish things no one in the world had ever achieved.
Guardiola arrived in Manchester exactly two days later.
The contract proceeded at lightning speed, and the press conference was held that very day.
With many reporters in attendance, Guardiola, dressed sharply, slowly began to speak.
"It took about a year to return to this place."
The moment Guardiola spoke those first words, the bridge of his nose stung.
Just being able to stand here again was moving enough.
"Ahem."
He calmed his swelling chest and continued in a composed voice.
"There are many labels attached to me right now."
A failed manager.
A manager who could not win the league even once despite having Ronaldinho, Messi, and Zlatan.
An unfortunate manager who lost everything to Ho-young.
Since his retirement, such stains on his name had tormented him without end.
And when he had now declared his return to Manchester City, even harsher ridicule and contemptuous criticism had followed.
"I was criticised with the question of what a manager who could not even dominate his own domestic league could possibly do in another one. I imagine there are many journalists here who think the same. Of course, I understand that feeling myself."
It was understandable.
England had been a stage he did not prefer.
That was why, until he proved himself with results, he was prepared to accept the criticism.
Sure enough, not long after, aggressive questions started coming in.
"As you said in an interview a long time ago, manager, you have stated that you absolutely dislike the weather in England."
"That is true. But that does not mean I dislike English football."
"Then can you honestly tell us why you chose Manchester City? Many clubs, including Bayern Munich and AC Milan, have tried to lure you, but you rejected them all. Did you perhaps come back because of Ho-young? There is criticism that you have come only to build your career as a manager."
The intent was to paint Guardiola as a shallow manager who only cared about his career.
But he did not deny it.
"That's right."
"...!"
Guardiola was not normally the type to talk much at press conferences, but today he spoke like a machine gun, pouring out everything he wanted to say.
"Ho-young wanted me. I believe that being chosen by a player like him is itself proof of great ability."
Guardiola knew Ho-young's greatness down to his bones.
He knew full well that even bowing and thanking him would not be enough.
"And what I seek is not just trophies. Here, I will complete the football I have always dreamed of, and at the same time I will leave a great mark on football history. The various trophies will simply be one of the achievements that come along in the process."
It was astounding confidence for someone who had once been dismissed from Barcelona.
"Just wait and see."
A declaration of war.
Then one reporter asked in a worried tone.
"If I remember correctly, when you were at Barcelona, you had conflicts with Zlatan. Are you not worried about something like that happening again? Manchester City also had constant noise over similar issues under manager Mancini."
"I know. But leading a team is not solely the manager's role. It is also the captain's responsibility."
"Hm, do you already have a player in mind for the captaincy?"
At that question, Guardiola answered immediately, without a second of hesitation.
"Ho-young. From today onward, Manchester City's club captain will be him. And together we will build something."
"What exactly do you mean?"
With everyone's attention focused on him, Guardiola answered in a solemn voice.
"Our era."
It was the moment a new era began for Manchester City.
(To be continued.)