Two requests from Koo Ja-cheol, who leaves the friendly ground, to Korean soccer
Two requests from Koo Ja-cheol, who leaves the friendly ground, to Korean soccer
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"I have a social responsibility as a professional player. The grass should be changed even through institutional improvement."
Midfielder Koo Ja-cheol (36), who left a legacy in Korean soccer, will take off his soccer boots and start his second soccer life. While leaving the ground where he had been playing for 18 years, he asked for two things.
Koo Ja-cheol held a retirement press conference at the Korea Football Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 14th and said, "I would be happy to be remembered as the first Korean player to win a medal at the Olympics," adding, "I want to remain a player who delighted fans with a positive and enjoyable image."
I looked back on the happy memories of winning the Olympic podium with a medal around my neck and the past when I was disappointed by the performance below expectations during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
After playing professionally in the K League 1 Jeju SK in 2007, he returned to his former team Jeju through Wolfsburg, Mainz, Augsburg (Germany), and Al-Garapa (Qatar) and finished his 18-year career as a soccer player.
As a member of the national team, he has won two World Cups (2014 and 2018), three Asian Cups (2011, 2015 and 2019), and the first medal (bronze medal) in Korean soccer during the 2012 London Olympics.
Koo Ja-cheol, who was one of the golden three players of Korean soccer in the 2010s along with Ki Sung-yueng (FC Seoul) and Lee Chung-yong (Ulsan HD), thought of Korean soccer until the moment he left the ground.
First, Koo Ja-cheol pointed out the attitude of a professional player.
"When I was playing in Jeju, I always told my juniors that I want a professional player to be a dream for children in this society, and I want them to do something that they can learn and do. That's my social responsibility as a professional player."
"In the case of players going to the World Cup, I don't think it's just for young children. It's everyone's dream and hope," he added.
He emphasized the importance of soccer sports, which are evaluated as national sports in Korean society, and the responsibility of going on the big stage of the World Cup beyond simple national teams.
Not only soccer but also in other sports events, it is common for professional athletes to cause controversy and become socially controversial.
Koo Ja-cheol once again emphasized the importance of social responsibility, which should be the most basic position of professional players among his experience in Korea and Europe.
Koo Ja-cheol also argued that in order for Korean soccer to develop, not only the attitudes of the players but also the grass, the basic of soccer, must be improved.
Every summer, domestic stadiums suffer from grass problems. Although the characteristics of the exceptionally hot region cannot be ignored, experts point to the lack of management rather than the climate.
Koo Ja-cheol said, "I played in the K-League from 2007 to 2010 and came back after 12 years. Overall, I think the level has increased and I think the administrative part has improved as well."
"However, I think the possibility of the Korean soccer market is infinite. There are more ways to go than the way we came," he said. "It is very important to set a standard on where to play soccer in Korea (now, Korean soccer is played in a great infrastructure than in other countries), but we have to change the grass first to develop further. The grass is the basic." 토토사이트
"It's true that the grass gets damaged because the weather is hot, but we can't leave it as an excuse. Players and fans who come to watch the game suffer," he said. "I think the grass should be changed even by improving the system."