PAJU (Yonhap News) ― After making a successful international debut last weekend at the ongoing East Asian Cup tournament, South Korean left fullback Kim Jin-su has been hailed as the second coming of veteran left fullback Lee Young-pyo.
At the South Korean training camp set up at the National Football Center in Paju, north of Seoul, Kim said he appreciates favorable comparisons to Lee, considered one of the greatest players South Korea has produced at any position. Kim then added he has an even bigger goal for his career.
Korean left fullback Kim Jin-su (Yonhap News)
“It’s an honor to be compared with such a great player,” Kim said of the veteran of three FIFA World Cups and 127 international matches.
“My dream is to become a better football player than Lee Young-pyo.”
Kim was a revelation in South Korea’s scoreless draw against Australia on Saturday in Seoul.
The host country was in complete control of the game, and the opposing goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic was largely responsible for keeping the energetic South Koreans off the board.
As the starting left fullback, Kim generated plenty of offense from the left side and was the team’s designated kicker on corners and free kicks.
His long and looping throw-ins also added a new dimension to the South Korean offense. Since Australians were busy fending off South Korean attacks, Kim wasn’t tested much on defense and was able to display his offensive instincts throughout the match.
Overall, it was a solid performance that belied Kim’s age and his lack of prior international experience at the senior level.
Kim, who plays professionally for Albirex Niigata in Japan’s J League, said he still has a ways to go.
“I finally made my senior international debut, and that was something I’d dreamed about for a long time,” said Kim.
“I still have a lot of room for improvement, but I played hard in that first game and have no regrets.”
Kim has appeared in every one of the Japanese club’s 17 games this year. Before the East Asian Cup, South Korean head coach Hong Myung-bo picked the youngster as one of his six international rookies.
The regional matches are not FIFA-protected, meaning foreign clubs aren’t obliged to release their international players. South Korea doesn’t have the services of its Europe-based stars, whose new club seasons are just weeks away, and Hong elected to give untested players like Kim an opportunity to prove themselves.
Kim came through in his first game, and his lengthy throw-ins drew “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd.
He said he developed his ability to launch long throws from touch lines while he was rehabbing from a shoulder injury.
“During my senior year in high school, I injured both my knees and shoulders and I had to take one year off,” Kim recalled.
“And I wanted to strengthen my shoulders during rehab and started practicing throw-ins. I wanted to have my own special weapon as a defender.”
Kim is expected to get another starting nod on Wednesday, when South Korea faces China in the second East Asian Cup contest.
“Obviously, we all want to play well when we take the field,” Kim said. “But I think it’s more important for the team to win. Our players are in good spirits, and we should be able to beat China.”
After the Chinese match, South Korea will close out the round-robin tournament on Sunday against Japan.
