Exclusive interview with director Lee Hak-jong, the ‘teacher’ in high school“Now I plan to focus on my team rather than the national team.”
Seeing these words left by Kim Min-jae (Naples), defender of the national soccer team, in an interview after the friendly match against Uruguay on the 28th of last month, coach Lee Hak-jong, the ‘teacher’, said, “Huh? Look at this guy.” He said he heard it from the thought.먹튀검증
Director Lee, who recently met with this magazine in Suwon, said, “I don’t know the details, but (Kim) Min-jae’s remarks are not a mistake.” It is highly likely that it was not a mistake, but a mantra revealed with intention. He said, “Min-jae is naturally assertive. It’s hard for his family to stop being stubborn,” he said. Kim Min-jae even posted an apology through his social network service (SNS) account when the controversy arose with this remark.
When director Lee was in charge of Suwon Technical High School, he discovered Kim Min-jae, who was in the beginning of the year in Geoje, and spent three years of high school together. So I am well aware of his tendencies. Director Lee first met Kim Min-jae in Ulju-gun, Ulsan Metropolitan City. It was October when there was a high school Wangjungwangjeon competition. Director Lee recalled, “After the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, when Park Ji-sung and Suwon Technical High School were in full swing, I heard from an acquaintance that there was a child who wanted to go to Suwon Technical High School, so I met him after making a promise to meet him while on my way to Ulju-gun.”
The height and physique of 16-year-old Kim Min-jae, who came out with his parents, caught the eye of director Lee. Due to the influence of his father who did judo in his school days and his mother who did track and field, Kim Min-jae was slim and quite tall at the time. Director Lee said, “Since my parents are tall, I was sure that Minjae would continue to grow taller later on. So I immediately decided to take Minjae with me on the spot.”
Coach Lee brought Kim Min-jae and recommended a position change. From striker to defender. He had the physique, so I thought he would become a good defender if he applied his skills. The striker also persuaded him that there is a high possibility of being pushed out of the competition with mediocre skills. On the other hand, the defender also added an explanation that if he had his skills, he could walk on a solid road. Kim Min-jae said that he accepted director Lee’s proposal without saying anything.
Coach Lee took Kim Min-jae and taught him how to defend by keeping an eye on the opposing striker and stepping back. Kim Min-jae also said that he followed Lee’s teachings well. He grew up to 178 in 1st grade, 182 in 2nd grade, and 184 in 3rd grade. His running posture was also corrected under the guidance of director Lee, with his shoulders held tight and his center of gravity held high. Coach Lee saw that Kim Min-jae’s attitude could cause frequent injuries. Director Lee said, “If you watch Min-jae’s game even now, that habit remains, but it has improved a lot compared to his high school days.”
When Kim Min-jae wandered in the first year of his professional career, it was also coach Lee who reassured him. Director Lee explained the situation at the time, “I received an SOS call from coach Kang-hee Choi and called Min-jae to Suwon.” Coach Lee, who called Kim Min-jae, said, “There are many players who appear for a while and then disappear. The same goes for you. If you don’t try on your own, Jeonbuk will just recruit another player and use it.” Afterwards, Kim Min-jae, who changed his mind, devoted himself to soccer and established himself as a leading defender in Jeonbuk.
Now, Kim Min-jae has grown into an indispensable asset in our football. The teacher is happy to hear the news of a student who is very active in Europe. However, he said he was sorry for one thing. Coach Lee said, “I haven’t been in touch lately. There are times when he wants me to leave at least one text message when he returns to Korea due to the call-up to the national team, but he never came.” It was a complaint mixed with affection from the teacher who wants to see the face of his pupil.