SUWON ‘YOUNG GUN’ KIM JOO-CHAN STILL HURTING, BUT “FOOTBALL IS MY MEDICINE”

The relegation battle to avoid the bottom of the table was more intense than ever in the 2023 season of professional soccer’s K League 1, which concluded on Wednesday.The 10th to 12th place protagonists were not decided until two days after the final match of the Final B, leaving the ‘direct relegation’ teams to be decided at the last minute.The shockwaves in the soccer world were considerable, as it was Suwon Samsung, a ‘master of tradition’ and a popular club.Even Suwon’s 19-year-old striker, Kim Joo-chan, who we met at Lotte Hotel World in Seoul on Thursday, the day of the league awards ceremony to mark the end of an intense season, hadn’t yet shaken off his grief. “As a member of the team, I was sorry,” he said. I’m also responsible, and I’m grateful that the fans told me I did a good job, but I feel very sorry for myself.”

Kim Joo-chan, a rookie born in 2004 who joined the team this year, was a ray of hope for Suwon, which was mired in the relegation zone.He made a name for himself with a professional debut goal in a 1-0 win over Daegu FC in the Korea Football Association (FA) Cup round of 16 on May 24, and he also scored five goals in the league, most notably when Suwon beat leaders Ulsan Hyundai 3-1 on July 15 to end a nine-match winless streak and beat Gangwon FC 2-1 on July 22 for their first back-to-back wins of the season.As Suwon never fully recovered from their slump and eventually accepted the consequences of finishing last and being relegated to the second tier, Kim was nominated for the season’s Young Player of the Year award, making him the only Suwon player to attend the ceremony as an individual nominee.

“Although the team’s result was not good at the end, I am personally satisfied and proud of myself for achieving such a result in my first year,” said Kim, adding, “I am grateful just to attend the awards ceremony.”The 19-year-old rookie striker’s five goals are the most on the team this season, which is emblematic of Suwon’s situation this year. “I didn’t feel burdened by the fans’ high expectations, but if I was conscious of that, I wouldn’t be able to do what I can do, so I thought, ‘Let’s just do the best we can in the time we have,'” Kim said. “I thought, ‘I don’t care what anyone says, let’s play the soccer I want to play, I’m the main character in my life, so let’s not worry about external reactions.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a worse result than this in my career, and although it’s very difficult now, I think it will be a medicine for my soccer life once it passes,” he emphasized.Kim also expressed his gratitude to acting coach Yi Ki-hoon, who he cited as a role model for his efforts as interim head coach when Suwon was struggling.”I started playing soccer because of him, and I’ve grown my soccer life by watching him. As a senior and as a coach, I was very grateful for his words,” he said.”Next year, I want to win the battle with myself, and I feel that I need to prepare well from the winter before the second year,” he said, adding that he wants to be 카지노사이트킹 remembered as a player who does things when the team needs him.

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