Seongnam: Having been teammates for Pohang Steelers for two seasons, forward Lee Ho-jae and defender Lee Tae-seok found themselves together at the national team's training camp Thursday, with South Korea gearing up for a regional tournament starting next week. They are hoping they will both get to wear the national flag this time next year during the FIFA World Cup.
According to Yonhap News Agency, head coach Hong Myung-bo opened camp for the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship at Seongnam Stadium in Seongnam, some 20 kilometers south of Seoul, four days before the host South Korea's first match against China. Hong Kong and Japan will be the next two opponents for South Korea.
In the absence of Europe-based stars, with the EAFF event not being on FIFA's international match calendar, Hong has selected 23 players from the domestic K League 1. While Lee Tae-seok, 22, has collected five caps as a fullback and appears to be a strong candidate to make the World Cup squad next summer, Lee Ho-jae, 24, has been called up for the first time.
The two have connected for some goals with Pohang, and Lee Tae-seok said he will try to help his teammate both on and off the pitch. "I've assisted some of his goals at Pohang and hopefully, we can produce similar moments together on the national team. It will help both of us," Lee Tae-seok told reporters before the training session. "I'm not a veteran by any means, but at least I've been with the national team before and I feel a bit more comfortable here than Ho-jae. I just told him to stay confident and make plays he's capable of making."
Lee Ho-jae said he was "honored" to be with the national team but added he won't be happy just to be around for the EAFF tournament. "Playing at a World Cup is a dream and a goal for every player," he said. "I hope I can continue to play well from here and on and have a chance to play at the World Cup next year."
The two teammates have more in common than just playing for the same K League club. Both are sons of former national team players. Lee Ho-jae's father, Lee Ki-hyung, collected 47 caps from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. Lee Tae-seok's father, Lee Eul-yong, retired with 51 caps, was the more famous one. The former midfielder was an integral part of South Korea's stunning run to the semifinals at the 2002 World Cup, scoring a goal and registering two assists, and he also played at the next World Cup four years later.
"It'd be a huge honor for our family if I can also play at the World Cup after my father," Lee Tae-seok said. "I will keep working hard to accomplish that goal."
Lee Ho-jae said his father had told him how proud he was of his son. The one piece of advice to the youngster: don't feel intimidated at the national team camp. "When I started my career, my goal was to become a better player than my father," the young forward said. "Since I am here as a forward, the best way to announce my presence will be to score goals. I am a versatile attacker and I will try to score goals when I get a chance to play."