SENAYAN Special Coverage

Club Preview: Suwon Samsung Bluewings

Courtesy of Firstxi.com

Overview

Suwon Bluewings may only have been founded in 1995, but they are currently already enjoying great success. This is their second consecutive Asian Club Championships and coach Kim Ho has led Suwon to become Korea's hottest football club. In fact they have now overtaken Pohang Steel Workers as perhaps the most recognized Korean football team. It is fitting that Korea's biggest company now sponsors Korea's biggest team.

While the state of Korea's football has been in decline since the 1980s, the efforts of clubs like Suwon to develop young new talents and open the domestic game to foreign expertise has seen a mini-revival. If the progress continues, South Korea could well be ready to take on the world once the World Cup rolls along in 2002.

Tactics

Like the national team, the Korean club play a tight game with cohesiveness and technical ability. This means they play defense as a full unit, and attack as a unit as well. On occasion, the long ball technique may get used, but this is hardly normal.

Unlike their Japanese cousins, Suwon play man-markers to destabilize the opponent's strikeforce, and have also sometimes planted a destroyer to fight possession with an opposing attacking midfielder. Upfront, Suwon rely on counterattack strategies to unlock stubborn opponents, and flank-play becomes a crucial component of their game.

24 year-old Kim Dae Hwan has taken over as Suwon's main custodian this season. His defenders form a protective shield in front of him, a marking defense relying on finesse and stamina. Yugoslav Zoltan Sabo is their main foreigner in this department. Highly rated defensive back from Partizan Belgrade, he together with full international Lee Ki Hyung lead the Suwon defense.

The Suwon midfield is abuzz with tenacity and graft. Skipper Shin Hong Gi is the mainstay and the set piece specialist. On his side are Ko Jung Su, Korea's best youngster who recently just curled an unforgettable free-kick against the world-all-stars in a match.

Denis Laktionov is a Paul Scholes-type figure labeled the "Russian Fireball" by the media. There is also the Brazilian Sandro to add some samba flavor, as well as winger Seo Jung Won who has played in Europe before. No. 10 is the Romanian Iounut Lutu and although a reserve, his experience counts for a lot.

Upfront, the Suwon attack is ably controlled by Lucky Isibor, a Nigerian who has replaced the effervescent Sasa this season He is partnered by Park Kun Ha, who has played with the national team for a few years now as a flexi-forward.

Player to Watch:

Ko Jung Su

The last great hope still playing in Korea, Ko is the nation's answer to Nakata.

Talented to a fault, Ko has not always produced the goods and being injury-prone does not help. However he has a magical left foot and is destined for bigger things in football.