First win and MVP…’193cm long DF’ Kim Gun-woo dreams of “Hong Jeong-ho-Park Jin-seop”
“Buildup, tough play, these are things I need to learn.”
Jeonbuk Hyundai U-17 (Youngsanggo) defender Kim Gun-woo was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) after his team defeated Suwon Samsung U-17 (Matanggo) 2-1 to lift the trophy in the high school U-17 final of the 2023 Ground.N K League Youth Championship at Cheonan Stadium on April 28.
“It’s the first time I’ve won a tournament since coming to Jeonbuk, so I’m happy,” Kim said after the game, “and since it’s the final, I told us to stick together and play until the end.”
After taking a 2-0 lead, the team conceded a goal in the second half but held on to the lead. “We had to defend until the end,” Kim said. I’m just sorry that we conceded one. With a two-goal lead, we could have easily taken it easy, but we had a difficult game trying to defend it.”
This is Jeonbuk U-17’s first trophy and best result in the competition. It’s been a long time since Jeonbuk has won a trophy since the championship was first held in 2015, but they defeated ‘powerhouse’ Suwon, who won the title in 2017 and 2018.
Jeonbuk head coach Lee Kwang-hyun said, “Gunwoo has good physicality. But he needs to be a tough defender. It’s the same for every player. If he emphasizes his strengths and complements his weaknesses, he will be a good player.”
Kim Gun-woo laughed and said, “It’s true that I’m passive,” and added, “The coach told me to be rougher and foul occasionally. I’m thinking about it, but I’m not practicing it,” he confessed.
It’s his first MVP. Kim Gun-woo said, “It’s so undeserved that I wonder if I deserve it. I feel like I need to work harder,” he said, adding, “I have good physicality and am confident in competing for headers and aerial balls. I don’t lose in a physical fight.”바카라사이트
His role models are Hong Jeong-ho and Park Jin-seop. Kim Gun-woo said, “Build-ups, tough play, and other things I need to learn. “I want to make my professional debut with Jeonbuk Hyundai, and after that, I want to go to the national team and overseas,” he said, adding, “I need to work harder. Then I can succeed like those players.”