Why Shin took a risk on a ‘starter setter’
“You have to take risks.”
Woori Card coach Shin Young-cheol’s voice was thick. He urged the team to take ‘risks’ to make changes for next season.
On the 25th, Woori Card announced that it had agreed to a one-for-one trade to send setter Hwang Seung-bin to KB Insurance and receive outside hitter Han Sung-jung.
Hwang Seung-bin joined Korean Air with the fifth pick in the first round of the 2014-2015 season. He switched to Samsung Fire for the 2021-2022 season, and a season later, he donned the jersey of Woori Card, but this time, he will find a new home with KB Insurance, his fourth team.먹튀검증
The team has released its starting setter. Hwang Seung-bin played in 36 matches and 140 sets last season for Woori Card, ranking second in sets (10.286 per set). In addition to Hwang, the team had Kim Kwang-il and Han Tae-joon as backup setters, but Hwang spent most of his time on the court.
The setter is the field commander on the court. How they connect with the ball determines the team’s colour and the success rate of its attackers, and Woori Card has made another change.
It’s impossible for a setter to integrate into a team in a short time. This is especially true for an inexperienced setter. Kim Kwang-il joined the Woori Card in the 2020-2021 season, but has only played four matches and seven sets in three seasons. Han Tae-joon was a rookie last season. He played 18 matches and 45 sets in his first season, but it’s risky to give him a full season.
Shin took the risk for a reason. Woori Card lost their main outside hitter Na Kyung-bok to KB Insurance in the last free agency (FA) market. Na Kyung-bok is the franchise star of the Woori Card and the core of their offence. With his departure, Woori Card’s strength was inevitably weakened. Coach Shin said, “The team’s overall strength has weakened. “It’s a risk to let go of our main setter, but we have to take it. We needed a player to fill the gap in our offence.”
The search for a setter is still on. Shin’s theory is to start from a blank slate. “A player who is ready can be highly evaluated. We will observe them through training from now on.” In addition to Kim Kwang-il and Han Tae-joon, the team also has Lee Seung-won, who is serving in the military. Lee will join the TIP in August. The team is set to enter a competitive system.
The winds of change don’t end there. Shin has another card up his sleeve. “It’s not always good for the team to make a lot of changes, but we need to prepare well in the off-season to strengthen the team,” he said. Shin’s head is spinning.