Mr. Kim Sang-sik’s “professional” assistant team
Recently, Indonesian media reported that former top midfielder of the Korean team and Manchester United Club (England), Park Ji-sung, could also become assistant to coach Kim Sang-sik on the Vietnamese team. This information is not very reliable, because it is also related to salary payments from VFF (a big name like Park Ji-sung certainly cannot have a low salary). However, it is true that coach Kim Sang-sik is reputable in the Korean football world.
Mr. Kim Sang-sik’s powerful colleagues. Coach Lee Woon-jae (fourth from right) is very good
Photo: Ngoc Linh
Even in the ranks of coach Kim Sang-sik’s assistants at the present time, there are some very famous names. The first is former Korean national player (2003 – 2004 period) Choi Won-kwon. Mr. Choi also had time to be the coach of Daegu FC (belonging to the Korean professional football tournament K-League 1), from 2022 to 2024. This means that Mr. Choi Won-kwon has a “career” in the coaching world.
The second character is even more famous, which is the former No. 1 goalkeeper of the Korean team at the 2002 World Cup Lee Woon-jae. Mr. Lee is considered one of the best goalkeepers in Korean football history, who has played for the national team 133 times, during 16 years, from 1994 – 2010. Regarding playing experience, Mr. Lee Lee Woon-jae is very rich, thanks to participating in 4 World Cups (1994, 2002, 2006 and 2010). Mr. Lee Woon-jae was only absent from the 1998 World Cup due to injury.
Mr. Lee Woon-jae’s appearance in the technical area of the Vietnamese team, as a goalkeeper coach, is considered very important at the AFF Cup 2024. Because with his rich experience, the former goalkeeper of the Korean team can detect the errors of the home team’s goalkeepers, before helping goalkeeper Dinh Trieu correct these errors.
Prestige and capacity decide everything
There are not many people who can invite a character like Mr. Lee Woon-jae to leave Korea to work in a football system with a lower level than the level of Korean football. This shows that Coach Kim Sang-sik’s reputation in the Korean football world is very great, to be able to invite such a famous figure like this to be his assistant.
The Korean coach is very prestigious in his homeland
Responding to Korean media immediately after winning the 2024 AFF Cup, coach Kim Sang-sik once shared: “When I came here, I didn’t know when I would be fired, but assistants Lee Woon-jae and Choi Won-kwon still believes in me and followed me to Vietnam. I want to thank and congratulate them.”
Mr. Kim Sang-sik and Mr. Lee Woon-jae themselves had unforgettable memories during their time together playing for the Korean team. They went through turmoil together at the 2007 Asian Cup (having been disciplined by Korean football for youthful mistakes), then they stood up together and found success again. There is a close friendship between Mr. Kim Sang-sik and Mr. Lee Woon-jae.
As for his younger compatriot Choi Won-kwon, coach Kim Sang-sik is like a senior. Mr. Choi believed in Mr. Kim’s ability and reputation before deciding to embark on an adventure with coach Kim Sang-sik. Don’t forget that from his time as a player until becoming a professional coach, coach Kim Sang-sik had achievements in Korea (winning K-League 1 as a player in 2009 and 2011, winning the K-League 1 championship as a player in 2009 and 2011, winning the this match in 2021 as coach). That means Coach Kim Sang-sik’s ability is also another guarantee, so that his compatriots decide to follow Mr. Kim and become an assistant coach in the Vietnamese team.
