Kim Dae-jung, the veteran nicknamed ‘soccer president’
“Nickname Gwabun… If I get some public time”

Kim Gun-hee, a rookie defender hoping to make his K League debut
Aims to surpass ‘senior attacker’ of the same name

Incheon United’s Kim Dae-jung (31) and Kim Gun-hee (20) dream of living up to their names. They have ambitions to become the “No. 1 soccer team” in their respective positions.

They recently met at the Incheon Football Center and spoke with us in a friendly atmosphere. Kim Dae-jung, who has nine years of professional experience under his belt, brought the fun vibe of a veteran and got the shy Kim Gun-hee to talk카지노.

Kim Dae-jung, who has many people with the same name, shared an interesting story first. “When Kim Young-sam (Suwon FC coach) retired, the club staff asked me to send a video letter to him. Me and a politician (Gimcheon Mayor) sent the video, and I think that’s how the retirement ceremony ended,” he laughed.

Kim Dae-jung’s nickname is “Soccer President. It’s the nickname the announcer at Incheon actually uses when introducing him. “In basketball, there is (President) Heo Jae. In soccer, great people like Park Ji-sung and Cha Bum-geun should be called president. Only in Incheon do they call me president, but sometimes I feel embarrassed. I try to make it appropriate for me to be called president, but I don’t think it’s enough. I need to work harder,” he said.

Kim also has a number of other famous names. “I don’t really have a story (about the name),” he says, but when I bring up the name of Kim Gun-hee (Consadore Sapporo), who used to play for Samsung in Suwon, he gets excited, saying, “I hope I’m the first name that comes up when I search on the portal.” But Kim smiled, saying, “I don’t think I’ll ever be number one.”

To live up to your nickname, you have to show off your skills on the field. Kim Dae-jung, whose nickname carries more weight than anyone else’s, started out as a center back and now plays as a frontline striker. He plays the role of an “express joker” who comes on when a goal is needed, usually in the second half. His strengths are his height (1.89 meters), high jumping power, and positioning. He has always had an advantage in aerial battles, having practiced aerial balls since childhood because he was taller than his peers. His job is to come on in the second half and connect the ball with his head or directly aim for the opponent’s goal.

“I love my role now. I feel like I have a clear idea of what I need to do in the game,” he said, adding, “I might continue this role until I retire. I want to create a ‘super sub’ feeling that hasn’t existed in the K League until now.” Incheon had Song Si-woo (Seoul Eland), who had a knack for scoring dramatic goals. His nickname was ‘Si-woo Time’. He scored 22 of his 25 goals in the K League in the second half. “I’d like to see ‘Xiu Time’ changed to ‘Popular Time,'” Kim Dae-jung said, “but I don’t want to use ‘Time’ because Xiu did it. We should co-create (the nickname) together.”

Kim Gun-hee is just getting used to the professional stage after donning the ‘blue + black’ jersey this season. Kim has a long way to go to catch up with the ‘senior striker’. The center back made his debut in the Korea Football Association (FA) Cup round of 16 against Gyeongnam FC on March 24. He started that game and showed off his neat defense and smooth buildup in his first professional match. Despite his height of 1.92 meters and quick feet, he quickly became known as the future of Incheon.

“I wasn’t too nervous (in my debut). The coach told me to enjoy it because I had prepared hard. I went in with the mindset of enjoying myself, but I wasn’t very satisfied,” she said, adding, “Now I want to make my debut in the K League. I won’t know (how I felt when I made my debut) until I play. I would be excited to see my name on the roster. My big dream is to play in the German Bundesliga in the future.” His idol is Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), who has a similar physical build.

Kim Dae-jung, who has played for Incheon since 2014 except for loan and enlistment, and Kim Gun-hee, who has been with the team for just over six months, both mentioned “fans” when asked what kind of team Incheon is. “Our team has a family-like atmosphere. My older brothers take good care of the younger players.” “I watch away games on TV, and I always hear our team’s chants louder. I’m grateful for their passionate support.” Kim Dae-jung also said, “Incheon has the best fans. We can be proud of them. From the president to the players, they are the best in terms of humanity. It’s really tight. That is Incheon’s great advantage and our charm.”

Incheon, which finished fourth in the K League 1 last year, will compete in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League for the first time in its history this season. The team, which just completed a major roster overhaul ahead of the 2023 season, has struggled to find its footing. “When we collide, we collide, and when we help each other, we help each other. Our soccer is a strong soccer,” the duo said.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to play again, but I’ll prepare well to win the games I do play. If I can’t, I’ll cheer hard at the stadium,” she laughed. Kim Dae-jung said, “I’m the same as Gun-hee. It’s natural to win. I have to show it with results.” He added, “I think the fans feel happy watching my role. I will do my best to make them happier.”