Special Institution of the Soccer Education for the Talented Youth

What is the fundamental power of the French soccer which has successively conquered the world`s best tournaments such as the 1998 France World Cup, the Euro 2000, and the 2001 Confederation Cup?

It is `the soccer technical center` that nurtures the talented youth and produces great players. The soccer technical center is a training school of the soccer elites which the French government and the French Football Association established together on the basis of the soccer promotion national funds created in 1975, in order to produce the successors of Michel Platini who had led the prime time of the French soccer in 1970s and 1980s.

The core members of the French national team such as Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry had been educated systematically in the soccer technical center from the youth.

The special soccer educational system will be finally established in Korea.

Huh Jung-Moo, the former Head Coach of the Korean national team (Donga Ilbo soccer columnist and the KBS soccer commentator) decided to establish the Korean version of the soccer technical center in collaboration with Yongin city (Mayor Yea Kang-Hwan) for the first time in Korea.

The `Yongin Soccer Center` will be constructed with the cost of 15 billion won in the city-owned land of 60,000 pyong in Wonsam-Myun, Yongin city. And it will be the best soccer educational institution for the talented youth in Korea, equipped with three natural grass grounds, two artificial grass grounds, the mini-dome ground, the dormitory with 200 sleeping accommodations, and the fitness rooms.

Former Head Coach Huh Jung-Moo will be in charge as a general manager, and the famous visiting coaches from Europe will teach the advanced soccer techniques systematically. And training trip to foreign countries will also be actively pursued in the winter season when the outdoor training is not plausible.

The selection for admission to the soccer center will be conducted only among the middle and high school students from September when the construction of the soccer center will be launched. And the soccer training will begin from March next year. The selected students will receive the regular school education from the Wonshim Middle School and the Baikam High School nearby the soccer center, living in the dormitory.

Huh told that ``we will teach the grass adjustment ability and the advanced technique to the students in a growth phase, modeling the French soccer technical center. We plan to select the talented players among the middle and high school students, irrespective of the experience as players``.

Meanwhile, Yongin city will announce the construction plan of the soccer center on 27th, and will launch the steering board comprised of the representatives of the city government, the municipal assembly and the Korea Football Association, and former Head Coach Huh Jung-Moo during July.

Bae Keuk-In bae2150@donga.com