Lee Cheon-Soo Hunt Two Rabbits

``Toward the World Cup through the French League…``

`Small but hot pepper`, Lee Cheon-Soo (20, Korea University, Photo) almost hunted two rabbits simultaneously; advancing the European soccer stage and joining the national team for the World Cup.

As Lee is taking the recruit test in the training camp of the Lille OSC which belongs to the first league of the French Soccer, he recorded one goal and two assists playing 90 minutes in a full-time practice game with the Bolonia of the third league yesterday. Lee played as a backing striker in 4-4-4 formation, and he made a goal with non-stop shooting in the second minute of the second half after having made several threatening shots in the first half.

After that, Lee contributed the team`s 4-1 victory by assisting teammates to score goals in the 29th and 33rd minute shaking off the oponent`s two defenders.

Lee surely impressed the officials of the team, recording one goal and two assists, which is the best offense point among the teammates, in a team practice game on 25th. After his evaluation game with Sedan in the first league on 29th, he plans to begin the negotiation, which is very likely to be settled as of now.

If the negotiation is accomplished, Lee will run up toward the next goal. Lee is currently wanting to join the Hiddink`s squad for the 2002 World Cup. Lee has a great hope to join the national team because Head Coach Hiddink has been interested in Lee, and it is known that several players will join directly to the national team`s training camp in Europe. Another favorable factor is that Yoo Sang-Chul (Kasiwa Reysol), who plays in the same position as Lee, a backing striker, is unlikely to join the team in this training camp.

It is worth to expect that Lee Cheon-Soo, who has had hard times due to the failure to advance the Italian league and the dislocation of shoulder bone since the Sydney Olympics, will successfully make his second leap.

bae2150@donga.com