Smiling Even for Hellish Training

“Hellish? But it’s so fun”

The Korean national soccer team is currently undergoing the final training at Kangchanghak Stadium in Seoguipo, Jeju. Players seemed surprisingly bright despite the fact that so-called `hellish training`, physical training, had been continuing for over 2 hours. The physical training is usually the one that players hate the most, but it progressed in a harmonious atmosphere. Although the players had to barely catch breath under heavy sweat, their faces were full of smile.

Why? The players’ attitudes have changed. Song Jong-Kuk (23.Pusan) said, “If you think it’s harsh, it only gets worse. Everyone here is trying to enjoy it. Enjoying makes it go fast.” Lee Eul-Yong (27.Buchon) added, “Physical training has become enjoyable. We smile a lot, and it makes the training so much easier.”

“We did some tough training for the past 3 days. The plan is to loose it up for a couple of days, and then, make it tougher than now for 2 or 3 days again. The players’ stamina will be raised to the maximum by the middle of this month,” emphasized coach Guus Hiddink on the 5th. He also said, “This goes for everything, but things become bearable when you enjoy them. I’ve been emphasizing to enjoy. The Korean players were first passive in training, but they’ve changed to be active now.”

This phenomenon is a result of Hiddink’s minuteness. He made a fun program for the players to indulge in tough training. Goalkeeper coach Kim Hyun-Tae said, “There are interesting little events during the physical training, so the players enjoy it more.”

The national team’s physical training changes its style each time. During speed training, relay games are played to induce competition, and ball is used to make the back-muscle training fun. There are also other programs, where players have to make physical contacts. After all, the physical training becomes playful.

However, effects are enormous. `Europe-based` Sul Gi-Hyun (23.Anderlecht) commented, “I’ve never had such training in Belgium. It’s tough but I got tougher. I feel confident that we can win against any team.” Technical advisor Kim Kwang-Myung appraised that “the players improved their stamina to a great extent”.

The national team has focused on physical training since the 3rd. On the 3rd and 4th, it ran a training for speed and stamina as well as basic physical training for arm, leg, and back-muscle. Also on the 4th afternoon and 5th, interval training was held to raise playing stamina, as the players played mini games of 6-to-6 or 7-to7 for 10 minutes with 2 minutes of rest.

Meanwhile, Hiddink revealed after the day’s session that “there will be a secret training at Seoguipo’s Dongbu stadium for 2 days between 6th and 7th”. The secret training is expected to focus on set-plays.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com