"No Goal in My Dictionary"

“Hiddink likes me now.”

The Korean national soccer team’s goalkeeper Kim Byung-Ji (32. Pohang Steelers) is often remembered as `peculiar`. From long hair to yellow-dyed hair, and fancy uniform… He can be recognized even from far on the field. The fact that even 5 year-old children recognize him well is due to his `peculiar` style.

However, it is a mistake to judge him only by his looks. Best Korean goalkeeper’s present title is not to be taken for granted. Willpower and professional spirit have been the driving force for his present success.

This can be reconfirmed in the process of recovery after he earned coach Guus Hiddink’s anger with surprising play during a game. During the Paraguayan match of Hong Kong Carlsberg Cup in last January, when it was right after Hiddink took over, Kim made a bad impression by dribbling the ball out to the half line himself and losing it to the other team’s offender. Hiddink told him to `think about what was wrong`, and did not call on him for almost a year.

Other players would have given up, but Kim took it as an opportunity for growth instead. He concentrated on training rather than complaining. He surrendered his peculiar actions, and followed standard plays with stability. Although angry Hiddink gave no chance, he did his best in the national professional league. Chance had finally come in last November, and Kim got to wear the national uniform once again in almost a year. He then managed to make up for the past loss points during the European field training in March, and is now pointed out to be the start-up over Lee Woon-Jae.

Hiddink did not expect such a good reaction from Kim after harsh treatment in taming him, who has wide range of defense and quickness. He now seems satisfied as he repeats, `Well done, Byung-Ji`, all the time.

Kim had survived 128 runs during the physical test `Shuttle Run` on the 8th despite the fact that his position as a goalkeeper requires relatively little movement, and earned Hiddink’s compliment that he is on the same level as European field players.

Kim once was known as an orphan because of his affiliation at `Youth Care`, but even this is a result of his passion for soccer. He came to the youth care after giving up the football career, which began in the 4th grade at Milyang Elementary School, in the first grade of high school. The reason was to play soccer again. Since then, he strove through obscurity, and became what he is today.

Experts all say that “he will play until he is 40”. He set a good exemplary case of professionalism, as he keeps striving without drinking and smoking even after becoming a big star.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com