Go to contents

Lee San Shooting for His Dream in Britain’s Premier League

Lee San Shooting for His Dream in Britain’s Premier League

Posted August. 31, 2005 06:49,   

한국어

“I should be stronger emotionally and physically. I will work harder, two times, three times more than British players to be a good Premier Leaguer like (Park) Ji-sung.”

The “little premier leaguer,” Lee San (20) had a voice that was calm but full of confidence. He joined Sheffield United under the Football League Championship earlier this month.

He dropped out of Joongdong Middle School in 1998 and came to Britain for football. But his football life was not always easy. His entry into youth teams of Crystal Palace and West Ham United became issues and he also played on the Korean U-20 team. But he suffered injuries often.

Though Lee was admitted to Brentford in the England League in July 2004, he failed to have a chance to play in the field and left for Sao Paulo for training earlier this year. However, Sheffield, recognizing his talent, sent a call for him. Martin Allen, coach of Brantford, appealed unusually in the team’s website that “I don’t want to lose Lee. Please stay here”.

Lee said that “The first team of Sheffield has four strikers. And the coach considers me the fifth” and “though I am getting training in a farm team, I will make my debut after mid-September.”

He also said that “I am very proud and envious of (Park) Ji-sung and (Lee) Young-pyo who recently moved to the Premier League,” adding, “I will realize my dream of playing in the Premier League.”

Neil Warnock, coach of Sheffield, said, “Lee has great talent and is highly likely to become better. If he impresses me in training, I will immediately send him to the field.”

The Championship League is a minor league just under the Premier League and includes Wolverhampton, which Seol Ki-hyun plays for. Though a minor league, it is popular, attracting 9.6 million spectators during the last season, the size of group of spectators in Italy’s Serie A, a major soccer league in Italy.



Jae-Yun Jung jaeyuna@donga.com