Woo Sung-Yong Reborn

Usually the nickname of `gangling man` gives an impression of `a wishy-washy person`. `Gangling` Woo Sung-Yong (28) of the Pusan Icons has given such an impression.

Woo, who is 1m 92 tall, had drawn much attention as a striker with the ball-keeping and the heading abilities, in spite of his tallness, as a college player in Ajou University. After participating in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he made his debut in the professional football league in 1996, but he did not rise up to the domestic fans` expectations. He recorded four goals in 1996, two goals in 1997, and four goals in 1998. In 1999, he showed the excellent play recording nine goals, but his goal parade could no longer be continued last year when he gained six goals. Then he was relegated to be a bench warmer by a franchise player, Ahn Jung-Hwan.

However, Woo Sung-Yong was born again as a substantial gangling this year. He has shown a totally different performance, earning five goals in the Adidas Cup and three goals in the regular season. A six-year-old professional football player, Woo Sung-Yong finally became a player deserving the name of a ‘goal getter’.

Woo said humbly that ``as Ahn Jung-Hwan left the team, I had many chances to play. I just tried to do my best in order to repay the head coach who has given the chance``.

However, without cause, there is no effect. Woo has focused on increasing the concentration on the ball at the training camp in Portugal before the season began. Further, he has strengthened the weight training in order to make up for his weak physical play. He has kept tune with Manic who has been Woo`s colleague for six years, to the extent that they are able to exchange each other with the no-look pass.

And Woo has increased the probability of goal-making with the smart play to narrow the range of activities in this season. That is, he has tried to save his energy around the goal gate, abandoning his habit of covering up to the mid-field line to help the defense.

Woo Sung-Yong told that ``although the clear boundary between the defenders and the offenders tends to disappear in the modern soccer, it is helpful to save the energy until the second half in order to score. If I maintain the current condition, I think I can make 20 goals in this year``.