georg
06-29-2007, 12:25 PM
The best team nobody knows
North Korea is a team on a mission and even though they have an obvious star in Kim Kum II, they would prefer to accomplish it under the cover of darkness.
Richard Starnes
The Ottawa Citizen
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=d3df25f3-67f1-4f0e-87b0-1020e2c09ff9
Thursday, June 28, 2007
A sleek bus draws up at the entrance to an indoor training facility in Ottawa's east end. The doors open and a troop of young North Korean men alight and walk unsmiling into the building.
Each player is wearing numbered soccer shirts so all eyes are on No. 7, Kim Kum Il, team captain and the most recognizable star of the North Korean show.
However, none of the assembled media could positively identify Kim since North Korean soccer players are kept so far from the public eye. The number was all we had to go on.
Good job I asked. No, Kim was wearing 15, not seven.
It was hard to fathom whether this was an intentional switch or not. But it was a clear indication of just what an enigma this team is to mainstream international soccer.
It is safe to assume that this squad has been together -- give or take a player or two -- for some years and has benefited from the close connection.
Much to the consternation of the pundits and the surprise of its opponents, it reached the quarterfinals of the Under-17 World Cup in Peru two years ago.
Then, this year, it amazed the Asian soccer world by beating Japan in the final of the qualifying tournament for Canada in a penalty shootout.
Ju Kwang-Min, the 6-3 goalkeeper was the shootout hero, when he stopped the first kick by Tsukasa Umesaki. The Japanese could not recover.
After the game, coach Jo Tong Sop warned his opponents in Canada this was not the first title his team would win. "We will show the watching world we are capable of doing the same thing at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Canada," he said.
That will sit well with the fanatic Korean soccer fans, who went on a huge celebration bender after beating Japan in the Asian final.
Rest assured all of North Korea will have its eyes on Canada in the coming weeks and that includes the high-ranking government officials who gave the team a public airport send-off.
The most obvious star of that qualifying tournament had been Kim, the non-stop midfielder with a thirsty eye for goal. He scored four times and was so dominant in midfield he earned himself the tournament's most valuable player award.
On this evening in Ottawa, Kim was just one of the boys as the young squad was put through its paces. All the warm-up exercises -- and they were considerable -- were accompanied with some sort of unison chant. Every exercise was well drilled and there wasn't a single concentration lapse from any of the 21 players.
Clearly, this is a team on a mission, a team which will be as fit as any squad in the competition and a team that will run itself ragged in pursuit of victories.
There were no interviews with either players or the coach, which only serves to further envelope this team in an intentional blanket of secrecy.
We do not even have any firm idea what formation the Koreans will use in their opening game against Panama on Saturday at Frank Clair Stadium.
What is easy to predict, given the Korean showing in the Asian qualifiers, is that Kim will be a key figure and Panama, with its more Latin approach to the game, will find it tough against a team that will play at high tempo and make sure to mark tight and tackle tough.
Certainly there are intriguing prospects with political overtones if the North Koreans defy the odds and make it out of the first round.
If they surprise the soccer world again and win the group -- ahead of Argentina and the Czech Republic -- and if South Korea finishes second in its group, the two Koreas will line up against one another.
If North Korea comes second and Japan can win its group ahead of Scotland, Nigeria and Costa Rica, then these two will meet in the quarters. Now that match would have two countries on the edge of their seats.
This is the third of four profiles of teams playing in Ottawa.
Tomorrow: Panama.
Ontario Government Kicks in $1m for Tourney
Toronto and Ottawa will gain some financial assistance from the provincial government in support of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup games that will take place in both cities beginning Saturday.
"In hosting this event, the province benefits from tourism, jobs and the influence that an event of this level has on encouraging young people to get more active and try something new," Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson said yesterday in announcing $1 million in funding.
A total of 52 matches featuring 24 of the world's best teams will be played in six cities across Canada. Ottawa will host eight games and Toronto will host 12.
- - -
Games in Ottawa
Saturday, 4:30 p.m.: North Korea vs. Panama
Saturday, 7:15 p.m.:
Argentina vs. Czech Republic
July 3, 5 p.m.: Czech Republic vs. North Korea
July 3: 7:45 p.m.: Panama vs. Argentina
July 6, 5 p.m.: Argentina vs. North Korea
July 6, 7:45 p.m.: Brazil vs. United States
- - -
The Squad
Ju Kwang Min
Ri Yong Choi
Ri Phyong Choi
Mun Kyong Nam
Pak Nam Choi
Yun Myong Song
Kim Kum Il
Ro Choi Myong
Pak Song Choi
Kim Chang Hyok
Ri Hung Ryong
Kik Kuk Jin
Ryom Nam Il
Jon Kwang Ik
Yun Yong Il
Ri Kwang Hyok
Pak Choi Min
Kim Kyong Il
John Choi Min
Ri Kwang Il
© The Ottawa Citizen 2007
North Korea is a team on a mission and even though they have an obvious star in Kim Kum II, they would prefer to accomplish it under the cover of darkness.
Richard Starnes
The Ottawa Citizen
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=d3df25f3-67f1-4f0e-87b0-1020e2c09ff9
Thursday, June 28, 2007
A sleek bus draws up at the entrance to an indoor training facility in Ottawa's east end. The doors open and a troop of young North Korean men alight and walk unsmiling into the building.
Each player is wearing numbered soccer shirts so all eyes are on No. 7, Kim Kum Il, team captain and the most recognizable star of the North Korean show.
However, none of the assembled media could positively identify Kim since North Korean soccer players are kept so far from the public eye. The number was all we had to go on.
Good job I asked. No, Kim was wearing 15, not seven.
It was hard to fathom whether this was an intentional switch or not. But it was a clear indication of just what an enigma this team is to mainstream international soccer.
It is safe to assume that this squad has been together -- give or take a player or two -- for some years and has benefited from the close connection.
Much to the consternation of the pundits and the surprise of its opponents, it reached the quarterfinals of the Under-17 World Cup in Peru two years ago.
Then, this year, it amazed the Asian soccer world by beating Japan in the final of the qualifying tournament for Canada in a penalty shootout.
Ju Kwang-Min, the 6-3 goalkeeper was the shootout hero, when he stopped the first kick by Tsukasa Umesaki. The Japanese could not recover.
After the game, coach Jo Tong Sop warned his opponents in Canada this was not the first title his team would win. "We will show the watching world we are capable of doing the same thing at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Canada," he said.
That will sit well with the fanatic Korean soccer fans, who went on a huge celebration bender after beating Japan in the Asian final.
Rest assured all of North Korea will have its eyes on Canada in the coming weeks and that includes the high-ranking government officials who gave the team a public airport send-off.
The most obvious star of that qualifying tournament had been Kim, the non-stop midfielder with a thirsty eye for goal. He scored four times and was so dominant in midfield he earned himself the tournament's most valuable player award.
On this evening in Ottawa, Kim was just one of the boys as the young squad was put through its paces. All the warm-up exercises -- and they were considerable -- were accompanied with some sort of unison chant. Every exercise was well drilled and there wasn't a single concentration lapse from any of the 21 players.
Clearly, this is a team on a mission, a team which will be as fit as any squad in the competition and a team that will run itself ragged in pursuit of victories.
There were no interviews with either players or the coach, which only serves to further envelope this team in an intentional blanket of secrecy.
We do not even have any firm idea what formation the Koreans will use in their opening game against Panama on Saturday at Frank Clair Stadium.
What is easy to predict, given the Korean showing in the Asian qualifiers, is that Kim will be a key figure and Panama, with its more Latin approach to the game, will find it tough against a team that will play at high tempo and make sure to mark tight and tackle tough.
Certainly there are intriguing prospects with political overtones if the North Koreans defy the odds and make it out of the first round.
If they surprise the soccer world again and win the group -- ahead of Argentina and the Czech Republic -- and if South Korea finishes second in its group, the two Koreas will line up against one another.
If North Korea comes second and Japan can win its group ahead of Scotland, Nigeria and Costa Rica, then these two will meet in the quarters. Now that match would have two countries on the edge of their seats.
This is the third of four profiles of teams playing in Ottawa.
Tomorrow: Panama.
Ontario Government Kicks in $1m for Tourney
Toronto and Ottawa will gain some financial assistance from the provincial government in support of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup games that will take place in both cities beginning Saturday.
"In hosting this event, the province benefits from tourism, jobs and the influence that an event of this level has on encouraging young people to get more active and try something new," Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson said yesterday in announcing $1 million in funding.
A total of 52 matches featuring 24 of the world's best teams will be played in six cities across Canada. Ottawa will host eight games and Toronto will host 12.
- - -
Games in Ottawa
Saturday, 4:30 p.m.: North Korea vs. Panama
Saturday, 7:15 p.m.:
Argentina vs. Czech Republic
July 3, 5 p.m.: Czech Republic vs. North Korea
July 3: 7:45 p.m.: Panama vs. Argentina
July 6, 5 p.m.: Argentina vs. North Korea
July 6, 7:45 p.m.: Brazil vs. United States
- - -
The Squad
Ju Kwang Min
Ri Yong Choi
Ri Phyong Choi
Mun Kyong Nam
Pak Nam Choi
Yun Myong Song
Kim Kum Il
Ro Choi Myong
Pak Song Choi
Kim Chang Hyok
Ri Hung Ryong
Kik Kuk Jin
Ryom Nam Il
Jon Kwang Ik
Yun Yong Il
Ri Kwang Hyok
Pak Choi Min
Kim Kyong Il
John Choi Min
Ri Kwang Il
© The Ottawa Citizen 2007