Posted April. 17, 2002 09:19,
“It’s the perfect weather to prepare for underwater matches.”
Coach Guus Hiddink, who appeared at Daegu Suseong Stadium with the Korean national soccer team on the 16th, seemed quite satisfied despite the rain that continued from the previous day.
He said, “When I was leading Spain’s Valencia team, I actually put water on grass in order to prepare the players for underwater matches. Today’s rain is perfect for learning the feel about the ball that moves faster than usual.”
The day’s training, which was in provision for the 2002 World Cup that will begin in a monsoon, contained all of underwater situation’s shooting, dribbling, passing, and physical fighting.
Being divided into two sides, the players paired up to take fast balls in physical fight and shoot into the goal. Hiddink encouraged the players by shouting, “Jong-Kuk, faster, use your shoulders, not your hands. Young-Pyo, one step faster!”
The players then practiced dribbling, and divided into 3 groups to hold a mini game to familiarize with the ball in underwater matches. Including Hiddink and coaches Park Hang-Seo, Jung Hae-Sung, and Kim Hyun-Tae, the players in 3 groups used the small space for a game, in which 2 players chased after the ball and the rest tried to sustain the ball.
In the afternoon, Hiddink tested the players’ recovery-capability. He checked how fast the players recovered, using heart rates. They held heart-rate devices on their chests, and played `7-to-7 game` checking on the rate differences, as they ran for certain amount of time and also rested for certain amount of time. Individual results were even printed out.
“In World Cups, the players are expected to put out their best regardless of ground conditions, and this can be learnt by preparing in different situations,” said Hiddink, showing his peculiar minuteness.