Park Yong-woo is the most recent Korean worldwide to cross via TNT FC's doorways, however he’s definitely not the primary. The Ulsan HD midfielder spent this summer season coaching with TNT as he labored his method again to full health – prompting one query: simply what number of huge names have used TNT as their coaching floor over time?
Following an harm final 12 months, Korea worldwide midfielder Park Yong-woo joined TNT FC this summer season as a coaching member as he ready for his return to soccer. Coaching alongside TNT's youthful gamers, Park labored to boost his match health earlier than ultimately rejoining Ulsan HD.
With TNT FC run like an expert membership, it supplies the best atmosphere for gamers to maintain themselves ticking over. Park isn't the one present or former worldwide who has educated with TNT FC over time.
TNT FC has clearly turn into a sort of unofficial “coaching/refresher residence” for established Korean execs, significantly after they’re between golf equipment, recovering from harm, or making ready to return.
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The unique TNT mannequin was primarily “give gamers someplace critical to coach after they don't have a membership.” So for somebody like Ki Sung-yueng, it wasn't that he was becoming a member of TNT as a result of he wanted to discover a membership. He was primarily utilizing their established coaching atmosphere whereas he was between FC Seoul contracts.
Identical with Park Yong-woo: after his harm, TNT offered a correct crew atmosphere the place he might practice with youthful gamers whereas getting his health and rhythm again. TNT's personal announcement says he spent a couple of month doing precisely that earlier than returning to Ok League with Ulsan.
That's a win-win state of affairs. TNT will get elite-level expertise round its youthful gamers, whereas the established participant will get an expert coaching atmosphere.
Ki Sung-yueng
Former nationwide crew captain Ki Sung-yueng is probably the largest identify to have used TNT's services. The midfielder educated with TNT throughout a interval between spells with FC Seoul, making use of the membership's structured atmosphere whereas he was between groups.
For a participant with Ki's expertise, TNT was by no means about discovering a route again into skilled soccer. As a substitute, it supplied one thing a lot easier and arguably simply as essential: a spot to coach correctly, with teammates, coaches and the depth of a soccer atmosphere.
Lee Chung-yong
One other Korea worldwide and former nationwide crew captain, Lee Chung-yong has additionally educated with TNT throughout his profession.
Like Ki, Lee was already a longtime skilled when he joined TNT's coaching atmosphere. His presence additional underlines the weird function TNT has come to play: it isn't merely a vacation spot for gamers attempting to make it as professionals, however someplace even established gamers can flip to after they want a spot to coach.
Hwang Hee-chan
Maybe probably the most fascinating instance is Hwang Hee-chan. In an interview with The Reality, Kim Tae-ryung defined that KFA health coach Lee Jae-hong introduced Hwang Hee-chan to TNT in late 2015. Hwang was about to go away for Austria to hitch Pink Bull Salzburg, and moderately than merely coaching on his personal, he spent round two months coaching alongside TNT so they might monitor his bodily situation earlier than his departure.
And it wasn't only a favour to Hwang. He subsequently turned one in every of TNT's supporters, with stories saying he privately offered bottled water for TNT gamers' coaching and matches.
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From a younger Hwang making ready for his first transfer to Europe to established internationals equivalent to Ki Sung-yueng, Lee Chung-yong and Park Yong-woo, TNT has offered a spot for Korean footballers at very completely different levels of their careers.
For TNT's gamers, in the meantime, the chance to coach alongside footballers who’ve represented Korea and performed on the highest ranges of the sport is a useful bonus.
It’s a relationship that works each methods — and one which has made TNT FC way more than merely a membership for gamers searching for their subsequent alternative.
