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Pohang's 51-year history, first 'foreign captain' Wandelsson → What convinced us

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Pohang's 51-year history, first 'foreign captain' Wandelsson → What convinced us

The Pohang Steelers captain for the 2024 season is "Brazilian mercenary" Wandelson, 35. It's not uncommon for a foreign player to be the ace of a team. But the captain is the mental fulcrum. A foreign captain who can't communicate freely can make a difference anywhere in the world. This year, Pohang, a team with a half-century of history, made an unusual decision.


Since its founding in 1973, Pohang has never officially given the captain's armband to a foreigner. Usually, the requirements for a captain are to be able to command the players effectively, be in a position to communicate with them on the field, and be able to communicate with the referee without language problems. Naturally, it's harder for foreigners. In the 2023-2024 English Premier League season, 카지노 Tottenham made a big splash by naming Son Heung-min as captain.


Pohang coach Park Tae-ha didn't have to think long. Park was appointed in December of last year. His previous captain, Kim Seung-dae, had moved on, so he was looking for a successor. By the first week of January, Park had made up his mind. Wandelsson was the leader he saw in the squad. "I watched him for about a week," Park says. "I got the impression that the players could follow him even if he didn't speak their language. I wasn't the only one who thought so. I also heard the opinions of the senior players," Park explained. Vice-captains Han Chan-hee and Yoo Yong-joon are the ones who will do the rest.


Wandelsson started playing in the K League in 2015. He knows Korea and the K League very well. He played for Daejeon, Jeju, and Jeonnam. He played for Pohang in the 2017 and 2019 seasons. He settled in Pohang in 2022. They say there is a language barrier, but I can listen. He just has limited speech. "The younger players look up to Wandelsson a lot," says a Pohang official. Even when they're doing personal weight training, many of them ask to see him," he said.


Conversely, the foreign captain is the best person to communicate with foreign players. The K League can have a maximum of six foreign players. They make up a high percentage of the team's strength, so careful management is essential. "It's also important to help foreign players adapt quickly," says Park Tae-ha. Wandelsson deserves it. Everything runs smoothly and I feel like I'm in good hands," Park said.


Wandelson is also confident that he is up to the task. "This is my first captaincy in Brazil and Korea. First of all, it's an honor. I'm not leading the team alone. I have an experienced vice-captain with me. I'm grateful to the coach for his faith in me." Wandelsson vowed to lead by example as captain: "I will be an example. I will take responsibility and work hard. "There will be language difficulties, but we are a family. We're a team that builds together, and we'll get through this together," he said.


Meanwhile, in the K League, Sasha became the first foreign captain in 2011 when he was appointed by Seongnam. In 2023, FC Seoul's Ilyuchenko and Daegu FC's Sejingya became the first two foreign captains at the same time.


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