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| photo courtesy of Birmingham City SNS |
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| Source=Supplied by Local Readers |
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| Source=Supplied by Local Readers |
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Lee Myung-jae (Birmingham City), who challenged the European stage at the age of 32, made his European stage debut after waiting for two months.
Lee Myung-jae replaced Alex Cochrane (25) in the 25th minute of the second half in the 43rd round of the English League One (third division) against Crawley Town in St. Andrews in Birmingham, England, on the 19th (Korea time).
Lee Myung-jae, who became a FA after his contract with his former team Ulsan HD expired after last season, chose to challenge Europe by shaking off love calls from leading Asian clubs such as the K League and China. I followed my dream rather than money. In February, he signed a short-term deal with Birmingham, which has vacated the full-back position.
Lee Myung-jae, wearing No. 16, said, `It's an honor and I'm really excited to join such a great team"I really wanted to join the team from the first time I heard about it, and I'm really happy to be here now." "I think England is a dream stage for every player, and it's an honor to be here. I didn't hesitate at all when I was offered. I think it's a new challenge for me", he explained.
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| photo courtesy of Birmingham City SNS |
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| photo courtesy of Birmingham City SNS |
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| Source=Supplied by Local Readers |
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Regarding midfielder Baek Seung-ho, who became a player on the same team, Lee Myung-jae said, `I contacted Baek Seung-ho first and he told me to come quickly. It told me what a great team it is, and it made me think more about how much I want to join. Honestly, if there is a player from Korea, there seems to be a big difference from no one. I don't think there will be a problem with adapting, and I will try to melt it down as quickly as possible."
Opportunities did not come easily. Birmingham, the strongest club in the third division, were racing for direct promotion. Birmingham coach Chris Davis did not make changes to the existing main players such as Baek Seung-ho. In the end, Birmingham confirmed its promotion to the Championship (second division) early through a 31st round match (2-1 win) against Peterborough United on the 9th. Wrexham and Wigan Athletic tied 0-0 on the 12th, confirming their victory.
Coach Davis did not turn a blind eye to Lee Myung-jae, a backup resource, at a time when he was challenging the most points in a single season. After confirming the championship, he got his chance in the first game. Although he couldn't write 'Drama' to write the attack point, he moved actively for about 20 minutes. He also worked with Baek Seung-ho, who started and played full-time for 90 minutes. The match ended in a 0-0 draw.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
