Dubai: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Football Club coach Choi Kang Hee hailed the facilities available in the UAE as his team held a month long training camp here recently.
“I’m 100 per cent satisfied,” said Choi.
“Dubai has wonderful weather, food and even facilities - everything is perfect for us. Moreover, Jeonbuk professional squads are also happy about the friendly matches which helped us improve strategy and teamwork,” he added.
Last hurdle
The reigning champions of Korea’s premier league, the K League, Jeonbuk trained at the Nad Al Sheba Stadium and played a few friendlies against Olympic Donetsk of Ukraine and Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan at 7he Sevens stadium.
“For the past four years, we have had pre-season training in Brazil. However, the schedule of Asian Champions League (ACL) was brought forward which created difficulties for the schedule as players would have to adjust to time zone changes without time to recover.
“So we had the choice to move to Dubai in order to manage the condition of the squad,” said the coach.
Choi stressed the training was in particular very important keeping the AFC and K League in focus. “In 2011, we were runners-up in the ACL - that made us very disappointed. We want to be the best team in Asia and are making a fierce investment to achieve that. Also, to become the champions of 2015 ACL will give us vital elements to build an even stronger team,” he added.
Lee Dong-gook, the K League’s leading scorer, said: “After recovering from injury in winter training session, I’ve been training well so my condition is good so far. The opponents in the UAE have been very well organised and play at a high level.
“It really helped us and we are excited about the season ahead,” said Lee.
