Baek Ji-Hoon
Encyclopedia
Baek Ji-Hoon is a Korean football player was born in Sacheon
, a city in the southeast of South Korea
.
, a specialist football school some 20 kilometres from his home town. Baek was initially keen to play in goal but was forced to come outfield as the claimed that he was "too short", today he stands at 175 cm, approximately 5 feet 9 inches. He has been patrolling the middle of the park ever since.
Baek's development continued as he made his way through Jinju middle school and Andong High School and by 2002, his third year at high school, he had taken his place in the South Korea U-19 side. Strong going forward, he was unable to hold down a regular place with the U-19's because it was considered he still had work to do on the defensive side of his game.
side Chunnam Dragons
. He made a good early impression with three substitute appearances in his first season however, he soon found himself a fixture in the reserves. In 2004, though, Baek played seven games in the first team and his progress was noted by South Korea U-20 coach Park Seong-Hwa
who installed him as his captain
.
The following year Baek took another great step forward when he joined FC Seoul
. The young Baek appeared 15 times in the K-League in the 2005 season, scoring one goal. Last year also brought his first senior appearance for his country, against Japan
in their closing match of the East Asian Championship on August 7. In July 2006, FC Seoul secretly negotiated with Suwon Samsung Bluewings
to transfer Baek to Suwon
. Later in the same month, his transfer was confirmed. Prior to the transfer, rumors had been circulating that the coach of FC Seoul disliked him. He has expressed concerns about this transfer, not only because FC Seoul did not ask for his stance, but also because high amount of cash could prevent him playing for another team, Europe in particular. In addition, he would have become a free agent
in matter of months. The amount of cash is predicted to be $1.5 million.
|2003
||rowspan="2"|Chunnam Dragons
||rowspan="9"|K-League
||4||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||5||0
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|2004
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|2005
||rowspan="2"|FC Seoul
||15||1||1||0||7||1||colspan="2"|-||23||2
|-
|2006
||12||0||0||0||3||1||colspan="2"|-||15||1
|-
|2006
||rowspan="5"|Suwon Samsung Bluewings
||14||5||2||1||0||0||colspan="2"|-||16||6
|-
|2007
||16||3||2||0||7||3||colspan="2"|-||25||6
|-
|2008
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|2009
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|2010||9||2||2||2||6||0||6||0||29||4
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Sacheon
Sacheon is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Sacheon's chief fame comes from its being the site of two naval battles in the Seven Year War....
, a city in the southeast of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Early life
Baek wore his first pair of football boots the winter of his ninth birthday and he proved a fast learner. Such was his promise that the following year, aged ten, he transferred to the Bongrae Elementary School in JinjuJinju
Jinju is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was the location of the first and second Sieges of Jinju by Japanese forces during the Imjin War...
, a specialist football school some 20 kilometres from his home town. Baek was initially keen to play in goal but was forced to come outfield as the claimed that he was "too short", today he stands at 175 cm, approximately 5 feet 9 inches. He has been patrolling the middle of the park ever since.
Baek's development continued as he made his way through Jinju middle school and Andong High School and by 2002, his third year at high school, he had taken his place in the South Korea U-19 side. Strong going forward, he was unable to hold down a regular place with the U-19's because it was considered he still had work to do on the defensive side of his game.
Debut in the K-league
On leaving high school, Baek joined K-LeagueK-League
The Korea Professional Football League is South Korea's only fully professional association football league. At the top of the South Korean football league system, it is the country's highest and most prestigious level of football competition currently contested by 16 clubs.-Establishment:The...
side Chunnam Dragons
Chunnam Dragons
Chunnam Dragons is a football club founded in 1995 in the Korean city of Gwangyang, which joined the K-League for the 1995 season at the same time as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, their Jeolla province rivals.-History:...
. He made a good early impression with three substitute appearances in his first season however, he soon found himself a fixture in the reserves. In 2004, though, Baek played seven games in the first team and his progress was noted by South Korea U-20 coach Park Seong-Hwa
Park Seong-Hwa
Park Sung is a retired South Korean football player and current manager.- Club career :*1978-1979 POSCO - amateur*1980-1982 Sangmu - army*1983-1985 Hallelujah FC*1986-1987 POSCO Atoms- Coaching career :...
who installed him as his captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
.
The following year Baek took another great step forward when he joined FC Seoul
FC Seoul
FC Seoul is a South Korean professional football club based in Seoul, South Korea, that plays in the K-League. It is currently owned by GS Sports, a subsidiary of GS Group....
. The young Baek appeared 15 times in the K-League in the 2005 season, scoring one goal. Last year also brought his first senior appearance for his country, against Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
in their closing match of the East Asian Championship on August 7. In July 2006, FC Seoul secretly negotiated with Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Suwon Samsung Bluewings is a South Korean football club based in the city of Suwon, South Korea, that plays in the K-League. Founded in December 1995, they have become one of Asian football's most famous clubs with a host of domestic and continental honours...
to transfer Baek to Suwon
Suwon
Suwon is the provincial capital of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. A major city of over a million inhabitants, Suwon lies approximately south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety"....
. Later in the same month, his transfer was confirmed. Prior to the transfer, rumors had been circulating that the coach of FC Seoul disliked him. He has expressed concerns about this transfer, not only because FC Seoul did not ask for his stance, but also because high amount of cash could prevent him playing for another team, Europe in particular. In addition, he would have become a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in matter of months. The amount of cash is predicted to be $1.5 million.
Club career statistics
|-|2003
K-League 2003
The 2003 season of the K-League kicked off on March 23.-League table:-Top scorers:...
||rowspan="2"|Chunnam Dragons
Chunnam Dragons
Chunnam Dragons is a football club founded in 1995 in the Korean city of Gwangyang, which joined the K-League for the 1995 season at the same time as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, their Jeolla province rivals.-History:...
||rowspan="9"|K-League
K-League
The Korea Professional Football League is South Korea's only fully professional association football league. At the top of the South Korean football league system, it is the country's highest and most prestigious level of football competition currently contested by 16 clubs.-Establishment:The...
||4||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||colspan="2"|-||5||0
|-
|2004
K-League 2004
The 2004 season of the K-League kicked off on April 3. The league's previous single-season format was replaced by a separated twice 12-game split-season schedule. Each team will play 12 matches consisting of a home or away fixture against every other team in each stage...
||7||0||3||0||11||1||colspan="2"|-||21||1
|-
|2005
K-League 2005
The 2005 season of the K-League kicked off on May 15. The season and playoff format will be the same as the one used in the 2004 season. The playoff fixtures are set to take place in late November and early December....
||rowspan="2"|FC Seoul
FC Seoul
FC Seoul is a South Korean professional football club based in Seoul, South Korea, that plays in the K-League. It is currently owned by GS Sports, a subsidiary of GS Group....
||15||1||1||0||7||1||colspan="2"|-||23||2
|-
|2006
K-League 2006
The 2006 season of the K-League kicked off on March 12. The season and playoff format will be the same as the one used in the 2005 season. The playoff fixtures are set to take place in early November, with the Final being played on two legs in late November....
||12||0||0||0||3||1||colspan="2"|-||15||1
|-
|2006
K-League 2006
The 2006 season of the K-League kicked off on March 12. The season and playoff format will be the same as the one used in the 2005 season. The playoff fixtures are set to take place in early November, with the Final being played on two legs in late November....
||rowspan="5"|Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Suwon Samsung Bluewings is a South Korean football club based in the city of Suwon, South Korea, that plays in the K-League. Founded in December 1995, they have become one of Asian football's most famous clubs with a host of domestic and continental honours...
||14||5||2||1||0||0||colspan="2"|-||16||6
|-
|2007
K-League 2007
The 2007 season of the K-League kicked off on March 3. The league's previous split-season format was replaced by a combined 26-game single-season schedule. Each team will play 26 matches consisting of a home and away fixture against every other team. After all games have been played, the top 6...
||16||3||2||0||7||3||colspan="2"|-||25||6
|-
|2008
K-League 2008
The 2008 season of the K-League kicked off on March 8. The season and playoff format will be the same as the one used in the 2007 season. The playoff fixtures are set to take place in late November, with the Final being played on two legs in early December....
||17||4||2||0||5||0||colspan="2"|-||24||4
|-
|2009
K-League 2009
The 2009 edition of the K-League is the twenty-seventh since its establishment in 1983. Suwon Samsung Bluewings are the defending champions, having won their fourth title. The season began on March 7, 2009...
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|2010||9||2||2||2||6||0||6||0||29||4
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116||16||16||4||40||6||11||0||182||26
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