Lee Dong-gook

John Duerden reports on an unfortunate injury

The "Lion King" is in danger of missing out on a second successive World Cup.

South Korean international striker Lee Dong-gook tore his cruciate ligament in his knee on April 5 as his K-League team, Pohang Steelers, took on Incheon United.

Initial reports suggested that the injury was not a serious one and that the silver-haired marksman would be back in action well before Dick Advocaat announces the final squad for Germany on May 11.

However, over the weekend, rumors began to circulate that the injury wasn't as straightforward as first thought and on April 10 in Seoul, the Korean Football Association's medical officer Yoon Yeong-seol was the bearer of bad news.

"The diagnosis is that Lee's ligament on the right knee has ruptured," said the spokesman in Shinmunro.
"It's is by no means a slight injury. Lee Dong-gook is firmly determined to go to the World Cup but it's hard to tell what chance Lee has. Whatever it might be, we will give him the best support needed for him to be able to compete."

Yoon said that usually football players would have an operation on such an injury but with the World Cup less than two months away, it would be impossible for Lee to recover in time, especially as the knee will be too swollen to operate on for the next two weeks.

The only course of action is for the 26-year-old to hope that a course of treatment and time will be enough.

The news that the forward may miss the German World Cup is especially sad as Lee, who played just 15 minutes in France '98, unexpectedly missed out on the 2002 version held in his homeland.

Guus Hiddink arrived in the Land of the Morning Calm in December 2000, just a few months after Lee had finished the Asian Cup as top scorer, and as the hottest property in Korean football, it was assumed that his would be the first name on the team sheets with the FIFA logo in the top corner.

It wasn't to be as the Dutchman left him out of the squad, explaining that there were simply too many forwards to accommodate in the 23-man group. The decision was an unpopular one at the time but was soon vindicated as South Korea reached the semi-finals, famously defeating Poland, Portugal, Italy and Spain on the way.

The striker found favor with Jo Bonfrere and a number of spectacular goals in big games earned him the nickname 'Bonfrere's prince' and the Dutch coach persisted with Lee throughout the World Cup qualifying campaign that was ultimately successful.

As a place in Germany was secured, Lee's reaction was more muted than those of his colleagues and he told reporters that his experience in 2002 had taught him not to take any thing for granted.

Perhaps Bonfrere could have learned from his prince as the coach he was soon out on his ear to be replaced by Dick Advocaat. The new Dutchman has seemed perfectly happy to stick with Lee in attack, selecting him on the majority of occasions since arriving in October 2005.

Full of confidence and desire to not miss out a second time, Lee started to turn on the style as 2006 K-League season began. On the night of his injury he scored his sixth goal in seven games with a volley that was spectacular even by his high standards.

Even some of the goalkeepers of the countries which have been on the receiving end of some of those strikers - Germany, Mexico, Serbia to name a few - would have been distressed at the sight of the striker being carried off the pitch last Wednesday night and not only as he was in obvious pain but also because there had been no other players within twenty yards of him when he collapsed to the ground.

Football can be a rewarding but cruel mistress but all but the hardest hearts will be hoping that the Lion King has a chance to roar in Germany again soon.

John Duerden

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