Seol Ki-hyeon

John Duerden reports on Wolves' new signing

Seol Ki-hyeon showed a good sense of timing when he equalised against Italy in the second round of the 2002 World Cup. His 88th minute goal came just when the Italians were thinking of the quarter-finals and perhaps it brought back painful memories of the Euro 2000 final for the Azzuri. The well-taken goal, which demonstrated a predatory instinct, was overshadowed somewhat by Ahn Jung Hwan's dramatic golden goal winner, deep into extra time. However, just over two years on, it is Seol and not his more glamorous national team striking partner, who is playing in England, the country in which Ahn has repeatedly stated his desire to play.

It remains to be seen whether Seol's decision to join recently-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers will be blessed with the same fortunate sense of timing that was on display on that June night in Daejeon.

The left-footer's route to England and, hopefully, the Premier League has not been a traditional one. For starters, he has never appeared in the K-League, Korea's professional competition, for in 2000, the year that he made his international debut; he went straight from his Kwangwoon University team to Belgium, to join Royal Antwerp.

Korean National Team Shirts From Korea

The boy from Seoul, then only 21, initially found it hard to settle in the Belgian port city, centre of the international diamond trade, but soon got into his stride and some glittering performances caught the eye of Belgium's biggest club. The mighty Anderlecht were no doubt impressed by the youngster's ten goals in twenty-five appearances for Antwerp, especially considering his age and distance from home and family.

It wasn't only the giants of Belgian football who were impressed, Regi Van Acker was Seol's manager at Antwerp but when he left to take control of Lierse he wanted to take the Korean with him. This demand for the young player, after just one season in Belgium is a testament to how quickly and impressively he had settled into life in Europe. Initially, the player was tempted to follow his former boss but, in August 2001, decided to move to a bigger stage.

There is nowhere bigger in Belgian football than Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht's Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, and Seol took to it immediately, scoring a hat-trick on his debut against Westerlo in the Belgian Super Cup.

However, despite his flying start, the powerful and pacy striker's first season was a hit-and-miss affair, with only three goals coming in twenty league games. Seol found himself on the left side of midfield more than he liked but went down in history as the first Korean to score in the Champions League when he netted against Swedish side Halmstads.

Life in Brussels started to sprout for the tricky forward upon his return from the World Cup in which he played a vital part in Korea's success. His confidence sky high, in the 2002-2003 season, Seol scored twelve goals and created many more as he spent the season up front or on the wing. Tales from the tabloids talked of moves to Spurs or Southampton but in January 2004, Seol signed an extension of his contract to keep him playing for the 26-time Belgian Champions for another year.

The contract extension came in the middle of a frustrating 2003-2004 season for the Korean. He was out for a month in October due to cartilage problems and then in February 2004, he broke his cheekbone in a collision with Ahn Jung-hwan during a World Cup qualifier against the Lebanon in Korea. As a result of these injuries and a loss of form, Seol played only nineteen games in his last season with Anderlecht with a disappointing return of three goals.

It seemed that the World Cup hero had become unmotivated and somewhat disillusioned with life in Belgium and the time he was spending in the treatment room, on the bench or on the wing.

'Be The Reds!' From Korea

Four seasons in Belgium, playing in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup were a good introduction to European football but it was the right time for Seol to move and seek a new challenge. As in the past, his timing was good but the question of the destination is open for debate, not least in his native Korea who had hoped that Seol would be the first Korean to play in the English Premier League.

Of course, he still could be but next season will be the earliest that can happen as he joined recently relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers. Forgoing the Champions League for the Coca-Cola Championship is a step down in anybody's book but Seol will be hoping that it is merely a small step backward before some major ones forward.

If Belgium was a good introduction to European football then Wolves should provide an equally effective English introduction, a dramatic 3-3 draw with leaders Wigan was the 25-year-old's first game. Seol was the Most Tackled Player in the 2002 World Cup but that will be nothing compared to the treatment he can expect in the old Nationwide division one.

Wolves fans can expect a skilful, exciting forward who is perhaps slightly lacking in confidence after a difficult end to his Belgian career. Perhaps the one thing that Seol Ki-hyeon lacks is consistency.

If new boss David Jones can provide an occasional sympathetic arm around the shoulder as well as a settled place in the strike force at Molineux, a swift return to the Premiership could be on the cards.

John Duerden

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