"Pace and crossing are my strong points" - FC Seoul's Lee Si-young

FC Seoul have been extremely busy in the transfer market this winter. One of the club's new recruits is right wingback Lee Si-young who joins from Seongnam FC. Lee, who earned military exemption as a member of the 2018 Asian Games gold medal-winning team, says he wants to prove himself as an FC Seoul player and is looking at 2023 as a turning point in his career.

Q: What were you looking to get out of this winter training camp?

A: First of all, personally I wanted to improve my fitness levels and grow from a technical point of view too. I also want to adapt to the team as quickly as possible with the other players, keep pace with the team, and create better synergy.

Q: How has it been adapting to the team?

A: Although I don't have much of an active personality, I am trying to be more active in training because I am at an age where I have to play a more prominent role in a team. Friends who I knew previously, including Na Sang-ho, Lim Min-hyuk, Kim Jin-ya, Hwang Hyun-soo and Han Seung-gyu, helped me a lot, and I've also been sticking with Park Soo-il and Kim Gyeong-min who joined the team at the same time as I did. There are a lot of players who are a similar age as me so there was no big difficulty adjusting.

Q: What do you think about the competition within the team?

A: Everything is competitive right now, but now I think I've learned a lot, and I think it's the job of a professional to make the most of an opportunity when one comes. I always felt that as a professional I should have good ability and be ready, so if I prepare well I think I'll be able to keep up.

Q: What are your strengths?

A: First of all, pace and mobility are my strong points. I like to help out defensively too with aggression and to get in the faces of the opposition and provide support. I'm confident in my crossing too.

Q: What message do you have for the FC Seoul fans?

A: Coming to FC Seoul was something I was looking forward to, there's a different mindset. To be honest, looking back at 2022, I would consider it to be a failure and so this season is a very important period for me. But, I have confidence and I want to make 2023 a turning point in my life and career. I have different aims and I want to prove myself to the fans and show that I have what it takes to be an FC Seoul player.

Via FC Seoul press release