“Leave it to me and tell me to try it. I think it’s right to give advice if you need anything.”
The interest in the KOVO Women’s Asian Quarter Draft, which was first introduced, was who would take Thailand’s national team setter Phonpun Gedpard (30, 173 cm). The main character of luck was Hwaseong IBK Industrial Bank, and director Kim Ho-cheol (68), a former Myeong-setter, showed full confidence in the new transfer student.
Ponpun was nominated by IBK Industrial Bank of Korea, which won the first pick in the 2023 KOVO Women’s Asian Quarter Draft held at the Grand Ballroom of the Stanford Hotel in Sangam, Mapo-gu, Seoul on the 21st.스포츠토토
She was named as the first Thai national setter in V-League history. The departure of the setter with a heavy presence, the frustration of volleyball in the spring, the appointment of a manager from the famous setter, and the recruitment of Ponpun. It’s like fate.
Phonpun is a name familiar to her domestic volleyball fans as well. In the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), he was also a player who harassed Korea with fast and irregular toss, and after going through Japan and Poland, he moved to Rapid Bucharest, Romania, the team of setter Lee Da-young, who was released from Incheon Heungkuk Life Insurance last season due to a history of school violence. There was even a competition.
Both Lee Da-young and Phonpun were not in good physical condition, so they couldn’t compete properly, but the fact that they are capable enough to be compared with Lee Da-young, who played with the Taegeuk mark, is proof that they can play an active role as high-ranking setters in the V-League.
IBK Industrial Bank, which suffered internal troubles due to the departure of main setter Cho Song-hwa, later appointed manager Kim Ho-cheol to calm the atmosphere, but failed to advance to spring volleyball for two consecutive seasons. Director Kim Ho-cheol worked hard to raise Kim Ha-kyung (27), but he still had regrets.
Director Kim Ho-cheol showed firm trust in Fontun. He said, “It is a player who is suitable for the attack that utilizes the tempo and height that we seek.” “Ponpun seems to have his own volleyball. There is no need to touch it much. seems to be,” he said.
As manager Kim Ho-cheol, who was very active in the Italian league during his active career, he is well aware of the difficulty of cooperating with national players who do not communicate well with the setter, the commander of the court. Even so, Director Kim wasn’t too worried.
He said, “The setter is the one who leads the team. It is the leader’s role to make them do what they want,” he said. I think it’s good to help,” he said.
He is known as the tiger manager, so this remark shows how much trust he has in Fontun. It was evaluated as a ‘complete setter’ who can use Fontun as the team’s main player right away.
“Setter requires a lot of influence. I want to quickly learn Korean and get along with the players,” said Phonpun, but he also has concerns. As he is a key player in the Thai national team, he will play for the national team during the off-season and join later. He may not have enough opportunities to get in touch with the IBK squad before the season.
During the offseason, starting middle blocker Kim Su-ji left for Incheon Heungkuk Life Insurance, and outside hitter Hwang Min-kyung joined instead. As director Kim Ho-cheol is preparing for a lot of changes, the concern is growing.
However, coach Kim Ho-cheol said, “Irrespective of Ponpun’s joining, I said that we should all play volleyball this year.” We will make our players move quickly and complete it as a team that fits together (with Ponpun).” Ponpun also expressed confidence, saying, “He is always practicing and improving. He is trying to practice according to the team.”
However, it is difficult to say for sure that Ponpun secured his starting spot. Under the Kim Ho-cheol system, Kim Ha-gyeong steadily gained opportunities to participate and grew rapidly enough to wear the Taegeuk mark. What is clear is that the goodwill competition between the two will work as a boon for IBK Industrial Bank.
