 Koo captaining South Korea U23 at the 2010 Asian Games. | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Koo Ja-Cheol | ||
| Date of birth | 27 February 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Nonsan, South Chungcheong, South Korea | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | VfL Wolfsburg | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Jeju United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2007–2011 | Jeju United | 70 | (7) |
| 2011– | VfL Wolfsburg | 29 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | → FC Augsburg (loan) | 36 | (8) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2008–2009 | South Korea U20 | 16 | (5) |
| 2009–2012 | South Korea U23 | 7 | (3) |
| 2008– | South Korea | 34 | (12) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 September 2013.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 October 2013 | |||
| Koo Ja-Cheol | |
| Hangul | 구자철 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 具滋哲 |
| Revised Romanization | Gu Ja-cheol |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ku Cha-ch'ŏl |
Koo Ja-Cheol (Hangul: 구자철; born 27 February 1989) is a South Korean footballer who plays asmidfielder for Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg and the South Korean football team. Blessed with technique and vision, Koo "has an uncanny ability to find the back of the net, often displaying a knack to charge into the opposition penalty box unsighted."[1]
Career
Early career
Koo started football at age ten when a nearby elementary school opened its football club. During his early youth career, he mostly played as a defender, often taking sweeper role. However, he wasn't particularly outstanding and the fact he suffered from anemia also hindered him from gaining attention. In 2006, as a member of Boin High School, Koo participated in the Baekrok High School Football Competition that is annually held in Jeju Island. Leading Boin High School to a runner-up place with an outstanding performance, he grabbed the attention of Jung Hae-Seong, who was then the manager of Jeju United.
Jeju United
In 2007, Koo was selected by Jeju United in the K-League draft. He failed to make an impression in his first two years at Jeju due to numerous injuries. However, he slowly broke into the first team, mostly playing as a defensive midfielder. In January 2010, he was reportedly invited by Blackburn Rovers for a trial, but the move didn't happen. He spent a great season in 2010 at Jeju instead, driving his club to an unprecedented runner-up position. His contribution also enabled him to gain personal honors, as he received the 'FAN'tastic Player award and the Top Assist award and was included in the Best XI.
VfL Wolfsburg
On 30 January 2011, Koo Ja-Cheol successfully moved to VfL Wolfsburg during the winter transfer window, signing a three-and-a-half year contract for an undisclosed fee.[2] On 12 February 2011, Koo made his VfL Wolfsburg debut against Hamburger SV, coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute in the 0–1 home defeat.[3]
Loan to Augsburg
On 31 January 2012, he moved on loan to the league rivals FC Augsburg.[4][5] During the loan period, he scored five goals in 15 appearances, and played a significant part in helping Augsburg escape relegation in their maiden season in the Bundesliga.[6]In his second tenure at Augsburg, Koo was plagued by injuries but still helped the club survive relegation in the limited games he had played in.
International career
Koo played a central role in helping South Korea finish third in the 2011 Asian Cup, with five goals and three assists over the tournament, finishing as the tournament's top scorer.[7]
During the 2012 London Olympics, Koo played as a central midfielder in the Korean national football team. He appeared in every game in the tournament, and scored the second goal during the second half of the bronze medal match against Japan, securing a 2–0 victory for Korea. The South Korean team won the bronze medal in football for the first time in its Olympics history and in doing so, became the second Asian team in the Olympics men's football to reach the semifinals
