1. It’s time to move on from the three at the back experiment

Korea’s backline and defense were exposed today, and it was evident that the three-center-back system that Coach Hong was trying to implement just wasn’t working. With none of the CBs playing in a three CB system at the club level, it never made sense in the first place to try to implement that system for the national team, where there’s less time to practice.

I’m never against experimenting in friendlies, but it’s clear that this one has run its course. Let the defense play in a formation they are more comfortable with, and bring more numbers into the midfield with Hwang In-Beom’s absence. It feels as though whenever Hong tries to implement a low block, it backfires tremendously. Just look at the Brazil routing, and anytime our backline dropped too deep against Cote D’Ivoire today, it allowed for too much space at the edge of our box for opponents to exploit.

2. Set piece defending needs major improvement

Another glaring weakness that was exposed today was how vulnerable we looked when defending set pieces. One of Les Élephants’ goals came from a set piece and they could’ve scored on a couple more. A combination of poor effort, positioning, and cohesion when defending set pieces was extremely worrying to me, and something that needs to be addressed immediately by the coaching staff. At this point with the World Cup only a few months away, the lack of organization defensively is very concerning.

The poor tactical setup from Hong certainly does not excuse the lack of effort that we saw today in tracking back from our midfielders and the ball-watching from our defenders, but everything starts with the manager and ultimately it is Hong’s responsibility to get the most out of the squad. He simply has not done that and it shows in our lack of defensive organization.

3. I’m not worried about our attack

Despite scoring zero goals today, there were encouraging signs with regards to chance creation and scoring opportunities. Oh Hyeon-Gyu, Seol Young-Woo, and Lee Kang-In each hit the post today, all coming from well worked attacks that just lacked the finishing touch. While it definitely is important to be more clinical at finishing those chances, there were plenty of positives to take from an attacking perspective.

Oh looked dangerous up top and it continues to be clear to me that he needs to start for us at the World Cup. Seol’s runs from the left flank were very effective and helped give the attack some width. Hwang Hee-Chan looked a lot like his former dynamic self, and when Lee Kang-In & Son came on in the 2nd half, the attack looked quite lively with Kang-In showing his playmaking ability that can change games. We have the difference-makers to score goals and create chances, we just need to be more clinical when it matters the most.

4. Hwang In-Beom is sorely missed in the midfield

With Hwang In-Beom unavailable due to injury, the midfield severely lacked composure, control, and creativity. I can’t imagine that the formation with three center-backs helped the build-up, but, with that being said, we didn’t have the stability that In-Beom brings to the midfield with his steadying, reliable presence and distribution. I don’t think Hong has done the best job of figuring out who that plan B is, and admittedly, I don’t think the other options have done themselves much good with their play either. Ultimately, In-Beom’s midfield partner is still a spot that’s up for grabs and time is running out to figure out the best man for the job.

In my personal opinion, I’m hoping Castrop is given that opportunity. I think he’d bring good balance to the midfield and complements Hwang In-Beom quite well. His physicality and motor will be good to have. The issue is that we haven’t been able to see this partnership much at all, and that is disappointing.

5. There are still too many question marks right now

I was never a fan of Hong’s hiring as manager, but I always try to stay positive in these situations. It is starting to get quite difficult to maintain that positivity with the consistent issues we’re seeing from Hong’s teams and the lack of any improvement in addressing those issues. His post-match interview, where he used the water breaks as an excuse for disrupting rhythm, was not a good look and furthers my lack of belief in him as our manager. I don’t think Hong is the right man for the job, but I don’t know that there’s much that can be done about it at this point. I doubt he will be sacked before the World Cup, nor am I sure what good it could do to sack him now. In all likelihood, we have passed the time where we could sack Hong for his ineptitude.

The World Cup is only a few months away, and there seems to be more questions than answers since the start of this window. Cho Yu-Min was looking like a reliable center back partner to Kim Min-Jae, and that has completely changed after a very poor game from him, where he was at fault for the first two goals. We still aren’t sure what formation Hong will decide to use, and his tactics were already questionable to begin with. We also still don’t know what our midfield will look like once Hwang In-Beom is healthy, which relates to the question marks surrounding Korea’s best formation. Even the goalkeeper situation doesn’t seem settled.

These are questions that needed to be answered a long time ago, and while I wouldn’t quite say it’s time to go into full panic mode just yet, Hong is really toeing that line and living dangerously at the moment. Time is starting to run out and there are limited opportunities to really keep the atmosphere positive, confident, and in good spirits for the World Cup. Hopefully the team is better prepared against Austria, otherwise things could get very ugly.

It is quite the dilemma. To make things worse, it might be the first time as a player at Paris Saint-Germain that Lee Kang-in is NOT getting the playing time he most likely deserves. In his first two seasons, I thought Kang-in got a decent amount of playing time and ample opportunity to prove himself, even on the biggest stages. There were times when he delivered, and there were times when he honestly did not. The main thing that was holding him back, in my honest opinion, was his deferring and depending on the talent around him. There was a stark difference between his play style at Mallorca and even on the Korean National Team, when he was asked to carry the offense with much more responsibility. During his first two seasons at PSG, he showed flashes but rarely exuded the “I’m going to make something happen” mentality we are used to seeing, opting for a “safer” style to appease Luis Enrique and stay on the pitch.

Eventually, elite teams like PSG will upgrade their rosters. That is exactly what happened in Kang-in’s second season at PSG. The great Desire Doue emerged, then they signed Kvicha Kvaratskhelia in the winter. Playing time started to flip in the 2nd half of the season, and Kang-in’s once promising career at PSG seemed to be headed towards an end by the Club World Cup. I was actually at one of these matches, the one against Atletico Madrid, to be specific. PSG earned a late penalty at the end of the match. They were already coasting, up 3-0. Vitinha, the usual penalty taker, went over and talked to Kang-in and let him take the penalty. I took that as a parting gift from Vitinha to Kang-in, to score a goal since he was rumored to be unhappy with his playing time, and he would be leaving, most likely after the Club World Cup. Expectedly, Kang-in buried his PK. Unexpectedly, Kang-in did NOT leave PSG that summer.

This came down to 2 main factors. One is Luis Enrique. PSG paid 22 million Euros for Kang-in. His pay wage is at the bottom half of the payroll. Kang-in can play multiple positions on the pitch, and Enrique obviously respects what he brings to the table. More importantly, at what it cost PSG to bring him to PSG, his wage makes him invaluable as a backup and spot starter. However, perhaps a more surprising second factor is Kang-in himself. He seems to be enjoying his time in Paris. He seems to be enjoying practicing and playing with his teammates. He is also racking up trophy after trophy along the way, so what is there not to like?

The problem now, in his 3rd season, is the fact that Kang-in is bringing his “I’m going to make something happen” style of play at PSG, and even PSG fans who aren’t necessarily Kang-in fans are starting to take notice. Ironically, his actual G/A stats have not been astonishing; however, for those who watch the matches, his impact on the pitch is clear. Even with his shortcomings, Kang-in seems to be overcoming them through his overall impact on the pitch. His detractors will say he’s not fleet of foot, he’s not the best off the ball, or his pressing could be better. But his believers will tell you that nobody in the attack can link up with his teammates better, nobody can pass into the final third better, and nobody can cross on corners and set pieces better.

So, we are definitely at an impasse. Something needs to happen, whether that means Kang-in gets shipped in the summer or he is offered more playing time and, more importantly, playing time in the big matches. Kang-in wants to start in the Champions League and play with PSG’s strongest 11. He doesn’t want to start in a meaningless league match against Metz with PSG’s B squad. He’s shown moments, he’s showing glimpses, he’s shown impact, and all in very minimal playing time.

Kang-in deserves a chance; he deserves a chance to at least give it a real go in a real, meaningful match for PSG. Whether he succeeds or fails, he, in my opinion, has 100% deserved a chance to succeed or fail on the biggest stage. Luis Enrique, for whatever reason, has been hesitant to offer him that in his 3rd season at PSG, when he is playing the best ball he has ever played there. Kang-in truly deserves that chance, and whether that’s at PSG or at a different big club, Kang-in will get that chance, and in the end, that’s all his supporters and fans want to see.

Surprise, surprise. Once again, Chung Mong-gyu has been elected President of the KFA. This is his fourth term, and he has held this role since 2013.

However, it is worth remembering that 2024 was a very painful year for the KFA and Chung himself. Chung came under fire from fans and journalists after a poor performance at the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar last year. Chung was directly blamed for the team's poor performance under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, the coach that Chung had personally hired against the wishes of his technical committee.

After that, a farcical head coach search was conducted, with multiple foreign coaches brought in for an interview even though the KFA ended up hiring Hong Myung-bo instead. Fan outrage and critical columns from the Korean media over the coaching decision and sophomoric behavior from the KFA’s search committee heads led to a full-blown government investigation.

Chung, head coach Hong Myung-bo, and disgraced national team strengthening committee chairman Lee Lim-Saeng were brought before the National Assembly to answer questions about the search process. All of the KFA’s corruption and incompetence was laid bare before the Korean people (even though it was certainly a PR play by government officials) and the damage was done. Protest signs started showing up at KNT World Cup qualifiers and the players noticed the terrible environment.

After the hearings, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued its ruling and demanded that Chung be suspended from his role. The KFA wasn’t going to take that sitting down, so they filed suit against the Ministry in the Seoul Central District Court and won. A fourth term campaign was allowed for Chung, so he went ahead and won a controversial election.

Chung ran against two qualified candidates, Huh Jung-moo (former national team manager and experienced football administrator with Daejeon Hana) and Shin Moon-sun (sports analytics professor, commentator, and administrator). Huh specifically protested the original election date of January 8, winning an injunction stating that the election would be unfair because the KFA’s election committee was not impartial and voters were hand-picked by the KFA.

As such, a new election committee was created with outside members from the National Election Commission, and a wider group of voters were selected. The election looked different than it would have, but Chung won support from the regional football associations, club CEOs, coaches, and referees. He campaigned hard and won 156 out of the 183 votes cast. Huh finished a distant second. Like it or not, Chung won the election fairly.

Now that he’s president again, all we can do is look back at what he’s done and what he plans to do moving forward. There have been clear failures during his time as president and Chung has lost popular support because he has few successes to stand on. Chung has been in charge of three World Cup campaigns, and three Asian Cups. The 2014 and 2018 World Cups were disappointing group stage exits, but the squad improved under Paulo Bento and advanced to the Round of 16 for the second time in history on foreign soil at the 2022 World Cup. In the Asian Cup, we lost the 2015 final, and exited in the quarterfinals in 2019 and the semifinals in 2023. It’s not a great record of success. Couple that with the fact that many of these tournament campaigns were marred by costly injury problems brought on by a lack of funding for team doctors and physios and it’s easy to see why the national team struggles under Chung.

The main success that Chung can point to in his tenure is the U23 KNT’s domination of the Asian Games. We have won three straight gold medals from 2014-2022, earning national team stars like Kim Min-jae, Son Heung-min, and Lee Kang-in coveted exemptions from military service. This provides the entire squad precious career flexibility and has led to many players getting the opportunity to play abroad at European clubs. However, one could argue that Chung’s success is offset by the trend that many players now just enlist for military duty earlier in their career, allowing them to move to Europe afterwards regardless of winning an exemption.

Chung has also begun the construction of a new national training center for the KFA, trying to bring the modern touches of St. George’s Park and Clairefontaine to Cheonan.

The Cheonan NFC is still in the works, and Chung has promised ₩5 Billion towards rising construction costs, as the funding for the center has fallen short of KFA expectations. Getting this project completed will certainly help the quality of youth and national team training standards for the men’s and women’s sides.

Another of Chung’s campaign goals is to completely open up the football pyramid in the example of European pyramids where amateur, semi-pro, and professional sides are all subject to the same promotion and relegation. Currently, the fully professional K League 1 and 2 have a closed pro-rel system, with K3-K7 below it with their promotion and relegation. Lately, with word that the K League will open up to the rest of the pyramid in coming years, K3 clubs that are ready to go pro have applied to join K League 2, with Gimpo FC, Cheonan City FC, and Hwaseong FC all joining K League 2.

Chung was very vague about his campaign goals, with the NFC and expansion of pro-rel system his two campaign promises that the media shared. In recent weeks, he has added a promise to bid for the 2031 AFC Asian Cup as well as the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Chung is not a popular man, but his roots in the Hyundai chaebol mean that he is an immensely powerful man. He will have lots of work to do to regain public trust and deliver on his promises. As of now, it seems as though he’s untouchable. Even a disastrous year of PR could do little to slow him down.

Remember the hype before last year's Asian Cup? Our squad was dubbed “Korea’s Golden Generation.” Fast-forward to the present and things obviously didn’t go according to plan. We fizzled out earlier than expected. Was that foreshadowing for the players on an individual level? Given how things are currently, it may very well have been.

We had Son Heung-Min, the GOAT Korean player (go argue with a wall) at the tail end of his prime. He didn’t quite have the Asian Cup we were all hoping for, (struggled with his finishing) but in his 2nd year under Ange Postecoglou, we all thought he would have a great season. It started okay, but as injuries mounted for Spurs and Son’s physical decline became more and more apparent, his reputation as a player has never been lower. Many are predicting that Son will move on from Spurs this summer. Where will he land, and how much juice does he have left in the tank? It’s tough to watch, but it’s safe to say Son’s best years are most likely behind him. As the captain of our national team, everything starts with him, even the end of a truly short “golden generation”.

Then there’s Lee Kang-In – the next to take the torch. With Ping Pong Gate firmly behind us, everybody thought his 2nd year at Paris St. Germain would be magical. It sure as hell started that way. Kang-In was scoring goals right from the jump, but sadly he could not keep up that form. A lot of this has to do with players at PSG raising their level and new players stepping in and taking some of his shine. What was supposed to be a big leap for Kang-in may end up in disappointment, as far as individual performance goes. His team is crushing it right now, but unfortunately, he hasn’t had a big impact lately. Can he rebound and get his spot back? Maybe. But it won’t be easy, and that’s the harsh reality players have to face when playing at a big club like PSG.

Kim Min-Jae is probably having the most consistent success on the biggest team. He’s been a rock in the starting lineup for Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have his detractors. There are a lot of murmurs on social media that he isn’t good enough to be a starter at Bayern, and his match ratings from the German media have been pretty unfair and critical. He’s also had a few knocks here and there, which might be from being overplayed. One can hope that his body isn’t starting to fail him at what should be the prime of his career. Min-Jae might be one of the only bright spots right now for Korean football. I hope he can keep things together.

Please don’t search for Hwang Hee-Chan on Twitter/X. He may be the most hated KNT player playing in Europe right now. To be honest, I haven’t seen Hee-Chan look worse. He’s hurt way too often or made of glass, as some would say. Even when he was healthy enough to play this season, he hasn’t looked good. He’s struggling to find his place on a team trying to avoid relegation. Things have never looked bleaker for Hee-Chan, which is truly sad to see.

Hwang In-Beom has probably been our most consistent player in Europe. The downside is that he’s playing in the Netherlands (not quite a top-five league), but he has established himself well at Feyenoord. I honestly think when Son hangs up his KNT boots, In-Beom could be in line to take the captain’s armband (maybe Min-Jae too). Out of all the guys we have in Europe, he’s been the most dependable.

Lee Jae-Sung has been doing great at Mainz, in his typical “blue-collar” style. Unheralded and often overlooked, the issue here is that he is also up in age and his status with the KNT has always been a point of debate within Fighting Stripes/Bibimballers. He does a lot of the small things, things that go unnoticed, and still has something to offer, but an heir apparent has to be found sooner rather than later. His Mainz teammate Hong Hyeon-Seok, who transferred in from Gent this past summer, came in with some fanfare, but unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out. The manager doesn’t seem to rate him and his playing time has been very limited, with Hong almost as Lee’s backup. It’s surprising just how many times Hong has subbed in for Lee this season!

Seol Young-Woo has been balling out in Serbia, but just like In-Beom, he’s in a lower league. I still think he’s best suited for the left-back position. However, unlike most of the players mentioned, his best days are ahead of him.

So, with Son and Jae-sung at the tail end of their careers, the hope was that the new crop of young guns would come in and fill the void. There was a lot of hype, and it was unjustified for the most part. The likes of Eom Ji-Sung, Bae Jun-Ho, and company have not been having great seasons at the Championship level in England. We were all excited about Yang Min-Hyeok at Spurs, but he’s been loaned out to QPR as he tries to acclimate to life in England. It’s easy to hype up our young guys, but the unfortunate reality of excelling in Europe is harder to come by than most of us thought. They still have time to develop, but based on their current form, they’re not ready to step up for the KNT and replace Son, Lee, or Hwang in attack.

With that being said, our Golden Generation, which we were all enamored with before the Asian Cup, might have been a mirage. Only time will tell.

A few months back I wrote this piece about Lee Kangin.

Not for a second did I think I’d be writing a piece with the exact opposite headline, but here we are. There is some building frustration, and some would say hate, towards Lee Kangin’s recent performances with the Korean National Team. In the 6 games he’s played under newly appointed Manager Hong Myungbo, our starboy has zero goals and zero assists. While goals and assists aren’t everything, his impact on the game has also been minimized. The irony here is that he’s been really in form with Paris Saint-Germain as of late, so you would think that would carry over to the Korean National Team, but sadly it has not. Let’s try and dive into why this may be.

Kangin’s role this season at PSG has changed dramatically. He’s gone from being used mostly as a midfielder last season to a more attacking player (false 9, right-wing, right-attacking midfielder), which has resulted in him playing way more up the pitch. In return, he’s bagged 6 goals and 1 assist in just 11 games. His assists should also be way higher, just considering the amount of key passes and big chances he creates for PSG.  They just haven’t been clinical in front of goal, but I believe those assists will come and we are in for the biggest G/A total of Kang-in’s career by a country mile. He’s really turned it around this year, following his trend of having a breakout second season at a new club, just as he did with Mallorca. He just needed to get comfortable, which he has looked all season. Even PSG fans who doubted his talent and ability to play for them are eating their words this year, unanimously in agreement that Kangin has been one of their best players to start the season. 

So why isn’t this translating over to the KNT? You would think this wouldn’t be a question, considering we were just asking ourselves a little while back why the KNT version of Kangin wasn’t showing up for PSG. However, things have changed drastically for Kangin under Hong, and opposing teams are also now targeting him, as they now recognize his danger and are making a game plan to minimize his impact.

At PSG, Kangin isn’t the player that opposing teams prepare for or gameplan around.  They have world-class players like Dembele, Barcola, Vithinha, and Hakimi, just to name a few. Kangin can kind of just slot in the lineup and do what we know he is capable of providing. Being in a more advanced role this season has upped his chances to score and provide chances for his teammates. He’s also able to take advantage of those said teammates, as his chemistry with the likes of Dembele and Hakimi is very apparent and it only accentuates Kangin’s impact on the games even more when he has weapons at his disposal. It’s been a great start to the season for Kangin at PSG, and I expect it to continue. So you might be asking, then how come we can’t have this on the KNT? The answer is pretty simple. Let me explain. 

Before Hong Myungbo took over as KNT manager, Kangin was flourishing on the right wing. He was scoring, assisting, dribbling, and just controlling the matches masterfully. Opposing teams have finally said, “Enough is enough! We need to neutralize this guy because he is taking over matches.” So what have teams done exactly? For one, they are now man-marking him. One defender is on his back, basically following Kangin around at all times, not allowing him time or space to get going. Also, opponents are now sending a 2nd defender when Kangin gets the ball, and this defender’s positioning is the key tactic. One defender is directly in front of Kangin, while the other defender prevents him from going left, taking away Kangin’s ability to get back towards the center of the pitch. They leave the right touchline open to him. Why? It’s very simple. Kangin is not a traditional right winger; he cannot run it down the touchline at pace. He’s actually an inverted right-winger who is best cutting in on his left foot. This defensive tactic severely limits what he can do with the ball, minimizing his impact on the game and not allowing him to get in dangerous positions. 

To compound this, the KNT’s current starting right back Seol Youngwoo (who I rate very highly) isn’t a burner himself, so teams are not worried about the right touchline. If you put a right-back who is dangerous with pace on the right touchline with Kangin, opponents would have to alter their strategy or get torched for it. Youngwoo is more of an underlapping full-back, not an overlapping one. Unfortunately, this doesn't mesh well with Kangin’s game.

At PSG, with burners like Dembele and Hakimi near him, teams have to respect the right touchline, which opens up Kangin’s trademark body feints to allow him penetration into the final third to do the things we all know he is capable of. This is not happening on the KNT, and it’s again severely handcuffing Kangin’s ability to impact the game.  

So what do we do now? How do we counter how teams are preparing for Kangin when he plays for the KNT? I have two plans in mind.

Plan #1: Change his position. Move Kang-in to the center attacking midfield role. This does put more pressure on him as far as defensive responsibilities, but in return, it will open up his options and allow him way more angles to attack and provide for this team. This will also put him closer to Son Heungmin and allow them to link up more frequently since currently, they are on opposite sides of the pitch. This may also require us to change formations and/or personnel in the midfield behind Kangin. However, if we are building our team around his talents, which we should be, this is an option that 100% needs to be considered.

Plan #2: Give him a burner of a right-back or right-winger. I’ve always stated that I much prefer Seol Youngwoo on the left side, as an underlapping full-back complementing our wide left wingers like Son or Hwang Heechan. Giving Kangin a speedster at the right-back position would allow him to impact games for the KNT as he currently does for PSG. The problem? The KNT doesn’t have a Hakimi. Our talent pool on that side is limited, to put it nicely. However, I do have two tasty options that I think (while experimental) might work. Let’s start with Yang Hyunjun, the rarely used Celtic player, who believe it or not, has been thrown into this role before with the KNT (albeit just once or twice in the Asian Cup). He’s the exact kind of profile that I think would mesh very well with Kangin as a touchline winger. It’s hard to know where his form is right now with his lack of playing time, but I do believe this option can work. I know this would put a hamper on the KNT defensively, but let’s be real, none of our fullbacks are defensive stalwarts. My second option would need a formation adjustment. If we put Kangin at the right midfielder spot in a 433 formation, we can experiment with the up-and-comer Yang Min-hyuk (another burner) at the right wing position. This happens frequently at PSG with Kang-in linking up with Dembele. They have proven a deadly combination, and I believe Yang Min-hyuk can provide a similar type of impact for the KNT. 

With our qualification for the 2026 World Cup almost wrapped up, I would love to see Hong Myungbo experiment a little to maximize what we can do come 2026. Kangin can’t just be some space-creating decoy for the other players. While the defensive approach by opposing teams has opened up things on the left side for players like Son or Bae Junho to freely do their thing, there has to be a way to combine that with maximizing Kangin’s impact on the pitch.  

One last thing: I do believe Kangin also needs to alter his approach as well. He’s doing what he can on the ball, but his movement off the ball needs to change. He’s doing a much better job of this at PSG as of late, resulting in a lot of his scoring from crashing the box. He seems to be content with dragging defenders to him and making a good pass or switching fields for the KNT. This isn’t good enough for me. Once he doesn’t have the ball, I’d like to see him move quickly into positions where he can be more dangerous, instead of just watching play unfold on the other side waiting for things to develop. He needs to take more initiative when the ball isn’t at his feet because with how teams are preparing for him and defending him, it’s the only current way for him to put his stamp on matches until Hong’s tactics and/or game plan changes. 

It has to be a frustrating time right now for Kangin, and probably even a little funny, considering he went from playing amazingly with the KNT and just okay with PSG, to playing amazingly for PSG and now just okay for the KNT. There is a lot of time between now and our next matches in March.  Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that Hong will make some adjustments to get the most out of our most important player, Lee Kangin.

It might seem a little bit too early to say this, but I might like Hong Myungbo as manager of the KNT? He has announced 3 official squads, and with each subsequent squad announcement, I have liked his selections more. It’s a small sample size, but I stand by what I say.

By the way, the picture above is of the most deserving selection of them all, as Kim Bongsoo is someone that our FS contributor Trey has been raving about as a CDM prospect. As you probably know, everyone who is a KNT fan knows we need a new CDM prospect.

With that, let’s dive into the squad and my positive and negative thoughts on it. Below is the KFA’s official squad list (with 1 change I will write in the caption.)

In the goalkeeper selections, Hong Myungbo has shown his depth of knowledge of the K League in his selections. He explained that this would be a positive of his return to the KNT manager role, as he believed he had learned a lot about players in the K League that he didn’t know in his first stint at the 2014 World Cup. These three goalkeepers are all deserving picks for the squad, as they have played key roles in their squad’s success from between the sticks. My problem? They’re all over 30!

Kim is 33 (and helping Gwangju leap to the top of the Asian Champions League Elite group phase table), Lee is 31 (and a reason why Daejeon Hana avoided relegation in the K League), and Jo is 33 (and once again K League 1 champion). I know goalkeepers have longer careers than outfield players, but I just wish that Hong could break the tradition of continuing to have older goalkeepers in the squad.

In defense, the only player that I hate is Jung Seunghyun. I don’t understand how this slow, tall CB keeps getting selected for the national team. Every center-back selected will have to pair with Kim Minjae, whose expansive coverage of space in his defensive style and his ball-carrying nature leaves gaps behind him that can be exploited. Jung absolutely cannot pair with Kim because he cannot cover a space that Kim has left open. He should never see the pitch, and as a result, why is he getting picked?

Other than that, Kwon Kyungwon has veteran experience with Kim, Cho Yumin was great during the October international break, and Lee Gihyuk represents a younger and versatile defender that Trey was happy to see recognized for his strong play at Gangwon this season.

The full-backs selected are becoming recognizable and it is so refreshing that we don’t have to see the names Hong Chul and Lee Yong on the squad list anymore. Seol Youngwoo is an unquestioned starter at this point, whereas Kim Moonhwan represents a veteran return that could be worth starting in one of these matches. Lee Tae-seok is a young left-back whose father is Lee Eulyong, which makes the family the 3rd father-son KNT duo in history (name the other 2 down in the comments). I think Lee Myungjae is serviceable but I would rather see Lee Gihyuk, Lee Taeseok, or Kim Moonhwan start opposite Seol.

In midfield, I truly have to compliment Hong on the abundance of different profiles of players that he selected, with one huge exception. Hong, please stop selecting your veteran deputy Park Yongwoo! Seriously, he doesn’t deserve these calls just because you coached him for years at Ulsan. He was horrid at the Asian Cup (and don’t tell me that was because of Jurgen Klinsmann). Okay, rant over and I’ll get back to the compliment.

Kim Bongsoo is a 24-year-old CDM that Trey rates highly. He represents a physical CDM that could solidify the KNT’s defensive frailties in midfield. It is his first call-up, so he is unlikely to start or make an appearance. However, Hong getting the chance to view his style of play in training should be a good thing for this squad.

Very little needs to be said to add to why Son, Bae Junho, Lee Kangin, Lee Jaesung, and Hwang Inbeom are in this squad. However, talking about versatile options leads us to compliment Hong on the different profiles he selected in Paik Seungho, Hong Hyunseok, Lee Hyunju, and Jeong Wooyeong. Let’s start with Hong.

Hong Hyunseok is now a teammate of Lee Jaesung at Mainz and represents a style of play quite different from the other “starter-level” midfielders in this squad. He’s like a metronome and can slow down a match in a way that could be quite useful off the bench in protecting a lead. Paik has been everywhere for Birmingham City, showing a work rate and vision to create goals that would be useful in competitive matches.

Jeong Wooyeong is quite experienced with this squad and provides the versatility to play both winger positions with his dribbling technique and nose for goal. National team managers like players who have the motor to press opponents from attack, and Jeong is that guy. Finally, Lee Hyunju earning a call-up at just 21 speaks to this Bayern Munich youngster’s talent. He has been a starter for Hannover on loan in the 2.Bundesliga and it will be his technical skills, similar to Lee Kangin and Bae Junho, that he can bring to this squad at a young age.

Hong is starting to assemble a midfield that has the depth and variety that can prove useful at a World Cup where many different game situations will arise. I have to compliment him on that.

Finally, the strikers! We still miss World Cup starlet Cho Guesung to knee rehab, but Oh Hyeongyu is my favorite pick here. Oh is a mentality monster, a streaky player who can be a terror if in form, which he was in October. Players like that, who seem to experience large differences in form based on confidence, are always ones to watch in good and bad ways. They can disappear from matches if out of form (think Ousmane Dembele), but destroy a defense when in form. I am wary of saying that Oh will keep his form from October, but I am glad that the KNT has a striker who is scoring goals and taking the burden away from Son to be our lead goalscorer. Oh Sehun and Joo Minkyu represent solid strikers who represent utilitarian, build-up play that helps the team (very much similar to Cho), but perhaps don’t have the finishing skills that Oh does. I have no problem with their selections, as they have both performed well over the last year in competitive KNT matches.

Here is Trey’s preferred starting XI for this international break, which I endorse strongly!

Here’s the KNT schedule and where to watch the match live:

🇰🇷 v 🇰🇼, 11/14 9 AM EST, OneFootball Stream

🇰🇷 v 🇵🇸, 11/19, 9 AM EST (OneFootball Stream)

We should earn all 6 points in these matches and cement our status at the top of Group A. Daehanminguk Hwaiting!

Hong Myung Bo 6.5: Expected starting lineup, and it worked for the most part. Subs were also very effective. 

Jo Hyeon Woo 5.5: Not the best from him today, as I really thought he could have attacked that chip cross on the 1st goal. 

Lee Myung Jae 7: A very solid outing for him. Not the most aggressive offensively, but solid in defense and an elite cross for Jaesung’s header goal.

Kim Min Jae 7: He really locked up the Iraq attack, but had a few mishaps as well that led to some openings behind him. Partially responsible for their 1st goal. 

Cho Yu Min 7: An aggressive passer from the back, and while some mistakes were made it’s refreshing to see a CB other than Minjae make some progressive passes.

Seol Young Woo 7: Getting more and more comfortable in his role on the KNT.  Almost a necessary starter if you ask me. Great contribution to our 1st goal. 

Park Yong Woo 6: Solid once again, had some good tackles and passes but not really impactful. 

Hwang In Beom 7: Not as good as last game, but still really good. There were a couple of turnovers, but he also passed the ball beautifully and orchestrated our offense. 

Lee Jae Sung 8.5: The ideal Lee Jae Sung match. The assist, the goal, and all the very typical plays you expect from Jae Sung. That header goal in particular was exquisite.  MotM. 

Bae Jun Ho 7.5: The spark for us offensively. Looked a lot like what Kangin would do but on the left side. He got pulled surprisingly early, but a nice assist to Oh on the 1st goal. 

Kang In Lee 5: Trust me, I am more disappointed in his play than anybody. Two games in a row clocked into work and showed nothing. More sharp than the Jordan game but equally ineffective. Not sure if it’s fatigue? Not having Son? But he needs to snap out of it, and fast. 

Oh Se Hun 7: Had some glimpses of good play and some not-so-good play. But he is a target man and was in the right place at the right time for our first goal. 

Notable Subs: 

Oh Hyeon Gyu 7.5: Man, this guy brings some serious energy. The pitch feels different with him on it; he’s aggressive, plays fast, and ultimately again scores. Stock way up!

Moon Seon Min 7: As egregious as I thought this sub was, Moon was surprisingly impactful and effective on the left-hand side. Credit where credit is due, and at least we didn’t see the dance.

Hong Myung Bo 6.5: Injuries might have contributed, but really good adjustments and took chances by subbing in young players.

Lee Myung Jae 6: Solid on the left, mistake-free, and clean football overall.

Kim Min Jae 7.5: The difference in our back line; with and without Minjae is night and day. Glad to have him back there. 

Cho Yu Min 7: Not as impactful as Min Jae, but complemented Min Jae very well, was mistake-free, and passed the ball nicely.

Seol Yeong woo 7.5: One of our best players, specifically in the 1st half. Picked up a great assist. 

Park Yong Woo 6: Solid, for once. Nothing much to note, but he wasn’t his usual eye-sore self. 

Hwang In Beom 8: Best overall player from start to finish.  Escaped pressure really well today (not usually his strong suit) and sprayed the ball around with great accuracy. 

Lee Jae Sung 7: A very Jae Sung-like performance, capped off with a crash the box header goal.

Kang In Lee 5: I’ve never seen him play this bad. No shooting boots, no passing boots, no dribbling boots. It’s like a Monstar came in and stole his talents. Expect a big bounce back from him. 

Hwang Hee Chan 5.5: Had some moments, but his passing was atrocious. Hopefully the injury isn’t serious. 

Joo Min Gyu 5: The invisible man. It doesn’t help when the man who comes in for you lights it up. 

Notable Subs: 

Eom Ji Sung 5.5: Looked light on his feet, but had some iffy decision making. Hopefully his injury isn’t bad either. 

Bae Jun Ho 7.5: Electric today, great energy, and he dribbled very well. Him and Oh lit up the 2nd half. Looked like our most dangerous overall player in the 2nd half. 

Oh Hyeon Gyu 7.5: What a breath of fresh air. Explosive, dangerous, aggressive. He took shots and was rewarded with a Mbappe-like finish. Great game from Oh; want him to earn a start against Iraq.

We’ll be back for next Tuesday’s match in Yongin against Iraq.

Kick-off vs Iraq: 8 PM KST, 7 AM EST (Tuesday, Oct. 15).

There is a growing concern on my part as a fan of Korean Football. Our fans are getting a little too biased and are becoming unreasonable with their expectations.  Yes, we have star players, and yes they are worthy of our praise, but this expectation that they need to be playing every minute of every game due to our evaluation of their talent and recent performances doesn’t demand the kind of uproar I am seeing from Korean fans.  This brings an immense amount of negative energy, especially with the fanbases of the teams our star players are on.

Don’t get me wrong, there are two sides to every story here. Do our Euro-based players face some “Asian” bias of their own? Of course. This is obviously a touchy subject when we talk about race being a factor in how a player is judged, but it’s an obstacle our players are used to and it’s something that they have to overcome daily.  We are not helping them one bit, by demanding they start every game, by saying a player played well due to one highlight when if you watched the match in its entirety he maybe didn’t have his best game, or by getting defensive for some constructive criticism someone may have on our players. It’s okay to defend our players if they are being unfairly criticized; trust me, I get that part of it. The bigger the player, the bigger the team they are on, the more pressure and notoriety (good or bad) they will receive. That’s just the nature of the beast, and nobody understands that better than Son Heung-Min, Kim Min-Jae, and Lee Kang-In. 

We also have to know the difference between top-level European football and Korean National Team matches. We can’t take a Sonny masterclass against the Philippines, Kang-In dribbling around 4 defenders against Singapore, or Min-Jae shutting out Oman and use that as a reason why our guys should be getting more respect from their club fans or more playing time from their club managers. It truly baffles me, and while yes, it’s great our players are performing at a high level for the Korean National Team, let’s try to simmer down on the hype a little bit against lesser competition. You have to be able to distinguish between the levels of competition our Euro-based players are playing against when it comes to club football and playing for your country. 

My challenge to Korean fans is to be better and try to be unbiased regarding our star players. They aren’t perfect, no player is, and we must realize other world-class players contribute to the squad that we must respect. Let’s be happy that we live in an era where we have so many Euro-based players currently and try to enjoy every moment they get to spend on the pitch instead of demanding too much, defending every mishap, and overhyping any little highlight you may come across.  We need to do better. If we want to be any help at all to our players, we have to.

Just two years ago Kim Minjae was at the apex of European football: Serie A Best Defender of the Season, helping Napoli with their first league title since 1990, and a guaranteed lock to be in any of your most trusted defender lists. Upon his record transfer to Bayern Munich, we were left daydreaming at the thought of the best Asian defender of all time playing alongside renowned players like Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, Thomas Muller, and Manuel Neuer. 

For much of his debut season at Bayern, Kim looked like his Napoli self, starting 21 matches in a row, serving as the most reliable CB amidst de Ligt's injuries and Upamecano's red cards. However, after returning from a tumultuous Asian Cup, he showed a dip in both form and confidence and found it difficult to break into Tuchel’s starting XI. His season concluded by losing out on the starting job to Eric Dier and contributing two pivotal errors that saw Bayern Munich crash out of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

Following a disappointing season by Bayern Munich standards, the club appointed former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany as manager, replacing Thomas Tuchel. Bringing in an unproven manager with just two seasons at Anderlecht and two at Burnley certainly carries some risk. However, the past certainly does not predict the future, whether it is markets, high school, or young football managerial careers. Here’s why the hiring of Kompany sets the stage for Kim Min Jae to have his best season yet.

During Bayern’s preseason friendlies, Kompany has already shown clear tactical changes across the defensive line. While previous managers (Tuchel - Bayern, Klinsmann - Korean National Team, Spaletti - Napoli) utilized Kim at left CB, Kompany has been deploying Kim as either the middle CB in a back three or the right CB in a classic back four. Left, middle, right, what’s the difference for Kim Min Jae?

Though naturally right-footed, Kim has a competent left foot, inducing prior managers to use him as a left CB in a football market where quality left-footed CBs are scarce. As seen in the August 3 preseason match against Tottenham in Seoul, Kim being at the right CB position allowed him to make passes from his right side to the right wing, leading an already running Gnabry and Boey into the attacking third. When Kim played at left CB, he was forced to pass from his right foot to the left wing, from his outside to the inside of the LB/LW, ultimately resulting in Alphonso Davies having to track back, or interceptions by opposing midfielders. With the Hiroki Ito transfer and the return of Stanisic from loan, Kompany can play either at left CB. Kim Minjae, a right-footed human, can now play right CB. It just makes sense. 

Kompany, a Guardiola disciple, loved a high press and high line at Burnley, and it appears he will love it at Bayern as well. Kompany’s tactics may not have produced results at Burnley. Still, from what we’ve seen thus far from Bayern’s preseason performances, the attacking players were able to successfully impose a high press, making it difficult for Tottenham to make passes into Bayern’s half.  An effective high press and high line shrinks the playing field to the opponent’s half.  This created opportunities for Kim Minjae to time his run from the back line and cut off forward passes before they could be connected to counterattacks.

The main risk with a high backline is being vulnerable to long lob passes, but Kim also showcased his top-notch speed was more than sufficient to track back and intercept any threatening balls. Throughout Bayern’s preseason, Stanisic and Guerrero have shown that they have bought into Kompany’s tactics. If Kim is pressing up to help the buildup or cut off any passes, Stanisic and Guerrero stayed back to cover against any lob threats. Conversely, last season, Kimmich and Dier both showed lapses in tracking back to cover while Kim was forward. We don’t have to look further than the painful Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid.

At first glance, the goal Vini Jr. scored looks like an error on Kim’s part. But if Kim was up to challenge the incoming pass for Vini Jr., it should be Kimmich’s responsibility to cover the space left by Kim, but he was out of position, standing too close to the right wing.

Lastly, the transfer of DMF Joao Palhiniha should lessen the defensive and midfield burden for Kim and the entire Bayern squad. Palhinha is considered one of the best DMFs in the world. He was the Premier League leader in tackles for the 2022-2023 season while having a passer rating above 83% for the past 10 seasons, according to WhoScored. During Kim’s best season with Napoli (2022-2023), DMF Stanislav Lobotoka served as a safeguard for many of Kim’s vulnerabilities. Lobotoka would take the ball from Kim and spray threatening balls for Napoli’s attackers. Palhinha has a passing ability equal to or better than Lobotoka, along with more proficient goal-scoring, heading, and tackling prowess. Leon Grotezka, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and Konrad Laimer were serviceable at defensive midfield for Bayern in 2022-2023, but Palhinha is another level.  

At a minimum, there is cause for optimism with a fresh voice and gameplan as manager in Kompany, and a strong group of new players in Palhinha, Ito, Stanisic, and Olise. Bundesliga champions, UCL success, the return of the Korean Monster; it’s all at play for the 2024-2025 season.

This may be a slept upon topic, but that is what I love to write about most. I like writing about topics that people aren’t talking enough about because sometimes that’s where you find the most interesting news.

In 2024, if you didn’t know, the KFA has no training center for their national teams to practice at. Instead, they’ve been using smaller training centers that they have used for youth team training, conducting indoor training sessions at the team hotel, or using public stadium pitches for open training before matches.

You may ask, “Michael, this can’t be that big a deal?” To that I’ll say, I think the national team players would very much beg to differ. During their preparations in Korea for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup (which was held Jan-Feb 2024) in Qatar, the players could only do workouts and tactics sessions in the team’s Korean hotel. They only began on-pitch training in Qatar at their team base. Wouldn’t it have been so much more ideal for them to have been on the pitch in Korea as well?

Well, too bad. Their lease on the Paju National Football Center, their previous training ground, expired in December 2023. The KFA and Paju city government could not agree on new lease terms, with Paju insisting that the KFA pay a yearly rental fee to continue use of the facility. Since its completion in 2001 in advance of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the KFA has been using the Paju NFC rent-free.

My next question was: how much was Paju asking for in rent to continue to use the facility? According to the Korean site 마이데일리, Paju proposed an annual rental fee of 2.6Billion KRW (about $1.9million) for the KFA. Instead of agreeing to that, the KFA elected to rent out the Mokdong Stadium pitch when needed, as well as continue their operations in Mokpo, Cheonan (where the future NFC will be located), and Changwon.

In my opinion, I would have paid the fee to continue to use the Paju NFC until the Cheonan NFC is completed. So now that the Paju NFC is out of the question, what is next for the KFA’s training center? Enter the Cheonan NFC, currently under construction!

Designed by Dutch architecture firm UNStudio, the Cheonan NFC is meant to bring the KNT into the future with a larger footprint and more state-of-the-art facilities than what was on offer in Paju. The KFA hired a European firm to design a training center that would rival some of the best facilities in Europe. I imagine that the KFA had hoped to complete the facility before their Paju lease expired, however construction delays and price rises meant that the facility will not be completed until 2025 at the earliest.

Even looking at the rendering, the footprint of the Cheonan NFC is far larger than what was on offer at Paju. In addition, in the center of the facility are plans for a 1,500 capacity showcase stadium. That stadium could host youth tournament finals and could possibly make a very good home for the Korean women’s national team as well.

I think this facility looks great, but the KFA got their timing absolutely wrong. If they knew they could not move to Cheonan full-time by the expiration of their Paju lease, they should have forked over the cash to continue their stay there temporarily. That’s the truth, plain and simple. The fact that the KFA couldn’t agree with Paju on a new lease makes Chung Mong-gyu and his cronies at the KFA look like cheap penny-pinchers. Chung and the Hyundai people who run the KFA certainly have $1.9mil to spend on annual rent. If they don’t, I’m sorry for being wrong.

For more on the KFA’s new training center, The B1M published a great video with interviews from the designing architects here.

The ideas and renderings of the new center seem grand, but the big question is when the national teams will get to move in? Here’s a photo from April 2024, showing off the construction site.

We just don’t know when construction will finish on the Cheonan NFC, especially because that photo doesn’t depict anything nearing completion. I’ll keep you updated on this story, because I do hope that the KFA can use this new training center to continue their football growth and nurture the next generation of KNT stars!

For previous reporting on the Korean women’s national team, read here and here.

International football flows in cycles. Every 4 years there is a World Cup to qualify for and compete in. Somewhere in between those World Cups, you’ll have a continental championship to play in, which in women’s international football acts as the qualifying method for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Every 4 years, 2 years in between the World Cup on the men’s side, there is the Summer Olympics football tournament. At the youth level, every 2 years there is an age-level World Cup to qualify for and measure your youth development program against the world.

I write all that to say this: progress in football also flows in cycles. A cycle can progress by introducing new players to the national team squad and watching as they add to the team and bring wins. However, a cycle can just be the continual grinding of gears, fighting and spinning against the world while struggling to improve.

After watching the Korean women’s national team lose by a combined 7-0 to the US women’s national team this June, it is clear that the Taegeuk Ladies are struggling in the latter cycle. Something has stagnated for the squad, and over two matches, they truly struggled to challenge or compete with the US team.

When I first watched the Korean women’s national team live in 2019, the result was far more competitive. They lost 2-0 in their 1st match and then drew the next match 1-1 in Chicago. In 2019, they were competing against the FIFA Women’s World Cup champion US women’s national team. They stood toe to toe with the best national team in the world.

This year? They were soundly beaten by a still-strong US team, but one that had crashed out in the Round of 16 at last year’s World Cup. In the past 5 years, a rapid professionalization of the women’s football landscape has occurred and even the US is struggling to keep up. Where does that leave the Korean team? As of now, the Korean women’s national team has a lot of work to do and will be working from a position of great uncertainty.

Since the women’s international break, the KFA has decided to part ways with head coach Colin Bell, by mutual consent. While it was likely the right move, we undoubtedly must thank Colin for how he helped the team progress.

When Colin Bell became the manager, he worked to make the team play a higher-intensity style. The players really responded to his message, and he took the role incredibly seriously, learning Korean well to work with his players. Though it took time, the play started to improve and his crowning achievement will certainly be the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

At that tournament in India, which allowed the Taegeuk Ladies to qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Bell led the squad to a 2nd place finish in Group C. They earned the same amount of points as 1st placed Japan, one of the AFC’s best women’s teams, and drew the Nadeshiko 1-1. With a spot on the opposite end of the knockout bracket, they knocked out Australia, with superstar Sam Kerr, in the quarterfinals. Losing in the final to China, though bitterly disappointing, represented their best-ever finish at the event.

However, cracks in his approach have become more apparent as time went on. Almost eerily similar to men’s manager Paulo Bento, he settled on a core of players and played them heavily. However, the big problem was that this core of players was aging, and over time, their play declined. At the 2023 World Cup, Korea crashed out of the group stage and only managed a draw against Germany. They could not keep up with both Colombia and Morocco, losing to higher energy and younger teams.

In addition, Colin Bell failed on 2 occasions to qualify for the Summer Olympics football tournament, which would provide Korea with competitive matches against the top teams in the world before the World Cup. The women’s squad has never qualified for the Olympics, and missing out on those competitive matches makes it that much harder for them to progress and play well at the Women’s World Cup. While the 2021 Summer Olympics qualification process may have occurred too early in his tenure, the devasting two-legged playoff loss to China to miss out on the Olympics foretold another clear frailty that Bell was unable to remedy.

In the second leg of the tie, Korea took a 2-0 lead that put them up 3-2 on aggregate and in line for a ticket to Tokyo. Unfortunately, they let in a goal that caused extra time at a 3-3 aggregate tie. Then, they conceded another goal in extra time to draw the match 2-2 and lose 4-3 on aggregate. They lost another 2-0 lead to China in the Asian Cup final, losing 3-2 in a heartbreaking finish. This squad couldn’t keep leads, and Bell couldn’t help them keep their nerve with leads.

There are certainly positives that Bell will leave behind to this squad, such as the addition of young starlet Casey Phair (we’ll get back to her later). However, at the biggest moments, such as trying to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, he could not get the squad to the next level. Right after the disappointing World Cup performance, he again took a very similar squad to the qualifiers in China. After a draw with rival North Korea in the second match, Bell would have known that his team needed to beat China to progress to the qualifying play-offs for the Paris Olympics. This is because North Korea had to play group minnow Thailand in their final match, which they won 7-0. Because Korea had demolished Thailand 10-1 in their first match, they would have had the GD advantage over North Korea if they beat China. Instead, they suffered a disappointing 1-1 draw where they again failed to protect a lead.

As a result of missing out on Paris, Korea’s next competitive matches will be qualifiers for the 2026 Asian Cup. This squad needs real competitive matches at the Olympics to progress, and Bell couldn’t get them over that line.

Bell will be remembered fondly by the players, but it was time to part ways before the squad’s play further declined.

While watching the Taegeuk Ladies against the USWNT this time, I was struck by how little of an impact the squad could make. That being said, I think it is quite understandable when you realize that this is an aging squad that has simply run out of time. 5 years ago, I was struck by how competitive Cho Sohyun could be in midfield. She was hassling the USWNT and winning midfield duels in a difficult match. She is now 36, and especially at the World Cup, I felt she was too far past it to make an impact.

Watching the match in Minnesota, only a few Korean players made a real impact and showed they could keep up with the US players. Before I dig into those players, watch the official highlights from the match.

I did think Korea started the match brighter than they had in Colorado, and I’ll get to why I think that was the case later. Unfortunately, they went behind after 12 minutes as Choo Hyo-joo was coming back on a break too late and could not properly mark Crystal Dunn at the back post. You can see LCB Lee Young-ju motioning to her that she has to get back to defend, but she just can’t keep up and fails to prevent Dunn from stabbing the ball into the net. Choo is still just 23, but using her at LWB just did not work (returning her to a more traditional attacking winger role would be better). Jang Selgi, at 30, needs to come back to the fray under the new manager because this experiment with Choo didn’t work.

Throughout the starting XI, there were question marks around players that Bell had started for far too long as they aged. In goal, it doesn’t make sense that Kim Jung-mi has started so many matches as she is now 39. She actually made the squad for the 2003 Women’s World Cup at the age of 18. But watching her now, we have to start trying to find a new starting goalkeeper. She will be 42 by the time the 2027 World Cup rolls around and she injured herself making a save before letting in Lily Yohannes’ goal to make it 3-0. For example, why has Lee Da-hye never been called to the national team even though she plays in the German third division?

In that back 5, only 2 players seem to merit further starts in the setup moving forward. Lee Young-ju, whether a CDM/CM or a CB, will be able to make an impact even at the age of 32. She’s playing in Liga F for Madrid CFF, coming up against Spanish players regularly. In addition, Kang Chae-rim has shown a lot of promise as an RW/RWB/RB combo player. At 26, she’s still young enough to test herself abroad, whether in a European league or perhaps following Ji So-yun to NWSL.

Now, when it comes to the rest of that back 5, it seems like there may need to be more players tested. Kim Hye-ri, the captain of the team, has never really impressed as a defensive stalwart. She absolutely will be in and around the squad for her leadership, but other defenders need to be given opportunities to start. Lee Eun-young is just 22 and will certainly merit further looks, but I didn’t notice her much in this match. With Choo, I know she can do a job going forward, but she struggled with the defensive responsibilities of this match.

In midfield, Ji So-yun continues to age like Lionel Messi, for whom her nickname of “Ji Messi” really fits. Lionel’s role has continued to evolve for Argentina and Ji’s will too. I could see her working well as the metronome of a 4-2-3-1, paired with an energetic CDM like Lee Young-ju who can win her balls and then let her progress forward with her passing. In this match, neither Jeon Eun-ha nor Cho So-hyun could move the needle and help Ji in midfield. What happened so often in this match was passes in tight spaces not being accurate enough, or miscommunications being there which caused Korea to lose possession.

In attack, Choe Yu-ri has developed into a better player since moving to Birmingham City’s squad. She absolutely had her moments down the right and I hope to watch a good partnership develop between her and Casey Phair. Casey Phair is a game-changer. At 17, she has so much football ahead of her, but she already showed that she could physically compete against the US defense. When she develops more finishing skills and starts earning pro minutes with Angel City, she could be a #9 CF that Korea has never had. On the left, I’m not sure Lee Geum-min should be a starter or a bench player. I like the idea of Chun Ga-ram earning starts on the left, to see if she provides more than Lee with her speed and dribbling skills, so we can see if she has chemistry with Casey. I noticed a lot of gesturing from Geum-min to Casey during the match, suggesting they were struggling to get on the same page.

These last paragraphs illustrate just how much of a rebuild this squad will need under its new manager. Steve Han, the most respected Korean American football journalist, echoed this sentiment after watching the match too. The next Korean manager will need to look beyond the current core and find ways to build a squad that can compete in matches outside of Asia.

Bubbling under the surface for the Korean women’s national team is another very important issue. In May, the national team players, with support from the Korean Professional Footballers Association and FIFPRO, went public with their request to speak with the KFA about improvements in working conditions during national team duty. The article from FIFPRO paints a picture of a national team squad treated like second-class citizens by their football association and a discussion needs to be had with the KFA about what improvements can be agreed upon. “We have so many things that we have to change,” Ji So-yun said when asked about the situation. I could hear the frustration in her voice when she said “So many”. “However, the first part, talking with them, has been difficult,” she said.

So-yun indicated that the KFA expressed little interest in speaking with the national team players about improved conditions because the women’s national team doesn’t bring money to the FA with their matches. However, it almost becomes a chicken and the egg question: How do you make money for an FA that doesn’t provide you with the conditions to make money?

This was the promotional flyer for the most recent international friendly that the Korean women’s national team had in Korea. The match took place at 7 PM on a Friday in Icheon, South Korea. Does that stadium look like an appealing place to watch a football match?

Contrast that to the venue for the men’s most recent FIFA World Cup qualifier against China. Which venue would you rather attend a match at?

Before you say, “But Michael, there’s way more money in men’s football,” I get it. Still, the KFA could do far more to help the women’s national team drive interest and sell tickets to their matches. This is something I am sure women’s national teams around the world are fighting for, and I am proud that the Korean players have spoken up and asked for better conditions. For starters, the KFA should schedule women’s national team friendlies in K League stadiums where fans can easily get to the match. A women’s friendly at the DGB Daegu Bank Park could be a perfect venue choice. Who wouldn’t want to watch a match in a stadium like this?

It may take a while for progress to be made, but the national team players and KFA really need to discuss what conditions need to be improved and what standards need to be met. There can be push and pull on what they get, and I’m sure that the women players will need to make concessions, but it is clear improvements can be agreed upon.

In fact, improved conditions for the women’s national team could very well lead to better performance in critical matches. Whether it’s better equipment, better training pitches, or more comfortable accommodations, the environment that the squad has in preparing for their matches needs work.

Finally, the Korean women’s national team truly is experiencing a fight to find quality players for the national team. Steve Han posted a thread detailing the severe talent gap between US women’s football and women’s football in South Korea. There are 30,000 women playing football for American university teams. The number in South Korea? 203. That’s a shocking gap.

Steve correctly pointed out that the KFA will need to monitor Korean-Americans playing in American universities and youth football to see if there are good prospects there.

Casey Yujin Phair is an incredible example of a Korean-American who can impact the quality of this national team for years to come. Interestingly though, Casey is on the Korean women’s national team because she and her family reached out first. Through a KFA contact, her father got her match clips in front of the KFA women’s national team staff. “We just sent them clips of my games with PDA and then I flew out for a U18 camp. I think they liked me, I guess, and I just stuck with the U17s, and then before the World Cup, I got called up,” Casey said.

We can all see why the KFA liked her, especially if she can do this at the U17 level, making the difference in qualifying for the FIFA U17 World Cup or not. If the KFA wants to take the next step, it will need to start scouting more Korean American players to expand its talent pool.

At the moment, the reality of this women’s national team is not dissimilar to the men’s team. Korea Republic is firmly one of the best squads in Asia, right there with Japan, North Korea (not a men’s power), China (also not a men’s power), and Australia. However, they’re in danger of falling behind the rest of the world and continuing to struggle to compete with European teams or North and South American teams. There’s work to be done to select the next national team manager, expand the talent pool, and also find the right balance for improved conditions when preparing for matches. I’m not sure the KFA will be up to these tasks, as they have shown some incredible incompetence in the past few months on the men’s side, but I do know I will be supporting the women’s national team for years to come. Will you?

Well, it’s been a DAY. On July 8 in Seoul, the Korea Football Association’s chairman of the national team strengthening committee (essentially the task force that chooses the manager), Lee Lim-saeng, held a press conference to officially announce that Hong Myung-bo will be the national team manager. It’s over.

Five months after sacking Jurgen Klinsmann, the Korean men’s national team finally has a new permanent manager. We went through 2 interim managers (thanks Hwang Sun-hong and Kim Do-hoon), got linked with a bunch of candidate names, and were treated to the most shambolic and clownish hiring process we’ve ever seen.

When public relations professors teach their students how not to conduct themselves as a public-facing organization, this could be a perfect teaching case. Leaking names to the press? Got that. Airing out the dirty laundry of your conversations with candidates to the public? Did that. Ignoring qualified candidates and then dismissing them to the press? Yup. The list goes on and on. After all that, what foreign manager would ever want to work for this football association ever again?

Today, in the US, the English-speaking Korean national team community was treated to a field day as a confused member of Lee Lim-saeng’s committee, Park Joo-ho, went public on YouTube with his thoughts from the inside of that committee. If that name isn’t familiar to you, let me put you on game. Park Joo-ho was a KNT left-back who played for Mainz, Basel, and Dortmund. That’s all you need to know. Well, now we also know that Park Joo-ho is a diligent guy who wanted to go through the process and help the KFA actually hire a good manager. Here’s his video where he talks about what happened as he was part of the committee to hire a replacement for Klinsmann.

For those who aren’t fluent in Korean, myself included, our guy Paul Jeung prepared a Cliff Notes version translating some key points that Park discussed.

Thank you to Park Joo-ho for having the courage to speak out and expose what the KFA was really doing for the five months of this ridiculous manager search.

Finally, I’ll get back to that leading photo. That is Lee Lim-saeng putting on a show for the press on Monday morning in Seoul, as he defends his hiring of Hong Myung-bo, which he alone did. The Korean public isn’t happy about how this hiring process has gone and he got up there with that crying face as if he had saved the whole thing. Well, I hope for his sake he’s right. That’s going to be a hard picture for him to live down if he’s wrong. I mean, it better age like wine because now it’s aging like milk. Bad look.

Right after that press conference, Albert Kim and I recorded an emergency podcast where we broke down all that had went wrong to get us to this point.

Join us as Albert and I went through the emotional rollercoaster of realizing that Hong Myung-bo is back as the Korean national team manager. BibimBallers will be continuing to make videos so like and subscribe for more from us!

To end, all I can say is this has been a ride and there are a lot of emotions going around in the Korean national team fan community. Tell us your thoughts and emotions on this hire in the comments!

Lee Kangin has been on a tear recently for the Korean National Team, scoring goals and notching assists at a blistering pace as of late. Paris Saint Germain fans see this and say, “Where is this with us?”, and I get it. To the untrained eye, it might seem like PSG fans have a valid point here. But what it comes down to is tactics and where Lee Kangin is placed in Luis Enrique’s lineup compared to what is asked of him and his position at the Korean National Team.

For the Korean National Team, Lee Kangin is asked to play on the right wing, a position he is comfortable in.  While not a natural winger, given his lack of top-end speed, he is creative and skilled enough to play inverted on the right side.  This has led to a lot of highlight-worthy dribbles, passes, and goals  He is also asked to carry the majority of the offensive load with Captain Son Heungmin. Fellow players look for Kangin on offense to make something happen. What also impacts Kangin’s success and stats for the Korean National team is the level of competition. No disrespect to their opponents, but you can’t compare Ligue 1 defenders to defenders for Singapore, China, etc. I know Ligue 1 gets a lot of flak, but the level of physicality and speed is no joke.  I’d even say it’s more physical than La Liga, where Kangin went off for his monster season at Mallorca. 

At PSG, Kangin’s role is much different.  He’s mostly played in the midfield, specifically as an initiator instead of a playmaker.  Not only does Luis Enrique highly value possession, keeping it and slowly picking apart their opposition (death of a thousand passes), but when a chance is finally taken on offense, Kangin is nowhere near the top of the pecking order, and he knows that.  I think in his mind, he knew getting the ball to Mbappe (although that won’t happen this coming season), Dembele, and Barcola, was an overall better chance for the team over him trying to do something himself. Being his first year at a big club like PSG, I’m sure things can be intimidating and it was probably difficult to find his exact role for this team.  Even when he dribbles for PSG, he chooses the safer option and doesn’t challenge the defense.  This probably has to do with Luis Enrique’s emphasis on possession and keeping possession, so there is a limitation on what Kangin can try to ensure he doesn’t lose the ball. The only frustrating thing about this was watching players like Dembele, Barcola, and Mbappe take their chances and not always have success while trying.  I strongly believe if given the same opportunities as those aforementioned players, Kangin can have similar, if not more efficient levels of success. I truly believe that.

This shows that Kangin is a very coachable player, and can adapt to different roles, positions, and tactics.  He’s come a long way from only being a “classic 10”, a position that seems to be getting phased out of today’s game. His game is now versatile enough to fit whatever role is needed, and based on his history it doesn’t seem he strays too much from the game plan. Even when given the rare opportunity to play RW for PSG, it’s rarely with an offensive emphasis, as Kangin has to play off of world-class RB Achraf Hakimi, and again Kangin’s role is to highlight and accentuate Hakimi’s runs down the flank, instead of focusing on his own dribbling or penetration.

There are two things I think Kangin has improved tremendously on during his short time so far at PSG, which is ironically showing up more when he plays for the Korean National team than it does when he plays at PSG. 

1. His shooting/finishing has improved dramatically. Besides his lack of elite speed, I think the other knock on Kangin has been his ability to shoot and shoot with efficiency.  While skillful with his feet, there was a time when his power and range on his shots were questionable, to say the least. Well, those questions have been answered, he’s scoring from all over the place now, and his shot variety is what has impressed me as of late. Curler? No problem. Knuckleball? Check. Near post (the Mbappe lesson)? Got it.  Right foot canon? Affirmative. Before this season, I can remember maybe 1-2 goals from Kangin from outside the box.  This season, for PSG/KNT he probably already has 4-5, and given his efficiency on long-range bombs I only expect that number to grow. Here are a few examples for your viewing pleasure.

2. Off the ball movement. When playing as not “the guy”, getting involved with your off-the-ball movement should be a focus. Kangin never had to do that, as he was always the guy with the ball trying to create.  But, as more of an initiator now for PSG, Kangin has to work off PSG’s playmakers and crash the box when necessary.  This has led to a lot of easy goals for Kangin this season, and he’s even starting to incorporate this type of play for the KNT. Just look at his most recent goal against China. It was a pretty typical goal Kangin would score for PSG.  He initiated the offense by getting the ball to Son Heungmin with a beautiful diagonal pass, and instead of just sitting there, at full speed, he crashed the box, allowing him to collect the loose ball and score. Kangin keeps adding to his bag, and at only 23 years of age, I still believe he’s only scratching the surface of what he is capable of. Here are a couple of examples of that.

With Kylian Mbappe gone, I expect a big jump from year 1 to year 2 for Kangin. He did the same thing at Mallorca after a pretty ho-hum season 1. I expect his role to expand for PSG, as it will take a combined effort from numerous players to fill the void left by Mbappe. I think PSG fans are in for a treat this upcoming season, a lot like how Vitinha leveled up, I think Kangin will do the same in year 2. I think we’re going to see more of a KNT version of Kangin for PSG, and then the question of “why doesn’t Kangin do what he does for the KNT for PSG?”, will no longer need to be asked.

Every four years, there’s a month where I dedicate every fibre of my being to watching the KNT, and no, it’s not the World Cup. Sure, the World Cup is the headline act, the crown jewel of international football. But no other competition excites me as much as the Asian Cup. 

For me the Asian Cup has always seemed so attainable yet equally elusive. I wait in giddy anticipation as the Asian Cup rolls around in January in the hope that we might be able to break the drought in my lifetime. 

Coming into the 2024 rendition, I was the most confident I’d been since I started watching back in 2007. Yes, we all had doubts about Klinsmann but something about this current crop of players felt different. I was quietly confident in the players’ ability to make up for the manager’s shortcomings.

After all, results are determined by the 11 players on the pitch, no?

Oh how wrong I was.

Foreshadowing the Exit: Korea in the Group Stages

The first game against Bahrain was probably the only match where this team showcased what they were actually capable of.

For the majority of the match, we were dominant. There were, however, early signs of the cracks that would begin to show later in the tournament.

Lee Jaesung’s smart cutback in the 6th minute was ballooned over the bar by Cho Guesung, who would end up struggling to find his shooting boots (and even his golden helmet) for the rest of the tournament.

Hwang In-Beom had a ridiculously good game, marking his 50th appearance for Korea with a wonderfully curled effort into the top right corner for the first goal. He created time and space for the wide players, retaining possession well despite being isolated and double-teamed throughout much of the game.

Unfortunately, this would become a recurring theme in the group stages and was likely one of the reasons why he would go on to look so exhausted towards the tail end of the tournament.

Coming into the second half, Korea looked complacent and scrappy, allowing Bahrain back into the game after the defense was left scrambling.

This would also become a common theme for Korea who would go on to throw away the lead in all three group stage matches. 

In this instance, however, our anxiety was put to rest, as Lee Kangin took the game by the scruff of the neck to equalise through a scrumptious finish from outside of the box.

He was instrumental in Korea’s win, netting another before threading a delicious ball into the path of Son who took the shot awkwardly before sending it just wide. 

Cruelly, this would end up being the best performance of our tournament and Kangin would fail to stamp his authority on a game in the same way as teams would start to catch on to our dependence on him for creation.

For the second game of the group stage we would meet the team that would hand us our eventual downfall. 

This was also where Klinsmann would begin to expose his incompetence to the point of no return. At this point, some people gave him credit for his “proactive substitutions” but in reality, he was merely making necessary amendments to his own poor team selection.

As the starting lineups were released, a collective groan could be heard on stream from Albert and Kevin who had seen the lineups while I was readying up. Leaky G, the worst player on the pitch from the previous game and Cho Guesung who had been rendered limp by the Bahraini defense were starting again.

This was also where Klinsmann’s awful squad selection became plain to see. A lack of depth was sorely evident in key positions, especially down the middle, where we had no quality alternatives for our two central midfielders. 

Hwang Heechan and Kim Jinsu’s injuries also meant that Klinsmann would persist with playing Lee Jaesung outside of his best position/role despite having a near like-for-like replacement in Jeong Wooyeong on the bench. 

International management is all about using your best available players in their most suitable roles and yet, it seemed like Klinsmann was married to a non-existent playstyle. 

Son Heungmin was used in an oppressing role that would end up with him having the most minutes played in the entire squad, yet one of the lowest touches. Klinsmann seemed hell-bent on using Son as a fantasista-esque #10 without realising this was limiting the opportunities he would get in favourable positions (or the “Son-zone” if you will).

With Hwang Inbeom asked to support and push forward behind a gung-ho amalgamation of attacking talent in front of him, Park Yongwoo was left to the wolves and Jordan, like many teams after them, would go on to expose the gaping hole that was Korea’s midfield.

Yongwoo would remain ineffective for much of the campaign, highlighting how great the loss of Son Junho has been. 

But Yongwoo isn’t the root cause. 

When it comes time to play Malaysia, led by Kim Pangon (the man credited for recruiting Paulo Bento) the entire team crumbles. 

Korea manages to muster up 0 goals from open play against a Malaysian side with nothing left to play for but pride. Not only do we concede 3 against them, but we need an assortment of set piece goals from Lee Kangin and Son Heungmin to bail us out. 

Although much of the post-match discourse from the general public was surrounding the idea that Korea were actively trying to avoid Japan in the Ro16, Korean fans understood it for what it was. A tactical disasterclass from a clueless manager who had failed to motivate and expected to walk the game without a gameplan. 

Smiling to the Semis: The Zombie-Team Keeps Our Hopes Alive

As we have chosen to ‘avoid Japan’, I’m left slightly disappointed as the Hanniljeon/Nikkansen matchup eludes us in the Ro16 and we’re drawn against Saudi Arabia.

In my pre-match ponderings with Kevin, we both agreed that the prospect of facing a Mancini-led Saudi Arabia in the first round would prove to be just as daunting of a task as facing one of the Big 4 tournament favourites.

As the lineups make their way to Socials, we surprisingly line up with a back 3 for the first time in Klinsmann’s tenure. Seol Yongwoo and Kim Taehwan provide width on the overlap as Hwang Heechan returns to the bench after his return from injury. 

Starting with a back 3 was intriguing, as it was most likely adopted to reinforce the defense and compensate for a lack of defensive midfield presence against a press-happy Saudi side. However, the first half proved to be painful to watch as Korea remained ineffective on the counter throughout and seemed unable to retain possession against a scintillating Saudi press. 

As I pulled my fingernails away from my mouth at half time, I thought to myself that for the first time in the tournament, the tactical structure seemed to be proving effective. Sure our attack was ineffective, but the point of the back three was to sit back and tire out the Saudis. 

That was until the very next minute when Abdullah Radif came on to send the Saudi Arabian fans into raptures. 

Surprisingly, however, Klinsmann made some effective tactical and personnel changes. The return of Hwang Heechan’s physical presence, coupled with his direct style proved to be a turning point in the second half as the Saudi Arabian defense started to become visibly sluggish due to the high demands of Mancini’s playstyle. 

As Cho Guesung came off the bench to finally hit the ground running during the dying moments of added time and we toiled our way to penalties, I was quietly confident in the team’s ability to see it through despite suggestions that we would struggle.

Lo and behold, it felt like I had been taken through a time machine back to 2018. Two monumental saves from Saint Jo and confidently dispatched spot kicks from all of our players had me screaming from the top of my lungs at 5 in the morning. 

As I held my hands in disbelief, it seemed as though Klinsmann had finally got it right.

There wasn’t too much to fault about the performance against Saudi Arabia overall.

Although there was a hint of good fortune about it, I felt like we had carried out a game plan successfully for the first time in the tournament. 

We had set up in a structured defensive shape to nullify Saudi Arabia’s biggest threats and once we went behind, sensible changes were made to overcome the deficit. Looking back on the Asian Cup run, I would say that this was the moment that had allowed us to start dreaming again.

Then came the next game against Australia. As much of an idiot as Graham Arnold is, I knew this would still prove to be a stern test. 

Despite Australia coming into the tournament with one of their worst sides in recent memory, they still possessed two of Korea’s biggest kryptonites - a 2m tall centre half and physicality through the middle. 

Set pieces will be our downfall - is what I thought to myself coming into the game. And yet, just like the game against Malaysia, we end up scraping our way through thanks to set pieces. 

Australia’s first goal, however, retells a story we were all familiar with by this point. Defensive communication, or lack thereof, ends up gifting Goodwin a goal just before half-time. 

As Kim Taehwan makes his way towards Mitchell Duke (Australia’s worst striker who is being covered by one of the best centre backs in Europe), he leaves acres of space at the back post for his opposition number to run into.

Taehwan isn’t solely to blame in this scenario, take a look at Park Yongwoo who’s left gawking at the cross coming in.

Or the positional disasterclasses of Kim Younggwon and Seol Youngwoo in the moments leading up to the cross that opens up an easy path for Metcalfe to find the overlapping Atkinson.

These two pictures are a mere fraction of how disorganised and disjointed the defense looked throughout the tournament.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Luckily for us, individual brilliance from Son shone through this game. 

Hwang Heechan converted a penalty won by Son to equalise at the death yet again and then during the first half of extra time it happened. 

Son curls a delightful freekick away from Ryan’s reach to score the goal of the tournament and send Korea to the Semi Finals of the Asian Cup.

If anything, the dramatic finishes to these knockout games highlighted a reality none of us were willing to accept quite just yet. 

We were not good enough as a team and we barely scraped by via the sheer willpower and desperation of our best players.

A Second Chance: The Redemption Opportunity

A second encounter in an international tournament against a weaker side on paper is a gift. You are given ample information from the previous encounter to ensure you are better prepared the second time around.

Jordan did just that.

Klinsmann, on the other hand, had not done his homework. Supported by a handpicked team of 35 analysts, coaches and scouts (the largest staff numbers Korea has ever taken to a tournament),  it seemed like Jurgen had learnt very little from the last outing against Jordan. In fact, we had taken a backward step.

It is hard to summarise such an abysmal performance without snapping a vein in my neck, but I shall try nonetheless.

0 shots on target in a tournament semi-final with 70% possession. Hitting the woodwork off a Lee Jaesung header early on was the closest we came to even a sniff at goal.

This match was merely a boiling point for all of the issues that had become clear for Korea as the tournament went on. 

A lack of ideas in possession, a lack of defensive structure and focus, a lack of replacements for players who were clearly on their last legs.

These aren’t statements to discredit Jordan’s achievements. They were clearly the better side who carried out a clear game plan from start to finish.

But we were atrocious and miles from our best. 

Looking Beyond Bias and at the Performance

So what really went wrong for Korea? 

Before I began writing this last section, news broke that Jurgen Klinsmann had (unsurprisingly) been sacked. But perhaps surprising, is his dogmatic belief that he had done a good job.

“With not losing 13 games in a row!” he proudly trumpets in his closing statement. Perhaps that is the most poetic way to describe the way we played under his tenure.

The team was not set up to win, but rather, to ‘not lose’. 

Now perhaps it is a little unfair to use non-per90 stats when talking about goals scored and conceded considering the fact that Korea made it to the latter stages of the tournament. But I believe this visualisation is a perfect representation of how Korea was during this tournament. Bang-average.

In fact, the only time Korea looked remotely structured in defense was when we lined up with a 3 at the back against Saudi Arabia. 

From the above section, you may think that I was trying to highlight individual errors as the root cause for our defensive woes. The two goals we conceded against Jordan in the Semis were also down to individual mistakes right?

In reality, I believe the opposite to be true. This Korean side was unable to conjure a single comprehensive team performance throughout this cup run. 

Looking at our defensive performance by the numbers reflects this same story. When we look solely at the percentiles for tackles won and interceptions, you would be forgiven for thinking we were structurally sound. 

But when we consider that we conceded the most Group Stage goals in close to 30 years and 3 of them came against Malaysia (with all due-respect), it’s clear we were atrocious defensively. However, if you look a little deeper you can see that the reason we lead the tournament in these statistics are due to the individual brilliance of some of our players. 

Kim Minjae is the only Korean player among the top end for interceptions, whilst the same is true for Hwang Inbeom and Lee Jaesung for tackles won. 

To me, the fact that we are one of the tournament leaders in errors leading to shots doesn’t mean that the quality of our players are subpar. It means that these players are being put in unfavourable roles or positions that our opponents are leveraging to their advantage. It highlights tactical ineptitude and a failure to utilise the strengths of our players correctly.

Hwang Inbeom is not Luka Modric. Even so, players like them require ample support to facilitate their ability to create, dictate tempo and retain possession. Placing one of the worst Korean DMs in recent memory alongside him and asking him to do the work of an entire three man midfield is not utilising his strengths.

Placing Kim Minjae in a dysfunctional backline and asking him to play as a stopper to prevent opponents outnumbering and getting in behind our midfield whilst providing inadequate defensive cover is not utilising his strengths.

Enough about the defense though, surely we can take solace in our attacking performance right?

Well, despite what the headline statistics may suggest, digging deeper suggests some worrying trends in attack as well. Consider the fact that Korea had no shots on goal in the first half vs Australia and no shots on goal altogether vs Jordan and you start to realise how flattering the numbers really are.

On top of this, observing our numbers for goals per shot and goals per shot on target also indicates how inefficient our offensive performance was. 

Cho Guesung led the tournament for big chances missed (5) whilst only taking 10 shots. That means half the shots taken by our starting number 9 were crucial misses. 

Again I’m not here to scrutinise and single out the players. It is the manager's job to adjust and motivate the team when things aren’t working.

Jurgen told the media that Cho was his undisputed starting striker going into the competition and persisted with his choice even when it was clear it wasn’t working out.

We were outscored by Japan and Iraq, both of whom exited the tournament at an earlier stage. 

Yes, we were still somewhat potent in attack, but not from open play. We narrowly avoided defeat against Australia and Malaysia thanks to goals exclusively from set pieces. Korea led the tournament in free kick goals and were second only to Jordan for goals from outside the box. 

Our attack wasn’t good. Son Heungmin and Lee Kangin were.

To what extent is a team’s attacking efficiency really influenced by the tactics? Well sure it’s the players themselves that miss the open goals and cannon their shots off the woodwork. 

But at the end of the day, the quality and volume of chances created are down to the tactics. So too is the striker at the end of those chances. No other team in the competition was as reliant on one player to create quality looks like Korea were. 

I begrudgingly believe this team played out the tournament and lived up to the expectations, or dare I say, they overachieved. 

Because we all knew how Jurgenball would play out. The only ones who didn’t were the idiots who hired him in the first place. 

The headlines for the next Asian Cup write themselves. 

Can South Korea Overcome a 67 Year Drought at the 2027 Asian Cup?

This time, however, I’ll know the answer is no.

Not unless something changes at the very top.

Reality hit the Korean national team hard as they fell 2-0 to Jordan in the semifinals of the 2023 Asian Cup, their first loss to the Middle Eastern side in their history. The players looked exhausted and lacked precision in their passing, especially contrasted with the tactically organized Jordanian side. Jurgen Klinsmann yet again showed complacency and a lack of preparation. Korea had already faced Jordan in the group stage in a 2-2 draw, and Korea had plenty of struggles in that match with Jordan’s pacy counter-attack. Lessons from that match were not learned, as Korea could not deal with the Jordanian press. Furthermore, Korea simply could not contain Musa Al-Taamari and Yazan Al-Naimat, which is disappointing considering that these players have been dangerous all tournament long. It felt as though there was no specific game plan to stop these attackers, and Korea paid the price as a result.

In Korea’s Asian Cup campaign, they conceded a total of 10 goals in six matches. That is an alarming defensive record. They barely survived a penalty shootout against Saudi Arabia after a late 99th-minute equalizer. They beat Australia in unconvincing fashion in 120 minutes. Rather than tactical adequacy, it was individual brilliance, a determination to win, and a bit of luck that kept Korea in the tournament. In the big picture, Korea could have very well been eliminated in the round of 16. They simply had not shown the caliber of play necessary to become Asian Cup champions all tournament long. Tuesday, the end of their run finally came with Jordan going through as a fully deserving finalist.

Jurgen Klinsmann set the side up in a 4-3-3/4-1-4-1 with Jo Hyeon Woo in goal, the same back four with Jung Seung Hyun replacing the suspended Kim Min Jae, Park Yong Woo as the defensive midfielder with Lee Jae Sung, and Hwang In Beom in front of him, and the front three of Hwang Hee Chan, Lee Kang In, and Son Heung Min up top. While the starting line-up looked promising, the play was not.

From the start, Korea looked extremely shaky and tentative, giving away possession far too often and easily. Kim Young Gwon and Park Yong Woo, in particular, were far too errant in their passes. Jordan dominated the first half hour, creating chance after chance, and if it weren’t for Jo Hyeon Woo, Korea could have easily been down a goal or two. It felt very similar to the Australia match where the Socceroos also had plenty of chances to score early on. Unlike the Australia match, Korea did not concede in the first half and went into halftime feeling lucky to be tied. Lee Jae Sung probably had the best chance of the first half, heading the ball into the post after a good cross from Hwang In Beom. 

The second half started much the same, with Jordan looking like the far more dangerous team. As Korea started to get into a bit of a rhythm in possession, Park Yong Woo gave away possession cheaply in the 53rd minute, leading to a Jordanian counter-attack. Yazan Al-Naimat dinked the ball past keeper Jo Hyeon Woo to give Jordan a deserved lead.

I was hoping that perhaps this goal would wake up the players and get us to play more aggressively, but unbelievably, nothing changed. The situation worsened as Musa Al-Taamari gave Jordan a two-goal cushion in the 66th minute after yet another poor giveaway, from Hwang In Beom this time. Disappointingly, Korea never really looked close to scoring afterward and ended the tournament with a whimper.

Kim Min Jae’s presence and speed were sorely missed in defense. Despite our defense already being shaky, Kim Min Jae was able to mask our defensive issues enough to where it had not hurt us yet, but the Jordan game showed what our defense would look like without him. None of our midfielders or defenders could deal with the pace of the Jordanian attack; Kim Min Jae would have at least made it more difficult on the Jordanian counter-attacks. In the future, our defense cannot solely rely on Kim Min Jae. We need better player selections and tactics that can ensure more defensive stability.

The players looked exhausted, and this can be put down to Klinsmann’s lack of rotation earlier in the tournament, as well as the two extra-time matches before this match. Klinsmann also did not make any subs, after the initial Cho Gue Sung for Park Yong Woo sub, until the 80th minute. That particular sub was far too aggressive by Klinsmann, and it did not pay off at all. In that 80th-minute substitution, Yang Hyun Jun and Jeong Woo Yeong came on for Hwang Hee Chan and Lee Jae Sung. Son was unable to get involved in the match, and when he did, he could not make anything happen. Lee Kang In showed a few positive glimpses, but also looked off, likely due to fatigue, as did Hwang Hee Chan. Overall, everyone did not seem like themselves in this match, with fatigue and the home crowd for Jordan playing a large role in the energy levels. 

Despite having 70% possession, Korea failed to do anything with it. They were outshot by Jordan 17-7, with zero shots on target, which is inexcusable. Furthermore, Korea was outmuscled all game and lost most of the 50-50 balls. It just wasn’t Korea’s day. Not only that, but all tournament long, Korea has struggled to score from open play. What the team did to make it to the semifinals was simply unsustainable and it showed against Jordan. 

What’s next for Korea? It’s hard to organize my thoughts and emotions, but major changes must be made for the 2026 World Cup qualifying cycle. Klinsmann has declared that he will not be resigning and that he will analyze the tournament. If this is the case, we have no choice but to hope that Klinsmann begins to put in the required effort to make our national team successful. A good start would be to watch the K League in person and scout the players with more care. Furthermore, he should know that adjustments in player selection need to be made. If he continues to stick with certain players that do not belong at the national team level, it will be hard to believe that positive changes can occur. Of course not all of the blame and issues lie within Klinsmann; Son’s father in particular has been vocal about the issues within Korean football and the KFA. I do not believe Klinsmann is the right man for the job, but we don’t have a choice at this point.

These players have the right mentality and attitude. They took responsibility for the loss against Jordan in the post-match interviews (unlike Klinsmann). Son was very apologetic and took on the responsibility as captain. Lee Kang In also placed a lot of the burden upon himself, which is impressive for a 22-year-old. Cho Gue Sung and Park Yong Woo were also players who were vocal about their mistakes and shortcomings. Overall, the players will put in the necessary work to become better. As usual, it is up to the manager to help them out and set them up for success. I hope to see the right changes being made.

I don’t want to fault the players too much. They gave everything to win the Asian Cup, and are devastated to fall short. They were placed in a difficult position where they had to rely on their individual talent and fighting spirit, rather than tactics that would set them up for success. In international football, it is becoming more and more evident that the most cohesive teams succeed. Jordan fully deserved the win; they had a game plan from the start and executed it to perfection. On the other hand, Korea showed the opposite. For most of the tournament, the team has looked disjointed, disorganized, and lost out there. Much of that stems from coaching. There is so much to write and talk about regarding Korea’s 2023 Asian Cup campaign and what lies ahead in the future. At the same time, it will take a long time to digest this shocking loss. Sadly, Son Heung Min’s best chance at winning the Asian Cup (and perhaps last) ends in this manner. We will look next to the changes being made by Klinsmann in player selections for his March World Cup Qualifying matches home and away to Thailand. Only time will tell if Jurgen has truly learned lessons from this disappointing Asian Cup performance.

For more from Aaron Chung, check out his blog Footy Surge.

Korea once again left it late to defeat Australia in extra time in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Asian Cup, avenging the loss in the final of the 2015 edition. Son Heung Min put in a man-of-the-match display, finally delivering the star performance that fans had been waiting for. While he hasn’t had a bad tournament thus far, he stepped up majorly against Australia. I was fortunate enough to witness this rollercoaster of a match in person. 

Jurgen Klinsmann set up Korea in the same way he had all tournament, bar the first 60-70 minutes of the Saudi Arabia game. In a 4-2-3-1, Jo Hyeon Woo started in net with the same back four in front of him consisting of Seol Young Woo, Kim Young Gwon, Kim Min Jae, and Kim Tae Hwan (left to right). Hwang In Beom and Park Yong Woo served as the two central midfielders, with Hwang Hee Chan making his first start of the tournament on the left wing, Lee Kang In on the right wing, Son in a free central attacking midfield role, and Cho Gue Sung returning as the starting striker. 

Unfortunately, Klinsmann did not learn from the poor group stage that Korea had. Korea started quite sluggishly and failed to create any clear-cut chances despite dominating the Socceroos in possession. Australia looked far more fit and sharp to start the match, and their defensive approach followed by their direct attacking playing style caused Korea problems all match long. Apart from a beautiful disallowed goal created by Lee Kang In in the 31st minute, Korea struggled to break the Australian defense down. Cho Gue Sung was shut down by the giant Australian center-back Harry Souttar, and was unable to have a real impact on the match. Kim Tae Hwan was unable to keep up with the game's tempo, as tired legs from the previous match against Saudi Arabia largely influenced his fitness levels. Australia looked like the likelier team to score even with less possession, and in the 42nd minute, Craig Goodwin gave the Socceroos the lead. Hwang In Beom lost possession in Korea’s defensive third, with a misplaced pass in the direction of Kim Tae Hwan intercepted easily by the Socceroos, which ultimately led to a floated cross finding Goodwin at the back post, who volleyed the ball in with pace. I thought Kim Tae Hwan could have put more pressure on Goodwin, as he had plenty of time to wind up and adjust his body for the right shot. 

Yet again Korea found themselves needing a goal to keep their Asian Cup hopes alive. Korea continued to press for that much-needed equalizer for the majority of the match but was frustrated by the strong defensive work of the Australian backline. Defensively Korea was tested as well. The Australians forced several saves out of Jo Hyeon Woo, and there were also a few other close misses by the Socceroos that could have seen them score a second goal and put the match to bed. Even in the 85th minute, it did not feel as though we were even close to scoring. I was beginning to feel disheartened by the thought that our tournament might end. Somehow, by some spiritual force (I’m not religious or superstitious), the Tuhon, or fighting spirit, of Korea emerged, as it had done all tournament long. 

Captain Son, after a mazy dribble around the box and then breaking into the box, drew a foul in the fifth minute of stoppage time, causing the multitudes of passionate and loud Korean fans at the Al Janoub Stadium to erupt in relief. The job was not done; the penalty still had to be taken. Surprisingly, it was not Son, but Hwang Hee Chan who stepped up to take the penalty. In a post-match interview, Son revealed that Hwang Hee Chan asked to take the penalty. Son put his faith and trust in his teammate, and in the 96th minute, Hwang Hee Chan thrashed home the game-tying penalty with a similar zeal to his winning penalty against Saudi Arabia to send his team to a second straight 120-minute game. Korea’s Asian Cup dream was still alive, at least for another thirty minutes. This time, on a rare occasion, the Korean fans were not outnumbered by their opponent’s fans, and perhaps it was the vocal Korean support that enabled the Taegeuk Warriors to keep on fighting. 

While there is no doubt that Klinsmann got the starting eleven wrong, he certainly deserves credit for his substitutions and in-game adjustments throughout the entire tournament. In the second half, Korea brought on Lee Jae Sung for Cho Gue Sung, shifting Son up top as the striker. Hong Hyun Seok replaced the exhausted and banged-up Hwang In Beom, and Yang Hyun Jun made his first appearance of the tournament in an unfamiliar position as a right wing-back in place of Kim Tae Hwan. These changes were bold by Klinsmann, but they paid off. Yang looked energetic when he came on and brought a different element to the game than Kim Tae Hwan. Yang has played as a winger for the majority of his career, and in the wing-back role, he was not afraid to take players on and be aggressive. It was refreshing to see in comparison to Kim Tae Hwan’s more one-dimensional play, not to knock his playstyle, but more so to compliment how well Yang did out of position. 

In extra time, the energy and depth of the Korean team were evident, especially in the substitutions made by Klinsmann. The late, dramatic equalizer by Hwang Hee Chan completely changed the game. The goal demoralized Australia, and in turn, provided Korea with a spark. Extra time belonged to Korea. In the 104th minute, destiny struck as Son Heung Min placed a wicked free-kick past Australian keeper Mat Ryan to give Korea the lead. Son earned the penalty to keep Korea alive, and he slotted home the winner in clutch fashion. What a moment for debatably Asia’s greatest player of all time!

To make matters worse for the Socceroos, Aiden O’Neill was sent off in stoppage time of the first half of extra time after a dangerous tackle on Hwang Hee Chan. Korea played with pure confidence and energy for the entirety of the extra time. It was refreshing to see Seol Young Woo, who has played nearly every minute of the Asian Cup for Korea, sprint full speed in the second half of extra time to break away from his box and eat time off the clock. Son also had several sprints and bursts of speed despite playing every minute of the tournament so far. Seeing the players give everything to win, throwing their bodies on the line despite the exhaustion many of them were likely experiencing, was extremely moving and gratifying to me. In the end, Australia had their chances in regulation, but could not put them away. After that, it was all Korea, and when that final whistle blew, I felt pure joy and relief, as I imagine all of our fans did too. 

Once again in the face of elimination, Korea clawed their way back to victory to set up a semi-final matchup with Jordan, a rematch of the group stage, where it ended 2-2. Many believe that Korea has overcome the toughest parts of the bracket in Saudi Arabia and Australia. I disagree entirely. Jordan will be another tough match that will test the mental fortitude of Korea. I have been at the stadiums for Jordan vs Korea, and Jordan vs Iraq. Let me tell you, the Jordanian fans show up in numbers and are some of the most vocal fans in the tournament. It will be another difficult atmosphere to deal with the feel of a Jordan home game, not to mention the quality that Jordan possesses. Jordan will be missing key forward, Ali Olwan, due to suspension, though.

Klinsmann will have to make changes again based on the fitness status of players. We could see Klinsmann make tactical adjustments, and perhaps it is finally time to do so, as Korea has had slow starts all tournament long. As a fan, it would be nice to have a less stress-inducing experience, and for Korea not to rely on late, dramatic equalizers every time. We need to find ways to avoid conceding first and create more chances and goals outside of set pieces. With Kim Min Jae picking up a suspension for this match, our defense will undergo a big challenge to replace his leadership and work rate. There are also question marks in the midfield as Hwang In Beom has been dealing with some knocks all tournament long; Hwang may well need a rest on the bench if he wants to approach full fitness for a potential final appearance.

I thought Park Jin Seob and Oh Hyeon Gyu played with a lot of energy, spirit, and quality when they came on during extra time. Park Jin Seob came on at center back for Kim Young Gwon, and won nearly all his duels, playing with high intensity and physicality, while also being calm and simple in possession. On the merit of his performance, he could slot in to replace Kim Min Jae instead of Jung Seung Hyun. With Cho Gue Sung’s struggles, we could also see Oh Hyeon Gyu get more time, although it is more likely that Son will play up top again. It will also be curious to see whether Klinsmann utilizes Yang Hyun Jun again at right wing-back, especially if he returns to the three-at-the-back formation for Korea against Jordan. 

It will be interesting to see what adjustments are made against Jordan. Can Korea return to the final for the first time since 2015? Many are already looking ahead to the final, but Korea must overcome the obstacle that is a tenacious Jordanian side. One thing is for sure: the Tuhon Football this squad has shown is enough to beat any team on any day.

For more from Aaron Chung, check out his blog Footy Surge.

Korea Republic defeated Saudi Arabia 4-2 on penalties to progress to the last eight of the Asian Cup. Jo Hyeon Woo was the shootout hero as he made two saves to ensure Korea’s victory, whilst silencing his critics. In a game of immense drama, the Taegeuk Warriors continued to display their fighting spirit as they overcame a 1-0 deficit to keep their chances of ending a 64-year Asian Cup drought alive. 

I have to give credit where credit is due. Jurgen Klinsmann has been heavily criticized after a poor and disappointing group stage performance. Many were calling for a formation change from the 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 iteration to a 4-3-3 or more defensive shape. Klinsmann delivered in that regard as he set Korea up in a surprising 3-4-2-1, mainly to match Saudi Arabia’s three-back 3-5-2 formation, and to account for the two-striker system implemented by Saudi Arabia manager Robert Mancini. 

Jo Hyeon Woo retained his starting spot in goal. The three center backs were Kim Young Gwon, Kim Min Jae, and Jung Seung Hyun (from left to right). Seol Young Woo took up the left wing-back position with Kim Tae Hwan on the opposing flank as right wing-back. In the center of the midfield were Lee Jae Sung and Hwang In Beom to complete the midfield 4. Jeong Woo Yeong and Lee Kang In were the two attacking midfielders/shadow strikers, underneath Son Heung Min as the lone striker. 

With a completely new formation, it was hard to gauge how Korea would look. In the first half, Korea sat back and allowed Saudi Arabia to control possession and play passes between their center backs. In doing so, along with the three-at-the-back change, Saudi Arabia struggled to break down the Korean defense. While Korea looked much more sturdy defensively, they struggled to get anything going offensively in the first half. Korea did cede possession, but when they won the ball, they did not do the best job maintaining possession, often looking to play Son in behind the Saudi defense. Although Son showed glimpses of this threat, the passes were typically executed in a rushed manner with no rhythm or composure, frequently ending up in lost possession.

In the 40th minute, Saudi Arabia rattled the crossbar twice off a corner kick. Luck was on Korea’s side, with Kim Min Jae even making a miraculous heading save from the third rebound header. It was the best chance of the half for either team and the Saudis could have gone into the break with the advantage had Min Jae not redirected the goalbound header. Though Korea had some more defensive solidity, the Taegeuk Warriors were too passive for a team with so much attacking talent at their disposal.

The second half could not have started any worse for Korea as halftime substitute Abdullah Radif put Saudi Arabia ahead just thirty seconds into the half after a fortunate bounce led to his scoring chance. The 21-year-old slotted the ball past Jo Hyeon Woo and put the Saudi fans into pure elation. The deflection caught Kim Min Jae off guard and out of position, leading to Radif’s goal. Once again, Korea was put in a difficult spot, but it was not the first time they had been down this tournament.

Korea remained composed, and Klinsmann took action, reverting the tactical shape to the 4-2-3-1 and making some substitutions. He took off Jung Seung Hyun for defensive midfielder Park Yong Woo, and brought on Hwang Hee Chan and Cho Gue Sung for Jeong Woo Yeong and Lee Jae Sung. These changes were not immediate, and for a while, it looked like Korea simply did not want to score. Once the changes occurred, Korea’s attacking play and tempo increased drastically.

Korea pressed and pressed for the equalizer, creating a plethora of chances. Seol Young Woo was heavily involved in good wing play and passing that led to numerous chances from out wide, as well as good overlapping runs and off-the-ball movement to get into dangerous areas. Seol also showed chemistry with Hwang Hee Chan, often making nice combinations to create chances. Lee Kang In was creating scoring opportunities left and right, but to no avail. In the 78th minute, Jo Hyeon Woo made an alert and crucial intervention right outside the box to prevent another dangerous counter from converting for the Saudis. Had that gone in, it surely would have been game over. 

From around the 80th minute and onwards, Saudi Arabia went full park-the-bus mode trying to defend their 1-0 lead. They decided to deploy some time-wasting tactics, which in this day and age, may not be the best idea given the lengthy added time. This allowed Korea to continuously bombard the Saudi Arabian box and goal with various attacking combinations and shots. Typically Lee Kang In or Kim Tae Hwan would either cross the ball or play a diagonal ball to the opposing flank (Hwang Hee Chan or Seol Young Woo). Saudi Arabia keeper Ahmed Al-Kassar, who was making only his 4th international cap, kept his team in the game with some commendable saves and nearly won it for them. 

In the 93rd minute, these attacking tactics nearly paid off after Lee Kang In received the ball from Hwang Hee Chan on the left side of the box. A nice one-two combination with Seol Young Woo led to a perfect cross by Lee Kang In into the path of Cho Gue Sung, who agonizingly headed the ball off the crossbar. The missed chances and close calls had pretty much summed up a frustrating tournament not only for Cho Gue Sung but also for Korea. To every Korean’s relief, it was not meant to end that way.

With a minute and a half left to go, Son found Kim Tae Hwan on the right wing. With his weaker left foot, he placed a perfect diagonal ball to the far post where Seol Young Woo was waiting. Rather than shooting from a tight angle, he headed it across to a wide-open Cho Gue Sung, who this time successfully converted the dramatic and emotional equalizer. Korea was 90 seconds away from a round of sixteen elimination and a Klinsmann sacking; dramatically, they now had life and were heading to thirty minutes of extra time.

In extra time, Korea once again looked like the team in control. Saudi Arabia, on the contrary, looked like they were playing for penalties. Kim Min Jae nearly found the winner in the 98th minute on a strong header from a corner but placed it directly at Al-Kassar, who parried it away. Jo made another crucial save on Radif with thirty seconds remaining, but Radif went for the near post from a difficult angle, and Jo dived expertly to block. With many tired legs, extra time ended the same way it started, and a penalty shoot-out beckoned.

The last time the Korea Republic senior men’s national team played in a competitive penalty shoot-out was back at the 2011 Asian Cup, where they fell to Japan in the semi-finals, failing to convert a single penalty. I did not know what to expect because it had been thirteen years, but I remained calm on the outside despite my nerves on the inside. Saudi Arabia shot first and converted their first two kicks. Captain Son stepped up to take the first penalty for Korea and slotted it home emphatically. Kim Young Gwon took the second penalty, and calmly placed it into the right corner.

At this moment, I knew Korea would win. Everyone was composed, focused, and determined to win. The ensuing penalty from Saudi Arabia confirmed my feelings, as Jo Hyeon Woo stopped Al-Najei’s penalty. Next, Cho Gue Sung scored to give Korea the advantage with his signature slow run-up. Jo all but sealed the victory as he stopped Saudi Arabia’s fourth penalty, and in doing so, caused Roberto Mancini to leave the field early in quite a disgraceful manner. Hwang Hee Chan stepped up and smashed home the winner in the same stadium (Education City) where he scored the winner against Portugal to send Korea to the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup. It was a fitting end to a wild, dramatic match where at one point, it felt like our dreams of winning our first Asian Cup in 64 years were going to be over.

Australia awaits us in the quarterfinals where they have had four days of rest, compared to our two days. With the lack of rotation throughout this tournament, tired legs will be something to monitor for our best players. Our depth and mental fortitude will be tested on a whole new level. The Saudi Arabia win proved to me that Korea has the necessary tools to win the Asian Cup. They can grind out close matches, come back from deficits, and know what it takes to win. They have heart, a sense of togetherness, and the quality to succeed. At the same time, there is still work to be done. We may see shifts in the starting line-up due to exhaustion or knocks, as well as tactical adjustments. I don’t expect to see the 3-4-2-1 formation again, especially since Australia does not play the way Saudi Arabia does.

While this tournament has been far from perfect, the Saudi Arabia match has provided us with some of the most memorable moments in recent Korean national team history, from the late Cho Gue Sung goal to the clutch penalty shoot-out heroics. The Korea national team has the opportunity to avenge the 2015 Asian Cup final loss against the Socceroos, and I do not doubt in my mind that we have the talent, mentality, and unity to get the job done. Let’s go, Korea!

For more from Aaron Chung, check out his blog Footy Surge.

The Taegeuk Warriors concluded the group stage of the 2023 Asian Cup with an underwhelming and disappointing 3-3 draw with Malaysia on January 25. They finished in 2nd place in Group E, below group-winners Bahrain. If someone told me before the Asian Cup that Korea finished the group stage undefeated, after scoring eight goals in three matches, I would have been quite satisfied; however, that doesn’t begin to capture what went down in the three matches for Korea. 

The Korean defensive issues continued, and have elevated to the point where emergency sirens are starting to blare. Jurgen Klinsmann’s tactical stubbornness and lack of adjustments have placed the Korean midfield and defense in a tough position all tournament long, and a change from the 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 must occur if Korea is to make a deep run and win the tournament. An over-reliance on individual brilliance is starting to look like an outdated formula for success on the Asian Cup stage, as many nations across Asia have shown vast improvements both technically and tactically. Klinsmann has simply been outcoached thus far, and it shows. Understandably, many were critical of Klinsmann’s appointment by the KFA, as was I, but I was willing to give him an opportunity; so far it has been a massive disappointment even with a lack of expectations.

Korea ended their group stage campaign with one win and two draws. Ironically, their one victory was against Bahrain, who topped the group. Whilst the team scored eight goals, they also conceded six. Everyone knew our defense was the weakest link going into the tournament, but even for our standards, the defense has underperformed and let us down to the point where it is holding back the team’s potential.

Korea opened the tournament with a solid 3-1 win over Bahrain, albeit not entirely convincing, but a good result nonetheless. The defensive issues were masked by fantastic individual performances from Lee Kang In and Kim Min Jae. Jordan was the next opponent, and they gave Korea a difficult time in a 2-2 draw, with pacy counter-attacking football and a high press. Going into the Malaysia game, some adjustments to the lineup were expected and the match was viewed as an opportunity for Korea to bounce back with a convincing display. Unfortunately, it did not pan out as anticipated.

Klinsmann made his first major changes in the starting line-up of the tournament while keeping the same formation. He chose to start a strong lineup rather than rotating and resting our key players. This decision was especially questionable considering that Kim Min Jae, Son Heung Min, and Hwang In Beom all had yellow cards, meaning a further yellow card in the match would see them suspended for the Round of 16 match. Jo Hyeon Woo remained in goal with Seol Young Woo at left-back, Kim Tae Hwan at right-back, and Kim Young Gwon retaking his place at left center-back alongside Kim Min Jae. Park Yong Woo was benched, and in his place, Lee Jae Sung shifted down to partner Hwang In Beom as the two center midfielders. Jeong Woo Yeong came into the starting lineup as the left winger, with Son Heung Min, Lee Kang In, and Cho Gue Sung retaining their starting positions. 

Korea controlled and dictated the flow of the match from the very start. With over 80% possession, the Koreans peppered the Malaysian box with crosses and corner kicks. It was difficult to penetrate the Malaysian defense as they bunkered down into a tight unit. In the 21st minute, Jeong Woo Yeong broke the deadlock with a nice header off of a corner. Korea continued to struggle to break down the low block, with most space being available out wide on the flanks. Kim Tae Hwan made some nice overlaps and crosses, but at some point, the tactics were beginning to be repetitive, and not in a positive way. There were some nice combinations with Kim Young Gwon playing his well-known balls over the top and Cho Gue Sung winning a nice headed shot on goal, but still no answers from open play. The first half ended with Korea up 1-0, with many fans, myself included, feeling comfortable, but cautious at the same time. Korea had not been threatened at that point, but there were glimpses of a Malaysian counter-attack that showed potential.

In the second half, Malaysia came out with fire and nothing to lose. Korea was unable to match this intensity, and the midfield issues started to emerge more and more as the pressure increased. Malaysia took a quick 2-1 lead after some poor defending and a penalty in the 62nd minute. Similarly to the Jordan game, Korea found themselves trailing after taking an early lead.

Credit should be given to the effort of the players, as they worked hard to score, but perhaps it shouldn’t always take a conceded goal to motivate the players. In the 83rd minute, Lee Kang In’s free kick brought Korea back on level terms. Son then gave Korea the lead in the 94th minute from the spot.

With twelve minutes of total added time, it seemed as though Korea was going to hold on and meet Japan in the round of 16. It all fell apart in the 15th minute of added time when substitute Romel Morales slotted home the dramatic equalizer to claim a famous point for Malaysia. Yet again the goal came from a pass that penetrated the central space in front of the defense; the area in which a defensive midfielder would normally occupy. The Korean players and coaching staff were left stunned and devastated by the shocking result. Klinsmann, on the other hand, had a smile on his face. 

Hwang In Beom was often left isolated in our half with little to no options to pass to. The lack of options stemmed from Klinsmann’s use of the 4-4-2, which has always left the two center midfielders outnumbered and under immense amounts of pressure. Furthermore, Klinsmann has asked his players to attack wide areas and flanks to cross the ball. A lot of the play so far has been a little too horizontal and one-dimensional, which can be predictable and relatively ineffective against low blocks. Since opposing players will clog the middle and crowd the box, crossing the ball into the box where Korean players are typically outnumbered does not seem to be the most effective method.

In a pre-Asian Cup interview with Steve Han, Hwang In Beom mentioned these specific tactics from Klinsmann, and also noted that he’s often asked to attack the box after crosses to win second balls. While the idea makes sense, it leaves a huge gap of space behind him in the midfield, and with no defensive midfield to cover, you are asking Kim Min Jae and the backline to do quite a lot. No wonder Korea has been so susceptible on the counter. If Klinsmann wants to play this way, he still can, but a shift to a 4-3-3 formation makes a lot more sense and would in theory solve much of the defensive issues that stem from an outnumbered midfield that is being asked to do too much. The formation change with the incorporation of a center defensive midfielder would alleviate the other two midfielders of defensive duties and allow them to play with more composure on the ball.

The Korean attack has arguably not been at its best either. Half of Korea’s eight group stage goals have come from set-pieces, rather than open play. Son Heung Min scored penalties against Jordan and Malaysia, and the other two goals against Malaysia came from set-pieces as well. It’s a definite warning sign for our offense to rely so strongly on set pieces or moments of individual brilliance. At the same time, this can be explained by the defensive tactics that Korea’s opponents have utilized, with Korea often dominating possession and breaking down a low block. In the knockout rounds, Korea will almost certainly have more space to work with.

What lies ahead for Korea? A round of 16 matchup against Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia will not be as defensive as any of the teams we have played so far in this tournament, but their strength lies in their midfield, giving all the more reason for Klinsmann to shift to a 4-3-3. Will we see Park Jin Seob or Lee Soon Min get a chance, or will Klinsmann stick to Park Yong Woo? The worst possible outcome would be the continuation of the 4-4-2, which would almost certainly guarantee failure. The match will feel like a home game for Saudi Arabia, as their fans have been well-traveled throughout the Asian Cup. It will be a real test for the players tactically and mentally.

While there is a lot of negativity surrounding this team, mainly due to Klinsmann, it is clear that the players want to win. The team has been tested in every match thus far and has typically responded positively. One positivity that I can identify is that our players are doing everything in their power to bring home the trophy. We found ourselves down 2-1 to Jordan and Malaysia, and in both matches, came back. Despite defensive issues, we have not lost a match yet, even if we were expected to win those matches. While it is hard to find positives from the group stage, I can take some solace and comfort in the way we can fight back from being down. Our issues are solvable, but it comes down to Klinsmann.

I hope to see a major improvement against Saudi Arabia, and I strongly believe that this team can turn it up a notch in the knockout rounds. Klinsmann aside, this team has the talent and mentality to succeed. They are here in Qatar to win, and while there are certainly bigger issues at play regarding the KFA and the long-term success of the Korean National Team, a first Asian Cup in sixty years would be special regardless. Son Heung Min has given everything for this national team over the last decade, and he finally has the pieces around him to help him achieve a trophy. Will Korea turn it around and achieve the elusive Asian Cup trophy, or will history repeat itself?

For more from Aaron Chung, check out his blog Footy Surge.

Korea comfortably defeated Bahrain 3-1 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium to open their Asian Cup campaign. Lee Kang In put in a masterclass Man of the Match performance in his Asian Cup debut with a brace, and Hwang In Beom also scored in the first half. Kang In showed why he has been touted by many as a generational talent and successor to Son with a classy display not only with his goals but also with his special ability to retain possession and create clear-cut chances for his team. The exciting thing is that it feels as though Kang In is still improving and growing with every match he plays. He has the potential to take over the Asian stage and cement himself as one of Asia’s best if he isn’t already there. 

Manager Jürgen Klinsmann set up the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation with an expected starting lineup. Kim Seung Gyu started in goal, the backline consisted of Lee Ki Je as the left-back, Kim Min Jae and Jung Seung Hyun as the center-backs, and Seol Young Woo as the right-back. In the midfield, Park Yong Woo played as the center defensive mid alongside Hwang In Beom, who played in a more advanced central midfield position. Lee Jae Sung occupied the left wing with Lee Kang In on the right wing, and captain Son Heung Min in a free role as a center attacking mid below Cho Gue Sung up top. Son often operated as a striker alongside Cho but would drop deeper down to the midfield to receive the ball at times. 

It was a slow start to the match with a few shaky moments from the defense, particularly from Lee Ki Je and Jung Seung Hyun. Korea picked up three first-half yellow cards, which could be blamed on harsh and inconsistent refereeing, but also highlighted some of the sloppy and clumsy defensive challenges made by some of the defenders. In the 38th minute, Hwang In Beom broke the deadlock to give Korea a much-needed lead, slotting home a beautifully curved finish with his left foot into the top left corner from a nice cutback cross by Lee Jae Sung. Kim Min Jae grabbed a “hockey assist” with an accurate through ball to Lee Jae Sung. Hwang In Beom showed great movement and ran into the box all match long, along with his usual crisp passing. He once again displayed his importance for Korea in possession. Lee Jae Sung, who started in place of the injured Hwang Hee Chan, had a solid game. He got into good positions to cross the ball with good movement and showed his usual workhorse approach.

Korea went into halftime with a 1-0 lead but started the second half sluggishly. In the 51st minute, Bahrain equalized through Abdullah Al Hashash’s finish. Korea failed to clear the ball, resulting in the goal. Before the goal, Lee Ki Je’s loss of possession led to a throw-in that resulted in the Bahrain chance. Jung Seung Hyun failed to challenge a Bahrain attacker before it fell to Al Hashash. Immediately after the goal, Lee Ki Je was subbed off for Kim Tae Hwan, with Seol Young Woo shifting to the left-back spot and Kim Tae Hwan taking the right-back position. Lee Ki Je was on a yellow and was in danger of being sent off after some clumsy challenges, and showing his defensive liability, so bringing him off was the right call from Klinsmann.

Thankfully for Korea, just five minutes later, Lee Kang In took over the match and scored a brilliantly finessed shot from outside the box to regain the lead. He received the ball from a far advanced Kim Min Jae after Son had won possession back and did not hesitate to shoot. He placed the ball with perfect technique and pace to beat the keeper with one of the best goals of the tournament so far, if not the best.

Kang In had been showing his class throughout the match whenever he received the ball, and after the goal, he continued to showcase his generational ability and class just ten minutes later with another nice finish to make it 3-1. Kang In could have had a couple of assists with some precise through balls to Son, with Son’s finishing not up to his usual clinical standards today. Kang In showed a killer instinct and that it-factor that fans had longed for; he can completely take over and make game-changing plays.

It feels as though in the past, in a situation where Bahrain equalizes, Korea would struggle to respond and break down a stubborn defense. The mental side of things should also be noted; after controlling most of the match, an equalizer like that can often be demoralizing or change the flow of the game. It would often fall to Son to take up the responsibility of restoring Korea’s lead, which can be difficult against a low block or a team that is playing for a point. Today, Lee Kang In took over that responsibility and stepped up big time. I’m not necessarily saying he replaced Son, but more that he stepped up to help alleviate a lot of that pressure off of Son. It is honestly something that Son has been needing as captain of the Taegeuk Warriors. It was refreshing and mesmerizing to watch Kang In take that big step and be that guy for us, as he has started to become in recent times. 

The subs that came on today were Kim Tae Hwan for Lee Ki Je, Hong Hyun Seok for Cho Gue Sung, Jeong Woo Yeong for Lee Jae Sung, Kim Young Gwon for Kim Min Jae, and Park Jin Seob for Park Yong Woo. Once Cho Gue Sung came off, the formation shifted to a 4-3-3 with Hong joining the central midfield and Sonny moving up top as the lone striker. The change in shape allowed for a little more defensive stability from a 2-man midfield to a 3-man midfield. 

Jeong Woo Yeong looked lively when coming on. It looked like he wanted to attack and score, which was encouraging to see. Perhaps more game time beckons for the Stuttgart man. Hong Hyun Seok did not have many touches but did his job in keeping possession for the most part. Kim Young Gwon also carried out his defensive duties, with Park Jin Seob also solid in his short cameo. Kim Tae Hwan played the longest out of all the subs and showed some stability, although he was not necessarily challenged much by a tiring Bahrain attack. 

We should not be concerned about our offensive firepower and capabilities; however, Korea’s defense continues to be of slight concern. The shakiness of the Korean defense was displayed not just in this match, but also in previous matches, notably the pre-Asian Cup friendly against Iraq. Jung Seung Hyun’s lack of pace was concerning, especially when thinking about the prospect of playing stronger and pacier attacks later on in the tournament such as Iran and Japan. The left-back position also continues to worry me, with Lee Ki Je continuously showing he is less than capable of playing at this level. While I try to be an optimist and support each player, these defensive issues cannot be ignored. Lee Ki Je must be replaced by Seol Young Woo or Kim Jin Su, assuming Jin Su can return to fitness during this tournament. Kim Min Jae continues to stand out as the best defender by a massive margin, and many of our defensive woes are clouded by his world-class defending. 

Klinsmann might make some changes after this first match. It seems as though Lee Ki Je’s place as a starter is in jeopardy, and with the injured Kim Jin Su likely unavailable for the group stage matches, Seol Young Woo will likely shift to the left-back position with Kim Tae Hwan on the right. Hwang Hee Chan’s availability continues to remain questionable, but if he were to return, he would likely take up the starting left-wing spot over Lee Jae Sung. Jung Seung Hyun could be benched for Kim Young Gwon, but Klinsmann continues to trust Jung Seung Hyun as the starting right center back. We could also see Jeong Woo Yeong given more opportunities to impact games off the bench, perhaps earlier in the match. I also anticipate Oh Hyeon Gyu to be given a cameo at some point, especially if Cho Gue Sung’s form lingers into the next couple of matches. 

In the end, Korea was unlucky not to score more against Bahrain. There are still question marks regarding the defense, and there is certainly the looming specter of yellow card accumulation hanging over the squad. Korea’s next match against Jordan is on January 20, kicking off in the US at 6:30 AM EST on the CBS Sports Golazo Network. With Jordan dismantling Malaysia 4-0, Korea must win this match to ascend into first place in Group E. Will we see Klinsmann finally make some much-needed changes to the backline, or will he stick to his ways?

For more from Aaron Chung, check out his blog Footy Surge.