World Cup preview: South Korea
Coach: Huh Jung-Moo
Key player: Park Ji-Sung
Previous best: Fourth place 2002.
When South Korea co-hosted the World Cup finals in 2002, few would have predicted the Asian nation to reach the semi-finals.
But they did exactly that. With millions of South Korea supporters taking to the streets - which became awash with red shirts after their infamous last 16 victory over Italy – and taking football to their hearts, it was the tournament which sparked the country’s love affair with the sport.
Eight years have now passed since Guus Hiddink and his players performed their World Cup miracle; and now they’re back for their eighth finals after finishing top of their group in qualifying.
Inspired by Manchester United’s tireless midfielder, Park Ji-Sung, the Taeguek Warriors finished above the likes of fierce rivals North Korea and Saudi Arabia to seal their place in South Africa.
Park will again wear the captain’s armband this summer; and his energy, commitment and athleticism epitomises what the entire South Korea squad are all about. If the same passion and hunger which served the nation so well in 2002 can be invoked this time around, then Huh Jung-Moo’s side have every chance of advancing past the group stages for only the second time in their history.
If the Asian nation manages to exceed expectations once more, then it’ll be bittersweet for their coach, who revealed several weeks ago that he would step down in such circumstances. With the hunt already underway for a manager to guide them to the 2014 World Cup finals, the national team’s current boss has a tremendous opportunity to cement his name alongside Hiddink’s this summer.
Argentina, Nigeria and Greece will also be vying for a place in the last 16, though, so South Korea will need to ensure they take their chances and avoid complacency to seal their place in the latter rounds. During qualification, they conceded just four goals from their eight matches, drawing four and winning the same amount – a rather impressive record ahead of the forthcoming World Cup finals.
Although they also scored 12 goals, it’s in the final third where South Korea may struggle this summer. At the previous World Cup in Germany, the South Koreans found goals hard to come by. And this time they will once again be relying on the questionable striking prowess of the nation’s poster boy, Park Chu-Young, along with former Middlesbrough forward Lee Dong-g**k in South Africa.
Few players in South Korea’s ranks will strike fear into the hearts of their opponents; but the national side have always relied on teamwork rather than individual brilliance. However, Huh voiced his concerns over the lack of communication in the squad in the aftermath of qualification and it’ll be paramount that he rectifies this problem before the big kick off against Greece on June 12th.
By representing Asia, the Taeguek Warriors’ primary aim will be to outline their status as the continent’s No.1 team ahead of the likes of Japan and, of course, North Korea.
But even those who witnessed the breathtaking scenes from 2002 wouldn’t dare to imagine the same will happen this summer. With only one World Cup victory away from home soil, the South Koreans understand that they face a major hurdle just to escape the clutches of Group B.
The pressure will be off the Asian side, though, who are the unknown quantities of the group. Their high energy levels and work ethic may end up paying dividends in Africa this June; but you suspect they’ll need a lot more about them to replicate the achievements of those famous weeks, eight years ago.
South Korea squad
1 Lee WOON-JAE (Suwon)
2 Oh BEOM-SEOK (Ulsan)
3 Kim HYUNG-IL (Pohang)
4 Cho YONG-HYUNG (Jeju)
5 Kim NAM-IL (Tom Tomsk)
6 Kim BO-KYUNG (Oita)
7 Park JI-SUNG (Manchester United)
8 Kim JUNG-WOO (Gwangju)
9 Ahn JUNG-HWAN (Dalian Shide)
10 Park CHU-YOUNG (AS Monaco)
11 Lee SEUNG-RYUL (Seoul)
12 Lee YOUNG-PYO (Al-Hilal)
13 Kim JAE-SUNG (Pohang)
14 Lee JUNG-SOO (Kashima Antlers)
15 Kim DONG-JIN (Ulsan)
16 Ki SUNG-YONG (Celtic)
17 Lee CHUNG-YONG (Bolton)
18 Jung SUNG-RYONG (Seongnam)
19 Yeom KI-HUN (Suwon)
20 Lee DONG-g**k (Jeonbuk)
21 Kim YOUNG-KWANG (Ulsan)
22 Cha DU-RI (SC Freiburg)
23 Kang MIN-SOO (Suwon)
For previews of South Korea's Group B opponents click here:
http://www.senore.com/Word-Cup-2010-preview-Argentina-a12334
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Greece-a12337
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Nigeria-a12338
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