Hwang Seon-hong, who is eagerly awaiting the Asian Games in Hangzhou in September, draws attention with fierce side competition. Despite the age limit of 24 years old or younger, it is difficult to guarantee the survival of a player who has been a key player in the K-League.
New strikers Yang Hyeon-jun (23, Gangwon) and Ko Young-jun (22, Pohang), who created a sensation in the K-League 1, are typical. The two players met with reporters prior to the national team’s training at the Paju Training Center on the 16th and said, “It’s really not easy.”
Hwang Seon-Hong-Ho’s side competition is well revealed in the face of the selected players. Other than these two players, Um Ji-seong (Gwangju), Eom Won-sang (Ulsan), Song Min-gyu (Jeonbuk), and Ko Jae-hyeon (Daegu) are players who can play on the side. Even Um Won-sang and Song Min-gyu are players who wore the Taegeuk mark.
Koh Young-joon, who is tied for fourth place in the scoring category with 5 goals in this year’s K-League 1, said, “Nothing is certain (whether or not to be selected for the Asian Games). He can only survive if he shows good form for the rest of his life.” Yang Hyeon-joon, the main character of last year’s K League 1 Young Player Award, also said, “There are so many good players, so I have no choice but to show my strengths in the competition.”
What makes the two players even more frustrated is the fact that the full-fledged competition has not even started yet. If European players such as Lee Kang-in (22, Mallorca) and Jung Woo-young (24, Freiburg), who are called the future of Korean football, join, it is impossible to guarantee a bench other than a starter.
Ko Young-jun said, “(Lee) Kang-in and I have overlapping positions. If Kang In-i runs, there is a high probability that I will not be able to run,” he said.
It is only fortunate that the wild card (a player over the age of 25, up to 3 players) was less worried about excessive competition. Head coach Hwang Seon-hong said, “We are basically thinking of wild cards as filling the gaps in the national team.” 안전놀이터
The players are in a position to do their best to survive the remaining time until September when the Asian Games are held. Yang Hyun-joon said, “First of all, I try to appeal my style with the mind to have fun. He is confident in speed fights,” he said. Koh Young-jun also said, “The play required by the national team is not very different from Pohang. I won’t be greedy for the ‘Wonder Boy’ of the national team. I will be happy if I can survive.”