Korea’s Soccer Team Should Increase Its Mental Power and Teamwork

It became uncertain if Korean soccer could advance to the Olympics five times in a row.

Soccer fans were very unsatisfied after they watched the Korea versus Japan match for the Olympics in Osaka, Japan on February 21. Korea was crushed by a score of 0-2 on powerless play. Messages including “I weep loudly,” ‘Korea will be beaten by China, too” and “I wonder if Korea can go to Olympics” were seen on home pages such as Korea Football Association.

This match was just an exhibition, but the important one is the first game against China in Group A of the 2004 Athens Olympics Asia final preliminary. Well-trained China is watching for a chance to escape from a “disease of Korea fear.” Experts evaluate this China team as its best ever.

-Defects in a Game Against Japan

SBS commentator Shin Moon-seon said, “Japan has prepared for Korea, but Korea hasn’t. Korea took on Japan with only player skills rather than teamwork.”

Koreans failed to pass from midfielders to attackers frequently. In addition, Japanese speedy attacker Danaka (Urawa Reds) intercepted a ball to destroy the Korean formation in a moment.

A starting striker Cheong Jo-gook (Anyang) and a switched-in second half Cho Jae-jin (Suwon), left and right wings Choi Tae-wook (Incheon) and Choi Seong-gook (Ulsan) hesitated in front of goal nets, let balls be stolen, and lost the flow. Three backs, Park Yong-ho (Anyang), Lim Yoo-hwan (Cheonbook) and Cho Byoung-gook (Suwon) seemed uneasy. Coach Kim Ho-gon’s strategy to reverse the situation didn’t work, although he replaced three players, including a playmaker, Kim Doo-hyun (Suwon), in second half.

-What Is the strategy against China?

Coach Kim said, “Time for training was not enough because all the players came together on February 19. Returning to Korea on February 22, the Korea Olympic team will begin training for the final preliminary in Ulsan starting February 23. The main task of Korea for ten days until the match against China is to rebuild its collapsed teamwork.

A former coach of Suwon, Kim Ho pointed out, “The mental minds of players should be made tight. They were loosened because of Korea’s superiority to Japan by one win and one draw last year. The commentator, Shin, mentioned, “The capacity of China is greatly increasing. It will make bad results again unless we are not prepared thoroughly. This result against China will be important as much as 50% of the final preliminary.” China’s Olympic team is still ascending, beating Russia and Morocco in recent invitational matches. Chinese play inflexible soccer with a centering play from left and right sides, but they are considered as ‘dark horse’ just as the former China coach of the 2002 World Cup team, Bora Milutinovic, evaluated them impressive.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com