“I think this is a good opportunity to review the players in preparation for the World Cup qualifiers starting in November and the Asian Cup scheduled for early next year.”
When asked about the ‘soccer color’ pursued, the answer that was somewhat different from the expectations of soccer fans was “the Asian Cup preparation process.”메이저놀이터
The Korean national soccer team, led by coach Jurgen Klinsmann, drew 0-0 with Wales in the first international match of September held at Cardiff City Stadium in Wales, England on the 8th (Korean time), leaving only a shabby record of ‘1 effective shot’.
Against Wales (35th place), which is lower than Korea (28th place) in the FIFA rankings, Klinsmann produced disastrous results, being pushed down to 4-10 in the number of shots fired and only 1-4 in effective shots.
It was fortunate that no goals were conceded thanks to Kim Seung-gyu (Al-Shabaab)’s save and Wales’ ‘bad luck at the goalpost’.
Klinsmann was embarrassed by Wales’ thick defense and forward pressure and was unable to properly carry out the build-up, and the overlapping of the left and right fullbacks and the disappearance of the central midfielder’s killer pass led to the fundamental question, ‘What is soccer for?’
Coach Klinsmann, who has had no wins (3 draws, 2 losses) in 5 games since launch, said at the official press conference after the game, “I would like to say that it is a process now.
In particular, when asked about the ‘color of soccer’, Coach Klinsmann said, “We need to check and observe the players’ abilities and capabilities through games. This process is important,” and added, “We are going through a generational change process. The coaching staff is constantly thinking about it.” I answered.
Next is a Q&A with Director Klinsmann.
Son Heung-min dribbling
— How do you feel about the game?
▲ It was a very difficult game. Both teams had quite a bit of trouble playing the game as they had prepared, and didn’t create many goal chances. But it was an equal match.
Wales came out with 5 at the back and had considerable difficulty breaking them down. Wales defended well. It was a game where we could see how we should prepare and handle ourselves against a team similar to Wales.
— What did you want to show in the game against Wales?
▲ First of all, we are thinking about the continued growth of the national team. As you saw today, many young players participated, and we need to watch their growth. Young players must check their performance by participating in games.
In the future journey to the Asian Cup, it is important how young players form a team with senior leaders such as Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), and Lee Jae-seong (Mainz).
There were many changes compared to the March A match. A lot of young players have joined, and these players need to prove themselves with their performances.
— Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) failed to join. Evaluation of new players.
▲ Lee Kang-in is a player who is talented, creative, and shows surprises on the field. When it is difficult to break down the defensive line when the opponent comes out with 5 backs like today, a creative player like Lee Kang-in is needed, but it is unfortunate that he cannot be with him.
Yang Hyun-jun, who personally confirmed his performance at Celtic (Scotland), also performed well at the end. I think it will be very important to see how much he grows and develops.
There were many difficulties during today’s attack. It was quite difficult to break down Wales’ back five line, and it was difficult to penetrate deep into the opponent’s half in the attack. It is exciting to see the national team grow and develop with the addition of new players.
— How did you utilize Son Heung-min?
▲ Son Heung-min always has difficulties no matter what position he plays because the opponent always has 2 to 3 dedicated markmen following him.
He started in the center again today, but made many attempts to create space for himself, and there were also scenes where he came down a lot and received a goal.
There were also scenes where he created space and shot. Such is Son Heung-min’s status. He obviously had a difficult game, but I am satisfied with Son Heung-min’s performance today.
— During the build-up, side passes and back passes continued. What solution do you suggest?
▲ Of course, it would have been good if there had been more forward passes, but there was no space as the opponent set up a tight defense. There must be space to make a forward pass and to play the game aggressively. In the end, I turned the ball a lot to find a passing path.
Our game management is bound to change depending on the opponent’s game management. It would be good to make more aggressive forward passes, but today the opponent’s game management made that difficult.
The soccer team entering
— What is the color of Lake Klinsmann?
▲ I would like to say that it is a process now. I think it is a good opportunity to review the players in preparation for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup qualifiers starting in November and the Qatar Asian Cup to be held early next year.
I observed quite a lot through the 5 games until today. The national team undergoes a lot of generational changes between World Cups, and we can see new players joining and playing an active role. I think they are currently going through a process of generational change.
During this process, my coaching staff and I are continuing to think about which players to include in the final list. I think it can produce good results.