World Cup 2002 Crunch Time: Fight for the Korean Centerback Spot
by Sanborn Brown
With less than four months to go until the World Cup opens in Seoul on
May
31st, the centerback spot on co-host South Korea's national side is still
up for grabs. Until recently, smart money was on twenty-two-year old Song
Chong-gug. Song, who plays with Busan in the K-League, has been called
Coach Guus Hiddink's "greatest discovery," and looks to be a
star of the future, according to the Asahi Shinbun's "Evening Sports"
section.
Song made the transition last year from college level to the K-League, and he has seen playing time on the Olympic squad. According to observers, "Song is the type of player who can adjust his game to the flow of a match." He was called up to the national team a year ago January.
At that time he was used as a side back; since last September he has been used in the centerback position - and has thus far shown superb poise. "No matter what team we play against I have confidence in my game," said Song, who garnered K-League Rookie of the Year honors last year.
Korea national kit © Mikhail Sipovich
Rivals for the centerback spot include Yoo Sang-chul and Hong Myung-bo, both of whom have put in stints at J-League powerhouse Kashiwa Reysol. Thirty-year-old Yoo, who is still at Kashiwa, is a tremendously powerful all-around player who can play upfront, in central midfield as well on defense, and if selected would be appearing in his third World Cup. Thirty-two year old Hong is a national hero in South Korea who has been capped 122 times for the national squad. He is currently recovering from a stress injury to his shin. He began the 2001 season as captain of Kashiwa; however, due to poor form attributed to the above injury, he made a surprise move when his contract ended and - in spite of lot if interest from many clubs in Japan - returned to his original club in Korea, the Pohang Steelers.
During the recently concluded Gold Cup, in which Korea finished a disappointing fourth, Song anchored a solid defense for four of the games, and Yoo got the nod in one. In five tough five games, Korea yielded a total of seven goals and looked solid in defense. However, due to the allegedly "weak leadership" exhibited by Song and Yoo during the tournament, Coach Hiddink announced that he has contacted thirty-two-year-old Hong Myung-bo's current club team and called him up for Korea's March tour of Europe, with even money on Hong making it into the team as a last minute selection. With rumors swirling about the future - or lack thereof - for Hiddink as skipper of Korea, this may be the most important pre-Cup decision he makes.