| Former Daejeon Hana Citizen coach Hwang Seon-hong took over the baton of the U-23 national team. (Provided by the Korea Football Association) |
Manager Hwang Seon-hong, who has taken over the helm of the Korean national football team under the age of 23, said, “It is an honor to wear the Taegeuk mark again as a coach.” The first goal is to win the Asian Games in Hangzhou next year.
Earlier, the Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on the 15th that it had appointed Hwang Seon-hong as the coach of the U-23 national team to participate in the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup, Hangzhou Asian Games and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The contract period will be until the finals of the Paris Olympics, but after the Asian Games in Hangzhou, which will be held in September next year, it has been decided whether or not to continue the contract through an interim evaluation.
Director Hwang, who attended the online press conference on the morning of the 16th, said, “It is an honor to wear the Taegeuk mark.
Regarding the lack of communication, which is mentioned as a shortcoming, coach Hwang said, “I didn’t think so, but many people around me said that and I think I should improve it. I will lead the team in a good direction.”
The first stage of the U-23 national team, directed by Hwang, will be the 2022 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup qualifying group H match. In this competition to be held in Singapore from the 27th of next month, Korea will face off against the Philippines, East Timor, and Singapore in turn.
Manager Hwang said, “I have to appoint a coaching staff right now and I have to re-identify the players, so time is running out. With the help of the association’s officials, I will handle them one by one.” He added, “My goal is to win the Asian Games in Hangzhou next year. I will think about the Paris Olympics after that.”
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| Olympic soccer team players train ahead of the group stage match for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the North Seaside Training Center in Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan on the afternoon of the 18th. 2021.7.18/News1 © News1 Reporter Jaemyung Lee |
The following is a Q&A with Director Hwang Seon-Hong.
– How do you feel about your inauguration?
▶It’s been a long time since I’ve sat in this seat, and the feeling is new. First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the association officials who entrusted me with the heavy responsibility. Wearing the Taegeuk mark on one’s chest is always a daunting task and a great honor. That’s where responsibility comes in. When I first started coaching after the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, I said that it was my dream to become a national team manager, but it took me about 20 years to get here, although I am not an A team member. As a manager, I have experienced both successes and failures, and I think these experiences will be of great strength to me as the manager of the U-23 national team. I will take pride in representing the Republic of Korea and do it proudly.
– How is the coaching staff recruitment going in the direction?
▶ I have a lot of trouble. I was suddenly appointed as the director, so I had a lot of troubles. First of all, the club team and national team must have a different approach. Teams need specialized experience. I am open to all possibilities. Since the game is starting in October, we will make a decision as soon as possible.
-Isn’t it a bit disappointing to be in charge of the U-23 team rather than the national team?
▶ It is not. Every coach’s dream is to coach the A national team, but before that, he has to go through various procedures and get verified. I want to challenge myself after receiving verification through this position. For now, I am going to work on this job with a happy heart.
– Directions for player composition.
▶ It is most important to go in one direction as a team. For national teams by age, development is as important as performance right now. Many players expect to grow well in this team and join the A team.
– The plan is to moderate coach Eun-jung Kim, who has been watching the players for a long time in the former national team.
▶I think it is not right to give an answer now. I am thinking about several directions. It is not something the director can make alone. We are looking for a person who will be optimized for this position and who will be of great help to the director.
– The decisive background for accepting the position of supervisor.
▶ The dream of the Taegeuk mark is the same for leaders. It is not limited to the A team. Wearing the Taegeuk mark in the under-23 national team has come to mean a lot to me.
– In the case of coach Hak-beom Kim, there was a difference of opinion with coach Bento about the selection of players.
▶The association will have a system for running the national team in advance, so I will communicate with the chairperson. If the association outlines the outline in advance, I think the conflict will be a little less. Basically, it is true that the A team should have priority. However, if the situation arises, I will get help through communication.
– What football style do you envision?
▶ I think an active and speedy style is suitable for Korea. I am worried about how to do that, but the big direction is the same as when I was in charge of a professional team.
-Some teams have experienced failures, and there are criticisms about communication.
▶The future is more important than the past. I think that part is humbly accepted and we have to work hard to show an improved image. Regarding the lack of communication, people around me have said something, so I think it should be improved. I will communicate a lot with young players.
– How much did you watch the national team matches by age?
▶I recently watched the Fall Collegiate Soccer Federation match in Taebaek, but I haven’t been able to figure it all out yet. I came to see how college football is played, and there was quite a bit of income.
– Whether to run the team with continuity with the football of the predecessor, coach Kim Hak-beom.
▶Before the Tokyo Olympics, when I called the Olympic national team in Jeju Island, I went to watch the game, and after losing the ball, it was impressive that the sense of speed was good. However, through the Olympics, I felt that the defensive organization was disappointing. If you improve that part, you will be much more competitive. Personally, I was very impressed with Kim Hak-beom’s football.
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| Hwang Seon-hong, coach of the U-23 national team. (Provided by Korea Football Association) © News 1 |
– It’s not easy to deal with star players.
▶ First of all, I respect the individual domain of the players. However, it is difficult to write without consideration or respect for the team. If you keep that part well, you can make a good team.
– The young players I’ve been keeping an eye on.
▶It is difficult to mention the name right away. There are many good players in Europe and in Korea. There may be difficulties in the recruitment issue, but I see a lot of potential players.
– I don’t have enough tournament experience.
▶ I have a problem. You will need a lot of help from the association. Rather than judging anything by myself, I will collect opinions and lead the team in a good direction.
– Whether you plan to play the Hangzhou Asian Games mainly in 2001, who are athletes of the age of participation in the Paris Olympics.
▶Of course, from the director’s point of view, he also wants to see the future and run it. However, there are also things that public opinion and associations want. First of all, I think we should focus on the Asian Games. At the same time, I plan to raise 21-year-old players at the same time.
– Synergy with Kang-in Lee is expected.
▶ He is a capable player and will lead Korean football. It will have to be judged by looking at various things, but I think the tactical value is considerable. It will be a great help to the team if you maintain your condition.
-Actually, the background of willingly accepting the contract terms of 1+2 years.
▶ The contract period is not important. A place called a national team is always judged coldly as a result. If we go toward a unified goal, I am confident that there will be good results in the Asian Games.
– What are your goals for the Asian Games and Olympics?
▶ The goal is gold medal in the Asian Games. If you are well prepared, you have a chance. The Olympics aren’t even thinking about it yet.
-If you have a philosophy for running a team.
▶ It must be a team. Rather than the concept of not using anyone, it is more important to make all the players part of a team. You need to make sure everyone is thinking the same thing.
eggod6112@news1.kr
