FROM FIFA WORD CUP Korea coach Shin surprises with World Cup roster
Shin Tae-yong likes to surprise and it shouldn't be a
surprise that the head coach of the national team did?exactly that on
Monday morning when announcing South Korea's preliminary roster for the
2018 World Cup, exactly a month before it all kicks off in Russia.
There were three unexpected names included in the 28 _ that will be reduced to a?final 23 by June 3 _ because none have appeared on the national team before.
Incheon United midfielder Moon Seon-min and Jeju United defender Oh ban-suk rarely have had such a happy Monday morning. The third name is that of Lee Seung-woo.
It was assumed that Lee would be heading to World Cups in the future as he spent his teenage years at Spanish giant Barcelona. It?was just not expected that the 20-year-old forward, who moved to the Italian team Hellas Verona in August 2017, would be in with a chance of going to Russia next month.
"I know his strengths and weaknesses as well as anyone," Shin said. "Though he hasn't played much?for his club, he has developed immensely. With his speed, he can exploit open space behind the defense and draw fouls in front of the goal."
Lee scored his first goal in Italian soccer on May 6 but was unable to prevent his new team from being relegated from Series A to the second tier. Shin added that the youngster has a chance of playing in the opening game against Sweden on June 18 in Nizhny Novgorod. Group F games against Mexico and Germany follow.
"These three players never played for us, but they can also go to the World Cup if they can show impressive performances," said Shin.
It remains to be seen if they make the final cut but Shin has given them a chance. Training starts in Paju next Monday and if Lee and the other new boys can impress then as well as in warm-up games against Honduras in Daegu on May 28 and in Jeonju against Bosnia and Herzegovina four days later then they will be on the plane to Europe.
There was disappointment for Jeonbuk Motors defender Kim Min-jae, and Yeom Ki-hun, the veteran winger of Suwon Samsung Bluewings who will miss out because of injury. Jeonbuk full-back Kim Jin-su may make it but he will have to convince Shin of his fitness.
"I have to change my original plan due to injured players, but we still have four weeks to prepare for the tournament," he said. "I will try to strengthen our defense line and will build up cohesion with new players in the upcoming weeks."
Ji Dong-won of Augsburg in Germany will be disappointed to miss out with Lee Chung-yong experiencing?the opposite emotions. The Crystal Palace winger has played little in the English Premier League this season but has a chance to prove himself.
"There's no guarantee Lee Chung-yong will go to the World Cup," Shin said. "He has to improve his form and show that he can play well together with the rest of the team… he had experience in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and is individually very talented."
Son Heung-min will naturally be identified by opponents as the one to watch with the Tottenham Hotspur star coming off the back of a fine season in England during which he scored 18 goals in total.Captain Ki Sung-yueng will be looking to put the disappointment of relegation from England's top tier behind him to lead the Taegeuk Warriors to a third appearance in the knockout stage in a tenth appearance at the World Cup.
It is a long shot but with Shin in charge there are sure to be a few more surprises to come.
There were three unexpected names included in the 28 _ that will be reduced to a?final 23 by June 3 _ because none have appeared on the national team before.
Incheon United midfielder Moon Seon-min and Jeju United defender Oh ban-suk rarely have had such a happy Monday morning. The third name is that of Lee Seung-woo.
It was assumed that Lee would be heading to World Cups in the future as he spent his teenage years at Spanish giant Barcelona. It?was just not expected that the 20-year-old forward, who moved to the Italian team Hellas Verona in August 2017, would be in with a chance of going to Russia next month.
"I know his strengths and weaknesses as well as anyone," Shin said. "Though he hasn't played much?for his club, he has developed immensely. With his speed, he can exploit open space behind the defense and draw fouls in front of the goal."
Lee scored his first goal in Italian soccer on May 6 but was unable to prevent his new team from being relegated from Series A to the second tier. Shin added that the youngster has a chance of playing in the opening game against Sweden on June 18 in Nizhny Novgorod. Group F games against Mexico and Germany follow.
"These three players never played for us, but they can also go to the World Cup if they can show impressive performances," said Shin.
It remains to be seen if they make the final cut but Shin has given them a chance. Training starts in Paju next Monday and if Lee and the other new boys can impress then as well as in warm-up games against Honduras in Daegu on May 28 and in Jeonju against Bosnia and Herzegovina four days later then they will be on the plane to Europe.
There was disappointment for Jeonbuk Motors defender Kim Min-jae, and Yeom Ki-hun, the veteran winger of Suwon Samsung Bluewings who will miss out because of injury. Jeonbuk full-back Kim Jin-su may make it but he will have to convince Shin of his fitness.
"I have to change my original plan due to injured players, but we still have four weeks to prepare for the tournament," he said. "I will try to strengthen our defense line and will build up cohesion with new players in the upcoming weeks."
Ji Dong-won of Augsburg in Germany will be disappointed to miss out with Lee Chung-yong experiencing?the opposite emotions. The Crystal Palace winger has played little in the English Premier League this season but has a chance to prove himself.
"There's no guarantee Lee Chung-yong will go to the World Cup," Shin said. "He has to improve his form and show that he can play well together with the rest of the team… he had experience in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups and is individually very talented."
Son Heung-min will naturally be identified by opponents as the one to watch with the Tottenham Hotspur star coming off the back of a fine season in England during which he scored 18 goals in total.Captain Ki Sung-yueng will be looking to put the disappointment of relegation from England's top tier behind him to lead the Taegeuk Warriors to a third appearance in the knockout stage in a tenth appearance at the World Cup.
It is a long shot but with Shin in charge there are sure to be a few more surprises to come.
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