A new role for Son Heung-min?
Exactly two years ago today (if you factor in the time difference), South Korea played against Wales in Cardiff, and Son Heung-min took the train from London for what felt like a low-key affair all around. This game will be very different for the team, and maybe even more so for the player.
Fans around the world are just getting accustomed to Son’s move from Tottenham to Los Angeles FC in MLS. Any hint that the 33-year-old is not as sharp in Los Angeles as he was in London will be seized upon and debated, especially given recent comments from his coach.
Hong Myung-bo, former LA Galaxy defender and captain of the South Korea team that reached the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup, has suggested that Son’s seven-year stint as captain may not extend to next summer. “I mentioned the possibility of change in the future,” Hong said. “Of course, I will make the final decision, but before that, I have to listen to all the players’ opinions, listen to the players’ opinions, and make a decision.”
Perhaps Hong sees Son more of a finisher now than a leader, and wants to reduce the burden on a player who has occasionally struggled with the huge expectations he carries on the national team. It did not escape the notice of many that, for the first time in years, Son has been listed in the roster as a forward and not a midfielder.
Jens Castrop: South Korea’s first player to have switched nations
At the 2022 World Cup, four teams did not have a single foreign-born player on their rosters: Brazil, Argentina, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. That could change for the Koreans in 2026, as Jens Castrop will surely make his debut this weekend.
The Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder was born in Düsseldorf to a German father and Korean mother and had been on the radar for a while. After appearances for the European country at various youth levels, the player had apparently been told that with his time with the main Mannschaft would come, but not yet. When he filed a one-time switch, which Fifa approved this summer, a call-up was inevitable. He will be the first foreign-born player to suit up for South Korea, and the reaction in Seoul has been fairly positive. It helps that he, and his mother, have said the right things about the language, culture and military service.
The latter of those factors thought to be part of the reason why South Korea has lagged behind other countries in the use of naturalized players. Most male citizens have to do 18 -21 months during the prime years of an athlete’s career. That’s not exactly an incentive for football stars contemplating a nation switch, even if they are able to spend their time playing for the K-League’s armed forces club (one member of the current roster, Lee Dong-gyeong, is playing there now, easily spotted as he will salute during the national anthem). It remains to be seen what happens with Castrop as he has never lived in the country.
For now though, the benefits for both parties are clear. The player has a great chance to go to the World Cup. For Korea, there is a great chance to look at a young player already active in one of Europe’s top leagues. “Castrop brings a different style from existing midfielders,” said Hong. “He’s a real fighter.”
And a potential trendsetter too. If all goes well, it could be a catalyst for the large Korean population in the US to explore a move to the Land of the Morning Calm.
Korea needs a new start
Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain is South Korea’s most exciting talent at the moment, but the 24-year-old midfielder, who scored against Tottenham in last month’s Uefa Super Cup final, has been struggling for playing time at the European champion. Despite reports of Italian and English interest, the transfer window shut with Lee still in the French capital. He needs minutes. It’s the same for Kim Min-jae – the centre-back who has been on the bench this season for Bayern Munich and will welcome some game time.
“It’s still early in their seasons, and so we will see how things play out,” Hong said. “I can’t control their playing time from over here. I hope the players will try to step up their game and earn more minutes. I will have some in-depth conversations with those players during this trip.”
There is pressure on Hong too. Loved as a player but not a coach after his first spell at the 2014 World Cup went badly, few wanted him to succeed Jürgen Klinsmann, who was fired after a chaotic 12 months in charge last summer. Under Hong, Korea qualified fairly comfortably but didn’t impress. There is a sense that Asia’s most successful World Cup team – 11 successive appearances and counting with only Spain, Germany, Argentina and Brazil having longer streaks – has fallen behind Japan.
Korea still lacks an identity, and it may be asking too much for Hong to come up with that during his tenure. What he is talking of doing in the short-term however is experimenting. For example, It could well be that he starts with three at the back, as opposed to the four used during qualification.
A fresh start could be good for a team that has been a little lacklustre in recent years. A sixth win against the US would be welcome, but mostly fans will be looking for signs that the Taeguk Warriors are moving in the right direction.
