South Korean coach Jurgen Klinsmann said Vietnam is not a weak opponent and his team needs to be well prepared tomorrow (6pm, October 17).
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| Coach Jurgen Klinsmann (gray shirt) and captain Son Heung Min (left) during a training session of the Korean team. (Source: Yonhap) |
Coach Klinsmann said at a press conference before the friendly match between Korea and Vietnam at Suwon World Cup Stadium: "I have never thought that Vietnam is a weak team. We have to try our best because they are opponents that Korea can meet in the Asian Cup or World Cup qualifiers."
A South Korean newspaper explained that the reason the Korea Football Association (KFA) chose to play a friendly match with Vietnam was to prepare for the Asian Cup to be held in Qatar in January 2024.
Edaily newspaper said: "Coach Klinsmann wants to play a friendly match with Vietnam to learn more about Asian football. You can experience the dense defense of the opponent that Korea will have to overcome in the Asian Cup."
At the press conference, coach Klinsmann agreed, saying: "I told this to our players today. We need to pay attention to what stages need to be prepared and what tests need to be checked."
Coach Klinsmann added: "As this is the last evaluation match before the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, I have high expectations for the team's performance. It is important to maintain a positive form at all times."
Regarding the possibility of starting the star duo Son Heung Min (Tottenham) and Hwang In Beom (Zvezda) after both are having physical problems, coach Klinsmann said: "We still need to check their physical condition in today's training session.
Everything is in question and we will make a decision after assessing how well they can play the game. What is more important is that I have to give opportunities to players who have not had much playing time before."
Coach Klinsmann praised center-back Kim Min Jae, who replaced Son Heung Min as captain in the friendly match against Tunisia on October 13: "Kim Min Jae has made great progress in the past few years and his last match was also excellent.
Honestly, I don't think it would be a problem if the captain's armband was given to someone else, because any of them would be worthy, like Lee Jae Seong for example."
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