Coach Kim Sang Sik surprisingly talks about his act of bowing to the referee in Korean newspaper

(Dan Tri) - Coach Kim Sang Sik had an interview with the Korean media this afternoon (August 5). In it, the strategist from the land of Kim Chi revealed many interesting details.

After the success of winning the Southeast Asian U23 Championship with U23 Vietnam, Coach Kim Sang Sik and his staff returned to Korea to rest. They gave interviews to local media regarding the championship of U23 Vietnam.

Coach Kim Sang Sik confirmed that he only "greeted in Indonesian style" and did not bow to the referee (Screenshot).

Coach Kim Sang Sik began: “I am very happy to help U23 Vietnam win the championship for the third consecutive time at the U23 Southeast Asia. This is the result of the players’ relentless efforts despite the harsh hot weather. It is the love and expectations from Vietnamese football fans that have given us the strength to achieve this achievement.”

The Korean strategist surprisingly explained his act of bowing to the referee in the final match against U23 Indonesia: “I was just following the Indonesian greeting ritual, but accidentally repeated it three times. I didn’t mean anything other than a greeting, so please don’t misunderstand.”

After the success with U23 Vietnam, Coach Kim Sang Sik was compared to his predecessor Park Hang Seo. Mr. Kim happily accepted this. He said: “Coach Park is a legend in the history of Vietnamese football. I cannot compare with him and should not let my achievements overshadow what he has built. After U23 Vietnam won the championship, Mr. Park called to congratulate and we arranged to meet for a meal.”

Coach Kim Sang Sik believes that emotional factors are very important to unite Vietnamese players into a strong collective: “In Vietnam, emotional culture is very important. Like Coach Park, I also often go to the medical room to joke with the players, and give them material gifts such as ginseng, cosmetics, etc. to create intimacy and closeness.”

Coach Kim Sang Sik admits that emotional culture is very important in Vietnam (Photo: Quyet Thang).

Coach Kim added: “I have carefully calculated everything, from the amount of water the players drink to their sleep time. I believe that ensuring the players are in the best physical condition before entering the tournament is the key factor for us to achieve success.”

This year, the Korean coach faces two major tasks when helping U23 Vietnam compete in the U23 Asian qualifiers in September and the 33rd SEA Games in December. In addition, he also boldly sets a goal of helping the Vietnamese team win a ticket to the 2030 World Cup.

“The fact that I won two championships (AFF Cup, U23 Southeast Asia) in such a short time has made fans and the Vietnam Football Federation expect more. Although the pressure is greater, I will overcome it as a coach.

Not only Vietnamese football but also other teams in Southeast Asia are aiming to participate in the World Cup and are actively implementing naturalization policies. If efforts are made in the right direction, I believe that the day the Vietnamese team participates in the World Cup will come soon."

Coach Kim Sang Sik also talked about his compatriot Shin Tae Yong, who has just returned to Korea to lead Ulsan HD Club. He shared: “If Coach Shin was still there, we might have had more difficulties when facing U23 Indonesia in this tournament. Luckily he left early. I hope he will be successful in Korea.”

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-kim-sang-sik-noi-bat-ngo-ve-hanh-dong-vai-lay-trong-tai-tren-bao-han-20250805204044781.htm