Back in September 2008 when South Korea struggled to a 1-1 draw with North Korea in the opening match of the final round of qualification for 2010 World Cup, few would have thought that the departure of coach Huh Jung-moo would be a cause for sadness and concern. Almost two years ago, the issue was all about whether a lacklustre looking eleven would reach South Africa at all -last week Huh admitted that he considered resigning after the Shanghai stalemate. In the end, there was little need to worry as the Taeguk Warriors marched into the last 16 of an overseas World Cup for the first time ever and can even regard themselves a little unlucky to go down 2-1 to Uruguay in Port Elizabeth. The players left the Rainbow Nation with their heads held high and Huh leaves his post in similarly upright fashion. The 2-0 win over Greece started the campaign in style and the incisive football and the pleasing technical ability of the players were hailed around the world. The 4-1 defeat against Argentina came against a team at the top of its game and the 2-2 tie with Nigeria that sent Korea into the Promised Land may not have been a perfect display but it was thrilling entertainment – not least for the 500,000 or so fans who took to the streets at 3.30 in the morning. If there are any regrets it comes in the form of the knockout match against a solid Uruguay team. Trailing to an early goal, Korea pushed the South American semi-finalists evermore on to the backfoot. Lee Chung-yong grabbed an equalizer and the Asian team had chances to score again both before and after Luis Suarez’s late strike that eventually won the game. It was expected that Huh would step down after the tournament but the success of the team prompted hopes and then reports that he may stay on at least for long enough to lead the team to the Asian Cup in January. The theory was that with the same coach and a similar set of players then Korea has a genuine chance of winning the continental competition for the first time since 1960. Last Friday however, Huh finally confirmed that he was vacating the hotseat. "I'm out of competition for the job," he told reporters in Seoul. "I've reached this early decision so the KFA won't have much burden in choosing the next national team coach." "It's not exactly resignation because my contract expired at the end of the Korean World Cup campaign," he said. "I'm content with what the national team has achieved this time. Now I would like some time to recharge with my family." It was not easy for the braver of his relatives who read some of the criticism that came Huh’s way during the early stages of qualification and then a shock 3-0 loss against China in February –the first time ever that Korea had lost to its giant neighbor. Overall though, Huh will be remembered well. After the slow start, the team picked up and qualified smoothly for the World Cup despite being placed in a tough group. Then the World Cup itself was a success with Korean players such as Park Chu-young, Park Ji-sung and Lee Chung-yong winning plaudits in the international media. Huh also demonstrated that going local can pay dividends. There may have been concern within the KFA a couple of years ago at the way things were going but the body stuck with its coach and was rewarded with a place in the second round. Financially the World Cup is very important to the KFA and doing well just increases those benefits. The same can be said of the fact that this success wasn’t achieved by a big-name highly-paid foreign coach but by the man who was taken from K-League club Chunnam Dragons. Huh’s success is going to make it more likely the next man is Korean. The KFA’s international committee deals with such matters and meets on Wednesday for initial discussions. As usual in these matters, the media has got there first. Hong Myong-bo, the captain of the 2002 team that reached the semifinals would be a popular choice but the ‘eternal libero’ is in charge of the 2012 London Olympics challenge, has never coached a club team and has already said ‘thanks but no thanks.’ There are few other options that spring to mind. Kim Hak-bom enjoyed success with Seongnam Ilhwa before stepping down in December 2008 and he is available and has experience of winning the K-League. Huh’s assistant Jung Hae-sung is also in the frame. Others, both domestic and foreign will be added over the coming days and weeks. Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters World Cup football

South Korea may have been brought back down to earth by Argentina on Thursday but a place in the second round is very much a possibility. If Argentina defeat Greece, the team Korea defeated 2-0 in the Group B opener, in Polokwane on Tuesday, then a draw against Nigeria a long way to the south in Durban would be enough. It is going to be a tense evening but hopefully it will end better than a chilly Thursday afternoon in Soweto when Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain scored three to help Argentina to a 4-1 victory. Two goals early in the first half and two late in the second gave the South Americans the win. The star of the show was Lionel Messi, the world’s number one player who had a hand in almost everything good that Argentina did. The good news is that Nigeria don’t have such a player. The bad news is that if, though it seems unlikely, Greece were to defeat Argentina, then even a win may not be enough for the Taeguk Warriors. The late goals conceded negated and then reversed Korea’s goal difference and even Nigeria, after two defeats in two, could finished secodn with a win over Korea. Coach Huh Jung-moo will be doing bis best to make sure that doesn't happen. He has the chance to write his name in the Korean history books by leading the team into last sixteen. After switching from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1 for the Argentina defeat, Huh will likely switch back for Nigeria and Lee Dong-gook is set to make his first start in the tournament after recovering from a hamstring injury. Lee will partner Park Chu-young in attack, replacing the ineffective Yeom Ki-hun. In 2002, Korea needed just a draw in their final group game against Portugal to move into the second round and did more than that and won 1-0. Four years ago, the team needed to defeat Switzerland but instead lost 2-0. Captain Park Ji-sung is hoping that it doesn’t all come down to goal difference. "It could be a problem but we won't think about drawing or losing [against Nigeria]," the South Korea captain said. "We will just focus on winning the game. "They've got a strong team, African teams are individually strong and fast, but we know how to deal with African teams and we will just prepare perfectly for the next game." Park played centrally against Argentina and had a quiet game, failing to get much change out of Javier Mascherano going forward while trying to keep an eye on Messi. "Our players aren't disappointed or discouraged from the loss to Argentina," said Huh. "We will prepare thoroughly as our third match against Nigeria will be the final showdown in the group stage." "We won't go out on the field aiming for a draw," added Huh. "It will be a difficult match but we will play a winning game." Nigeria will be without the suspended Sani Kaita after a sending off in their 2-1 loss to Greece that followed an opening match loss to Argentina. Coach Huh thinks he has spotted some weaknesses. "As seen in the case of Sani Kaita who was sent off the field, we need to put pressure on the Nigerians so that they become agitated and lose their temper," added Huh. "We cannot allow them to play freely on the field." It is time for the Korean team to stand up. The Greece win and performance impressed the world. The loss to Argentina was a setback but if South Korea can defeat the hitherto pointless Nigerians and reach the second round with six points then it is history made, mission accomplished and then time to have fun in the knockout stage. Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters World Cup football

There is nothing like the World Cup for getting a country excited. These days in South Korea it is hard to see a television commercial that isn’t footy-related. While it is debatable as to how much the nation really loves the beautiful game, it has to be said that when it comes to the national team taking on the world, few can rival the passion of the Korean fans. Such passion is matched in South Africa. On arrival at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo airport in mid-week, the arrivals gate was full of fans from Honduras and Mexico who had just landed. It was a pleasant reminder that the whole world really can’t wait for the action to start when South Africa takes on Mexico at the amazing Soccer City Stadium in Soweto. 95,000 fans will make quite an atmosphere. Less than 24 hours later however, the attention of the world will join that of Asia and South Korea and fix its gaze upon Port Elizabeth. The Taeguk Warriors are the first from the continent to do battle in Africa and must face Greece. It is being billed as a must-win match. Both teams think that three points from the opening match will open the way to the second round. South Korea, semifinalist in 2002, has never survived the first round in six previous attempts on foreign soil. This campaign with matches against Greece, Argentina and Nigeria offers the best chance yet. Four years ago, the team came close under Dick Advocaat. In Germany, South Korea collected four points from the three matches, a tally that would have been enough in some groups but not the one that mattered. This team looks superior to the 2006 version with young stars such as Lee Chung-yong, Ki Sung-youg and Park Chu-young already playing in Europe and ready to offer their speed and skill along side experienced stars such as Manchester United’s Park Ji-sung and well-travelled defenders such as Lee Young-pyo and Cha Du-ri. The game with Greece is not the be all and end all. A win doesn’t guarantee a place in the next round, Korea know this better than anyone else after failing to progress in Germany despite an opening match victory over Togo, and failing to win is not the end of the dream. France collected just two points from its first two matches in 2006 and still made the final. What defeat does however is pile on the already significant pressure and leaves no room for error. A draw would not be a disaster but the time has gone when Korea would have been satisfied with a such a result against a middling European team. This is a new generation and is battle-hardened and confident. South Korea will be looking to beat the Greeks on Saturday to put itself in the position where it can watch the match between Argentina and Nigeria later the same day in a comfortable position. Greece feel the same. "As everybody knows, the first match is the crunch match," said defender Nikos Spiropoulos. "It's essential to get a winning result. We will have to deal with a very disciplined team. I hope that on Saturday we'll be as fit as possible to achieve that goal." “We know we have a key game against South Korea,” agrees midfielder Christos Patsatzoglou. “If we win, we are in a position to try to qualify for the next round. It's very important not to lose, everybody knows that." "Park Ji-sung is definitely their top player," he said. "We've seen lots of DVDs of South Korea, but not only of Park in action. All their players are good and work well as a team. It's important for us to be focused and get the win." Greece are without defender Vangelis Moras thanks to an ankle injury while the major injury doubt for Korea is Lee Dong-gook. The striker has recovered from a hamstring injury more quickly than coach Huh expected though won’t start. "Lee has improved a lot,” Huh said. “He may even play a little during the group opener with Greece.” There are other issues to be resolved. With veteran goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae keep his place between the sticks despite a relative lack of form in 2010? Or will the much younger and lither Jung Sung-ryeong don the gloves? Who will partner Park Chu-young in attack assuming that coach Huh plays 4-4-2? Yeom Ki-hun of Suwon Bluewings looks likeliest to get the nod. But we shall see the answers to those questions, and much more, on Saturday. Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters World Cup football

On a surprisingly warm and humid mid-May Monday morning, the South Korean national team players were taking it easy at Paju National Football Center, around 40 kilometres north of Seoul. Most were reading the newspapers, ones that had front pages covered with the same picture, that of Lee Sung-ryeol and Lee Chung-yong celebrating. Both players scored the previous evening in a 2-0 win over Ecuador that started the final phase of preparations for the 2010 World Cup on a high. It wasn’t a vintage performance but as it marked the first time the European-based players had joined up with the local lads since October 2009, nobody expected an instant clicking together. Ecuador didn’t bring its European-based stars and while the South Americans defended fairly robustly, they didn’t trouble the host too much at the other end of the field. Some were happier than others. Lee Sung-ryeol had just been introduced as a substitute in the second half when he scored a fine goal. The 21 year-old FC Seoul striker twisted past two yellow-shirted defenders on the edge of the area. With that shot, the fresh-faced forward probably booked his place on the plane for South Africa but four of his team-mates were not been so lucky. The mood at Paju seemed relaxed but the unlucky quartet was told on Monday afternoon that their dreams of World Cup glory were over and they would not be part of the twenty-three that will make the final trip to play against Greece in Port Elizabeth on June 12, Argentina in Soweto on June 17 and Nigeria down in Durban on June 22. At the end of April, Huh named a preliminary roster of 30, That was reduced to 26 on Monday. Defenders Hwang Jae-won and Kang Min-soo didn’t make the cut while midfielders Kim Chi-woo and, a little surprisingly, Cho Won-hee fell by the wayside. These drip-drip tactics are not the norm and can be cruel for the players. Three more will have their dreams dashed right at the end when Huh names his final 23 on May 31 but for now, all are happy as they head to Japan for a final warm-up before leaving Asia. Next Monday’s match in Saitama is a big one for both teams. Talking to Park Ji-sung just before training, he admitted that there was no such thing as a ‘friendly’ match between the two nations. The game has been criticized by sections of the Japanese and Korea press. This thinking goes that two big rivals meeting just before the World Cup is a recipe for injuries. The Manchester United man however said that it was the best chance for the team to sample competitive football before the big event starts. This time however, it is the Japanese who are more desperate to win than its long-time rival. 2010 has seen a number of poor results at home for the Samurai Blue not least a 3-1 defeat at the hands of South Korea in Tokyo in February. I was present in Osaka in April as a reserve Serbia team won 3-0 to cause a crescendo of jeers to be heard around the Nagai Stadium. The earlier Korea defeat was when both teams were shorn of their European-based stars. This time will be very different. Japan really will not want to suffer another setback just before it leaves. A third consecutive defeat at home would be tough to take and with the team preparing for a tough World Cup group against the Netherlands, Denmark and Cameroon, confidence would be rocked. Korea always love to win these games but a defeat wouldn’t be a disaster in terms of the bigger picture however much it may rankle in Seoul. Three comfortable wins – over Japan, Ivory Coast and Ecuador – have the players feeling good. Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com Tags World Cup Pens World Cup football

The first frissons of fever could be felt last Friday – World Cup fever. The 2010 tournament is just six weeks away but outside the host nation of South Africa, the billions of fans of the global game just can’t quite seem to get into the swing of things. That is especially true in East Asia. Just a week ago, former chief of the Japan Football Association Saburo Kawabuchi was giving his reasons why the Land of the Rising Sun has still not woken up to the 2010 World Cup. ”The reason there is no excitement is Japan hasn’t played well. It’s important the team shows some confidence in their final tuneup games,” the well-respected administrator told local media. South Korea doesn’t have the same problem with regard to national team performances but the distance and the fact that - as they don’t have broadcasting rights to the tournament- television stations KBS and MBC are trying to pretend that it isn’t happening, have not yet injected much excitement into the Land of the Morning Calm. That all changed on Friday when head coach Huh Jung-moo named a preliminary squad of 30. This isn’t, in itself, a huge deal as there is a big difference between 30 and the final number of 23 that will actually go to South Africa. Huh has the rest of May to weed out the unlucky seven. Drama was in short supply as were shocks. All have appeared in the red shirt before, most of them a good number of times. All 23 players who were summoned to play against Ivory Coast in a March 3 warm-up in London, a game that went 2-0 to Huh’s men, are included again. The others are those returning from injury and/or bad form. As you would expect so close to the big event, coach Huh was sounding bullish without going overboard. "We do have our weaknesses,” Huh said in Seoul. “But in every game, my players are full of passion and have a fighter's spirit. Our determination to win, our desire for success and coherence as a team is second to none in the world. You can easily break a single branch, but when it's a bundle of ten, it's a different story." “I selected the 30 players by comprehensively considering their personal skills, ability to understand tactics, and physical and mental conditions. They must exercise and play games with a sense of pride as representatives of South Korea from now on The talking point perhaps was the exclusion of Seol Ki-hyeon. The veteran of 2002 and 2006 has not made the cut because he is still recovering from a knee operation and has not played for new club Pohang Steelers since returning from England in the winter. "Seol hasn't been included because he hasn't played and hasn't trained,” said Huh. "Of course, it is regrettable for the players who haven't made the squad but those 30 players have the opportunity to play a big part for the national team." There is still time for more injures. There are two games left in the K-League before the summer break and one in the European leagues. The domestic-based stars will get together on May 10 to start the first training camp. Then comes the first home game this year so far and the only one before the World Cup when Ecuador provides the opposition in a warm-up at Seoul World Cup stadium on May 16. A full house is expected for that match, a one and only chance to see the boys and wish them luck before they head to Saitama and a May 24 test against fellow qualifiers Japan. The very next day comes a rather longer flight to Austria and another training camp. Two more games take place under the Alpine skies, the first against Belarus and the second against European champion Spain in Innsbruck on June 3. Then it is down to the southern tip of Africa and Port Elizabeth and the Nelson Mandela Stadium where Greece will be waiting on June 12. Goalkeepers: Kim Young-Kwang (Ulsan) Lee Woon-Jae (Suwon) Jung Sung-Ryong (Seongnam) Defenders: Kang Min-Soo (Suwon) Kwak Tae-Hwi (Kyoto, Japan) Kim Dong-Jin (Ulsan) Kim Hyung-Il (Pohang) Oh Beom-Seok (Ulsan) Lee Young-Pyo (Al Hilal, Saudi Arabia) Lee Jung-Soo (Kashima, Japan) Hwang Jae-Won (Pohang) Cho Won-Hee (Wigan, England - loaned to Suwon) Cha Du-Ri (SC Freiburg Germany) Cho Yong-Hyung (Jeju United) Midfielders: Koo Ja-Cheol (Jeju UTD) Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic, Scotland) Kim Bo-Kyung (Oita Japan) Kim Nam-Il (Tom Tomsk-Russia) Shin Hyung-Min (Pohang) Kim Jae-Sung (Pohang) Kim Jung-Woo (Gwangju), Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton, England) Kim Chi-Woo (Seoul) Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United England) Forwards: Park Chu-Young (AS Monaco France) Ahn Jung-Hwan (Dalian China) Lee Seung-Ryul ( Seoul) Yeom Ki-Hun (Suwon) Lee Keun-Ho (Jubilo Iwata (Japan) Lee Dong-Guk (Jeonbuk) Tags World Cup Pens World Cup football

The World Cup is always exciting but for fans of South Korea, June 2010 is going to be fascinating. If being in a group with South American powerhouse Argentina, 2004 European champions Greece and African giant Nigeria wasn’t exciting enough, there could be some familiar faces around this summer. Pim Verbeek is one. The Dutchman was the assistant coach at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and then took the helm in July 2006 for a period of one year during which he led South Korea to third place at the 2007 Asian Cup. As soon as the competition finished, so did Verbeek’s time in the Land of the Morning Calm and he resigned. A few months later, he surfaced in Australia, after Dick Advocaat, South Korea’s 2006 World Cup boss, refused the job, Verbeek took charge. Charged with leading the Socceroos to South Africa, the laconic European did just that. Australia strolled through qualification and finds itself in a tough-looking group with European heavyweight Germany, talented Ghana and a tough-looking Serbian team. Such a line-up reads slightly scarier than the one at the Asian Cup which involved Indonesia, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia but Verbeek is feeling confident. “I can honestly say there was one word that shot through my mind when we came out in a group with Germany – great!” He wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald. "It's the second-toughest group overall, I'm sure about that. But when the stakes are so high, we'll be up for a fight. Germany are very strong…Over the years they have shown how successful you can be with a team that works together. "Ghana are playing on their home continent but that's a double-edged sword. They will have support for sure, but as with Germany will also face pressure to live up to the fans' expectations. We beat them last year in a friendly in Sydney, though neither side was at its strongest. Serbia will be quick but also strong.” Verbeek will always have a special place in the hearts of South Korean fans. As well as his time in charge of the national team, he will be remembered as an assistant to Guus Hiddink in 2002. Hiddink took Australia to the 2006 World Cup and after subsequent spells with the Russian national team and a temporary job in charge of London club Chelsea, it looked for a time as if the man, who was granted honorary citizenship of Korea after his exploits with the Taeguk Warriors, was going to be at the 2010 World Cup. The well-travelled tactician takes the Turkey job in August, leaving a window of opportunity to take the vacant Ivory Coast position though he has since ruled himself out. It would have made for an even more fascinating Group G. The talented Africans, defeated 2-0 by South Korea in a recent warm-up in London, have been placed in a group with Brazil, Portugal and North Korea. South Korean fans were already looking forward to seeing how their northern neighbors perform in such a tough environment but the addition of Hiddink into the mix would have been the egg on the top of that particular bi-bim-bap. Hiddink was also in the frame for the Nigeria job that was vacant until earlier this month. He didn’t get it but one of his predecessors in Seoul definitely wanted it. Jo Bonfrere arrived in South Korea in June 2004, took the team through qualification for the World Cup before resigning in August 2005. As the man with past experience with Nigeria, he led the team to the gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics; the Dutchman was desperate for the chance to finally go to the World Cup. "I know your players very well,” he said last month. "The players have confidence in me, I also have confidence in them, I know what it takes to build a good team for Nigeria, I only needs time for training," he said. "I always say that Nigeria can beat any team in the world. But you have to build a team to achieve this. There is no problem of players, the players are there, what is needed is just time to build a team. If you give me the job on time, I will build a team that will reach the final of the World Cup in South Africa," he added. Bonfrere’s predecessor Humberto Coelho, who resigned in May 2003, was also very close to South Africa. He led Tunisia through qualification to the stage where the Carthage Eagles needed just to win their last game in Mozambique to make it to the 2010 World Cup. Tunisia lost and Coelho was out of a job. Another former South Korean assistant coach Afshin Ghotbi is now coach of Iran’s national team and came very close to qualifying for South Africa. If only all had made it. It would have been a Korean reunion like no other! Tags Soccer News football

Wednesday is the biggest day in terms of the 2010 World Cup since the draw for the tournament was made on December 4 in Cape Town. 26 of the 32 teams that will do battle in South Africa in June are involved with preparation matches, many of which face each other. South Korea are no exception and take on fellow qualifiers Ivory Coast in London. The English capital is becoming a second home for the Taeguk Warriors. Not only is it a convenient base for coach Huh Jung-moo’s European stars, the big-name European and African teams are happier to play South Korea in London than make the long journey to East Asia. Ivory Coast is considered to be the strongest of the African contingent at the World Cup which starts in June – the so-called ‘six-pack’. Didier Drogba is considered to be the best African striker and one of the best in the world. That is another benefit of playing in London. Such stars are less likely to pick up mysterious injuries and pull out of exhibition games in far-flung locales. This is often to the relief, or, if you are cynical, due to the suggestion of club coaches who don’t want their best players travelling around the world at a crucial stage of the domestic season. For Drogba, it won’t be a problem. He plays his club football for West London club Chelsea. Ivory Coast meets Korea just down the road from Chelsea’s stadium at the compact Loftus Road home of Queens Park Rangers. Much attention in Seoul will be focused on how Korea’s delicate defense copes with the powerful Ivorian. A 3-0 defeat at the hands of China last month saw coach Huh Jung-moo blasted by fans after a chaotic performance at the back. Huh has selected largely the same defenders for the much tougher test on offer on Wednesday and the likes of Cho Yong-hyong and Kwak Tae-hwi have much to prove. Kang Min-soo is spared the test as he is injured. A good performance against Drogba will go a long way to silencing their critics but it may not silence the rest of the ‘Elephants’. Drogba’s Chelsea team-mate Salomon Kalou needs to be watched though the tricky Gervinho is injured. Elsewhere in the ranks, the African team boasts players who play for the likes of Arsenal, Sevilla, Manchester City, Stuttgart and world and European champions Barcelona. Korea is not without European stars. Park Ji-sung of Manchester United will captain the team and will line up with Bolton Wanderers winger Lee Chung-yong and Celtic’s Ki Sung-yong. AS Monaco striker Park Chu-young, who has been in fine form this season and has established himself as one of the leading attackers in the French league, is injured. As expected, Huh called 2002 and 2006 hero Ahn Jung-hwan . The striker, now 34, hasn’t featured for the national team since June 2008 but is now back in the national team set-up. “Ahn Jung-hwan has the experience and ability we need and performed well in the past two World Cups,” Huh said as the squad was announced last week. “I think he’s capable of making an impact for the team even if he plays for a short period of time on the pitch.” “With the World Cup in South Africa around the corner, I chose the players in their best form at the moment,” Huh explained. “Although there are other factors like injury and in some positions, I picked most competitive players ahead of the Finals.” For both teams, the attractions of playing each other are obvious. Ivory Coast has been placed in ‘The Group of Death’ in South Africa. This may mean tough tests against Brazil and Portugal but it also means a game against North Korea that must be won if a place is to be had in the second round. The African team assumes, not unreasonably, that the best way to practice playing against North Korea is to play against South Korea. For coach Huh, it is all about Nigeria. South Korea has tended to struggle against powerful and skilful African teams in the past and none fits that description better than Ivory Coast. Nigeria is the last team that South Korea faces after Greece and Argentina. It could be a crucial game in Durban and it is one that could be influenced by what happens in London on Wednesday evening. Tags Soccer News football

It has started. Nobody is quite sure exactly when and where but the debate about whether Ahn Jung-hwan should play at the 2010 World Cup is well and truly underway. The striker, now 34, was the hero of the 2002 competition when South Korea made it to the semifinals, scored the winning goal in 2006 to give his country a first-ever overseas victory at the world’s biggest tournament and, now, he could be on course for a third consecutive appearance. He is about to return to the national team set-up for the first time in 20 months for March's friendly with Ivory Coast in London. Ahn's name featured in headlines around the world in that golden summer almost eight years ago. Just hours after scoring the goal that sent South Korea into the last eight of the World Cup and eliminated the much-fancied Italian national team, Ahn was fired from his Italian club team of Perugia. His header had greatly upset his club’s owner Luciano Gaucci. “He was a phenomenon only when he played against Italy. I am a nationalist and I regard such behavior not only as an affront to Italian pride but also an offense to a country which two years ago opened its doors to him," Gaucci told the Italian media. "I have no intention of paying a salary to someone who has ruined Italian soccer.” Unsurprisingly, Ahn left Italy in the summer of 2002. Since then, he has been something of a journeyman. He headed to Japan and Shimizu S-Pulse and Yokohama F Marinos. After those two successful spells, he has struggled to find the net. First he tried in France and FC Metz, Germany and MSV Duisberg and eventually returned home to Suwon Bluewings and then Busan I’Park. The ‘Lord of the Ring’ (nicknamed so for his goalscoring celebration that involved kissing his wedding ring) went to China last year to play for Dalian Shide. After a tough start in the chilly northern port city, he enjoyed a reasonable season. He is now being talked about in the terms of a World Cup ‘joker’, a player who could be introduced late into a game with the intention of making a big impact in a short time. Ahn’s winning goal against Togo in 2006 was his third World Cup goal, more than any of his compatriots have ever managed on the world stage. Those memories linger long. The thought of the wavy-haired striker doing so one more time against Argentina, Nigeria and Greece, has his fans excited. The player is keeping his feet on the ground. "Until now, I haven't thought about it," he told Ilgan Sports earlier this month. "But it will be an honour if I am selected. I am happy if the coach thinks that I am a player that the national team needs. "All football players want to play at the World Cup but the results of the national team have been good and I have hardly thought about going to the World Cup. There are many better players than me. I will just keep doing my best." The excitement was ratcheted up a notch late last week as he scored a goal in a friendly game between Dalian and K-League club Gangwon FC. The header was witnessed by South Korea’s assistant coach Jung Hae-sung. He had been dispatched by head coach Huh Jung-moo to check on the Chinese-based hitman. “I was very impressed with his attitude,” Jung was quoted as saying. “He appears to be ready to sacrifice himself for the good of the national team, even though he is a veteran. “He was not 100 per cent fit but still managed to play the full match and score a goal. His movement around the box could improve but overall he put on a good performance.” Huh said in January that he was keeping his, or at least Jung’s, eyes on Ahn and that the door is always open. The big test comes when the squad is named for the Ivory Coast match and according to the Korean media, the KFA have requested to Dalian that Ahn be made available. The Lord of the Ring looks like he may have the chance to complete his World Cup trilogy. Tags Soccer News football

It has been a roller-coaster week for South Korean football. The final week of the Year of the Cow started well, the hump was very difficult to get over but the first day of the Year of the Tiger brought a smile to a nation returning home after the holidays. The East Asian championships provide three games in quick succession. The biennial tournament held in Tokyo this time, started with an easy 5-0 victory over Hong Kong, continued with a much-lamented 3-0 loss at the hands of China but ended with an entertaining 3-1 win against old rivals Japan in the backyard of the Blue Samurai – the packed National Stadium. The Hong Kong thrashing was expected but the defeat against China was hard to swallow. Since the two teams first met back in 1978, South Korea had never lost to its giant neighbor to the west. In 27 games, Korea had won 16 and drawn 11. That is some hoodoo. So much so that the Chinese media came up with the concept of 'Koreaphobia’ to try and explain the problem. But there was no such burden for the Chinese in Tokyo. Yu Hai headed his team in front after five minutes after being given the freedom of the penalty area, Gao Lin took advantage of a schoolboy error from Kwak Tae-hwi midway through the half to extend China’s lead and then, Deng Zhuoxiang scored an impressive third in the second half, dancing round desperate challenges from the Korean defense. The Chinese media was jubilant. Korean netizens, never slow to form opinions and never shy to express them, were disconsolate. The name ‘Hiddink’ could be heard above the din as a replacement should Huh get the boot. The general consensus though was that, with less than four months before the World Cup is due to start, the time for experimenting was over and that, above all, it was time to get the backline sorted out. For all three Chinese goals were preventable. Such games occur now and again to any team but coming after two years after of unconvincing defending, it was almost the straw that broke the camel’s back. Huh’s words at the time didn’t make anyone feel better. "That unbeaten record had to end one day," Huh told reporters. "But we had a few players come into the side who weren't in tune with the way we play. "I'm not afraid. We have to accept the result against China, analyse our mistakes and fix them in time for the Japan game." Japan had problems of its own. A pre-tournament 0-0 draw with Venezuela was followed by a similar stalemate against China. That game saw the team jeered off the field by fans in Tokyo. Japan coach Takeshi Okada insisted his team was improving but losing 3-1 against a young and fairly inexperienced Korean team means that he will be in for a tough few weeks in the build-up to the World Cup. It has already started and Okada was forced to declare that he was not going anywhere. "As I've said before, me and the coaching staff are under contract with the [Japan Football Association] whether we win or lose. It's up to the president and the technical committee to decide my place here. "I have no intention of bailing out on my players as long as they are behind me." Huh will now be fine. It wasn’t a pretty win in Tokyo but it was an effective one. It also showed character as the young Taeguk Warriors fell a goal behind to a Yasuhito Endo penalty in the first half. By half-time however, the reds were ahead thanks to a Lee Dong-gook penalty and a deflected shot from young FC Seoul star Lee Sung-ryeol. Late in the game Kim Sung-jae won the game with a fine strike from outside the area. The win meant that Korea finished second behind China. " We didn’t achieve our objective of winning the competition so I apologize to the fans,” said Huh. “We may have some difficulties at the moment as we are trying out lots of players. We are discovering some good domestic-based players but I can’t say who. We will watch them in the K-League and then decide.” Tags Soccer News football

It is almost two years since the South Korean national team last ventured outside the borders of Asia. This weekend sees the Taeguk Warriors in Europe for the first of two 2010 World Cup warm-up matches against tough opposition. Saturday sees the team in Denmark and then four days later; Huh Jung-moo takes his players west to London to face Serbia. London was the last non-Asian city to see South Korea in action. In February 2007, a Lee Chun-soo free-kick gave his team a 1-0 win over then-European champions Greece. Before the return to the English capital and Fulham FC’s stadium Craven Cottage, there is the match in the Danish city of Esbjerg. The Scandinavians surprised a few observers by winning their 2010 qualification group ahead of Portugal and bitter rivals Sweden. Well-organized and hard to beat, the Danes will give the visitors a thorough examination. The two teams last met ahead of the 2006 World Cup in Hong Kong when the Europeans deservedly won 3-1. This is a different Korean team now though. The 2002 World Cup semifinalists have gone 26 games unbeaten. The roster for these two matches contained few surprises though eyebrows (and perhaps Scottish blood pressure) were raised at the inclusion of Park Ji-sung. Of course, all agree that the captain should usually be the first name on the teamsheet but the sticking point is that Park is supposedly injured. The 28 year-old has not pulled on the famous red shirt since returning from national team duty against Senegal on October 10. A knee problem has prevented appearances and just three days after club boss Alex Ferguson was telling reporters that Park needed two more weeks to recover, coach Huh was summoning the player. The Korean media suggested that Huh may have upset the fiery Scot. "I did not discuss this issue with Ferguson, but I did have a good talk with Park," Huh said at a press conference in Seoul last Monday. "In this case, the most important opinion is that of the player's not his coach. Clubs should not interfere in national team selection. Park is participating in full training at United, so I don't understand why Ferguson would try to stop him from joining us." Park will join his compatriot Bolton Wanderers’ Lee Chung-yong. Lee has made an impressive start to his English Premier League career and is full of confidence. He will need to be against a Denmark team that contains players from the Danish league as well as England, Germany and Italy. While results are not hugely important in these games, a tie or a win would be welcomed. The same applies to Serbia. The match in London takes place not far away from the city’s ‘Koreatown’ and there will be a good deal of support for the East Asians. The Balkan boys struggled at the 2006 World Cup, coached by Ilja Petkovic the current boss of Incheon United, but this vintage looks much better. Despite being grouped with 2006 finalists, France, Serbia cruised through qualification and with players such as Nemanja Vidic of Manchester United and Inter Milan’s Dejan Stankovic, the team, just four days after taking on Northern Ireland, will present a tough test to South Korea. "Northern Ireland and South Korea have very contrasting styles and the matches with them will be a good opportunity for my players to keep learning and adapt to all kinds of tactics,” said Serbia coach Radomir Antic. The same could be said for South Korea. Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com Tags Soccer News football