Is Hong Myungbo making Good Selections?
Written by Michael Welch.
It might seem a little bit too early to say this, but I might like Hong Myungbo as manager of the KNT? He has announced 3 official squads, and with each subsequent squad announcement, I have liked his selections more. It’s a small sample size, but I stand by what I say.
By the way, the picture above is of the most deserving selection of them all, as Kim Bongsoo is someone that our FS contributor Trey has been raving about as a CDM prospect. As you probably know, everyone who is a KNT fan knows we need a new CDM prospect.
With that, let’s dive into the squad and my positive and negative thoughts on it. Below is the KFA’s official squad list (with 1 change I will write in the caption.)
In the goalkeeper selections, Hong Myungbo has shown his depth of knowledge of the K League in his selections. He explained that this would be a positive of his return to the KNT manager role, as he believed he had learned a lot about players in the K League that he didn’t know in his first stint at the 2014 World Cup. These three goalkeepers are all deserving picks for the squad, as they have played key roles in their squad’s success from between the sticks. My problem? They’re all over 30!
Kim is 33 (and helping Gwangju leap to the top of the Asian Champions League Elite group phase table), Lee is 31 (and a reason why Daejeon Hana avoided relegation in the K League), and Jo is 33 (and once again K League 1 champion). I know goalkeepers have longer careers than outfield players, but I just wish that Hong could break the tradition of continuing to have older goalkeepers in the squad.
In defense, the only player that I hate is Jung Seunghyun. I don’t understand how this slow, tall CB keeps getting selected for the national team. Every center-back selected will have to pair with Kim Minjae, whose expansive coverage of space in his defensive style and his ball-carrying nature leaves gaps behind him that can be exploited. Jung absolutely cannot pair with Kim because he cannot cover a space that Kim has left open. He should never see the pitch, and as a result, why is he getting picked?
Other than that, Kwon Kyungwon has veteran experience with Kim, Cho Yumin was great during the October international break, and Lee Gihyuk represents a younger and versatile defender that Trey was happy to see recognized for his strong play at Gangwon this season.
The full-backs selected are becoming recognizable and it is so refreshing that we don’t have to see the names Hong Chul and Lee Yong on the squad list anymore. Seol Youngwoo is an unquestioned starter at this point, whereas Kim Moonhwan represents a veteran return that could be worth starting in one of these matches. Lee Tae-seok is a young left-back whose father is Lee Eulyong, which makes the family the 3rd father-son KNT duo in history (name the other 2 down in the comments). I think Lee Myungjae is serviceable but I would rather see Lee Gihyuk, Lee Taeseok, or Kim Moonhwan start opposite Seol.
In midfield, I truly have to compliment Hong on the abundance of different profiles of players that he selected, with one huge exception. Hong, please stop selecting your veteran deputy Park Yongwoo! Seriously, he doesn’t deserve these calls just because you coached him for years at Ulsan. He was horrid at the Asian Cup (and don’t tell me that was because of Jurgen Klinsmann). Okay, rant over and I’ll get back to the compliment.
Kim Bongsoo is a 24-year-old CDM that Trey rates highly. He represents a physical CDM that could solidify the KNT’s defensive frailties in midfield. It is his first call-up, so he is unlikely to start or make an appearance. However, Hong getting the chance to view his style of play in training should be a good thing for this squad.
Very little needs to be said to add to why Son, Bae Junho, Lee Kangin, Lee Jaesung, and Hwang Inbeom are in this squad. However, talking about versatile options leads us to compliment Hong on the different profiles he selected in Paik Seungho, Hong Hyunseok, Lee Hyunju, and Jeong Wooyeong. Let’s start with Hong.
Hong Hyunseok is now a teammate of Lee Jaesung at Mainz and represents a style of play quite different from the other “starter-level” midfielders in this squad. He’s like a metronome and can slow down a match in a way that could be quite useful off the bench in protecting a lead. Paik has been everywhere for Birmingham City, showing a work rate and vision to create goals that would be useful in competitive matches.
Jeong Wooyeong is quite experienced with this squad and provides the versatility to play both winger positions with his dribbling technique and nose for goal. National team managers like players who have the motor to press opponents from attack, and Jeong is that guy. Finally, Lee Hyunju earning a call-up at just 21 speaks to this Bayern Munich youngster’s talent. He has been a starter for Hannover on loan in the 2.Bundesliga and it will be his technical skills, similar to Lee Kangin and Bae Junho, that he can bring to this squad at a young age.
Hong is starting to assemble a midfield that has the depth and variety that can prove useful at a World Cup where many different game situations will arise. I have to compliment him on that.
Finally, the strikers! We still miss World Cup starlet Cho Guesung to knee rehab, but Oh Hyeongyu is my favorite pick here. Oh is a mentality monster, a streaky player who can be a terror if in form, which he was in October. Players like that, who seem to experience large differences in form based on confidence, are always ones to watch in good and bad ways. They can disappear from matches if out of form (think Ousmane Dembele), but destroy a defense when in form. I am wary of saying that Oh will keep his form from October, but I am glad that the KNT has a striker who is scoring goals and taking the burden away from Son to be our lead goalscorer. Oh Sehun and Joo Minkyu represent solid strikers who represent utilitarian, build-up play that helps the team (very much similar to Cho), but perhaps don’t have the finishing skills that Oh does. I have no problem with their selections, as they have both performed well over the last year in competitive KNT matches.
Here is Trey’s preferred starting XI for this international break, which I endorse strongly!
Here’s the KNT schedule and where to watch the match live:
🇰🇷 v 🇰🇼, 11/14 9 AM EST, OneFootball Stream
🇰🇷 v 🇵🇸, 11/19, 9 AM EST (OneFootball Stream)
We should earn all 6 points in these matches and cement our status at the top of Group A. Daehanminguk Hwaiting!