South Korea’s Coach Tests New Defense Ahead of EAFF Tournament

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s head coach Hong Myung-bo announced on Sunday that he will utilize the upcoming East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship to evaluate new talent in defense. The tournament, which starts on Monday, features matches against China, Hong Kong, and Japan.

Since the EAFF event is not part of FIFA‘s official international match calendar, clubs were not required to release their players. As a result, Hong has assembled a squad heavily reliant on domestic league talent, with 23 of the 26 players coming from K League 1.

At a press conference before the tournament, Hong emphasized the importance of testing new players, especially with the FIFA World Cup less than a year away. “I’ve selected some young players who have a chance to play at the World Cup next year,” he stated from Yongin Mireu Stadium, which will host all three of South Korea’s matches. He believes the tournament will provide valuable growth opportunities for the new defenders.

Among the ten defenders selected, five have never played for the senior national team. Vice captain Park Jin-seob, 29, expressed the team’s commitment to seizing this chance. “Our objective is to win every match and win the trophy,” Park said.

South Korea is currently ranked 23rd in the FIFA rankings, behind Japan, which sits at 15th. Hong pointed out that every match will be challenging. “This will not be an easy tournament for us, but we will try to overcome our challenges and deliver good results,” he said.

Japan, under head coach Hajime Moriyasu, is also adjusting its roster but shares a similar objective. He stated, “We will play each match to win. The experience in this tournament will make my team and my players better.” Veteran player Yuto Nagatomo, at age 38, aims to mentor younger teammates during the competition.

China’s head coach Dejan Djurdjevic commented on his team’s transition, focusing on building a competitive squad as some veteran players retire. Forward Zhang Yuning highlighted this shift, stating, “Our goal is definitely to reform our team. This is a very good chance to learn each other and to understand what the head coach’s plans are.”

Hong Kong’s coach Ashley Westwood expressed realism about their chances, admitting the team has “nothing to lose” and plans to enjoy the matches against higher-ranked teams. Lee Ka Ho, set for his international debut at 32, emphasized the experience’s importance for future competitions.