The hottest issue in Korean soccer these days is the Korea National Football Association and the Korea Football Association. The 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, which ended early this month, has left a big scar on Korean soccer. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann only pocketed a large amount of penalty after his dismissal, and has since made remarks mocking Korean soccer, saying, “I talked about it as a joke, but I became a coach,” leaving a scar on the hearts of Korean soccer fans. In addition, internal strife within the team, which was known shortly after the semifinal match, has added fuel.
Kim Jin-soo, the starting full-back of Jeonbuk Hyundai and the undisputed national team, feels uncomfortable whenever he hears the news of the soccer world pouring out these days. He has been constantly called to the national team by the Klinsman team and played in the Asian Cup, although he has only a few minutes to play, but he is now enduring more than anyone else to discuss various debates surrounding the national team. He is afraid that his remarks may cause another misunderstanding. However, he did not hide his hope that the current situation will be sorted out as soon as possible and that Korean soccer will get back on track.
Kim Jin-soo met with reporters after the second leg of the round of 16 at the 2023-2024 Asian Champions League (ACL) against the Pohang Steelers at Steel Yard in Pohang on the 20th. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, and Jeonbuk, which won 2-0 in the first round, advanced to the quarterfinals with a combined score of 3-1. “I’m grateful and fortunate to advance to the quarterfinals,” Kim Jin-soo, who reinstated the match first, said. “It was heartbreaking (to lose the FA Cup final match last year). However, I didn’t want to take the loss from today’s game. It’s not a league game, but I still feel good that I won and didn’t lose an away game.”
When asked about the national team issue after the first round at home on the 14th, Kim Jin-soo said, “Ask the association about that.” The same question came out on the same day, and this time, I saw through an article that the association recognized (the internal strife of the national team). So I think it’s right to ask the association about that, he said.
However, he expressed his wish for the national team to become a member of the national team. “Actually, there is nothing I want to say to my juniors and colleagues who I played with,” Kim Jin-soo said. “However, rather than talking about players who are good at soccer or not, I hope that things will be established about the direction in which Korean soccer should proceed in the future. Personally, I think we will find out when the current situation passes.”
With the opening of the K-League less than 10 days away, it is not a good thing for the K-League that all issues in the soccer community are focused on the national team. The K-League, which was a box office hit last year, has various factors including Jesse Lingard, who plays for FC Seoul this year. However, all these factors are buried in the national team. “It is undeniable that the K-League was successful last year, and it is true that it could rise further this year,” said Kim Jin-soo, a K-League player. 노래방알바
At the same time, he stressed once again that he feels a huge responsibility as a player representing Korea and as a veteran. Kim Jin-soo said, “I feel a sense of responsibility as a player representing Korea no matter what the reason is. However, since I was a member of the national team and a veteran, I think I have more responsibility. I feel heavy because I think I have my responsibility as well.”