"No visible plan to attack": South Korea legend Ji-Sung not optimistic of team's chances, draws comparisons with 2014 disaster
Guadalupe, June 25
Former South Korea legend Park Ji-Sung criticised the team after their loss in the FIFA World Cup clash against South Africa, saying that there has been "no visible plan to attack" and drew comparisons with their 2014 campaign, which saw them bow out without a win.
South Korea suffered their second loss of the tournament against South Africa, following which they are not in contention for a direct qualification to the round of 32. The eight best-ranked third-placed teams will get a berth in the round of 32, and this remains South Korea's only hope till the group stage is concluded. While with a win, they are in contention for a spot in the round of 32, nothing can be guaranteed, as the tables could change by the time the team group stage ends.
Korea started with their skipper Son Heung-min on the bench, and when he came to the field, he could record only 29 touches in his side's 1-0 loss. Park does not have much hope, saying on TV commentary as quoted by Reuters, "We need to reflect on whether this was overall a game we tried to win."
"There was no visible plan for how to attack. This problem has been the same throughout this World Cup. It seems there were clearly some areas that were neglected during the preparation process," he said.
Despite starting with a win over Czechia, narrow losses against Mexico and South Africa have caused their WC campaign to run into trouble. These poor performances have reminded the 2002 semifinalist Park of the disastrous 2014 campaign, where they managed a draw and two losses.
"We had plenty of time to reflect on what went wrong at the 2014 World Cup," said Park.
"But this time again, the preparation process and the results look like a repeat of that time. Even if the possibility of reaching the round of 32 still remains, I am not confident that we can show a good performance on that stage with the current level of play," he signed off.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm from Australia but living in India now, and I have to say, Park Ji-Sung's criticism is spot on. South Korea looked so disjointed against South Africa. Benching Son was a huge gamble that backfired. Reminds me of some Asian teams' struggles at the World Cup.
Ye to bada disappointing hai yaar. South Korea is one of Asia's best teams, and seeing them struggle like this is hard. Park Ji-Sung's comparison to 2014 is a wake-up call. They need a proper attacking structure, not just relying on Son. Hopefully, they can regroup.
Respectful criticism here: The Korean coach made a tactical error benching Son. Park Ji-Sung is right—there's no cohesive attack. But I also think the players need to step up. Can't always depend on one star. Let's see if they can pull off a miracle.
As an Indian football fan, I feel for South Korea. They've inspired so many Asian teams over the years. But Park Ji-Sung's honesty is needed. Without a clear plan, even the best players can't perform. Korea needs a tactical overhaul before it's too late.
Bro, this is classic Asian team problem—no backup plan when the star player is off. Park Ji-Sung is bang on about the lack of attack. Even South Africa defended well, but Korea's build-up play was so slow. 2014 repeat vibes indeed.
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