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BUSAN: South Korea’s
footballers will be hoping that a wave of World Cup-style euphoria can
sweep them to glory when they launch their quest for Asian Games gold here
Friday.
Three months ago the Koreans surged into the semi-finals of the World Cup
- beating the likes of Portugal, Italy and Spain along the way - fuelled
by a potent cocktail of pride and widespread patriotic fervour. Now
Korea’s under-23 side have set their sights on repeating the senior team’s
rollercoaster ride in the Asian Games’ 24-team tournament, which kicks off
here Friday two days before the formal opening of the 14th Asiad.
Korea start their campaign with a handful of players who featured in the
World Cup, including attacking revelation Park Ji-Sung, scorer of a
fantastic winner against Portugal, Lee Young-Pyo and Lee Woon-Jae. Add to
that a fit-again Lee Dong-gook - one of the best strikers in Asia who
missed out on the World Cup - and it’s no wonder Korea are approaching the
tournament with hopes high.
But arguably the most vital ingredient of Korea’s World Cup oydssey -
Dutch coach Guus Hiddink - will be missing. Hiddink, who stepped down in
July, has been replaced by Park Hang-Seo. “Our goal is naturally winning
the Asiad. We will do our best to meet people’s expectations,” said Park.
The last time the Asian Games came to South Korea, in 1986, South Korea
won, and Park admitted to feeling pressure. “We made it to the last four
in the World Cup so it seems natural to win the Asiad,” Park said. “I feel
heavy in my heart because of those high expectations.” Park may be
fretting unnecessarily if the squads of Korea’s main rivals are anything
to go by. Both China and Japan have sent young teams with an eye on the
2004 Olympics. “South Korea and other countries, aiming for gold, are
sending quite formidable players to form what may all but resemble
national A teams,” Japan’s Asiad football coach Masakuni Yamamoto said.
“This tournament is strictly part of our preparations for the Athens
Olympics. Regardless of the result, we want to build up a team on a solid
basis,” he said. From the west Asian region, defending champions Iran
meanwhile need to overcome infighting within the squad if they are to
have a chance of repeating their 1998 triumph.
One departing official warned of forces in Iran who have “mobilised
to destroy the national team and soccer.” Iran’s star forward Ali
Karimi is struggling to deal with some stinging criticism of his
performances in the recently concluded West Asian championships in
Damascus.
Karimi, a reluctant captain for that tournament, wants to make amends. “I
was the captain unwillingly in the games. I accept that I did not play
well in Syria and I am sorry. I promise to make up for this if I play in
the Busan tournament.” Outside of Asia’s traditional powers, most interest
is likely to focus on two teams making returns from a lengthy exile from
tournament football - North Korea and Afghanistan.
Afghanistan, who last played a competitve match in 1984, open Group E
against Iran on Saturday and will face further games against Qatar
and Lebanon. “We have been in the football wilderness for 20 years and we
are eager to make a quick impact,” the Afghan FA President Abdul Alim
Kohistani said recently.
North Korea’s participation is further evidence of warming ties between
the Stalinist state’s government and its regional neighbours. Coach Ri
Jong-Man believes the North Koreans can give a good account of themselves.
“Many North Korean players were young and inexperienced when I took over
but they are now strong, producing good results,” Ri said after his team
drew 0-0 with South Korea in a landmark friendly earlier this month. —AFP
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