The coach of the S. Korea of the Désager to test the new defenders of the football tournament in East Asia
By yoo jee-ho
Seoul, July 6 (Yonhap)-South Korea head coach, Hong Myung-Bo, said on Sunday that he would use the next regional football tournament at home to test new faces in defense.
South Korea will face China, Hong Kong and Japan in the E-1 football championship in East Asia Football (EAFF), starting on Monday. Since the EAFF tournament is not on the official FIFA international matches of international matches, the clubs were not forced to release their players for this window – letting the participating countries rely strongly on their domestic leagues to fulfill their teams.
For the team of 26 men from Hong, 23 players come from the K League 1. In the days preceding the event, Hong said on several occasions that the EAFF event would be an opportunity to test new players with the FIFA World Cup within a year.
The players and head coaches of teams in competition in the E-1 football championship of the East Football Federation arise after their press conference at the Yongin Mireu stadium in Yongin, Gyeonggi province, July 6, 2025. From left to right: Chinese chief coach Dejan Djurdjevic and striker Zhang Yuning; The head coach of South Korea Hong Myung-Bo and the defender Park Jin-Seob; Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu and defender Yuto Nagatomo; And Hong Kong head coach Ashley Westwood, and defender Lee Ka Ho. (Yonhap)
During his press conference in Freetournoi on Sunday, Hong specifically declared that he was looking forward to experimenting with different combinations on the defense.
Of the 10 South Korean defenders here, five of them have no prior experience with the senior national team.
“For our defense, I have selected young players who are fortunate to play the World Cup next year,” Hong at the Yongin Mireu stadium in Yongin told Yongin, about 40 kilometers south of Seoul and instead of the three South Korean games. “How these players develop during this tournament and in the next year until the World Cup will be a crucial point for the national team. I think this tournament will be an excellent opportunity to assess our defenders exhaustively.”
For the defense corps, Park Jin-Seob will be the senior voice at 29 with six caps to his credit. Appointed vice-captain for this tournament, Park said that players were trying to get the most out of their opportunity.
“I think we are all going to do our best to capitalize on this chance and organize good performance,” said Park. “Our goal is to win each match and win the trophy.”
South Korea’s head coach, Hong Myung-Bo, is expressed at a press conference before the E-1 football championship of the East Asia Football Federation at the Yongin Mireu stadium in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, July 6, 2025. (Yonhap)
South Korea records at n ° 23 in the last ranking of FIFA, behind Japan classified in 15th in this tournament. China (93rd) and Hong Kong (153rd) will be heavy outsiders.
But Hong insisted that there will be no easy match.
“Each team here is in a different situation, and I think it will be an important competition for everyone in terms of present and future,” said Hong. “It will not be an easy tournament for us, but we will try to overcome our challenges and provide good results.”
Japan’s head coach Hajime Moriyasu said that even if he had different players at hand than recent qualifications for the Asian World Cup, given the absence of his veterans based in Europe, the objective of his team has not changed.
“We will play every match to win. The experience of this tournament will make my team and my players better,” he said. “I would like my players who will be in this tournament to improve for the World Cup next year.”
Yuto Nagatomo, the oldest Japanese player here at 38, said that he would try to lead the dozen new players from the national team for example.
The defender of South Korea, Park Jin-Seob, speaks for a press conference before the E-1 football championship of the East Asia Football Federation at the Yongin Mireu stadium in Yongin, Gyeonggi province, July 6, 2025. (Yonhap)
“The Japanese team has many players in Europe, and they are the basic members. But we also have good players in the National League. We would like to show our capacities,” said FC Tokyo defender. “I would like to share my experience with young players and show them my style of play.”
Dejan Djurdjevic, Chinese head coach, also has several international recruits and said that the goal was to “play as well as possible”.
Chinese striker Zhang Yuning said his team was being transitioned, some older players who have retired from the international game, and the EAFF event will be a chance for a new start.
“Our goal is certainly to reform our team,” said the 28 -year -old player. “We have many former players who have left the national team, and many new players have joined us. It is a very good chance to learn each other and understand what are the plans of the head coach. I will also help new players to become good players from the national team as soon as possible.”
Ashley Westwood of Hong Kong said that he did not have “too much waiting” during the EAFF tournament, given the gap of the talent levels between his team and the rest.
“We have nothing to lose,” he said. “We are just going to savor and like to test us against certain elite teams in Asia.”
His defender Lee Ka Ho, about to make his international debut at 32, said that he would try to take advantage of the experience but also to play well so that “I can go back to the national team the next time”.
“We are against good opposition for high intensity matches,” he said. “We will use them as a preparation for the qualifications of the Asian Cup.”
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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