South Korea – World Cup squad analysis (23 for 2010)

South Korea are now seven times in a row World Cup participants, veterans of the international stage. No-one really sees them as challengers but a Fourth Place finish in 2002 and narrowly losing out in the group stages in 2006 proves that they do have the quality to challenge the top sides. And you just never know in football.

I will now give you a brief description of the 23 players that should go to the World Cup based on recent call ups (most notably, the friendly with Ivory Coast which they won 2-0). I hope you will learn as much as I will over the coming months in terms of players, tactics and chances in the World Cup.

Goalkeepers

Lee Woon-Jae (Suwon Bluewings)

Kim Young-Kwang (Ulsan Horang-i)

Jung Sung-Ryong (Seongnam)

For Lee Woon-Jae, this may well be his very last major tournament with South Korea. Having just turned 37 on the 26th of April he is a veteran goalkeeper with 129 caps for his country. He is a definite starter and is well known for his penalty saving expertees. Cool on the ball and very rarely makes mistakes, he is a class act for South Korea.

Kim Young-Kwang and Jung Sung-Ryong are battling it out for back up keeper with 14 caps and 13 caps respectively, both are decent goalkeepers but Kwang has the more experience, making his national debut in 2004, being part of the 2004 Olympic team and 2006 World Cup Squad.

Defenders

Lee Young-Pyo (Al Hilal)

Kim Dong-Jin (Ulsan Horang-i)

Cha Du-Ri (Freiburg)

Oh Beom-Seok (Ulsan Horang-i)

Kang Min-Soo (Suwon Bluewings)

Cho Yong-Hyung (Jeju United)

Lee Jung-Soo (Kashima Antlers)

Kwak Tae-Hwi (Kyoto Sanga)

Fans in England and specifically Spurs will know left back who can also play right back Lee Young-Pyo, a very talented and experienced player at 33 years old with 111 caps to date. He has been in Al Hilal’s first team ever since his move on a 1million euros a year (1 year contract with an option for a 2nd) deal, making 30 appearances and scoring 1 goal. A certainty to play for South Korea at the World Cup and don’t be surprised to see him out shining other left backs such as Ashley Cole if he makes it or Capdevila.

Kim Dong-Jin is another left back who is best known for his 3 years at Zenit where he won the Russian League and UEFA Cup but then controversy and a big slice of bad luck overshadowed his performances when his contract was terminated due to results from medical examinations. This may give Young-Pyo the advantage in starting as he has played very little since the turn of the year.

Cha Du-Ri has been riddled with injuries since 2006 when he was left out of the World Cup squad. He has 43 caps for South Korea and can play either right back or as a striker considering his speed, stamina and jumping ability. He is also son of Cha Bum-Kun, who won Asian’s Player of the Century. He is likely to make the World Cup squad this time round.

Challenging Du-Ri for the right back position is Oh Beom-Seok, a 25 year old who has 35 caps for South Korea in which 11 of them came in the qualifiers for WC2010. He also found himself in Russia playing for Krylya Sovetov, making 28 appearances and then terminating his contract due to Krylya not paying him owed money. Do not be surprised to see him start ahead of Du-Ri, no matter whom their fathers may be.

Despite only making 85 appearances in 6 years for his clubs, Kang Min-Soo has 33 caps for South Korea since 2007 and is a 6ft centre back who played 9 games during the qualifiers (with clean sheets in 5 games) and although not picked for the friendly with Ivory Coast, he should be included in the squad for the World Cup.

Possibly partnering Min-Soo is Cho Yong-Hyung, a relatively unknown centre back who has spent his club career in his homeland. He has 29 caps for South Korea, playing 10 times during the qualifiers. One disadvantage for him is that he is the smallest of centre backs in the recent squads, standing at 5ft 11.

A few things Lee Jung-Soo has in his favour is his speed and ability to come up with a goal. He has appeared only 22 times for South Korea but has an decent club record in his homeland, making 46 appearances for Suwon Bluewings before moving onto Kyoto Sanga and then Kashima Antlers in Japan. This may be his last chance at the WC for South Korea due to being 30 years old and standing at 6ft 1, expect him to be strong in the air if he plays.

A second back up centre half is Kwak Tae-Hwi who has only played 11 times for South Korea but has scored 4 times, do not expect to see much of him at the WC unless there are major injury problems in defence.

Midfielders

Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United)

Kim Nam-Il (Tom Tomsk)

Kim Jung-Woo (Gwangju Phoenix)

Kim Do-Heon (Suwon Bluewings)

Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton)

Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic)

Yeom Ki-Hun (Suwon Bluewings)

Gu Ja-Cheol (Jeju United)

Park Ji-Sung is captain of South Korea and has 85 caps and 11 goals to his name as well as being one of South Korea’s biggest footballing exports ever. He has had a good season and has stayed mainly injury free, scoring goals in some big games including against Arsenal, AC Milan and Liverpool. He is arguably South Korea’s most dangerous player and can play anywhere across the midfield, always offering a goal threat as well as a great work rate. A top class player.

Kim Nam-Il is another South Korean who has found his feet in Russia this season. He is a defensive midfielder who received a lot of plaudits for his displays at the 2002 World Cup. He had stated his intention to play in the K-League for the rest of his career after a short loan spell at Excelsior but moved onto Japan and now Russia for Tom Tomsk. His intelligent defensive play, hard but fair tackles and ability to steady the defensive ship for South Korea should stand them in good stead against the bigger teams.

Kim Jung-Woo is a central midfielder who has spent his playing career in the K-League and J-League and now finds himself playing for Gwangju Phoenix also knwon as Gwangju Sangwu which is the sports division of the military. Footballers play here while serving their two years in military. He has 54 caps for his country and we will see a glimpse of him at this years World Cup.

Most people will remember Kim Do-Heon for his short stint at West Brom where he made made 20 appearances under Tony Mowbray. He is an attacking midfielder who does score goals, he has 11 goals in 58 games for his country and if he doesn’t play it will be due to the class of Park Ji-Sung.

Lee Chung-Yong is one of the massive prospects of Asian football and is currently impressing at Bolton where he has had a fantastic season, scoring 4 goals, assisting more and gaining a lot of interest from bigger clubs. He is naturally a right winger with great technical ability and good crossing, proving a thorn in many sides this season. He will play at the WC and there is no doubt he will impress and gain even more interest.

Ki Sung-Yong will be one to watch this year. I have seen him up close in his few appearances for Celtic this season and he has impressed greatly and should be playing a lot more games in the coming weeks. He is a surprisngly tall central midfielder, standing at 6ft 2 and can play in either a defensive or attacking role. His technical ability, passing accuracy and range is unbelievable and he was recently voted Asian Young Footballer of the Year as well as being in K-League Best XI in 2008 and 2009. Definitely a one to watch at the WC and I have no doubt he will be a massive player for South Korea and Celtic in the coming years.

Yeom Ki-Hun is a quick and skillful left winger but had a serious injury when he was involved in a car accident in 2006. He has fought his way back to the international scene and played 4 times in the qualifiers. Expect him to make some appearances this year and impress.

I included Gu Ja-Cheol because he is a young, promising midfielder who recently had a trial at Blackburn (which was not completed due to poor weather) and has already made 8 appearances for South Korea scoring two goals, including 1 against Hong Kong at the 2010 EAFF Championship in a 5-0 win. It will be interesting to see if he is picked at all and if he is, how he will fare against better teams.

Strikers

Park Chu-Young (Monaco)

Lee Keun-Ho (Jubilo Iwata)

Lee Dong-Gook (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

Ahn Jung-Hwan (Dalian Shide)

Although not selected for the recent friendly against Ivory Coast, Park Chu-Young is a very talented forward player, usually playing as the second striker. He has got an impressive goal tally of 13 in 39 for South Korea (1 in 3) and he is known for his lightning quick speed, great technical ability and passing skills. In his first season with Monaco, he made a decent start to his career and just got better as he went on, winning their second half player of the season in 2008. He is tipped to go onto bigger and better things so watch out for him at the WC.

Lee Keun-Ho is another fairly young (25 years old) striker who played 6 games in the WC qualifiers, scoring 3 times. Overall he has a similar scoring record as Chu-Young with 8 goals in 30 caps and will no doubt play a part for South Korea in the summer.

I have included Lee Dong-Gook even though he was banned from the national team for twelve months in November 2007, largely missing out on the qualifiers due to this and not playing any qualifier matches for other reasons. At every WC, you need experience and this is what the 31 year old gives. He has 82 caps and 25 goals, an impressive tally and finished K-League top goalscorer in 2009. He has proven he can score goals (unless you remember his time at Middlesbrough where he scored 1 goal in 23 games) and should be taken to the WC.

Veteran Ahn Jung-Hwan of Dalian Shide could also make the plane.

And there we have it, the 23 man squad who I think will go to the World Cup this year to represent South Korea and possibly create a massive upset. 한국에 오!  (South Korea!)

23 for 2010, South Korea, Squad Analysis, World Cup 2010